Bolder than Before. That's all it takes.

You know, we all want to DO so much. Myself included! We want to save the earth, save each other, save the animals and the hungry. We have all of this passion pent up inside and that ROCKS! It's a good thing to have passion, but it is more important to understand where that passion is coming from.

Proverbs 16:2-3
All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

At work this past week, a girl spoke and said that she wants us to make a list of things we can do to get closer to our dreams that seem impossible or to even just write down those dreams.

Ever since, I have had this feeling, and I can't kick it, that I am going to make an impact. Somewhere, sometime, to someone. I want to change the world and I know 100% without a doubt that I cannot do it. Alone, that is. I cannot change the world by myself. I cannot change the world with my amazing family alone. I can only change things with the power that comes from my everlasting and ever powerful God.

The things I want to do with my life are things that I have no IDEA how to start. It scares the living daylights out of me to even talk about them. So I am making a list, right now, as a starting point. I am praying boldly (and I hope you all pray with me) to change lives by doing exactly what the Lord wants me to do.

I pray that my entire family knows and loves the Lord more than anything else in the world. I won't stop praying until everyone I love, knows the love of the Lord and experiences his greatness.

I want to travel the world and share the gospel and give people hope that you can ONLY receive from God.

I want to teach kids that they can have just as much faith at their age, that I have at mine and more.

I want there to be less hungry people, sad people, sick people and lost people.

I hate the fact that human trafficking cannot be stopped.

The list goes on and on and it only gets more impossible from here.

These are all things that I am so passionate about, but have no idea how to get to. The only thing I know how to do is to start praying boldly. I am praying, now publicly on the internet, that I see exactly what I am supposed to be doing and that I can do it. I pray that I have the courage to accept whatever craziness the Lord throws at me and the patience to get through it. I pray for a specific purpose towards something that makes a big difference.

I'm writing all of this down, out in the open, not to say I have it together but that exact opposite. To show that I have NO idea where I am going, or what I am doing, but that I want to do something big.
I hope to be an encouragement to someone, that it's okay not to know what you're doing with your life and I hope to encourage you to take a step and tell someone your dream.

As of right now, I am just a broke college student with a heart that cares deeply for so many things.
I believe that the Lord will use my skills and passions to change lives.

A final prayer for what comes of my faith.

A hell of a semester

It's been a hell of a semester.

I have been slapped in the face daily by this semester and I am not exactly sure how I am coming out alive.

Last semester was my first semester in college, things were hard because I was transitioning, but I had no idea what the struggle bus actually looked like until this semester. The struggle bus came flying up and didn't stop long enough for me to get situated. I was tossed, hurled, thrown and shaken until I learned what that struggle bus really was and what it had in store for me.

The struggle bus, everyone, was the Lord. YELLING AT ME.

All semester I wanted to keep my precious 4.0 average because that way I felt I could prove to everyone around me that I have been making the right decisions. That I picked the right major, the right school, the right friends etc... God just chuckled at that and made it impossible for me, in the most loving way possible.

I had to learn quickly that you cannot put your hope in people, because people will disappoint. Teachers, friends and even those who have been around for you for nearly 20 years can go missing in an instant.

I learned not so quickly that my grades don't define who I am as a person, or my intelligence. I think this is something we as college students get into really easily. That our GPA is what will land us a perfect job and will prove to everyone that we picked the right major and did the right things. However, the Lord blesses and continues to bless all of our paths whether we have a perfect GPA or not.

I learned the slowest of all that I don't have to be perfect at everything to be valuable. I am the most valuable thing in my life. I am the daughter of the King. I am made beautifully and am valued by God. I felt and still feel so much pressure to be unflawed and to do everything perfectly-- I am still working on this one, but I have learned to just repeat over and over that "I am not in control and my future is secure whether I get this A or not"

There is nothing wrong with getting good grades, getting married, having a well paying job, or any of that. These are things that are great and wonderful and are looked really highly upon in our society. They are things that are GREAT, do not get me wrong.
-- However, they are not things that give you value as a person. You are in no way shape or form less valuable or less wonderful because you have a 2.75 GPA and The Lord will continue to bless your life.
--If I never marry anyone, I am not defective or weird, I am still the most treasured daughter of the King. I am more loved at my loneliest moment than I can even imagine.
--If I do become a broke public school teacher, then my heart will be content because it's following the Lords will. I have full faith in this.

I want this to be encouragement to anyone who feels useless, broken, or tired. I have felt and am currently feeling most of these things, even as I write this. I am just trying to learn to hear the sweet and encouraging things that the Lord has to tell me.

What to do when you're in a rut

We all get this way. Well at least I know all we ARTISTIC people. I'm sure most everyone else does too.

I strongly believe that if you are passionate about something, it will get you down sometimes. It's obvious in all the movies... the girl is passionate about the boy and he makes her sad... yada yada yada.

Well I'm passionate about lots of things, which I think is the reason I am down a lot of the time. especially recently.

Here are some things I am passionate about:

The Lord

Music

People

Family


I have such a passionate love for our Lord and I could not make it through the day without him, but I also worry about disappointing him. I want more and more of his love and I want to do his will for me and I am so passionate about that, that I am afraid sometimes that I am just failing. It gets me down but then I realize that he KNOWS my heart better than anyone or anything ever will. He knows my deepest hopes and dreams and he is waiting for me to come back into his arms and ask for help.

Music. If you know me AT ALL you know that music and I go hand in hand. I am so passionate about this that I want to do it all and be super successful at all of it. I am majoring in vocal music education, but if I had it my way I would be majoring in vocal and instrumental music ed and also performance and also would get a major in saving the planet. I want to do it all and it brings me down when I realize that I can't do it all.

I am passionate about people. I would spend all my money on my friends if I got the opportunity. I just really love all the people I really love and sometimes I try to express this love too much and it puts me in a situation of thinking that these people can't possibly love me as much as I love them. Talk about discouraging. When in reality, 9 times out of 10 the people I put my time and love into will love me back.

Family. I am so passionate and grateful for the great family that God has blessed me with. I have been blessed with people who completely support my goals and dreams and aspirations to save the world and be a musician. I love them so much and I am so lucky that sometimes it turns into fear that I am disappointing them or that they might leave!

So all of these things are things that I absolutely love more than anything (except the other things..) and these are also the causes of 90% of my frustrations. I get frustrated and upset over things that I want to do well in and can't. The fact of the matter is that God has put these wonderful things in my life (family, friends, music and him) not so that I can spend hours upon hours feeling guilty for not treating each thing perfectly but so that I can feel NOURISHED and ENRICHED by their very presence.

So I challenge all of you to find the things God has place especially in your life to enrich you, whether that be a talent, a person or a hobby and let it bring you peace amongst all the other craziness of your life. Let your gifts be just that. GIFTS!

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Start thinking positive!

I have recently discovered a terrible habit of mine. I can be SO UNDENIABLY negative. About everything, seriously. I am the first to jump to the conclusion that things won't work out and that I am going to have a terrible day, when in reality, up to this point at least I have survived all the situations I have been in. As a matter of fact, so have YOU. We have all survived completely this far in our journey of life and I plan on working on taking the positive outlook on life from here on out.

There is no time to spend your days worried about the next awkward situation you will be in, or the next time you will get ditched on a date is. The fact of the matter is that life is going to happen and you cannot stop it. So be super grateful for the things that you are successful in and don't sweat the other stuff.

I am going to make a vow today to be a positive thinker from here on out. It's my life and my responsibility to be happy about it.

Forgiveness.

Forgiveness is something that we all need from time to time. We need to be generous with giving our forgiveness away and at some point we will need someone to be generous and forgive us for the things we do. Being a person who gives others grace (not giving someone a bloody nose, even when they deserve one) gives you the freedom:

To move on. We all have those people in our lives still from years ago who have hurt us, whether they knew it or not. Maybe it was someone in elementary school who called you fat and you've felt bad about yourself ever since. Maybe it was a girl in High School who stole your boyfriend. Maybe it's your ex boyfriend who lied to you about cheating. Whoever it is, you may see them even on a daily basis or only once a year. And every time you see them it can be hard to smile and be cordial. But, be honest here and tell me when holding a grudge and burning a bridge has ever helped you out. The only thing that comes from holding on to anger is exhaustion. You become so tired of holding on to the past that it becomes a part of you and it can make your heart hard. Give just one person the grace of forgiveness today, you don't even have to tell them. Forgiveness starts with you. It starts with accepting that everyone makes mistakes and that your value is not in the way that others treat you, but in the way that our heavenly father sees us. These people in your life may not even know what they have done to you, but in your heart you must release it. This way you are free and you are able to move on from their mean words. You are able to create truth inside your mind instead of living on the lies that were told to you. You are not ugly, you are beautiful. You are not fat, you have fat and you can overcome these insecurities. Move on from the stress of holding on to old comments.

To not make the others mistakes. When you are hurt by someone, you feel bad. Obviously, however it's important to learn from their mistake. Tap into the feelings you feel when someone hurts you and figure out what exactly happened to have them say those things to you or to do those things to you. What is the situation and how can you be sure to avoid that situation in the future, and if the situation is unavoidable then how can you react better? The person who lied to you, or hurt you most likely didn't mean to break down their relationship with you and they may wish they could take it back. Learn from their mistakes so that you don't hurt those that you love in the future.

To practice self control. You get into a heated argument. Words are exchanged. Feelings are hurt.
It's almost inevitable. That eventually, at some point in your life, you get into a heated debate with someone you care about. Now is not the time to win or lose. Now is the time to practice self- control. And as hard as it is to hold your tongue and not say the things you most want to say, it can really pay off in the end. Even if the friend you hurt forgives you, it can still damage the long term relationship. Remember in the moment these three simple things.

Everyone has value
Everyone makes mistakes
Words can't be un-said

If you remember that everyone has feelings and value then you have a better chance of watching what you say in the moment.

Everyone makes mistakes and things DO "just happen" sometimes. You never want to deny someone forgiveness for a mistake they made. They could have wronged you unknowingly, or hurt you because they were trying to keep something hurtful from you. The truth is that you may never know the entire truth about a situation and it becomes even more important in those instances to hold your tongue and re assess the situation.

Words can not be un-said. That fact is simple and true. Fill your friends minds with positive thoughts and generous kindness and avoid bringing others down because you are upset. Once mean thoughts have been aired, they can never be un heard.


We all make mistakes. I make them ALL THE TIME. It's just a fact of life. However, because we all make mistakes it becomes unnecessary to make the same mistakes as those around you. So learn from the mistakes of those around you and be more forgiving than you want to be.

Scared of the Future? You're not alone!

So it's official. My winter break is over and I am going back to school in the morning. I go to school in a different state than I live in, so it is never exactly convenient to come home. Even though, I love nothing more than being with my family and sleeping with my dogs, seriously. But the time has come and I have FINALLY finished packing all my things.

This winter break was my first since I've been in college, which means I have completed one semester so far. Quite successfully if I might add, but that doesn't mean I'm not scared for the journey ahead. I learned a few things this semester that I am going to share with you all and that I am going to remind myself of. These three things I tell myself when I am scared of something that I am about to face, or when I feel alone. They have been pretty helpful so far.

• You need people. Even if you hate them. And there will never be shortage of them.

• Your identity is not in your works.

• God knows where you are. in every sense of the word.

Now, the first one may seem harsh but seriously guys... who has never at least thought that they hated everyone on the planet? When six people in a row cut you off, when someones dog pees on your foot, when you step in the grass and its soaking wet. (The last one isn't really someones fault, but I'd probably end up blaming it on the first person I saw after the incident).  I know that I have this feeling on a daily basis. I get the feeling that I would be better off without anyone. That if it were just me and the Lord I would be set. However, that is not the case. At all. The truth is that people need people. God knows which type of people you need... to help you, shape you, mold you, teach you and even hurt you. God has it all planned out and is sending the right people your way before you even know where you're going.

The second thing I learned this semester, that I hope desperately to take with me into this coming semester is that your identity as a person is not in the work that you do. Yes, I know that its important to work very hard in college and to get good grades but the fact of the matter is, that your success is based on the Lords' will for your life and your faithfulness in your walk with him. When you trust in the Lord for his guidance and his faithfulness you can rest assured that all your hard work will pay off. So continue to work hard on things you love and the things you don't love so much, and continue to work for the Lords' will and he will make your paths straight.

Finally, God knows exactly where you are. In every sense of the word. He knows where you are spiritually, emotionally, physically and where you are on your journey in life. Because he knows this, you can have peace over your life. Knowing that he is right next to you there to take care of you. Knowing that he is using his unending love and power to shift your life around in ways that are pleasing to him.

So, be at peace. It's okay to be scared of the future, but fear fades away when you realize that your future is already secure. In the hands of the creator of the universe.

So appreciate the people in your life, even if they drive you nuts. Work hard, but remember where your identity lies. And last but not least know that you have someone who is unbeatable in YOUR corner, fighting for you even when you stop fighting for yourself.

Who's Stopping You?

" I was going to _______ but it just didn't work out"

Hello everyone, I would like you all to fill in the blank above with one thing you have always wanted to do but haven't yet.

Here are some examples:

skydive (cliche I know)
go to school and get a degree (SCARY)
dye your hair
eat healthy

Now answer this one question: Who is stopping you? We can agree on the fact that your family and loved ones may stop you from jumping out of a plane with nothing but a plastic bag to save the day, but most other accomplishments are just a matter of mustering up enough courage to get going. Don't be the person to say no to yourself.


Now, don't get me wrong, I have accomplished many things in my 19 years on this planet, but there have still been some things that I have flat out chickened out on. The truth of the matter is, that failure is scary and even scarier than that is stagnancy. At least to me, stagnancy is terrifying. Starting a brand new journey on a path towards something I want so badly and then just sitting down in the middle of the road.

The reason stagnancy is so scary to me is because I do it. ALL THE TIME. I know that I have a weakness of stopping in the middle and fizzling out on my passions. So I am going to share with you strangers things I have been stagnant on, in the hopes of inspiring myself to finish them and hopefully inspire you to do the same!

here we go...

Losing weight- I have been complaining about my rather round middle since I can remember and have started many programs to solve the problem, but if you ask me how many programs I have followed through on, the answer can be found on less than five fingers.

Performing- Yes, I am a music major. Yes, I sing in my shower daily. Yes, I am too scared to audition and too scared to become a performance/music ed major.

Starting a blog- You may be thinking "hello... Jaclyn... you're writing on your blog" and this one may seem silly, but it's only the truth. I have wanted to start a blog since I started watching YouTube and following the lives of those people.

Becoming artsy- I am terrible at math and that's just a fact, but I am not terrible at art. I am good at music and a pretty decent dancer so I want to expand my skills in all things art.

These are three things that I struggle with daily and they all come down to one thing. Fear of failure. I am going to make a promise to myself and to anybody reading this blog. If you start facing your fears I will face mine (and follow through!). Start being the person you have always wanted to be. Nobody is stopping you except for yourself. Let's make 2014 a year to face our fears and buckle down on our goals. I have a friend who always tells me "If you're looking for a sign, here it is. Now go" because you are worth it.

So join me in my journey of all things life and help me out on my journey through life!

Let me know at least one thing YOU have been waiting for encouragement to do and lets start together.