The About Me List - Play Along!

Today I decided I wanted to reflect on the quirkiness of who I am. I remember how I used to see these FB posts where my friends would share a list of all these cool, fun, quirky facts about themselves. No one on FB has done this in a while (years) and i really miss reading them! So, I'm kicking it off with a hope that you will play along and do the same. :) Let me know if any of these also apply to you. 

1. I love movies from the 80s - 90s such as BIG, What About Bob?, Can't Buy Me Love, Loverboy, Princess Bride, Ferris Bueller, Goonies, and Weekend at Bernies.  

2. I have a deep love for star gazing. Anytime, anywhere, just ask. 

3. My sense of direction is almost non-existent. 

4. I hold my pen the "incorrect" way, but i can't correct it now. 

5. I was in two legitimate fights as a kid, yet never got kicked out of school. 

6. I used to think a manual or stick shift of a car was also termed as a "stiff." 

7. For a long time (at least 2 years) I called Wifi, the "WeeFee." {Yes, go ahead and laugh}

8. I was in an intense discipleship program called Master's Commission in college {Google it}. We spent a lot of time together in our little community learning scripture. We traveled the U.S. speaking at churches, writing and performing skits and "human videos." 

9. I'm a soprano II (or alto I depending on the music). I love singing and i play piano, but i can't do both at the same time. I was in a small traveling choir in college called Ladies of Lee. 

10. I'm scared to do a flip because I just know i'll hit my head and need stitches. 

11. I received "The Silliest" award in my college dorm. Simmons Hall rocks!  

12. My primary love languages are quality time and words of affirmation - time spent really connecting with someone - laughing and having genuine conversations.

13. Over the years, I have learned that I'm more high maintenance than I once thought. :) good luck future hubby. 

14. I love when people initiate things and invite me. I'm 60% introvert {some extrovert tendencies - INFP/INFJ}.  

15. I went to Health Camp as a kid. Whenever i tell people that, they have no clue what i'm talking about. I loved all my health and anatomy classes in school. It fascinates me how the human body works. 

16. I've struggled with loneliness throughout my life and few people know how hard (how deep) this struggle really is.  

17. Improper grammar annoys me. You're is not the same as your. To is different than too and two.  Specific is different than Pacific.  Affect and effect mean two different things. And this new thing where people write "dat be" and "fraid of ah" and "this gyal is tunda" - that's not a language! It makes me cringe. Learn English, learn Spanish or French or Korean - anything that's a legitimate language, but stop trying to make one up and expect me to understand. 

18. As a runner, I am strangely proud of my beat-up feet. At times, I wish they were dainty with a beautiful pedicure, but after you run 13 miles, who cares? 

19. I'm gluten free and dairy free, and because of that I am now asthma free with very little allergies. 

20. I finished my second half marathon this past November with no inhaler and completely cured of asthma. My time was 2:02:35 and I'm very happy with that. 

21. I always wanted to be like the "cool kids" - the dancers and the cheerleaders - but that's simply not who I am. And I fully embrace who I am - nerdiness and all. :)  

22. The best burger I've ever had was called the Basque burger while i was in PARIS traveling with a good friend. 

23. I went zip-lining through the Appalachian mountains = one of the best days ever. 

24. I went cliff jumping within my first week of college. 

25. I was slightly chased by a goat in the Dominican. 

26. I hopped on a mo-ped with a stranger and drove through crazy traffic in the Dominican. 

27. I love both mountains and the beach, but the mountains are my favorite. They're beautiful and full of vibrant color, and the stars are brighter! {Plus the temperature is 10x better}. 

28. My heart longs to do missions, but God has closed that door. I'm patiently waiting to see what will happen and where God will lead me next. 

29. I love photography and understand cameras pretty well, but if you put me in front of a slow computer and ask me to fix the problem, i just want to scream. 

30. I came to know Christ in a wonderful Pentecostal church which I still love dearly. However, if I could encourage them to change one thing within the denomination, it would be to teach more about grace. 

31. I am not a fan of "know-it-alls" that close their minds and remain in their ignorance. I respect those more that humble themselves to listen, ask questions, and be teachable. I truly hope I can be a lifelong learner. 

32. When I was little, my mom lost me in the grocery store because I was really sleepy and randomly decided to lay down for a nap on top of the toilet paper stacks. It was the softest spot to lay down. :) 

33. When I first got contacts I only needed one. My mom called me Cyclops. {still makes me laugh}

34. I have a burden for children, especially those in poverty and slavery. Something new stirring deep in my heart these last few months has been a bigger burden for the persecuted church. 

35. This year has so far been a season of a beautiful, deep struggle. God is nudging me to know myself and fully embrace who I am. He is teaching me so much about me and about Him. I love who I am and how He designed me - even the deepest parts. And I love Him even more. 

That's all I can think of for now! I hope you play along and post some fun facts about yourself! :) 

{promises}

I believe the holidays are getting to me.  This oh-so-obvious state of being single at Christmas is my latest struggle... as it is for many others.  {I just hate admitting it}.  The funny thing is that even through this struggle, I feel God reminding me of His promises a little bit everyday.

Today I was driving to my mom's house and I was reminded of a sweet word spoken to me years ago.   I was driving home from work and I was crying.  The story is that I liked this guy and he liked someone else.  She was incredibly talented and beautiful, and just the fact that he didn't like me made me feel that I was not those things.  I felt rejected.  My prayer wasn't really any words but more of a groaning really. {quite pathetic I know}  I do remember praying that God would bless me with a husband and that if this guy was not what was best for me, that He would bring someone else.  Then in a moment, my whole perspective changed.  I heard this sweet whisper.  It was one of those moments where you know it's not you, you just know that it's God...

"He will chase you as I have chased you and love you as I have loved you."  

I immediately felt at peace.  It gave me joy knowing that He cared about this heartbreak.  To know that God wasn't ignoring my pain, but was compassionate and spoke encouragement to me.  Weeks later, I began to doubt and wondered if that was really God speaking... did it even line up with the Word?  I found that in Ephesians 5, Paul talks about how we, as believers, should live our lives in wisdom and love for others.  He goes on to talk about the unity of husband and wife and how the marriage covenant should honor God.  

"And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church.  He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God's word.  He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish.  Instead, she will be holy and without fault.  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies.  For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife.   No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church.  And we are his body."  

It still amazes me that God cares about this part of my life.  That may sound silly to some, but for so long I felt like this part of my life was oblivious to Him.  I love knowing that God desires for me to pursued and loved by my husband.  He longs for me to be protected and cherished... as He already protects, cherishes and loves me as His bride.  I love how He wants me to love and respect my husband, to pray and care for him.  This gives me joy in knowing He will bless my marriage!  

As a young girl, I never wanted to get married.  Are you shocked?  Most people are when I tell them that.  I just never thought any good could come of getting married because of my parents.  As a young teenager, I came to know a wonderful youth pastor and his wife that showed me how a godly marriage should be.  They argued occasionally {in a healthy way of course} but more than anything I saw their love for one another.  They were affectionate and loving, they spoke with kindness and respect.  {something I never saw at home} I am SO thankful for them!  They made me believe that marriage can be a good thing.  I still struggled with this fear through my early twenties, but I began to see more and more marriages come together that honored God.  As I've grown in my faith, God's promises to me are more real everyday.  Unfortunately I am fought in this area more than any other part of my life.  Satan attacks me so much and I become discouraged... I believe He attacks more because he is aware of the blessing that is to come in my life.   I believe God has bigger plans for me than what I plan for myself!  I believe He is a loving Heavenly Father who only longs to give me good things.   {THAT} has taken me years to believe!  I believe part of his plan is to bless me with a husband, a family and a home that glorifies Him!  As a close friend once said.... "You were created for Him."  It really is all about Him, His timing, His plan.... so that He is glorified.   It's not about me.  

In regards to the guy that I liked back in the day.... thank you Jesus that I never dated him!  hahaha!  And because this is my blog and I am not naming any names I can say he was {at least back then} quite a coward, a gossip, and more of a follower than a leader.   I guess God knew what he was doing after all because I would have a hard time respecting a man like that.