I’m thankful you have decided to turn your back on your old ways of living, and put your life instead into God’s hands. The most important decision anyone will ever make is to turn to Jesus Christ and discover the new life He has for them. The Bible says, “Christ was raised from the dead… (so that) we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).

The first thing God wants to do in your life is to draw you closer to Himself. Remember: You now have a personal relationship with the living God! But like any relationship, it needs to be nurtured and strengthened — and one way we do this is by spending time with God. Set apart time every day to be alone with God, bringing your concerns to Him in prayer and listening to Him speak to you through the pages of His Word, the Bible.

Then realize that God wants to make you more like Christ. He wants you to cast off the sins that hold you back, and replace them instead with the character and compassion of Jesus. And this can happen, as you yield each day to His Spirit and learn to walk in obedience to His Word.

But God also wants to use you to make a difference in the lives of other people. Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Instead, ask God to show you what you can do to touch the lives of those around you, using the gifts He has given you.