This is how I want to start this year: my heart for us all! As everyone starts posting their visions, power words, and resolutions for the new year, let me take this moment to encourage you– and encourage myself in the process. I’m one of those people who loves and hates to set goals. Big-picture stuff overwhelms me. So when I set a goal for myself, my perfectionist attitude steps in and starts to discourage me. The funny thing is, I’ve started to notice that I’m not alone. There are so many people I find around me that are unafraid to dream dreams.

Growing up, I know I truly found myself in Christ, but I could never get away from feeling extremely unworthy. This has been my struggle my whole life. Though my relationship with God has been strong, there are so many times I have found myself trying to find my worth in something other than my Savior.

We live in a society that defines importance and value by what we see on the outside. We are extremely materialistic, and we always want what we don’t have. We want name brands, attention and praise from people, the best body, and the nicest clothes. We think that when we achieve our “dream life” that we will be eternally happy. We think that if we could just lose that extra weight, life will be so much better; or if we were dating someone we will feel better about ourselves, but the truth is that we are falling for a big fat lie.