8784 hours to glorify your Maker.

Today is day one of 365 that are going to take place in this year.

There are 8784 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds in one year.

In the past week I've had a lot of time to think about what I'm going to do with my life this year. A while ago I mentioned that I'm going to start sharing more about my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus. I mentioned that I'm going to share more about my journey into the world of music and what that means for my life. More about the ministry I'm apart of, more about the songs I write, chords I play, melodies I sing.

I'm going to tell you more. A lot more.

Behind this girl named Ruthanne, there is a heck of a lot more than just a love for vintage fashion & pyrex, sewing, and fashion. More than just a girl who loves her cowboy boots and the color pink. There's more, and I want you to see that.

I am a girl of many dreams and hopes, aspirations and goals. I may be only 16, and I may not want to go to college nor have I really ever thought about it much, but I know what kind of a person I want to be.

I want people to meet me and say "she knows who she is. she's comfortable in her own skin." and not my outward appearance - I have never really thought much about that. But I want people to meet me or talk to me and walk away knowing that I know who I am in Christ. I know I have a purpose in life and I know I can't sit on my butt the rest of my life waiting for Him to move me. It doesn't work like that. I want to be a role model for younger girls. I want to show them that it may be hard to stand for purity in today's world, but it's possible and soooo worth it. I want to disprove the theory and label that all teenage girls have issues with self esteem, confidence and self image. I want to do more than just take up square footage on the earth and breathe.

There are 8784 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds in one year.

You have 8784 hours this year to glorify your Maker. Lets subtract about 3500 for sleeping - so that leaves you with 5260 waking hours, give or take, to glorify your Maker.

Five thousand, two hundred and sixty hours.

Do you read me? That's a lot of time. Granted, we can't be doing something great all hours of every day. We all have things to do that we're required to do - and none of us are perfect. But in Colossians 3, verse 17, it says:

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Now, I know a lot of you might not have the same beliefs as I do. And that's okay - it's not my business what or who you believe in. I definitely believe anything but Jesus is the wrong thing, but that my choice. Regardless, though, of what you believe, that philosophy is not wrong. In everything we do, we should strive to be the best we can - and not to say "I'm better than you!", but to show that we care about our impact on the people around us being positive.

So this year, and every year, with the 5284 hours that I'm not sleeping, I'm going to strive to glorify my Maker. I am going to be more loving to the people around me; I'm going to help those who need it - selflessly. I'm going to sing the songs I sing not to glorify myself - because the voice I have been given is a gift from God - and He can take it away in a heartbeat - I'm going to sing for His glory. I'm going to praise His name because HE is more mighty and powerful than anyone or anything - for all eternity.

You and I were not put here to take up space.

You and I were not put here to just breathe and simply exist.

And you and I were most certainly not put here to live an empty life.

You and I were put on this earth - in whatever part of the world you are in, to glorify our Maker. To live a life of worth and praise.

There are 8784 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds in one year.

What will you do with them?