The Lie I Always Believed

Do you ever think that if you make a wrong choice you will ruin your whole life? I'm not talking about what to eat for breakfast. I'm talking about "where should I go to college?", "should I be in a relationship with this person?", "should I quit my job?". Those questions. Big, life-altering questions.


I used to think that way. If I made a wrong choice I would get "off track" from God's best plan for my life. I may still end up with a good life, but it wouldn't be his best plan because I messed that up when I decided to go to College A over College B.


It paralyzed my decision making. I wouldn't take risks or accept change. I would stay stuck in bad situations for way too long. I let my fear of failure and my false idea of my own power undermine my faith in God.


Fear like that doesn't go away overnight. I am still learning about how to love the process and the journey. It's not always about the next step, sometimes it's about what God takes you through to get you there.


For a long time I thought I was alone in this belief. Recently I started hearing it more and more. Today I read an article on a popular Christian website that listed it as one of the major lies American culture feeds us daily. I would encourage you to read it but here is just a portion:

God’s plan for our lives is not always linear. This is a Western mindset, not a Biblical one. God’s direction can include branches and offsets. The path to the final destination can be achieved more than one way. 

God’s design for your life is for you to seek Him with all of your heart. When you get to a fork in the road, pray about it and then just choose a road. Stop wasting months. Stop waiting on “clarity.” Stop agonizing over whether you chose the “right” road. Just choose a road. If you are seeking the Lord, there is no wrong road.

So to those of you who thought it was only you, it's not.


Don't be afraid,
Amanda

Life Update: February

Life doesn't stop moving.

This past month has f l o w n by so fast. Here are the February highlights:

I received a new position at work that I am very excited about. I am now the Property Manager of Greenbrier Ridge Apartments in Knoxville, TN. It is quite a leap from my previous position. The new complex has double the apartments, and I manage a number of staff members as well. Work was hard there for a while because as a company we underwent a lot of transition and change that doubled our workloads. Since then it has improved greatly and we are all getting a hang of it, plus I am enjoying my new position.

My best friend Allix got into PA school and wanted to do something big to celebrate. She will be moving to Nashville and in school for the next 27 months without much of a break. So... WE WENT ON A CRUISE. We actually did it! We booked the trip and 3 weeks later boarded the Liberty of the Seas for 5 nights (stopping in Belize & Cozumel). It was an amazing trip and worth every penny! How often do you get to leave 7 inches of snow and work behind for a week in the Caribbean?!

New Friends & a Couple Future Roommates

Back in Knoxville I spend time outside of work playing with my beautiful (needy) puppy, leading a college small group, and making new friends. Life right after college was hard and full of change, but now it finally seems like I've found a rhythm and a new normal. Making friends can be hard but I've been blessed with some great new ones and old.

The amazing girls in the CollegeLife Group that I help lead

February is often my least favorite month of the year. The weather is dreary, there's not much going on besides the world's worst holiday, and did I mention how much the weather sucks. God has blessed me more than I ever imagined with a wonderful month full of joy, new experiences, and life to the fullest.

Happy February... Bring it on March!

Unplugged

Social media can get a bad reputation.

It's not all bad though, there are good things about it too. It is way easier to keep in touch and update your loved ones on the important moments of your life.

On the other hand Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Snapchat, Pinterest, & Google+ [who even uses that?] can also be a huge distraction and temptation. It is a distraction from REAL LIFE. We are surrounded by real people and real conversations, and yet we stop to look at the latest tweets on our phones midsentence. It is a temptation to compare, to judge, to ridicule, to envy, to lust, to covet, to gossip, to brag, to idolize, and to ignore reality. We judge ridiculous status updates instead of having compassion, we idolize and covet everything on our Pinterest boards for our unrealistic dream homes, and we envy and compare ourselves to every girl on our Instagram feed who gets engaged.

I never thought I had many comparison issues, but lately I have not been as happy as I used to be. I have an incredible family, amazingly loyal friends, a roof over my head, a job [that I may not love everyday, but it pays my bills and allows me to use my gifts]. I am so blessed. Why should I be unhappy? Part of it is that I want, want, want. I want more stuff, I want more attention, and I want to look like everyone on my timeline and friend's list that has it all together [Public Service Announcement: No one has it all together].

I couldn't help but get a thrill whenever I had a post that got a high number of likes. I judged people based on what they put online, whether I knew them or not. I even checked my Instagram at stoplights and every time I used the bathroom. There was so much wrong with my attachment to social media.

Then 8 days ago I deleted Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram off my iPhone.

And the world went on spinning. In fact, it wasn't even as hard as I thought it would be. I would reach for my phone at times and then realize there was nothing on there to look at, which would free me up to embrace the moment that I was in. There are minor inconveniences, but overall I'm glad I did it. I didn't delete my accounts so I can post updates or stay in touch with friends from my iPad or computer. That way I still have the benefit of keeping in touch with friends and family easily, but I am not constantly attached to social media and the problems that it brings.

If you struggle with the same things as me I would encourage you to try the challenge. Give yourself a 40 day trial and just delete the apps. Keep track of how your attitude changes and what you are able to do with your time. Let me know how it goes!

Works of Heart

I am working on an Etsy shop to promote my art and in hopes of selling some more. I love painting on canvas, but I also love using other things like old windows and wood as my canvas. All of the items pictured below were previously sold, but they can give you an idea of what you can order. Also, I am always up for a challenge so if you have an idea of something I would love to give it a try. If you see anything you like please message me or comment! I would be happy to give you a price.

"Rocky Top" [I love doing art that celebrates TN]

[A favorite quote of mine from JRR Tolkien]

[Scripture (Psalm 27:1) and a line from a favorite worship song "The Everlasting"]

[You can't celebrate TN without a little football]

[Half TN State Flag, Half Knoxville skyline]

[Scripture art for a baby girl's room]

[Scripture art for a baby boy's room]

[Lyric from "Sigh no More" by Mumford & Sons]

[Scripture art]

[3D Monogram with Chevron Background]

[Signs from a dear friend's wedding]

[A popular wedding sign]

[Custom for the couple]

[This is hard to see but it is an antique window with all of their special dates on it]

[The signs at the wedding]

[At the wedding]

I love New Year's Resolutions

New. Restart. Second chances. Fresh start.

Who doesn't love those things? I know I do. New Year is a chance to make a promise a keep it. That is what I hope to do.

I always make several resolutions, and I admit, I never keep them all, but I usually keep a few.

Here is the list for 2014:

 

1. Make a budget and stick to it.

I am using the Dave Ramsey cash envelope system. Check it out here.

 

2. Read 30 NEW books.

So far I've already read 4 so this shouldn't be too hard. I am going to keep up with each of them along with a small review in this post.

 

3. Run a 10k.

Last year my goal was to run a 5k and so I'm increasing it a bit.

 

4.Teach myself design software.

I have become increasingly interested in the design world. I hope to learn the basics of the Adobe Creative Suite by teaching myself through YouTube tutorials in my spare time. Do you have any favorite YouTube teachers?

 

5. Stop going to food for comfort.

I'm bad at this and I have been going through this devo series which speaks to the spiritual aspect of overeating.

 

6. Limit screentime.

Spend less time watching tv, surfing the internet, and on my phone.

 

7. Thank God for something everyday.

Gratitude builds joy.

 

8. Go on a date.

It's may be a weird New Year's resolution, but its something that I want to happen this year. #judgeorjoin

 

9. Learn to be content or be active in changing my circumstances.

Life is too short to stay unhappy.

What are your New Years resolutions?