"Thrive"

What's your word for this year? Well, if you asked me this back when I was a junior in high school, I would've answered with this, "Courage". Each day, I needed to have courage and be very brave to adjust to my new high school as I was transitioning from a private school to a public high school. I remember walking in on the first day and it felt like a giant culture shock. By the time I reached my senior year, things were a lot better. It wasn't the greatest, but with God's help, I made it through and best of all, I graduated with honors!

What's your word for this year? Well, this year, my word it "Thrive". According to Dictionary.com. thrive is a verb meaning "to prosper, be fortunate or successful." "Thrive" is my word for 2015.

In 2014, Christian artist Casing Crowns released their 6th album titled "Thrive". This album also featured the song with the same title. The line that stands out to me is this. "It's time for us to more than just survive. We were made to thrive."

So, how do I thrive? Well, let me give you an image. Take your right hand and hold up all 5 fingers. Then take your left hand and place it under your right hand, but have your fingers point down .This, according to Casting Crowns' singer, Mark Hall, is called the "Thrive Five". The fingers on the left hand are like roots of a tree. This is called digging deep into God's word and learning more about who He is, The fingers on the right hand are pointed up. This is called reaching out into the world and showing others who God is. We as Christians are not just to only dig deep and only reach out, we are tot dig deep AND reach out.

So, why is thrive my word for 2015? Well, it was also my word when I started college last fall. Unfortunately, and I won't go into details, but I had a rough semester because of some very stressful things that took place. Make a long story short, and thanks to God and my parents, I am going back to college for a second semester!! I still however bare an emotional scar from everything that took place.

As I prepare to head back to college for the spring, my goal is to not just to survive, My goal is to THRIVE!!!!!!! How am I going to do this? Well first off, I'm going to go into each of my classes, ready to learn. Second, I'm going to grow in my spiritual life. I have actually already started a few new things to help. I have started a prayer wall with people's names on post-it notes. Most of them are authors on FanFiction that need prayer. The rest are friends. Another thing I do is devotions. I read devotions morning, noon, and night. It's a great way to relax and focus my mind on God.

The last way that I am going thrive is to think positive. A lot of times last semester I was really negative and not in a good mood because of what had happened, Yes there were days that were enjoyable, but there was always a sense of sadness over me. I wasn't exactly my full self and there were days that I let it overpower me. Well, this year, I am not going to do that. I am going to instead be "safe in the arms of [God's] embrace, breathing in his freedom (Matt Redman "Where Would We Be").

So, what are you waiting for? Stop trying to just survive, go out there and THRIVE!! Dig deep into God's word and reach out into the world!

Here are thy lyrics to this amazing song.

"Thrive" by Casting Crowns

Here in this worn and weary land

Where many a dream has died

Like a tree planted by the water

We never will run dry

So living water flowing through

God we thirst for more of You

Fill our hearts and flood our souls

With one desire

Just to know You and

To make You known

We lift Your name on High

Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide

We know we were made for so much more

Than ordinary lives

It's time for us to more than just survive

We were made to thrive

Into Your word we're digging deep

To know our Father's heart

Into the world we're reaching out

To show them who You are

So living water flowing through

God we thirst for more of You

Fill our hearts and flood our souls

With one desire

Just to know You and

To make You known

We lift Your name on High

Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide

We know we were made for so much more

Than ordinary lives

It's time for us to more than just survive

We were made to thrive

Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible

Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible

Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible

Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible

Just to know You and

To make You known

We lift Your name on High

Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide

We know we were made for so much more

Than ordinary lives

It's time for us to more than just survive

We were made to thrive

Hey!

We were made to Thrive!