Happy New Year! The New Year is a great time to reflect on all the fun, happy, sad, and hard things that have happened over the past 365 days. Maybe you changed schools, made new friends, or traveled to a really cool place! Whatever happened in 2016, no matter how good or how hard: stop and thank God for being with you through it all. Listen for more!

Did you know God created you just the way you are? And He doesn't make mistakes! That can be hard to remember when we compare ourselves to other people or wish we were different in some way. Let's read one of your letters to see what you can do if you feel this way.

Incarnation is not only a big word--it can also be a kind of confusing part of the Christmas story. Sometimes we avoid talking about things we don't understand. but incarnation is the sort of miraculous, mysterious thing we should take some time to break down and talk about. And this is the perfect time of year to do it. So let's dive in.

Listen here to hear the rest of the article from the December issue of SHINE brightly.

Relationships can be hard. When you have a problem it's important to talk about what's going on or how you're feeling, and to listen to the other person, too. That's true for friendships and it's true for our relationship with our parents. Let's read one of your letters to see just what you should do when you have a problem with a parent.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. And it's definitely because I love the food! What is better than gravy and stuffing and turkey? Not to mention green bean casserole--YUM!

But as I sit here and think about all the great food my taste buds enjoy at Thanksgiving, I realize it's easy to be thankful for some things. Things like warm food or good friends . . .

Always having the right answer might seem really fun for you, but it can be pretty frustrating for the people around you--especially if they aren't so convinced you're always right!

So what do you do when your friend is acting like a know-it-all? Let's read one of your letters to find out!

My most recent worship song obsession is "Good, Good Father" by Chris Tomlin. While the music is catchy and relaxing, it's the words that really stick with me. Listen here for more!

Moving is an adventure! And if you've experienced it once--or maybe even many times--you know it can also be hard. It's tough to leave a neighborhood, a school, or a group of friends you love. Let's see what Annie has to say about making this transition as easy as possible.

If you've ever been to an amusement park, you've seen the signs indicating how tall you have to be to ride certain rides. And if you've ever been to summer camp you know there are safety rules that prohibit you from doing certain things. After a while it can start to feel like you can't do anything because you're too short, too young, or too inexperienced.

Listen here for more!

Working with others can be lots of fun! But if conflicts arise it can be tough to always know what to do. Let's see what Dear Annie has to say about what our response should be.