Look how far you've come

My four years of college undergrad flew by. And now I have three months until I begin Graduate school. When I start doubting that I have been successful, I need to look back on these past four years and realize how much I have learned about life, and never let doubt and fear take over what amazing life I have ahead of me.

We all go through rough patches, or bad relationships or just have bad days, but when you let those days define you, your past wins. Every time you are scared of what lies ahead, first pray about it, take a deep breath and then write down all that you have overcome. God has given you everything it takes to succeed... so be bold, and be who you are meant to be!

Not much to say...

I just cannot get over how much I love these words... they are the sweetest truth and make me so happy to know that there is peace in everything... simply because God created all things to make us happy... Happy Tuesday!

Forever!

It has been quite some time since I last blogged... I guess that is what happens when school takes over your life! But, since April is my last month of school as an undergraduate... I felt it was quite appropriate to write a POSITIVE blog post about how amazing that is! I graduate May 3rd... that is one thing to seriously brag about...
For the past few nights, before I go to bed, I have been reading 2 Corinthians... and it has become my new favorite book of the Bible. I have found such happiness and encouragement in what I have been reading and I can't wait to share it with you! 2 Corinthians 5:5 says, "The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less". Amazing! I love The Message version because it is so straight forward and you can read so smoothly and I never want to stop reading! I have challenged myself to read a chapter each night and think about how it can help strengthen me each day... it puts me in such a great mood!
Life is just so amazing and I am so blessed with such an amazing and supportive family and best friend... Thank God for all He has given me and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for me in this next year!

pray & let it go

     Because I live this crazy, work, school, work, school kind of life... I haven't been able to update you all on something that happened on Tuesday... I GOT ACCEPTED INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL!!! My whole life I have wanted to be a teacher... a first grade teacher to be exact... and so I started college with that goal in the front of my mind. And then... decided I wanted to do something else.... and then again decided I wanted to be a teacher.... So here I am, a senior in college graduating with a degree in Human and Family Development and a minor in Social Work. Knowing I did not want to pursue a career in either of those fields... I pretty much closed my eyes and jumped into Grad School applications for a Masters in Early Childhood Education so that I could still achieve what I originally wanted so badly.
     Let's just say, I have never been more nervous, scared, anxious, and flat out powerless in my entire life through out the whole application process. BUT... From the moment I hit submit on my application, I felt my anxieties just float away. I knew that I no longer had control over whether or not I would get in... ( I actually never had control anyway, I just had the power to use the gifts God gave me to do my best). Of course I was still nervous about what would happen if I didn't get accepted, but I knew God had AMAZING plans for me... and if I didn't get accepted, it wasn't what God had in his mind for me to do with my life.
     But... here I am, accepted into graduate school at ASU and ready to start what I have always wanted to do. I have already picked out a classroom name, class pets, how the classroom will work, and how to help the kids make friends. Whether I am ready for the whole two years of masters work, we'll see... but at least I have the years after it planned out just fine!
     So, my point is... we all have things our heart wants. And if we put it out there that we want it bad enough and we pray about it... God will make it happen... ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN FOR US. But how amazing is that!?!? I never had to worry about getting accepted, because if I didn't, He had something better for me! I just cannot get over the amount of freedom I felt just by giving the control to God. Our lives are not ours to live alone, but to live with Him and for Him... so follow your dreams!


Pray Big!

Alexa

always love

     I have the most horrible habit of judging others. And every time I begin judging them, or criticizing their lifestyle... in the back of my head I think to myself how miserable I must be in that moment to take happiness out of my day to ruin someone else's (even if they don't know I am judging them). 

     Here is an example... my brother rarely goes to church... and it makes me sad because I would love to have him go with me on Sundays, but that is just not where he is at right now... and I always let him know how I feel about it... and it is never in a loving way. He reacts negatively and then it turns into a fight... so needless to say I would rather not argue with my brother, especially when I am supposed to be showing the light of Christ. My point is... WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN IF WE ARE NOT DIFFERENT THAN THEM!?!? 

     Talking, walking, acting, living like a person who does not have a relationship with Christ is not going to win people to Him, it is going to lead people to think that we are just another person... we are God's person, we need to act like it! 

     As I was sitting in church this morning I began thinking, why the heck would my brother want to come to church with me if I am constantly being a nagging, judgmental sister? No different than talking to a friend and throwing out judgments on how they are living... show concern, not judgement. Wouldn't it be amazing if the next time we saw someone doubting our God, we went and hugged them instead? No one is going to come to God by doubting their lifestyle as well. 

     BE NICE! We are here to shine the light of God... to BE MORE LIKE JESUS EVERY DAY! If we can't be loving and happy to our friends, family, and strangers who do not know God... why would they want to know the God that we say is so loving when we ourselves are being judgmental and unloving? Be different! God forgave the men who crucified Him... while they were killing him!!! And we can't even love our neighbor!? We need to be different, so different that people want what we have... and we have God.

Show the light of Jesus!!!

Alexa  

There is So Much to Smile About

     There has been SO much joy in my heart lately... SO MANY amazing things have happened lately. It is so amazing how God plants blessing in our lives even when we don't deserve them. Lately, I have been so much more open to seeing the beautiful and amazing things in life... the little things that make each day so amazing. And today, a BIG thing happened. An amazing thing. 

     One of my oldest and dearest friends, who I have been through hell and back with, welcomed a baby boy into the world. Jacque Neville Tompkins. AND SHE DID IT ALL NATURALLY! Her and her husband are such amazing people who have hearts for God that shine through in their relationship with each other and those around them... what a lucky baby to be born to such loving parents. And how lucky am I to have a little nephew! Waking up this morning to a text from her sister saying he was born early in the morning put the hugest smile on my face and gave my day the jump start it needed... I couldn't wait to be done with classes so I could go meet my new little man! Needless to say... he is beyond beautiful with the most adorable little features and sneezes. 

     Looking at this beautiful little boy made me realize how precious each day is. And that blessings are always the best when they come in small packages... whether it be an A on an exam or a new baby boy weighing only 6 pounds... it is the smallest things that keep life going when it gets tough. Thank God for this little baby who has brought so much joy to our hearts, and thank God for the little pieces of beauty He gives us each day. 

Alexa 

Class

     Why couldn't I have seen this sooner?! I said something really hurtful to my sister last night... and as much as it hurt her, we both got to get a lot of things out in the open and understand things about each other better. But I still wish I could take it back... I'm sure you have been there too. Needless to say, I am now being much more careful about what I say... and I always thought the phrase "Think before you speak" what just stupid, until last night. So there is my new goal! Thinking before I speak. And when I think of things that are not going to help the situation, or will hurt someone's feelings... I will just shut up! 

     I want to be a classy lady... so here is to taking a step in the right direction! Saying hurtful and negative things never helped anyone... but it sure does hurt people! SO... as short as this post is... it is to the point. I knew what I wanted to say... and now I am stopping :]


Take care lovlies. 


Alexa 

Grab The World By the Lapels

     I don't even think writing about this quote will do it justice. I think that this is my motivation for this year... between getting in shape, getting into grad school, and getting over the past. Ever since a 6-year long relationship that was a waste of time ended 3 years ago, I have wanted nothing but to be free from any relationship... and that is exactly what I have done since then. I feel so horrible for the girls that dance from relationship to relationship simply because they cannot complete themselves on their own... but I know how that is since I used to be that girl, and that relationship ending changed everything about me, praise God. If it weren't for the 6 years of mistakes and lessons learned, I would in no way be where I am at today. And if I were still in that mess of a relationship, I may not be doing anything at all with my life. 

     But here I am, 3 years into being single, and loving every minute of it. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I CAN DO! I even have people worried about me that I am so far away from wanting a relationship... like there is something wrong with me. The only thing wrong with me is that I am free to do what I am called to do... and what I want to do! God blessed me with so many opportunities and opened my eyes to see that I can chase all of them... and succeed. Of course the past can hurt, but thank God for that hurt because it changes us! It makes us better and lets us see our true potential. 

     My last semester of undergrad starts tomorrow. TIME HAS FLOWN BY! But now I am on to something new and even more amazing... and the new never stops! We are always in for something bigger and better! So take risks! Don't be afraid of making mistakes! And kick some ass out there!

Alexa :]

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

     I'm pretty sure no one can say that they have never felt stress in their life... and I am also pretty sure most of us feel like it follows us everywhere we go. As I write this, I have a window popping up behind this one with the title, "Grad School Apps"... talk about stress. Of course I want to get INTO Grad School, but the whole process is quite intimidating, and STRESSFUL! And since this is only the second day of my blog writing challenge, it was an even bigger challenge to be positive when writing personal statements and resumes. BUT! I found this quote and it hit me... of course this is going to be stressful! Nothing worth having in life is going to come easy, especially when there are thousands of people competing against you for the same thing... obviously it is something amazing that I am going after!

     I'm sure applying to Grad School is not going to apply to very many people who read this, but who hasn't applied themselves to something and been scared to death of the outcome? Right now, I am just a college student (or a piece of charcoal) and after all is said and done, (and all the stress of grad school applications is over) I am going to be one hot diamond! And so are you! Of course everyone is going through something stressful, and it can never be just one thing at a time because God likes to bless us with such overwhelming challenges, but WE ARE GOING TO BE DIAMONDS! We are going to be shining so bright when we get to where all this stress is leading us. So hang in there, and make sure to do something every day that keeps the stress away, if only for an hour. 

Take care my little diamonds!

Alexa 

It's a New Year... Let's Be Happy

     It's the new year! And this is my resolution, look at things in a more positive light! So here we are, DAY 1... and I have no real clue how I am going to run a blog, let alone a blog on happiness and positivity, which I struggle with daily. But... by waking up each day and knowing that I have challenged myself to see things more positively, and that people may be waiting to READ about the things I encounter each day, I just may be held accountable. I don't think I plan on writing a new little something every day, but who knows... if every day I am inspired by someone or something new, you just may see a new post to read! 

     And my first struggle to find positivity in the new year was simply worrying about how I am going to run a blog, and if anyone would even want to read it. But then I realized, New Year's Resolutions are personal and who cares if nobody reads this? This is going to make me look at each day with positive eyes and a happier heart. There is way too much in this world that is beautiful to let the smallest negatives ruin your day. So... let's change our thinking! If we wake up each day and choose to be happy... we give ourselves no other choice. We will find the positive in the people, situations and circumstances that we find ourselves surrounded with. We have gotten through other rough times, why will this be any different!? We do have to give the glory to God though, if it weren't for Him, I may not be able to see ANY positive. 

     So here is to the new year! Cheers to new beginnings, new opportunities, and a new, positive outlook on everything! I hope that you will find this blog comforting and that it may even bring you a few laughs... if you find yourself struggling with something, let me know and I will try to post something to encourage you and maybe help you see things from a different perspective. Happy New Year!