Unmasked

     I'm not much of a fan of New Year's Resolutions. However, I do think that the New Year is an excellent chance to make a conscious choice to change or improve our lives. Next week I will embark on my own journey of valuing myself and others outside of materialistic things. On Janauary 1, 2014 I will commit myself to not buying clothes for an entire year. I am committing myself to learning to see beyond materialistic things. I am committing myself to love and be loved for who I am and for who others are, nothing more, nothing less.

     This journey will not be easy, especially for me. Hopefully, it will help me learn to truly value myself and others as image bearers of the Most High. Hopefully, it will lead me closer and closer to God's heart. Material things are easy cover ups, just like make up or food,etc. It's time for us to live unmasked lives, so that people can see God's redemptive power in every single aspect of our lives. My journey is bound to be challenging and might even reveal brokeneddnes within my own heart and life that is often ignored. Still, no matter where this road takes me, I am confident that He is with me every step of the way. 

     As I embark on this journey, I would love it if you all would pray for me. Some of my friends have also decided to give one thing up in an effort of support, please pray for them as well. I plan to keep a journal daily and compile them into a weekly blog(posted here). I also plan on creating a Twitter and Instagram, especially for my journey.Let's be unmasked in 2014!

God bless,

Brittany 

I am here. I am with and for you.

Today marks World Suicide Prevention day and I am one of many who will dedicate their blog to the topic. I  am so grateful that this day and week exists to bring awareness to issues regarding depression, suicide, and mental health. It begins here, but it cannot stop here.

Three years ago, I lost a cousin to suicide. So, I know first hand what it looks like when people blame other people or the person for the acts of the enemy. Remember, that the battle is not against flesh and blood, it's just not. 

It's time for us to stop trying to find someone or something to blame. Depression, suicide, and mental health are no one person's fault, but rather the result of the enemy's strongholds in our lives as human beings. It's time that we be present for and with people. It's time that we stop trying to fix people like home improvement projects because honestly we are just as broken.

The friends that I hold closest to my heart are always with and for me, they are always there in word, deed, action, truth, and love. No, they don't always know what to say in the fire, but neither do I. I do know the power of just being there though. I have learned how to just sit with people in the midst of the pain and confusion. Sometimes it's easy to get busy and forget to dig deep in our relationships, to go below the surface. I'm convinced that slowing down to know what's really going on with people around us is always worth it. 

Maybe you have struggled with depression or suicide, maybe it hits really close to home with you. Maybe it's not your struggle at all. Regardless, please know that your presence in this world is unlike any other, you are loved, and no one can bring what you bring to the table, no one. Hope and help are REAL. You cannot be replaced.

I am not saying this to sound religious or like a motivational speaker and I am sure you have read or heard this one-thousand or more times.  I am only speaking the truth because I am with and for you in this walk towards the light. I am with and for you. Most importantly, we can find rest in the fact that Jesus is always with and for us. He is, I promise you because He promised us. 

Today, I challenge you to be with and for someone who needs you. I also challenge you to let someone be that for you if you need them to. I personally have some friendships that have grown distant over these past few weeks because of school and the happenings of life. So, I'm going to start trying to repair them by asking what my friends need and by making sure they know that I am with and for them. It's so important that we have each other and today, World Suicide Prevention Day is just a reminder and manifestation of that.

****Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT)

Get Help Here: http://twloha.com/ ***

Peace and Love,

Brittany

Combat Zone

Hey fam!

 The truth is that all of us are fighting our own war. We all have lost some battles, we all have had some victories. All of us have different combat zones. All of us have battle scars. Some of us are wounded. 

 A scar is a wound that has been healed. It's still there, but it's not bleeding or as painful to touch. On the other hand, a wound is open, risking the chance of bleeding and even infection.  

 

 Think about what happens when we see someone skin their knee or get a bad cut. Usually, we would run over in an effort to help and comfort. The problem is that most of our scars and wounds are internal. 99% of the time we cannot see abuse, addiction, depression, loneliness, etc. by looking at someone.

 Still, there is no excuse for us not to provide First Aid,  to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The process looks different for each of us. For me, it starts with seeing people as wounded and with scars, just like me. It's realizing that what hurts me might not hurt them, but that we all know hurt in some form. It's allowing God to show me the people He would have walk with me. It's being willing to let these people help bandage my wounds.

 It's time for us to bandage each others wounds instead of turning away or leaving one another bleeding. It's time that we learn to pray for each other, really pray for each other. It's time that we dig deeper in our relationships and friendships. We have to love past the scars and the wounds. After all, who are we to give up on someone?

Ultimately, Jesus does the healing. We are just the nurses(medics) who have the privilege of working for the doctor who has never lost a patient. 

Peace & Love,

Brittany 

911: Broken Friendships and Relationships

Hey fam!

It's been a minute since I posted and I pray that post finds you doing well. Recently, I have been dealing with the shattered pieces of broken relationships and friendships. Some because of transition, some because of lack of communication, some because of grudges. However, I have concluded that God is not pleased with broken relationships, regardless of the reason. 

Yes, there are times where it is best for both parties to go their separate ways and not look back. These times a rare, very rare. In fact, this is the worst case scenario for any of our relationships and friendships.

At the end of the day, our broken relationships and friendships are not a communication issue, a result of transition, or anything else. Broken relationships and friendships are a direct result of a lack of intimacy with Christ. Now, I am not suggesting that you don't pray enough or read your Bible enough. I am suggesting that friendships and relationships are one of the hardest areas to completely surrender to Christ.

Over the past few days and weeks, I let pain blind me. I let it drive me into saying harsh words to dear friends. I let it convince me that all of the brokenness within relationships is just a part of life.

Still, there is grace even in this. There is grace for the harsh parting words of a broken friendship. There is grace for the tear-stained eyes of heartbreak. There is grace for you and the family member that you have not spoken to in months or years. There is grace even in this, even in this.

Grace is my friend Jesus. My friend who met me in the midst of the hurt and harsh words. My friend who reminded me that sometimes my expectations are too high because no one can love me like He can. The same friend that held my hand though the tears and doubt. Yet, loved me enough  to not let me linger or settle for the brokenness in my relationships or friendships. The friend who offered to go with me on this journey of restoration and healing. 

I am so very thankful for my friend. He is walking with me as I sort through multiple friendships and relationships. I must admit it would be much easier to leave things broken, to run, duck, and hide. It is so much more rewarding to get your friends and family members back, to have a long hug after months, to let Jesus show you how to be a friend because He is the friend. He is our friend. 

Peace & Love,

Brittany 

Healing Starts Small: Confessions of a Small Group Leader: Part II

Hey fam!

It's a Thursday afternoon and I am at home, staring out of my bedroom window.Honestly, it has been quite some time since I have had the opportunity just to gaze upon our Lord's creation, to find joy in even the smallest of moments even the sad, rare moments. Just earlier today I attended a funeral and now just looking at the sunshine from my bedroom window, I know she is at rest and that God will heal her family and loved ones just as He always does and it might start as small as this sunshine. I know you are thinking, "What does this have to do with small group life?" And honestly I would have wondered the same thing a few weeks ago. I went into my group thinking that if any type of growth or healing took place, it would be drastic, large-scale, and nothing short of a miracle. I was wrong.

Sometimes I think it's convenient for us to mold God's words and promises according to our views of things, which is not always eternal. It's no surprise that enemy tends to take this advantage of this situation. So, when my group members weren't all racing to teach, lead, write their own studies,etc.; I took it as The Lord not keeping His promises of drawing near to His people when we seek Him and of providing us with wisdom.When we would end our studies and my group members weren't confessing that they had come out of some type of an addiction or stopped committing   some "major" sin, or released a major resentment,etc.; I took it as God not keeping His promise of healing. It didn't take me long to realize that I was ALL wrong because all of the promises of God are a yes in Christ Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:20). The thing is this: God keeps His promises and fulfills them according to His plan and purpose, not mine, not yours, but His. 

The case was no different within my group and when I look closely over the course of the group, God has been healing and working since the second we got started. My friends will tell you I'm a list maker and I decided to make one of the ways God is at work in the group.It's one of those things I keep for the days when the enemy tries to get all in my heart and head. Here are just a few things on the list(names have been changed):

1. We are still together!

-It's only been about four months, but the enemy has tried to put an end to us in so many ways.

2. God is teaching us to trust His plans above ours.

-Everything doesn't go our way, our events get moved and canceled, people don't show, etc. AND God continues to do something in the midst of the mess.

3. God is healing Nathan's heart of running from community because of who He is.

-He is learning slowly, but surely that He can find community with the people of God.

4. God is is healing Kimberly's heart of not wanting to even be around other Christians at all.

-It is taking time, but God is softening her heart day by day.

5. God is healing Michelle's heart of trying so hard to be the perfect Christian and of feeling intimidated by other Christians who seem to "have it together".

- She is learning that God's love for her is truly unconditional and that all she has to do is continue to seek Him, even when she messes up, that she has such a powerful testimony and is so capable at being who God has called her to be.

6. God is teaching Cameron that He cannot escape the love of Christ and that God never leaves Him.

7. God is healing John's heart of being 100% self-reliant and "perfect".

-He is learning that it is alright to open up and that God will still love Him just the same if He struggles, that God can and will use Him in spite of.

8. God is healing my heart of needing so much control.

- I'm learning that God's plan never fails and that I can rest in it. 

9. God is teaching us that love is so powerful.

- It is His love and our love for each other that keeps us together through thick, thin, and real thin.

10. God is teaching us that we were never created to do life alone and that community isn't easy, but worth it.

- This has been a hard pill to swallow, but as I texted the group a few nights ago: "We need each other and that's that."

The things above only provide a glimpse of what God can do with just a small group of people after His heart. Notice, I used the present tense because I refuse to believe He's finished with us. Tonight, especially after the day I have had, I will go into Bible Study with the group remembering that healing starts as small as sunshine coming through a bedroom window.

P.S- I'll be back with more Confessions of a Small Group Leader soon.

Peace & Love,

Brittany 

Confessions of a Small Group Leader: Part 1

Hey fam!

 It has been awhile since I posted. Today and over the next few blogs I would like to discuss small group life. About five months ago,The Lord led me to start a small group with a few of my friends/young people(especially athletes) in my city. It has been such a journey from then to now. There have been tons of laughs and even some tears, but it has been worth it. Here are some of my confessions of a small group leader:

1. I think in the back of my mind somewhere I had the idea that covenants,creeds, and icebreakers would magically create community within my group. I mean why wouldn't they? All of the books and trainings encourage these things and they are indeed essential. However,they do NOT breed community. Experience breeds community, the love of Christ breeds community, walking with people through the hell and pain that life sometimes throws at us breeds community,time breeds community.

2. I thought that structure was everything, it's not. In fact, it will drive group members crazy and even though it is hard for me to back off of having things exactly like this or that, I would much rather have less structure and a whole lot of Christ and His work within the group.

3.Anytime you have a group of people together there will be conflict, issues with making group meetings,etc. I believed that I was doing something wrong when people started to miss meetings, come late,etc.  Looking back over things I realize that it wasn't my fault, things just happen that are outside of my control. It is my responsibility to seek God's heart as a leader and to give my best effort. The rest is in His hands, not mine.

 

4. I thought I had to be in "leader mode" in order to be taken seriously. I was caught up in all of the things I had read and heard about leading a group. For example, "Selective Sharing", which is the idea that you share selectively in order not to promote a sin or struggle. I am not bashing the concept, only suggesting that in my case it lead to me not sharing at all or feeling guilty when I did share, ask for prayer,etc. I realize now that just because I am the leader doesn't make me need Jesus or the community  of my group any less. I think it makes me need him more. Furthermore, how can I expect my group members to practice things like transparency, authenticity, etc. if I don't do this myself.

5. I think the first time I heard of Ephesians 6 was in Pre-K. We made armor of God suits and such in VBS. Over a decade later, I went into leading the group seeing the battle as one against people(flesh and blood). Praise God that He changes hearts! The group is living proof that the battle is truly against the powers of the darkness and not flesh and blood. Let's just say we have had quite our share of the enemy trying to infiltrate our group.

I am going to leave my confessions here for today.My small group has a long way to go and so do I as a leader. Thankfully, we serve a God who is both faithful and full of grace.

Peace & Love,

Brittany 

Grace>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hey Fam,

It's been an interesting few weeks in my life. There have been ups and more than a few downs, but through it all God's grace has been sufficient. Last Friday this statement became a reality.My mother and I were traveling down Charlotte Avenue when someone ran through a red light near an intersection. He was going about 65mph which is fast in comparison to the mere 45mph I was traveling. Thankfully, I was able to break and avoid a complete T-Bone situation, solely an act of God. Once the car stopped and collided I was selfishly concerned about the damage done to my 2013 Nissan Sentra. My first reaction to my mother in the passenger seat , "Are you okay?" followed by a QUICK"Thank You Lord."Next came the tears accompanied by, "Why is this happening to me God? I serve you. I pray. I make good grades. Why? You and daddy just bought me this two weeks ago! I cannot believe he ran that light!" None of this was aided by the cursing and rude remarks from outside my window by the person that hit us. Of course, my mother in her calm, gentle, loving voice looked me in the eyes and replied, "Bad things happen to good people. You should be praising God that He gave you the ability to stop this car in time. You can get another car any day." She was so right that it stung! God had just spared my life and I was worried about my car.

One of my favorite worship songs is "You Have Won Me".The first line of the song is, "Grace, you've shown me grace." Coincidently(not really), this is the exact line that I posted with the pictures from my accident. God showed me grace by allowing my mom and I to walk a way from a serious car crash alive, he showed me grace through the people who have loved us, prayed for us, and visited. Most importantly, He showed me grace when my own selfish heart did not even appreciate the fact that he was pouring grace out over my life.

These past few days have been tough, they have been hard, tiring, frustrating, and even painful.Still, they have been filled with grace. Grace is so many things to each of us, it is debated upon, taught, and preached about. In fact, a few weeks ago I was talking to a friend about how we were so imperfect as human beings. Yet, we have an opportunity to know this amazing God of grace, a single factor that changes EVERYTHING. As our conversation continued, I sent a text message that looked similar to this: Grace >>>>>>>>>>>>. Those of you who know twitter jargon are following me at the moment. For those of you who are not as technologically savvy, ask a young person. His reply to my message was something like, " You couldn't ever put too many >>>>s." This is just another example of how sometimes the things we preach and talk about become our reality in a matter of days.

I have accepted that I will not ever fully understand grace on this side of life. I do however understand that it is >>>>>>>>>>> and then some, it is indeed sufficient as 2 Corinthians 12:9 says. The catch is that we must let it be sufficient, His power is made perfect in our weakness. I am sure some of you cringe at the word weakness, especially the fellas. To be honest, I would have before this week(I even insisted that I walk myself to the ambulance!). I am NOT suggesting that we go around and strive to be weak. Nor, do I see this as the intent of the verse. I am saying that when we are weak, broken, hurt,tested, tried, or even sitting in the middle of the intersection selfishly complaining about a totaled new car, His grace is sufficient. However, it is up to us to accept it, to walk in in, and to show it to others. In the coming weeks I plan to work on showing grace to others, I think I will start by forgiving the man who almost cost my mother and I our lives. It has not and will not be easy, but Grace >>>>>>>.

Peace, Love, & Grace,

Brittany

*** My mother and I suffered moderate injuries from the accident and are on the road to recovery. Your prayers are appreciated. ***

*** >>>>>>= awesome, greater than, amazing, insert any super awesome and positive word about a subject ***

From BFF to WTF: Friendship Hurts! Part 1

Hey fam!

Hopefully, the title of this post caught your attention. My blogs for the next few days will dive into different forms of hurt. Yesterday I tackled "church hurt" and today I am tackling hurt in our friendships. Thus explaining my title, "From BFF to WTF" or "From Best Friends Forever to Where's The Friendship?". I think that it is easy to cop out of friendships with easy explanations such as: "Friends come and go." And while this statement is true, it is critical that we redefine what friendship looks like.We must challenge ourselves to have a clear understanding of what we are getting into when we chose to be/have friends. As a young person, I have had my share of "BFF to WTF" moments and have found the following to be true:

The Problems:

1.Friendships usually fail because of some form of hurt. Hurt looks differently for everyone and comes is a variety of forms.

2. Often times we do not allow ourselves to see past the hurt in our friendships. I am not suggesting that one stay in friendship with someone who consistently hurts them. However, I am suggesting that we strive to see our friends as Jesus does and that we learn to forgive in our friendships. Don't forget all of the times a friend has helped bring healing, joy and love to your because of the one time they hurt you.

3. We are selfish. We are often in friendships for our own interest, which is wrong from the start(Philippians 2:3). The second we feel pain or hurt we flee, not even taking the opportunity to fully analyze the situation.

The Solution: CHRIST. POINT BLANK. PERIOD.

I know you expected another list, but it is not necessary. Christ sets an example of what a friend should be. Furthermore, He is the best friend we will ever have and he extends his friendship to us each and every day. . Consider how much we hurt Christ with our sins and even mistrust. Consider how He continues to love is despite anything we have done or will do.We must look to Him in all things, especially our friendships

My upcoming blog(s) will focus on some specific friendship hurts and on ways to improve and strengthen our friendships as a whole. Until then, I encourage you to take a look at the friendships you have. Ask yourself, "What kind of friend am I really?"

Peace & Love,

Brittany

***Comments and feedback appreciated. Are there any specific friendship topics you would like to see on the blog?***

Church Hurts!

Hey fam!

I hope this post finds you doing well and enjoying this beautiful Sunday. I would like to tackle the subject of the church and how it sometimes causes us to be hurt. Please realize that this subject is very complex and I am only expressing my opinion.

For about the past six months, I have been searching for a church home. The search has been off and on and quite a tedious journey. I was raised in the church and about a year ago God worked on my heart and delivered me from being caught up in religion. Prior to my deliverance, I was just going through the motions. I went to church EVERY Sunday, sat in the third row, studied, memorized scriptures, sat still and quiet, never "caught the spirit", never asked or expressed my needs/prayers publicly,etc. This all left me feeling so trapped and unfilled.Still, I did it Sunday after Sunday, partly because it was all I knew and partly because of my "church hurt". Hurt that came from stares, looks, expectations, and so on and so forth.

We must realize that pain and hurt are inevitable, even within our churches. We do however serve a God who can redeem us from our "church hurt", one who can guide us and lead us into and era of churches that heal more and hurt less. Often times we run from the painful things in life. Think about it, you don't rush to the doctor to get a shot or get excited at the thought of losing a loved one. This is especially the case with "church hurt". I must admit that running was an original thought of mine along with questions like: "Why are God's people treating me this way?" and even "Where are you God?" Thankfully, God came to my rescue and redefined my definition of church, while reminding me that His grace is sufficient even through the pains and hurts sometimes inflicted at church. Here are a few things to consider about "church hurt":

1. The church is a hospital (sick room) full of imperfect people who serve a perfect God. Sometimes our own sickness(sinfulness) causes us to inflict pain on our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have all sinned and fallen short of His glory(Romans 3:23).

2. We cannot allow our pain to drive us away from the church. We are called to live in community with other believers. It is unhealthy for us not to be in communion with like-minded people striving to serve our God(Acts 2:42). How will we ever receive care if we never go to the hospital?

3. No church is perfect AND it is unhealthy for us to be apart of churches that are not constantly striving to improve in every aspect. In other words, find a church that fits you, where you can grow, and that works through hurts as a community.

4. Our "church hurt" does not reflect how God feels about us as His children! That being said, we cannot let the imperfection of man and our churches drive us away from our God.

5. We cannot chose who and what to forgive. Forgiveness is definitely a "Just Do It" type of thing. Why? Because we are called to forgive as we have been forgiven(Matthew 6:14). Believe it or not this applies to our "church hurt" as well. We forgive because we love The Lord and trust His commandments, not out of weakness or anything of that matter.

6. Our "church hurt" is not going away, but there is hope! Problems and hurt have been around since the early churches(see 1 Corinthians) and they will be around until the end of time. Hope is found in our Lord who has given us the power to overcome through Him(John 16:33).

7.God uses our "church hurt" to remind us of our brokenness. It is an opportunity for us to trust and rely on Him, to draw closer.

We all have had our share of "church hurt", some greater than others. I pray that you allow God to use yours to draw you closer to Him. Our God is so faithful and He never leaves our side, even when we are facing the pain,isolation, and fear of the church!

Peace & Love,
Brittany

Self-Injury Awareness Day 2013(SIAD)

Hey fam!

Today, March 1,2013 is Self-Injury Awareness Day(SIAD). Self-injury or self harming is when a person deliberately hurts themselves physically to deal with the emotional pain they are suffering. Self-injury does not see gender, age, or even race as a barrier. People of all ages, races, and backgrounds participate in self-injury. However, an alarming rate of young people partake in self-harm. Still the topic remains "taboo" in the church,our youth groups, etc. If we as the body of Christ continue to be silent about real life issues, we miss out on the opportunity to shed our God's love, hope,and truth in dark situations. We also harm those with in our community of faith who are hurting and struggling with the harsh reality of self-harm. Believe it or not, the girl you sat next to at Wednesday night Bible study could be self-harming.Would she be able to find refuge there if she admitted it? It saddens me to realize that she most likely would be ridiculed and/or associated with a stigma. It saddens me even more to see how we as Christian tend to ignore the very things that the adversary uses to plague those around us! We are the salt and light of this world if we don't speak and stand up who will? We cannot afford to be silent and leave so many in the dark and painful world of self-harm. Today is solely dedicated to making ourselves and others aware of self-harm and the stigmas associated with it. Yet, I am convinced that days like today are only the beginning. We must continue to educate ourselves and others on issues around self-harm. Most importantly, we have to use the power of Christ within us to get out and do something about it! As I always say, start small. Below I have listed some resources including helplines and websites. I hope that you will consider the impacts of self-harm today and everyday.

Peace & Love,
Brittany

***Start with the people close to you, ask the hard questions. Get the necessary help if you or someone you care about is struggling. Strive to be resourceful. There is hope and healing and the source is our Savior!***

Scriptures to Check Out:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV)

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NIV)

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 23:18 NIV)

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13, 15, 16 NIV)

Websites/Hopelines:

http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_children_young_people/whats_worrying_you/self-harm

http://www.lifesigns.org.uk/

http://bandbacktogether.com/how-to-help-friend-self-injury/

1-800-DON-TCUT
1-800-273-TALK

Labels

Hey Fam!

Labels, labels, labels, they are everywhere. We put labels on food, cars(lincese plates), pets(tags), ourselves, and even people! Today I would like to focus on the labels we place on ourselves and others, while comparing them to the labels our Lord gives us. Often times we are labeled by our academic or athletic abilities, talents,success, and even failures. For instance one might be labeled as mean,shy,smart, fast, and so on and so forth. Not all of these labels are negative, but all of them do place us in a box. Many of us also struggle with self image issues because of the way we are labeled by others and even ourselves. It is important that we realize that in Christ we are all given new labels( heirs, children, forgiven, loved, called, fearfully and wonderfully made,etc.). It is also important that we try our best not to label others and/or act on the labels an individual has been given. We should act on the labels that our Heavenly Father has given each of us. Today, I challenge you to rip off your labels and to walk in the calling and purpose of Christ! He wants to label you as His very own! The choice is yours.

Quote to Ponder: Quite honestly, most people are quick to “write someone off.” But our God is a God of the second chance. Learn from One who is patient with you, and you’ll learn to be patient with others. – Woodrow Kroll

*** Read John 8. You will see how Christ labels an adulterous woman despite those around her.***

Peace & Love,
Brittany

Fear is a lie.

Hey fam! I happened up on the image below and it immediately stood out to me. The four words, "Fear is a lie." are simple. Yet, they are so complex. Today I challenge you to remember these four words when Satan tries to instill fear inside of you.

Peace & Love,
Brittany

*** For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)

Be Mindful

Hey fam!

Today I would like to keep my post short and sweet. However, the subject of mindfulness has been on my heart recently. It is so easy for us to get caught up in our busy schedules and forget to notice the people and things around us. It might not seem like a big issue, but it is. It is important for us to be mindful of the people in our lives. We never know what someone is dealing with or fighting.In fact, something as simple as a smile could save a life. We also need to be mindful of the things we say even when it is hard. Many times we get upset at the people we love and just say cruel and hurtful things. I encourage you to be mindful of the people around you today and everyday. It all starts with the small things like a random check in or asking how someone is! Give it a try :)

*Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3, 4 NIV)

LIA (Love in Action)

Hey fam!

Happy Valentine's Day! You probably can figure out that the subject of my blog today is going to be the big L word, LOVE. And while Valentine's Day is a fun holiday, I can't help thinking that it further distorts our depiction of love. On Valentine's Day we are shown that Love is giving someone the largest teddy bear or box of chocolates,etc. It almost appears that the sole objective of Valentine's Day is to show love, but shouldn't we do that each day? What if God decided that He just would love us one day a year? I don't know about you, but I would be a complete mess for the other 364 days. This past week I have seen the beauty and necessity of God's love in my own life. In just a weeks time two people very close to me have ended up in Critical Care at the local hospital. Times like this can cause the best of us to doubt God's unfailing love for us. Regardless of if we admit it or not, we all have doubt. At my lowest points in the week, nothing but God's love sustained me. He has shown me His love in so many ways, especially through the people in my life. This week also showed me the power we have as the body of Christ to show love to each other. It is the simple things like: " I love you.", " I am praying for you." , "Stay strong.", " I am here for you." that have kept me together this week. Furthermore, I would hope that my encouragement to my brothers and sisters helped make their days a bit brighter. These small outpourings of kindness are examples of love in action. As Christians we are called to love each and every day because our God is love. Someone who you least expect needs your love today. I know it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and not take the time to show love in our everyday lives. Still, I challenge you to put love in action today and everyday. It all starts with something as simple as talking to the new girl at school, praying with/for a friend, or just being there when someone in your life needs to talk to someone.

*** Thoughts to Ponder***

We love each other because he loved us first. (1 John 4:19 NLT)

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NLT)

Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God's greatest pleasure. - Rick Warren

***Songs to Check Out***

Furious- Jeremy Riddle
Your Love Never Fails- Jesus Culture
Love Is You- Kareem Manuel

*Please comment, give feedback,etc. :)

Stop Believing Satan's Lies

Hey fam!

I'm going to keep my blog short and sweet today. However, the fact is that so many of us as Christians keep believing the lies of Satan. We believe that we've fallen to far from grace, that we are the tail and not the head, that we are not pretty enough, or fast enough, or smart enough. I could go on and on, but you see my point by now. It breaks my heart to see us believe these lies and I would like to think that it breaks God's too. Why? Because He has already set us free from all of the lies. Remember, So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (John 8:36 NLT) Not only are we free from the lies of Satan, but from everything, EVERYTHING! Let that sink in. It's time that we stop believing the lies and find ourselves in the truth of our God! I'm just saying!

Peace & Love,
Brittany

Unconditional Positive Regard(UPR)

Hey fam!

Today I would like to dedicate my blog to the subject of Unconditional Positive Regard(UPR). While UPR is traditionally a Psychological term, I would like to take another standpoint on it. First, UPR is defined as loving someone with no strings attached. This means despite what you know, will know, or heard about them. UPR is seeing past the flaws. When I discovered the term last week in General Psychology, I must admit it hit hard. Coincidentally, I had just found out some things about a loved one that I least expected. I was struggling to see the person for who they really were after having being enlightened with the information. I was praying, "Lord help me to see people like you see them." The next thing you know my professor is explaining Unconditional Positive Regard. Soon thereafter, I felt extremely challenged and really did some soul searching. What if I were on the other end and my loved one did not see me for who I really was because of a mere fact? The sad realization is that this fear and reactions, many like my initial reaction are why we walk around living in boxes. It is why the people closest too us aren't really very close at all. It is why we hide ourselves from each other and even attempt to hide from God. See God has UPR for us, He sees us as his own, regardless of what we do. It is possible for us to be known AND loved. Once again, it is entirely possible for us to be known AND loved. Yet, we seek only to be loved out of fear that those who truly know us won't love us. I challenge you to have UPR today and everyday. Furthermore, I challenge you to stop hiding from the people in your life. It will be risky, and being known could bring rejection and even pain. Just as it could bring release, freedom, real love, and deep connections with in your relationships. Are the people in your life in love with you or your image? Think about it and while your at it read Genesis 3!

*In Genesis 3 you will see how God both knew and loved Adam and Eve. You also will see how Adam and Eve both knew and loved each other.

Peace & Love,

Brittany

Forgiveness

Hey fam!

It's been awhile since I posted, but I'm back. Tonight I would like to blog about the big F word, forgiveness that is. For some reason, maybe the Sandy Hook Incident or just life in general the subject of forgiveness has really been on my heart lately. Now we all say we forgive, but do we really? Think about that today and every day, but first what is forgiveness to you?