October 31

Happy Halloween and Happy Reformation Thursday! The first day of our trip has been so amazing! St. Louis is such a beautiful city, and I am more than thankful to be exploring it with Payton, Ross and Mireya (Ross used to be our youth pastor, and Mireya is his incredible wife).  We have already done so many super fun things, like had a healthy breakfast at the First Watch, visited the local farmers market, took a trip to the LCMS headquarters, and just enjoyed being reunited! 

As we are going through this day I am reminded of how truly gracious God is to give us the opportunity to have Christian fellowship. 

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalms 133:1)."It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God's Word and Sacrament  Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing" (Bonhoeffer pg. 18). 

Sometimes I forget that not everyone has the privilege of living openly as a Christian, so my prayer is that I will continually be reminded of what a priceless gift God has given us, and daily rejoice in it. Today has been a blast so far, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of the weekend with some of my favorites! I am so truly blessed to have fellowship with such wonderful and encouraging people,and am so excited to share pictures and details from the rest of our trip with you all! Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for beautiful fall colors on the trees, awesome treats from the Farmers market, and happy times spent with some of the best girls I know!

What people in your life encourage and uplift you?

October 30

Good morning all, and happy Wednesday! Even though it’s only the middle of the week, it feels like Friday to me. The University of Alabama gets out today for fall break, so my very best friend and I are road tripping to St. Louis! I could not be more excited to go on this adventure with her! Even if you still have school, work, or house hold duties to keep up with in the next few days, I hope that you will find some adventure and joy in this week! This is such a magical time of year with Halloween, Thanksgiving, family, friends, and wonderful weather! I cannot wait to see what this holiday season has in store! Fingers crossed for clear skies on our drive. Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for a long weekend, fluffy warm laundry, and road trip snacks!

What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

October 25

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week and an amazing Friday! I have been feeling the need to share a message that we discussed a few days ago in church. The sermon focused on how short this life is, and where our attention should be centered.  

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

These verses are so comforting to me. It is amazing how light the problems of your day become, and how joyous and carefree you can be when you live your life with an eternal perspective. Instead of stressing over our plans for the day, we can relax and live each moment without fear, knowing that God has a plan for each and every one of us. This life is a speck in time compared to the perfection that has been prepared for us in heaven. We are all loved and cared for! Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for the beautiful scenery in Tuscaloosa (Who knew?), Yummy squash from the farmer’s market, and the weekend!

How will you change your perspective to better enjoy life? 

October 23

Good morning all, and happy Wednesday! This is one of my very favorite days of the week, obviously because it is a half-way point to the weekend, but also because it is sprinkled with some of the most enjoyable activities of my week (hopefully yours too)! On Wednesdays I make a point to spend time reading in the coffee shop with a tasty drink in hand, enjoy a refreshing morning bike ride, practice a few of my new favorite yoga poses, and reunite with some of the best people I know for ONE at Church of the Highlands. I think it is so important for each of us to take moments throughout our week to relax, reflect, and enjoy all of the wonderful blessings we continuously receive.

It is so easy to get caught up in the to-do list of the day that we forget to make time for fun! I really encourage everyone to take a few moments today to spend time doing something that brings you joy. It could be anything from listening to some awesome music, treating yourself to your favorite snack, or interpretive dancing with your roomie in the living room! I am wishing you all a wonderful end to this beautiful October week. Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for frozen peppermint patties, comfy sweaters, and the excitement of mastering some new poses at Yoga Bliss!

What are some of your special Wednesday rituals?

October 21

Hello friends! This has been the most wonderful Monday morning! I woke up to some actual fall weather! That’s right folks, it was COLD!!! I almost froze my ears off on my morning bike ride, but this cold front could not be more welcome. Fingers crossed that it is here to stay, because I am ready for hot chocolate, sweater wearing, and snuggling up by a fire with friends.  I am so excited for the change in season that I may just have to beg my roomie to do some serious cookie baking tonight. 

Daily Thanks: Today I am thankful for hot tea on the balcony, a bike with functional brakes, and a best friend who will road trip with me! Smiles all around, and I hope your Monday is as blessed as mine has been!

What Holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?

October 18

Today I am reminded of how fragile life is. I cannot describe how important it is to let those around you know how much they mean to you, and to live each day to the full and without fear. This life is precious and so short and none of us know what day will be our last. God has blessed all of us with unimaginable gifts and talents, and it is never too late to start using them. I believe that each and every one of us has been placed on this earth with a purpose, not to be ordinary, but to be extraordinary. Being extraordinary does not mean that you have to be a hero or change the world; it can simply mean that you live each day with purpose and with the good of others in mind. Try new things daily, take pleasure in the small stuff, laugh often, live passionately, and surround yourself with the people that make it all worthwhile.

Daily thanks: Today I am thankful for my beautiful Emily who is patient and gracious enough to teach me guitar, for a best friend who is my guardian angel, and for roomies who make this college town feel like home.

How will you make today extraordinary?

October 16

Happy hump day friends! As I am going through my morning I can't help but notice how easily I become weighed down by the worries and cares of tomorrow. I find myself stressing over details of future plans, and things that may not even happen. I coincidentally found comfort for this exact problem in my devotion for the day. 
" Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" Matt.6:34 NIV
I came to the conclusion that the important matter at hand is allowing ourselves to enjoy the moment. Whether you are worrying about what tomorrow has in store, or even being excited about something in the future, do not forget to live in this day. It is full of blessings that will pass you by if you don't pause and take a moment to enjoy them.
Daily Thanks:Today I am thankful for time spent outside, a good nights sleep, and Slow flow Yoga with Terry at Yoga Bliss (Which is always a wonderful mid-week treat!)
What has been the peak of your day?

October 14

This Monday morning got off to an eventful start. I studied for an exam, did a devotion, and repaired my own bike brakes all before 8 a.m! That is what I call an empowering and productive morning.Who knew those high school engineering classes would ever pay off? Daily thanks:Today I am thankful for beautiful fall weather, reading on the balcony, and a sweet roomie who always remembers to put cinnamon in the coffee. Happy Monday friends. 
What have you been thankful for today?