• Life

    WritingReading&MyDirtBike | Blog-tember Day 4 |

    September 4, 2015

    Today’s prompt from Blog-tember is: What are you passionate about?

    Honestly this is something I am just learning how to answer. For a long time I felt like I didn’t really have all that many passions or hobbies. I actually decided one day to pray about this and ask God to help me find some hobbies cause I felt funny not really knowing what I enjoyed doing. I felt like I was too busy stressing about something silly during my free time that I never really took the time to develop hobbies.

    This post could have gone many different ways because I am obviously passionate about different thins, such as Jesus and my friends and family but I wanted to choose to talk about the passions that I am still developing instead. Maybe it will help those of you out there who don’t feel that they really have any hobbies either and encourage you to find the time to treat yourself well and do things that you really enjoy.

    1. W R I T I N G – Obviously, because of this blog, I am slowly developing a passion for writing. I love the idea of helping out others who are going through the same things that I am and getting feedback from them. I love the idea of having a community of girls through this space but am still learning about how to really cause that to be a reality.
    2. R I D I N G  A  D I R T  B I K E – Another hobby of mine that has developed since I prayed that prayer and this one is from the help of Tommy. Riding a dirt bike was something I always thought was really cool and something I wish i could do but never had the opportunity. One of the things that attracted me to Tommy was that he rode dirt bikes and it didn’t take me all that long after knowing him to buy my own and have him teach me. It’s still something that I’m learning to love (because I can be a scaredy cat sometimes) but it’s so much fun. It’s something that pushes me outside my comfort zone. I usually like to stick with safe activities because I’m afraid of getting hurt but it’s really fun pushing those boundaries and I can’t wait to keep practicing and get even better.
    3. R E A D I N G – Reading is something that I always did but not something that I ever really made that much time for. I never realized how much enjoyment I got out of it until recently and I’ve been making more time to do it. I just love how there’s so many options and how it takes you completely away from reality for a time and can teach you so much.

    That’s all I have for you guys this time. I’m hoping that God continues to answer my prayer and I develop even more hobbies/passions. And just a reminder, something God’s been teaching me lately is to remember it’s important to remember to make time for your passions. It’s important to love yourself well so that you are able to love others and an important way to do this is to keep yourself refreshed by indulging in your passions every now and then.

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  • Marriage

    Bliss Part 2

    August 21, 2015

    Hi friends 🙂 I just wanted to stop by and elaborate on my last post (if you missed it, you can check it out here). When I wrote that one I was having one of those days where I was so exhausted that I was having a hard time really focusing on getting out what I really wanted to say. I thought I’d try my best to try to explain a little more about my thoughts behind the post today but I’ve also been having I guess what you would call writer’s block. I can’t clearly get across what I want to write about lately and I haven’t really had any great ideas to write about either which has been kind of discouraging. Sometimes I even think that starting this blog wasn’t a good idea and that maybe I’m not all that great at writing anyway but I am going to persevere and see how things go.

    So back to the point of this post (hopefully this one will be a little clearer) – my heart behind the last post was that waiting on God specifically when it comes to a dating relationship is way more worth it than you could ever imagine it to be. Thinking back on the years I went through wishing and wanting and praying for a boyfriend are some what of a blur now. Looking back isn’t exactly a fun experience either because it reminds me of how much more I wanted a boyfriend or husband than I really wanted the Lord but it makes me really appreciate to be in where I am today.

    I took my relationships into my own hands for quite a while and had to go through quite a few heartbreaks before I was willing to admit that maybe God knows a better way. I am just so thankful that the Lord never gave up on me though and kept pursuing me despite my sin and eventually got through to my stubborn heart.

    I wanted to encourage those of you out there who might be in a similar season. Maybe you have taken things into your own hands and suffered the consequences, or maybe you haven’t yet but are really struggling not to. Being on the other end of the spectrum now, in a  relationship that is God-honoring and such a joy, I can honestly say that every moment of the confusion and pain of waiting will be more than worth it in the end.

    Running ahead of God and pursuing a relationship that is not honoring to Him may be fun for a season but usually ends in heartbreak. And even if it doesn’t, I can promise that a relationship outside of His design will never have the same joys that one with Him in the center of it does.

    And I want you to know that I only know this through experience. I’ve been in relationships that were not God-honoring and they do not compare to the one I’m in today. I went through the waiting process (sometimes gracefully, most times not) and on the other end I can tell you the only reason why it is worth it is because in that waiting process you learn that GOD IS ENOUGH. You learn that He’s all you need and how to make Him to be the desire of your heart rather than a husband (or wife). This then sets you up in a wonderful place to eventually be able honor and respect your future husband in the correct way rather than elevate him to be a god in your heart. It sets you up to have such a sweet relationship where you both can love and spur each other on to fall more and more in love with Jesus.

    I am so so thankful for my relationship with Tommy and how God uses him to continually point me towards Himself. I couldn’t ask for a more thoughtful and loving guy. He is always pursuing me and putting my desires before his own and I really don’t understand how I got so lucky. It’s never easy to wait on God, no matter what the circumstances are, but it is always worth it.

    Some things that really helped me in the waiting process was to read my Bible and cry out to Jesus when I was at my lowest. Tell Him how you feel, He is cares and is closer than you realize.

    The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 24:18

    Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7

    Something that also helped was reading books written by people who had been in my shoes and had good advice for me. Some of those books that really helped were:

    Praying For Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart For His – By Robin Jones Gunn

    Lady In Waiting: Becoming God’s Best While Waiting For Mr. Right – By Jackie Kendall

    Another thing that helped was talking to others about how I was feeling. I know we may be strangers but I have been there and if anyone needs just someone to listen and be encouraged I want you to know that I am here just for that. My hopes in writing posts like these are to help others and I would love to do that on more of a personal level as well.

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  • Faith

    A Secret About Your Fears

    August 15, 2015

    I felt like God wanted me to write about this specific topic earlier today but I reasoned with myself and told myself that I didn’t really feel in the mood to write at the time so I decided not to write about it.

    What I wanted to write though was that God has really been trying to show me the secret of why I fear things is because I picture the fear without God being there. 

    God’s really been telling me over and over again lately that He is always with me. And that this is the most important thing that I can remember, especially in those times that I’m worrying about something in my future. If I think back to my past, about the hard things I’ve gone through (and there have been a lot if I’m honest), and I realized that He was always there through all that, and that He is still here for me now, then I need to start picturing Him in the future as well.

    I just read my devotional, Jesus Calling for the day and I want to share it with you:

    Sit quietly with me, letting all your fears and worries bubble up to the surface of your consciousness. There, in the light of My Presence, the bubbles pop and disappear. However, some fears surface over and over again, especially fear of the future. You tend to project yourself mentally into the next day, week, month, year, decade; and you visualize yourself coping badly in those times. What you are seeing is a false image, because it doesn’t include Me. Those gloomy times that you imagine will not come to pass, since My Presence will be with you at all times. When a future-oriented worry assails you, capture it and disarm it by suffusing the Light of My Presence into that mental image. Say to yourself, “Jesus will be with me then and there. With His help, I can cope!” Then, come to the present moment, where you can enjoy Peace in my Presence”

    Once I read this I knew I had to write about it. This is the secret to conquering our fears. There’s no reason to worry about the future because He will be with us and He will give us the strength to get through whatever may cross our paths. What an awesome God we have.

    “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” –Deuteronomy 31:6

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  • Recipes

    #nationalsmoresday // what’s going on in my life currently

    August 12, 2015

    Hi guys! So for the past two days I have wanted to write this post but am not entirely sure what has kept me from doing so to be completely honest lol

    Some fun facts about the past week:

    1. I’m blogging today from my new Macbook Pro! 🙂 woohoo, it’s awesome and I love it. I got it last Thursday I think.
    2. On Monday, August 10 it was National S’mores Day and I really wanted to celebrate by posting my favorite S’mores recipe that Tommy and I make all the time, but instead we just celebrated by making and eating it (sorry not sorry).
    3. I’ve been a little stressed out over small things in my life and I feel like that’s why I haven’t had the energy to actually write the blog post that I’ve wanted to. I almost put it off again today but reminded myself that writing helps me to process things and makes me feel better. So I figured I’d share with you guys one of my current stressors. When Tommy and I were driving up to Lake George about a month ago I got a ticket for failure to move over. There was a cop on the shoulder who had someone pulled over and there’s a law in New York (and apparently New Jersey too) that you need to yield to the cop and move over to the left lane or slow down. I didn’t know that this was a law and the cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket (I did slow down). But anyway, tomorrow I am driving an hour and a half to Athens to fight the ticket because if I don’t it will be points on my license and I really don’t want that. I’d appreciate your prayers for the situation if anyone actually happens to read all this haha

    Okay so on to the fun stuff 🙂

    I really wanted to share with you guys the most amazingly, awesomely, delicious dessert you will ever taste – that is if you’re as much of a chocolate enthusiast as I am (that’s what Tommy called me today so I have decided to adopt the phrase). But really, he loves it as much as I do.

    Smores Brownies
    How To Make The Most Amazing S’mores Brownies Ever*
    Ingredients:
    For the graham crust
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
    For the brownies
    • 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
    • 1¼ cups (8.75 oz) granulated sugar
    • ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons (2.5 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup (2.25 oz) all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup milk chocolate chips
    • ½ cup of dark chocolate chips
    • ½ cup marshmallow fluff
    • 1 cup mini marshmallows
    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside.
    2. In a bowl, combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into prepared pan. Set aside.
    3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, sugar, cocoa, salt, and heat on high power to melt, about 45 seconds. Stop to stir, and heat in 10-second bursts until mixture has melted and can be stirred smooth (mine took 45 seconds + 15 seconds). Batter will be very granular.
    4. Add the vanilla, eggs, and stir vigorously until batter is thick, shiny, and well blended. Add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
    5. Dollop half of the marshmallow fluff all over the batter and swirl slightly with a knife. Spread the remaining batter carefully over the marshmallow fluff. Repeat with the remaining marshmallow on top of the brownie batter. With a knife, carefully swirl the marshmallow fluff slightly into the batter. Don’t swirl too much!
    6. Bake until a toothpick in the center emerges slightly moist with batter, about 25 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Top with mini marshmallows and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned on top.

    *Adapted from http://www.bakerita.com/smores-brownies recipe. The picture is also off her website. I took one of my own but I just couldn’t resist using hers cause it was much better. The girl who runs this website is a baking genius, I have made a lot of her recipes and they all have turned out great. She’s especially good for patriotic ones.

    So there you have it. Tommy and I make this quite often cause we love it so much. When we eat the leftovers we microwave them so that the chocolate melts again, it’s delicious. If anyone ends up trying it let me know how you like it!

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