Hello Odyssey. I am Hannah Woods and this is my first article. I am admittedly a little skeptical about putting myself and my ideas out there, but I am facing my fears and pressing forward. As I was contemplating what I wanted to be my introductory piece I asked myself, "What do I want everyone to know about me?" Especially with the dawn of a new year, I think it is important to start out on a uplifting and refreshing note. I came across the story of Moses in the Bible (Exodus 3-4). I felt ready to face 2017 with a renewed hope and a changed outlook. The notion that "I am enough" (in any area that I look down on myself) finally seemed to click in my head in a way that made me feel empowered to write and, hopefully, inspire.

So Moses is this Israelite dude who was raised in Egypt by the pharaoh's daughter after she found him in a basket on the Nile River in a life of privilege and luxury. The Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians, and the pharaoh was making all of the Israelites' throw their new born sons into the river at the time of Moses' birth.

Fast forward a few years and Moses is exiled from Egypt (because he killed an Egyptian who was beating up an Israelite because he had just found out that he was, in fact, ACTUALLY AN ISRAELITE). He, then, begins working as a shepherd in the desert wilderness, and if he returns to Egypt, he will be killed for his crimes.

So one day Moses sees this burning bush and is like, "That is weird, why is that bush on fire but not burning up?"

Through the burning bush, God speaks to Moses and tells him to go to Egypt and command the pharaoh to let the Israelites go. But instead of agreeing, Moses makes all kinds of excuses. He says "I am not good enough, God. I stutter, I cannot go back because I am a wanted man in Egypt." The truth is that Moses had legitimate excuses; he had valid reasons why it was better for him to stay in his comfort zone. If anyone was the wrong person for the job, it was Moses.

This, however, was only true by human standards. When Moses finally decides he will do it, he has one final question. "Who should I say sent me?" he asks God. And God responds, "I Am sent you."

This is the beauty of a life lived in God's will. No matter how unqualified or inadequate you feel, you are capable because God has called you. My friend, God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.

The truth is: on my own, I am not enough. I will fall short every time. I will let myself and others down no matter how hard I try.

I always feel that I am not enough whether it be strong enough, smart enough, outgoing enough, or pretty enough. But God says I Am enough. His grace is sufficient. His love is everlasting. His mercy is abounding. His peace is unfathomable. He is ENOUGH.

And this same God has a plan for each person's life that is higher than any one of us could possibly dream for ourselves.

So whatever your shortcomings are, be it you're too shy, you think you're not smart enough, you think you have sinned too much for God to use you, nothing in all of creation can disqualify you for the life that God has beautifully crafted for you. Do not lose heart or become discouraged because Jesus died to cover your weaknesses and make you whole.

I plan to start this year knowing that I cannot mess up too big or too bad to fall out of God's love or his plan for my life. And when I feel like giving up because I am good enough, I will remember I have a God who believed I was good enough to die for.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus tool hold of me." -Philippians 3:12