expectantly: a new kind of resolution for 2014

I'm consistently learning that life is full of disappointment.

While this past year has been full of new experiences and a lifetime of memories, it's also held some of my greatest sorrows and toughest decisions. People have disappointed me, I've disappointed myself and made plenty of mistakes I wish I could go back and fix.

But that's the refreshing thing about new years: it's new… a fresh start. It's the perfect time to renew all those goals I never quite reached last year because this one is free of mistakes and let-downs. With the idea that a new year is a "clean slate," I'm more motivated, resolved to make this one better.

The truth is, though, I can never any kind of lasting success in my own strength. I can set all kinds of good and noble resolutions for myself; but when the newness of the year wears off and after the first few mistakes and disappointments, I'll give up by the time March rolls around. 

When I focus all those New Year's around me and my goals and what I need to improve, I'm bound to fail. 

As long as I make resolutions in my own strength, I'll always disappoint myself.

While there's sure to be disappointing situations and moments in 2014, one thing I know to be true is that my God never disappoints.

Unlike imperfect human beings who constantly fail and fall short, God never falls short; in fact, he consistently exceeds any expectations we could ever have for him!

In the midst of my failings and disappointments, Ephesians 3:20-21 is full of hope and anticipation: "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

God is faithful, he does not fail. We should never put limitations on what God can do. God desires to magnify himself and glorify his name, and he will always succeed in what he does.

Although we may not always know God's purpose or intentions, we can always expect that they are greater than we could ever ask for or imagine!

This new year, 2014, you and I both have goals, expectations for what this year holds and what it will be like. While there are sure to be joys and successes, there are certain to be disappointments as well. However, no matter the circumstances, no matter the situation, let's make this a year where we expect great things of God.

This year, I resolve to expect great things of God.

Let's not put limits on what he can do in our lives and in the lives around us. God doesn't always move like we expect him to, but he certainly never disappoints. Don't you think he would delight in doing far more abundantly than anything we could ask or think this year?!

 A new season, a new year, and a faithful God.

Lord, we wait expectantly.

#ThatCollegeLyfe

In short, this post is just a memoir of the best and worst of my college experience, from the octopus the cafeteria tried to serve last week, to the wild homework parties in North Phillippe. (And by wild I mean we sat around bemoaning our tragic social lives while eating taffy and attempting to read Beowulf.)

I will never forget the epic war between Wesley Hall and Scott Hall, a night battle filled with watery, floury, glittery, and egg-y projectiles (don't forget the silly-string). Hands down the best mess I've ever made.

Or those days spent making giant M&M costumes and writing a candy "rap" for Famous Duos with one of my good friends. That performance, tho—what can I say? The audience loved us! M&M/Eminem rappers, our first debut: unforgettable. "Ladies and Gents we are more tasty than mints…"

I gave a cataclysmal attempt to bring all my friends to our state fair this year… but we ended up spending half the time waiting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. We were hot, hungry, and tired. And by the time we finally got in to the fair, we only had two hours to spend. Hmmm, maybe we'll know for next time?

Seriously, one of my favorite memories is a spontaneous evening of stargazing and telling stories while wrapped up in blankets under the night sky. Quality bonding time right there. I love stars and friends.

Okay, I can't conclude this post until I include the day we all dressed up as hipster disney princesses all day. Or that time we dressed up as old people for our school's "senior bingo" event and a guy at Braums held the door open for us because he actually thought we were old ladies. (Come to think of it, I wear a lot of costumes in college.)

But regardless of how many huge events or activities you do in college, sometimes the best memories are made in the much smaller, simpler aspects of life. Like going out to coffee with a friend and sharing about what God is doing in your life. Or crying with a friend who's struggling. Or taking with your roommate long into the night after the lights have gone off.

I could go on and on about my college experiences that will forever be the best experiences of my life. But the moments I treasure the most will always be the moments spend with people, simply living the life God has called us to, together.

beginning

The beauty of growing up is being able to look back on your life and seeing how much you've changed.

God has directed my life and molded my heart in new ways as I've walked with him these past several years. As my perspective has changed, so have my goals; and with every new experience my desires and dreams have been shaped. I have a better idea of what I want to do, who I want to be, and how I want to get there.

Back in 2009, my 16-year-old self created a blog, Blooming in Christ. With so many thoughts and emotions captured in those posts of my adolescent years, my first blog stands as a memory of God's sufficient faithfulness in the younger years of my life.

And yet, my purpose and vision for writing has changed considerably since my first post in October 2009. As my final post in Blooming in Christ nearly marked the end of my teenage years, I began to feel that it was time to start afresh with a new blog that reflected the change I've experienced in my life over the course of those five years.

So here's to the anticipation that God will do "abundantly more" than anything I could ever ask or imagine with the journey ahead…

it's just the beginning.