Friends Forever

I don't have an abundance of close friends. My closest friend right now I'd say is my sister Tosha. And of course I'm blessed to still have my best friends from grade school. Although we are separated by a few hours, we would still pick up and come to each others rescue for anything if asked. I have had my fair share of friends in between, but the friends you make when you're on the wrong path in your life, are very hard to keep by your side.

You can really distinguish between the good and the bad friends, when you decide you want to change who you've become. The good friends will still love you no matter what path you've chosen for your life. There might be some bumps along the way but they will never leave your side. They will accept you for who you are and respect you if you choose to change. They will tell you if you're clearly doing something wrong, but will always forgive you in the end. You can laugh with them for hours about absolutely nothing, and cry with them about everything. Bad friends tend to always pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. They talk you down to others, trying to build themselves up to look better (sometimes even in front of you). They encourage a lot of gossip. They lie and encourage you to lie with them, which then leads to them not believing you in serious situations or listening to your advice. They never forget your mistakes and bring them up every time the opportunity arises, and fail to remember any of theirs. In the end, being around a bad friend really encourages you to have a lot of built up resentment, which makes it hard to keep pursuing that bond.

I think we can all say we've had both good and bad friends, and we've also been the good and bad friend.

From my personal experience, to be friends with someone means that you not only have to be loyal, but that your heart has to be in the right place toward that person. Your personalities have to click, and you have to be willing to adapt and grow with them. If you're in a bad friend situation and you don't know if they would even be willing to discuss how to repair things, it's best to just let them go. And chances are it will be easier for you than for them. 

In today's society, people are very easily swayed and finding good friends that will be loyal and trusting is really hard. But don't be discouraged, I was actually lucky enough to still hang on to friendships even after very tough situations. It takes an amazing heart, a strong person, and good communication on both sides to overcome big obstacles. In a way, it's a lot like marriage. You have to be willing to let the immaturity fade from your life. Great friendships will last forever, but it takes effort and growing up.

"Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals"' 
-1 Corinthians 15:33

What Christians Need to Know About 'That Guy'

So I wanted to share a little something that really touched my soul today at church:

I felt really spiritually moved when my Pastor told this heart wrenching story of a family who continually tried to get pregnant, but kept having miscarriages. The breath of life had been taken away from those babies. It's an experience I hold very dear to my heart. They finally got pregnant for the fourth time and this time the baby is thriving and growing beautifully. The point was, this pregnancy from the beginning felt different. Something was going to be different, and it was. 

2015 is going to be different. 
We can feel it.

______________________________


I have had my fair share of being called a hypocrite and being judged because of my faith. It has been this way since the beginning. Even the Pharisees called Jesus out on numerous occasions. We are human beings, we will make mistakes. However, there's a difference in doing it on purpose just because you're saved and can be forgiven, and doing it out of anger or retaliation in the heat of the moment. You can't manipulate God's grace. He knows your heart. So in this new year I wanted to give some friendly, Christian comedic advice, in the nicest way possible, about who to watch out for to avoid getting mixed up in a confrontational situation. Because let's face it... Social media can be your worst enemy.
You are not obligated to debate or argue over anything you don't feel comfortable discussing. All we need to know, in light of anyone displaying ignorance, is that God loves us and to love and pray for your enemy. Turn the other cheek.

Before you keep reading, this can be a guy or girl, and this is meant for those who are blatantly trying to show disrespect because they know you're a Christian. This is not meant to be offensive... well, unless you're that guy... ;)
With that being said... Enjoy!


1. The guy who bashes Christianity through memes on social media.
 
2. The guy who rolls his eyes when you say, "Have a blessed day."

3. The guy who purposely says curse words in front of you to get a rise.

4. The guy who tells you inappropriate jokes to see how you'll react.

5. The guy who comes to tell you they don't believe in God to see what you'll say.

6. The guy who purposely shows you inappropriate pictures on his phone.

7. The guy who always tries to purposely hug you for too long.

8. The guy who says, "Praise Jesus" or "Hallelujah", sarcastically then gives you the side eye.

- So don't get crazy when we finally say, "I'll be praying for you!" :)

xoxo

What Does Mommy Really Mean?

What does being a mom mean to you?:

Wow... I have never been asked this question at all since I became a mom, but boy have I felt it's impact. I think subconsciously as moms, we think about this question every day. Whether it be when baby needs a diaper change, to be nursed to sleep, or just to have Mommy hold him and kiss him when he falls. There's no room for selfishness, even if we wanted to make room. Your children will always come first, you will protect them no matter what. If they ask for something with sincerity, they will most likely get it. We feed them before we feed ourselves. We put a new outfit on them before we even get dressed (not to mention putting on any makeup). We change diapers first thing in the morning, while doing the pee dance because we have yet to go ourselves. We forget all about our problems, and who's trying to reach us by text or call. We are happy just laying in the floor, playing toys with our babies and seeing them light up with their scrunchy grins. There's no where else in the world we would rather be in that second.

It's a privilege and an honor for God to trust us with tiny souls. -My Mom

I am so honored that I'm baby Levi's mommy. My heart has grown enormously since I first laid eyes on him. My whole world changed yet it was finally complete. I truly believe that if we raise our children to love the Lord that it plants a seed that will always be there, even if they get older and want to investigate. That's my goal, that's part of our purpose as parents. Don't bring children to love things, you can't serve both God and money. Children are smarter than we think. They pick up on the things that their parents hold close to them, and they start to love those things as well whether we realize it or not. I am living proof of this theory. No matter what I got myself into, I never once wanted to run away from God. I have always longed to know Him. It's almost as if He was engraved on my soul. That's what I want for my Levi.

"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." -(Proverbs 22:6 NIV)

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -(Matthew 6:21 NIV)

"Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -(Matthew 19:14 NIV)

xoxo

 

Cleaning Out the Cup

2014... you were incredible!

I can't believe Christmas is already over and it's New Year's Day of 2015! I feel like we just made it to December yesterday! Time really does fly when you have children. I talked a little bit about a few of my resolutions for the new year in my Mommy Monday post for the week, but I wanted to share all the ones I have as of today. I know they can seem very cliche, but since I've become a mom, I feel like it's important to set goals and to try your hardest to follow through with them. Not only to better yourself, but also to set an amazing example for your children. I was really very proud of our family for accomplishing everything we set out to do for our Christmas activities. It makes you feel like your time with your family hasn't been wasted, and you enjoyed everything to the fullest. 

I always told myself I would be nothing like my mom, HA! Don't we all? It's kind of inevitable, at least for me. But to be real, my mom has been a wonderful example and influence on my life as a woman and a mom. I'm not "exactly" like her, but we share a lot of the same values and characteristics. I want Levi to be able to say the same about his mommy. I want him to know that I loved him so much, and tried my hardest to set him up to be a light and have the ability to change hearts for Jesus.

First I wanted to list some of my favorite memories of 2014:

1. Gave birth for the first time and had my precious baby Levi, and became parents.

2. Celebrated our one year anniversary.

3. Had my first real surgery, got an organ taken out and got put under for the first time.

4. Started my breastfeeding adventure.

5. Started my blog back up with a bang! All thanks go to God!

6. Turned 24

7. Lived up our first Christmas with Levi to the absolute fullest! And watched almost every Christmas movie!

8. Celebrated a lot of firsts for baby Levi, our first year as a family was incredible!

9. I really found my voice and diminished my fear of not speaking up.

10. Accomplished cutting off some social media for a year!

Father... You are good.

With that being said, here are my 2015 DAILY resolutions:

1. Finish reading the whole Bible by December 2015.

2. Spend more time in prayer.

3. Find more opportunities to share His Word.

4. Focus on the gift of giving.

5. Fall more in love with my husband.

6. Start yoga again

7. Breaking Addictions (such as caffeine and sugar)

8. Give it to God  - Be more kind, judge less, love more, have more patience, and block out stress.

9. Let it be known that I'm not ashamed, embarrassed or afraid because of my Christian beliefs. 

10. I will rise and stand tall in God against anyone who persecutes us.

"Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel." -Jeremiah 18:6

xoxo