2017 was a year filled with lots of love, happiness, laughter, tears, many celebrations, family
and so many friends. I overcame a lot of hard battles and healed from a lot of heartbreak. But
most importantly in 2017, I found genuine happiness. I pray for this new year, 2018, and all
the new things that it will bring for me and you.
1. God's plans are always better than your own.
In 2017, I really learned to trust God with every single aspect of my life. I was given some of the biggest challenges of my life in 2017 and God really challenged me this year to give him all of my anxiety, worries, and fears. I couldn't be more thankful for the hardships He put me through to help me grow my relationship with Him.
2. Your hometown may be covered with 50 feet of water one month then a few months later you win the world series for the first time.
On August 25th 2017, Hurricane Harvey made it's way to my hometown in Kingwood Texas. No one knew how bad this hurricane would be on everyone. This hurricane was a category 4. Two days before Hurricane Harvey started making it's way to Houston I was leaving my hometown to get ready for my junior year in College not knowing the next time I would be back home, everything would be so much different. Over 250 businesses were completely ruined in Kingwood, many remain permanently closed, others are still re-building 4 months later. Houses two doors down from my child-hood home were flooded. I truly can't thank God enough for keeping our home dry, I felt so helpless being only two hours away from home and not being able to return home to help my neighbors back home. On a better note, the Houston Astros won the World Series for the first time in franchise history on November 1st. Just like our city, the Astros went through a whole lot of losing and hardships in order to be where they are today. HUGE shout out to the Astros and Springer for a heck of year! So many emotions have occurred in Houston, Texas over these past few months. I couldn't be more proud of my city for the comeback we have made and are continuing to make.
3 . Surrounding yourself with people who make it known that you are SO SO important.
2017 has showed me how deeply important it is to surround yourself with people who genuinely care about you. 2017 has taught me that it is okay to lose friends and let go of the toxic people in your life. I couldn't be more thankful for the people God has placed in my life today.
4. Trusting God even in the unknown.
Let me tell ya, this year was not a breeze. Their were times where I had no idea where God was leading me, or where what my future held but God has given me some of the coolest plans when I finally decided to give up on controlling and knowing everything that my future held.
5. Desire God above EVERYTHING else.
Keeping God the foundation of my life has been everything i've expected and more. I can't explain the complete joy I get when I allow God to be the #1 person in my life. This year I learned to rest in His promises and plans.
6. God will use your hardships to build you.
Along with the many good things God has blessed me with, 2017 brought a lot of hardships and a lot of tears. I don't regret any of it. God truly used all of my hardships, all of my trials to build and strengthen me to who I am today.
7. Always hug your loved ones a little bit tighter, you never know when it will be the last time you see them.
2017 brought a lot of new friends into my life. Unfortunately, in 2017 my closest friends also lost a lot of loved ones. I don't ever want to take for granted the time I have with my family and friends. It also opened up my eyes to how short this life can feel sometimes, I don't want to leave this earth without fulfilling my God given purpose. I hope & pray that you don't either.
8. You are exactly where you are meant to be.
I am, and you are exactly where you are supposed to be for a reason. Don't doubt anything. Trust God with your life and know you are a child of God.
9. God is greater and more important than any "number" in your life.
Your weight, GPA, the amount of money in your bank account do not define who you are. Your 4.0 isn't what gets you into Heaven.
10. All of my failures.
God has turned all of my fears and all of my failures into a part of my testimony & for that I will remain forever grateful. As a person who is so afraid of failure 2017 has taught me new things from each and every one of my failures.
11. Not to fear change.
This year has been a year of lots of new changes. I moved to a house in a new city with my sister. I took some of the most challenging classes of my college career. I learned how to do my own laundry (I know I'm a little late in the game) and I scored an amazing internship for this summer. All of this change was so scary looking at all of it at first but I learned to embrace it and I learned to love it because I knew I had given it all up to Him. He was and always is in control.
12. I am good enough.
I am & always will be His.
13. My purpose
This year I found purpose in everything I did. I knew I was where I was supposed to be for a reason, God planted me in the school I am at because He has plans for me. Plans that are bigger than anything I could ever imagine, and boy oh boy am I excited for them.
14. Live for now
This year I learned to love living in the "now" moments and not worry about the past or future. I genuinely found happiness in where I was at that moment and learned to always be grateful for it no matter what season of life I was in good, or bad.
15. Always always keep A screen-protector on your iPhone
3 days without a phone and 5 hours spent at the Apple store and $180 later I learned that I need to always have a screen-protector on my phone. I put this one in the top 17 because throughout the time my phone was broken I learned how much I rely on my phone to get me through the day. I started to think about what if I really started to rely on God as much as I do for my iPhone 7 plus. 2018 resolution is to spend more time off of social media and more time focusing on the Lord.
16. Self-Worthiness.
I am most grateful for this one in 2017. In 2017, I learned to love being who I am without anyone else telling me who I am supposed to be. I learned to love being single, I learned to love growing as an individual and in my walk with God. I learned to be proud of all of my accomplishments and thank God everyday for them because I couldn't do it without Him, and that is the TRUTH. I learned so may things about myself in 2017 that I haven't ever experienced throughout my life. I learned to fight for what I want and completely trust God with my life. I learned to love myself and only love people who make me a better me. I learned that God always makes a way. 2017, you were a year of growth and I couldn't be happier.
17. The best things are the unexpected ones
Lastly, 2017 you were always an unexpected ride! From getting into my dream school, to obtaining my dream internship. So many big opportunities came about this year and I couldn't be more hopeful that the same will happen in 2018. I am ready for another year of growth, and unexpected opportunities.
