Faith, Love and a Little Bit of Pixie Dust

      Brenda. Bre. Mama.  Whatever I may call her she is one of the strongest and most humble person I know. The minute you start talking to her or get a Bre hug, your day is 50x better. She is a woman who you can go to with any sort of problem and she will listen and give you the best advice she can give you. She will tell you of her days of GTL (yes, gym, tan, laundry) before it was cool, tell you about the creative little knick knack things that she saw in Hobby Lobby and must do, but most importantly she will show you how to stare your problems in the face and conquer them.

      To give back my my Brenda, someone who can make your day just by the way she texts you, I have been sending her quotes from the bible for encouragement, strength, love and most of all the Lords Love. The quote to the left, is the one I sent her today. “My flesh and my heart may  fail, but GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” Psalm 73:26.

      I ask something of you reading this tiny unimportant blog.

PRAY

     Pray with all of your heart and pray selflessly. Pray for those in your community who are struggling, pray for your family and friends who are hurting silently and pray for Brenda. She is a wonderful woman who can take on any fear that she has (even roller coasters!). I hope that you have a “Brenda” in your life who can impact you in the most wacky and     wonderful ways.

Down on My Knees

I have reached that place where I am on my knees begging to understand why I am here. I have been blessed with much more that I ever deserve and I know that I am meant to have nothing.

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;

and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48

Over and over in my head I wonder what path God wants me to go down or how I will know it is the path he is asking me to travel.  I have so many options and so many people to think of. Is it selfish of me to sometimes wish I could only be concerned with me? I talked to my college advisor and learned about an option where I can student teach abroad for a few weeks my senior year and of a job convention for teaching abroad in ATL. I have also found multiple organizations that send volunteers and interns overseas to teach and help empower the people. With so many choices, one would think it easy to pick one or to know right away where to go and what people to help, its not. All people need help, and I’m not saying that the people in the United States don’t need help or in need of empowerment but here we have resources to everything we need. Think about it, we have government organizations to help with the poor, disabled, abandoned, starving and dying. But in countries whos leaders are dealing with civil war, lack of water, and a grumbling government, there is no time to worry about the mass population.

Again I am asking for your prayers. I am also praying for you. I pray that everyone can find something in this life that they can be proud of and know that you are unique and you are loved.

Your Own Plans vs. Your Fathers Plans

From the time I was in Kindergarten, I can remember always knowing that I would be a teacher. Now, pursuing that, I feel as if I am meant for something that I wasn’t planning. The more I take classes in EDU, the more I realize that I don’t think I could deal with being in one classroom everyday, the unimaginable amount of paperwork, grumpy parents that will verbally attack me or children who are unwilling to learn. I have recently read Kisses from Katie and fell in love with what she did.

Katie went to Uganda to teach kindergarten and follow her Heavenly Fathers plan for her, rather than her own or her earthly fathers plans. Just like Katie, there is a tiny battle inside me wondering if I should take a break after college to figure out what my Heavenly Father wants to do with me. It is so difficult, not knowing what I will do after college but I know that if I keep faith and wait, my Lord will guide me to do what is best.

Now, I have a boyfriend. I love him more than I could ever explain to you on this blog and the thought of being away from him for a year to teach in another country kills me. He’s an American Boy and I would never ask him to leave his home for a year to accompany with me to where ever I go. But I know that the Lord has beautiful plans for me and has put Christopher in my life for a reason. I just hope that after college when I realize what I am meant to do, he is there by my side encouraging me (as I would do the same for him).

If you have comments, ideas, prayers, I need them very much. I am willing to follow my Lord through anything he puts me through.

I am broken. I am lost. I am a Christian. I have an unbelievable amount of faith in the Lord.

Long Time, No See Stranger

It has been so long since I was last on here. I really needed to get back on to this.

Since April, my life has changed drastically. I have found God moving through my veins and moving through my life.

Everyday is a new experience and a new challenge to get through. I have found that I can get through anything as long as I consult Christ and keep him in every aspect of my life.

I hope to have a new blog everyday and hopefully people will be able to learn with me and we can encourage each other together.

My Confidant, Best Friend, Roommate.

This semester I decided to room with a girl down the hall who I had become friends with the first semester.

Her name is Kim.

She is probably the strongest girl I know today and is beautiful inside and out. Daily she reminds me how many people around me I have that love me. She sat with me and let me cry when my heart was broken, she rides with me to Cartersville to get ice cream and she talks to me about things that have made her stronger.

Unknowingly, she has taught me so much this year about myself, about my relationship with God and about so many other things in life. I recently met her mother over Spring Break. This woman has been through a lot but she still puts a smile on her face and continues on her day. I call her Mama. She is a great woman with a huge heart and is willing to give anyone her hugs. The day that I was with she and Kim, I saw their bond and I was truly touched. Kim got her strength from her mom and you can see it in plain sight.

End of a Seemingly Short Year

To this day I have exactly 11 days where I will be in a class, either taking a final or just preparing for one. That is 264 hours, 15840 minutes and 950,400 seconds until summer.

This year has brought love, friendship, hardships, challenges, new life and a new me.

I have grown this year more than I have in my 4 years in high school. Everyone says that college will show you who you really are, and I have to admit they are correct. I have become closer to my family, friends and God. I have found my path that I am intended to walk and I am taking in every step I take. One year can change a person or can show you who you are.

Envision your new rescued heart
Which nothing can invade.
This place to go when things are hard
Will transform you, when once you start
To value what you’ve made.
You’re a relaxed and happy new YOU.

50 Ways to Make Your day that Much Better

I’ve recently come to see that people around me can’t enjoy the day that they were given. They are usually grumpy or just have nothing nice to say about anything. If you are someone like that and feel the need to make your day a little better by not being a grumpy gills, here are 50 ways to make your day that much better.

If this photo doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will.

{The life you’ve been waiting for is happening all around you.}

{Pull of the mask and you will find you life, waiting to be made, chosen, woven, crafted}

1. Smile.

2. Write a thank-you note to yourself (on your best stationery, of course).

3. Venture outside for a five-minute walk.

4. Indulge in a delicious piece of chocolate (or hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows!).

5. Find a piece of jewelry you haven’t worn in awhile – feels just like vintage shopping!

6. Pick fresh flowers or send yourself a little bouquet of favorite flowers.

7.  Laugh – Visit a funny blog, watch a movie, or spend time with someone who makes you laugh.

8. Find serenity at a favorite local spot (ex. a park, a lake, a coffee shop, a little nook in your house or office).

9. Take one action towards a goal or dream.

10. Hit the pause button and spend five-minutes alone – allow your mind to become quiet.

11. Bake a favorite treat with a family member or friend — or bake alone and surprise someone special with yummy treats.

12. Discover an uplifting and fun song – something new.

13. Slow down and enjoy a long brunch.

14. Try a new fitness class.

15. Indulge in watching tv or reading a magazine – guilt free!

16. Declare a vacation day – write it BIG on your calendar so you get to anticipate this upcoming personal time (a vacation day can fall on the weekend).

17. Do a good deed — help someone else find joy.

18. Treat yourself to a favorite cup of coffee or tea – enjoy the flavors and activate your senses.

19. Be goofy! Dance around your room to your favorite music.

20. Explore the inspirational and joyful blog, Kind Over Matter.

21. Draw for fun.

22. Get rid of two items in your physical environment that make you feel negative.

23. Bite into a piece of fresh fruit.

24. Wear a color that makes you feel confident and joyful!

25. Write down three things that you are grateful for.

26. Call a supportive friend – or reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile.

27. Watch the sunset from a beautiful location.

28. Discover something new.

29. Start a book that you’ve been meaning to read.

30. Begin a fun DIY project.

31. Frame a photo of a favorite memory.

32. Take five deep breaths and stretch.

33. Browse books at your local book store (may I suggest one book in particular, Perseverance).

34. Interview yourself (sounds foolish, but can be oh so fun!).

35. Try a new recipe.

36. Learn something new (ex. a new hobby or craft).

37. Redesign (use what you already own to redesign your space) an area of your office or home.

38. Write a thoughtful comment on a personal blog you read (comments mean the world to me – hint hint!).

39. Create a list of 10 things you love about your significant other – surprise him/her with the list.

40. Look on the bright side.

41. Take a short, relaxing nap. Wake up rejuvenated.

42. Ask for support from those you trust with a problem – solving a problem definitely adds joy to the day.

43. Disconnect for lunch – close your door, turn off the computer and blackberry, and simply enjoy a peaceful lunch break.

44. Search for a hidden treasure on Ebay or Etsy.

45. Write a hope note and leave it for someone to find.

46. Connect with your fellow tweeters. Send a tweet with a joyful message.

47. Donate one item (or your time) to a local charity.

48. Create a collage (or browse the outstanding galleries) on Polyvore.

49. Create a list of 10 things that make you happy – your own personal “joy” list.

50. Make a commitment to do at least one thing per day that adds joy to your life.

Belly Laughs, Bikinis, BAAAAAA

I love my friends.

 

They are the world to me and I would not be the person I am today without them. My closest of friends {Kim, Stephanie, Emily, Bella and Kayla} teach me more about life then I would have ever imagined.

“They uncovered something good in me that had started to get crusted over by grown-up life and dress pants and mortgage payments. They taught me more than I ever taught them, and they gave me more than I ever gave them, and the best things they gave me were the best five examples and all the permission in the world to love with that wide-open love, unmeasured and uncalculated, like a puppy in a box with all of her puppy-friends, right up close to them, feeling warm and safe.”

My friends are my family away from home and I love them so much. They give me advice that sometimes I don’t want to hear, give me hugs and make me laugh too hard it hurts. I wish I could do something to thank them but what they have given me, I can not give back.

 

Invisible Children and the day After the Storm

Last Night a pretty rough storm came through town. Tornado warnings and alarms going off. Crazy stuff.

At my college there are things called Cultural Events credits and by the 4 years here we need to have 24 of them. Cultural Events consist of really anything to get you out of your room and have some kind of educational purpose. I decided to go see the Invisible Children event. The Invisible Children is an organization based out of the United States that help bring awareness to the Civil Wars going on in Uganda, Central Republic of Africa and neighboring countries. In these war-torn countries children are being stolen and forced to become child soldiers. Everyday mothers, fathers, sons and daughters fear for their lives that the rebels will come through their town and massacre them all. I listened to a young  man who was from Uganda tell his story live to us and how he was there when his mother and father were brutally killed by the rebels.

Now I know you all don’t want to come on to my blog and read some horribly sad story. But what I took out of this was that there are so many people in the world that need help and even though I wish I could help them all I know I can’t. An African woman in the video said that American’s who buy children in need clothing or toys or shoes, are helping them in some ways but hurting them in others. It teaches them to be dependent on others and to not stand on their own feet. The woman said the best gift someone could give a child was an EDUCATION. This blew my mind. She was right, if a child was given clothing or toys they will stay in the situation they are in and won’t try to help themselves. But if the child is given an education and told that they can do anything with an education, they will prosper on their own.

Invisible Children is an amazing organization and will continue to do wonders for every child they can reach.

What can I do?

-I can continue my education I was so gratefully given.

-I can use the education I was given and go into schools around the world and help educate children.

-I can spread the word of God and how He is the best guide and will always take you down the right path.

-I can be dependent and prosper for myself.

Now that you have heard about what other people in the US are doing and what I am going to do…What are you going to do? Are you going to keep buying unnecessary clothing items, electronics, furniture? Or are you going to make a difference in the world? Now don’t think that you have to travel to another country and teach 3rd world children, or donate huge amounts of money to certain organizations, or even live in a box; everyone has their own way to help the world, I’ll help you get started…pray. Pray to God and He will pick the path you were meant to be on and He will take your hand ever so lovingly and show you His wonders.

If you would like to learn more about Invisible Children here is their link:

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

This was Francis who spoke to us today

Daily Quote

God has poured out his love into our hearts.
- Romans 5:5

I keep finding the wonders in my relationship with God daily. He keeps surprising me and helps me through so much. I hope that you all reading will find a love like I have.