Leaps of Faith

Two of the things I really want to focus on in 2019 are better self care and more contentment. Although I've been experimenting with several different ways to cultivate both of these in my daily life, I have found two that I really enjoy. I love to journal and I keep track of so many areas of my life through journaling. Throughout the month of January, I added two new aspects to my journal. I started keeping track of my five most listened to songs as I've realized how much music means to me and how much it really shows how I express myself through the season of life I'm going through. Another way in which I practice self care and contentment are by keeping track of the moments throughout the month is which I felt the presence of God the most. As I've taken time to reflect on both of these practices that I've done throughout the past month, it reminded me of how I had a goal for 2019 to write one blog post per month. Well, I guess for January that was an epic fail; h...

I often think about blogging, however haven't made the time to recently which is why my last blog was posted in July. I also took some intentional time away from blogging as I started to put pressure on myself to write a blog so often and it felt like it became a task and not something I really enjoyed. Now that I'm back, I really am enjoying it and have so much to say. This past semester, I have experienced so many life changes and have learned so many lessons from the Lord, especially through other people. One of the most important things I've learned this semester is the importance of self care. At the beginning of August, I was diagnosed with clinical anxiety. It became very clear to me that at school I would need to make self care a top priority in order to stay engaged in everyday life and to continue to excel in all of my classes. Honestly, at first I struggled. I had this image in my mind of what self care had to be. Once I released that thought of having to match...

As my birthday approaches later this week and I reflect on the past year of life, the one word that seems to reappear is the concept of growth. I have grown in so many ways this past year. I've grown through moving to Indiana Wesleyan University, quickly switching my major once I got there, learning how to live effectively with someone from another culture, finding a home church in Marion, and through figuring out all of the ins and outs of college life. I've grown in my self-awareness and knowing when I just need to be still and take a moment away from people, something that I would have never done for myself a year ago. I have grown in knowing what I want vs. what is best for me, such as feeling so much freedom from shutting off all notifications from social media. (If you haven't done this, I encourage anyone to do it!!) I've grown through hardships in my family life, having to learn to extend more grace than I wanted and learning to be extra patient (which is defini...

For the past three years, I've been traveling to Memphis, TN with my youth group to serve at Street Reach Ministries. While we are there, we serve the children of Memphis specifically during morning Bible Clubs. These are similar to Vacation Bible School, however they are outside and we walk door to door to pick up the kids, instead of them being dropped off by their parents. In the afternoon, we serve in different community projects such as visiting nursing homes, playing with kids at community centers, doing yard work, or cleaning the facilities we live in for the week to serve the other missionaries who are serving during the same week as us. Because I have been going to Street Reach for multiple years now, I was worried that it would become routine and mundane, however the Lord is faithful and always has something new to teach us. I was in awe of the way I grew spiritually while in Memphis, even just for a week's time, so I thought I would share just a hint of what I expe...

Although my original goal for the summer was to write a blog post about once a week, now that I'm a month in I guess I have failed with that, however here's an update about what I'm doing for the summer and how it's going. It's crazy to think almost a month ago, I moved back to Illinois for the summer. Honestly, I wasn't so thrilled about the idea of moving back home. However, the Lord has continued to fill my time back home with sweet reminders of His faithfulness and is working in my heart in a way that I didn't really expect. So what has the Lord been filling my time with and how am I continuing to grow? After spending an adventure-filled week at home with my little brother while my parents were on vacation, I started both of my internships. It was really nice to come back home and get to spend some quality time with my siblings, however it was also enjoyable to get used to having a routine. Through interning at my home church, I have been able to help ...

Ever since the beginning of 2017 I have had a running notes in my phone of hilarious, memorable or wise lines that important people in my life would say. Nonetheless, they are all very quoteworthy. As I have transitioned into life at Indiana Wesleyan and have found myself wanting to remember more and more of these lines that people would leave with me, I have started using a journal in order to collect these. As I have been wanting to write another blog post during these few boring weeks of May term, I figured that I would pass these along to you. I hope you enjoy!  "Your calendar will never mean more than your character" -Elijah Davis  "Experience influences expectations while expectations influence experience." -Dr. John Bray "God breaks us so He can build us." -Kaylee Daniels  "I had to put sleep on my checklist to make sure I get that." -Madison Reed "Vest day is the best day." -Charlie Alcock "When I can...

As I sat in my dorm room early this morning as the bright sun came through the antique blinds, I found myself reflecting on my past year at Indiana Wesleyan University. It is here that I have found myself in the utmost state of joy, yet somehow I've also experienced some of the hardest, most trying times of my life. I sat in wonder at how that could be. How in just eight months could I experience such an array of emotions, experiences, friendships, and moments? IWU has enabled me to really search myself and deal with some of the things I've pushed down throughout my life. This sacred place has given me some of the most pure, true friendships I've ever had in my life. This atmosphere has brought me joy, abundant joy and has shown me what it means to live life in full motion. However, when I reflect what this place has offered me the most, one word seems to come to mind: contentment. Throughout the end of high school, I found myself in a battle with comparison: spiritual comp...