// making a difference right where you are //

Stories are so important. They make up who we are as people.

Everyone has a story. There is pain they have felt, people who have helped or hurt them, places they've been, and experiences that have shaped who they are.

What if we looked at people with those thoughts in mind? What if we truly wanted to hear their stories? What if we stopped talking and just listened?

Can we really make a difference by pressing pause and listening?

I think we can. All people really want is to be seen and heard. They want to be noticed and feel important. They want to know that someone cares. One of the greatest ways to show love to someone is by allowing them to feel safe in their own skin - by creating an environment in which they feel like they are enough. Someone once encouraged me to listen with curiosity and compassion, rather than listening to respond or fix things.

I think I've always had this dream to make a difference and change the world. We've all had that dream in some form. I want to help people and give them hope. I want to fix things and make them better.

I imagined that I would do these big things on the other side of the world. I always thought that poverty and struggle were found in a third world country or in big cities. I didn't think that I would find that in the midwest - a world full of middle class Americans.

Wherever you are at, there are people who are full of pain and hurt. There are people who just want to be seen and heard, right where you live.

I have been tutoring this lady who is working to get her GED. We have built a relationship these past few months. Last week we ended up playing Scrabble and talking. After I asked a few questions she began spilling her life story. She told me about her family and where she had lived, how she couldn't find shelter in her mobile home when the tornado came. She told me about the hard things in her life, about how she didn't want her daughter to end up like her, about losing both her parents. I could hear the pain and hurt in her voice. I could see how she loved her children so much and wanted the best for them.

I wanted to be able to give her money and fix her problems. But that wasn't my job. My job was to listen and encourage her.

I never realized how great of an impact that I could make by simply listening to someone.
And I never knew that listening to someone else's story could impact mine so much.

She has impacted me with her strength and perseverance.

Maybe what people need isn't your charity or money, but your love and time. Don't try to fix their situation and make their life more comfortable. Just show them that they are important and that you believe in them.

Stop where you are.
Press pause.
Put down the phone.
Look at the faces of the people around you.
Ask genuine questions and listen.

Purely listen.

// experiencing God //

I believe that God gives us several ways to know Him more. Prayer, reading the Bible, praise and worship, serving, and fellowshipping with other Christians are ways that we can draw closer to Christ. All of these things are incredibly important and should be part of our walk with God, but I also think that each of us has one or more ways that specifically help us focus on God's truth and love. Creating art may point someone to God's characteristics of creativity and love. Another person may really experience God through listening to the Bible. 

"If you come to worship for any reason other 

that the joy and pleasure and satisfaction that 

are to be found in God, you dishonor Him...

God's greatest delight is your delight in Him." 

{Sam Storms} 

One of the ways that I connect most with Jesus is through praise and worship. I love music and I feel such a connection and satisfaction in Christ when I'm singing and praising Him. I'm able to reflect on His sacrifice, experience His love, and surrender to Him while I sing songs of praise and worship. Throughout the week I keep myself grounded in God's truth and love by listening to Christian music. I love finding new songs with His amazing truths, and I also love the old, classic hymns. So, I put together a playlist of some essential worship songs. 

Here are some of my favorite artists . . .

The Silver Pages

These two brothers incorporate many unique instruments and sounds in their songs, 

and the outcome is wonderful (I may be a little biased cause they're my cousins). 
They have two EPs out, and the most recent one was just released this last week! 

Rend Collective
I have fallen in love with Rend Collective these past few years. Their songs are filled
with so much joy and celebration! 

NEEDTOBREATHE

Some of their songs are more rock and indie, but a few of them are very worshipful and beautiful. 

Bethel Music

So. Good. 

All Sons & Daughters

This duo creates songs that are so authentic and honest. 

You can listen to my playlist on Spotify or YouTube. The first one unfortunately isn't on Spotify and it is totally my jam right now, so listen to it here.... 

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; 

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise. 

{Psalm 95:1-2}

Happy Listening friends!

the secret to {bloom where you are planted}

jealousy doesn't heal.

jealousy doesn't fix anything.

it only brings bitterness, hatred, and pain.

it hurts relationships and breaks friendships.

it puts up a wall 

between you and others.

when you are jealous of others

you become restless 

and dissatisfied with what you have.

you compare 

the seemingly perfect life that she has 

to your ugly, messy life.

you question God and ask, 

"why her?" 

"why not me?" 

"where are my blessings and talents and gifts?"

i want to feel content with what i have and who i am.

i want to let go of my insecurities 

of not being good enough. 

i want to be at a place of growth.

i want to flourish and thrive.

i want to be okay with my brokenness,

but not okay with staying there.

i want to be at peace with who God made me to be 

and not always wanting to be 

someone else or someplace else.

i want to find the everyday beauties in life.

this happens when i begin each day

thankful for what i have.

it means looking at the small things in life

and realizing that they are actually

the big things.

it is deciding that i am going to truly 

bloom where i am planted - 

whether that be in a bed of weeds,

the scorching desert,

or a luscious garden.

i can choose to make the best

of my situation 

by choosing to be content in this season of life. 

the days won't always be sunny,

but we can be sure that when the rain comes,

so will the growth.

cling to this truth 

and be grateful for the breath in your lungs

and the hope in your heart. 

It's the Little Things

A few months ago I wrote a post about gratitude that you can find here. I want to make giving thanks a habit. Here are a few things that I've been thankful for in the last week:

~a Valentine's Day waffle brunch with my family

~precious moments with my niece

~a message of freedom and grace that lifted my soul

~coffee and cookies with a wonderful friend 

~encouragement from a caring friend

~sunshine and warm weather

~a quiet, inviting coffee shop

~pretending with little friends

~photobooth and lots of giggles with three cuties

~a fresh apple and cocoa almonds for an afternoon snack

~extra time for an afternoon walk

~chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

~finding a community of women that struggle with the same things that I do

~discovering some new amazing tunes

~hours of studying paying off

~relief from stress

~a God that's bigger than my problems and struggles

~giant, fluffy snowflakes that stick in my hair

*Have you ever thought about recording the things that you're thankful for? 

*Do you take pictures, write in journal, or blog about them? 

*Have you noticed a difference in your attitude when you take time to be thankful for the little and big things in life?

{Girls Night Out}

Hey there!

I had a wonderful J-Term! I didn't do everything that I wanted to do, but I accomplished a lot and had tons of fun. This last week I had a girls night out. I invited some girls from Revive and they invited some friends too! 

To start off the evening we painted our nails. One of my friends that came has an outrageously amazing nail polish stash. She brought this huge container of lots of colors!

After getting some awesome colors on our nails, we did a cool craft. We got some plain white mugs and decorated them with sharpies, then put them in the oven awhile to cook the marker on. This craft was super easy and fun, and I think everyone will use them. 

I love seeing how creative everyone is. All of the mugs were so different and unique!

The night ended with lots of chatting, laughter, and playing cards.

Spending time with these girls was great! They're all so fun, silly, and sweet. I loved being able to all be together and chill. Hopefully we can have one of these fun nights again! I'm thankful that God has put these girls in my life. They're such a blessing!

{the word of the year}

Awhile ago, I heard about choosing a word for each year, but I didn't really understand what it meant until I heard it at church a few weeks ago. The pastor talked about choosing a word that you can focus on this next year. A word that motivates you. A word that instills passion in you. A word that calms you. A word that points you to the Word. A word that makes you more like Christ. 

I decided to choose a word for myself for 2014. That word is . . . contentment. Be content.

This past year, I have struggled a lot with jealousy. I would look around me and see people who were prettier than me, skinnier than me, more athletic than me, funnier than me, and more popular than me. I compared myself to them. I wanted to be just like them. I wanted people to like me. Wanting what others have, though, is not fulfilling. It didn't make me any happier. It didn't help anything. All that jealousy brought was anger, bitterness, and self-pity. I didn't see all that God had blessed me with. Instead, I wanted more and more.  I don't want to be like that! I don't want to always be discontent with myself. 

I want to be content with who God made me. I want to be thankful for what I have. I know that God has given me gifts and talents, and I want to use them for Him! I want to be content with the things I have. All I need is Christ, nothing more! I want to be satisfied in God alone, and nothing else. 

Many things will come in 2014, but I will be content in Christ. 

"My cup overflows with blessings" (Psalm 23:5). 

Do you have a word for this new year?

Have you ever struggled with comparison and jealousy? How did you combat it?

{Bucket List for J-Term}

                                                       ~go ice skating
                                                       ~stargaze
                                                       ~run 15+ miles
                                                       ~finish reading Crazy Love
                                                       ~watch the sunrise
                                                       ~run in the snow
                                                       ~watch the sunset
                                                       ~write 3 letters
                                                       ~do a weekend social media fast
                                                       ~learn a new piano piece
                                                       ~knit a scarf
                                                       ~watch 21 Jump Street
                                                       ~finish reading James
                                                       ~write 3 blog posts
                                                       ~cook/bake 3 new recipes
                                                       ~craft
                                                       ~get rid of clothes I don't wear anymore