WWJD: Fighting Comparison

I am so excited to be sharing with you all the first post in my new series that I mentioned a few days ago. If you missed the introduction of WWJD, check it out here.

I pray that as I embark on this new journey with this series, that I am able to 

share Gods truth and love with you. That you know that He truly has your best interest 

in mind and can give you far more than you think you deserve. We serve a BIG 

God, I truly believe this and know this. Also, I am sharing my experiences with 

you all. I am in by no means an expert or think that all situations are the same. 

The Lord shows us Himself through all different ways and we grow closer to 

Him in different ways, as well. I do though, hope to encourage you to work on 

growing closer to the Lord in your personal life, and just see where He can take you!

The biggest thing that I have finally learned about myself is that I struggle with comparison. And I HATE to admit it. But don't we all hate to admit what we struggle with. We hate to admit to share that deep, embarrassing thing with others that just shows to them that we are also human. That we struggle with something just like everyone else does. That even though our instagram may look "perfect", our life is far from it. BUT let me remind you, friends, that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. To give us grace from all that we suffer from and to live freely in His love. Once you know that, truly know it, deep down in your heart the thing(s) that you struggle with won't seem so hard or painful anymore. You won't feel like you're the only one out there dealing with this. Or that you're alone. I'm sure for most of us we have felt that we're the only one around us that has felt this way before. But guess what! YOU'RE NOT ALONE! Christ is with you and has been tempted just like you with this struggle.

But back to what Jesus has been teaching me and showing me in relation to comparison. First and foremost, I am created in Christ and Christ only. I wasn't created to be like the girls I see at the store or on social media. I was created to be me! From the beginning we were created to be like God and in His image, "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."" (Genesis 1:26). I've been making it a habit this year to have a verse that I meditate on throughout each month... and I don't find it coincidental at all that they have to do with making my heart more pure. We are also told in the bible not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2) or to seek for the approval of man (Galatians 1:10). Clearly God knows that we can easily compare our lives to others, even as Christians, but He knows how much more content and joyful our lives would be if we looked to Christ! I encourage you to ask God to place verses on your heart that will help you during hard times of struggle or temptation, it has definitely helped me during long, weary days. And if memorizing scripture is hard, ask for help in that too, the Lord already knows that it is hard for you and He wants to have an intimate relationship with you, one where you aren't afraid of asking Him for help!

Second, if I continue to let comparison in my life, I will never find contentment or be able to truly love myself. The past two weeks I have woken up early to go to a cycling class on Wednesday mornings at 6 am. Never in my life would I have thought that I could do it. But I'm finding a new love for myself through this cycling class. This morning was only the fourth time I have ever cycled, but I'm finding myself being motivated by me (and God) and not everyone around me. The first two times I was constantly looking around me to see what others were doing but that's not what I was capable of yet. So I've been focusing on what I can do and that's been showing! It's also been helping lately for me to pray on the way to class. I always pray and ask God to give me strength in Him and to motivate me to do my best so that I can give my best for His Kingdom. Jesus says ""Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."" (Matthew 7:7-8). Today was a great cycling class and I've already exceeded what I thought I could do. One thing that really stuck with me this morning, though, was something the cycle instructor said. She said "comparison is the thief of joy" and how true is that, friends?! I can definitely say that over the past year I have let myself become unhappy because I was comparing myself to those around me or those that I don't even know on instagram. But as Christ shows me where I am weak, I am leaning on Him to make me strong. Isaiah 40:29 tells us that "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" and I firmly believe that if we are in prayer, asking the Lord to strengthen us, because we are weak, then He will do so. Friends, don't forget that just because we don't always see or hear from God directly that we doesn't hear us.

Thank you for letting me share where I am weak. It's not easy to be vulnerable and share things that are hard in our lives, but I am praying that it has encouraged you today. I am excited to continue learning how God can make me stronger. What have you been struggling with that the Lord is making you stronger in? Or where have you seen God? Even if it is little, God is still there and working in your life if you let Him. Look for Him today. Thank Him for all of the ways that He has made you stronger, but also ask Him to take your weaknesses and make those stronger, as well.

New Series Introduction: WWJD

It's April friends, which means fresh new flowers, sunshine, and warmer weather! (*insert praise Jesus hands here*) This also means that I am introducing a new series here on Simply Faithful. I've known for awhile that through my blog I wanted to share so much more. I want to capture the simplicity of Christ and who He is and can be in our lives. We have such an amazing God, and we can learn so much from Him, especially through His word!

So what's the name of the series, you ask... it's What Would Jesus Do. Aka, WWJD.

So here is what I want with this new series, What Would Jesus Do. I want to share what either I or a guest writer (I have some wonderful ladies that will be writing some of their experiences) has been struggling with or had struggled with in the past... and then in return what Jesus taught through that experience/struggle and how they/I grew through it all. I also want to reference what the Bible and how we can and should use Gods word that He has given us to help us through hard times and know/learn how to seek His wisdom that He has given us in His word. Hopefully that was easy to understand, and if it wasn't, well just check back for the WWJD posts that will be coming.

I really pray that the Lord uses me and anyone who may be writing to meet you all wherever you may be at, to show you His grace and love. To show you how He can turn your life around and give you far more than you ever thought possible, or even thought you deserved.

These posts will be coming from our hearts and will most likely be hard for us to share. So I pray that you also give grace and encouraging words to the ladies who will be sharing with you all what the Lord has been teaching/taught them. We all know that life isn't easy and we (as women) definitely need to be more encouraging to each other. I'm sure we are all going through the same thing, or at least have in the past.

So, ladies, I am excited to encourage you all and share all of the things that the Lord has taught me through different experiences I have had so far in my life. I will be praying for each of you, and would love to get to know you all even more throughout these topics that get brought up.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

-Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

-Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

February Goals

TGIF! But really. This has been a week for the books, which is the whole reason why my February Goals was not posted on February 1st. But... that was just two days ago and we have 25 days left of February, so I think we're good! 

February Goals:

-Read a book

-Meditate on Lamentations 3:22-23

-Memorize one verse of scripture

-Take a meal to someone who just had a baby: 

I have a friend who is having a baby in February and 

I would love to be able to take them a meal 

after the sweet baby boy is born!

-Celebrate Reese's 25th birthday! 

What are your goals for the month? How do you decide what goals to make for each specific month?

January Goals

I know that we are 9 days into January already, but I have decided to try to use monthly goals as a way to get things done this year. I know we all love making resolutions, goals, and dreaming about what all we can get done and plan in a new year and so I am going to use monthly goals to my advantage to try to accomplish things.

I tend to do a lot better when I don't put too many things on my goal list for each month, so we are going to start out on the shorter side for January and see how much we get done! And some of these may be coming from my 101 in 1001 Challenge. If you haven't seen that post yet, click here. You can also look back a my first 101 in 1001 Challenge here.

January Goals: 

- Read one book

- Memorize one verse of scripture

- Try to prioritize morning quiet time

- Blog at least twice a week

- Figure out a plan for my handlettering 

- Work on updating my blog design

What are your goals for January? How do you work on getting your goals accomplished?

New 101 in 1001

Happy Thursday! A few days ago I shared with you all an update on my 101 in 1001 challenge that ended on September 28th. One reason I loved having this challenge was because they were goals that I could make for myself over the months and the years that this challenge was going on since it was throughout 1,001 days. Towards the end of the challenge I realize
d how I made quite a few goals that were not practical or weren't actually obtainable at this current season in my life. It made me want to start a new list of practical goals that I actually thought I could accomplish within this new time frame and this season in my life. So, I am so excited to share my new list with you all!

Start Date: November 1, 2016

End Date: July 29, 2019

Spiritual:
1. Read whole bible
2. Read 12 books in 12 months
3. Memorize scripture each month: 33 months total (0/33)
4. Meditate on that scripture each month
5. Prioritize morning quiet time
6. Volunteer five times (0/5)
7. Start a prayer journal for my children
8. Start praying for guidance for when and where to adopt from, if it's Gods will
9. Finish 30 Days of Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

For Others:
10. Pay for someone in the drive thru
11. Send Birthday Cards to Friends/Family
12. Take a meal to someone that just had a baby
13. Host a holiday party
14. Reconnect with an old friend
15. Send four care packages (0/4)
16. Send someone on a surprise trip (I know who, just don't want them to read this)
17. Host a bible study in our home for married couples

Marriage:
18. Celebrate 2, 3, and 4 years of marriage
19. Have our first baby
20. Have date nights more frequently
21. Take a cooking class
22. Take a weekend getaway
23. Read the Christmas Story every year leading up to Christmas
24. Do an Advent Devotional each year
25. Do Lent- Don't take something away, instead add a habit/help others
26. Celebrate Reese's 25th Birthday (Feb. 2017)
27. Go camping
28. Go hiking
29. Take Tucker hiking
30. Take Tucker camping
31. Go on a picnic
32. Start putting money aside for an adoption

Personal:
33. Unplug from social media for five weekends (0/5)
34. Start running
35. Run a 5k (maybe a 10k?)
36. Complete a 30 day fitness challenge
37. Go to a yoga class
38. Go to a pure barre class
39. Get two massages (0/2)
40. Get pedicures more frequently
41. Do something fun for my 25th Birthday (Mar. 2018)
42. Learn how to curl my hair (to my liking, lol)
43. Finish watching Nashville
44. Give up fast food for three different weeks, at least (0/3)
45. Give up fast food for one whole month
46. Continue perfecting my handlettering
47. Learn what blood type I am

Career:
48. Pray about where the Lord wants me
49. Be obedient with what the Lord has planned
50. Complete any extra schooling I may need (masters for teaching)

Blog:
51. Do a series with another blogger
52. Update my blog design
53. Have a guest write on my blog
54. Write on another persons blog
55. Make Friday posts every week
56. Start doing monthly goals again
57. Do five OOTDs (0/5)
58. Complete a year recap for each full year of this challenge (2016, 2017, 2018)
59. Start a blogging calendar/prep for each month
60. Inspire someone to start a blog

Adventure:
61. Go out to the west coast (Seattle, LA, San Fran, San Diego)
62. Go out of the country
63. Go to NYC during Christmas time
64. Fly a kite
65. Go to the drive in
66. Go hiking with friends/bible study girls
67. Visit 5 new cities
68. Go on a cruise
69. Go to the Grand Canyon
70. Go to Yellowstone
71. Try 5 new restaurants in Lexington (0/5)

Goals:
72. Get a DSLR
73. Learn to use DSLR
74. Get a new computer
75. Learn how to design blogs
76. Learn how to edit photos/make collages for blogging
77. Make photo albums- honeymoon, 1st year of marriage, 1st year anniversary trip
78. See a broadway show (Wicked)
79. See The Rockettes in NYC
80. Do DIYs (0/3)
81. Make my own devotional
82. Start recipe box
83. Find signature lip color
84. Become First Aid Certified
85. Pay off all my student debt
86. Pay off all of our debt combined
87. Get a tattoo
88. Get a new car
89. Buy a house
90. Learn how to make spaghetti sauce from scratch
91. Collect an ornament from each place we travel to
92. Learn how to arrange flowers
93. Plant a garden that thrives
94. Update my passport with my new last name
95. Get wedding pictures printed on canvases to hang
96. Decorate kitchen
97. Perfect my cleaning schedule
98. Stick to that cleaning schedule
99. Go to a woman's UK Basketball game
100. Unsubscribe from emails I don't want to receive
101. Wake up for a week without hitting the snooze button, do this four times (0/4)


What would you put on your 101 in 1001 list?! If you have a list, I would love to see what you're trying to accomplish and encourage you.

101 in 1001 Update

Happy November! So excited for this month to be here. October flew by, but I am excited for the holiday season to be upon us. Now if the weather here in Kentucky would just act like it was fall!

My first 101 in 1001 list ended on September 28th, and I hadn't done an update on it in awhile so I decided to share with you all things I have accomplished.

101 in 1001 Update:
2. Read- I read Lets All Be Brave by Annie F. Downs. She is such a great author, and I feel like I am right there with her listening to her stories. Definitely check her out if you haven't yet!

6. Baptize someone- In March I was able to baptize one of my girls that I led in a bible study through my college fellowship that I was apart of and now lead as a community leader. It was so amazing to see her grow so much and to see what the Lord is doing in her life!

42. Meet a blogger- In April I was able to meet Megan from Simply, Meg (she hasn't blogged in awhile, but that's okay). We had a wonderful time talking about everything at our favorite place, Starbucks. We are so similar and I cannot wait to meet up with her again!

55. Go camping- For our anniversary we went to Charleston and on the way back we stopped in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and camped. We slept in our ENOs and it was definitely a new adventure for me not being in a tent, but I did have fun and can't wait to camp again. 

70. Get a puppy- On August 24th, 2016 my dream came true of getting a puppy. We weren't sure if we wanted to get a dog from the shelter or one that was bred, and realized that we needed to look around often at shelters because puppies were adopted very quickly. One day we went to our local shelter, saw Tucker, and couldn't leave with out him. We've had him for a little over 2 months, and we have loved every second of it. I will definitely be doing a post about what its like to have a puppy soon!

71. Exercise more often- At the beginning of this summer I definitely was exercising at least 3 times a week. I would just look up YouTube videos and watch them. One girl I really liked was Love Sweat Fitness. She had a lot of options and variety for every area that you would need to work out. The videos weren't too long and I could easily do them at home with some dumbbells. 

Stay tuned for a new 101 in 1001 coming later this week! Cannot wait to see what I accomplish in this next one.

What are some goals that you want to accomplish? 

Do you have a 101 in 1001 list??

Weekend Recap Vol. 2

Today I decided to share with you all my weekend recap through the eyes of my snapchat.

Friday night I had family in town and we went to spend some time with them at their hotel. Every year they come home to visit in October because of the horse races at Keeneland. It was nice seeing them and catching up. I didn't get any pictures with them, but the one I did get was my sweet husband pumping my gas for me. Every time he is in the car with me, he always does it. Husband points!

Saturday I woke up to a really sore throat and so I decided that it was a day to take it easy. Reese fixed breakfast for us. I was expecting just biscuits or cinnamon rolls but he decided to cook homemade biscuits and gravy. Definitely one of my favorite breakfast foods! I am more of a savory person for breakfast. Which do you prefer, savory or sweet?!

I then rested and took a nap after breakfast. I got some laundry done during times I felt up to even standing up. I was definitely grateful for my sweet husband because he cleaned up all of the dishes from breakfast and got the kitchen clean. Saturday night Reese's friends came over to watch the UK Football game. We don't have a ton of seating in our living room, so I took it as my time to spend alone. I organized my scarves because I finally had gotten Reese to hang up my hooks. I also had some nice hot tea with one of my favorite fall candles burning! Then I got on the computer, did some blogging and just looking around online.

I also decided to start my christmas list! Reeses family always asks for a christmas list at Thanksgiving, and typically I am always rushing the night before to have one ready. I decided earlier this summer to start putting in my notes on my phone or taking a picture of things that I would put on my list. That way I remember what I've been wanting throughout the year and can easily put a list together. I'm one who would just love gift cards to places, but his family loves to actually give gifts. What is on your christmas list this year?? While resting, I decided popcorn sounded good and what guys don't love popcorn! So I made us all some homemade popcorn! It's the only way we make it, and its so good.

        

On Sunday, I didn't end up going to church so that I could get more rest. Tuck kept me company while Reese was gone. We then played some games while watching football... what else do you do during the fall season?! Lol We decided to take Tucker to the dog park, which he LOVES! And we picked up a dominos pizza on the way home after seeing a commercial for a 3-topping large for $7.99. We think thats a deal! We watched some shows after dinner and then budgeted, which included planning out Christmas! 62 days guys! So excited to spend my 2nd married christmas with my sweet husband, and now we have a puppy to include!

                     

What did you do this weekend?