Passion

Passion (N) - 1. Intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction; an outbreak of anger. 
2. Ardent affection, a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object or concept.

For the purpose of this post, let's go with... A strong liking or desire for or devotion to some concept.

I believe that everyone should have something to be passionate about.  Everyone should have something that get's their blood boiling when people aren't educated in the facts.  Everyone should have something that they can't stop talking about if the topic is brought up.  Everyone should have something.

Maybe it's sex trafficking, child homelessness, hungry children in Africa, cancer... It doesn't really matter what it is, just that you have something.\

What is your something?!

Twenty - Three Check In

Back in December, after I turned 23, I posted twenty three goals for myself this year.  I'm much better with goals on my birthday, as opposed to New Year's Resolutions.  I don't know why.  Thought you'd enjoy to know where I am at in my goals...

1. Finish my last twelve classes at Liberty University Online with a bang
I'm trucking along.  I finished the spring with 1 A and 5 B's.  I am enrolled in six summer courses.

 2. Start grad school or seminary
I'm going!!!

 3. Make and maintain a budget
Not so much

 4. Run two 5k's
Yeah, not happening at the moment.

 5. Live in the moment
Yes, yes, and yes!  I'm finding moments to live in every day.  I skip homework to be with friends when that's more important.  I put to do lists aside and just be here.  

6. Read the entire New Testament
Whoops.

 7. De-stress
Working on it.  Having to realize that some things are out of my control and I can't stress about those.  My strength is found in the Lord.

 8. Visit a new state (I have 44 to choose from)
When I make the trip from Charlotte to Fort Worth, I'll have a chance to visit several new states! 

 9. Learn to check my email and social media sites no more than three times a day
I was doing better, not so much at the moment.

 10. Lose and keep off twenty-three pounds
I should probably have weighed myself at the time of making this goal, to know how I was doing.  Whoops.

 11. Read ten books for leisure
I've read five and am reading a sixth right now!  This is huge for me!

 12. Take pictures regularly
I'm trying.  Haven't taken as many as I'd like, but doubt I could ever.

 13. Laugh until I cry
Regularly.

 14. Spend the weekend in Aiken
I spent the weekend down there for my best friends graduation.  Still praying that God will lead me back there one day.

 15. Create opportunities for God to move mightily
I created a huge opportunity through applying to seminary in Texas.  Daily, he moves mightily through this and I love it!

 16. Learn to white water kayak
I wish!

 17. Spend some QT with Victoria before she moves
We didn't spend as much time as I would have liked, but I got some quality time in with her!  She's in Germany now and I miss her like crazy!

 18. Follow God's lead
This one is huge and happening. 

 19. Have enough faith to believe that God can make my Sun Stand Still prayer come true
Working on having enough faith for this.

 20. Visit Charleston at least twice
Not there yet.

 21. Get my second tattoo
I still have to figure out where...  So many options!

 22. Find time for me once a week
I was doing really great at this one, too.  Baths, book reading, shopping alone... School is kicking my butt and not giving me much time for this.  But why do I make excuses?  Once a week for me is not much.

 23. Live a life that glorifies God at all moments
I'll never fully know if I'm succeeding at this.  But, I'm trying and my motives are for His glory not mine or anything worldly.  I'll know in Heaven...


How are you coming along in your goals for the year 2013!?

Singleness - Curse or Blessing?

Why do so many people consider being single a curse?  So many people walk around saying "woah is me" while they are single.  So many people get envious of their friends successful relationships while they are single.  So many people get mad and ask God, "why me?!" while they are single.  Why do so many people consider being single a curse?

In high school, I met who I thought was the man of my dreams.  I had no desire to have children prior to meeting him, but when I met him, I thought about having his beautiful babies.  I wanted to marry him and have happily ever after.  Somewhere along the way, our paths went in completely different directions.  After three and a half years, we walked our separate ways.  We haven't seen each other since.  We've talked a handful of times over the last three years, but it's just weird.

For the first year, I was the "woah is me", jealous, and asking God why it had to be me.  I was a good person, was active in church, managed to hold down a full-time job and full-time hours at school, while being successful at both.  I was a catch... right?

Somewhere in the midst of the second year, I found acceptance.  I realized that being single wasn't a curse.  I realized that being single was a blessing.  I didn't have anyone else calling the shots.  I didn't need to make room for anyone in by busy schedule.  I realized that this time being single was a blessing.  I had time to work on me.  I had time to grow closer to God.  I had time to "find myself".

As the third year is coming to a close and the fourth year of being single is approaching, I've found peace.  I'm not worried about finding "Mr. Right."  I'm more worried about becoming "Mrs. Right" and living a life that is pleasing to my husband, even though I don't know who he is yet.  I am confident in God's timing and believing that He will put my husband, my prince charming, my "Mr. Right" in my life when the time is right for both of us.

Singleness isn't a disease.  Singleness isn't a curse.  Singleness is a blessing. 

It's time to find your value and strength in Christ, instead of seeking it in a significant other.  It's time to find out who you are and figure out what you want in life.  It's time for you.  You have your whole life to spend with your significant other.  Value your "you time" now. 

Enjoy these moments.  Don't look at being single as a curse!

Why Texas?

Before you read Why Texas? I should let you know that I'm writing this post on March 4th, 2013.  I do not know when this post will make it live, as it is best for me to hold onto this post for a while.  I wanted to write about it all while it was fresh, but can't share it with you just yet. 

"Why Texas?!" is probably the most commonly question asked in my life right now.  Whenever I share what God is doing in my life, it is followed with, "why Texas?"  This has been such a fun question for me to answer, so let me take you back to the beginning of the story...

In November of 2012, I was researching seminaries.  I had become serious about going to seminary.  I had some amazing advice from a mentor of mine on what to look for in a seminary.  I was scouring the internet for seminaries in Charlotte, North Carolina that had a Children's Ministry program.  Want to know how many there are... ZERO!  What the what... how can I major in Children's Ministry if there are no schools with that program.  I begin to lean toward Master's in Theology or Master's in Divinity.  The Divinity program sounds super legit.  Yeah, I have my Master's in Divinity... What up!!

I started looking at schools anywhere in North Carolina or South Carolina.  I couldn't stand the chance to be farther than that away from my family.  Still not that much out there by way of Children's Ministry.  Then, one day, I'm continuing my searches and I come across this school that I just utterly fall in love with.  They don't have a Children's Ministry program but I can major in Theology with a focus in Children's Ministry.  That's like the best of both worlds for me. I'm hooked.

Until, I scroll to the bottom and see that the school is in Fort Worth, Texas.  Instantly, I close that tab out and move on.  Texas is definitely out of the question, right?  This school will not get out of my head.  Everytime I google search seminaries, it pops up.  I feel that gentle nudge from God that this is where I'm supposed to go.  I immediently give God three reasons why seminary in Texas was not an option...

Have you ever told God why you can't do something He's told you to do?  Don't leave me hanging here.  I know I'm not alone... Just like God does, He quickly squashes all of my reasons. That weekend, Pastor Steven gets on stage and introduces Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church in... go ahead and guess... Fort Worth, Texas.  That was God's response to one of the reasons I couldn't move.

 

Isn't God funny?  So, God manages to squash all three of my reasons in a matter of two weeks in November.  But, it took me until January to commit myself to the idea of attending a seminary in Forth Worth, Texas.  I began researching other seminaries, jobs, and churches in the Forth Worth area.  I ended up finding two more schools that I liked in Dallas.  These were became my back up/just get to Texas schools.  In February, I felt called to burn the plows, stop waivering between my options and completely trust God's plan in Fort Worth, Texas.  In March, I sent in my application.  That was intense; a letter from my church, two letters of recommendations, an essay on my testimony and an essay on why I want to go to seminary.  In April, after much waiting, I was accepted!!

So, July 19th, I am embarking on a three day journey with my parents from Charlotte, North Carolina to Fort Worth, Texas.

Blogging Groove

Oh, I'm probably the worst blogger ever.  I blog for months on end, then nothing for months, then a sappy apology and promise to write more, and the cycle repeats itself. 

Here's your sappy apology....

School. Woah!  I'm official in my super-senior year.  I will graduate in August.  Although, I'm official done with general education courses, and the only courses remaining are electives, they are insanely hard.  All of my electives are upper level, 300 or higher.  They are really testing my knowledge and reasoning for going to seminary.  I've been oh so consumed with school.

I have a few posts set to send soon.  But, I can't promise that I'm back to blogging for good.  I'm doing everything in my power to do more than just stay above water in my last year of under grad.

Forgive me.  I truly do miss blogging, but I'm not sure how I can manage both.

To help me keep up with blogging, could you tell me what you'd like to read about?  Something you are struggling with, questions you are having, whatever is on your heart.  Let me know!  I'd love to write about it.