Breaking Free

Hi again, friends! It has been a busy December, and first week of January. My brother, Erik, visited for two weeks, and for the second week his girlfriend, Leah, and her family came to visit, too! It was a full house, and lots of fun. It was especially fun for me, I think, because I don't often get to have girls in the house, and there were several that week. :)

This week I have been getting back to doing school, and I am loving it. Having had a break over Christmas, I've come back to it with a new vigor. Also, my best friend Emily has come spent the night at my house twice this week, which has been a real treat for both of us.

As this new year is starting off, I decide to assess my life and see if there are changes that I need to commit to this year. I discovered a lot of things that need to change, but the biggest thing is the media input in my life. I realized that I watch a LOT of movies, and listen to a shocking amount of secular music, not to mention the amount of time I spent on facebook. I didn't listen to "bad" music, but it wasn't music that edifies me and inspires me to serve Christ more. The same is true about the movies I usually watch. As I became aware of these things, I felt the Lord calling me to make some significant changes this year - like I've never done before.

"Come away," Jesus was whispering to my soul. He wants me to know true joy, not settle for counterfeit joys in godless entertainment. Truly, these influences only extract joy from life; they don't add to it.

So here are the "resolutions," if you will. I have committed to God that I'm not going to waste my time watching movies or listening to songs that do not push me on to knowing Jesus Christ more deeply, which is the purpose of my life. Now, if my family wants to watch a movie together or something, that is okay. The purpose is to glorify God and break free from being saturated with our sinful culture, not to follow some spectacular rule that will magically change my life. Because, as you know, discovering God is what is life-changing, not legalism.

I also deactivated my facebook. I know my life will be much better without it. I can still email my friends, write on my blog, and all sorts of wonderful things. But, facebook just did not have a positive affect on me.

Since I am getting rid of some facets of my life, I also decided I need to replace them with better things. I am reading through the Bible this year, and I love it! I'm reading a Daily Bible, which is divided into daily, chronological readings, with devotional thoughts. Reading about Lot in the the city of Sodom today, I was convinced yet again that the changes I am making this year are necessary. I don't want to live in a such a way that I am completely imbued with sinful, secular concepts. I want to flee them! It is essential that we pursue righteousness - hard. I need to get out of "Sodom" (A place of secular influence) and live well.

I am so excited to see what will happen this year. Surely it will be a year of extreme change in my life, and hopefully I will be much more like Christ by breaking free of this entrapment.