It’s January 1, 2016 and you may have resolutions on your mind. It’s a new year and time to create a new you. Right?! You want to be better, do better, and have more in life. It’s time to change who you are!

But I don’t plan to change a single thing about myself this year.

I know, it sounds pretty cocky doesn’t it? It’s not that I don’t think I need to change… shoot, there are so many things I need to change! I am lazy. I am judgmental. I am quick to anger. I can hold a grudge longer than most. I am fat. I am doubtful. I am broken. There are more things I need to change about myself than I can list.

It seems though that when I make a list of New Year’s resolutions chronicling the areas I’m going to change, I inevitably fail. Look at my last year’s resolutions…. I failed to achieve every single one of them.

Ok, so last year’s resolutions were more joking (although I really did want to poop alone and didn’t get to do that), but this year I’m being serious. I’ve decided that I’m not going to change a single thing about me.

Why?

It’s good to want to change ourselves isn’t it? It’s good to become healthier, happier, and nicer people, right? So if this is the case, why would I be so opposed to changing myself?

I guess I have figured out that while I can change myself, the changes I make on my own are rarely long lasting. I can only do so much to make myself a better person. Instead, I need God to help me change. If I allow Him to change my heart and mind those changes will be longer lasting and will take root for good.

Most of us (me included) are so eager to put ourselves at the center of our lives and strive to do what is best for us. Instead we have to put God at the center and ask Him to guide us in creating us into the person HE wishes us to be. We can think we know what is best for our lives, but we are kidding ourselves.

Sometimes what we want and what God wants for us is one in the same. Other times what we want is very different from what God wants and knows is best for us. If we trust in His plans for us and if we place Him at the center of our lives, He will inspire us and guide us to make the changes that are necessary to become the people He is calling us to be.

I have no doubt that 2016 will be a big year for me. I see huge changes coming… I can already sense myself changing. But, I plan to allow God to guide all those changes and I plan to answer His call to make my life better. It may mean I eat healthier, I am on social media less, I forgive easier, and I don’t get angry as much. Or it may mean other changes, I don’t know yet. I’m allowing God that control over my life.

This doesn’t mean I don’t have hopes and dreams that I will work to accomplish… I’d like to get my book published; I’d like to get my house in order; I’d like to go on a 25^th anniversary trip with my husband; and yes, I’d even like to poop without distractions. There is a long list of goals I have for this year, but each of those hopes, dreams, and goals will be placed in God’s hands and I will watch and listen for Him to guide me in how to accomplish them if it is His Holy Will in my life right now.

I suppose the title to this article is misleading. I actually am making changes in 2016. I am going to strive to be more reliant on God and to trust Him in everything I do. I am going to give my life fully and completely to Him. I am going to allow Him to change me from the inside out and because of this everything will change for me in 2016.

I can’t wait! No matter what happens, I know God is in charge and this is going to be a wonderful year.