Trusting

"Hold My hand, and walk with Me through this day. Together we will savor the pleasures and endure the difficulties it brings...I am your Guide, as well as your constant Companion.  I know every step of the journey ahead of you, all the way to heaven." -Jesus Calling

Have you ever been stopped in your tracks, and realized that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.  Despite any not-so-great circumstances you might be going through, you all of a sudden have this realization of clarity, that where you are is all a part of a greater plan that has been set out for you.  I just had one of those moments...

I was reading "Words of Hope" on Hannah's Hope Ministries website, and Hope's most recent passage truly made me stop and wonder How did she know I needed to hear that?  Lately, so many extraordinary things have been happening in my life, but it always seems as if something keeps getting in the way.  I was beginning to think that maybe God has another plan for me...and I was becoming really bummed about it.

But then I read that blog post, which was about staying where you are and not fleeing from your situation.  Keep fighting and keep trying because you never know what God has planned for you in the exact place that you are now.  That is going to be my goal...to not trust in my situation, but trust in the One who has complete control over every situation I will ever encounter.

When you begin to think with this new sense of clarity, you begin to see things through a new perspective.  There are little reminders set before you throughout your day that if you just take the time to look at, you will be reminded that there is more to this world than whatever you are facing.  I am so thankful for that reassurance.  I pray that each of you know that wonderful gift!

I'm sorry to have missed 2 weekends in a row of blog posts.  I was dealing with technical difficulties and am in the process of a huge move. I hope everyone has a great week!! As usual, I will leave you with a happy thought...

A New Beginning

"It's not having what you want. It's wanting what you've got." -Sheryl Crow

I think this past weekend was one of the hottest on record, and of course, it was moving weekend.  The streets of Charleston were flooded with Uhauls and other moving trucks.  Anyone who visited this beloved and historical city this weekend got a big ole' surprise.  There was no parking or room to walk around because of all the furniture and belongings being moved into cars and into new homes. But for me, it was the start of a new beginning...and adventure to my first place.

After one year of no cable, no car, no walking alone after dark and rodents wanting to be pets of the apartment complex, it was finally time to leave King Street.  To say that I am happy is an understatement!

What a wonderfully humbling past year it has been.  With lacking certain "necessities" that I had been used to having my whole life, I still had more than most people walking around Charleston have ever had in their life.  Right outside my apartment were people sleeping in Marion Square.  How could I complain about not watching HGTV on my own personal television or having to go to a restaurant to watch the Women's World Cup?

With my last semester of college ahead of me, and a great job that I am thankful for, I have a whole new appreciation for the little things that I once took for granted.  I will enjoy having a parking spot (that is FREE),  paying for my own cable, and having a place to call home that is safe.  I am full of thanks to the Big Guy Upstairs for teaching me some extremely important lessons over this past year.

Now, to give some much needed credit to that little apartment...I was blessed with a great roommate and was about 10 feet from campus.  That's about it! :)

My challenge for you all this week (especially if you moved as well) is to be thankful for what you have and enjoy it!  As for me, I am going to enjoy a nice long nap and ibprofin after the past two days of hauling furniture!  I hope you all have an incredible first week of August!! Until next week...

Remember: Love what you have! 

Surprise!

"When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate.  And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow." -Shanna Niequist

Hello wonderful blogging world! I hope you have had an awesome week.  I thought my week was much less than awesome...until Friday that is.  Let's just say that this past week was one of those weeks that you are thankful for because they make you appreciate the good weeks.  You know what I mean?

This past week was filled with all sorts of craziness.  Let me just give you a quick example of what was experienced this eventful week:  too many people getting sick at work (including myself), testy attitudes, annoying insurance people that continue to put me on hold for at least 45 minutes, walking to work in 110+ heat index while still trying to look clean/professional, and going through my groceries much quicker than I should have...

I know that all of these things are quite petty.  For some reason, when all of them bunched together in attack mode this week, I fell to them and had one of the greatest pity-parties of all time.  I was pretty lame.  Little did I realize, until recently that is, that this is NOTHING in comparison to what other people have to face every day.  My "hard" week would be a type of heaven for others.  Who am I to complain?!  I have more than I could ever be thankful enough for!!

A few months ago, my bike was stolen from inside my apartment complex.  As bummed as I was, I just figured I was officially initiated into Charleston.  It was sort of a right of passage as a Charlestonian.  It really made me wish I had enough money to afford parking so I could have my car back.  Little did I know that my bike was stolen so that God could teach me a valuable lesson this week.  On Thursday, I met a youth pastor at the chiropractic office I work at.  We had a pleasant conversation talking about Hannah's Hope Ministries. It's so encouraging when God places so many fantastic people in that office who want to talk about their faith.  Well, to make a long story short, on Friday, I get a phone call at work telling me to come outside because the youth pastor has something for me...

A bike.  Are you kidding me?? What in the world have I done to deserve a bike from a new acquaintance?  He said that the Good Lord put it on his heart to give me means of transportation besides walking.  Technically, he does not want any credit for what he did and asked me not to tell anyone. Too bad, buddy! I am very thankful for what you did and I want you to take some much-needed credit!    He did good, too.  Not one splash of pink on the bike.  It's medium sized with white and light blue paint.  Winning!

Why do we complain so much when instead we should be thankful for what we do have?  This is something that I am going to try and make a part of my daily tasks, but I know will be a daily challenge.  Take time this week to really open your eyes.  Open them wide and see all the good things in your life.  We all have a little bad.  But, without those not-so-great obstacles in our lives, we wouldn't be able to recognize all the good.

Smile! Life is good :)

Mischief Managed

What do I do with my life now?...

This week was filled with so many mixed emotions for me.  As I'm sure many of you know, the final Harry Potter film premiered this week (and it was pretty epic I must admit).  In 5th grade, Mr. Gray read our class a book that would become a part of my life for the next 12 years.  Who knew that this one man would introduce me to a story that would capture my attention for all future book reports, long trips and any spare time to myself.  As excited as I was to finally see if my imagination had been correct while reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I felt as if it was the end of something.  More than just the end of an era, but the end of my childhood.  Most people refer to me as a "35 year old" who gets more middle aged every year, but J.K. Rowling wrote books that kept me young at heart.

Even though I will always have the books and the DVDs, a part of me is pretty sad that there will be no more surprises from Harry, Hermione and my beloved Ron :) But, I have a feeling that Ms. Rowling will have something else up her creative sleeve for all of us Potter fans! Until then..."Mischief Managed".

Now, I promise that this blog post will not be a complete debbie-downer, because as you all know, this is a happy blog!  I just had to get that off my chest! 

Okay, now this part my seem sad, but I do have a happy thought to go along with it.  I am beyond bummed that the Women's US Soccer team lost the World Cup Final today.  I just knew we were going to win, and America would finally start believing in US Soccer...down the tube.  BUT, I must say, there is a much bigger lesson to be learned from today's game.  Not only did we give up way too many opportunities, but this match showed how quickly we all forget what really matters...

• Although we have dealt with some terrible natural disasters in our country, we have not had a tsunami rip our country apart.
• Even though we can find many things to complain about (the economy, politics, social issues, etc) at least we have the luxury of having our homes intact and our loved ones with us for the most part.
• Even though I WOULD HAVE LOVED for the US to finally have a soccer victory, Japan's victory meant so much more to their nation that it could have ever mattered to us.

You see, it's okay to be sad and disappointed that we lost after such a Cinderella-like story of a World Cup, but there was such a greater victory of positive news to cheer about in another country that was desperate for anything uplifting.  

I am proud to see some of the messages from Americans on Facebook displaying their love and support for Japan.  I know that each of these individuals is sad about the loss, but their response shows integrity and respect.  I am proud to be an American.  I am proud of our Women's US Soccer team!

"Look at people through lenses of love; see them from My perspective.  This is how you walk in the light and it pleases Me."  -Jesus Calling

I hope that each of you has such a wonderful week!  You never know what is planned for you this week, so get excited about the possibilities ahead of you!  Until then..

USA!!!!

Ah!! What an exciting game!!! Ben and I sat in Mellow Mushroom for 3 hours watching that crazy game!! I love watching American's come together, especially for a Women's World Cup game! Just a quick shout out to the Brazil team in thanks for their great acting skills.  If it weren't for their wasting of time pretending to be injured, we wouldn't have had 3 added minutes to score and tie up the game!  Way to not give up Team USA!!! :)

That was fun.  Now, onto this week's blog post!  Sorry for not getting one posted last week.  4th of July weekend made it very difficult to be at a computer!! These past couple of weeks have been difficult ones.  Even though I have more than I deserve to be thankful for, these past two weeks have been humbling ones for sure.  It's my fault though.  You see, I prayed for patience.  Now, for those of you who do not know, if you ask for patience, the Good Lord will give it to you.  I am definitely being tested in the patience department.

When it comes to buying your first place, patience is the WRONG thing to ask for.  Just when you think everything is going smoothly, WHAM!!! You get pushed back another month.  Now, this wouldn't be so bad if my lease didn't go out at the end of this month.  A new challenge of finding a temporary place to live for one month has become my new obstacle to tackle.  Thankfully, I do have options, but the wait was a hard pill to swallow.

Have you ever been there?  Maybe not with real estate, but in life?  You are on cloud 9, everything is going pretty great, and then all of a sudden, things change.  I am so thankful that I believe in a God that never experiences that.  NOTHING ever catches Him off guard.  Where as for us, without the crappy days, we would never appreciate the good.  So, I guess that is the silver lining.

One major lesson that I have learned through this entire process is that even though things happen and place situations out of our hands, they are never out of God's hands.  No matter what we face in life, there will always be a way out, another door will open or another opportunity will arise that we never saw coming.  We truly have nothing to fret about, yet we do it anyway. (I'm so guilty of being a fretter..)

Just like in the US v. Brazil game today, DON'T GIVE UP!  No matter our circumstances, there is always hope!  Make that your mantra for this week! No matter what each day brings, pray and know that God has a plan that cannot be faltered by anything that He doesn't already know about!  

"Who is in charge of your life?  If it is you, then you have reason to worry.  But, if it is I, then worry is both unnecessary and counterproductive."  -Jesus Calling 

Now, after such a fabulous game.  I am going to relax and enjoy the rest of this Sunday!! I hope each of you do the same! Looks like these two guys already got the memo! Until next weeek...

Second Chances

"God doesn't say, 'Change your life and I will accept you.' He says, 'I accept you--Now let's change your life!'" -Max Lucado

Happy beautiful Sunday everyone!! What a glorious day we have been given! I swear, I am getting a little creeped out by how on-the-dot Seacoast is with having a message that seems to fit my life perfectly.  This morning was one of those mornings where I just knew something cool was coming.  Even though it's been a long week, I couldn't keep the smile off my face, and I couldn't explain why.  Then I heard the message at Seacoast and realized that was exactly why my heart was so full of joy today.

Before the message even started, a question was posed to us.."What do you do when you realize God has answered your prayers, and the great things you never thought possible were coming true?"  That really hit home with me.  Almost 3 years ago, I decided to stop living for myself, and begin living for God, and my life began to rapidly change.  At first, it was really difficult because my closest friends didn't really know what was going on with me.  My desires were completely changed and then I felt the calling to transfer...biggest risk I've ever taken.

Now, almost 2 years after I transferred, the things I never thought possible are beginning to happen.  It is as if I have been given a second chance to make up for the mistakes I had made in my past.  God is placing me in opportunities that allow me to do what I love, be with who I love and have a chance to watch Him work miracles.  It is incredible to know that when the good things come along in our life, all the Big Guy wants you to do is watch.  Simple as that.

At first, I used to be nervous about what others would think about me, because my world had been rocked by God.  All I wanted to do was celebrate and spread the awesomeness I was feeling to others, but I didn't know exactly how to do that in a status-quo-driven world.  Now, I am completely uninhibited.  I don't care who thinks I look silly or odd.  My security lies in something much stronger than this world.

This is my challenge for you fine people this week:  CELEBRATE!  Who cares what others think?  We are all given second chances!  We all make mistakes (I have way too many to count), but we all can try again and succeed!  That's the beauty of grace people!

The only word I can use to describe this week's video is cute.  It really speaks for itself though.

Holy Hot & Humid Hump Day!

Cooper

Sorry for the delayed post!! Life has been wonderfully hectic this past week, but have no fear, a new post is here! :) I'm beginning to adjust to this new haircut quite well.  My long hair would have been such a burden in this 100+ degree weather!  I don't think I've ever been so thankful to work and not be outside...it's been miserable out there.  At the end of some days after walking home from work, I would think to myself, "I'm so glad that this day is over and I do not have to endure it ever again!"  That got me thinking...

We will never live the same week twice.  But, essential lessons are learned each day.  As a history nerd, I've come to the conclusion that we can either choose to ignore history, which usually repeats itself in some form or another, or we can learn from it.  As for me, there are some things in my past that I wish beyond anything that I could erase forever!! College unfortunately produces those kinds of things...but seriously, I know each of you has something you wish you could take back.

Of course, that made me continue down this path of thought and I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't trade any day for the world.  Apparently, my story has a few (or many) bumps in the road, but each bump has taught me a new lesson, and I wouldn't be the person that I am today if it weren't for each chapter in my life.  Even though I am thrilled that I do not have to live the same day twice, for those days that I try to mentally block, I know now that there was a reason behind each of those days.

Challenge for the week:  The past is the past!  No more feeling guilty.  Set yourself free and choose to learn from those mistakes.  Each day is a new day filled with new opportunities!  Look for the good!  It's out there!

"Our earthly wilderness experiences are designed to develop us into men and women of faith." -Charles Swindoll

Here's some good right here...

Nothing better than some Harry Potter excitement!...only 23 days!

We Are Promised a Destiny

I am overflowing with joy this weekend!! What an awesome week this has been!  I feel as if I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve, yet again.  Not only did I get my first place, but I finally donated my hair after almost five years of growing it out.  I know that each of these incidents are quite opposite of one another, but each has such a special place in my heart!  I am thankful for the joy that is in my  heart and I hope that this joy will be contagious and spread to as many people as possible! 

This week has been a week that I have been waiting on since I transferred to Charleston almost two years ago.  It was a combination of numerous moments finally coming together and making sense.  As if a giant light bulb finally turned on. So many opportunities are coming my way all of a sudden, and it is as if I can hear God chuckling up there saying, "I told you so".  I just had to be patient (which is quite a challenge for me).  

I think the reason I am so happy at the moment is that I had to go through some trials and valleys to get where I am today.  It definitely makes you appreciate the good times.  I know that more valleys will come, but now I have a new sense of clarity that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Each and every one of us is going to go through difficult times (for you, that time might be right now), but don't fret! There is a plan for whatever situation you are in and there will be joy again! 

"The joy of living in My presence outshines all other pleasures."  

-Jesus Calling

Even though tomorrow is Monday, another way to look at it is seeing tomorrow as the start of a fantastic week that lies ahead of you!  You never know just what might happen!  I hope that each and every one of you finds joy this week and holds on to it tightly! There is still good in this world to be happy about! :)

Here is the most joyous sound I've ever heard...

What a Wonderful Wedding Weekend!

Wow! What a fabulous wedding weekend in Columbia! Congratulations Lauren and Zac Rhinesmith!! I wish you both all the happiness in the world!! I know that God will do great things in your lives!! And to the bridesmaids....Thank you for such a fun weekend!! What great friends I have been blessed with!! I think we should have reunions more often!!

Just like last weekend at the Bachelorette party, I learned a few more things that I thought you would all be interested in yet again this weekend.  I know you have been waiting all week for this:

• It is just as hot in Columbia as it is in Charleston, maybe even worse...I think that weddings in the arm-pit of the south should require much less clothing to be worn. 
• Once again, heels are the spawn of Satan's shoes!  I think I might actually have a slight ankle injury from that glorious wedding day! (All for you Mrs. Rhinesmith!)
• Rehearsal dinner speeches need to be rehearsed just like the wedding....note to self. 
• Having a hotel room with a flat screen in the bathroom really made this weekend feel like a vacation.  Thank you Sheraton Hotel!
• Getting a second weekend to reconnect with some of my FAVORITE people from PC = Priceless!  I wish the weekend never ended! 

This weekend, I got a call from a friend.  I was startled because she sounded frantic on the phone!  It turns out that something had caught her attention, and she just had to tell someone about it.  I was honored to be the person she decided to call! :) It turns out that what she had stumbled upon was a story about a young girl who was raised atheist but then saw God and heaven and began to paint.  Her works are something else!  You would never believe that this girl was self-taught.  But here is the real clincher....her first vision/painting occurred when she was only 4 years old!  Holy cow. My friend was completely awe struck and didn't go to sleep that night because God spoke to her through that little girl's story.
(Check out her story!)

Has something like that ever happened to you?  As for me, I believe that certain things effect certain people differently.  God created each and every one of us in a unique way, so why wouldn't He speak to us in ways that only we would understand!?  Not everyone is going to have a "burning bush" occur in their lives, but God desires to communicate to us in whichever way we will listen.

For me, and for so many others, God spoke to me through Hannah Sobeski and her battle with cancer more than four years ago.  I cannot wait to finally donate my hair (which has taken 5 freaking years to grow) in honor of her and Ben's grandmother.  I hope that we do not lose the awe that comes with knowing that the God of the universe wants to talk to us and get to know us personally!

"I have not abandoned this sin-wracked world; I am still richly present in it!" -Jesus Calling


I hope that each and every one of you has a fantastic week!! I guess I will get off my vacation high and get pumped about going back to the real world of work and no TV in the bathroom.  Later!

This picture is dedicated to this past weekend!  May we all learn to rock out on our air-guitars like K. Dils! :)

Happy Memorial Day!

Okay, so now that you are a big pile of love after watching that video, let this week's post begin! :)

I hope everyone had a fabulous Memorial Day Weekend!  I just want to take the time to say a special THANK YOU to all of the men and women who have given their lives for this country!  We should never take freedom for granted!

I got to spend this weekend with some of the most amazing girls in the world!  One of my best friends and old roommate, Lauren Bagnal's bachelorette weekend commenced and Charleston will never be the same because of it! It was such a wonderful reunion and I was so sad to see some of my favorite people leave Chucktown!  During the 60 epic hours we spent together I compiled a list of things I learned from a Bachelorette weekend (Don't fret, I'm keeping it PG)

• Bike Taxis are expensive! ($25 bucks are you serious?)
• High heels are the worst idea ever in downtown Charleston....so even when you think you have found a loophole with wedges, your feet still feel broken the next morning!
•  Groucho's makes the absolute greatest sandwich and salad tray.  Those massive platters were fabulous re-fuelers at 2 a.m. (Don't forget the pickles!)
• Boys are idiots...Even though this is self explanatory, boys listen up. When a girl says she is not interested...she means it. The end! (And do not anger "Samantha" after a night out!) haha!!
• Lastly, and MOST important!  Time is not a factor when it comes to best friends!  I transferred almost 2 years ago, and the friendships I made at PC have only blossomed! I am so thankful to have such great friends in my life!

I cannot wait until Lauren's wedding next weekend, and you all can bet that there will be a killer blog post about it, so get excited!! I hope you all have an awesome week!! Until we meet again, here is some more happy: