New Year, New City - Nashville

Ya'll.

I have had the craziest winter break of them all. From LC, to Oklahoma, to Dallas, to Memphis, to Nashville, to BR, to Nola... I am freaking tired, but with a full and happy heart. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably kept up with all my adventures; but I took some pretty pictures in Nashville and thought I'd share some of the details. 

After spending New Year's Eve in Dallas with Chi Alpha, I drove straight to Memphis to pick up my DCP roommate Kelly; and the next day we drove to Nashville to meet up with DCP roommate Sarah. It was a pretty central location for all of us, and Sarah and I had never visited Nashville before; so we were pretty excited to stay a couple of days. 

Goodbye 2017

You didn't think I'd skip out on an end-of-year blog post, did you?

I don’t know about anyone else, but this was one of those years that flew by; and yet I can still remember every messy and beautiful moment.

I remember where I was (literally and figuratively) a year ago, writing a post (linked here) in my favorite coffee shop in the world in Tulsa, Oklahoma, greeting 2017 with hope and anticipation. I had little dreams of writing more and big dreams of becoming a better version of myself. A year ago there was a lot of grief over who I had become, but out of that place came a deeper thankfulness and understanding of the Lord’s grace and mercy.

This past year held so many adventures for me.

Single And Joyful: The Christmas Edition

I told myself I wasn't going to do it, but here I am.

I'm doing it anyways.

I'm writing another blog post on singleness.

And I'm not apologizing for it or for repeating what I've already written before in previous posts here and here, because I think we all need reminders of these truths now and then, ya know???

I'm writing this from a place of honesty and vulnerability, because I've been feelin' it lately. The loneliness. The self-pity. The doubt. The pressure. The dreaded question of "So, ya got a boyfriend yet?"

I don't know if there will ever be a time in singleness that the Enemy will not try and sneak in during this specific time of the year to try and steal our joy.

This time of year in which the world is magic. Everything is merry and bright and beautiful. The lights. The traditions. The gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. The parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow. This time of year in which our hearts seem to feel the most, which brings forth great opportunity to love, but also great heartache. 

Can I be real here? (Rhetorical question, because I'm gonna get real so sit down and buckle up, people)

You see, I think Satan knows the real reason for the season. And he knows that if he can get us looking inward at ourselves and everything we lack in the relationship department, he can steal some of the spotlight from the celebration of our beautiful Savior.

Get Your Hopes Up

"Don't get your hopes up."

I've begun preparing for the post-graduation realm by looking at jobs and preparing my resume, and while for the most part I have no idea what I'm doing, there are a few opportunities that can't help but stir excitement and passion in my spirit. But the more I get stuck in my head, the more overwhelming and intimidating the future appears; and I subconsciously prepare for the worst by whispering this phrase...

"Don't get your hopes up."

The other day, I was thinking about some friends of mine and how I wish they would commit to coming to church or lifegroup with me so that they could have just one encounter with Jesus that would begin to change their lives. I found myself discouraged and disappointed, thinking... 

"Don't get your hopes up." 

Sometimes I am lonely. I know the Lord is for me, and in Him I have all that I need. He has purposes and plans and dreams for me beyond what I can picture, yet I wonder if I will ever stop experiencing seasons of loneliness that settle around me like a thick, heavy cloud. In an attempt to ease my anxiety, I repeat over and over...

"Don't get your hopes up." 

I pray this doesn't sound like you; but if it does, you're not alone. And even if you never purposefully tell yourself this phrase, how many times do you subdue hope under the cover of realism? 

Something the Lord began to challenge was my belief in every part of His character, which meant believing He is the God of all hope (Romans 15:3). If I believe that He is a God of love and grace and mercy, peace, kindness, joy, forgiveness... then I must also believe that He is a God of hope, and that His desire is that we should practice and grow in this trait as much as the others.