Incredibly Blessed

Hello Readers!

It feels like forever since I last blogged, but I'm going to take that as a good thing. I've been busy enjoying life and all of the beautiful moments it has to offer. This fall semester has started off with so many unexpected blessings. Wonderful residents, supportive coworkers, caring family and friends, and a sweet young man have made my fall nothing short of fantastic. 

Last night, I had the opportunity to lead a worship and study night for my Christian service sorority, Kappa Phi. Our focus was on Colossians 3:23-24 and how we are expected to serve with a heart for the Lord.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, KJV)

During one of the activities, I had the ladies jot down their to-do list for the week and consider which items served themselves rather than served others. As I anticipated, most of my own to-do list expectations were quite self-serving. 

This week, I intend to take Colossians 3:23-24 to heart. I added a few acts of kindness to my to-do list and I can't wait to see how God works through these gestures. My hope and prayer would be for my readers to take some time to reflect on how they can apply Colossians 3:23-24 as well. Small acts of great love are a fantastic way to share God's compassion and kindness with others. All it takes is one small gesture to make someone's day!

Not Immune

Completely, utterly surrounded. Fans cheering for God more than for the top-chart singers. People raising their hands in worship. Friendly smiles exchanged among strangers. Tents full of charity efforts.

All of that Christianity enveloped me, yet I still sinned.

Yes, I'm a sinner. And yes, I sinned at a Christian event.

Despite the Christ-focused efforts that might be at our fingertips, a spiritual and holy atmosphere is not enough to make us immune to sin. It creeps under our skin the second we say "yes" to a temptation, whether it be with a quick temper or a lustful glance. In my case, all it took were some unkind and snappy remarks to my family. Jesus was in my heart and I'd said "yes" to Him long ago; nevertheless, I was not and will not be immune to temptations that lead to sin.

This past weekend, I had the chance to check out contemporary Christian music at Spiritsong with some of my family. We just might fall into the category of overenthusiastic fans, considering our homemade signs, glowsticks (not pictured), and TobyMac t-shirts. :)

If we went by that picture, it would be safe to say that every aspect of the experience was centered around enjoying time together and cheering for some great music. However, this photo doesn't tell the full story. 

Not even a few hours before this picture was taken, I let some anxiety get the best of me and took it out on my family. I was grumpy, made remarks that were inconsiderate, and was intolerant of anything that did not fit into my mold of what was right or wrong. They were incredibly supportive and the environment was as positive as can be, yet my urge to have a bad attitude towards my family members came to fruition. 

Thankfully, I came to realize my mistake and apologized. We enjoyed the rest of our time together and I feel that the concert revived my inner fire for following Christ.  

My hope would be that we take this example and apply it to other parts of our lives. No matter where we are, we cannot assume temptations will not get the best of us or that we no longer need to make a conscious effort to make godly choices. Whether we be walking through the doors of a church, serving in the mission field, spending time with other Christians, or having a presence in some sort of religiously-affiliated place, we must remember that we are not immune to sin. 

Christ must be on our mind and in our hearts at all times. Even when we are in places that seem to pour out His goodness, we must remember that we are still in need of His love, grace, and forgiveness. No environment can make us the "perfect" Christian and that is not a concept of which to be ashamed. We are all in need of the perfect sacrifice, Jesus, to account for our imperfect selves! 

Have a good night, dearest readers, and remember how much He loves you!

Fresh Start for Summer

Hello Readers!

I finally have had a chance to sit back and relax a bit. Oh, how I've missed the blogging world! Here is what started my summer break:

Boxes. Boxes. And yes, more boxes.

Add a few too many flights of stairs, numerous car trips back and forth down the same exact roads, and some added comic relief by my family members. I am now sporting bruises and slightly-toned muscles on all limbs, thanks to all of the packing, lifting, and organizing.

If that description sounds like a move from a four-bedroom house to a two-bedroom apartment, you've hit the jackpot!

My family decided to take the plunge and put the house for sale earlier this spring. After much prayer, discussion, and research, my parents decided the family would be better suited in a different school district. Little did we realize our house would sell in two weeks and an apartment would be the only reasonable option in which to move.

The relatively quick sell, despite some issues surrounding the location of the house, was definitely an answer to prayers. Nevertheless, we were naturally thrown into a pool of stress and uncertainty upon realizing there were no houses to our liking on the market to purchase! Temporary apartment life, here we come!

Despite the cramped quarters and hours of unpacking, I am pleased to say that my family is making the best of it. We are looking forward to embracing all the fresh start has to offer, while still keeping in touch with old friends from our prior home. I am thankful that God has placed this opportunity to enjoy family time this summer without a house's yard work, cleaning, and other responsibilities. My dad just mentioned today how he thinks this apartment lifestyle might be a blessing for the time being, and so far I think he is right! We are looking forward to less work for the parents, more motivation to get along with each other for the kids, and additional amenities to enjoy together, such as the pool and trails.

I pray that you are also embracing the opportunities God has placed into your life this summer. Please pray for guidance as we determine when to pursue finding a new home.

Best wishes for your summer adventures!

"Graduation", for now

Good Afternoon and Happy Monday!

I've gone back and forth about sharing an exciting moment from my past few weeks, but today I decided to go with it and write a post!

I hope by sharing openly about mental health I can be a witness to Christ's goodness and can encourage others to pursue emotional and psychological healing through the resources He provides for us. Although it is sometimes taboo in our society to discuss mental illness, I think the only way to make progress in helping people to heal is to be transparent, understanding, and supportive by addressing these issues.

Some of you may not know that last July I was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Although I've always been a worrier and had anxious tendencies, last summer was the last straw where I realized those tendencies were overtaking my life and ruining relationships with family members. God bless them all for putting up with my snappy outbursts, panic attacks, fatigued and grouchy moods, and tears at every little disagreement!

After diagnosis, I decided there were two main options for dealing with these unpleasant mood swings and my feelings of low self-worth and guilt: ignore the issues or get help. I chose the latter.

However, this choice was not as simple as get some medication and think happy thoughts. In fact, the consequences of the choice to get help sometimes caused more stress than the anxiety itself! I had to make counseling and psychiatrist appointments a priority, decrease my involvement in extracurricular activities, temporarily eliminate caffeine (it can increase anxious feelings), make time to decrease stress through reading and exercise, and increase my time spent processing negative thoughts (therapy can bring up some pretty uncomfortable topics!). 

There were times where I freaked out and thought my life would be forever ruined by anxiety. I thought I wouldn't be able to handle myself, let alone be able to have and support a family of my own someday. Depression can bring some ugly thoughts and can make life seem hopeless.

Through Christ, I saw these hopeless moments turn into new opportunities. On Friday, April 4, He brought some major excitement to my spring and made me realize just how far He pushed me towards being a more relaxed and joyful person-- I graduated from counseling! 

"Graduation" might be a stretch as far as terminology goes (I think the technical term is I am "terminated" from the counseling program), but that is what it felt like! Hearing the words "I think you met all of your goals for counseling" was music to my ears. I am continually amazed to have made so much progress in such a short amount of time. Although there were some great counselors, doctors, and family members in the process, I know that the most significant factor in my healing was God's grace. 

The scariest part of anxiety and depression is that there tends to be a recurrence throughout one's life, depending on situational triggers and genetic predispositions. That thought used to really terrify me, but now I am realizing that if God brought me through it once, He can do it again. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to a more joyful life with less anxiety and negativity. Even if there is a recurrence down the road, Christ will provide all of the resources I need to see myself the way He sees me and to cast all of my cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). 

As for now, I am going to enjoy my "graduation" and embrace the new habits of anxiety-free living. I hope and pray that this post comes as encouragement to anyone dealing with mental health issues. God will and does provide!

Fab 5: A Few Snapshots of My Weekend

Hello Readers!

It's been a while since I've blogged, so I figured it is about time I get you all caught up on the happenings of the past few days! Here are the Fab 5 moments from this past weekend:




1-Sibs-n-Kids Weekend
I had the opportunity to spend some time with family with a visit from my sister, neighbor, and parents. My college was hosting Sibs-n-Kids Weekend, which meant a bunch of fun activities: exotic animal petting, photo booths, inflatables, and more!  




2- Best Friend Photos
I received the photos from when Caitlyn visited! The "Best Friend Photo Shoot" was really enjoyable and Melissa did a great job. Here are a few favorites!

        


3- Productivity
I buckled down on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon and managed to complete two projects! I'm praying my motivation levels stay this high as the semester draws to a close.

4- Baby Time
This morning, I had the opportunity to watch some of the babies at church. Spending time with these little blessings was so enjoyable!

5- Palm Sunday Service
Today was Palm Sunday, which meant the children at church had a blast running around with palm leaves and making paper donkey crafts. Seeing the joy on their faces reminded me of how much of a blessing it is to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior! Palm Sunday is a great time to reflect on where you are in your walk with God and I recommend reading this story in your Bible in preparation for Easter. One aspect in particular that stuck out to me was that Jesus cried after people praised Him by yelling "Hosanna!" and waving the palm branches (Luke 19:41). From the church service, I now realize Jesus was crying due to the lack of genuine commitment from the people praising Him. Christ wants our full commitment to doing His will, on more than just a special occasion like the situation of the crowd in the story of Palm Sunday.

Hope your weekend was filled with joyful moments and some reflection in preparation for Easter!

Alternate Plans

Hello Everyone! Happy Wednesday!

Tonight I just had to sit back and laugh. I took a shower for the sole purpose to shave in preparation for wearing capri-length pants to a group exercise class, got myself mentally pumped and motivated, and then was told by a friend that Zumba class was cancelled tonight. All that prep for nothing!

This scenario reflects a lot of situations that arise in life, in which we have positive intentions only to find that those plans were not aligned with what was actually going to happen. Sometimes the switch is more disappointing or more exciting than my Zumba class falling through, but nevertheless, we have to deal with the situation and move forward with the change in schedule.

I realized just a day or so ago that I had felt it was a wonderful idea to make the "Spread Some Love" Facebook page and put words to action, but even I have fallen off track with following through on that plan! Good intentions, but was it realistic? Probably not! I learned a lesson about myself through that experience-- setting a daily plan for how I can bless people is neither my strength nor is it practical! I'm realizing more and more that God wants me to see ways to help show others His love on sporadic and spontaneous everyday occasions, not through a scheduled-out calendar of Facebook events. 

So after going back and forth over what to do with this ineffective Facebook page, I did some talking to God and self-reflection and decided I would leave it in case someone else finds it to be useful. If it takes off and people want to connect via the page, great! If not, nothing lost and insight gained!

My initial thought was to end this post with the hope that your day is going more as planned than my own, but that might not actually be the best idea with which to leave this subject. Rather, I hope and pray that even if your day is not going as planned, you can trust God has something bigger and better to fill that time!

Falcon Fabulous Friday! Five Songs to Get You PUMPED!

Thank goodness it's Friday! Here at my college, we take part in "Falcon Fridays" to show our school spirit. 

Here are my top five songs to get you pumped for this weekend and to show some Jesus spirit. Click the titles for links to youtube:






"Tonight"- TobyMac feat. John Cooper of Skillet












"To Love You Back"- Jamie Grace










"Background"- Lecrae feat. Andy Mineo










"Press On"- Mandisa









"Should've Been Me"- Citizen Way

Happy listening and have a great weekend!

Eyesores

Pure ugliness. That's what eyesores bring out in the believer. As soon as we lay our eyes on a trigger, negativity can fill our minds, bodies, and spirits. 

The eyesore might be seeing someone working a job you wanted and needed. 

It could be viewing a declining balance on an online bank account statement. 

Possibly, it could even be seeing a former friend spend time with someone besides yourself. 

Maybe the eyesore is an article in the newspaper about a controversial topic.

No matter what your eyesore may resemble, that visual cue to start worrying, feeling disappointment, and doubting God's goodness can become a very ugly and bad habit-- a negative addition to our lives that Christ does not intend for us to have!

I have recently taken note of some eyesores forming in my life. At first, I struggled to fight those negative feelings. I still do have difficulty stopping the thoughts at times. Nevertheless, the more I have practiced placing a "stop sign" in my mind and choosing to believe God's words as I push forward, the easier and more rewarding it has become. Fighting eyesores brings peace, contentment, and comfort, which are feelings I think all of us would like to have.

Christ offers His people the opportunity to place all of their worries, fears, resentments, and negativity in His hands. We can choose to believe the lies Satan tells us when we see those eyesores, but we can also make a conscious effort to replace those faulty thoughts with Christ's truth. Eyesores are an opportunity to lean on Jesus and to realize how comforting His words and His presence can be in our lives.

In 1 Peter 5:7, we are told: "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 

The next time your eyesore triggers a worry, cast all of those fears on Him.

In John 10:10, we are told: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The next time Satan places an eyesore to be a thief of joy and contentment, take note that Christ wants us to have life to the full.

In Matthew 7:7-8, we are told: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

The next time an eyesore leads you to feel resentment or disappointment in someone, do not be afraid to ask Christ for strength to help you forgive and move forward. He is always there for you and provides everything you need to have a new door opened.

Christ provides us with a different lens for viewing eyesores. I challenge myself and my readers to keep an eye out for eyesores in our lives in order to develop a positive outlook through Christ. He will bring light and color to a dark and dull view on life, if we choose to accept His goodness!