Lovely, admirable, and excellent...

One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:8. This is a verse that has gotten me through many hard times. For many years I struggled with anxiety.. so bad that I had to leave school, because most of my anxiety was in the classroom. Through many months of counseling and meditating on that verse, I have found my way out of anxiety (for the most part). And for that I know I owe it all to Jesus. 

Now as I think about this verse, I look at it as a challenge in my life. To think, speak, and act in ways that are honorable, lovely, admirable and excellent. Sometimes it's hard to stop yourself from having a bad attitude, but I really want to be able to stop myself from thinking or saying negative crap. 

I honestly believe that if I fix my mind on these things, I will be a much happier person... ALL of the time. 

I think about this summer, and how people constantly told me that they could see my love of Jesus shining through in all that I did. I'm hoping that with a change of attitude and frame of mind, people will be able to tell by looking at me, that I am in love with my God. Other than that, what really matters? Nothing. 

I hope that this verse does something in your life as well.. because it's pretty amazing.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise".

~Philippians 4:8

M-Fuge

This summer I will be working camp in Birmingham Al @ Samford University!!! Yay, I am so excited. I cannot wait! I will be there May 28-July27!!! AHHHHH!! :)

So Beautiful

This is my precious niece Leah. She is beautiful and and love her very much! Someone we know from church did a photo shoot of her on saturday and these are her amazing pictures!

Confused

Right now I am feeling very unsettled with where I am at right now in life. Don't get me wrong I love my life, I love my family, friends, my job, my summer job and where I live. And yet at the same time I find myself wondering if I am meant to do something totally different in the near future. Am I supposed to move down south? I don't really have any reason to move there, but it is something that I have been thinking about a lot lately. In the fall I will graduate, should I continue on with my bachelors? Or stop where I am? 

I wish that I knew where I would be in 2 years, 3 years, maybe even 5 years, because I feel like once I know those answers, I will know what to do from here. 

But I also know that if I knew everything about my future, I wouldn't be able to figure things out on my own and experience things and probably even make the mistakes that will be made. 

I feel like I need a big change in my life... I don't know what exactly needs to be changed, but I feel like I need to really take a huge leap of faith and do something completely scary and just put my trust in God completely. 

I guess I just need to wait.. wait, wait, wait. I hate waiting. But I know that is what I need to do. Wait and Pray. 

God always shows me what to do and what is next for me, but it's in His time, and usually his time isn't the same at my time... 

I'm such a slacker...

So for Christmas this year I got this amazing One Year Bible. I know that I have not read the bible in it's entirety and I feel like that's pretty lame. So I was really good about reading it for about 4 days... and then life got busy, I had surgery, and I came up with many other lame excuses. It is something that I really want to do, but it is also something that I know will be really challenging for me because I am a horrible reader. But I suppose I should just stop making excuses and just do it.  I mean how can I know what I believe, if I haven't ever read every word of the Bible? I cant. 

So for those of you who are reading this... if you could periodically ask me how this is going, that would be amazing... Clearly I need some accountability in my life.

 Why is it that it is so easy to talk the talk, but not walk the walk? I am a Christian, and I'm pretty sure that everyone that knows me, knows that about me. And I really try to live a life led by God, and in a way that brings honor to Him.. but we all fall short from time to time, and though that is in no way an excuse, I sometimes find myself clinging to that thought...

I am a such a critical and judgmental person. And I hate that about myself. Tonight a good friend of mine told me that I am the most merciful person he knows. And I don't know how I feel about that... Do I show mercy to those who need it? Do I show mercy at all times? And the more I thought about it, the more I didn't like what I came up with. 

I was glad that someone who knows me pretty well thinks that about me, but I don't know that I can say that I show mercy at all times. I feel like I CAN be merciful to those who need it, but I am not all the time.  

Fr0m that my mind wandered to all of the others way that I am a slacker in my faith. I was people who don't know me to look at me and see someone who is in love with God, and who shines for Him. And right now that is not me. It was this summer, and I know that that is who I want to be. I want my thoughts, words, and lifestyle to glorify Him. I know that day to day I am a good person. I try to live my life right and make godly choices, but I need to take it to the next level. 

 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" - Revelation 3:15-16

I don't want to be luke warm anymore. Lord, Light the fire in my weary soul....