live free.

It seemed to hit out of nowhere. All of the sudden, I wondered what was wrong with me..why I couldn't look like her, talk like her, be as funny or as stylish as her. Comparison. It had hit me and I spiraled into a mindset of constant pressure. I had to make sure I looked a certain way so that I didn't stand out or look weird. I had to make sure I didn't laugh too much. My hair had to be just so, and I hated myself if I had any sign of blemishes on my face.

If I could just be as pretty as her...
If I could just be as funny as her...
If I could just have a perfect life like she seems to have...
If I could just write like her...

But I couldn't.

I was so focused on myself, my image, and measuring up to the people around me that I forgot what really mattered. I forgot who I was in Christ. I forgot that He set me apart, that He has a unique plan for me, and that His opinion is the only one that I need to be concerned about. People change, trends change, and I'm never going to be "good enough." But God never changes. I cannot afford to be distracted from the purpose and path God has laid before me because I want my life to look like someone else's. And neither can you.

Because the reality is, we are not supposed to be the same. We are created uniquely, set apart for a specific purpose that God has in place for each of us individually. Your purpose is not going to look like my purpose, his purpose, or her purpose. We are not meant to look the same, think the same, act the same, or talk the same. We are meant to be the unique, set-apart individuals that God has called us to be, and we are meant to seek His will and follow it wholeheartedly.

The truth of it is, their life isn't perfect either. Their heart has surely been broken and I'm sure they feel a bit awkward and afraid sometimes, because don't we all? You may not know all the messy, broken pieces of every human, but they are there. We all have our scars, our secret hurts, our flaws that we pick out, and our insecurities. No matter how it may look online, no human is more put together than the next. Don't forget that. Spend your time helping others, encouraging and walking through life together. We are to have community with our sisters in Christ, not competition.

Let's take our eyes off of ourselves and look up. Let's stop beating ourselves up for things that aren't important in light of eternity. Let's shift our focus to the God who never changes, the only God who is Holy, Sovereign, True, and full of grace. Let's remember who we are in Christ, not how we look next to other people. Don't waste your time and your life wishing it looked like someone else's.

My love, live free. Live free in the grace and the love that our perfect Heavenly Father gives, because when you are following Christ and captivated by Him, He will lead you in the most glorious purpose you could ever know. After all, He's been planning this since before the world began.


//megan ♥

where you are

I don't know where you are right now

and I don't know what is going through your mind

what is making your heart soar

or making it sink

I don't know what you are laughing about

or crying about

what you are changing

or wishing you could change

but there is something that I know

and I am learning to remember always

that no matter where you are

God is forever constant

He is forever faithful

He holds the world

He holds you and I

and He never

ever

ever

gives up on us

so I'm not giving up

and please

you shouldn't either.

11.30.17

I am finally back after three months of not blogging. (Do you even remember who I am? I wouldn't blame you at all if you didn't.) In some ways, it has not felt like that long, but in other ways, I feel like it has been FOREVER since I was writing last. I have tried to write a few times, but I have been in a bit of a rut, so I'm having to force myself to just write. I feel like I always have the same excuse--that my life is crazy. But I have realized that my life will probably always be crazy, so I am just going to make writing a bigger priority and make it happen. I've really missed it. I haven't even been keeping up on everyone else's blogs either and I really just needed a life-catch-up day, so that's what today has been for me.

First of all, I moved a few states away with my family in September, so our lives were a bit upside down for a while! As we were settling in, I got a job, and I worked there for a month before deciding to switch because of some pretty bad situations there. I have another job interview at Hobby Lobby today, so I'm hoping and praying that I get this one! I'm not always the most craft-oriented person, but I really like that store.

I have been learning so much the past few months about relying on God and moving forward with what I know he is calling me to do. I am someone who loves to plan the future, but I also tend to overthink the past, and I hold on to SO much. God has really been teaching me that I need to give over my fears and anxiety about the future, along with my bitterness or hurt from the past and fully rest in Him, right now, where he has me. It's been a hard lesson, but I am learning that HIS ways are best, HIS plans will succeed, and He will always fulfill his promises. It's been a big learning process just leaning on Him and relying on His strength to get through this moment, without stressing about what I could've done or what I may end up doing.

Another thing I have been learning is that I can't please everyone. I struggle BIG TIME with comparison and people-pleasing. I never fully realized how much I struggled with it until it dominated so much of my life that I had to pull away from social media and many other things to re-gain my focus. I still worry way too much about what people will think of me, but God is teaching me every day that when I am in line with what He is telling me to do and when I am following His lead, not everyone is going to think well of me, and that's ok. So many of my worries are about trivial things, but what truly matters is that I follow Him and represent Him with my life and actions. I know people say this all the time, but I am learning that I can't make everyone happy, and no matter how many comments other people make on my appearance, personality, decisions, etc., I can't allow that to run my life to the point where I am changing everything I like or focusing on things that don't truly matter in order to suit others. Honestly, I still struggle with this. I haven't figured out how to stop caring so much about others' opinions about me, but I am learning how to. And it has already taken away so much fear and anxiety when I keep my focus on who God is and what He has done. That is all that matters in light of eternity.

On the topic of following God's lead, there has been something on my mind for a long time, and I am really starting to get serious about it. This past year, I switched my blog over to more of a devotional style. While I still did funny posts and random things, what I have really wanted to do with my writing is use it as a tool to help reach other young people with God's truth. (Specifically girls, but really it could be anyone.) I have done some fiction writing in the past, but my absolute favorite thing is a more casual and journaling style of writing.  Ultimately, my dream is to launch a blog and form kind of an online Bible study/sisterhood completely devoted to speaking God's truth into each others' lives. I have thought about just re-doing the design and such on this blog, but I really feel like I need to start completely fresh and new, so I will be working on designing and putting together a new place for that. Now is the perfect time, since I am getting back into writing and getting serious about it. I don't know when exactly I will be ready to launch my new blog, but I may do it sometime around the New Year. I don't even have a name for it yet, so I have a lot of work ahead of me!

I feel like this post is extremely random and scattered, but at least I am writing again, and it feels amazing. If you made it this far, you deserve cookies. THANK YOU for sticking with me during this lonnnngg silence. I'm hopefully back for good this time. :)

 __________________________________

 //What's new in your life?

//What has God been teaching you lately?

Much, much love,
//megan

Abbiee's Early Writings Tag | Horrendous Books I Wrote as a Child (and what I learned from them)

I am working on getting back into the swing of blogging, and I thought a tag would be a great way to help with that! As it happened, Hailey Hudson at Now All I Know is Grace tagged me in Abbiee's Early Writings Tag!

OK, first of all, Abbiee is a genius for coming up with this tag, and it is a hilarious post to read! (It also makes me feel a lot better about the terrible stories I wrote when I was younger, and I needed that. :p) In this tag, I will expose my terrible stories to the world and talk about what I learned from them. I hope you are excited, because I am about to publicly embarrass myself.

I started writing when I was quite young...probably around seven or eight years old. In my mind, my stories were the BEST BOOKS EVER, and I had the dream of being a famous author. (still hasn't happened, but we'll get there.. :p) My books were very short...mainly because 1.) I wrote all of them by hand in a notebook, and 2.) I didn't have the patience to let the story develop because I was so excited about the ending.

1. The Adventures of Robert Anderson
This book was actually the first in a series of four, and I was extremely proud of them. I changed a few details, but definitely copied a different book series that I was obsessed with at the time. However, I got very upset if any of my well-meaning siblings told me that I was copying. :p
The book is about a boy named Robert Anderson. *surprise, surprise* He was an only child, so his parents decided (very randomly) to adopt a sister for him. As a little kid, I thought the adoption process consisted of walking into an orphanage, picking a kid, signing papers, and leaving with them. (very concerning, I know) The girl they adopted was named Jessica. Later on, they end up adopting another boy, who I decided was Jessica's long-lost brother, and I wrote a very emotional and tear-jerking *cough cough* chapter about it.
The rest of the books consisted of the mother having twins, the kids finding a secret tunnel in their basement, Jessica getting lost at the zoo (based off of when that happened to me), and their cousins becoming their neighbors. It was bad. Really bad. But through the cheesy cliches of my "famous writings," I learned a few things.

- Never copy another writer's work

- Make your characters have flaws. Mine were sickeningly perfect

- The adoption process is more complicated than I thought

-Secret tunnels are not in everyone's basements

2. The Life of Jessica Marie Stewart

This story was similar to the Robert Anderson book I wrote, but from the perspective of the orphan. Jessica was adopted by an older, rich couple with no other kids at home. This was a classic example of when I made the middle of the book boring and rushed the ending, because I thought it was amazing. There is a surprise ending with the couple's son-in-law finding out that Jessica is actually his biological sister. Again, another one of my weird "emotional surprises" that I loved to put into books. :p

What I learned:

- Never rush the ending of a book

- Not everyone has a long-lost relative

-Not all rich people have maids doing everything for them

- Some books are better left in the imagination

3. Called By God

This book. This was the one that I was SURE would be published someday. I got SO mad at my sister when she told me that I misspelled a bunch of words and had bad grammar. Looking back at it, I can only laugh. It is terribly written.

The story is about a guy who grew up and decided (very last minute) that he wanted to be a missionary. He told his parents and left the next day for college. He and one other student were the only ones to make it, and (surprise surprise) they got married.
The rest of the book is basically about them going to the jungle and becoming missionaries to the people of a village there. By the end of the book, the entire village was converted. However, I didn't want it to be too cheesy, so I had the witch doctor run away and never come back. I wanted to make sure it didn't have a 100% happy ending, you know?

What I learned:

- You can't just walk into a Bible school on a whim and get a degree

- Generally, more than 2 people graduate from college

- Heartwarming stories are great, but there is a certain level of unrealistic that should be avoided

After writing those books, I started, but never finished another one. I didn't really do any writing for years after that, and in the past few years I have just gotten back into it. Hopefully my current novel will turn out better? :p

OK, so now it's time for me to tag 5 other people! I tag...

Abigail @ Ups and Downs
Grace Anne @ Totally Graced
Ellie @ A Bounce in Your Step
Hannah @ Grace in Everything
Hannah @ Ink Blots and Coffee Stains

This was a really fun (and embarrassing!) tag to do! Thank you so much for tagging me, Hailey! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)

Have a lovely day! ♥

Dominican Republic Trip 2017

As many of you know, I just got back from a mission trip. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to go, and I will never forget it. To be honest, when I first applied to go, I was very nervous, but I knew that this was what God wanted me to do. As the trip got closer, my nerves gradually went away, and I was very excited to see what God was going to do there. I was part of a team from my youth group that consisted of 11 people, and very early on a Sunday morning, we headed out.

We partnered with another youth team from Oklahoma, and worked together to bring the Gospel to the people in the Dominican Republic. It was so neat that even though we had never met the other team before, we were able to quickly get to know each other and form friendships. We spent an entire week with them, and it was great. We went everywhere together, crammed on a bus that was always full of conversation, singing, or laughter. It was a huge blessing to work with their team, and I miss them a lot.

 During the week, we helped a group from the Dominican church with a VBS. It was so much fun to dance, sing, and play with the children that came. One of their favorite things was getting piggy-back rides, which we loved to give them! Their faces would light up when they recognized us, and their laughter was contagious. The days were long, and we were hot, sweaty, and usually pretty tired, but there was always more energy to give the kids. In Bible class, they loved answering questions and learning the rhymes and songs about the lesson. It was wonderful to see them eager to learn, and our mornings were full of love, laughter, and so much fun. We would try our best to learn their names and talk to them in our clumsy Spanish, which sometimes ended in helpless giggling. I was motivated to work on my Spanish even more! It was an incredible blessing to be with the kids, and I miss them. Of course, the week passed so quickly, and before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye.
(On a side note: I realized on this trip just how much I hate goodbyes. We met so many wonderful people and only got to spend a certain amount of time with them before having to leave, and when we did have to leave it was hard. It makes me realize the importance of using our time with other people wisely. Don't waste the time you have!)

After VBS, we had a weekend youth camp. A huge group of teens piled into buses on Friday afternoon and made the drive to camp. We spent the weekend worshiping together, playing crazy games, getting to know each other, and hearing incredible testimonies of God's goodness. It was so amazing to meet and hang out with all of the Dominican teens, and even though we didn't all speak the same language, there was no barrier too big for God. I met so many amazing people that weekend, and there are so many stories and jokes that I will never forget. There was always more people to meet, more things to learn about each other, more games to play, and more opportunities to praise God. Again, saying goodbye was extremely difficult, and I was once again reminded of how important it is to take advantage of the time we have with people. In the few days we had together, we were able to hang out, play games, look for tarantulas (and we found some!), or just sit and talk. Our days were filled with amazing memories, and they passed so much faster than we wanted them to. I miss it so much.

One of the things that I learned from this trip was how amazing our God is. I learned a lot about trusting Him for everything in the process leading up to the trip, and while I was on the trip, I experienced what happens when I put complete trust in Him. He works through anything, and when you let Him work, he does amazing things. We heard testimonies at camp, and it was so encouraging to hear how he worked in others' lives. His love and grace was (and is!) put on display through the people that shared. I am so grateful that He never changes, and that He is always faithful to us.

I mentioned this before, but I also learned a lot about how valuable our time is. We are given so many opportunities to share the Gospel, to show love, to serve, to form relationships, and yet we often waste our time doing trivial things. I was deeply convicted of how I spend my time. How much time do I spend hearing God's voice and reading His word compared to how much time I spend listening to the world's voice and reading social media? Do I spend more time in intentional, deep conversation with others, getting out of my bubble and forming relationships, or do I more often choose to stay in my own comfortable space? I have really been thinking a lot about that lately. It is so easy to waste time and not even realize you are doing it until it is too late. I want to be aware. I want to intentionally and fully live in the place God has put me, doing His will and seeking His glory in everything I do.

If you are feeling led to apply for a mission trip but you aren't sure if you want to, don't hesitate to do it! It isn't always easy to push past nerves and fear, but with God NOTHING is impossible. I now know from experience how amazing it is when you take the leap and let God work. It is absolutely worth it. ♥

Seek the Lord First | (Guest Post by Sarah)

Hey, everyone! I know it's been a good while since I published a post--with all that has been going on in my house this summer, I haven't had a lot of time to write. However, I am going to be working on some new posts when I get back from a missions trip to the Dominican Republic and things slow down a bit!
This week, I have one of my best friends from Ohio visiting me. We have been talking a lot this week about growing up and living fully for God. Sarah is an amazing girl, and I am so grateful to have her as one of my closest friends! She is funny, cheerful, kind, but most of all, she is on fire for the Lord. I have been greatly encouraged by her. That is why I am SO excited to have her here on my blog today to encourage you! She has graciously put in so much time and effort for this post, and I hope you come away blessed!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Proverbs 19:21~

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 

I turned 18 a mere six days ago, and I think (and sometimes stress about) graduation, college, a job, and my future in general. I tend to forget God and His sovereignty in my life. Especially when it comes to guys. A few months ago, I think I had just about convinced myself that at my age, thinking about guys all the time was not only natural but also was okay. After all, I thought, I’m going to get married SOMETIME, so I can’t just not always think about guys.  

That mindset was WRONG. Totally wrong. But it was also exactly what the culture around me and you thinks.

One day, though, my thinking about the whole guy thing changed forever, and it was all because of two simple verses from the Bible that I had never read before. 1 Corinthians 7:34-35 says, “There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.”  

We are supposed to…

Be focused on and prioritize the things of Lord

Be holy, both physically and spiritually

Be totally committed to our relationship with Lord

NOT be caught up in the things of the world (which is anything that hinders or distracts us from God, like guys, clothes, make up, video games, friends, school, exercise, or social media - all of which I am guilty of being distracted by…)

These two verses are God’s direction specifically to US as Christian young people. We should take them to heart first of all because they’re a command of God and because, according to the verse, this instruction is for our own good - “this I speak for your own profit”.

So why did these verses change my life? Once I read them, I knew what I should be doing with my life. Until God sees fit to bring my future husband and I together (whoever he might be), I am to focus on the Lord and the Lord alone, not the guys around me. I try to remember this verse: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth - Colossians 3:1-2. And even though I sometime get distracted by other things in my life (e.g. looking around for the “the one”), with lots of God’s help, I am working on becoming the best Christian woman I can be. So if I would leave one thought with you, it would be this…

Grow in your relationship with the Lord. Wait on the Lord’s perfect timing and plan for you, and he will “bring all things to pass."

Currently (In which I am in a creative rut and life is crazy)

Hello, everyone! Happy summer!! 

As you can probably tell by the title of this post, I've been in kind of a rut with blogging, and even writing in general. I haven't had much time to write lately, but when I do, I can't find the inspiration. Fellow writers, I know you've been there. It is very frustrating! However, one of the best ways to get past a rut is to write through it. SO, I'm writing about the fact that I don't know what to write, and in the meantime, I'll give you a bit of an update on what's going on!

A big time-consuming thing has been my family preparing for a move. If you have ever moved, you know what I mean when I say that it is time-consuming! It involves a lot of work to get the house ready to sell, and constant cleaning to keep the house ready for showings. Then, of course, there is the unpacking, organizing, and settling in when we get there!

Also, also I FINISHED HIGHSCHOOL! I am an official graduate, and it is SO exciting! After looking forward to it for so long, it feels amazing to be done. That alone is freeing up so much of my time, which I can devote to writing and blogging and reading alllll the books.

Another thing I have been doing is learning Spanish. I don't mean being able to say "hello" and such (because I think everyone can do that)...I mean being fluent. First let me say how excited I am about this. I love the sound of other languages, and I think Spanish is a really good one to know. I took a Spanish class before, but I am still really interested in the language, and I want to be able to speak it fluently. SO, with a pile of books and help from a friend, I am determined to learn the language! *attempts flying Superman pose* *probably falls over*

Other random happy things:

 -weekend road trips

-playing piano till my arms hurt

-playing volleyball in the dark

-wandering around downtown with a dear friend ♥

-homemade waffles

-90 degree days

-planning my writing area and getting wayy too excited about it

-Bible journaling (there are some really great prompts on Pinterest!) 

-iced coffee and free donuts

I am excited about this summer! There are so many things happening, and the busyness can make me stressed, but I am learning to appreciate the place God has me in right now and trust His plan for my future. There are some really exciting things coming up, and I am looking forward to all He has in store!

☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀ ☀

 What are you up to this summer? Did you graduate this year too? Any tips for learning a new language? 

Much love! ♥

eighteen.

So I just turned 18.

I am an adult now. (wait, what?!) I don't feel like an adult, but how many people really do when they are this age? *please tell me I'm not alone, peoples* 
As a little kid, I always thought that eighteen would be a magical age when you get all the answers and figure out everything for your life. In fact, if you talked to me a year ago, you would know that I had big plans for this year. I definitely had a picture of what my senior year would look like, but God has a way of showing us that HIS plan is greater and usually much different than our own!

To be honest, this year was tough. For a while, it seemed like nothing could possibly go right again. I felt stuck. I felt alone. And I struggled a lot with fear. I was worried and stressed about things that were quite insignificant, really. There were so many things happening all at once and everything inside of me was screaming against it.

No, I didn't know that I was going to struggle with fear. I didn't anticipate losing a pet. I didn't want to find out about that "friend." I didn't know that I would reach a point where I didn't have any clue what was happening or why it was happening.

But it happened.

And it was necessary, because God used my struggles for good. He is using them for good.

Through my battle with fear, I have come to know the importance of vulnerability. When we tell a trusted friend about the things that hurt, the things that we dread, and the things we struggle with, we expose them. We bring them to the light, and the darkness is dispelled in the blinding truth of the Gospel. The hurt is healed by the love and grace of our Heavenly Father, and we no longer dread what is to come because we are never alone.

After all that happened this year, I found it difficult to feel excited about next year. However, I have realized how important it is to remember that God is still in control. Everything is working out for good. Even the hard things that brought me down are shaping me into who He wants me to be, and they are bringing me closer to Him. I am learning to let go of my fear and hand it to God. On my own, I can't handle it. I really can't. But through HIS strength, I can. And so can you.

You can live loved, because you are. You can live confidently, because you have victory in Him. No matter how inadequate you feel, no matter how small, unimportant, or awkward you think you are, just remember this: If you are a follower of Christ, your identity is found in HIM, not what you feel like, what you did, or what people think of you. You are chosen. You are loved. You are forgiven. And you can't ever change that.

No matter what your year looked like, you don't have to stay in a place of doubt. There is grace for every day, and every morning, you can start over. Start each day with renewed faith in God, with hope, joy, and excitement for the amazing plans he has for you. Trust me, He has AMAZING plans for you! Not only that, He gives you just the right amount of strength that you need to get through today, and He is not going to abandon you.

It is hard, but I am learning this every day. I am learning to let go. I am learning to replace the fear with faith, the doubt with trust, and the dread with hope. But most importantly, I am learning to give my frustrations and fears over to the only One who can truly handle them. Because that is the only way to truly find freedom. 

♥♥♥

Thank you for reading this rather rambling post..I haven't blogged in so long, and it felt SO good to get my thoughts written down, no matter how un-sorted they may be. :p

Much love! ♥

when life leaves you stressed....

♡  pray. pray a lot.  ♡  write it out.  ♡  bake cookies.  ♡  cozy up with a cup of tea and your favorite book.  ♡  find some old letters and read them.  ♡  write a letter for someone else.  ♡  go for a run.  ♡  pick some flowers...or buy some.  ♡  talk it out--find a listening ear.  ♡  get creative and make a new Pinterest board.  ♡  watch your favorite movie.  ♡  look for verses in the Bible that apply to what you are going through, and memorize them.  ♡  write down 20 things to be thankful for, then thank God for them.  ♡  find an organizing project.  ♡  clean your space.  ♡  stretch.  ♡  re-decorate or re-arrange your room.  ♡  call a friend and hang out.  ♡  take a walk outside.  ♡  unplug.  ♡  listen to music.  ♡  take a nap.  ♡  look at the stars.  ♡  breathe.  ♡

  it's gonna be ok.

~ ♡ ~

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will provide a way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it. 

1 Corinthians 10:13  

I'm back!...kind of...

Happy March! Wowwww. It has been way too long since I sat down to write a blog post! I am here to explain my absence and give you a heads up on what's happening.

As you might have guessed, I haven't been blogging lately because my life lately has been pretty crazy. One reason is that I am in a play, and we are coming up on tech week! (eeek!!)  I have been spending much of my spare time studying my part, doing schoolwork, and tending to the rest of life's demands. There are several other things that have been consuming quite a bit of time, and I have not had the mental energy or time to really sit down and think out a blog post! I miss it so much though, and can't wait to have a chance to do it again!

I am also here to let you know that I am not able to get back into blogging regularly again yet....In fact, I am writing this in preparation for things to get even crazier! I did want to let you know that yes, I am still alive, and I promise that as soon as I get a chance, I will be back into the blogging swing of things again!

Thank you for being so patient, you fabulous people! Much love to you all! ♥

Thankfulness Thursday {2.9.17}

I had a particularly rough day last week. I was stressed, tired from the day, and generally just didn't feel good. As I was on the way home, I was thinking only about what had happened through the day, what to do about a problem that was constantly on my mind, and I was generally stressing about life. But God has a way of bringing encouragement and joy right when we need it the most, and that day was certainly no exception!

As we were driving, the sun was setting, and the sky was blazing with the most gorgeous colors ever. I was watching the sunset, and I had such peace in my heart as I realized that God is always good. No matter what happens during a day, the sun is still going to set, and God is still going to be there. He never leaves us to our problems, and even though things may not be looking very good, he is a Good, Good, Father who has given us so much. Things like sunsets seem common, but they are far from that.  Each one is a beautiful gift from God, a reminder that even at the end of a hard day, he is still there. He is ever-present, and he loves us. No matter what we have done or what we are feeling, he is always there. I am so thankful for that promise!

From the rising of the sun unto the going down,

the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Psalm 113:3

don't give up.

i see that you're hurting
what can i do
you don't talk about it
but your eyes speak volumes.
your smile fades just a little too fast
and when you laugh it never seems to last
you gaze so wistfully
at people passing by
yet you say
"i'm ok"
"yeah, i'm totally fine."

i know that you aren't
it hurts me, you know
i see your heart breaking and
mine breaks a bit too
just let me in
i care about you

He made you
He called you
He says you're redeemed
and nothing you do
nothing you've done
can pull you away from his
deep deep love
if we look around honestly
we'd see it all plain
you're not the only one
feeling pain

you aren't weird
all alone
or strange
i promise you that
everyone here
has a weight on their back
but you see
you don't have to
i'm here for you
we'll do it together
He'll see us through

you've been lived for
died for
loved oh so deeply
don't shut help out
please just hear me

i love you
He loves you
don't ever forget
that no matter the pain
the hurt
or regret
i'm here for you
you can stay in my arms

He'll carry you through
no matter how dark
so whatever you do
just please

don't give up.


-----------------------------------
(a rather roughly written little piece of my heart that i may regret publishing someday because of the bad grammar and breaking writing rules but whatever. :p )

grow.

Can you believe that January is already over? We have made it through the first month of 2017! *claps* 
 I have always been big into goals and resolutions, but this year I really just wanted to learn and grow, both in my comfort zone and in my relationship with Christ. Life is hard, but it is so amazing. And God. God is so good. Even just this month, I have really seen Him working all around me, and it has been incredible. He is teaching me so much, I am finding things that surprise me every single day, and I have experienced so much grace and love. It is overwhelming. I have a lot of growing to do, and there is always so much more to learn, but I am finally getting to a point where the thought of growing up and experiencing new things isn't as scary.
Take the leap. One of the big things that I wanted to do this year was grow and expand out of my comfort zone. I am graduating, a lot of things are changing in my life, and I really wanted to just take this year to grow and experience things that I normally wouldn't. I get nervous about things very easily, and lately I have really had a big struggle with fear, but I have decided not to let that stop me anymore. The only way to overcome the fear is to quit listening to it and listen to God's voice instead. I am taking chances that I would normally be totally freaked out about, and I am choosing to listen to God's calling on my life, instead of letting Satan's lies control me. There is such freedom in acting on faith, and while I know it isn't going to always be easy, I know it is what God has called me to do. So I am taking the leap. I'm doing the thing. And I refuse to give in to fear anymore.

Love and kindness are always worth it. You know those people who make your day so much better just by one little thing they do or say? You could be having the worst day of your life, but talking to them or even sometimes seeing them and getting an encouraging smile is all you need to feel better. I know people like that and it blows my mind to see the love that they show other people. They have made a habit of kindness, and that is an extraordinary thing. Kindness is something that seems scarce in the world, especially right now. Things that bring differing opinions also bring harsh language, rude comments, and angry insults from both sides. I'm not saying we should all agree; I am saying that our disagreements can be handled with dignity and love. The world would be a much, much better place if we were more kind about the way we communicate.

Life is truly beautiful. The beauty of life is in the snowflakes falling softly on the ground, it's in the laughter in a group of friends, it's in the giggling of a baby, it's in the inquisitive little squirrels gathering seed, it's in community, family, nature, silence. Life is not only full of gifts, it is a gift. And with the life that we have been given, we can share that gift. Be the gift. Appreciate the gifts God has given us. It is hard, and even seems impossible at times, but there is nothing quite like the joy that you experience from searching for the little gifts and being truly thankful to the Giver for them.
 
A solid group of friends is priceless. This month, I have come to realize the importance and treasure of my Christian friends. It is such an encouragement to have a place to be vulnerable, to share struggles, and give each other advice and support. Community is extremely important. Believe it or not, everyone is going through something, and when you can talk about your struggles together, you may even find that someone else is going through the exact same thing you are. It is always important to have a group of people to keep each other accountable and work through struggles together with lots of prayer. I am beyond grateful for the real, authentic friends that I have in my life right now. You guys are extraordinary and beautiful souls, and I cannot say enough about how much of a blessing you are! ♥ 

God's Word is so important. I have really begun to realize the value of the Bible this month. It is the most powerful weapon against the devil's lies, it is comfort when I am worried, it is full of convicting truths and advice about literally everything that could happen in my life. It is so, so valuable, and I am experiencing the sweetness of God's Word more and more every day!

I will never be perfect, but God is. I am someone who loves things to be in order. I tend to be a perfectionist, and when things are messy or unorganized, it drives me crazy and I feel like I have to fix it. That not only goes for things around me, but also for my own character and life. I know my flaws, and I want to be perfect. I want to fix myself. But the thing is, God did not choose me because I was perfect. Jesus did not die because I was flawless. Instead, he died for me because I was just the opposite. Because I am so flawed that I cannot possibly change without Him. Because He loves me even though I am a sinner. And that is a beautiful thing. I am learning that I don't have to "clean myself up" so God will accept me. He has asked me to give Him all of my broken, messy, ugly humanness, and let Him change me from the inside out. When I allow Him to exchange all I am for all He is, that is where I need to be. I will never be perfect in this life. It is not possible. But I am being changed and transformed by a God who is perfect and who is full of mercy and love. He has taken my broken mess of a life and is weaving it into His story. That is an extraordinary thing, and I am so, so grateful!

Thankfulness Thursday (or...Friday?)

 I am finally sitting down on Thursday night to write this up, so I guess it will be a day late. So sorry about my posting being completely off...my entire schedule has been off lately, so finding time to blog has been hard. I really wanted to post the Thankfulness Thursday today, especially since I missed it last week!

thankful for...

encouragement from dear friends
fuzzy slippers
the adorable kids I babysit (GAH I love them!)
post-it notes
morning coffee
cough medicine
homemade cookies
taking the leap
stuffed animals
finding my favorite missing pens

_________________________________________________________________________

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 
Psalm 107:1 

Thankfulness Thursday

 

 thankful for....

warm throw blankets

crazy games

giant snowflakes

the steady ticking of the clock

catching up with friends

long talks with Mum

the warm sun on my face

wind blowing the snow

surprise packages

gorgeous views

spontaneous dancing in the kitchen

quiet time

_____________________________________________________________________

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, 

rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,

and overflowing with thankfulness. 

Colossians 2:6-7

Dear World...

Dear World...Once upon a time, you were perfect. You were spoken into being by the words of the Almighty, crafted so beautifully, filled with all good things. There were people—a man and a woman—they were perfect too. Flawless from the hairs on their head to the soles of their feet. There were plants of every kind imaginable, animals that played together, water that ran crystal clear, a garden like none other.  

Life. Peace. Joy. Love. 

Then there was a serpent. A beast full of evil, who tempted the woman with fruit and lies. A deceptive question, a twisted answer, and sin. Sin in the perfect world that suddenly became no longer perfect.  

No longer did everything seem so beautiful.   

Hatred and anger took the place of love and joy. 

Chaos took the place of peace. 

And the ground that grew life was stained by the blood of the dead.

Many years later, there was a baby. A small, helpless infant, born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough. A picture of humanity in its lowliest form. But he was God. He was the Almighty....the Creator. The One who was rejected time and time again, shunned and cursed by the very people he created. He stooped to our filthy, humanly level and became one of us. Fully God, yet fully man. Emmanuel. The Great I AM. 

He lived a perfect life in a sinful world, loved by a few, followed by some, and rejected by many. 

 He came to die. He took on himself the punishment that we earned for ourselves with our own sinfulness. 

And the thing is? He didn't stay dead. He is alive and has returned to heaven with the Father. Someday soon, He is coming back. This spinning globe will not last forever, and there is an eternity of either life or death. We can choose God and live forever with Him, or we can reject Him and experience eternal death.

Dear world...don't reject Him. He is real, and He loves you. 
Lay your burdens at the feet of the One who will carry them for you, and give Him your life. 
He is waiting with open arms.

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Thankfulness Thursday

Sometimes it can be really hard to give thanks...But giving thanks to God for even the smallest of things is one of the most effective and important things that I have done to keep my eyes focused on Him. In every circumstance, there is always something to be thankful for, and when we start seeing everything as a unique gift from God, our entire focus shifts off of our problems and onto his amazing grace.

 thankful for..

sunshine in the bitter cold

 book stores

antiques

letters in the mail

string lights

forgiveness

encouraging podcasts (this one is incredible)

planners

scripture memory cards

long talks

waking up when it's still dark

rest

art inspiration 
colorful ink 
hand lettering
_________________________________________________

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night"

Psalm 92:1-2 

Hello 2017

Happy New Year, everybody! I hope you have had a great 2016! I always look forward to a new year. It is really exciting to have a fresh start!

The first half of 2016 was amazing. I had so many fun things happening, I started my senior year of highschool, I really grew closer to some amazing people, I turned 17, I got really involved in writing, my blog really started to grow, and life was great. Things couldn't have been better! 

The last few months have really been a difficult, but growing time. I went through a big personal struggle, I found out things about some of my friends who I thought were a certain way and ended up being completely the opposite, I missed my long-distance friends, we had to put our dog down, and I ended up being pretty sick. It was all really discouraging for me to look back at the year, because that was all that I was seeing. But I had a perspective change after realizing that there really were good things that happened in that time! Even the bad things that happened had their good parts. 

For instance, I found out that I am going to be an aunt (which is super exciting!!), and I have been able to talk and pray over Skype and email with a very close friend of mine from a long time ago about our struggles and life. Our bond is growing stronger, and I am so thankful for her! 
I discovered how awesome things like Skype, emails, and texting are, because my Ohio sister and I were able to have a Christmas party even though we were hundreds of miles apart! We have been able to communicate and keep our friendship strong, which is a huge blessing!
Through my spiritual struggles, I have really seen God's hand in my life and I have grown so much closer to Him through it. He has given me passion like I have never felt it before, and I am already able to look back on the last few months and see how much he has brought me through.
I am learning how to rest and that it is ok to take a break once in a while so that I can recover. I have learned to treasure the friendships that are genuine and deep, and I am learning thankfulness and joy in every circumstance.

When I think about the year that way, I see it in a completely different light! I am able to pick out the beautiful things, and be thankful for the lessons that the hard things taught me. A big thing that I have learned is that growing cannot happen without struggling. Those are the things that really push us and stretch us. To be honest, I am someone who likes to be comfortable. I don't like being out of my comfort zone, and the thought of doing it freaks me out! But I have realized that it is necessary for growing, and I really want to embrace change and new opportunities for growth this year. 

Something that I sort-of announced recently was that I am going to be changing my blog! I have really felt like God has placed it on my heart to do more of a devotional style of blogging, and I am going for it. I will be sticking with this blog, instead of doing a completely new one, but the content will be changing. I still have some things to iron out, such as figuring out the best posting schedule and such, so posting times will most likely be a little random for a while. Each Thursday, I am planning on doing a Thankfulness Thursday post, and I want to do a thoughtful/devotional post another day of the week. This is something completely new for me, but I am looking forward to it! Prayers would be appreciated as well, because this could not happen without God's guidance and grace! 

So...goodbye, 2016....hello, 2017! This year is going to be a big one, and I am looking forward to it! (I'm graduating and turning 18 Y'ALL HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?!?) I used to come up with big lists of aspirations and goals, but this year, I just want to really focus on my relationship with Christ and grow spiritually. I want to learn true faith and confidence in Him, because, as I realized this past year, that is the only place I will get it. I want to hide God's Word in my heart, because I have learned that it truly is the best and most powerful weapon there is, and I want to see God in everything and be thankful for everything, because everything is a gift from Him.

Thank you Lord for another year!! ♥ 

For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. 

2 Timothy 1:7

The Ultimate 2016 Blogger Gift Exchange | Opal Swirls

Hello, everyone! Merry Christmas!!! Today's post is super exciting. Several of us bloggers have a group chat, and a while back, we were talking about how fun it would be to do a Secret Santa Gift Exchange. Well, Jo from The Bearable Blog and Vanessa from Simply Me worked really hard together and made it happen!! Sooo, today I will be posting about my recipient and her blog!

I am paired up with Opal from Opal Swirls! I had never seen Opal's blog before the gift exchange, so I am really glad that I was paired up with her! Her blog is AMAZING. She has such a sweet blog, and her writing style is really fun!

Because I had never visited Opal's blog, I needed to find out a bit about her, so I (obviously) went over to her blog and read her posts/explored/creeped for quite some time! It did not disappoint, because I found out some pretty cool stuff about her! (p.s. I found out that we are super similar in our likes and dislikes. Actually, we are basically mental twins. Except for math. I am confident that she has far surpassed me in that area. :p) We are both the same age, she loves coffee, music, horses, books, writing, and the color purple. Other really awesome things about her: she is a Christian, a great writer, she has a fabulous personality, and a lovely face. Plus, I LOVE the color/look/everything of her hair. IT'S GORGEOUS. If her blog indicates anything about her personality, she's got to be the sweetest person alive! Oh also ALSO I watched her vlog and she has a lovely accent! Now you should totally go check out her blog and you will see for yourself what I mean. She's awesome.

As I was looking around Opal Swirls, I came across several posts that I really love. Of course I had to share them with you!

~She did a post with truth/lies about herself

~She talked about the different types of readers there are

~She did a post about things writers have in common 

~She talked about the value of friendship

She also does really cool monthly review posts that are really fun to read! I couldn't link them all here, though, but you should go check those out too! 

If you aren't already following Opal, you totally should!! You will love her blog and her personality, and I don't think she will mind if you follow her either! ;)

Here are her social media links! Go check them out and give her a follow!

Instagram | Bloglovin | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

A Very Merry Christmas to you, Opal! We totally need to talk sometime, because you seem like an amazing person. I'm so glad I was introduced to your blog!

Merry Christmas!!!!


Have a lovely day! :)

~Megan ♥

 

Currrently: Christmas, sickness, and an Announcement

Hello, lovely person! Merry Christmas!

Today's post is going to be a little different. I'm just going to do a life update/what's been happening. I have been really off with my blogging schedule. The thing is, I have posts ready, but I don't have the time to edit them and get them ready to publish. The main reason is that I don't have as much mental energy as of right now, since I have been pretty sick the past month or two. It's literally just a cold/flu thing, but I just can't seem to recover. I'm really trying hard to rest, but it is difficult right now.  I am starting to feel better, and I am hoping I will be well by Christmas. 

Speaking of Christmas, I can't believe it's one week away! Thankfully, I have just about all my Christmas prep done. I was actually able to get it all done in a timely manner this year, which is surprising! (Because that never happens, folks. Ever.) 😛

So besides being sick, I have been working a lot on school and such. Since it's my last year, I really don't want to fall behind. Things are going well, and I'm pretty much on track! I am working on memorizing lines and preparing for the spring play, so I want to make sure I can keep up with it all then too. Oh man, I can't wait to graduate! That will feel amazing! 😁

On a more serious note, we ended up having to say goodbye to our precious dog two weeks ago. He was super loving, and basically the best family dog you will ever meet. He was very loved, and it was a super difficult time. It has taken a week or two to fully set in for me, but it is starting to now. This is the first time I have ever lost a pet, and it is so, so hard. 😢

As some of you know, I have been working on a really big project lately. I wasn't exactly ready to share what it was yet, but I'm going to now! Recently, I was suddenly struck by a late-night thought/inspiration about my writing. I felt the big urge to begin something writing-wise that would encourage people and glorify Christ. I have done a lot of praying, thinking, planning, etc., and I have made the decision to switch to more of a devotional style of blogging. I am not sure exactly what day I will start, because I have a few things to get ready, but it will be at the beginning of the year for sure. My blog has grown over the last year, and I really want to be using my writing for the glory of Christ. So yeah! That's what will be happening soon. 😊

Also, Christmas is in five days!!! *screams* GAH I'm super excited about it!! Christmas is my favorite holiday! We have so much snow, so we will have a white Christmas! The weather is truly frightful...it has been in the negatives for the past few days! I love the snow, but it is pretty chilly for my liking! 😛 Then we have the beginning of a new year, and that is always exciting! 😊

I think that is about all that's going on. I have been really busy the past few weeks, and I think things are about to get busier! I have a really exciting and fun post coming on Friday, so stay tuned for that!! 

Have a lovely day! 

~Megan ♥