As many of you may know I have a "slight" obsession with the website UP Worthy...
I love it's stance, and the encouragement it brings to so many people from so many walks of life. It's beautiful. The past two nights I had noticed a trend on the site for the week: body image and love. It breaks me to see that people inherently believe that they are... *insert bad thing here*. For instance... I watched a video this morning from a lady with a powerful mission to change the way that women view their bodies; she asked 100 women to give her one word to describe themselves. The most common word? "Gross." (Check out the video *here*.)
This absolutely broke me. As someone who has struggled with body image and unworthiness it broke me. As someone who has struggled with eating disorders and depression it broke me. I truly believe that all people are beautiful, and worthy of love. It's not easy, and loving people is messy... but that doesn't mean that they don't need it. Loving people doesn't make you weak (like Cersei Lannister believes...) but it means you are strong and have a solid foundation which so many people lack. I know that I could give you Bible verse after verse to support this, but I don't want to do that today. Nope, today I want to challenge you... I want to challenge you to simply make someones day with a compliment. It's a daily practice of mine, and you NEVER know how it could change someone's day, week, month, year, life. Everyone is in the midst of something, and a word of encouragement never falls upon deaf ears.
Someone doesn't believe they are beautiful, worthy, important, etc... Be the voice that tells them differently today. I am in no way telling you to sit someone down and pour out the contents of your heart and make them believe they are lovely... It's in the simplicity of a compliment that your words work. Be honest. Do something kind. Be a valuable member of society today - build up humanity rather than tear it down and give more people reasons to give up hope. YOU are worthy of love, and you are beautiful... Hear that, and share that.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Fishing in the Sand
A man wakes up hours before the crack of dawn. He meanders
out into the kitchen with a jovial excitement and begins to prepare for his
most anticipated day of the month – his fishing trip. He inspects his tool box
to make sure he has all of his bobs and jiggers and hooks. He examines his rod
and reel to make sure that none of the eyelets are bent and that his fishing
line is not tangled. He looks over his waiters one last time to check for
miniscule punctures that would end up in a very bad day and squishy socks… Once
all of this preparation is done he grabs the cooler filled with lunch and
snacks and drinks, he grabs his sunscreen and other essentials and packs
everything in his vehicle. The drive to the marshy habitat in which he will
spend his day is about an hour and a half drive, but worth it for the fish and
the scenery. Upon arrival he unloads the necessities and treks roughly a mile
until his favorite fishing hole is in sight, but he stops short. Just as the
sun is beginning to make its first appearance from beyond the horizon his waiters
have meet the divide from the grassy habitat into the sandy one, this leads him
to the best fishing spot he’s ever had… but instead he sits down and casts off
into the sand.
Now, you’re probably thinking “that’s stupid”. And, quite
frankly, it is. Why would someone go through all of that work to stop short of
their desired destination, especially when it’s so clearly in sight?
Good intentions.
It’s something most of us struggle with from time to time.
I was listening to a conversation between two really great
guys last night, my friend Bobby Hill (Check out his brilliant blog Here) and
one of his best friends, we’ll call him Q. They were talking about
Strengthfinders and Q’s top strength is ideation – a fascination by ideas and
making connections. Bobby threw in off-handedly that ideas were great but
sometimes the follow-through was difficult (thus this post was born).
How often do we have great ideas, but lack the follow
through?
I tend to do this with crafts. I buy the items I need and I
get really excited to make something, and then I get busy, or discouraged, or
distracted… and the unfinished (sometimes even un-started) product lies in my
closet. Out of sight, out of mind.
I know people who do this with relationships. They start
dating a person with the pure intentions of marriage only to end up doing
really stupid things that damage their relationship, because they lacked
discipline or they got caught up in being selfish.
You may have good intentions with something when you buy it
or even with someone when you start going out, but it all comes down to what
you do in the long-run. An idea is just an idea until you put an action to it;
an intention is meaningless unless there is follow-through.
Despite all of the preparations you may have gone through to
get to [insert your goal here], discouragement, or busyness, or lack of
discipline, or selfishness, or whatever may hinder you has gotten in the way.
You’ve stopped short of your desired destination because of [insert your excuse
here] and are content to fish in the sand, even though you may be able to see
the water.
Do yourself a favor (I speak to myself here, too) and pick
yourself up out of the sand and get to the water. It may take a lot of
discipline, or accountability, or encouragement, but you can do it. All of that
preparation is not just void because you had a momentary lapse of judgment.
Also, do yourself a favor and don’t fish in the sand any more, you’ll look like
an idiot.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Introversion - A Theory
Disclaimer: I am not an well versed on this matter, it is merely a matter of opinion and speculation. - If you disagree, which you very well may because this is just a rough idea, please leave your idea(s) below in a comment; I am interested in what you have to say!
With that being said I am going to be blogging about introversion today!
The main source I will be drawing this information from is myself, thus the disclaimer.
Starting with this point: my Myers-Briggs test boldly proclaims that I am 78% introverted (INFJ, by the way).
My Idea: introverts are made, not born.
They are a product of their environment.
There are naturally exceptions to every rule, but this is the generalization I am making. Pardon me if it's a bit hasty. *Ba-dum-ch* I can't believe I just made a fallacy joke... you don't have to laugh.
Anyways, I only believe this because of my personal experience, and I am welcome to being wrong.
My Theory: I think we can see that everyone has an innate sense of wanting to be accepted and loved. They want to be approved of, and in my experience children, more often than not, go about getting that by vying for your attention. They crave your compliments at crappy macaroni art, and constantly want you to play games with them or be sitting in your lap during a movie... or dinner (which is complicated). They value your opinion, and they want you to know that.
So how does that attention/approval seeking mindset morph into introversion where there is a preference for solitude to regain one's energy?
My Data: when I was a kid I loved to be the center of attention. I wanted the affection of my parents and basically anyone who was around... yes, I was THAT kid. I wanted to be noticed, and I wanted to be with people. But more often than not I found myself alone. Eventually I adapted to this state of being. It wasn't an easy process, but I became creative and found ways to cope with being alone.
I became a pirate in my backyard (I had a metal detector... that's what I wanted for Christmas when I was 8...), or a gymnast, or an archer, or a blacksmith. When my parents took me on a house cleaning job I would become an explorer and find buttons in the carpet and change (which I got to keep and buy myself candy, or s slushi if I had enough). The woods became a carnivorous jungle, and my room became my sanctuary.
I fell in love with books, and eventually writing.
Naturally as an adult I am thankful for those lonely days, because they shaped me into the person that I am.
But looking back, my personality as a young child was very extroverted, and somewhere along the way that was refocused. Instead of gaining my energy from others I preferred to be alone with my books, and people eventually became exhausting. (Don't get me wrong, I love people, and I enjoy spending time with them, but just in smaller groups and for certain amounts of time [pending on the who/how many].)
That's why I started thinking about this. That was a big shift, at least in my life. How did it come about?
My Conclusion: The only honest-to-blog answer I could deduce was that I became a product of my environment. I know that people are not only products of their environments, but also of their actions. However, my actions lead to adapting to my environment of being alone which eventually set the precedence of solitude over social.
Had my environment been different growing up maybe I would have been too, but I don't know nor will I ever.
What do you think?
Are your social precepts and means of regaining vitality set by your environment?
~Amanda Rose
With that being said I am going to be blogging about introversion today!
The main source I will be drawing this information from is myself, thus the disclaimer.
Starting with this point: my Myers-Briggs test boldly proclaims that I am 78% introverted (INFJ, by the way).
My Idea: introverts are made, not born.
They are a product of their environment.
There are naturally exceptions to every rule, but this is the generalization I am making. Pardon me if it's a bit hasty. *Ba-dum-ch* I can't believe I just made a fallacy joke... you don't have to laugh.
Anyways, I only believe this because of my personal experience, and I am welcome to being wrong.
My Theory: I think we can see that everyone has an innate sense of wanting to be accepted and loved. They want to be approved of, and in my experience children, more often than not, go about getting that by vying for your attention. They crave your compliments at crappy macaroni art, and constantly want you to play games with them or be sitting in your lap during a movie... or dinner (which is complicated). They value your opinion, and they want you to know that.
So how does that attention/approval seeking mindset morph into introversion where there is a preference for solitude to regain one's energy?
My Data: when I was a kid I loved to be the center of attention. I wanted the affection of my parents and basically anyone who was around... yes, I was THAT kid. I wanted to be noticed, and I wanted to be with people. But more often than not I found myself alone. Eventually I adapted to this state of being. It wasn't an easy process, but I became creative and found ways to cope with being alone.
I became a pirate in my backyard (I had a metal detector... that's what I wanted for Christmas when I was 8...), or a gymnast, or an archer, or a blacksmith. When my parents took me on a house cleaning job I would become an explorer and find buttons in the carpet and change (which I got to keep and buy myself candy, or s slushi if I had enough). The woods became a carnivorous jungle, and my room became my sanctuary.
I fell in love with books, and eventually writing.
Naturally as an adult I am thankful for those lonely days, because they shaped me into the person that I am.
But looking back, my personality as a young child was very extroverted, and somewhere along the way that was refocused. Instead of gaining my energy from others I preferred to be alone with my books, and people eventually became exhausting. (Don't get me wrong, I love people, and I enjoy spending time with them, but just in smaller groups and for certain amounts of time [pending on the who/how many].)
That's why I started thinking about this. That was a big shift, at least in my life. How did it come about?
My Conclusion: The only honest-to-blog answer I could deduce was that I became a product of my environment. I know that people are not only products of their environments, but also of their actions. However, my actions lead to adapting to my environment of being alone which eventually set the precedence of solitude over social.
Had my environment been different growing up maybe I would have been too, but I don't know nor will I ever.
What do you think?
Are your social precepts and means of regaining vitality set by your environment?
~Amanda Rose
Monday, June 3, 2013
Run
I am not the type of person who enjoys running for fitness... I wish I was, but every time I try I
end up getting sick with a terrible headache and decide that it's not
worth it. Then I usually end up chugging some chocolate mike with no
regret... A week later trying to run again because maybe this time it will be easier. It never is.
Have you ever had that strong feeling in the pit of your stomach to run?
Maybe you like to run to get in shape (more power to you) or, like me, you simply try to be a runner and find it to be an impossible feat. Maybe it was because something scary was going on; maybe you had no reason for fear to rear its ugly head but suddenly all you wanted to do was to make a break for it.
Sometimes I catch myself sitting in the most normal situations and I feel that urge. Like sitting in Starbucks or having a perfectly ordinary conversation and I get that feeling. I never understood it until I took a deeper look at each situation that I was in, and I found two common links to that desire and my surroundings. I get that feeling when I am afraid or overwhelmed.
As someone who has dealt with anxiety disorders in the past it blew my mind that I never made this connection. In the moments before a panic attack that was the feeling I had - I wanted to run, to escape, to be free of whatever was weighing on me or worrying me.
The thought struck me when I was listening to the song Sinnerman by Nina Simon... where was I going to run? Where was I planning to go? Like when I was a kid and ran away... I made it as far as the alleyway two blocks away before I got frightened and realized that as much as I hated my home, it was my shelter and food.
I feel like we do the same thing with sin in a twisted way. We recognize that it's unsafe, or unhealthy, or just stupid... yet when we get a decent distance from it we remember what was "in it for us", and we don't want to sacrifice our pleasure. Then we go back with our head bowed low, back to our habitual sin, and realize the very same things again... and run down the block. Repeat.
But what if we had somewhere to run? When our own sin overwhelmed us, or when we were just plain frightened about something.... what if we had the set plan to run to the Lord? I know it sounds so blatantly elementary, but I also know that this is not my regular practice, and maybe you can relate. In the face of fear or being entirely overwhelmed, I just get up and take off. No compass can help to direct me because I don't know where I am running, and no map can help me get to where I need to be because I wind up in the strangest of places. I just want distance, not caring about direction. However, upon my bible reading I found a way to have both:
The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10)
Clearly I need to redirect my feet towards the Lord. Not only does this verse say that I have somewhere to run, but that when I get there I'll be safe. That's so much better than the odd places and alleyways I end up in. They offer me a temporary escape, a place to be away from the situation... they cannot offer me safety. The Lord offers me distance and direction from the situations that make me want to run, and I can trust that He will keep me moving past the alleyways. Upon making this a habit it will become my natural response - it will get easier over time. Just like running, but it's up to me (and you) to choose what habits are a part of our lives.
As Alice says in Alice in Wonderland , and I relate with oh so well, "I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it."
Cheers to your journey, and I hope next time you need some distance you get some direction as well!
~Amanda Rose
Have you ever had that strong feeling in the pit of your stomach to run?
Maybe you like to run to get in shape (more power to you) or, like me, you simply try to be a runner and find it to be an impossible feat. Maybe it was because something scary was going on; maybe you had no reason for fear to rear its ugly head but suddenly all you wanted to do was to make a break for it.
Sometimes I catch myself sitting in the most normal situations and I feel that urge. Like sitting in Starbucks or having a perfectly ordinary conversation and I get that feeling. I never understood it until I took a deeper look at each situation that I was in, and I found two common links to that desire and my surroundings. I get that feeling when I am afraid or overwhelmed.
As someone who has dealt with anxiety disorders in the past it blew my mind that I never made this connection. In the moments before a panic attack that was the feeling I had - I wanted to run, to escape, to be free of whatever was weighing on me or worrying me.
The thought struck me when I was listening to the song Sinnerman by Nina Simon... where was I going to run? Where was I planning to go? Like when I was a kid and ran away... I made it as far as the alleyway two blocks away before I got frightened and realized that as much as I hated my home, it was my shelter and food.
I feel like we do the same thing with sin in a twisted way. We recognize that it's unsafe, or unhealthy, or just stupid... yet when we get a decent distance from it we remember what was "in it for us", and we don't want to sacrifice our pleasure. Then we go back with our head bowed low, back to our habitual sin, and realize the very same things again... and run down the block. Repeat.
But what if we had somewhere to run? When our own sin overwhelmed us, or when we were just plain frightened about something.... what if we had the set plan to run to the Lord? I know it sounds so blatantly elementary, but I also know that this is not my regular practice, and maybe you can relate. In the face of fear or being entirely overwhelmed, I just get up and take off. No compass can help to direct me because I don't know where I am running, and no map can help me get to where I need to be because I wind up in the strangest of places. I just want distance, not caring about direction. However, upon my bible reading I found a way to have both:
The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10)
Clearly I need to redirect my feet towards the Lord. Not only does this verse say that I have somewhere to run, but that when I get there I'll be safe. That's so much better than the odd places and alleyways I end up in. They offer me a temporary escape, a place to be away from the situation... they cannot offer me safety. The Lord offers me distance and direction from the situations that make me want to run, and I can trust that He will keep me moving past the alleyways. Upon making this a habit it will become my natural response - it will get easier over time. Just like running, but it's up to me (and you) to choose what habits are a part of our lives.
As Alice says in Alice in Wonderland , and I relate with oh so well, "I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it."
Cheers to your journey, and I hope next time you need some distance you get some direction as well!
~Amanda Rose
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The Day After The War
They have been saved. The news of German surrender was announced the night before and the Jews rest together waiting for official word because the man who rescued them is now a fugitive. A Russian officer approaches the gates and utters the words "You have been liberated by the Soviet army!"
Just like that; they were free. No more being hunted and slaughtered. Over 6 million of their people had already experienced this, more than we can imagine lost everything, and in a moment they are free.
I cannot imagine the day after the war. The fear, the skepticism, the mourning. Most Jews had nowhere to go; just because they were legally free does not mean that certain people did not still see them as vermin. Still today there is racism against them. They had no belongings and for most of them even their dignity was stripped from them. But... they were free, pardoned, the war was over. They had the choice to move and begin their lives over in this new world, or to remain as they were lost and hopeless - unwilling to carry on knowing they were marked and would not be welcomed by many.
As I watched the ending of one of my favorite films (Schindler's List) I could not help to relate that scene to the freedom we have in Christ. He died on the cross for us - he won the battle for our souls. However, it is up to us to live in that freedom or to deny it and continue to live like slaves. To disregard his victory and continue to live by those who scorn us because of the marks we still carry.
The fact is that Jesus shared in our humanity so that He could "free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" (Hebrews 2:14) We see in Romans 6:23 that "...The wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." What fools we would be to not claim the freedom handed to us.
Yes, we WILL face persecution "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). The Jewish race was not welcomed back with open arms, but they kept going despite what they faced. They fought for their families, and their race. We endeavor for the sake of the Gospel so that all may hear of and understand who Jesus is! It is our commission, and the most worthy cause.
[Galatians 5:13 also warns us against misusing our freedom "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."]
So, knowing the freedom we have in Christ (and how to use it), what do we do? We live in it. Ignore those who try to claim you are still a slave. You may still bear the "marks of a slave" as the Jews bore their numbers or scars, but know that you have been liberated. There will be people who mock you, spit at you, and throw your past in your face, but no one can rescind your freedom. You stand redeemed in the eyes of the Lord, the one who holds the power of life and death. No matter what persecution you may face never stop proclaiming the Good News - for it is the key to life.
~Amanda Rose
Just like that; they were free. No more being hunted and slaughtered. Over 6 million of their people had already experienced this, more than we can imagine lost everything, and in a moment they are free.
I cannot imagine the day after the war. The fear, the skepticism, the mourning. Most Jews had nowhere to go; just because they were legally free does not mean that certain people did not still see them as vermin. Still today there is racism against them. They had no belongings and for most of them even their dignity was stripped from them. But... they were free, pardoned, the war was over. They had the choice to move and begin their lives over in this new world, or to remain as they were lost and hopeless - unwilling to carry on knowing they were marked and would not be welcomed by many.
As I watched the ending of one of my favorite films (Schindler's List) I could not help to relate that scene to the freedom we have in Christ. He died on the cross for us - he won the battle for our souls. However, it is up to us to live in that freedom or to deny it and continue to live like slaves. To disregard his victory and continue to live by those who scorn us because of the marks we still carry.
The fact is that Jesus shared in our humanity so that He could "free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" (Hebrews 2:14) We see in Romans 6:23 that "...The wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." What fools we would be to not claim the freedom handed to us.
Yes, we WILL face persecution "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). The Jewish race was not welcomed back with open arms, but they kept going despite what they faced. They fought for their families, and their race. We endeavor for the sake of the Gospel so that all may hear of and understand who Jesus is! It is our commission, and the most worthy cause.
[Galatians 5:13 also warns us against misusing our freedom "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."]
So, knowing the freedom we have in Christ (and how to use it), what do we do? We live in it. Ignore those who try to claim you are still a slave. You may still bear the "marks of a slave" as the Jews bore their numbers or scars, but know that you have been liberated. There will be people who mock you, spit at you, and throw your past in your face, but no one can rescind your freedom. You stand redeemed in the eyes of the Lord, the one who holds the power of life and death. No matter what persecution you may face never stop proclaiming the Good News - for it is the key to life.
~Amanda Rose
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Fear Fear
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" ~ F. D. Roosevelt
These now infamous words were uttered during Roosevelt's inaugural speech. He was taking leadership during one of the worst economic crisis' during the history of the USA, and his tactic was to sway the people away from panic with these words. After this speech, and implementing several creative ways to move the economy upwards, there was significant improvement.
The fact is that we all have our fears. Fear of the darkness, heights, and spiders are a few of the most common ones.
Sometimes when it comes to our fears we don't actually understand what we're afraid of. You're not afraid of the darkness - you are afraid of what may be lurking within. You are not afraid of heights - you are afraid of falling. You are not afraid... well you may actually be afraid of spiders, they are pretty creepy. But you get my point - mislabeling fears can be dangerous. If we don't take the time to understand the depth of what causes our chests to tighten up, hearts to race, and feet to cease movement, how will we keep going? Fearing fear is such a brilliant concept because of this. Fear is defined as "An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat." We know what fear is. We have all experienced it at one point or another to some degree. We all know that being stagnant is never helpful, being complacent gets you nowhere (seriously...), and you should know that you are worth more than settling for anything less than the best! Remember that your doubts will kill more dreams that your failures ever will. So, to be afraid of that emotion, that ceasing of movement, is helpful rather than hurtful.
However, the reality is that it's not always easy to keep fear at bay - to subdue that feeling and keep walking. But simply stated: the "bad fear" will do nothing but hold you back.
Example: Here's an honesty moment for you; I am mildly mortified of blogging. I do this to get myself out of my comfort zone. My fear: no one will be interested in or encouraged by what I have to say. Or I compare myself to people I know who are incredible at blogging (like Bobby, Jacob, and Jeffrey). Does this fear help me? No. It holds me back from becoming a better writer, and the author I hope to become one day. What should I do? Fear fear, and don't allow myself to be held back. If I never try I will never succeed. Whatever your fears are know that if you never try to overcome them you will never succeed.
My encouragement today to you is simply to learn how to fear fear. Whether you want to call fear complacency, settling, or stagnancy... fear fear, sway the panic, and keep moving forward.
~Amanda Rose
These now infamous words were uttered during Roosevelt's inaugural speech. He was taking leadership during one of the worst economic crisis' during the history of the USA, and his tactic was to sway the people away from panic with these words. After this speech, and implementing several creative ways to move the economy upwards, there was significant improvement.
The fact is that we all have our fears. Fear of the darkness, heights, and spiders are a few of the most common ones.
Sometimes when it comes to our fears we don't actually understand what we're afraid of. You're not afraid of the darkness - you are afraid of what may be lurking within. You are not afraid of heights - you are afraid of falling. You are not afraid... well you may actually be afraid of spiders, they are pretty creepy. But you get my point - mislabeling fears can be dangerous. If we don't take the time to understand the depth of what causes our chests to tighten up, hearts to race, and feet to cease movement, how will we keep going? Fearing fear is such a brilliant concept because of this. Fear is defined as "An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat." We know what fear is. We have all experienced it at one point or another to some degree. We all know that being stagnant is never helpful, being complacent gets you nowhere (seriously...), and you should know that you are worth more than settling for anything less than the best! Remember that your doubts will kill more dreams that your failures ever will. So, to be afraid of that emotion, that ceasing of movement, is helpful rather than hurtful.
However, the reality is that it's not always easy to keep fear at bay - to subdue that feeling and keep walking. But simply stated: the "bad fear" will do nothing but hold you back.
Example: Here's an honesty moment for you; I am mildly mortified of blogging. I do this to get myself out of my comfort zone. My fear: no one will be interested in or encouraged by what I have to say. Or I compare myself to people I know who are incredible at blogging (like Bobby, Jacob, and Jeffrey). Does this fear help me? No. It holds me back from becoming a better writer, and the author I hope to become one day. What should I do? Fear fear, and don't allow myself to be held back. If I never try I will never succeed. Whatever your fears are know that if you never try to overcome them you will never succeed.
My encouragement today to you is simply to learn how to fear fear. Whether you want to call fear complacency, settling, or stagnancy... fear fear, sway the panic, and keep moving forward.
~Amanda Rose
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Submitting to the Process
Have you ever had a word, phrase, concept, or bible verse just stalk you? I have had incidences like this with Joshua 1:9 be strong, Psalm 46:10 be still, the idea of being worthy of love, or understanding that I am not alone. But the latest concept that has been stalking me has been submitting to the process.
Submission = the condition of being submissive, humble, or compliant
Process = a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result
To be in a compliant [and HUMBLE] state whilst experiencing the gradual changes that lead toward a particular result. The beautiful journey of life with it's crescendos and diminuendos is all a process.
This concept is interwoven into various areas of life - not just one. It's not just a season of life but a way of life.
Learning to submit to the process of life and whatever it throws your way is beneficial for several reasons.
1) Submitting to the process is not being a door mat, but acknowledging that sometimes you have to lay down for God to walk over you - not on you. He knows best. You cannot control everything, and relinquishing control to the one who can is quite the burden reliever!
2) Submitting to the process is accepting that things may not turn out how you expect, and not whining about it. Have dreams - have BIG dreams, but don't be so focused on your DREAM that you miss the big PICTURE. Don't miss out on life because you're being so obsessive about living to your potential. Life is made in the little things, the moments, the laughs, the silence... and the twists and turns you don't expect.
3) Submitting to the process is accepting every season as it comes, and realizing just how beautiful and unique each one is. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" ~Dr. Seuss. Seasons will slip through your grasp if you don't take the time to catch the wave and ride. It's not worth it to miss it. Childhood, High School, College, come and gone within a blink of an eye - will you remember it? How will they remember you? Make the best of every season, and don't try to figure everything out at once.
Most of all submitting to the process is learning to smile in the face of adversity because you know that you that this too shall pass... Keep your chin up. Be strong. Be still. You are worthy of love, and you are not alone. Submit to the process.
~Amanda Rose
Submission = the condition of being submissive, humble, or compliant
Process = a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result
To be in a compliant [and HUMBLE] state whilst experiencing the gradual changes that lead toward a particular result. The beautiful journey of life with it's crescendos and diminuendos is all a process.
This concept is interwoven into various areas of life - not just one. It's not just a season of life but a way of life.
Learning to submit to the process of life and whatever it throws your way is beneficial for several reasons.
1) Submitting to the process is not being a door mat, but acknowledging that sometimes you have to lay down for God to walk over you - not on you. He knows best. You cannot control everything, and relinquishing control to the one who can is quite the burden reliever!
2) Submitting to the process is accepting that things may not turn out how you expect, and not whining about it. Have dreams - have BIG dreams, but don't be so focused on your DREAM that you miss the big PICTURE. Don't miss out on life because you're being so obsessive about living to your potential. Life is made in the little things, the moments, the laughs, the silence... and the twists and turns you don't expect.
3) Submitting to the process is accepting every season as it comes, and realizing just how beautiful and unique each one is. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" ~Dr. Seuss. Seasons will slip through your grasp if you don't take the time to catch the wave and ride. It's not worth it to miss it. Childhood, High School, College, come and gone within a blink of an eye - will you remember it? How will they remember you? Make the best of every season, and don't try to figure everything out at once.
Most of all submitting to the process is learning to smile in the face of adversity because you know that you that this too shall pass... Keep your chin up. Be strong. Be still. You are worthy of love, and you are not alone. Submit to the process.
~Amanda Rose
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