Wow, That's Super Basic

    With Thanksgiving being next week, and knowing that I'll have about negative 10 minutes of downtime during then, I decided to go ahead and bring you your #basic Thanksgiving "what I'm thankful for post." Except not basic at all, because let's be real, if you know me, then you know I'm anything but basic.....except my love for PSL's and yoga pants, but that's entirely unrelated. It's a funny thing though, thankfulness. As I'm sitting here thinking about what all I'm thankful for, the thought crossed my mind of, "Am I REALLY thankful for that or am I just appreciative?" Because as painful as it is to realize, those two things are not the same. You can appreciate something or someone without really truly being thankful for that thing or person. That can be a hard pill to swallow. Something I've learned recently is that you sometimes have to accept people for where they're at, and not expect them to be anything else, and in turn be what they need you to be in that moment, especially if they're someone you are thankful for. Because chances are, that person is thankful for you too, and excessive expectations typically only leads to disappointment and one or both getting hurt. So with that being said, I give you my unabridged "What I'm Thankful For" List:

**I'm thankful for my Lord and Savior first and foremost. He's always first. Always. There's no doubt in my mind that I would be in an entirely different place and be an entirely different person if had not been for the amazing love and grace of God. If you've been following my blogging journey or just know me in general, then you know the dark place that I was brought out of and the amazing opportunities that I've been given since then. Through my struggles with anxiety and addiction to perfection, I have grown so much closer in my walk with the Lord and He has provided for me in ways that I never thought were possible. He loves me when I don't deserve to be loved and comforts me when it seems like there is no hope. He made me perfect in His image and his grace covers me in ways that I don't even understand. He's my perfect Savior, and he's mine.
**I'm thankful for my family (how super generic of me), but seriously. No family is perfect and all of them have their cracks and strains and crazies, but at the end of the day, they're still mine. I'm thankful that my mom gets mad at me for having the exact same smart alec attitude that she has. I'm thankful that even though my dad lives ten hours away, I still am blessed enough to see him, my stepmom, and my God-given adopted brother regularly throughout the year. I'm thankful that my mom remarried someone who doesn't treat me like a step-child, but HIS OWN child and works above and beyond what a normal person would do to provide for his family. I'm thankful for those three other little loud humans that are asleep right now, because yes, they drive me nuts and I contemplate selling them to the circus on a weekly basis, but they love deeper than some grown adults. And they're mine.
**I'm thankful for my best friend who is probably doing one of two things right now: watching Gilmore Girls for about the zillionith time or feeling lame for already being in her pajamas and ready for bed. Or both. You rock those pj's girl. You're my #bffinabox and no one in the world gets me like you do. You've seen me at my absolute worst, and yet still love me despite all that. You know things about me that I'm too afraid to admit to myself, but yet you remain patient until I come to my senses. Our conversations never really feel like they last almost 2 hours, even though they usually do. You're beautiful inside and out, even though you rarely see it.Your encouragement and prayer is one of the things I hold most dear. Despite the stupid mistakes I've made and the people that I let dictate who I let into my life, you've stood by me. And I know you always will. Because you're mine.
**I'm thankful for my other best friend, you know who you are and more than likely you're reading this not too long after I post it because I told you to. Gosh, has it really been 12 years? Do people even stay associated with each other after this long? Probably not, but we did. Because we're both insanely weird. You also get me like no one else does, but in an entirely different way. I can't even put into words how well you understand me. You've always been my best friend, even when we weren't what would normally be considered "friends." Even when we went years without speaking, there were times that you were the first person I'd want to tell certain things to, because I knew you'd understand. We've always had this crazy, undeniable connection that is just sometimes plain scary. At such a young age, you've already been through more than most people go through in their entire lives, and yet you still have this ridiculously positive outlook on life, and I love that about you. You're amazing, and I don't want you to listen to anyone who tells you different. I just want you to know how much you mean to me, and that I'm here for you, being patient, no matter what. Because you're mine, loser.
**I'm thankful for having a job in a field that I've prayed and worked so hard for. Most people who graduate from college end up in a place that is nowhere near what that $50,000 piece of paper says they're qualified to do, but I did. Sure, it's anything but easy. In fact on most days, it's downright overwhelming, but then every day I'm able to hold my head up and say, "Yeah, I'm a nurse. I save lives on the reg." Having a job where you get to touch people's lives EVERY. SINGLE. DAY? I mean, it's no contest. The funny thing is, I think some of the patients I've had have touched my heart in ways that I could never repay by simple medicine and treatments. I'm blessed with my job, because I see healing both inside and out. And not just with my patients, but with myself as well. It's crazy and hectic and scary, but it's all mine.

There are obviously tons of other things I'm thankful for, and trust me, I could go on for days. But then this post would be 20 pages long, and let's be honest, no one wants to read that. But I want to leave you with this: Be thankful, and not just this month, but every month, every day. Because you never know when someone or something will be taken from you in the blink of an eye. Hold tight to those you care about. Tell the people you love that you love them, even when it's hard. Because we're not always promised tomorrow, and those people and things you're thankful for? They're all yours, and they're all you have.

I Could Paint with All the Colors of My Lack of Preparation

When I was younger, adults would always ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And I usually always had a decent answer: Olympic gymnast, veterinarian, teacher (Power Ranger at one point). Then, as I got older, it became doctor, forensic scientist, a brief and fleeting thought towards acting. Basically, I was all over the place. I always loved and was good at math and science, so the closer I got to college, the more my career choices seemed to gravitate towards those fields. When I first started at UM, I was an athletic training major hoping to one day become a physical therapist. It didn’t take long (we’re talking about 2 months) for me to realize that that was NOT my thing. I suffered a minor crisis of “Oh my gosh. What am I going to do with my life??” before finally putting the two biggest factors together: 1) I love and have a deep passion for helping people + 2) I was a science and math nerd= Duh, nursing! Yes! I have my entire life figured out! Oh how naïve sweet, little freshman Jessica was…..

If you have been reading these posts from the beginning, then you know my whole testimony about struggling with a major anxiety disorder all through nursing school, and how my gracious Lord and Savior brought me out on the other side victorious! (If not, you should check it out. It’s a page-turner ;) ) Since then, I have been working at a great hospital for a little over a year now, gaining some top-notch experience, and have made some wonderful friends in the process. Sure, my job drives me absolutely insane sometimes, and there are days where I question whether or not I can make it through the twelve hours, but all in all, the positives have far outweighed the negatives. I have witnessed what could only be explained as miracles take place, and I LOVE getting to smile and laugh along with people who are dealing with potentially life-threatening situations. The human spirit is an amazing thing y’all….it really is. You know what though? I cannot wait for the day that I walk out of those doors for the last time. Now I know that that may sound harsh, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the place or the people. It has to do with the fact that I know that the moment I step foot across that threshold, I’ll be taking my next step on the path that God has been preparing me for these last 24 years. The thing is though, I have no idea when or where that next step is going to come. And THAT right there is what’s scary. I have no clue as to what I’m going to do with my life. (How many times has that phrase been uttered by a million other post-grads??) It’s true though. I have zero idea of where I’ll be this time 10 years from now, 5 years from now, even next year. I definitely do not have my entire life figured out, unlike my 18-year-old self once thought. Bless her heart. What I do know is that I have about ten different paths that I would love to walk down. Some are healthcare related, and some aren’t. Some I could walk in and do tomorrow, and some would take months of planning and preparation. They all hold a very special place in my heart, and I know that there is a reason that they are there. To some people that lack of direction and preparedness may sound like a nightmare, and a couple of years ago I was one of those people. But now? All I can think about are all the beautiful and amazing possibilities that are open to me. I could literally do ANYTHING.  YOU could literally do anything. I love nursing and would be overjoyed to be able to help others heal every single day for the rest of my life, but I also have other dreams. It’s okay to not have your life figured out by 25. It’s okay to have no idea what you’ll do next week. Planning and preparation are wonderful. I mean, who spent almost eighty bucks on a fancy planner? This girl right here. But don’t let yourself get so bogged down with trying to plan your life out that you miss the beautiful things God is aligning in the background. Let him take your dreams and desires and mold them into plans and actions. Allow the uncertainty to become opportunity. (I seriously feel like I sound like a fortune cookie at this point, but I digress) Not knowing can be beautiful, and breaking down the barriers in your own mind can be one of the most freeing things you will ever do. Break down that fourth wall (If you understand that reference, I love you). Do not limit yourself to what your degree says. As I have said from the beginning, you are more than a piece of paper. You are talented and strong and smart and special. God has amazing plans for you, and if you’ll simply hand Him the paint brush, He can paint some awe-inspiring pictures in colors you didn’t even know existed. All it takes is a dream, and a little bit of faith. Give yourself permission to try new things and go beyond what you thought was possible. You will never know what is possible until you do it.

Why Am I Up This Late??

The other night, I woke up at 1:30 in the morning for some unknown reason, and proceeded to try everything I could think of to fall back asleep. Nothing seemed to work. I laid awake, tossing and turning, for about 2 hours before I remembered something that my mom had always told me: “If for whatever reason, you wake up all of a sudden, and can’t seem to fall back asleep, ask God what He’s trying to tell you.” So I sat up in bed, grabbed my Bible, and………nothing. I don’t think there is anything more discouraging than attempting to listen for God’s voice and hearing nothing. In the silence, my mind began to wander and I started to think about how I wasn’t exactly looking forward to going to work on Saturday because I had been dealing with a bad cold for about a week and still wasn’t entirely over it. Then I started thinking about how I wish it was June so I could go on vacation with my family or August so I could travel to Nicaragua on my church’s summer mission trip (more about that coming later). Basically I wanted it to be any day BUT Saturday. Absentmindedly, I clicked on my phone and decided to check the Bible App I had downloaded. At the top of the page was a scroll-through of some of the new devotional plans they were featuring this week. One in particular stood out to me: Ambition and Your Work. Out of sheer curiosity, I clicked on the sample of the first day and as I began to read the devotional content, the phrase “there are no accidents,” came to mind.

“Godly ambition aims to know and follow Christ, not just at church, but in the workplace as well. Since he is God over our whole lives, we can make it our goal to know him more and live for his glory wherever we are.

Godly ambition is also characterized by concern for the welfare of others. As we grow in knowing Jesus, we will develop a passion for God and his redemptive purposes for the world. Like Jesus, we are called to look not only to our own interests, but to the interests of others.”

….But to the interests of others.

Talk about a slap in the face that knocks you down a few notches…..the verse that went along with the content was Philippians 2: 1-4, but what caught a hold of me were the last two verses: “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” It was one of those moments where I had to just set my Bible down and stare at the ceiling for a few moments. What was I doing? Here I was, accomplishing exactly what I had worked so long and hard for, and all I could do was complain about having to actually do it. I should be thankful that I am able to wake up every day knowing that I had a good, stable job in the exact field I had strived for. I should be thankful that God rescued me from the dark place of anxiety and fear that had held me captive for so long, and was using me to touch peoples’ lives every day. My ambition to be successful had become totally out of line with God’s definition of successful. I had stopped looking at my job as a mission opportunity and started looking at it the way the world does: as an inconvenience that I had to do. I had completely lost sight of where I had been just two short years ago, when I would have given just about anything to be where I am now. Living for God doesn’t just mean going to church on Sunday and singing along to the songs, maybe taking a note or two on the sermon. Living for God means embodying what He stands for and incorporating that belief and lifestyle into every aspect of our lives, really living LIKE God; aligning our ambitions and desires and goals with what He ultimately wants. And what He ultimately wants is for His people to come to know Him. That’s it. Forget all the bells and whistles and lists of what you can and cannot do, and know that all God wants is for His people to come to know Him and His goodness. We have opportunities every day to use where we are at and the everyday jobs that we have to be a light in a world that has grown so dark. Let those goals and ambitions that you have drive you, but ultimately, don’t forget who the Driver is and what He wants for you. Because I promise you it’s good, better than you can ever imagine. So today, or tomorrow, or whenever the next time you have to walk into your workplace is, remember that God lead you there for a reason that extends far beyond you simply having a job. He wants to use you and help you succeed. So why not let Him?

It's Not Cool to Laugh in Church

       Wanna know a secret? I didn't get my driver's license until I was 20 years old. It wasn't that I was an awful driver, or failed the test a bunch of times. The thought of driving just TERRIFIED me. Seriously, my hands would get sweaty and I had a death grip on the steering wheel whenever I was brave enough to try and practice. Back then, like everything else, as I have shared in past posts, I was so afraid of failing that the fear overcame me enough to where I couldn't get in the driver's seat without having a near panic attack. And believe me when I say that I received plenty of.....criticism....harsh encouragement....opinions about the situation. I know that the people who brought it up every. single. time. they saw me meant well, but after a while, it did start to get to me. The probing questions and "bless your heart" attitudes that Southerners are oh so famous for began to make me think, "Is something wrong with me? Am I just plain weird for not being able to make it past this simple point of everyday life?" Now obviously this wasn't the case and I did eventually pass my driver's test with a 98 (being the over-achiever that I am), but at the time, when I was still unaware of who I was and what the Lord's plan was for me, it honestly made me feel like a freak.
      The reason I bring up this not-so-shining point of my past is because of what God spoke to me last night at church.......during worship, I just began to pray "Lord, speak to me. Tell me what you want me to hear." I fully believe that God still speaks to His people today, but sometimes it's hard for us as humans to really believe that what we're hearing is from Him. Which is why last night when I heard the Lord tell me "Remember who you are," I had to keep myself from giggling, because all I could think of at first was the scene from The Lion King (you know which one I'm talking about, don't even pretend like you don't; this is another reason why I believe God has a great sense of humor). As I continued to listen though, His words continued and touched me in a way I had not expected. He said, "Remember who you are. Remember who I made you to be. Trust in me." Sometimes I think we believe that if God doesn't give us this profound speech full of thees and thous then it must not be Him, but for me, the sweetest and best things I have heard from God have been short and concise. As I began to think and really dwell on what the Lord was saying to me, I thought back to that point where I thought I was weird for not having my license at a certain age, and the more I thought about it and the words I had just heard, it hit me: I AM weird....strange....unusual..... whichever word suits your fancy. In the society we live in today, it's unusual for a 23 year old single female to have as stringent of morals as I have for myself. I do things and don't do things that I get strange looks for, both literally and metaphorically. I care about people. I love loving on them. And I still get things wrong. I mess up and fall flat on my face, but that's okay. I still get the occasional underhanded comment thrown my way about how I choose to live, but you know what? I just really don't care anymore. God made me to be the weird one, and I'm going to embrace it. I'm going to love on everyone I meet, no matter what their situation or circumstance, because I know that I may be the only one to do so. I'm going to throw love and grace around like confetti (one of my favorite expressions) and let everyone I know that I love love LOVE my Jesus. Let me encourage you to not be afraid to speak to others about the Lord, simply because you are worried about being mocked or ridiculed. With it being Easter week, let us not forgot that Jesus received the epitome of ridicule and torture for what he believed, and yet he still chose to continue on being who God made him to be, and received the ultimate reward for his weirdness. It's okay to be a little strange ;) We live in a world with too much of the same. Be original. Be bold. Be brave. Let God use you in unexpected ways. Don't be afraid to step out in faith and do things that go against what society deems as "acceptable." Be you. Remember who you are.

Sorry If I Sound Like a Motivational Speaker

                Embrace: to accept or support willingly and enthusiastically. This 7-letter-word has been on my heart and mind quite a bit lately. I've always known what embrace meant, but until recently, I don't think I fully understood how to embrace something, especially when that something is the season that I'm currently in. And I've quickly learned here in the last few weeks that accepting something and embracing it are two TOTALLY different things. You can always accept a situation, a person, a season without really being happy about doing it. Embracing that same situation, person, or season takes an entirely different set of abilities. I don't think anyone really knows how to explain why life goes the way it does, and more importantly I don't think anyone knows how to handle it (if we're all being honest for a minute). Being off of work with a bad case of bronchitis (yaaaay constantly changing Alabama weather) has, if anything, given me an opportunity to really sit back and think about whether or not I'm embracing where I'm at right now, or if I'm just accepting it. I didn't exactly do things the, what someone would call, "traditional" way. My 4-year degree took 5 years. I didn't do like 75% of my graduating class and get married within a year of finishing school (Okay, maybe not exactly 75%, but you get my point). I'm still trying to get my act together and figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. Life is messy and confusing and I really don't think anyone knows what they're doing half the time. So why is it that we have to be so harsh with each other? We fight and claw our way in feeble attempts to reach for "more" and "better," not caring who we hurt along the way. Now I'm all for striving for what you want and working hard and hustling to make your dreams come true, but why do we have to be unhappy in the process? Sure, I want to be married someday, but that obviously isn't the plan that God has for me right now. And you know what? I've finally decided to embrace that. Would I be able to travel to Cuba in June (and who knows where else in the future?!) to spread the love and message of Christ if I had a entire group of people depending on me? Would I be able to plan a once in a lifetime trip to Europe next year with my best friend for our 25th birthdays? Would I be able to sleep in until noon just because? Probably not. I am where I'm at for a reason. God ain't no fool, guys (please pardon the double negative, haha). He knows exactly what He's doing, even if I can only see one corner of the puzzle. Use this time in your life to its fullest potential, friends. Let God use this season and where you're at to bring you to a higher place. EMBRACE your life with open arms and wrestle that thing to ground. Love on each other. Pass out compliments like free pancakes on National Pancake Day (which is today, btw!!). Lift each other up and encourage each other to truly embrace these seasons we're in. We need each other. We were made to interact and be near one another. Embrace where you are, right now, right this second. Whether you are a fresh new college graduate with hopes and dreams for the future or a full-time mom with little ones running around you at all times, embrace it. Don't just settle for average, because you were made for more than that. Embrace the plan God has for you. You ARE more than you think you can be. Embrace it.

I Did Not Sign Up for This

    I wasn't planning on writing anything today. With the weather as wet and cold as it is, plus the fact that I have to work a 12 hour shift tonight makes me want to just crawl under the covers and not move an inch. But sometimes things don't always go the way that we plan. I never planned on being 23 years old and still living at home (although I could not be more grateful that my parents love me enough to let me stay!). I never planned on going through the major emotional, mental, and spiritual changes that I have in the past year and a half. And I certainly never planned on locking my keys in my car while I was out shopping yesterday (not my finest moment). At first all I could think was, "Seriously?? I've gone years without ever doing this." Then I thought, "Well, at least it's nice outside and I'm not having to wait for my extra key in the rain. And at least I'm at the mall where I can just run inside and kill time. And at least my step-dad is on his way to save me." Those two words started playing over and over in my head: AT LEAST. Life is gonna throw you curve balls. Some are big, some are small. Some happen without us realizing it, and some happen that you can never forget even if you tried. The fact that things aren't always going to go your way is inevitable. You can't always control it. What you can control is your reaction to it. The story of Job always comes to mind whenever I think of life not always going my way. Now I know what you're probably thinking......"Um, you locked your keys in your car. I'm pretty sure that Job had to deal with a little more than that." But my statement still stands.
     For those of you who don't know the story of Job, let me give you a brief synopsis. Basically, this guy Job was an upstanding man of God. He followed God's word, and gave God the glory in everything he did. He was pretty legit, in a nutshell. One day, the enemy went up to God and asked, "So, you know your servant Job? Is it okay if I mess with him a little bit?" And God answered, "Sure, go ahead. Just don't kill him." Let me stop here and explain what I believe about this exchange. Some people automatically think, "What in the world? How can God allow something like that to happen to someone who has done nothing but serve Him?" The thing is though, God knew exactly how the whole thing was going to play out. He believed in Job's faith. Trust me, He doesn't do or allow anything to happen without a reason. (Spoiler alert: God always wins.) Long story short, the enemy threw every curve ball at Job that you could imagine. He took away his crops, his cattle, his livelihood, his family, his health, everything that I can guarantee if any of us lost, we'd be sitting in a corner bawling our eyes out. But you know what? Job never faltered. He never lost his faith in God, knowing that God saw the bigger picture. There is always a bigger picture. There is always a silver lining. There is always a Savior watching out for you, because believe me when I say, no mater what you're going through, it could always be worse. Always.
     If you're going through a difficult, or seemingly impossible season, I want to encourage you. Life isn't going to always go your way. It isn't always going to be perfect. But it can always be good. God loves you SO much, more than a mere human could ever put into words. He can and will bring you through anything, if you allow Him. Open your heart. Break down that wall of bitterness and anger that comes from life's struggles. Let Him love on you and bring you through the hard parts so He can show you the beautiful ones. He wants you to let go of the things and difficulties of this world and lean on Him. So what's stopping you?

The Untitled Rev-olutions Project

       Happy New Year!! I cannot believe that it is already 2015. Does anyone else feel like last year just FLEW by?? I can definitely say that it was by far the most eventful year I have had in a long time. Spending New Years in Baja with some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Finishing nursing school and conquering the hardest mountain I have ever faced. Passing my NCLEX exam and achieving a feat that, for a while, I was not sure was possible. Realizing that it's more about finishing strong rather than finishing perfect. Traveling to Storybrooke and defeating the Snow Queen. (That was my 8:30am attempt at humor. I just finally caught up on Once Upon A Time and can't figure out why I waited this long to discover it. Or use Netflix for that matter.) Anyway, as I was looking back on everything that had happened in 2014, it was as if all I could think was, "Okay, now what?" I had accomplished my two biggest goals of the year (three if you count having a job after graduation, which I cannot thank God enough for!!) and now I felt as if I was sitting with my scrubs and stethoscope, waiting for the next big thing to come along. I felt stuck. I've only been out of school for about 8 months, an actual employed RN for about 6, and I was already feeling as if this was all I was ever going to do. 12 hour shifts dispersed throughout the week with feeble attempts to catch up on sleep on the in-between days. They say you can't take your work home with you, but when people's lives are in your inexperienced hands, sometimes all you do is go back and mentally inspect your actions with a fine-toothed comb, dissecting if anything you did could have ended badly. Now don't get me wrong, I love what I do. I love seeing people who came in with almost next to no hope walk out with a smile on their face, hugging you before they leave, thanking you for everything you did. But sometimes it mentally, physically, and emotionally drains every ounce of strength that you have. I was feeling as if I was just Jessica, RN. That's it. I am one of the biggest supporters of the phrase "You are not your job." Yes, I'm a nurse, but that's not all I am. Yes, you may be a teacher, but that's not all you are. You may be a student, but that's not all you are. You may be a mother, but that's not all you are. God didn't make us to be one-dimensional. One of the most beautiful aspects that God entwined into each and every one of our sets of DNA is that we can be this AND this. I can be a nurse and a missionary and an artist and a baker and....and....and. Now I'm not saying that one person should try to be everything and everyone (Trust me, you'll just end up disappointing yourself and burning out in the process), but I am not defined by my nametag, and neither are you. God didn't write my story to be finished at 23. I want to get married and have a family and travel the world and do so many things that, at the moment, don't seem even remotely possible, but they are. They so are.
       I decided that I wanted to have a word this year, a word that I could look at whenever I feel disappointed or upset, and it would remind me of the promises that God has given me to be fulfilled. A word that I would love to share with you as a source of uplifting encouragement. JOY. So simple, but for me, so powerful and perfectly sums up what I'm seeking for this year. And a reminder that I don't need to be constantly seeking the "next step." I just need to seek after the Lord and He will bring me to those next steps, or even bring them to me. You won't always be happy. You won't always even be content. But you can always have joy, because joy comes from the deepest parts of your soul. Joy overcomes the darkest of circumstances and connects us to God's heart in ways that no one can explain. When you have joy, nothing is unattainable. Nothing is impossible. And most importantly, with joy, we are more than our day jobs. We are children of God, and there is nothing more beautiful :)

       I've never really liked the idea of New Years Resolutions, because they just always seemed so......limited. And conventional. And if there is one thing that I've never been, it's conventional. You don't need a new year to begin to make a change. But, in the spirit of a new year and new beginnings and new joy, I present for your viewing pleasure:

                                                       New Year's REV-olutions

• Build my relationship with my heavenly Father and embrace the ah-mazing plans He has for me
• Finish at least half of the ever-increasing stack of books I've bought in the past two years
• Eat healthier (please no one freak out. I'm not trying to lose weight. I just need to stop eating so much junk food and soda ;) )
• Learn how to play tennis and actually play on a regular basis
• Finish building my bedroom at home (I would love for this one to be finished by the end of January!)
• Open up my own Etsy shop and paint on a more regular basis
• Spend more time with my family
• Pay off my student loans (I dream big, haha)
• Utilize my Erin Condren Life Planner (that my BFF decidedly introduced me to) to its fullest capacities, AKA be more organized
• Travel more (I'd be alright with on this continent, but if anyone wanted to pay for a trip to Paris or Ireland for me, I definitely wouldn't object!)
• Get started with the Essential Oils group I've recently found (I'm all about finding natural ways to stay healthy!!)
• Be more of an encouragement to those around me and allow the joy that God has given me to help lift up others

 These are just some of the main ones that I'm really working hard to accomplish this year. I would love to hear what some of your rev-oltutions are, and be source of encouragement for any goals you are trying to accomplish! Remember, you don't need a new year to make a new start. You just need courage, determination, and most importantly, joy.