It’s that time of year again, reflection is upon us, and new hope is on the horizon.

Many of you will see posts, tweets, memes, gifs, and all other forms of social media expressing our desire for the New Year.

“New year, new me.”

“I’ll do it better this coming year.”

“Let’s leave 2016 behind.”

“I can’t wait for this year to be over.”

Let me offer you a different perspective.

You see, I loved 2016.

This year was filled with the most beautiful people, extraordinary memories, captivating smiles, excruciating heartbreak, losses submerged in sorrow; all of these things were colors that created the most beautiful sunset of a year. Strokes of a brush that painted a picture of a year that will stay with me forever.

I laughed, and I laughed hard. The kind of laughter that comes from the very depths of your soul that’s product is tears and a new set of abs.

I have cried, the crippling kind. The kind of tears that put you on your knees, gasping for air, for the smallest sign of hope.

I have smiled and shared smiles; the kind that lights up your day.

I have hugged, and they were the tight hugs. The kind of hug that offers a safe place and a warm embrace.

I have fought. The type of fight that you wouldn’t think would come from a 100-pound girl. The type of fight that raises more than just a hand or a voice, the kind that reminds you that life worth living.

I have kissed, the kind of kiss that reminds you there is an adventure approaching. The kind that begins to heal old wounds but that may bring some of it’s own wounds.

I have prayed, the captivating prayer, the kind of prayer that submerges your heart in a love that you don’t ever want to turn away from.

I have fallen in love.

In 2016 I fell in love with my Savior, an everlasting love. The kind of love that you see in fairytales, books, and movies, this is the love I have submerged my heart in.

I have fallen in love with the creator of the world and in turn, I have fallen in love with the world itself.

You see many of you have experienced the things that I listed above this year. From love to loss, laughter to tears, kisses to fights. You have felt it all and you have felt it deeply, like the endless number of souls that reside in the world with you.

Looking back at 2016 I could have the same view as many around me, ready to be done with it, ready to try again to have a fresh start.

But I learned something this year.

I learned to love, that the world is full of love, that the world needs love.

The world needs a love like Jesus, one that has no boundaries; one that touches every aspect of our life, every part of our soul.

So with a soft smile, I part with 2016, but I welcome 2017 with an open heart ready to love, relentlessly and unconditionally.

Ready to love like Jesus.