Today I woke up much earlier than I needed to for church. I sat in my bed for about 30 minutes, drank my coffee, ate some Whales (Yes, I firmly believe these are better than Goldfish), and I pulled up a devotion on my phone. I have been using plans on the Bible App, and today it was about Matthew 22 and what we are called to do as Christians. The first and greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The devotion itself mentioned some great points that I felt like I needed to elaborate on, especially because I know people firsthand who struggle with what I’m going to talk about.

The devotion brought up a point we don’t talk about enough as Christians. I have personally witnessed the insecurities and negativity associated with the image of ourselves. I think so highly of my teammates and friends, but I am blown away by the amount of times I hear, “Wow, I’m so ugly.” or “I don’t like looking at myself in the mirror.” I’m hear to tell you that YOU are beautiful on the outside, mainly because of the way I see you treat people from the inside. This particular devotion mentioned that we are called to love our neighbors…as ourselves. Let that sink in: The way we love our neighbors, the way Christ wants us to love our neighbors, should also be how we love ourselves. I have seen too many times people encouraging others and lifting them up, all the while thinking very low of themselves.

Believe me, the comparison game helps no one. I know we hear it way too often, but God truly made us exactly how He wanted us. He knit us together in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13), made us in His image (Genesis 1:27), and says we are all from the work of His hand (Isaiah 64:8). So build up those around you, but don’t forget to build up yourself. The same Truth you can easily speak into others is the same Truth you need to speak into yourself.

And for some of us, we need a reminder that it’s important we don’t forget that how we treat and think of ourselves is normally the way we treat others. When we can rest in God and know our worth comes from Him, it is much easier to see the worth in others as well. But when we harvest bitterness in our hearts, we see others as WE see them and not as God sees them. And that bitterness may not come from a dislike of them but rather a dislike of a part of ourselves.

My favorite part of the devotion was this statement: “The more you love one (between loving God, others, and yourself), the more you love the others. People who never learn to love their true selves are often also limited in their love for God and others.” So lean into God, love yourself, and care for others. Invest in yourself by investing into God and the Truth He speaks about you and your worth. The best example of His love for us is in Romans 5:8…I encourage all to read and meditate on it. We don’t deserve His love, but He has made us worthy.

Thank you Lord for peaceful mornings, hot coffee, and meaningful devotions. I pray that as we go about today and these next few days, we remember that our love for You, ourselves, and others all go hand-in-hand. May we seek You first and find our strength in Your goodness. Thank you for this “beautiful adventure” we must go on in order to realize our worth and beauty is in and from You.

I remember from a young age my family called me “boy crazy.” Maybe it was because I had older siblings or watched more teen movies than I did kid movies, but whatever the case, this trend has continued throughout my life. For some of us, this doesn’t develop until middle school…or even high school and into college. Whatever your circumstance, just know that you’re not alone.

I think most of us have a desire within us to want attention, especially from people of the opposite gender. However, through many tears and much heartbreak, I’ve come to realize the Truth: even if I’m single for the rest of my life, He is still good and He is still faithful.

That was a hard pill for me to swallow. And I’d be lying today if I said I don’t still struggle with this Truth. But it’s something we all have to face…be it with relationships, health, or grief etc. Even if I’m always single, He is still faithful. Even if I have a rare medical disease, He is still faithful. Even if I lost someone special to me, He is still faithful. See, when we’re in the midst of something tough, it’s really easy to say God has abandoned us and really hard to say He is still working. And today that’s a common problem within our human minds, something I’ve struggled with these past few years: we lack perspective.

My former art teacher (who always gives great advice and seems to always know the right thing to say) taught me about perspective in high school. Yes, perspective is important in art with the relationship between your eye and the lines you’re drawing. Or between the composition of the painting and the organization of what will go where. But like most concepts we learn, it can be applied to a broader sense. Perspective is key in your life as a whole. The way you view situations, people, and even yourself is a matter of what “lens” you have on in that moment. It was easy to get upset at my parents when they wouldn’t let me do something I wanted to do, but if I changed my perspective and realized they told me “no” most likely to protect me, I may respect their decision more. We point fingers quickly at the person who seems popular but is actually not well liked because they treat others poorly. If we changed our perspective and realized this person is broken and hurting and rude to others because they have been backstabbed, we may have some compassion. We may feel led to reach out to them instead of talk bad about them. It’s all about our perspective. And as cliché as it might sound, I challenge everyone to check their perspective and ask what Jesus’ perspective would be in our circumstances.

That knocked me off my high horse for a bit there…how about you? I felt a sting in my heart because I know I don’t always act like Jesus, and my attitude doesn’t always represent Jesus. But it’s good we feel that sting! And it’s good we recognize that WE are NOT perfect! If we were, we wouldn’t need His grace, His forgiveness, His mercy, and His love. And so people…THERE IS HOPE! I’ve learned firsthand that when you cry out to Him, He rescues you. When you pray and ask Him to restore your heart, He redeems you.

And so while you may not be in a relationship right now, try and use this time alone to shift your perspective. Focus on yourself and your relationship with the Father. If you can’t rely on Him then how do you, yourself, expect to be reliable in a relationship with someone else? We must first be satisfied, and even joyful, when it is just us and God. And believe me when I say I am preaching to myself here. But I have learned there is so much to be learned when you are single. There is something so peaceful in being independent and focusing on preparing yourself as if He were coming back today.

So for those who are in the waiting, don’t waste it. We all want to cuddle. We all want to have cute pictures with people. We all want to see Christmas lights and feel like we’re in a Rom-Com. But there is something so beautiful in the “waiting” season. I encourage you to shift your perspective. Instead of praying for God to give you a significant other, pray for Him to make you more like Him. Pray in the midst of the struggle and the heartache and the times when you don’t understand what He is doing. Because I promise you, you’ll look back and see that He was working all along. In order to build us up into who we are to become, He must break us down first…sometimes all the way down to our foundation that was not built solely on Him. Use this time, this waiting period, to glorify Him in your attitude towards your current situation.

Thank you Father for speaking Truth into my life through mentors and countless friends who are always willing to offer listening ears. Thank you for breaking me down and building me up stronger than before. Thank you for showing me more of You in the midst of my everyday battles. Thank you God for this “beautiful adventure” we call love.

As I sit back and reflect on my past 3 1/2 months at college, I continually just want to look up at God and say “Thank you!” For some, college is a big adjustment: more freedom, more responsibility, more people. Yes, each of those is an aspect of moving forward and attending college, but I seemed to adjust well. Most of this is because of the community I found. From day one, I realized all of the blessings God had given me. I knew when I stepped on campus this was where I was meant to be.

Being a collegiate athlete, I was immediately thrust into a community of volleyball players. For the first two weeks, we were some of the only people on campus. Talk about bonding time. We room together, practice together, and eat our meals together. So naturally this community became more like a family, a sisterhood. It’s hard to imagine I was in the room of two of my teammates one night (morning) around 1 AM. Each of us were sharing our stories, sobbing, and praying for each other. It’s even more surprising that at this point, we had been on campus for one month. I had never opened up to people so quickly, in such a short amount of time. And keep in mind I had never met these girls before, but now I know without a doubt God brought us all together. Yes, He brought us together to be teammates, but He also brought us together for more important reasons…to share each other’s burdens, encourage one another, and hold each other accountable. I am so thankful I have a team who I can dominate the court with but also fight spiritual battles with.

Outside of volleyball players, I’ve met many others. That’s one thing about college that’s different about high school and I love it: people want to meet others and they don’t care about status. The amount of times I have had one-time, random conversations with people is insane. People are less afraid in college to introduce themselves, start a conversation, and then even pursue a friendship. Imagine that! Making new friends all the time! A good example of this is the night before my 18th birthday. I started hanging out with a group of people, only 1 or 2 I knew well and only a few others I knew mutually. This group of friends was big…like around 15 people. When they found out around 9:30PM that it was my birthday at midnight, a car full of people went to the store, bought decorations, hats, candles, and my favorite dessert. They proceeded to decorate the room and sing to me at midnight. How better can I see the love of Christ displayed? These people barely knew me. They took the time and effort and were intentional in order to make me feel special. They wanted me to feel loved. Isn’t that exactly how Christ pursues us?

Campus activities have been a sense of escape for me as well. I have actively been involved in Chapel, Bible Studies, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Vespers. I say that not to toot my own horn but to show everyone that there are countless opportunities waiting for us. Jump right in. Don’t be afraid to get involved, especially in those that offer a Christian community. I thank God for these groups because they speak Truth into my life on a regular basis. I am reminded through His community of His greatness even on days other than Sunday, and that is a blessing.

I am continually overwhelmed with the people He has given me while in college. I didn’t do anything to deserve them. All I did was pray for them…genuinely. I prayed for my roommate and for us to get along well, and He was faithful. I prayed for a community of believers, and He was faithful. I prayed for my mindset as I entered college: that I wouldn’t judge others but learn to show them love like Christ shows me. Even though I fail, He has shaped my attitude and continues to shape my heart, so He was faithful. So thank you Lord for always being faithful, especially through the community you have given me. Thank you for this beautiful adventure of college.

Welcome everyone! My name is Lauren, and I’m so excited you’re visiting my blog. Here’s a little bit about me:

I love Jesus with all my heart, and I want to shout for joy because of everything He has done for me. I am currently enrolled in college as an Art and Education Major. I want to teach high school students, mainly because I want to have as big of a positive impact on them as my high school teachers had on me. I am a collegiate volleyball player who has had a passion for the sport practically since birth. I’m also very passionate about traveling, especially when it involves serving. I have been on several mission trips, but I have also traveled just for fun. I am always down for an adventure and for seeing His beautiful creation. You could say I’m all about the “beautiful adventures” this life has to offer.