If having younger siblings has taught me anything, it's that someone is always watching you. It might be your little brother or sister. It might be your friends. It might be your friends' kids. It might even be someone who follows you on social media. Regardless, people are watching how you live your life. They're taking note of how you treat other people, of the words you use (and don't use), of how you spend your time and resources, and how you follow Jesus.
Read MoreFriendships are just like any relationship in that they take both people investing and pouring into the friendship to make it work. I’m sure somewhere on Pinterest there is a forever-long list of things you should do to ensure you’ll have great friendships. But I just want to talk about five specific ways to be a good friend that I’ve seen work in my own life. I firmly believe that in doing these five things, you will not only be a fantastic friend, but your friendships will thrive for years to come.
Read MoreFor this week’s post, I have a very special treat for you! My best friend of 14 years, Melanie Hobson, is dropping in as a guest writer, and I couldn’t be more excited! Not only is Melanie my closest friend, she is also one of the godliest, wisest, and most wonderful people I know. My growth as a follower of Christ, as a friend, and as a human being in general has been impacted so much by her influence. So I wanted her to have the opportunity to influence and encourage you just like she so often does for me! I hope you enjoy her post as she talks through 4 tips for navigating long distance friendships. Enjoy!
Read MoreYesterday, I turned 26.
Wow - writing that down makes it feel very real. Although, the lady at Chick-fil-A yesterday told me I look like I’m still in high school…so I guess that means I’m aging well? Either way, I’m now closer to 30 than 20. What a terrifying and exciting reality all rolled into one!
I’ve learned a lot in my twenties so far. In fact, I’ve learned a lot in life so far. So with that in mind, I thought I would follow Taylor Swift’s lead and make a list of 26 things I learned before turning 26. Here we go.
Read MoreI will say though, there are some resolutions worth keeping, worth sticking to through all the craziness of life. I can think of three in particular that have had an incredibly positive impact on me since I’ve started doing each of them. A couple of them are resolutions from years past, and one of them is actually one of my resolutions for this year. Regardless, I think they’re all worth sharing if you’re wanting to make 2019 a better year, especially when it comes to your faith. I’m a firm believer that your walk with God is the one aspect of your life that can make every other area of your life better. Or as my pastor likes to say it, “Following Jesus makes your life better, and it makes you better at life.” So if you’re sitting here at the beginning of the year, wanting your life to be better than it was last year, here are three new year’s resolutions you should not only make, but that you should keep, too.
Read MoreA couple months ago, a friend of mine was getting ready for an upcoming beach trip. We were talking about what she was going to pack and the different outfits she wanted to bring. After several pieces of clothing had been thrown into the reject pile on her bedroom floor, I could tell she was starting to get frustrated. I had a feeling I knew what was wrong, so I was careful when I asked her if she was okay. She let out a big puff of air before she responded, and then she said this:
“It’s just annoying because I’m not a size 2 like all of my friends who are going on this trip, and I don’t feel good in anything, and I wish I was skinnier.”
Read MoreHave you ever had a season in your life when you feel like God is repeating Himself to you? Like no matter where you go or what you’re doing, you keep hearing the same message or the same passage of Scripture over and over again?
I know you can't see me while you’re reading this, but I’m currently nodding my head so hard; because that’s exactly the way I feel like it’s been in my own life for the past couple of months.
Read MoreHow many times have you wanted something, and wanted it NOW? You just couldn’t understand what was taking God so long? Why did he seem to be taking His sweet time preparing the thing you were asking for? If you’ve ever had any of those thoughts, I want you to know you’re not alone. I would need way more than two hands to count the number of times I’ve asked these questions myself.
Read MoreA few weeks back I celebrated my birthday, or as my little brother reminded me, took one step closer to turning 30. You gotta love him. Somewhere in between spending time with family and friends and eating my favorite birthday dessert (Tiramisu from Olive Garden – try it…you won’t regret it), I took some time to get a little nostalgic.
Read MorePicture this. It was the beginning of my final semester of college. I had landed an internship at a large non-profit in Atlanta, and because the other intern on my team had left, I had landed my own office. That’s right. A 10x10 room with my own desk and a wonderful view of the parking lot. I know it might not sound that glamorous to you, but it was a very big deal to me. In my mind, I had arrived.
Read MoreA couple weeks ago, I was sitting in traffic on my way from homework (yay for living in Atlanta). I was just minding my own business, enjoying my jam session to Taylor Swift, when I looked to my right and noticed something.
There was a couple, seemingly married, sitting at a table outside a local restaurant. The weather was great, making it perfect for an evening out. Their dog was chilling out underneath the table as they casually sipped on some sweet tea. It looked like the picture perfect date night. Except for one thing...
Read MoreI don’t think I’ve ever met someone who enjoys waiting. In fact, if you’re reading this and you actually like to wait, please be my friend and teach me your ways.
I personally hate waiting. It’s uncomfortable. It’s confusing. It’s aggravating. And it often seems pointless at the time. It doesn’t matter if it’s something as simple as waiting for coffee in the Starbucks drive-thru or something as important as marriage, waiting sucks.
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