declaring what we love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“one of the ways we grow up is by declaring what we love" -Shauna Niequist

It's my 21st birthday and this quote from Shauna Niequist has been on mind the past couple of days. I thought one of the sweetest ways to celebrate my birthday was to be intentional about documenting where I am in this season. I want to declare what I love and what fires me up to inspire to keep chasing after these during the next year.

 

I love quiet mornings with Jesus.

 

I love sitting on the front porch listening to the creek. Hearing the wind rustle the leaves. Simply being still.

 

I love connecting with other girls who challenge and encourage me. Genuine conversation is my favorite.

 

I love being in the classroom and working with kids. That's my element.

I love connecting with teachers and other future teachers. Their passion and creativity ignites something in me.

 

I love dancing silly and laughing and singing along to the radio.

I love living in the mountains.
 

I love praying for my future husband.

 

I love hearing and learning more about adoption. It gets me going in a good way.

 

I love hearing about other people's dreams and passions.

Wishing you the sweetest day, friends!

 

What fires me up…& January goals.

I’ve never been huge on making resolutions and this year isn’t much different. However, I knew I wanted to make a list of a few of the things that fire me up to remind myself to pursue what inspires me.

Joy-filled classrooms…Without a doubt my heart is in the classroom. I want to continually learn more and more about creating such an environment in my future classroom

Coffee dates…This is all about being intentional with the friends in my life.

Mountain adventures and exploring…Y’all my love for the mountains knows no bounds. Going to school in Tennessee and coming home to North Carolina on breaks makes it easy to get out and explore. I plan to do lots of it too.

Praying for future hubby and marriage…THIS gets me fired up! I know that one of the ways I can honor my future hubby before we even meet is by praying for him {read more about how I specifically pray for him here!}.

Encouragement…My words should be used to build others up and I want to be more intentional about doing so.

Snail mail…I mean who doesn’t love receiving sweet cards or handwritten letters in the mail?!

A marked up Bible…Being able to look back on what the Lord has taught me is special. I’ve started to read through the Bible chronologically and I want to see and reflect on what the Lord is teaching me.

Becoming stronger at running…I slowly started to get into running last semester and I really love it. It feels so good to notice my stamina and endurance improving.

Writing down the simple joys…This is about cultivating gratefulness {Psalm 100:4}. I started my list of 1,000 gifts in 2011 and lost count somewhere around 500. So I’m starting from the beginning and writing down the simple and ordinary moments that really do make life sweet.

Embracing this: “Wherever you are, be all there.” {Jim Elliot}…Not much explanation needed for this one.

I’ve also decided to make a few goals each month that I’ll share to keep me accountable. Instead of having goals that are unrealistic and that I quickly forget about, I’m focusing on small and practical goals that I plan to accomplish. It’s all about making things happen.

So my January goals…

1. No social media after 11pm.

Personally, this is a tough one. I have such a habit of grabbing my phone once I’m in bed. I’ll scroll though Facebook and Instagram and before I know it 20 or 30 minutes has passed. I don’t want what’s on my newsfeed to be what I’m focusing on before falling asleep.

2. Write down simple joys each day in my journal.

I mentioned this in more detail above. I really love this habit because it has made me SO much more aware throughout the day of all the “gifts” that I used to miss.

3. Send five letters snail mail style.

I’ve already sent two this month…three more to go!

4. Clean the entire house for my parents.

While I’m still home for Christmas break I want to do this to serve my parents. My mom has also been out-of-town taking care of my sick grandpa so it would nice for her to come home to a clean house.

5. Be intentional about speaking to store cashiers when checking out. {AKA say more than just “How are you? Good.”}

This may sound like an odd goal, but I usually try to engage in conversation with store cashiers. I learned this from my mom growing up and it’s the neatest to see them light up. I don’t want to be just another customer who passes through their line without even making eye contact.

May your Monday be so filled with joy. It’s currently 15 degrees outside and there’s snow on the ground so I plan to stay warm and cozy inside by the fireplace!

Three Things

{one}

I had a Skype date with Sarah from Sweetness of Laughter yesterday. We’ve corresponded for a while now and that connection absolutely flowed into our conversation. We laughed. We talked. We shared stories and passions. We prayed together. Oh it was such an encouragement and I came away with the widest smile.

Sarah is such a gem. She’s as genuine and as sweet as they come and her heart for Christ shines. If you haven’t had a chance to meet Sarah yet, go say hello here!

{two}

I’ve been watching the live stream of Passion online and oh. my. goodness. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be there because I’ve been rocked and challenged immensely from afar. Each session is rebroadcast for 24 hours afterward and I urge you to go watch while they’re still available. Seriously go check it out!

{three}

The new issue of the Set Apart Girl online magazine is out. I always anxiously await new issues and this one surpassed any and all expectations! I promise you it is worth taking the time to read.

{Of The Year}

Sort of how I’m feeling right now…lots of expectancy for  2013.

As the new year starts, I can’t help but smile. I truly love new beginnings and that’s exactly what a new year offers. I recently spent some time reading through my old journals and oh goodness at the treasures scribbled there. A recurring theme in my journals is my growing intimacy with God and that brings me such joy. So as 2013 begins I wanted to have a verse of the year, a word of the year, and a song of the year.

Verse of the year:

My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one and come with me.” Song of Songs 2:10

I love, love, love the imagery that this verse provides. It reminds me once again that I am the Bride pursued. God pursues and it’s my responsibility to step out and follow Him.

Word of the year:

INTIMACY

As I mentioned above, over the past two years I’ve been awakened to the glorious truth that God desires intimacy with me. I can truly say that this has radically changed my relationship with Him. Intimacy takes intentionality and I want the desire of my heart to be to cultivate intimacy with Christ. I snagged the piece below from an article in Set Apart Girl months ago, and it reflects my heart for intimacy beautifully…

“That is what the gospel is all about – how to get the wrong man out, and the Right Man in – and to exchange the Lie for the Truth! On your own you cannot do it! But I have good news for you! You can’t! But He can!”

“As I am meditating on this truth recently, I thought about the beautiful harmony that exists when a groom offers his adoring bride, who absolutely delights in the ability of his strong arm to protect, aid, and fight on her behalf. As a woman, she depends on her man – and loves every minute of it! She does not walk around resenting help or bitterly trying to prove she doesn’t need him. Rather, her joyful dependence on him creates a sweet intimacy in which she is willing to make herself vulnerable to him, for she knows he will only wield his strength for her good, and will never refuse to give it.”

“Likewise, as the Bride of Christ, it is our great joy and privilege to enter into an unceasing intimacy with our soul’s Husband, as He becomes the moment-by-moment source of our righteousness, purity, and holiness.”

Song of the year:

“Called Me Higher” by All Sons and Daughters

I know that I have been called to deep and abiding intimacy with Him. As I step out to follow His calling to come higher and go deeper, it will effect every part of my life. I want people to know that there is something different about me. That when we interact they would think “there’s just something about that girl.” And that will be because of my relationship with Christ.

I urge you to listen to these lyrics. So powerful.

“I am a product of…”

My real life friend, Joy, wrote a post recently about what she was a product of that inspired me to think about my own roots.

Joy snagged the idea from her friend who had her middle school students write what they were a product of. The idea came from a quote from C.S. Lewis…

““I am a product of long corridors, empty sunlit rooms, upstairs indoor silences, attics explored in solitude, distant noises of gurgling cisterns and pipes, and the noise of wind under the tiles. Also, of endless books.”

Here is mine:

“I am a product of canopy roads, elementary classrooms, goodnight hugs and kisses, summer days at home, walks at dusk with my dad, vacations in the Smokey Mountains, coffee dates, and intimacy with Jesus. “

Now, for a few old photos I had saved on my computer. I hope these create a better visual to show you more of roots…

{One of our Smokey Mountain vacations}

What are you a product of?

Encouragement

I’ve only been blogging for two months, but I’ve grown to love this creative outlet. I love having a space to write and share pieces of my heart. I love sharing snapshots of my life. I love knowing that I’ll be able to look back to see how I’ve grown and changed. But, what I’ve come to love most is the community of women I’ve been able to connect with. I’ve been so encouraged by other young women who share parts of their heart and life as they follow hard after Jesus. Although we haven’t met in person, their stories have spurred me on. Whether it has been through sweet messages or exchanged emails, friendships have developed. I know we would talk for hours if I were able to meet one of these ladies for coffee one day…

I want to share the blogs of a few ladies who have been such an encouragement to me this summer with the hope that you’ll be uplifted as well.

I want to start with Katie from Hope Engaged…



This girl is incredible! I’ve been SO encouraged and challenged by Katie. She radiates joy and the love of Christ through her blog! Her love for the Lord and people is genuine and I always look forward to her posts to see what she will share. I hope that you’ll head over to Katie’s blog and spend time reading through her posts! I promise you won’t be disappointed. Also, be sure to read her love story…I can see God’s hand on every detail and it reminds me that the beauty of God scripted love stories is unsurpassed. Just another reminder to wait on God!

Next is Tiffany from The Wandering Theologian…



Tiffany and I have exchanged emails consistently over the course of the summer and I’ve loved developing a sweet friendship with her. She recently graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and is days away from moving overseas for a year to teach English. Such an exciting journey! If you want to know more about her journey, you’ll have to hop on over to her blog and say hello.

Then there is Jenna from Dearest Love…



Jenna is a young second grade teacher living in Atlanta. Her blog is full of inspiration and all things lovely. She has encouraged me in many ways through uplifting blog comments and messages we’ve exchanged here and there. Jenna has a tender heart for the Lord and that shows through her posts in an honest and vulnerable way. One of my favorite posts was her reflection of her first year teaching. I encourage you to not only read that post, but to explore her other posts! I guarantee that her blog will become a daily read of yours as well.

Next is Natalie from Heart Stirrings…



Natalie is a girl after my own heart and I know we must be kindred spirits. Not only is she an education major, coffee addict, Gilmore girls and book lover, but she is after the Father’s heart. Her posts are always founded on Biblical truth and point to the Gospel while covering modern issues. She’s also really funny and her posts have caused me to laugh out loud. Natalie was one of my first blog friends and I couldn’t recommend her blog more!

Finally, Allie from Sequins & Faith…



Allie currently lives in Canada, but is getting ready to move to Australia to attend Hillsong College. What an adventure that will be! Allie is an incredibly photographer and has a gift for writing. I soak up the wisdom she shares in her posts and she radiates Jesus. She has a way of communicating her heart through her writing in such a unique way. Her perspective on issues is really neat. I would recommend that you take time to discover her blog! It won’t be time wasted as her words always point back to the Father.

There are other ladies who have blessed me that I did not highlight above. I simply wanted to point you in the direction of a few godly women whose stories and passions have resonated with me.

When a Passion Becomes a Calling

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

{source}

 As I was having my quiet time yesterday, I kept coming back to the thought that God uses our passions to fulfill His purposes. It is an incredible truth to me that God places individual callings on our lives. Even more so, that our calling is much greater than just a culmination of our strengths.

I was thinking about the conversations I’ve had with friends recently. One of the topics that always comes up is what we’re passionate about. I treasure getting to hear about the passions that are deeply ingrained into who they are. These passions fuel them. Energize them. It’s the neatest thing to watch their eyes light up as they share their dreams and visions.

My friends have such unique passions. One has the biggest heart to work with women and to have them know their immense worth in Christ. One loves art history and dreams of working at a fine art museum one day. One has a passion for health care and medical missions. One has an eye for clothing design and a desire to see the fashion industry changed. One has a deep love for the Spanish language. One wants to be a business woman that uses her management to glorify God. One dreams of the day when she’ll be called “mama” for the first time. The list goes on…

My mind races back and forth with excitement as I think about my own passion{s}. My heart is to be in the classroom. I want to be a teacher that is marked with Christ’s love for my students and I know that God placed this passion on my heart.

We are all wired uniquely by God in such a creative way. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many believers discredit their God-given passions. They make the mistake of believing that you have to be called into missions or ministry in the traditional sense for your passion to have value in the Kingdom. This is not how it should be!

Whatever passion you have stirring in your heart, I believe God is saying “go for it!” Pursue that wholeheartedly. When you do what you’re passionate about with excellence you reflect the holy God of heaven.

If you’re a writer…write pieces that you’ll still be proud of in the future.

If you’re a nurse…treat your patients with gentleness and tenderness.

If you’re a photographer…invest in your clients as you capture those moments.

If you’re a musician…create music that has meaning.

If you’re a coach…teach your kids about leadership and integrity.

Etc.

You don’t have to separate your passions from how you serve God. It is not as much about what you are doing, but WHO is in your heart as you do it.

I will end with the same scripture I started with…

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Dear Samantha…

Hey you! You’re now 35…what a great age. Your mom always said that each year gets better and better. :)

I know it seems as if your first year teaching was ages ago, but I hope you haven’t forgotten the passion that you had for education. Teaching brings you so much more joy than you could have imagined. Know that you will have days where you’re completely overwhelmed and stressed. But don’t let those days steal your love of being in the classroom. Remember in college when you dreamed of the day that you would have your very own classroom full of munchkins? Remember that passion always! Never stop learning. Laugh with your kids. Be their biggest encourager. But most of all, love on your kids. Invest your time in each child…even the ones that challenge you the most. You may be their only example of Jesus.

Be sure to love on your own kids every single day! Remember that you don’t want to just be a mother, but a mama. There’s big difference. Rock them to sleep when they’re little and cover them with kisses. Notice how they change and grow. Play with your kids. Dance in the living room. Run around the backyard. Tell them every day that you love them more than they’ll ever know. Tuck them in at night and pray over them. Discipline them. Know that they’ll frustrate you and make life messy, but you wouldn’t want it any other way. Be an example of a woman that seeks the Lord…they will learn from you. May they see a vibrant relationship and not a pious religion.

Whenever your husband gets home, greet him with a kiss that makes your kids embarrassed! Remember how you longed for the day that he would enter your life? Remember how you so longed to know his heart? To know his passions. To know his voice and his laugh. To know the light in his eyes as he talked about the Lord. Well, don’t take any of that for granted now that he is a part of your everyday life! Pray for him…that he continues to love the Lord more than he loves you. Pray for him as he leads your family. Oh, may you still be giddy when he kisses your forehead and feel so secure when he wraps his hand around yours. Let him hold you always. Kiss him lots! Be silly with him. Remember how he made your stomach do somersaults (in the best way possible)?  Tell him that you respect him. Remember how important your words are! Know that you won’t always agree...you will have arguments. He will make you mad and disappoint you, but you will do the same to him. Set aside time for just the two of you…have date nights. May you cherish and honor this man that holds your heart.

Be sure to call your parents often! They mean the absolute world to you, and love you more than you could ever know. Spend time with just your mom. She is one of your best friends and you’ve always had a special relationship with her. She has always been your biggest supporter!. Be sure to go on daddy-daughter dates. Your dad loves you so much more than you realize…cherish the relationship you have with him. I can only imagine the proud grandparents they’ve become!

Most important of all, may you seek the Lord each day! Remember that you’re the bride pursued and get to live daily in the greatest romance of all. Pursue intimacy with Him. He will be found when you seek Him wholeheartedly. Read through some of your old journals to be reminded of His faithfulness in your life. Know that the Word is your lifeline. Spend time in His presence. Remember you can’t give out what you don’t have yourself. Remember that He isn’t a stoic God that is far off, but a God of intimacy that is present at all times.

Be intentional about the relationships God has placed in your life. Be the best teacher you can be. Love your own kids fiercely. Grow more and more in love with your best friend. Seek to live with the attitude that all glory belongs to Him. Don’t rush away your days.

Update: I'm using this post I wrote over a month ago to link up with Harley & Jane for their journal prompt series.

Links to Love

Today I'm linking up with Allie from {sequins & faith.} to share a few links I've found lately that I love. Allie has such a heart for Jesus and her posts always contain so much biblical wisdom and encouragement. Her blog has become a daily read of mine! Go check her out.

Here are some links I've loved lately:

I'm loving the series of posts on fearlessly pursuing Christ no matter what your relationship status might be hosted by four lovely ladies. They're sharing how they have pursued Christ in the midst of singleness, dating, breaking up, and marriage. Read the post on pursuing Christ in the midst of being single by Annie and the post on pursuing Christ while dating by Nicole.

Sunday Crossbow is a fashion blog that I recently discovered, and I adore her fresh and feminine style. Her outfits are budget friendly yet elegant and stylish.

Ben Rector is one of my favorite musicians and this video of him covering "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" has been on repeat. It's just so good.

If you've followed the blogging world for any time, you should be familiar with this rockstar family. They live in Washington D.C. and go on so may adventures with their two littles. I love seeing what their family is up to and if you've never checked them out you should! Naomi's blog is a must read.

Finally, I'm loving this blog. Bailey is currently an au pair in Germany and is able to do lots of traveling around Europe. She shares her adventures and her photos are spectacular. Her photos from Bavaria make me want to hop on a plane right this minute!

Now, it's your turn to share what you love!