Happy Thoughts

This journal is something you will probably find with me 24/7. It makes my day to open up and reread what I wrote, or add a little something throughout the day. I take it to church every week and make a great addition that I love to glance back on every now and then. Who knew a couple of pieces of paper could ever mean so much to me.

This past Sunday at church made me realize where my focus should be for this upcoming year. I have summed it up into two simple sentences: Be content. Be positive. It also made me realize that these two things are greatly related to building my relationship with Christ. All of my negative thoughts, ideas, and words come from one place: the devil himself. All of my desire for material wants that do not enable me to better serve Him are his evil works. All of my greed, envy, and pride can be broken down and traced back straight to the evil one. This year I am determined to push these out of my mind and focus on contentment and positivity.

I will be content with what the Lord has blessed me with and the direction my life has headed. This doesn't mean I will be complacent and not strive to become a better me. It doesn't mean I will be comfortable with my relationship with Him and not continue to grow closer to my Savior. It simply means I will stop being stubborn (lol, yes mom, you heard it here, no more stubbornness) and listen to Him when I know what he is telling me.When I know with all my heart that He is telling me to do something but I really, really don't want to, I will swallow my pride and follow His plan and be okay with it. When I feel inferior or insufficient, I will remember, "God has been very gracious towards me. I have more than enough." Genesis 33:11. When I feel overwhelmed and stressed out, I will take a break and remember whose child I am and who gives me strength. Contentment will lead me to happy thoughts.

I will have positive thoughts towards myself, towards my situation, and towards others. I will not be dragged down by the negativity that can only come from one place. I will be happy with who I am because I am a daughter of Christ and there is nothing that can compare to that. When I do not feel great about how my life is going, I will fill my head with positive thoughts and constantly have a "glass half-full" outlook on life. Over Christmas break, my Nonnie gave me a book to start reading right before the semester started. It is Joel Osteen's, I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life. While I am just on chapter 3, I can truly feel the positivity it is radiating into my life. It is changing my thought process, my attitude, and my words. Positivity will lead me to happy thoughts.

These two goals for 2017 are just a change in mindset and focus. I will slow down and focus my eyes back on Him and His greatness. This year I will take the time to write down my happy thoughts and focus on reading His word. I will pray and give God control in troubling times instead of trying to handle it on my own. He will show me the marvelous things He can do in my life, but only if I allow Him to. Only when I let go and let God will I be truly happy. The clothes I wear, the vehicle I own, and the major I am in do not matter. What matters is that I am His, and this alone will bring me contentment and happiness.

"A strong woman knows she has the potential to shine in this world, but true strength lies in her ability to lay down her life so that God can shine through her."

-Darlene Schacht