2019... which means 19 years of life, which also means 19 years of tears, adventures, joy, really hard lessons learned, celebrations, breakups, great friendships, anxiety about the future, questions with God, but it has all landed me here. It is hard for me to say goodbye to 2018, because it was such a good year, but God's promises always remain true. Here are 19 things I have gotten out of the 6,935 days I have been alive.

1. You are indeed ____ enough.

You are not skinny enough, you are not smart enough, you are not pretty enough, you are... ENOUGH. These are all lies that I told myself in high school (even now) and convinced myself others were thinking, too. But, as Grace Valentine says in her book, Enough, you are enough for the Lord, and that is all that matters.

2. A good bath and nap solves a lot of problems.

Studies show that a hot bath can burn up to as many calories as a workout and sleep is vital to your health, so I am just going to leave it here.

3. Bad grades do not make you a failure.

Man, did I beat myself up over this. I made myself sick over my grades in high school, even in my first semester of college. But, lemme tell ya, once you get to college, if you asked 10 people what they made on their ACT or SAT, or what their GPA is, only like 2 of them could tell you exactly. It is totally okay to not have perfect grades. Employers and colleges do look at transcripts to see an overall view of your academic achievement, but if you struggled to make a D in that one class, odds are, it will be looked over.

4. High school is not boring if you do not party.

I'm gonna be honest. I did not go to one party in high school - not one. The closest thing that I got to a party was sweet sixteens and my senior sleepover, which I just came home from exhausted. I have so many great memories from high school without Bud Light in the picture, I never felt the need to have one. Plus, I would much rather remember and enjoy time with friends, than feel sick and forget.

5. It is okay if you don't find Mr. Right by Senior Year.

Lol because literally almost all of my friends from college who are graduating or who have already graduated (this includes my cousins, whom I look up to so much), did not even meet each other until late in their college career, or after. Kyle met Alison his last semester of college and married her a year later. There's hope, ladies. Wait for the perfect man.

6. Embrace the singleness.

Not gonna lie, I am having a really hard time with this right now. It is hard being single after investing so much time into someone. I just finished reading a book called A Beautiful Season by Alexandra Savage, (Jensen now), and it is such a great read if you are in that time of life, or even if you're not. I am good friends with the author and when I told her what I was going through this is what she said: "You are right that it is scary at first but God honors faith and trust in Him.... You will look back one day and thank God for the way He led and orchestrated your life... Psalm 5:12 [Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.] God is watching over you!"

7. Drug store makeup is just as good as designer makeup, but take care of your skin.

I have been using Maybelline and Covergirl for years and they have never failed me. However, if you have an acne problem, or sensitive skin like I do, do not be too prideful to go to a Dermatologist or use a special kind of foundation or face wash. Clinique and prescription acne medication has been magic on my face. Newsflash, though, drug store eye shadow and mascara is just as shiny as Urban Decay.

8. You are not defined by what activities have your name on them.

It took me awhile in high school to believe this, because I was surrounded by people who were involved in so many things and graduated with a ton of cords. Even now, in college, 80% of those enrolled are athletes, and I am not one of them. However, God is not going to ask you how many cords were around your neck at graduation when you arrive at the gates of Heaven.

9. One really bad year does not mean the rest are going to be bad, too.

2017 was the worst. I ended the year so happy that it was over, but so worried that 2018 was going to be just as bad. Now, it will be hard to beat the year that just ended. Hold fast to the promises of God and "Do not despise these small beginnings." - Zechariah 4:10

10. Find a good TV show to look forward to watching.

Grey's Anatomy, Manifest, The Good Doctor, This Is Us, and New Amsterdam have never let me down when I have had nothing to do. Also, HGTV is golden.

11. Do yoga.

If you have not already had the chance to learn yoga, let this be the year you do. It is so relaxing, and you will be surprised by your flexibility. I have done everything from crying to laughing to trying not to pass gas during yoga. It is especially great before bedtime to relax your body. Essential oils are a bonus.

12. Go on adventures, even if they scare you.

I got the chance to climb up a mountain, then jump down 27 waterfalls to get to the bottom. Sounded fun and all until I found out that the highest waterfall I had to jump down was 30 feet. I almost backed out, but I am so glad I didn't because it was one of the best experiences of my life.

13. Laugh as much as you can.

They say the more you laugh, the longer you live. There are studies to prove it.

14. If you're questioning something, don't do it.

Odds are, the reason you are questioning it is because it is something that doesn't need to happen (mainly talking about boys and temptations here). This goes for spending money, too. You probably don't need it if you're trying to decide whether to buy it or not.

15. Not yourself? Watch a funny video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yaqa4AbW1Ss

If I am sad or mad or overwhelmed, it never fails that watching a funny video brings me right back to the normal me. Like I said, laughing is good for the soul.

16. Do something.

Abby Smyers is the wife of Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay. I look up to her as an inspiration so much, not only because her and Dan have such a pure love, but also because she is so authentic and a believer. In a podcast with Caroline Hobby (https://audioboom.com/posts/7106826-episode-109-abby-smyers), she was asked if she was going to pass something on, what would it be and what her inspiration is. Abby responded to "do something", whether that means to give to the homeless, save a rescue dog, or just do something small that is helping someone out, to imagine the ripple effect it would have if everyone in the world was to do something, how big of an effect it would make.

17. Do not despise that time of month.

Yes, I am talking about that time of month when you mark "log" on the tracker and have to be prepared to stay clean. As ladies, yes, it can be a pain to have the right products, wear the appropriate outfit, and work around the grossness, but I think we take for granted the beauty of this fruit-bearing that God blessed us with. Believe it or not, some women pray to experience what we get to experience because they will not be able to have kids, and my heart hurts for them. So whether you want kids or not, the next time you are about to complain because you were not prepared, thank God that you are fortunate enough to bring life to the world - maybe even if it is for someone else who can't. To those of you reading this who can't have kids, there are options. God knew that this was gonna happen to you before you were born, so He has a plan far greater than having kids.

18. Find your people and never let them go.

In the first grade, I met my best friend Lauren, who I still see every year and talk to every couple of months. We went to each others graduations and we have shared great life experiences together. Jase is the first person who came into my life when I moved to Alabama, and we have spent every Christmas together, not to mention trips across the sea. He's let me cry on his shoulder through breakups and anxiety attacks, and prayed with me through some of our toughest times as friends. I met Maddie, Blake, and Sydney in the 6th grade, and they have been with me at my lowest, and know my darkest secrets. Becca is my college roommate and she already knows everything about me. I can name at least 10 other girls who I already know will be in my wedding. My point is, find your people who get you. The ones you can trust with everything, lean on in the bad, laugh with in the good, and pray and worship with through all the in between. God created us for community, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Encourage one another and build each other up." Live life with those who make you happy and lead you closer to Christ.

19. Never doubt God being there.

I just watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy where April, a character who is known to have a strong faith in God, questions where He is because she had a really bad day followed by a couple of weeks where a lot of bad happened. People died, she lost a lot of trust, and she felt alone and like God wasn't there. In those moments of watching that episode, I cried because of how much I could relate to April... how much we can all relate to April. As believers, we are going to go through rough times where we question where God is. We will cry out to God, just like His son did, during his last moments on the cross, when he said, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" The truth is, He never did, He never has, and He never will. It is in those times, that He is holding us close and wrapping a warm blanket around us. It might just take us a while to feel it.

"Behold! I am doing a new thing. I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

- Isaiah 43:19