together we'll ring in the new year

two thousand nine.

I'm ready,
and so anxious to see
what God has in plan for me this year.

I read the letter I wrote last year to my future self,
and looking back at my senior year fears,
hopes, and stupid little stresses,
I feel like I've made a lot of progress in my life.

Every year, on New Year's Eve,
we go to church, have a New Year's service,
and when it's all done,
there are baskets up at the front of the sanctuary with bookmarks in them
with a different Bible verse written on each one.
We choose these verses randomly,
and they are supposed to be the verses for the New Year,
the verse that we are to remember, and try to live by.

Last year, my bookmark read a passage from Proverbs 16,

1 To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.

Looking back at 2008,
I realize this passage did play a large role in my life.
Listening to sermons about how our plans are rarely the same that God has in store for us,
and my whole philosophy in life was just to let things be the way they are supposed to be.
I decided to not to choose a dream college, or a major at that,
and just let God lead the way.
and now, I'm attending a school I love.
I haven't yet declared my major,
but psychology has been tugging at my sleeve..

This year,
Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

The Sunday before winter retreat, I said out loud that I wanted God to convict me.
Sure enough, the whole theme of this year's retreat was about conviction-
living life the way we should- as a disciple of Christ.

As involved as I was with Intervarsity,
i still let myself indulge in some of the vices of college life.
I felt that the things that i did was somewhat acceptable,
that "it's college, i have to try everything once.."
Now i realize it's better to have just stayed away.

I'm excited to go back to Santa Barbara,
with this fresh mindset.
I'm going to try to live as a disciple of Christ,
and not be tempted by the world.

For once,
i'm looking forward to a battle.