Dear Young Woman

I've made a ton of mistakes in life. As a result of those mistakes, I've suffered a lot of consequences and had to face and overcome a LOT of challenges. One thing I've learned though is that Jesus would never let me go through something if He didn't intend to bring glory from it (Romans 8:28). One thing that I have graciously come to terms with is that my past and my mistakes were not only meant to make me stronger in Christ and to have a deeper understanding of His ever-compassionate grace and mercy; but I made my mistakes so that one day I can help someone else steer clear of the paths that I took. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says it pretty well: "So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

If I could write myself a letter, go back in time and deliver it to myself and save myself from all those mistakes... I'm not sure I would. Jesus knew I was going to make those mistakes and still CHOSE me and CREATED me and DIED for me. So although I would never wish to change the past (even though I would love to take back the hurt I inflicted on my loved ones), I hope some young woman out there reads this and takes to heart what I learned through my mistakes. I hope someone hears this and I hope it makes a difference. If I could write myself that letter... This is what it would say:

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Dear Young Woman:

Chances are, you are reading this at a time when you are trying to figure out who you are. Let me tell you, first and foremost, 

#1) You are God's daughter. You are royalty. No matter what the world tells you, no matter what the kids say or what the emotions in your head say; no matter what the billboards portray those other women as, YOU ARE GODS CHOSEN. Royal. It says so in 1 Peter 2:9. And a true royal is not stuck up or cocky, but she is learning confidence, humility, and how to be a servant. True gracefulness and poise comes not from having people serving you, but learning how to serve others and how to to LOVE doing it. Serving others (and ultimately Christ) will bring you joy on the days you feel unwanted and depressed and devalued because you will receive a gift that no words of confirmation can bring - you will receive the gift of someone's joy when they are blessed by YOU. You may think right now receiving is a beautiful thing, and it is; but you have the heart of your Father! It's in your DNA to love serving others; and when you serve others, you connect with Jesus in a way you have never experienced before. "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:28

#2) You are not required to fight for God's love. Gods love is a crazy thing because we are so used to feeling like we have to fight for love and acceptance. But God is not asking you to do that. God is fierce. He proved His point in the loudest way possible by sending His Son to die for you (John 3:16).

God will not only fight your battles with you, but God will fight FOR you - to keep you as His daughter. He isn't wimpy. He's strong and fierce and brave and when things get tough, all you have to do is call on the name of Jesus and you will find refuge. "He will cover you with His feathers and shelter you with His wings; His faithful promises are your armor and protection." -Psalm 91:4 // "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

#3) Go easy on your parents - they're still learning! Just as much as you think they expect YOU to be perfect, often we expect our parents to be perfect too. But even though they are our authority and our examples, truth is, sometimes they feel terrified for you. They know how hard this world is and they know that people are out to use you, to walk all over you, to take advantage of you, and those people are willing to pretend to be your best friends in order to do so. Listen to your parents about your friends (Proverbs 1:8). They pick up on things. Even though those friends might be helping you get away with things behind your parents' backs, the guilt you feel is forming a wall between you and your loved ones. Honesty and reconciliation is the only thing that is going to break that wall down. As long as you live in secret and sneak around you are continuing to stack bricks on that wall and there will continue to be that hardness in your heart towards everyone on the other side. You may not realize it now, but you are building bitterness and resentment towards them because sin is fun - and if you're having to do it behind their backs then that must mean they just don't want you to have fun, right? WRONG. They just know the cost of those things. It's not just a drink of alcohol or a kiss from a hot guy, its a careful dance with the devil - one you think you can control but never will be able to. Which leads me to my next point... 

#4) If your sin wasn't fun, you wouldn't keep doing it. Satan makes sin as fun  so possible to keep you bound. But sin ALWAYS requires MORE from you. Everytime you have to go further, you need a little more. You get "so close" to feeling "satisfied" and you know that maybe if next time you drink more or party more or "live it up more" you'll reach that point of distraction - oops, I meant satisfaction - but I promise you it will never be enough. You will always need more. Jesus is the only thing that will ever satisfy you. If you truly want to feel weightlessly joyful and complete, give your heart to JESUS. "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." -Psalm 28:7

#5) There will always be boys that want you. Whether you are aware of it or not. But you cannot truly be happy with someone until you are happy WITHOUT someone. If you jump into a relationship or flirtationship while you are still unsure of who you are, you are going to begin to depend on that person to define your beauty. When they aren't around to reassure you, all those little insecurities creep back up and torment you. 1 Peter 3:3-5 says that "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self,the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." Work on THAT, and you'll find somebody worth your time. But don't rush it. Love is exciting, but even though "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18, if you fall for the wrong person, you end up giving a piece of your heart away. And although Jesus can always restore what's been broken, why give the enemy that foothold in your life? He doesn't realize that he's been defeated and he will try to throw those awful things back in your face. You don't need to be fighting off shame every day of your life. Jesus wants you to live a free, ABUNDANT life. 

And finally,

#6) Enjoy YOUR journey with Jesus. Not your parents, not your youth pastors; make it PERSONAL. Parents and pastors can point you to the right places in scripture to start, but find out who Jesus is calling you to be - find out what it takes to be Jesus' best friend and learn to thrive in that. Talk to Him often. Get to know His heart. "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18​. You have to learn to ENJOY life. And the only way to en(JOY) life is to experience the joy that comes from life with Jesus; to live how you were made to: in constant praise and worship of Jesus. When you do that, you will always have the peace that comes with it and you will ALWAYS know the love of your Father. Know that in ANY situation you can praise Jesus and watch your chains fall off. Just like Paul and Silas did in Acts 16! If you feel bound, PRAISE JESUS. Watch your chains fall off. And watch the chains on others around you fall off. The joy of The Lord is not only contagious, but the joy of The Lord is our STRENGTH. 

Trust in Jesus - He knows what He's doing!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8 

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12 

Love,

Someone Who Already Learned (and is still learning!) ❤️

  

Hey, You Wear That Jesus Well!

I had some free time today on my lunch and I was able to scroll down my Facebook newsfeed! As I was scrolling I saw a few posts that I had to hide from my feed, and a few posts that made me feel really gross about what my generation is like. It challenged me not only to pray for this generation more... but to thank Jesus for the people that are still pursuing Him wholeheartedly - the people that encourage me and inspire me. The people I see Jesus in and the people I want to be like! So instead of focusing on the people conforming to the expectations and temptations of the world, I want to take a second to focus on the people that SHINE and the people that are transforming their lives to look like Jesus more and more every day; the people that inspire me, encourage me, and truly make a difference each day they live! I want to brag on the people that show Jesus and the people that strengthen me and bring me joy (even though I don't tell them often enough). These are just a few people who's hearts shine and I wanted to spotlight!

@Bethany Krawietz - This girl is dedicated to her studies. I truly admire how smart she is! She works hard, studies hard, and she's going FAR! She has ambition and drive and she knows what it's like to push yourself and to lean on Christ to strengthen you enough to get you through! Thank you Bethany for living out Phillippians 4:13 with your life!

@Mario Guerra - This guy has a passion for REVIVAL. He's an open vesssel at all times ready to be used by Jesus to shake the world up! I have no doubt in my mind that there is any place that The Lord would call him to that he wouldn't go to. He would give his life for his King and to see this world encounter JESUS! And that's a vision I stand behind! Thank you Mario for living out Isaiah 6:8 with your life!

@Audrey Self - This girl has always been artistic, dedicated, bright, and has always excelled in everything she does! As long as I've known her she's set high goals and taken every step needed to meet them! The last year for her has been a harder climb then anything I can imagine but she hasn't given up! She still shines, she's dedicated and she's a hard worker! She's developed endurance- and she's developing more every day! Every time I see her beautiful face light up my newsfeed I'm reminded to keep working, no matter how hard things seem! Endurance is a beautiful thing! Thank you Audrey for living out James 1:4 with your life!

@Jami David - One word: authentic. This beautiful lady is authentically full of JOY! I haven't spent a ton of one-on-one time with this woman but she has impacted my world in ways she hasn't realized as I've watched her vibrantly live for Jesus! Down to earth, fun, beautiful, and FAITH FILLED- everything she posts is authentically and UNIQUELY her. She's a servant, a worshipper, and loyal - but the thing that I thank Jesus for is her JOY. Jami, you are beautiful - and your joy encourages me from 300 miles away. You show the world what a praiser looks like every time you step on stage to use your gifts for Jesus as well as all the moments you're off-stage. Thank you for living out Psalm 28:7 with your life!

@Francis Isibor - How many times has this guy dug into the Word of God; how many times has he gone out to Whataburger with people from TBI (or out with people in general) solely with the purpose of talking about Jesus and sharing what he's being shown? I couldn't count the times I've seen him sharing wisdom and seeking wisdom, and to be honest if you asked him he probably couldn't count them either. Francis is close to the Fathers heart and is wise beyond his years! I admire that so much - because with every piece of wisdom Francis gains he gains a better understanding of our Father's heart! Not only that, but he's always ready to share what The Lord is showing him! Thank you Francis for living out Colossians 2:2-3 with your life!


@Bridgette Watson - I want to be fearless. I want to be adventurous - to have a heart for the world, and to be the unique person that God created me to be. I want to stand out - to be DIFFERENT and beautifully unique. Whether this girl is raising money for human trafficking, posting her OOTD, or loving on her parents, her STYLE is there, her mark is is there - and she is making her beautiful impression on this world by being the beautiful person Jesus has transformed her into! She stands out because she is FEARLESSLY HERSELF! Thank you Bridgette for living out Romans 12:2 with your life!

@Abby Burchfield - This woman radiates Jesus. Whether it's in her persistence, her purity, her patience, or her dedication to Jesus, she radiates the very purity and innocence that comes from being completely in love with your Savior. She is elegant and ladylike and truly is a role model for young women and mature women alike! She truly radiates Jesus by the way she intentionally chooses to live for Him daily and that beautiful radiance is something I admire and strive after! Thank you Abby for living out Psalm 37:6 with your life! (PS, NLT hits the nail on the head ;D)

Thank you all for all you do! You've shown me Jesus and I know I'm not the only one you're showing Him to. Never stop growing, never stop living out Phillippians 2:13!

Your friend,
Anna

My (Romance) Novel.

His name was Sutton. He was tall, dark, and handsome. Even his name was intriguing. He was fit. Sweet. Rock hard abs. Always smiling; always there for me. He was everything and anything I ever wanted.

And he truly was, until the next Christmas, when I got another Barbie doll that took his place.

Now that I've got your attention...

See, growing up, I loved playing Barbie dolls. I've always been creative and I've always loved to author stories. Barbies were actors in my play; characters in my movies with whatever plot I wanted. And that's what they were created to be. No matter who or what I chose to make Sutton, he was always smiling. However, we as people? We were created a little bit differently.

I once heard this story, and it goes a little like this:

Now this a story all about how my life got flipped- turned upside down, and I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there....

Just kidding. This is actually the story of a man named Jonah that I read in this really cool book I was reading the other day...

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. (Jonah 1:1-3)

HA. Poor Jonah. Did he really think he could run from the Lord? God had called Him! God wanted to use him as a LEADER to bring people to their Father! But Jonah was SCARED. So Jonah got on a ship and tried to run from God and God's plan for Jonah's life. -Pause-

August 11th, 2014 (exactly 5 months ago today) was a big day for me. It was the day I began my adult life in San Antonio, Texas. I packed up my things and embarked on the journey. I got 2 jobs and was attending school about 30 hours a week, give or take. I was eating healthy, working out at 5am every morning, waking up an hour before then to have my scheduled Jesus time, studying till about 1am every night, and running out of juice. I started a Bible study in San Antonio at my apartment, and was trying to keep myself full of godly wisdom for that. I decided that I was going to be unstoppable. I wanted to succeed at every aspect and have everything work out to my advantage and I wanted it RIGHT THEN. I wanted to make it, to be successful; but I didn't want to wait. I wanted to be like successful people I've seen in my life, "even if I died trying". I quickly ran out of "juice"- and everything started falling apart. I was tired.

I stepped down from leading the Bible study and I began to hide. My passions (fitness, cosmetology) became chores, and I found myself dependent on energy drinks and sugar highs just to get through the day. I was falling asleep in class, in church, during my Jesus time, I was even pulling off the road nearly every time I drove because I was too tired and needed sleep; and those were just the physical effects. Emotionally I was spent too. I began receiving harsh treatment from the majority of my classmates at school due to an incident I stood my ground on. I became weak, and instead of standing up for myself, I stepped back from everything and tried to blend in. I began living a complacent life. I focused on "making it". But God had so much more.

See, just like Jonah, God had called me to more. God didn't want me "making it" or "blending in". God has placed a call on my life to be a leader. I'm God's daughter, and His desire isn't for me to "make it" but to THRIVE, to enjoy the life He gave me. But I didn't value that. I had a plan of my own, and I was willing to do whatever it took to carry it out. I knew what I wanted, but I didn't know the consequences.

Resume. So Jonah gets on this big boat right? And this huge storm comes. God causes this storm, because He's trying to get Jonah's attention (funny, I've had my fair share of storms lately too... conicidence? ;D).

To make a long(ish) story short, the people Jonah was with throw him over the boat, the storm stops, Jonah gets swallowed by a fish and in this fish, and he finally begins to focus on God. He cries out and praises God and surrenders His life to God once more. The fish spits Jonah out on land, God commands him once more to go to Ninevah, and this time Jonah obeys.

I used to think this story was just about obedience. But today, Jesus revealed something a little different to me. Jonah was running from his calling. Jonah was just like me. He had heard God's plan, but he had a plan of his own. Little did he know, he would never be satisfied. So a storm came, and in that storm, Jonah had time to focus on his relationship God. And he finally listened.

My most recent storm came when I lost my job. It was the final straw, but it was a blessing in disguise. In the time off, I was able to focus on God. I was able to take a step back and focus more on me and Jesus. I realized that I had been running from my calling of being a leader. By blending in, I had become a follower. I had stopped living radically. I thought that I could make it by being low-key and quiet, but that's not who God called me to be. He called me to be a leader. Leaders live loud- but not by their words; they live loud by example. By their lives. By the way they pursue God; by the way they surrender.

In order to be happy, I have to be authentic. And the way I am authentic is by being who God called me to be. God called me to lead people to Him. Whether its in my school, at my job, at the store, God as called me to live a joyous life and to be an example of his faithfulness, grace, and love. In fact, He's called all believers to that. I began to realize that I can't expect to be happy if I'm just "blending in". If I'm not pursuing everything God has for me and focusing on who HE wants me to be and what HE wants me to do, I'm like Jonah. I'm running from my calling. And just as Jonah learned, I've learned that that does NOT work.

We have to be willing to put ourselves out there, to stand out; to meet people and (go figure) LEAD people to Christ. We have to be willing to surrender wholeheartedly to God's plan for our lives; no matter where it takes us!

I wonder if there are others out there right now, who are also feeling tired, unsatisfied. And I wonder if maybe the reason they're not content is that they're not living loudly and passionately the way God has called them to live. Maybe that's you. Maybe you're being complacent, maybe you're only "getting by" in your relationship with God. Maybe it's as simple as you not being satisfied because you haven't brought anybody to Jesus or you're not living radically like you used to. All I know is, God called us to more. He always has more for us. He never wants us to just "get by". He wants us to thrive, to enjoy life, He wants to pour out His blessings on us and He WANTS to use us.  Not just for Himself, He wants to use us because that is the one thing that will satisfy us. It's what we were created to do. Just like I liked using my Barbies to write a story, God created all of us and put us on this Earth to bring joy to Him. And the way we do that is by letting Him use us. We weren't made to fit in. We were meant to stand out, to live radically; to be used by the very hands that created us. Nothing will ever satisfy us like He does.

I've stopped trying to find pleasure, happiness, romance. I've stopped pretending like I ever had any control over it and surrendered to the fact that I was made to bring God the glory He deserves. My challenge? Surrender. Stop trying to work things out on your own. Stop trying to "find" pleasure. Stop trying to write your story and let Jesus write your novel. Let Jesus direct your life. Let Jesus use you. Nothing else satisfies. And that's it.

The End.