Finding Joy in the Rain.

Over the past few weeks, I've seen several blogposts about the negative aspects of turning 23. As much as it probably shouldn't have, it's made me a little bit pessimistic about this next year of my life. I think perspective is everything & regardless of my circumstances, I want to choose to live a life of joy. Plus, I really believe this year is going to be WONDERFUL. I decided to set goals for myself with the hopes accomplishing at least 20 of them before my 24th birthday. "Do not regret growing older, it is a privilege denied to many." 1. Take a selfie in at least 4 different countries. Because there are few things in the world that bring my heart more joy than traveling. On the agenda? Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain, & Texas. Yes, I consider Texas its own country. 2. Learn to cook I think women that can cook are classy. I strive to be a classy woman. 3. Run a half marathon. Slowllyyyy. 4. Pay off my student loans Student loan...

I am not expert in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community. I am not writing this because I think I am & I'm not writing this to convince you whether or not it's morally or biblically wrong to live that lifestyle. You're going to make your own decision-you probably already have. I don't expect to change your mind. This is for the people that profess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and believe that his life, death and resurrection was necessary for our salvation. This is for the people that believe Jesus is the only way. This is for the christians that are condemning people to hell for their LGBT lifestyle. This is for the people that define people by their lifestyle. I've spent the past couple of days at a conference for Social Services workers in the heart of downtown Austin. These past few days I've felt like the only person here that doesn't agree with the LGBT lifestyle. While it used to be the ones that professed this ...

May 31st is in 88 days. May 31st is the day my lease ends & the day I officially don't have a house anymore. I know that people's leases end all of the time & really it's nothing out of the ordinary. Except it is. Because I have absolutely no life plans after that.  None. Zero. Zilch. I've been thinking a lot about the concept of "home" recently. What makes up a home? Is it people? A location? A bed? How long do you have to live somewhere before it becomes your home? When I think about "home", I think of two things. 1. Reliant K's song, "I'm taking you with me".  If home is where the heart is Then my home is where you are  It's getting oh so hard To spend these days Without my heart. (Completely irrelevant.)  & 2. Jesus had no home.  "And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." -...

Sometimes I read the Old Testament and think to myself, "Wow, the Israelites were a bunch of idiots". Today, I looked back at my life, and thought to myself, "Dangit. I'm Israel. I'm the idiot.". I've spent a lot of time learning about the Israelites the past couple of weeks. Basically, the Lord rescues them. They thank him. They forget him. He is faithful, and they are not. Over and over and over again. At some point, they end up wandering the wilderness for 40 years. Yet even in that wilderness, the Lord still provided. He was always faithful. What a bunch of idiots. I'm Israel. The Lord has been faithful to me. He picked me up and rescued me from a meaningless and loveless life. I thanked him. Things got tough, I slapped him in the face. I repented. He forgave me through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is always faithful. I'm faithful on occasion. Over and over and over again God has provided for me. How is it that i always forget h...

The Lord has been exceptionally quiet with me lately. I think i've been exceptionally loud. Things are crazy and I'm homeless after May and my car is officially totaled and I'll likely owe a few thousand dollars on it and I'm running around and I'm trying to fix what's broken and it's loud and stressful and I'm calling out to God and I'm trying to make plans and I'm asking him what to do and I'm not hearing anything and I'm getting frustrated and and and. HELLO, GOD! WHERE ARE YOU? But I can't hear anything. Because I'm yelling. & He is whispering. "Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations,  I will be exalted in the earth!".  Psalms 46:10.  The hardest thing in the world is for me to be still. I always think I know better. I want instant answers. HERE. NOW. Sometimes I suck at having faith. This morning, through prayer and the wisdom of a mentor of mine, I finally ...

Marty the Prius is dead. This is how that makes me feel: Originally, I thought his death would be temporary and that he would be resurrected after going to the doctor... but after talking to the dealership today, I found out Marty needs $10,000+ worth of work done in order to revive him. So unless the insurance guy decides he's worth fixing, Marty is no more. Here are some of the resuscitation attempts on Marty's life. I have really great friends that spent a lot of time trying to make him better, but in the end, the damage to his underneath was too great and Marty had to take a ride on the towtruck of flames.  Notice the blood dripping out of Marty as he tries to hold on... :( So how did Marty die? To be honest I don't really know... but I have chosen to blame the city of Belton. On my way back from Austin last Saturday night Marty ran over something that shouldn't have been in the road. Obviously. And while I have no clue what it could...

What happens when you graduate college & turn down the full time job you're offered, decide not to move across the world, & withdrawal yourself from grad school an hour before your first class? Does that make you an idiot? Possibly. Feel free to think I'm stupid. I won't be offended.  One of my favorite things that the Lord has blessed me with continuously is joy. Sometimes life sucks. I don't pretend that it doesn't. I cry, yell at God, and often beg him to change my circumstances. Okay, soooo I suppose that doesn't sound very joyful... Maybe by joy, I really mean to say peace.  I don't really know how to define peace. All I know, is that I didn't have it before Jesus, and I don't have it when I'm not following him.** To me, peace is an overwhelming comfort. Regardless of life's circumstances, at the end of the day if I'm doing what the Lord has called me to do, I am fully confident that things are going to be okay. Peace...