It has been four months since the start of the year 2011. It seems only yesterday that I was packing my suitcases for California and heading off on a Boeing 737 to the west coast. Looking back, I am not too sure what I intended to accomplish or if I did accomplish anything, but now I can reflect on what I learned and God’s purpose for my life.

It is funny to observe the world and society that we live in this present day. In the past hundred or so years, almost every aspect of life from technology to clothing to family structures has completely changed. In this quickly progressing era, where nothing is the same from one day to the next, it is very easy to lose yourself, your identity, and most importantly your faith. Too often, I believe, that we try to put our view of who God is in a little compartment of our life and we try to live out who we want to be and who society makes us feel that we need to be in the rest of our life. As we all know, me especially, it doesn’t work that way. God calls us to be exceptional people and beacons of light to the world. He calls us to take on the characteristics of Christ, until they permeate our souls and being selfless and unconditionally loving is as natural as breathing to us.

I know from first-hand experience how easy it is to get lost. To slowly push God out of the picture and forget about His will for my life. As I sit here today and write this I realize how dead I feel without God’s daily presence. I need His Spirit to move within me. I need His Spirit to remind me of my value and worth. For so long, I viewed my life in terms of limitations. I can’t do this because of this reason; I am unable to do this because I can’t or I’m not good enough. How many of us are stuck in this limited thinking? Jesus wants us to know that with Him all things are possible.

Last Sunday, I listened to a mind-altering sermon from a woman named Priscilla. In her message, she stated God’s infinite ability to do above and beyond our highest expectations. She said that God is power. Too often we get caught up thinking that there isn’t enough to go around, but God is POWER. He has the ability to do all the things we ask (and go exceedingly above all that we can imagine). With this, I felt empowered. As Priscilla put it, “It is God’s sovereign right to decide if and when he wants to act on our requests, but it is not because he doesn’t have the ability.”

Therefore, God CAN do above and beyond what I or you ask of him. “You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.”

Have faith and see how God can work in your life.

You are important and able to accomplish more than your wildest dreams.