New Years

 With 2012 around the corner I have been thinking about how people get so hyped about New year resolutions. The main one that comes to mind is "losing weight". I can see how with those amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas meals how a few extra pounds could sneak in and make their self at home. It's happened in the Olinger family.
 I see nothing wrong with making these goals you just have to commit and decide to follow through with them after the hype has died down. Disciplining yourself to do the hard things is not easy. When I think about my own life I fall short in so many ways.
 I want to get up early in the morning to sit and study the word. The whole council of God. Be still. Meditate. Pray. Pray Big. Pray in faith! Share the gospel. Fast. Love my kids with patience and gentleness. Serve and encourage my amazing husband daily. Help the poor. Worship the Lord in spirit and in truth and the list goes on. I am always remembering that by myself none of this can be accomplished and is all in vain if not done for Christ.
 I am forever in awe and amazed that Christ suffered and payed the price for my unrighteousness (Isaiah 53:4-5) having God's wrath averted away from me and given His perfect righteousness through repentance of sin and faith in Christ. I am so thankful for his mercy even in all my "mess-ups" and when I long for earthly things more than the precious living words of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love the Lord so much and desire to walk in constant obedience and faith living a life pleasing to him. Praise be to Him that when "we are faithless he is still faithful for he cannot deny himself." 2 Timothy 2 11-13
 I have been thinking of some things I want to work on for this coming year. And I am very excited about getting back on track and organized in differing areas of my life. My friend posted a great blog recently on New year questions to ask yourself. I highly recommend checking it out. Here is her link: www.theunlikelyhousewife.blogspot.com  love you megan =)
 One of the main things (New Years resolution if you will) I am going to aim at improving is scripture memorization. I am seeing the huge importance for it more and more. I have started in baby steps and I am pressing in by God's grace to fill up my "belt of truth" to be ready at all times. Refresh yourself on the armor of God. It is great! Ephesians 6: 10-20. I hope your goals and plans moving into this coming year will be God exalting and to the praise of his great name.
 One more thing before I go. Being here in Missouri has no doubt been wonderful! Lot's of games. laughing, and relaxing. But I have noticed that my guard has been dropped. Just because I am on vacation does not mean vacation away from the Lord, and with regret that was kind of how I had been acting. I woke up this morning longing for the Lord. I prayed in the shower for repentance. I sat down after breakfast and opened the Word and just did not know where to start. It didn't take long and I just started reading the whole book of Ephesians. Out loud (I love reading the Bible out loud even when I am alone) I was trying to read the whole thing but only made it to chapter 4 because of something with the kids.
 Anyways, the point is speaking God's truth out loud is one of those powerful things I believe the enemy can have no say in. Every Word of the Lord proves true! I was refreshed through his Word. I want more. He is so gracious to me and I am just so undeserving of such great love. May God receive glory through this vessel and be used for his purposes in whichever way he so chooses this coming year and the years to follow.