LET'S CHANGE LIVES

I'm a sucker for good, natural lighting. 

Here it goes.

Another year. Gone.

This past year I've grown a lot, which is pretty much inevitable and predictable, but it's true.

I've learned that you have to be strong. Not just for yourself, but for others. And when you aren't strong enough, the Lord will give you strength. "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

I've learned you have to be prepared for things you never thought would happen. "She does not fear bad news, she confidently trusts the Lord to take care of her." Psalm 112:7

But most of all, I've learned to cherish people like your life depends on it and it does. The past two years, I've seen people basically dissolve from my life, which is fine, it's part of the journey, but what I didn't know then is what I'm telling you now.

Do your best to get to know people and love them as sisters and brothers expecting nothing in return, cause honestly, they could be out of your life in the blink of an eye. Know and love them, not in a mediocre type of way, but in a way that is raw and true. Know and love them in such a way that you can call each other out and work on the struggles together, hand in hand, not being offended, but being grateful for that kind of friendship, because those friends are the ones you can count on.

I may be young; I may not be familiar with the world's concept of "love", but I know the only true, real, raw love that will suffice: Christ's love for us. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35"

Love isn't something petty. It is something created to be great.

So, my last two remarks: love people. cherish people.

What's up 2015. Let's change lives.

ps. I'm seriously grateful for those of you who read my blog and take the words you read to heart. Thank you for listening to what I have to say and hopefully my words have helped you as much as they have helped me. There's something therapeutic about writing and this blog gives me the opportunity to write things that mean something. Thanks again, friends. So much love.