My vote for change.

Let's just say, I wouldn't have voted for Obama if I had been of age, but his campaign of change is everywhere. I use the word "everywhere" very loosely, but I wish I didn't, because I'm serious this time. Every aspect of this life... is changing. I've grown up with negative change. In my younger days, things would change, but they would never be positive. Our family would move, my dad would get laid off, my mom would get another job, but none of this was positive. Even in more recent days, change has been hard.

This life is changing so much right now. This time, it's less of a physical change. Who I am is changing. What I am is changing. My relationships, my opinions, my goals, my personality... they're all changing. Even little things. My annoyances, my fun, my tastes... everything, and I mean everything, is changing. And for once, I'm really happy about it. This is the first major change I've experienced that has been and is going to be positive. I'm excited about life. I'm finding joy in who I am. I'm finding confidence in what this life is and what it makes me.

I think I'm beginning a new phase of this life. I've wanted things to change for a long time now. It feels as if my life began in May of 2008. Before then, I wasn't serious about my relationship with Christ. It really is interesting how we're born again. I've been a christian all my life, but I didn't have a serious relationship with Christ until around May of last year. I've noticed that when I think about my life, I measure time by the milestones I pass in my spiritual life. Over the summer, I realized that I needed God. I went through a big loss and that was a huge awakening for me. I realized not only that I needed him, but that he had placed a huge call on my life. That was phase one. This entire school year has been confusing. God has showed me the meaning of selflessness. He's showed me that he's always waiting to use me, but it's up to me to make the effort of seeking him with all of me. He's showed me that he's surrounded me with amazing relationships. That was phase two. Phase two was long, and I may have a little bit more of it left. However, I feel phase three coming on soon. I'm not sure what phase three holds, but I know it's going to be incredible. God has grown me so much through phase one and two. I know it's in preparation for the next phase of my life and so on. I'm so grateful and ecstatic for this growth and how God wants to use it.

There's no doubt that I'm excitedly and restlessly awaiting the next phase of my life, but I'm seeing that some of it will be hard. I'm having to let go of a lot of things. Even some people. But I'm not even going to continue talking about the loss, because the excitement and goodness that's coming outweighs it completely. Part of what God is showing me is optimism. He's showing me that much of happiness is a choice. I can choose to be positive. It's hard sometimes, but it's also something we should celebrate.

I really can't wait to see what God is going to do.