Psalm 62:5-6 - "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."" (NIV)

Strength. We talk so much about being strong in the Lord, but we don't always realize that our strength in Him comes from Him. We all face difficulties in our lives. Stresses abound no matter what age you are or where you are in your life. Yet we all have one place we can turn. We all have God willing to provide us with the strength we need.

I am always surprised when I see the poorest of the poor or the lowest of the low praising God. It is not that they expect God to provide a million dollars or a shiney new car. It is that they find comfort in knowing God is there with them. That there are rewards beyond our existence here on earth. In those people I find inspiration to turn to God when I face my difficult times.

Sometimes I get questions from people who struggle with different issues, one of which is Anorexia and Bulimia. Known mostly as a girl's issue, eating disorders can strike anyone. With such an emphasis today on weight, it is no wonder that eating disorders hit a high spot on a list of issues many teens struggle with.

While eating disorders often begin as a way for teens to lose weight and feel better about themselves, they sometimes develop into anxiety disorders and ways to gain control in a world that seems out of control. What most of us don't understand is that food and weight often are symptoms and signs of the disorder, but they aren't the root of the problem. Self-image and anxiety have a lot to do with it.

As with many of the things we all struggle with, God can play a big part in recovering from an eating disorder. While He can provide us with strength in difficult times, He also provides us with people who are capable of helping to identify and treat eating disorders. There are a number of treatment centers and qualified therapists who can help teens with Anorexia or Bulimia.

• What is Anorexia?
• Christian Eating Disorder Treatment Centers
• Eating Disorder Treatment Centers by State

Why is it that we are so fascinated with the New Year? Is it because of the parties? Watching the ball drop in NewYork City's Time Square? Is it because we get to change over the year in our calendars?

I think all of those things make New Year's Day exciting, but I don't think that's what makes it so intriguing. Underneath all the hype and celebration I think it is a deeper desire to start new. Each of us makes more mistakes than we'd like to count. We do things we wish we could change. The New Year gives us that one excuse to start new. For everyone it is a subconscious RESET button.

As Christians, we understand forgiveness and being made new. We have it every day through Christ. God can do amazing miracles in each of us. The New Year is a great time to remind us that God can make anything happen in each of our lives. He can make all things new.

This New Year let's take some time to go beyond simple resolutions to grow in our relationships with God. Let us start new and put the past mistakes behind us. I pray for each of you to get excited and celebrate 2010. Throw the confetti, blow the noisemakers, and enjoy the changes God can provide.

Isaiah 30: 19-21 - "O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"" (NIV)

Not all of us have perfect lives. In fact, some of us face a great deal of adversity in life. This does not mean that we cannot overcome the adversity. Sometimes it means we have to stop and listen. Often there are voices telling us where to go. It is hard when we are dealing with troublesome situations to overcome the seeds of doubt or the voices pulling us down, but God has a way in these situations to provide us with the teachers and guidance to help us make our way out.

One of the keys to overcoming adversity is to put our pride aside and actually ask for help. Too often we keep our troubles bottled up inside. We need to talk to God in our prayers. Tell Him everything. We need to find people around us to talk to about what is troubling us. It is amazing what God can do through the people in our lives, Christian or not. We need to be open to advice and discerning as we work our way out of our own afflictions.