Slapped with selfishness

Learning that it's not about me is a great lesson to learn. When you are put into a situation where you have to be selfless and put others before yourself, it can become real clear how selfish you have been. Watching children can show you how selfish you are. Wanting to do something for yourself but getting derailed by a family event can show you how selfish you are. Having all your friends birthdays in one month causing your finances to be stretched and no extra funds for you can show you how selfish you are. [yup... all recent personal lessons. ]

Friendships, family, relationships, and children, each of these requires a big amount of selflessness. Others come first and I come second. We've all heard it and for the most part abide by that simple life rule but for the moments when we need another reminder, God will give us one. I love it when God really brings home a lesson to me. This lesson of selflessness has been brought home after caring for my little cousin for the past couple weekends. As I stepped into the role of "best cousin ever," I found myself becoming completely selfless and pouring myself into my little cousin. Speaking into her life, training her, and showing my love with lots of hugs and cuddles. I also found myself totally exhausted. Giving of yourself takes a lot out of you. But each morning came a new dose of energy and desire to do it all again. Waking up and asking God for a selfless spirit shows Him your humility and true desire to put others before yourself. However, don't ask God for this if you aren't ready to be tested. Because He will test you and your test might come in a small [but very cute] 3 year old.  

Philippians 2:3-4

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others."

His Rest

In a season of hustle and bustle, take time to put some things to rest in your life. Your own plans and your own dreams. Put them to rest and let there be some peace. In the season of rest God will bring His blessings and His very best! Once you fully realize that you are not the author of your life story, and let Him fully take over everything, you will be in a constant state of peace. 

However, if you continue to take control of things on your own and not let God help, you will be in a constant state of unrest. 

This is a lesson I am learning (and continue to learn). God has subtle ways to put me back on track and remind me to let go of the control and just rest in Him. 

It's okay to get mad.

Emotions are a part of life. Happy. Sad. Mad. Each one is bound to show up at some point in your day, week, month. You get it. Dealing with emotions is tricky, I think it's especially harder for girls to deal with their emotions. Girls are so emotional!

Bottom line, we shouldn't be ruled by our emotions and being a girl doesn't give us a free pass to be a roller coaster of emotions. Emotions need to be controlled.

You can control your emotions in different ways

eating froyo 

singing 

running 

removing yourself from the situation that is making you upset 

smiling (whether you're happy or not) 

crying 

laughing 

most important: (i think) PRAYER

This past weekend has been an emotional one. I'm not perfect, I still get upset and overcome by my emotions. I sometimes need to slam a medicine ball on the ground at the gym to let off some steam. I will admit to emotional trips to get froyo by myself. (maybe more than one?) 

Dealing with emotions is always going to be a learning process but God has got my back and only wants the best for me.

He allows opportunities for me to be tested and allows me to grow from each test. 

Praise God for that! 

Read Your Bible: James

I have been reading James this week while I have been recovering from surgery. There are so many great truths in James. It's a short book in the bible (only 5 chapters) and is an easy read. However, to really soak up all the truth you gotta take your time. I am taking it one chapter at a time to really understand and apply the truth to my life.
Here are some great truths found in Chapter One. 

verse 2: "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 

verse 5: "If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help." 

verse 10: "Prosperity is as short-lived as a wild-flower, so don't ever count on it."

verse 15: "Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer." 

verse 18: "There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures." 

verse 22: "Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!" 

Happy Birthday BFF!

HAPPY 24th BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND HANNAH! 

We have been friends our whole lives. Growing up together through mud pies, barbie dolls, graduations, bad haircuts, baptisms, and countless road trips. She has always stuck by my side. We are constantly quoting movies and friends episodes. We both share a love for shopping, beauty products, and starting but never finishing DIY projects. I am the chocolate to her vanilla.
Our relationship with God is and will always be the foundation to our friendship.
"Friends love through all kinds of weather." Proverbs 17:17

"There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate." 

"Friends knock on your door. Best friends walk in your house and start eating." 

"A friend knows you and still wants to be your friend." 

 

"Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." -C.S. Lewis

Case of the Mondays

Most people view Mondays as possibly, their worst day of the week. The weekend is over, you're tired, and have to go back to work. Don't get me wrong, most Mondays I am pretty tired but I like to view today as a fresh start. It is sometimes hard to do. If I start my week off thinking, "Yay, a new week!" It puts me in the right mindset to get things done with a positive attitude. (the days also go by a lot faster too). 

A new work week, a new set of days to live out God's will and stay positive. Instead of getting a "case of the mondays," I like to make my coffee and say, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let me rejoice and be glad in it." (whether I feel glad or not.) 

Positive attitudes and positive words will knock down the negative.