Arise, Shine!

I was driving through my neighborhood this evening, and my headlights were hitting the 

inch-or-so of snow on the ground; everything was quiet and peaceful and dark. In that moment the darkness was comforting. It was spectacular. The peace of the snow with the black of the sky sort of took my breath away.

I know that, more times than not, the darkness is not "comforting" or "peaceful" or any of the above adjectives; however, it's in the darkness that Christ's light often shines the brightest. 

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; 
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness on them light has shone. 
3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy...
(Isaiah 9:2-3)

I've been starting each day with a short Advent devotion from the "She Reads Truth." I've always had a difficult time being excited about devotion only because I didn't know how to spend time in one. But, for the month of December I've made it my goal to dig deep and spend quality time in the Lord's presence.

Day 13 of this Advent devotion talked about how Christ is our light. He came through the thickest darkness and set us free, and I felt such a tug on my heart to sit here and write. I know that everyone's darkness is immensely different--some us may have been in our darkness for as long as we can remember, for some of us our darkness is a person or an addiction or you name it! We all have some form of darkness in our lives and in our hearts, and it seems impossible that we could ever be pulled from that scary place and into a place of light and joy.

The amazing thing about Christ is that he came as light in human form. He came to reach down into the deepest, darkest place in our lives and in our hearts and renew and reshape. He grabs us by the hand and breathes life and light! In fact John 8:12 tells us that:

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 
"I am the light of the world. 
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, 
but will have the light of life."

Jesus tells us that whoever follows him will NOT WALK IN DARKNESS. Now you might be saying..."yeah right, I've followed God my entire life and I'm still stuck. Stuck in this hole, and I feel like no one can pull me out." And to you who doubt I say (well I don't say Jesus says):

 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. 

In the world you may have tribulation. 

But take heart; I have overcome the world.

(John 16:33) 

Following Christ does not mean that you will be happy every single day of your life. It definitely doesn't mean that everything you face will run a smooth course; however, it DOES mean that you are blessed. You walk in the light of Jesus. His glory shines down on you and covers you with grace and love. You may find yourself in a dark situation, but Christ's glory still brings good things toward you. 

Jesus' light is one that is not hindered by Earthly problems. His light is one that is unending. To you who struggle in the dark: Arise! this darkness that envelopes and overwhelms seems like a curse, but think of it this way--this darkness only makes Christ's light brighter. This darkness only magnifies His glory. 

Choosing Joy

Well hi there! It's been a while, and I'm excited to share a little bit of what has been going on the past few weeks (and maybe share a few things I've picked up along the way).Since my last blog post...a ton has happened! I think the biggest thing is that I'm actually going to COLLEGE! 

I've accepted an offer from Westmont College and I'm beyond thrilled! For those of you who know me (or if you've been reading this blog for a while), you know that I haven't always been excited about heading off to college. At one point I was 100% against it! I didn't want to move away from my family, my church, my comfort zone; however, over the summer I went to California to visit Westmont and Azusa Pacific University.

To say that I had a change of heart after that trip is an understatement...I can say with total certainty that I felt God show up. I've been a Christian for a long time, and I've felt God do amazing things in my life, but I have never felt the immediate sense of peace that I felt while walking the campus of Westmont College. 

And while I am ecstatic about my future in beautiful Santa Barbara, California, I'm scared too. It is finally dawning on me that I am becoming an adult, and I'm going off on my own! Sometimes it is a little bit hard to feel excited about being pushed so far outside of my comfort zone, and I find myself sinking deep into sadness and pity...basically I wallow. It's kind of hard to admit, but there are times when I find myself wallowing in my own mess, and I forget to give it to God.

But isn't that what God tells us to do? Psalm 55:22 tells us to: 

"Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
    he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out."

God is so ready and so willing to take our sorrow and our pain and our fear and what ever else we may be feeling. John tells us this, 

"I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."

God didn't send His one and only son to earth so that I could stew in my own self-pity! He 
came so that I could have so much stinkin' joy! I'm not saying it's always easy to be joyful! Stuff happens...really gross, awful stuff, but God is always there. He's like our coach; we may make a bad play, or we may get hurt during a game and feel like life is just coming to a complete and utter stop, but he's there on the sidelines cheering us on! He's saying, "NO! I'm not letting you give up. I'm here. I'm your God. I'm your father. I'm your #1 fan."


As hard as it is to think of leaving my amazing family and equally amazing friends and my absolutely fabulous church, I've decided to choose joy. As much as I'll probably cry when the time comes for me to pack up and leave, I've decided to be joyful in the months that I'm HERE. As hard as it'll be making new friends in a new place, I've decided to be so content and so blessed for the time that I have NOW with my wonderful peeps. As much as I'll miss my church family, I'm so stoked to find a new church with a new "family."

My hope for YOU--today--is that you'll find your joy. The joy that God so deeply wants you to feel and cherish! I know that finding that happiness and joy may not be easy, but it is not just something that is going to suddenly pop up in your heart one day. You just have to choose it. Everyday you have to wake up and say, "gosh, today seems like the perfect day to be nothing but 100% joyful." Choose joy. Choose life. Don't wallow. Smile! It looks good on you!

If this doesn't look like pure joy then
I don't know what to tell you!

My Most Favorite Things

Hey y'all! It has been quite sometime since I've put my fingers to keyboard, so I thought that I'd do just that tonight! My brothers just went to bed, I have the Wicked soundtrack playing in the background (because I'm a showtunes junky), and the house is pleasantly quiet!

I know that sometimes the blog can be pretty serious, and while I do love getting deep and really digging in with you, I thought that tonight I would just have a little bit of fun! So tonight... I'm listing some of my most favorite things! People, food, songs, etc...there is no limit to the things that I consider my favorites!

So, in no particular order... here we go!


1) Chocolate chip cookies! I love baking them for my friends and family...I feel like they are the epitome of love and warmth and pure, wholesome joy. My favorite recipe at the moment!

2) Really cheesy, Christian, romantic novels. These are a total guilty pleasure for me. I know how every book will go, but somehow they suck me in every. single. time! Currently, I'm indulging in The Unexpected Bride by Debra Ullrick, and you know what? I just can't put it down, guys. I'm hooked.

3) My youth group! Boy, I get so unbelievably excited to hang out with these people every week. They are probably some of my most favorite teenagers! They have such passionate hearts for Christ and they are the best worshippers I have ever seen.

4) Bethel music. Enough said. If you are not currently listening to any of their songs... go! Click off of this page and go spend some time well-spent in worship with them!

5) My girls. I have gone on and on about these precious gems in a previous post, so I'll keep this brief. They are the bomb. They are the funniest, kindest, most passionate group of girls I know. I want to be like them when I grow up.


6) Obviously...mi familia! Oh man! These people...I think I'll keep them :) they are supportive, hilarious, and so so so much fun to hang with! Most of the time, I'd rather be with them than any other group of people!

 

 

7) The new Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy nail polish! I love getting the shellac on my nails, but it is pretty destructive to my nails and it is EXPENSIVE! I love this stuff because it's relatively cheap, and it stays on for a while! Plus, it's easy to take off without killing my nails!

8) My big spirit jersey that I received from my high school for being a senior. Boom. Perks. It's huge and unflattering and insanely comfy. In fact, I am wearing it as I type this, and I love it.

9) I went back and forth about this one... only because I didn't want to super embarrass my buddy here... hehe! But I decided to take Nike's advice and "Just do It." So, this is Amie. I allude to her quite a bit in most of my blog posts. And if I say one thing, its this: Amie is not just my youth leader... she's my mentor and my buddy and my big sister. She is one of my most favorite adults, and I just thought that that HAD to be shared.

10) I think I'll round it out with this one. I love this precious nugget. I've had the privilege to be apart of her sweet little life since she was 4 weeks old, and I have LOVED watching her grow into a beautiful, spunky, insanely smart two-year old! And her parents are super awesome, too!






*Well, I've hoped that you've enjoyed seeing just a few of my most favorite things and people! Also, Share some of your favorites with me! Tag pictures on Facebook or Instagram to @daylie_parks with the hashtag (#beautifullybrokenfavorites)

Haiti 2014 (#1)

As many of you know, In August I went to Haiti with Compassion International and a group of the most amazing, God-fearing, compassionate, energetic, and loving people I've met. I've decided since I was given 700+ pictures (taken by the incomparable Steph Trowbridge) I'd do a blog series that encompasses our entire trip!

We left Denver at 7:00 in the morning, and arrived in Haiti at 6:00 in the evening! It was a long day, but I was able to meet and talk with everyone and it made the day fun (I even forgot how tired I was!)

I won't say a ton about the first leg of the trip (I'll let the pics speak for themselves) , but I will say this: I LOVED meeting everyone. Many of them may have been 10+ years older than me, but they were so welcoming and encouraging! They made the week so much fun!

Reality

Hello Friends! It is somewhat late at night (late for me anyways), and what usually happens when I'm up late and my mind is swirling with seven billion thoughts? I blog. What I will blog about is a mystery...but as I said-I have tons of thoughts and nowhere to put them but here.

As I look back at some of my previous blog posts I feel as if I sound super chipper all the time. And while I DO try and be chipper, what I end up acting like is often the complete opposite. Have I really ever just poured out my soul to you? I have I told you my hardships without an "it's all cool, I'm all cool" shpeel afterwards? Sometimes I feel like I'm just sending out a small piece of myself-not my whole self, and if this is going to be a helpful and real blog, shouldn't I pour out my heart at some point?

That point may just be today.

The other night was Wednesday, and Wednesday means youth group. I love my youth group! My youth pastor is awesome, and the people are equally as awesome! (P.S. if you like parties you should put Wednesday, September 3rd on your calendar...my youth group is having a party.) Anyway...Wednesday was youth, and I asked my youth pastor if I could share a little bit about my experience in Haiti, and challenge the youths a bit!

I shared about JOY! Those kids in Haiti are so full of life, joy, and love, and I felt like that had to be shared. I challenged the students to be joyful even when the going gets tough! But as soon as I stepped off the stage I felt like a hypocrite. I sat down at my seat and was immediately filled with the complete opposite of joy! I was filled with sadness and anger and guilt because I had gone up there, put on a happy face, shared about joy, and then left feeling little joy.

I don't pretend to be a perfect person.I know that it isn't easy to be happy and joyful and chipper all of the time. I know that the enemy attacks and he seeks to kill and destroy. I know that 100% of the time, he's the one who puts those nasty feelings in my heart and in my head. But I still couldn't shake them. I felt like a bad sister because I had yelled at my brother about quitting football when I didn't know the whole story, I felt lonely because I'm still having a hard time getting over some emotional wounds I sustained last year, and I felt guilty because I had told everyone to be joyful when I wasn't.

My problem is that I expect so much out of myself. I guess I expect myself to be THE pillar of strength. But you know what? No one expects that from me. I'm an emotional teenage girl, and even though I sometimes feel out of place among teens, let's face it, I am one (tonight I watched a movie and so many emotions came out of me that I started sobbing. It was cathartic.)

As much as I would like to, I cannot be the strong one all of the time. I have perfected my role in my friend groups as the "mom." The strong, honest woman who would attack, with bear like strength, anyone who tried to hurt those I loved. I love that role. I love being the one my friends turn to when they're upset because on the inside I'm secretly a mom who wants to wipe their tears, tell them everything will be all right, give them a hug and a squeeze, and send them on their way.

I think I take that role too seriously. I've forgotten that sometimes I need to be held and hugged and be told everything is going to be okay.

The moral of this blog post is: sometimes I confuse pain and hurt with weakness. Strong women (and men) can hurt. God created us to be LIKE Him, not BE him! So maybe I should let God be the strong one sometimes. Hopefully I can get over myself long enough to let Him.

Grace upon grace

Hello friends! I took a bit of a hiatus from blogging this summer... partly because it has been a crazy and busy summer, and partly because every time I sat down to blog nothing came out! I couldn't put to words what I wanted to say--if I had tried it would've been a super confusing jumble of words that had no purpose.

But today, I felt a tug on my heart to take one more crack at it. It all started with a conversation that I was having with a friend. We were texting and she had apologized for forgetting to call me a few days ago! I responded with "don't worry about it" because it really was no big deal; however, what she said really took me by surprise! She replied: "you're so full of grace. I really appreciate that about your friendship to me!"

Something about me: it is often easier for me to give grace to others because I love them! I don't care that they made one little mistake because that's not WHO they are... it's just something they did. I don't expect the people around me to be perfect; I don't expect them to be the perfect friend because they're humans!

But her response surprised me because, lately, I haven't been feeling super gracious. I've been testy with family and most of all--with myself. I haven't been giving myself the grace that I probably should! I think: "wow, I could've done better, acted better, said something better, been a better friend, looked better, took better care of myself, been a better sister/daughter, etc." I've really put myself on a short leash! I've expected near-perfection from myself--something that no one expects from me!

God has given us undeserved, unrelenting, unconditional grace. A grace that it heaped upon us out of love. God KNOWS that we are not worthy of the grace that He has to offer, but he offers it anyway! Why? Because His grace makes us want to be better! When we see that the Lord has given us something that we don't deserve, it makes us want to show him that he hasn't made mistake in offering it to us!
The bible says a few (okay, more than a few) things about God's grace toward us:
"Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the [grace] of God."
{Romans 6:14}

"My grace is enough, it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness."
{2 Corinthians 12:9}

So, maybe I should take a lesson from God, and in part, from myself. I should be willing to show myself the grace that I am so willing to show to others, and I should willingly receive God's grace toward me without a thought of "am I enough?".

God's grace is so amazing. It is such a gift, and what's even crazier is that it's a gift we didn't ask for and one that we absolutely didn't deserve to receive! But He still gives it out every single day.

Provisions

So the end of junior year is upon me, and while I'm so excited for summer (like you have no idea), I'm pretty nervous because I am one year closer to graduating high school and leaving my comfy little nest that my parents have so skillfully built around me.

Lately, I've been anxious and nervous and moody and, frankly, a bit of a pain. This feeling of dread is overshadowing what should be a really fun and exciting time!

For example, yesterday I had a complete breakdown in my car in my driveway. I cried for a while then I went inside, ate some chili, and went to bed. I wish that that hadn't happened. I wish I was so pumped to be heading out on my own and doing some really cool stuff with my life, but I'm not.

The problem for me is that I'm a planner, and extremely sentimental. I love knowing what is happening and when it's happening, and where; however, that it so not how God rolls. I'm also super sappy--I love my people: my friends and my family and my church.

My issue is that I am afraid of that scary place called the "unknown." I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that I don't have that "in" on what is happening next in my life! Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, for me, I don't get to choose how my life plays out.

God's got me. He knows what He's doing with me, even if I have absolutely no idea. I just have to be willing to put every ounce of my trust in Him.

This is not the first time I've been totally confused about what will happen next. When I moved to Colorado I was the new kid; I didn't have any friends, but God provided (like He often does) and brought me some really awesome people who made my first year in Colorado bearable.

When those friendships didn't work out, I was pretty lost. I felt alone and sad and like there was no way I would find friends who really loved and appreciated me for who I was, but again, I blessed with the most amazing friends.

God's provisions for me are unending; and although I often doubt my future and I often doubt God, He proves me wrong every single time. He shows me that He is in control, and all I have to do is sit back and trust.

His unending provisions have blessed me with a church family that feel just like flesh and blood family, with friends who are like my sisters, and mentors who often sit with me, in the before mentioned car, and let me cry and rant about my issues (thanks guys).

All this rambling aside, my point is to trust. Just trust that He's got you. And be willing to loosen the reigns and let Him take over. Because I'm sure that His journey for us is a whole lot better than any journey we could conjure up on our own.

Greater

Yesterday was Easter! And while I INHALED some really awesome Godiva chocolate truffles (thanks parents), I also heard an amazing message by my amazing pastor at my pretty amazing church.

The "theme" for this Easter was "Greater than..." and it asked us to take a look at the situations in our lives and remember that God is greater than all of them!

The verse that this entire message was based around was:

"Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."
{I John 4:4}

Wow is that true! Sometimes it is so easy for the world to steal my joy and my love and compassion, but this verse reminds us that God is greater than any earthly trouble we may encounter.

Lately, the enemy has been really awesome at stealing my happiness. It is so easy for a minor incident to turn into a fiasco, and in that moment I totally forget about the good. I'm a pro at making a mountain out of a molehill, and recently I've been doing that a ton!

The truth is...I don't want my joy to be taken. I want the joy that comes from the Lord to just hang out with me all of the time! And it does, but I often forget about it or choose to ignore it.

So today I've chosen to remember those little things that bring me immense joy--a joy that can only come from the Lord's blessings that are continually showered on me. I choose to say that God is greater than the joystealer.

God's blessings have brought me a ton of happiness, and if you choose to notice them, you'll be pretty happy too. My happiness comes from fresh-cut flowers and family nights; from picture collages and sitting in my disheveled bed eating really awesome chocolate; from hanging out with really cool people and hearing little kids sing their hearts our for Jesus; from hugs and food; and of course from God.

So remember to continually be aware of the blessing  of God's "greater than-ness," and of the pure joy that comes with knowing how much you are loved.

My people...

Hey! So in my last blog, which seems like forever and a year ago, I told you that one day I would write a post about the amazing women who have shown me what true friendship is all about... well today's the day where I'm gonna brag on my people! ;) Woot woot!

Oh my... where to begin: well for starters let me say this... each and everyone of these ladies are crazy awesome, and I love them like they were my own flesh and blood, is that weird? I say no.

So these are just a few of the moments that I have had the pleasure of sharing with these amazing ladies! They are each such unique creations of God, and they have such amazing strength, wisdom, and faith. Sometimes I pray to be like them when I grow up ;)

 They all have an amazing sense of humor (seriously, they are probably the funniest group of people I know.) When I'm having a bad day, they have this weird magical ability to put a smile on my face, and I like that about them.

I grew up believing that if you weren't arguing with your friends it meant that you're friendship was fake; now I know that a good group of friends know to just be real with each other. These ladies let their feelings be known, and that's something that I'm working on daily.

I have loads of fun with these awesome women! They are a hoot and a holler! I've had past friendships where I've felt excluded, but these ladies always make me feel like they want to hang out with me, and that makes a girl feel like a million bucks! They are the people that I love to hang out with any day of the week!


 Aside from the amazing girls my age that have been put in my life, God has blessed me with some amazing women that have spoken into my life in ways that make me feel so so loved! They are more than mentors... they are friends! They love each and everyone of us ladies, and they make us feel important! Having them around is probably the closest I will ever be to having older sisters :)

To be honest... this whole post is a round-a-bout way of telling you all how blessed I feel. I don't know if I tell these really awesome women how blessed I am to even be in their presences', but its true! They are awesome, and my prayer for every young lady out there who is feeling lonely is that they'll remember that God has a plan for them. He'll bring in the right friends at exactly the right moment. Be patient, don't worry; your true friends are right around the corner waiting for you! xo

5 facts o' life

Well heyyyyy!! Long time no talk :) I've just missed ya tons!

I thought I'd write this one to shed some light on life. It's not going to be super deep or meaningful...just some things I've learned recently!

5 facts of life that I've recently learned:

1. I'm not going to be everyone's cup o' tea, and that is just fine by me! It used to really bother if I felt like someone wasn't super fond of me, or if I felt that they just did not like me; however, I've pulled myself together and come to realize that as long as I have a couple of people who enjoy me and my weird sense of humor and large personality then I'm just fine.

2. High school is rough...with a capital R! You know how in movies they portray high school as this amazing, wonderful time of your life? Well I've come to find out...the movies may have stretched the truth! And don't get me wrong...there are times when high school CAN be really amazing! Just know that you are destined for much better things outside of high school...don't let high school be the ONLY amazing time in your life.

3. Good friends are hard to come by...I've touched on this one quite a bit, but please let me be a broken record! High school is a time of petty drama and silly fights, so finding really good friends is hard, but maybe branch out! I decided to find my good friends at church, and, sure, sometimes I get sad that I don't have friends at school everyday; but all it takes is one amazing moment with my really amazing friends and I leave my pity party and move on (you can too) :)

4. It's important to be positive...hey! I'll be the first to admit that I am the queen of being emotional, so it's hard for me to stay positive all of the time. And that's ok! Life's gonna get you down sometimes, but what I've found is that an amazing support system (friends, parents, pastors, etc.) make it a whole lot easier to dig yourself out of that little hole of despair and come up to the surface.

5. Life is stressful. Ha! oh man...I know that life is stressful. With college, ACT, SAT, AP classes, and the soon to come college application, it can feel like you're drowning in a sea of stress and pressure. Just remember that even though it's hard now, and it's not always fun growing up...everyone does it! You (and I) are not alone! *side note* find something fun to do to take you're mind off of all of the stress! I'm lucky that I have fun parents and fun friends who help me relax...find something that helps you feel at ease when you feel about read to melt into a puddle of person :)

I hope this helps you feel a little less alone when it comes to the daily trials of life! You all are awesome...don't forget it!

A "blog-date..."

Hello friends! Welcome to the new and improved "Beautifully Broken blog!!!" I know I keep bouncing around with the design, but I'm a restless soul. I enjoy change!

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. In early December, or November...I can't quite remember, I wrote a blog entitled "be still." (If you'd like to read that blog you can find it in the "past posts" section on the right.) In that post I talked about my impatience while waiting for the unknown, God's "bigger plan" for my stinky situation. Well I thought you'd like a blog update! A "blog-date" if you will...

It has been almost two months since I wrote that blog, and I'd say everything is wonderful. I know I said I was terrified of waiting out the storm, and I hated not knowing when things were going to get better...well I'm about to get real with you. I may have seen the light!

When I wrote that blog post, I was still uncertain if I had made the right choice is shutting the door to that part of my life. I was scared and nervous and, frankly, was having trouble seeing what was right in front of me. Now that I've had a chance to take a step back and assess the situation I see all of the immense blessings that were thrown my way during that not-so-awesome time.

This Wednesday, my youth pastor talked about seeing the trials in our lives as a way for us to hold tighter to God and His plan for us (at least that's what I took from the message), and after the service there was discussion time. One of the questions asked was "How do you know your heart has changed even if your circumstances haven't?" My answer was this: even when you're still in the middle of your "storm," if you can take a step back and see, not the difficulties, but the blessings being showered upon you, you're in a good place.

Now that I've worked on my heart a little bit, I've begun to say prayers of gratitude rather than "why me?" I've seen my old friend situation as a learning experience, and I've seen my new friend situation as a gift.

I haven't really talked much about the ladies that have brought me comfort and love even if they didn't know what was going on in  my life. (One of these days I'll write an entire post about how awesome they are.) They are the girls whose hearts for God and trust in Him absolutely ASTOUND me! They are they women that I am blessed to call not just friends, but sisters.

Even though there are times when I get a little blue and I feel kind of sad and insignificant, I remind myself to take a step back and see the bigger picture! I was given the gift of friendships that are solid in God, even when I didn't, or was too stubborn, to see it. God continues to bless me even if I'm a little blinded by the bad.

Now for you...God will continue to bring blessings into your life. I don't know what you're going through, and I'm sure right now it seems like there's nothing good in your life, but I challenge you to step back, see what God has given you, and be thankful. God's blessings for you is NEVER going to stop, even when you're too consumed by the bad to see them.

How to know a good friend when you see one...

I've been thinking about writing this one for a while, and as it usually happens I'm waiting for my hair to dry (shocker) so I thought this would be a good time.

How to know a good friend(s) when you see one: it's been a journey with friends this past year, but I've noticed 4 traits that make a really amazing friend, so I thought I'd share.

1. Listening ears: this one is super important to me, not because I like to talk (wink, wink), but because I need a friend who will listen with their ears before opening their mouth. It's important that you find someone that will take the time to listen to your problem, no matter how silly they might be, and give you sound, loving, and helpful advice. Now, I know that this one is probably hard; especially in respect to high schoolers! So, find a friend/mentor who you know will give you sound advice! They don't have to be your age to be a friend. One of my most favorite people is almost 10 years older than me! As they say "age is but a number..."

2. Loving: I am a very "touchy feely" and emotional person. So it was important for me to find a friends who will love and support me when I'm feeling down. Words of affirmation and kindness are good for the soul, so if you can find someone who makes you feel like a million bucks because of the way they talk to you...keep them around!

3. A heart for God: now this may not apply to everyone who's reading this, so feel free to skip to the next one, but this one is SUPER important to me! I need a friend to can encourage me in my walk with God, who I can confide in when I feel spiritually shaken, and who I know loves God as much as I do. Don't get me wrong! It's not bad to be friends with non-Christians, but remember that they aren't going to be able to give you encouragement that comes from the Holy Spirit! Find that one person, or group of people, that can fill you with the Holy Spirit and you're friendship will be rooted in a foundation that's solid.

4. Just plain ole' fun: I'd say I'm a pretty fun person, and I surround myself with people who don't look at me weird because I say or do something silly. Find those people that laugh with you, dance with you, sing with you, and make you feel so amazing! You are special and unique! Find people ho see and appreciate that quality in you!

Now for you...be THIS friend! Have listening ears, be loving, be fun and accepting! If you're a Christ follower, make your actions speak louder than your words when it comes to your friendships! You can be that friend who makes a huge impact in a person's life. If you have been blessed with friends who love you, and treat you as you should be treated...return the favor! Love others and be a friend who is trustworthy and kind and all around wonderful!

But I know we're not perfect! It's impossible to be the "perfect" friend, but you don't have to be! You just have to be someone who cares. I promise...it'll make a world of difference.

5 verses to keep you going

Before I begin I just want you to know that you guys are my favorite people to talk to. I don't how many of you are out there letting my words seep into your brain, but I really like you.

I thought I'd compile a list of 5 verses that might have the potential to give you that extra boost of confidence when you feel like nothing is going right, so here they are:

1. {The LORD says, "I will give you back what it lost..." Joel 2:25}
This verse is short, but to me it packs a punch! Sometimes it seems like the world is crumbling around your feet, you can't catch a grip, and you feel like you're sunk. This verse tells us that God is not going to take something away and leave you hanging. He will give it back, and what he gives will be 20x better than what you lost in the first place.

2. {Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here's why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, this most patient God, extravagant in love... Joel 13}
I'm really loving me some Joel. I've actually never read it until today, but it's pretty interesting! Give it a read! I really love this verse! It's from The Message and the wording is pretty great. This verse tells us that God is a forgiving and loving God. His arms are always open, always ready for us to come running into them. He won't hold a grudge, he is patient and loving, he showers us with love and adoration that we don't deserve. So when you feel unworthy of God's crazy love, just remember that you are worthy. You're his kid, and he won't turn his back on you! That's not His style ;)

3. {God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God honoring life. Titus 2:11-14)
This verse kind of sums up why Jesus came to earth in the first place, so that all people, no matter what they've done or what kind of life they've lived, can find hope, grace, and life in Him. It doesn't matter to God what you've done. He rejoices when someone makes that commitment to live a God-centered life. Jesus did not come for the healthy, he came for the sick.

4. {The LORD will fight for you, you need only be still. Exodus 14:14}
I used this verse in a blog post a while back and I really love it. It's message is simple. You do not need to worry about the future; God's got it all worked out in your favor...just lean on Him.

Ladies, I think this one is for you...
5. {Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as the elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. I Peter 3:3-4}
I think this is a universal struggle for girls and women of all ages. Society has told us that in order to be considered beautiful there is a certain set of criteria that you must meet. You must have the best clothes, the prettiest hair, the most put together makeup, and a rockin' body. God is here to tell you that what makes you STUNNING is your heart. Your love for God is what makes you radiate a beauty that can't be compared with any physical form of beauty. You are SOOOOOOO much more than what you look like on the outside; you have a heart for Christ that surpasses all measure of beauty. Don't forget that...

I hope these verses give you the confidence to believe that you are stronger than you ever though possible. You have courage and heart and you are immensely blessed by Christ. He loves you more than you will ever know.

Home

I felt really compelled to write this today for several reasons...1) I'm heading back to Colorado tomorrow and I started thinking about home, 2) I'm waiting for my to hair dry, 3) I can't fall asleep. Seriously though, I've never felt such a pull to write a post before, so I'm just going to type and see where this goes.

For those of you who know me and my story of how I ended up in glorious Colorado you'll know that I didn't love it at first. I was angry at my parents for making me move right before high school, I was sad that I was leaving all my family and friends, and most of all I was terrified of being the "new kid."

Well fast-forward two years, and I'm happy. I'm really happy, and what's even more surprising...I couldn't imagine living anywhere besides Colorado (mom and dad if you're reading this...you were right. There I said.)

You know what I love most about my life right now? It's that God has opened so many doors for me; I go to probably the most amazing church ever, I have made some friends that feel less like friends and more like family, and I have mountains in my backyard! I am blessed, and I'm sure I say that in every blog post I've ever written, but it's true! I am so blessed!

But let's get real for a second. Life in Colorado hasn't been without trials and struggles and stress. My happiness level hasn't always been a 10 and my friendships haven't always been great and I haven't always felt like rainbows and unicorns; however, I know that in the grand scheme of things everything is just as it should be.

I've found my calling in Colorado. I've found my purpose and my passion. I've found love and joy. Colorado is my home. It is the place that I can't wait to get back to after vacation and the place where I don't want to leave after high school and the place where I want to raise my kids someday.

You know how they say "home is where the heart is?" Well, it's true. My Colorado has stolen my heart, and even though I'm not a true Coloradoan, Colorado is where my heart is.

So here's what I have to say to you: God can stick you in unfamiliar territory where you feel like a small fish in a big pond, but be sure that he will not leave you there alone. His plan for you involves people and places and friends and mentors that will leave a lasting impact on you. God does not leave you high and dry! He leaves you quenched will his awesome, amazing, magnificent plans for you; he is going to do some crazy things no matter where you are. Don't be scared; be empowered in the fact that you are a piece in God's plan.

Your home is wherever God calls you, and wherever that is, he's going to use you in ways you thought unimaginable.