If you're afraid that God isn't enough...He is.

And, if you're worried that you aren't enough...You are. 

Well, I'm taking my cues from Beth Moore, and writing about something that I myself need to work on. Every day, of every week, I spend way too much time searching for my identity and my satisfaction in something that isn't Jesus. 

I am so fed up with myself. So tired of feeling lost and alone. There is so much more to life than that. I find myself feeling more and more like I am wasting my life away. And, wasting it on what?...Feeling sorry for myself, dwelling on the past, focusing on the negative...or, even worse,... wishing that I was more like someone else. 

Why do we spend our time being jealous of other people's lives?...I think it's probably because we are searching for our identity in the wrong places...Well, I'm done. Call Jon Acuff and his #Quitters and tell them that this is "Day One" of my #30dayofhustle. 

I am getting out of this rut, moving away from the place I've been stuck in, and moving towards a stronger identity in Christ. He is enough for me. I don't need to search...I've already been found in Him. 

It's been over a year since I last published one of my blogs. So, since it still applies now, I'm gonna go ahead and share the last scripture that I blogged...again. You cannot even fathom the extent of his greatness. He is so absolutely, completely, fantastically enough. 

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,... He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4, 11 NIV)

Florida Christian College and The Office: To Everything There is a Season

Well, when I woke up at 5:00 am, with insomnia, I wasn't expecting myself to blog about this...

It's really over?! My favorite show of all time is coming to a close this Spring. After nine seasons, The Office is airing it's final episodes (I believe we're down to two). Strangely, I for one, am ready for it to end. Sure, I will miss seeing new episodes each week from all of my favorite characters, but I believe that it's time.

There are many who would say that these last few seasons, without Michael Scott, just haven't been the same. I can definitely get on board with that. Steve Carell is amazing and, in part, I wish that we could have seen a bit more of his story play out. However, I loved his final season, and his goodbye episode brought me to tears.

I'm sure that most of us wished for a final return from him in this last season, but I read that it won't be happening. Steve and the producers felt that he had already said goodbye, and it was time to see other characters do the same. I'm happy, because I am really looking forward to some closure in some of these storylines.

For starters, stop toying with my heart, NBC! If Jim & Pam were to get a divorce, somehow things just wouldn't feel right in the world. I mean, seriously, we watched these two through a rollercoaster of emotions and relationships for 3 SEASONS before they got together! They have become our dream couple.

I guess this is where I should say, "SPOILER ALERT!" If you didn't know that Jim & Pam were together, then GET THEE TO A DVD SERIES (or to Netflix), and watch the show from Season 1. Their wedding is still one of my favorite episodes. That being said, it was relieving to see them get back to their old lovable selves in the last episode! Pam sitting on the corner of Jim's desk flirting with him....classic....and, it's about time.

For sure, the show has taken some strange turns recently, but it seems like they are getting back to what we know and love in time for the finale. I read that they brought back the original executive producer from the early seasons for this final one. I have been starting to feel the vibe of the early days again, in recent episodes. I mean, who doesn't love a good "talking head" with Stanley & Phyllis? And, without a doubt, The Office will live on through DVDs, re-runs, and every fan who effortlessly quotes it.

So...on to my point...why does FCC remind me of The Office? Is it because I worked in several "offices" there? Or, because my friends and I are responsible for creating and hosting our own version of The Dundies & starting a Finer Things Club? No...not so much. It is because, in a sense, two things that I love dearly are coming to an end.

Sadly, I am not one who was blessed to be around the college, during these last few months under the name "Florida Christian". I graduated 5 years ago, stopped working there roughly three years ago; I missed the last chapel, the last Imagine Banquet, and the last Graduation. However, I felt like I was there in spirit.

I have been walking around with the "FCC March Song" proudly playing in my head. Yesterday morning, Josh and I sang every Doc Smith and Hebrew song that we could think of to our son. And, I have been experiencing overwhelming nostalgia in many ways recently.

There is a part of me that will always miss those days, and that will miss referring to the institution as Florida Christian College. I feel that, in a sense, I have been robbed of my Alma Mater. However, FCC is not in it's final days...not really. It is in a state of a change. It is in a new Season.

I heard that the school colors won't be changing yet...,which is reassuring to those of us who will bleed orange & black for life. FCC will live on in the 50 t-shirts that I own and will refuse to stop wearing (Yes, even the doggopotamus). I pledge to try and stay "Strong in the Scriptures" for as long as I live. And, I intend to continue supporting the college, despite it's new name.

The truth is...I believe that it is time for a change. During this Season of change, I trust that there will be things I don't always feel comfortable with, or agree with. I am planning to try to trust God with those things.

I feel confident in the future of the institution, because I know who holds it in his hands. Florida Christian College was founded to prepare men & women for Christian service, and it will continue to do so. I'm sure it goes without saying...,but I really love that place! "Hail to Florida Christian College!...And, the zeal of Dear FCC, may it never cease!"


"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,... He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4, 11 NIV)

Where Does Encouragement Live?

Encouragement.....who needs it, right? Well....I sure do!!!!

I haven't blogged since Josiah was a little over a month old, and he is now 6 months old!! Where did the time go?! This truly felt like the fastest 6 months of my life. And, in those 6 months, my life has changed in so many different ways! So, I promised myself recently that I would try to blog more (I've said that before), because regardless of whether anyone reads my blogs...writing them is good for me. Perhaps I will never become a published author, but for me writing is therapeutic, in a way. I may not write every week, but I would like to write at least once a month...anywho...

I'm sitting here in my house, hoping that the baby will nap for longer than 30 minutes (his naps are still a little unpredictable at times)...for some reason, I feel like crying....Never mind...he's awake....be back later...

Okay, now I'm back...Why is it that sometimes it seems so much easier for us to tear others down, than to build them up? Is it our jealousy of others lives that drives this? Is this one of the things that stands in the way of us making and keeping close friendships?

I have a problem with this, keeping close friendships, and I often try to figure out why. I have wondered for a long time. Is it them or is it me...? But...I'm pretty sure it's me.

I think it has a lot to do with my own insecurities. It's hard to be around beautiful, talented, wonderful people without being tempted to compare them to yourself. It's also difficult to do so without finding that you often come up short in one way or another. After all, it isn't possible for us all to be the best at everything (more on this topic later).

Anyway, back to the point! Why don't we encourage more? Do we find that discouragement is a greater motivator? Does it somehow help us to get what we want faster? In psychology, they might call this positive & negative reinforcement...

For example, getting a speeding ticket has motivated me to stop speeding...,but wanting to drive safely to protect my son has been a far greater motivation. Similarly, a person (who will remain nameless) telling me I need to lose some baby weight has made me just angry enough to try harder to exercise...., but does it really motivate me more than the kind words of a friend who I've asked to help hold me accountable...., or the desire to be a healthier mom for my baby?.....No, I don't think so anyway.

I also wonder if another quality in being a good friend is being willing to invest yourself....investing your time, investing yourself emotionally by opening up, etc. Do we struggle to "invest" out of fear? Fear of trusting others with that investment. Fear of getting stabbed in the back. To be honest, I'm not really sure what I fear...,but I know that I fear something.

Lately I've been having a lot of strange dreams. I have one reoccurring dream in which I am trying to finish college, but I have one class that I keep failing. Somehow, I completely forgot to prepare for this class, attend this class, or submit any of my work. It's quite strange....,because I have never failed any classes in college...or otherwise. Also, I haven't been a college student since I received my Bachelor's Degree almost five years ago. I have other weird "new mom dreams" where I wake up afraid that I dropped the baby, or I'm accidentally smothering him, or I hear him crying when he's not.

The reason that I bring up these dreams is because I think that they demonstrate something about my thoughts, maybe about my fears. Maybe sometimes the things that we dream about are things that go through our mind that we're scared to bring to the surface...things we're afraid to vocalize.

Perhaps, I don't feel comfortable telling others that a part of me feels unworthy to be a mother. Or, that I'm afraid at some point I might mess my kids up terribly. Maybe I dream about failing school, because a part of me feels like I have left something in my life unfinished, or there's something in my life that I am afraid I will fail at. Regardless of what our fears may be...I think the point is that we need someone to share these things with.

This is where friends come in. More thoughts to come about friendship, encouragement, striving, and investing.



Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:1-5 NASB)

6 Lessons I've Learned in 6 Weeks or So: Sleeplessness, "SIDS", and So Much More!

Forgive me, Bloggers (and blog readers) it's been over a month since my last blog. I wanted to blog more often, but you see the thing is...I had a baby. I used to blog most often when I had insomnia, and that seems to be a rare thing when you have a newborn in your house.

Whenever your baby will sleep at night, you usually try to sleep. And, whenever your baby will sleep during the day, you want to sleep too...only, you have these other things that come up like: Eating, Showering, Using the Restroom, Housework, and Socializing with other humans. They weren't lying when they warned us. Let me just come out and say it, I definitely miss sleep.

So, to kick off the "6 Lessons I've Learned".....

#6- Your life will truly never be the same after having a baby (and that means...don't count on sleeping 8 hours or more at night for the forseeable future).

It's hard on the mom...you're trying to recover from labor & delivery, 9 or so months of pregnancy, and if you are planning to nurse it can be worse. I know all about the numerous benefits of nursing, but I wasn't really aware of the challenges. That brings me to my next lesson...

#5- It's alot of pressure to be not only the person responsible for carrying your child inside of you, but also the one solely in charge of their nourishment for awhile!

New moms out there- I'm being honest here, nursing was extremely difficult and highly frustrating for me in the beginning. I totally understand why many women get discouraged! It is A LOT of pressure, especially when the nurses give you any indication that your baby is not perfectly healthy.

Being a new parent, in general, can definitely cause a lot of anxiety. I'll never forget one of the funniest things that my husband said to me in the early weeks. As we're getting into bed one night he says, "I found out what SIDS stands for"...."Oh, yeah?"...."Scared Inexperienced Daddy Syndrome." It's funny because it's true.

In the first weeks (okay, sometimes still now), we would lie in bed awake listening to Josiah breathe, jump up out of bed if he made a funny sound. "Was that a sneeze? A hiccup? A cough? Is he spitting up?" This also reminded me of how Josh used to check on me at night, after we first got married, to make sure that I was breathing. Which brings me to my next lesson...

#4- My husband is incredible. I am so utterly blessed. He is an amazing partner & father.

And, my next one as well...

#3- It's completely normal to, on occasion, be totally freaked out about being a new parent.

I think Josh and I take turns being freaked out. I've realized quickly that there are so many things I took for granted or didn't understand before. It's easy to look at parents and make judgements when you have no clue what they're going through. I can also say with full certainty that no amount of babysitting or nieces & nephews prepared me for this.

#2- You may feel a bit like a superhero after giving birth. Although it's a bit more like Wonderwoman after she's taken a major beating...it's still a confidence booster. : )

I think it's one of those things in life that makes you feel like, "If I can do this, I can do anything." And, no wonder my mother is such an incredibly strong woman of God...she's done this 5 times!!

And, lastly, the most important...

#1- Everything we have been through, are going through, or will go through is all worth it for the adorable little guy that is now in our lives. We are so thankful.

"Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!" Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:8, 9, 24, 27, 31, 34 NIV)

You Know You're 9 Months Pregnant When...

So...we're almost there...finally! A little more than 3 weeks from our due date! It seems that things don't always go as planned when preparing for a child. In the past few months, we've had: a broken car (for 6 weeks), 2 broken toilets (at the same time), a leaky a/c unit, multiple flooded bedrooms (and ruined flooring), and now a sick husband with a fever and strep throat.

My doctor has officially ordered bedrest, so no more work for me! I don't have to stay in bed, but I have to take it easy. She is worried about my high blood pressure and the level of amniotic fluid being a little low. We have been to the hospital several times for ultrasounds lately. We were thinking that our son might need to make an early appearance, but so far he's staying put.

So, all that being said, I've decided to compile another list. This one is called,

"You Know You're 9 Months Pregnant When":

1) Your blood pressure and the pressure to have everything ready are higher than ever before.

2) Heartburn is your worst enemy (And TUMS are your new best friend).

3) The bathroom is your new office (My sweet baby's head is pressed right on my bladder).

4) Sleeping through the night seems like a distant dream (And when you get the chance to nap, you wish you could sleep all day).

5) Time seems to be moving slower than ever before (Counting down the days takes on a whole new meaning)!

6) It seems your house will never be clean enough or organized enough (And, how am I supposed to properly give in to my nesting instincts, when the doctor puts me on bedrest?)!

7) Your emotional outbursts and mood swings can get a bit out of hand (Sorry dear hubby for getting to be the victim and the emotional counselor)!

8) You're having strange labor dreams and/or baby dreams almost every night (This is, of course, when I sleep long enough to achieve dreaming).

9) Your husband starts to twitch from stress, when ever you mention the idea of baby coming sooner than planned.

10) When you are sitting/lying down, you have to seriously consider whether or not getting up for something is worth the effort.

11) Strangers stare at your belly when you walk into a room (Hey Buddy, my eyes are up here)!

12) When friends and family haven't seen you in a while, their first words are..."Wow! You're getting big!"

I'm praying for patience a lot at this point. I'm also trying to remind myself, that whether or not everything is perfect, our child will be loved. If my to-do list isn't all checked off, if our house isn't all ready for company, and if our baby doesn't have everything he needs for the first year of his life...we'll still be okay.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."(Matthew 6:33, 34 NIV)

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." (James 1:2-5 NIV)

My son- Josiah James- What's in a name?

"Let Hope Rise...and darkness tremble in Your holy light...."

My son is scheduled to be born in about five weeks! We are so excited about our growing family, and we can't believe that we are about to be parents for the first time! I'm so thankful to have Josh as my husband, partner, and best friend through all of this. I am seriously blessed beyond measure.

In January of this year, we started to really work through grieving the baby we lost, by sharing that information with others. In February, we learned that I was pregnant again! In March, we announced it to the world. In April, we had our first ultrasound. In May, we found out that it was a boy. In June, we settled on a name for him, and felt his kicks for the first time. Yep, it's been an eventful year already.

Shall we continue then...In July, we attended the NACC in Orlando and CIY: MOVE in Tennessee. In August, we celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary. And, here we are now, September...counting down the days to our due date...35, by the way.

Back in August, we had our third ultrasound...and saw that he is healthy and growing fast! Then, we attended our first baby classes at the hospital. Starting this week, I am officially going seasonal at Disney. And, yesterday we had our first baby shower! So, the reality is setting in...I'm going to be a mommy soon!

Of course, I can't speak from personal experience and say that I will love being a mommy. I also can't say if I will enjoy being a stay at home mom most of the time. But, I can say, that I am more excited to meet my son than I have been about anything else in my life (besides accepting Christ, and my wedding day of course)!

Our little Josiah is moving and kicking and flipping like crazy, and I can't wait to see what he's like outside the womb. He has already brought so much joy to our lives. I wonder if he will ever know how much hope he has given us. Could he understand how much healing and restoration his mere existence has given?

In the Bible, there are many stories of babies bringing hope. Abraham was 100 years old when his wife Sarah gave birth to his son Isaac, just at the time God had promised him. Moses was rescued from a great genocide of baby boys, and his life was used by God to save his people from slavery.

Naomi and Ruth came from a life of great tragedy, losing both husbands and sons. When Ruth re-married, she gave birth to the grandfather of the great King David. Zechariah and Elizabeth were unable to conceive. In their old age, they conceived a son who we know as John the Baptist.

Of course, the greatest hope brought by a baby doesn't need much explanation. Since it isn't Christmas time, I'll skip the full story of the birth of Christ and how He changed everything for the good of all. How Mary conceived as a virgin, and her baby was born to save the world from their sin.

But, why did we choose the name Josiah James? Well, the name James came easily. Josh's grandfathers on both sides of the family have James in their name, and we were able to choose it pretty quickly.

The Josiah of the Bible became king when he was 8 years old, and reigned for over 30 years. He did what was right in God's eyes, and purified the kingdom after the ruling of many evil kings. He brought restoration and healing to God's people.

The name Josiah is a Hebrew name. When translated, it means: "Jehovah helps," "The Lord saves," or the Biblical meaning is "God has healed." Besides the great story of Josiah in the Bible, (and the fact that it's a "J" name) we felt that the meaning of the name goes along with our story.

Josiah has brought healing and restoration to our family, even before his birth. And, although we're still broken and scarred, "God is healing". Sharing the meaning of his name with people has even given me the opportunity to talk to my coworkers about the Bible! It's amazing what God can do!

"Josiah was eight years old when he became king...He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord...not turning aside to the right or to the left...The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book...Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors." (2 Chronicles 34:1, 2, 31, 33 NIV)

Baby Kicks and Pregnant Ramblings: Things You Probably Should Not Say To A Pregnant Woman

(Or, maybe more specifically a pregnant woman who has been through a miscarriage)

For those who are unaware, I am almost 6 months pregnant!! Wowee!! Although, I do very much appreciate how invested people are in our lives, and the life of my unborn child...and, I'm very thankful for all of the advice and help that we are given....sometimes, I don't like how the advice/comments make me feel. I thought that perhaps I am not the only "Prego" who feels this way.

So, since most pregnant women carry their babies for around 9 to 10 months, I decided to compile my list of 9 to 10 things that I think you should avoid saying to pregnant women. If you have said any of these things to me or another pregnant woman, it's okay, I'm not expecting an apology, please consider yourself forgiven. I am indeed guilty as well. I think that it's often easy to say things without realizing they could be offensive. Especially, if you aren't in that situation, or just haven't been there in awhile. Well, here it is!

9 to 10 Things You Probably Shouldn't Say To A Pregnant Woman:

1) "You haven't felt the baby move, yet?! That's weird." (Perhaps, if it's our first time, We have and just thought it was gas, cramps, or normal stomach growls...or maybe we won't feel him until a bit down the road. What I don't need is any reason to think that my baby isn't okay in there!)

2) "Wow, you aren't gaining weight very fast." Or, "Slow down there! You don't want to gain too much weight and have trouble losing it!" (I appreciate the sentiment, however oftentimes weight gain is the least of our worries. If my doctor isn't concerned, then generally speaking, neither am I. I can't speak for yours, but my OB has been through this a few times)

3) "You must be feeling better about losing your last baby, since you have this one." (Yep, everything is fixed now. Sorry for the sarcasm, but the truth is...it doesn't replace your other baby, and nothing ever will. However, the excitement of a new baby and the busyness of planning and preparing do help a bit with the grieving process. It changes your focus and priorities, for one thing)

4) "Whoa, Mama! Are you sure you aren't having twins?!" "You look like you're about to pop!" Or, "I'm surprised you can fit through the door!" (Really, any phrases that will make them feel twice as huge as they do already. Sure, knowing we have a nice, normal-sized baby bump is reassuring, but we don't want to feel like whales. Tell us we're glowing, or wearing it well...I'm not telling you to lie to us, but (God forgive me) yeah, go ahead and stretch the truth if you must. : )

5) "You really shouldn't be eating that right now in your condition." Or, "Maybe that's what you're craving, but are you sure that's what is best for baby?" (Okay, there are definitely some exceptions to this rule, but come on people! Give us a break! It's hard enough to handle food aversions and cravings and manage to get down enough calories during rough portions of our pregnancy! Allow us a little wiggle room to eat more than water and veggies without being nagged in the lunch room. We are trying to do our best. We DO happen to care about the health of our self and our unborn child too)

6) "Don't worry, preggers here is upset because of her fluctuating hormones! Just ignore her." Or, "She probably just messed up because she has pregnancy brain!" (Perfect! During a time when we need the extra emotional support, and don't want to feel alone...we get to feel patronized and ignored! Try not to make pregnant moms feel isolated, misunderstood, or crazy. Even if we do act like 'Pregzillas' at times, we still deserve to be listened to and taken seriously. Give us a little extra patience, if you would be so kind)

7) "Don't sit like that! You'll squish the baby!!" (Yes, someone at work actually said this to me, because I needed one more reason to feel paranoid in my daily life)

8) "You're feeling nauseas?! You should be happy, because that's a good sign."
(Well, forgive ME for NOT delighting in puking. As a side note, do the other pregnant moms or formerly pregnant moms have to rub in the fact that their pregnancies are/were a breeze without any undesirable symptoms to speak of? "So, you didn't have morning sickness, get stretch marks, or have trouble losing the baby weight? Yippee for you, but I kind of can't relate.")

9) "What do you mean you don't have your baby's room ready yet?!"
(I guess finding out yesterday that it was a boy didn't allow us quite enough time to finish. None of us want anyone making us feel like 4 months from our due date is way behind schedule to have everything done. Preparing for a baby is a process full of projects and decisions that take time and consideration. And, it's not like the only thing we have going on is baby preparation...most of us have jobs, etc. Please give first time parents a little extra grace, as it's all new to them, and it can become quite overwhelming)

And, one more about childbirth, for good measure:

10) " Completely natural birth is the only way to go! Any mom who doesn't do it is selfish and weak." (I don't see anything wrong with at least weighing your options. Every mom and every birth are different. There are pros and cons to most options in pregnancy and parenting. If you ask your grandmothers and mothers about how they did things you might be shocked! I think that the best choice is being prepared to be flexible with your choices, if needed. So please, I beg you, don't judge me if I opt for some pain killers)

I probably sound more bitter and angry here than I actually am. Admittedly, I have had my moments of major frustration, but I try to be patient and understanding with people. If you or someone you know has been pregnant before, then you might know that this is a time to expect much incoming advice....some asked for and some volunteered. While I value the wisdom and experience of others, I try to take it all with a grain of salt (forgive the overused cliche), because I have found that many doctors don't even agree.

While, each mother can try to read all of the latest research on everything (most of us probably are), it won't always match up or give clear, concrete answers. Many studies remain relatively inconclusive, as they don't want to do lab testing on pregnant women or infants. In addition, things that my mother was told when myself or my siblings were in the womb have sometimes changed dramatically. My grandmother told me about a time when almost no one she knew was breast feeding. My sister's doctor is fine with many over the counter medicines, and mine is not.

Believe me, people, I enjoy pregnancy. It is very fun and exciting...and also scary and life-changing. Life changing usually means great joy and great sacrifice. So many changes, so many choices, so many challenges. It's amazing how all this can affect the mother and father in different ways.

Some days, I'm ready to face the world and do it all. Other days, I feel a bit defeated, belittled even....like because I'm a new parent, everyone thinks that I must know nothing. I think we all have a desire to feel valued, respected, and considered to be capable. Capable also means being treated like we're able to make wise decisions about how to take care of ourselves and our baby.

And, in closing--as of a week and a half ago--I have felt my baby kick, and so has my husband! It is pretty incredible! There is a life growing inside of me, and He is letting me know that my baby is alive and well!

If you are a pregnant woman, or someone planning to have a baby, I advise you (Oh no! Not more advice! What am I a hypocrite?!) to try and enjoy each moment. I think that one of my biggest mistakes in life is being too anxious for the next stage or the next big thing to arrive. Enjoy it all! You will never have these moments back! Take a picture, write in your journal, and thank God for this time in your life and for it's positives.

Remember God's words to Jeremiah- "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV)


"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;his love endures forever."
(1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV)

"for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight....let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance...The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:2, 5, 7 NIV)