God is an awesome giver. He’s blessed me in so many ways, but these three gifts in particular have changed and shaped my life in incredible ways, and I am eternally grateful.
Tag: Jesus
Thirty Sayings of the Wise: Reflection
To begin my journey on becoming a woman of God, I read a wise saying each day for the month of January. The question is, have I become any wiser?
My Goal for 2016
Like many people right now, I’ve started thinking of a goal for the coming year. A resolution to improve myself in order to improve the world. I’ve had one idea rolling around in my head for the past few months which I think is my goal for 2016: To become a woman of God. As of right now, I’m not really sure what that means. In fact, that’s what I plan to figure out: What does it mean to be a woman of God, and how do I become one?
Why I Want to be an English Teacher in a Foreign Country
After college, I hope to travel to Haiti and teach English there for a few years. After that, I may do the same in other countries. Here’s what gave me that passion.
He Loves Me Even When I Don’t
I’m usually a happy and positive person, but in the past few weeks negative thoughts crept into my mind. I realized I’ve been putting myself down, degrading my self-esteem, and ruining any self-love. During my small group this week, I came up with the idea of writing down all the ways that I don’t love myself and then finding verses countering what I was telling myself. These verses are either ways that God loves me or ways he gives encouragement or direction when I start self-shaming or thinking negative. I know these thoughts aren’t unique to me, so maybe one of these verses will stick out to you. Continue reading
What is College?
Well, I can officially say that I am a college student now. It’s crazy writing those words because they have so much meaning behind them. As a high schooler, college meant the next level of school. Just another four years. But having gone through two months of college, it now represents so much more.
The Power of Believing in Yourself
There are many sources out there telling you ways to be successful. “Be more social.” “Be a person of action.” “Work hard.” “Prioritize.” But I think there’s one primary thing that has the power to achieve dreams: believing in yourself.
When a person dreams big and believes in themselves, they believe that their goal is achievable. There are no doubts about ability, failure is only temporary, and their unstoppable passion comes from the heart. Also, a person who believes in themselves has the determination to do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. As a result, they’ll often become more creative (finding ways to get around the obstacles), learn lots (new knowledge or resources may be needed to keep going), and grow in themselves (strengths may be discovered and the joy of having a purpose to life may be found). With a commitment to a cause and purpose in every action, people are more likely to stick to the plan with strong dedication, and even if the goal takes a while to achieve, the small steps seem less tedious.
I have a goal that may take 4+ years to achieve. It will be grueling during those first years, and I am so excited. I’ve found something that I love to do, am talented at, and can support myself from. Besides it being something I want to do, I think God wants me to do it too. I’ve had the idea stirring in my head for about two years, but over this past summer I’ve been seeing coincidental encouragement, that I’m pretty sure isn’t coincidental and is instead God telling me that it’s the right thing to do. There’s a Bible verse I found a few weeks ago that really sums up what I’m doing.
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” -Proverbs 16:3
Whenever I’m having doubts about my plan, every song I listen to is some sort of encouragement. Whenever I need some guidance, my pastor preaches about the exact thing I’m thinking about. Little comments from my friends. Things I see around me. And this hasn’t happened once or twice this summer. It’s happened every single week. I’m pretty sure God is excited for me to strive for this goal. And having God on my side is a pretty cool thing.
So how am I working towards my goal? Well, I didn’t start actively pursuing my goal when the thought popped into my head two years ago. I’ve been planning. Yes, two years of planning does seem pretty mundane, but the hours of planning steps and learning from others who have this profession was thrilling for me. I’m still planning, and the more time I spend doing this, the more confidence I gain and the more I believe in myself. I feel unstoppable. I know there’ll be challenges and adversary and failures, but I believe that God has equipped me to overcome the challenges, I believe that God has a plan even if others can’t see it, and I know that every failure is just an opportunity for growth. I believe that I can pursue my passion and change the world. Do you believe in yourself?
with Abby 