Love God, love people. It's a common phrase. There are many different momvements that use this phrase. But how many people actually live it day to day? Most people go about their lives thinking of themselves only and only living by "love God love people" when it is convientant for them. But that is not how we were called to live.
Don't get me wrong, I was that person once. I claimed to be a Christian and said I loved God, but my life did not reflect that. To the world I was a party girl who did not care about anything other than herself and having "a good time." I was selfish, judgemental, and the perfect example of livng up to the worlds standrards rather than the word/God's standards. Then, one day I told myself that enough is enough. I tried to change, but there was always something holding me back. It was like I didn't know how to live for God anymore because I was so consumed with the life I had been living for so long. Then one day, as many of you have seen in previous articles, I was invited to The Block. And ever since that day I have changed.
Now that I have allowed myself to truly love and trust God, I have been able to reflect that in the way I live. The bible says in Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" WE ARE LITERALLY ON THIS EARTH TO SHARE THE LOVE!!! We are suppose to strive to be Christ-like. No, we are not perfect like He was. We are going to make mistakes. But that does not mean we can't try!
My goal in life is to show everyone the love of Jesus. Show compassion in every sitution. Do my best not to judge or critzise.
We live in a cruel world. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds and 2nd for 24 to 35-year-olds. On average, 1 person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes. These people lacked love. There are so many people walking around feeling like the world is against them and that they are not loved. It is our job to wrap our arms around them and make sure they know not only are they loved by us, but they are loved by the Almighty. King of Kings. Creator of the universe.
God craves an intimate realtionhip with each and every one of us. When I use to think about God, I did not see it that way. I knew of God and I knew He was good, but I never understood who He was. In a book called Uninvited it says , "God is good. God is good to me. God is good at being God. And today is yet another page in our great love story." And it is then, when we realize how much our heavenly Father LOVES us, we will be able to love God and love people, fully.
"Imagine how differently you might approach each day by simply stating: God is good. God is good to me. God is good at being God. And today is yet another page in our great love story. Nothing that happens to you today will change that or even alter it in the slightest way. Lift your hands, heart, and soul, and receive that truth as you pray this prayer: My whole life I’ve searched for a love to satisfy the deepest longings within me to be known, treasured, and wholly accepted. When You created me, Lord, Your very first thought of me made Your heart explode with a love that set You in pursuit of me. Your love for me was so great that You, the God of the whole universe, went on a personal quest to woo me, adore me, and finally grab hold of me with the whisper, “I will never let you go.” Lord, I release my grip on all the things I was holding on to, preventing me from returning Your passionate embrace. I want nothing to hold me but You. So, with breathless wonder, I give You all my faith, all my hope, and all my love. I picture myself carrying the old, torn-out boards that inadequately propped me up and placing them in a pile. This pile contains other things I can remove from me now that my new intimacy-based identity is established. I lay down my need to understand why things happen the way they do. I lay down my fears about others walking away and taking their love with them. I lay down my desire to prove my worth. I lay down my resistance to fully trust Your thoughts, Your ways, and Your plans, Lord. I lay down being so self-consumed in an attempt to protect myself. I lay down my anger, unforgiveness, and stubborn ways that beg me to build walls when I sense hints of rejection. I lay all these things down with my broken boards and ask that Your holy fire consume them until they become weightless ashes. And as I walk away, my soul feels safe. Held. And truly free to finally be me.”
― Lysa TerKeurst, Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely
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Relationships
Reasons Mom's are Truly a Gift from God
Here are just a few of those things.
30 January
6458
Hypable
In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.
They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.
Sometimes we have trouble seeing things that are right in front of us, but sometimes things are hiding and only our mom can seem to find them. She somehow remembers where everything gets placed, and everyone in our family is lucky that she does otherwise no one would know where anything is at. It has to be some sort of superpower.
They love you unconditionally.
In the presence of your mom, you can always feel safe. Whether you mess up for the thousandth time or do something they don’t necessarily approve of, they will still love you. And when they tell you “I will always love you, no matter what”, you know they mean it and those are the most reassuring words you will ever hear.
They are always there to listen, and when you don’t want to talk, they’re always there to offer a much-needed hug.
Sometimes you need to talk it out, and you want someone who will just listen. Mom’s are the perfect candidate. They will listen without judgment and they will always be on your side. And for the times that you don’t want to talk about it, the hugs they give can make almost anything better, instantly.
They make sure you never go hungry.
“Are you hungry?” or “what sounds good?” are questions that are frequently asked by mothers. If you do happen to be hungry, and even times when you’re not, they offer to make you something which is always hard to pass up.
They’re always willing to help with all the adult things you quite haven’t figured out yet.
Don’t want to go to the doctors by yourself because you’re getting a shot? You don’t have to; moms are always up to holding your hand. Don’t like making difficult phone calls when something goes wrong? Mom’s usually offer to help you out; this isn’t their first rodeo. Need to know anything about your insurance, your bills, or those spots on your leg? If they don’t already know it, you can guarantee they will do everything possible to figure it out for you.
They know how to make you laugh.
You and your mother have countless inside jokes. You could go on for hours talking about "remember when’s." She knows the things that will make you laugh until you cry. Even at the age of 20 she will still pin you down and tickle you, because she can and because she knows every one of your tickle spots.
Moms are a special kind of human. They are such a blessing every single day and deserve the praise, not only on Mother’s Day, but on every day of the year. There is a reason they are often referred to as supermoms. These sweet individuals are always trying to make our lives easier, and bless their souls for that.
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Relationships
10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend
Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.
30 January
4357
Photo by Courtney Hedger on Unsplash
1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.
A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.
2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.
A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.
3. Thank you for teaching me what real love feels like.
Sometimes your first true love is your best friend. This person picked you, out of everyone else, to be the one they connect most with. Love the crap out of them.
4. Thank you for always making sure I'm safe.
It's calming to know that they will be one of the first to come looking for you if you miss their call.
5. Thank you for going through things with me.
Find the friends that will be supportive when your fish dies.
6. Thank you for teaching me to take care of myself.
Sometimes all you need is someone to remind you to indulge in some of life's finer things.
7. Thank you for going out of your way to make me feel supported.
If a friend does the same embarrassing thing as you just to make you feel less alone, they truly care.
8. Thank you for always being there to back me up, even when you know I'm wrong.
A best friend can make you feel confident, even when you're wrong.
9. Thank you for constantly pushing me to live up to my potential.
In the words of Josh Groban, "You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains."
10. Lastly, thank you for making such a huge impact on my life.
If you haven't in a while, tell your best friend you love them.
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Health and Wellness
The 15 Stages Of Being Sick In College
It sucks, but you’ll make it through
30 January
2898
StableDiffusion
Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.
1. Please just be seasonal allergies
You wake up feeling icky one morning and think “Oh it must be allergies, I bet I’m fine.”
2. I must not have gotten enough sleep last night
You go through your day as normal, but you feel gross and more tired than usual.
3. I’ll just take a little nap
You finally get back from class and work and think “Oh, I’m just going to lie down in bed for a little bit.”
4. Oh no, I have so much due tomorrow!
You wake up and realize you slept six hours, it is now 11 pm and you have done none of your homework.
5. I’m fine, I’ll just sleep it off
You stay up until 3 am doing the homework and finally get to go to sleep, you think “Oh I’ll be better in the morning” (clearly you’re in denial).
6. Do I have to be responsible today?
You wake up that morning, you have slept through your alarm and don’t even want to get up.
7. Ugh no, I can’t actually be sick
You start thinking, “maybe this isn’t allergies.”
8. Alright, I’ll take some medicine and I’ll be fine
You throw on clothes really quick, go to your classes (even though you’re late) and go to work anyway (still in denial).
9. This is the worst day of my life
You get back from class and work again and your nose is stuffed, you’re coughing and you feel dizzy.
10. Mom?
You call your mom because she always knows what to do.
11. She was right (like always)
She tells you to take your temperature, you do and you find out you have a fever.
12. Too bad you're busy and can’t take the day off tomorrow
You decide to take some medicine and sleep it off, because of course, you have to be better for class, work and any activity you have for the next day.
13. You think about taking the day off, but realize you have like three tests
The next morning, you’re behind on classwork, you still have a fever, but you can’t miss your classes and you have a very busy day, so you go anyway.
14. You think you're actually going to be sick forever
The cycle continues, until it's either the weekend or you decide work and class can wait and you need a day to rest.
15. Finally, you're better!
Eventually, after being sick through class and work for about a week or so you’re finally better, and you pray that you don’t get sick again, only to do it all over the next month.
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Lifestyle
17 Things You Can Only Relate To If You Grew Up With Strict Parents
Sleepovers are not a thing. They're just not.
30 January
3730
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.
Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."
Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.
1. You only ask things once.
Asking to go to your friends house a second time is futile. In fact, it may make things worse.
2. Seriously, you only ask once.
You don’t get to go out Friday and Saturday, silly child. Choose one.
3. When you do muster up the courage to ask your parents for something, you creep around and wait until they’re in a good mood.
This significantly improves your chances of getting a yes. Pro tip: Doing extra chores helps.
4. Before you get that final yes, you have to go through an interview.
Who are you going with? What time? Where are you going? Who else is going? Who are their parents? Where do they work? How long have they been there?
5. If you ever got “the eye,” you knew you were screwed.
Prepare yourself for a lecture when you get home.
6. You were always the first to leave your group of friends when hanging out.
If you ever want to be able to go out again, you better go home on time.
7. If you say you will be home at a certain time, you better be home at that time.
Calls start coming the minute you’re late.
8. Seeing a missed call from your parents sends fear and horror through your veins.
R.I.P. if you see two or more missed calls.
9. If relatives are coming over to the house, your room better be clean.
Because the one room they will not go in determines the cleanliness of the rest of the house.
10. You are careful about what jokes you share with your parents.
Anything remotely inappropriate results in a 10 second joke turning into a 30 minute lecture.
11. "You’re not an adult until you turn 18! You can do whatever you want then!"
Disclaimer: When you turn 18, it becomes, “My roof, my rules.”
12. If plans change while you’re out, you better text or call.
Don't be that kid that gets caught by their parents driving somewhere they weren't supposed to be.
13. Don’t talk back. Ever.
I don’t care if you were told to hunt down the last unicorn in the world using a pot of gold stolen from the leprechaun at the end of a rainbow. Just do it.
14. When you’re called by your full name, you’re in deep trouble.
Huh GIFfrom Awkward GIFs
Say your prayers.
15. Don’t make them call your name twice.
The second you hear your name being called, drop everything you’re doing and run.
16. Sleepovers are not a thing.
They just aren’t. Why sleep somewhere else when you have a bed at home?
17. Despite all of these things, you know your parents love you.
They might not always show it, but they do.
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tv.com
"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!
1. Pets
Getting a pet is great -- cats, dogs, fish, or any sort of thing you can keep makes you care for something beyond yourself and gives you company. (Some are huggable, too!) As a pet owner, you can definitely tell when they’ve gotten into trouble … and sometimes you get a little weird with them. Non-pet owners just wouldn’t understand.
2. Mornings
Without parents to wake you up, how do you even? Or, you know, if you fall asleep at your desk studying because you're working hard. Rough life, man. And mornings were hard enough as it was.
3. Mistakes
We all make mistakes, Ross. It's fine. Whether you mixed your colored laundry with your whites, or you were cleaning and you bleached something that was not meant to be bleached, there's gonna be nobody at fault but you. And even if you're by yourself (or your cat is judging you), you have to own up to it, and move on.
4. Cooking for yourself
Nobody can do sarcasm like Phoebe. Cooking is very exciting in the beginning and all, but once you're at that stage in your life when you're too lazy to even make ramen, and all you have in your fridge is an empty milk carton and some leftovers from last week, well, it's a lot less fun.
5. Hosting
You've finally got a place where your friends can hang and people can come over! But see above. Cooking, cleaning, all that stuff you need to do to prepare for guests is harder than it seems, and if you keep telling yourself that pizza isn't a cop-out, then everything will work out.
6. Taking care of yourself
Just like Chandler, you might not be entirely aware of what health and sanitation is. It's fine, we've all been there. And it's a lot harder than it seems. You're not alone.
7. Holidays
Since you can go all out, you will, and there's nothing your roommates can do about it. Friendsgiving? Heck yeah! St. Patty's Day? Of course! And best of all, Halloween, where your space becomes the spookiest around (on a budget, of course, nobody's made of money).
8. Roommates
So maybe you don't live exactly alone. It's good to have a roommate, right? Especially if they're a good roommate, so you don't have to be picking up after them or complaining to your cat. And when you want to have a do-nothing day, they'll be there for you (and you'll be there for them too.)
9. Keeping focused and getting stuff done
Don't even pretend. That's hilarious. If you can study, good for you, but the rest of us will be over here not doing what we should and hanging out with our friends instead. And cramming and panicking later.
10. Cleaning
If you've ever cleaned a place after a party, you are a survivor, a true warrior. Even cleaning bathrooms or the nooks and crannies of your place before a parent visits will yield some interesting results, however. You never know what you'll find, but it's usually not pleasant.
11. Social life
There's only two modes here: #foreveralone or everything's coming up roses. Without supervision or even any sort of restriction, you can do what you want to when you want to. That means going out ... or staying in. You can do whatever.
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