FaithFull Living

When it comes time to put words on paper, I entrust my carefully formed thoughts to the most efficient and easy to use mediums I can find. The following are all things that have helped me before. None of them are sponsors, I've just genuinely appreciated them so much I want to share them with you. I did not arrange them in any particular order of importance. 1. Nanowrimo     Every November, you can find a plethora of aspiring authors crafting their novels. So inspiring. The have pep-talks and helpful forums that encourage your word count and kill your "inner editor". Fantastic way to get the writing juices flowing. 2. Write or Die     I use this when I'm stuck. Full of fun features such as a timer and word counter, this is any easy to use website that makes you write by penalizing you if you don't! Definitely helps with fiction writing when you're in a pinch or need to move on in your story. 3. Written? Kitten!    This is a...

I haven't always liked tea. Only this year, I've expanded my chosen variety to include other things besides fruity flavored tea. About once or twice a week I meet with a group of girls my age to talk about life and study the Bible. This year, we started the tradition of bringing a mug and some tea to share each time we meet. This has been an amazing way to grow closer as friends. The added benefit has been trying new flavors of tea. Several I've liked, and a few I haven't. My favorites include: - Peppermint tea by Celestial - Moroccan Mint Green Tea by Stash - Good Earth Original Sweet and Spicy (decaf) - Chamomile Tea by Stash - Good Earth Sweetly Twisted Black Tea paired with Madagascar Vanilla Rooibos Tea by Celestial Please, take a few moments and make yourself a cup of tea today. Enjoy the flavors. Cheers,

Every once in a while, I ask myself a lot of questions. As of late, these include: 1. How does God restore me when I fail Him? 2. Do I truly love the Lord? 3. Am I satisfied with unholy living? 4. When was the last time I truly worshipped God? 5. Why has my life become so shallow? 6. How do I get depth back? It has been interesting to note my answers to these questions as I write them in my journal. One question in particular has been on my mind: 7. Does the truth really matter to me? I realized that the truth is what I'm preparing to spend my life focused on. I'm hoping to major in Biblical studies and minor in Philosophy. It is a big, but worthwhile commitment. This past year, I've sincerely enjoyed reading widely and learning about what other people believe. It's brought me great pleasure to see the world from different perspectives, and I look forward to solidifying and expanding on this burgeoning passion of mine in college. I am still com...

This school year is my final year of high school. Since I began high school when I was 12, (it's been a long 6 years) I've been able to take a lot of classes and try a lot of new things. This year, I'm taking five classes. They are as follows: 1. Biblical Studies 2. Ancient Literature 3. History (Discoveries and Discoverers) 4. Chemistry 5. Art Now, I'm back to studying!

I can't believe we're already a week into a new year! I'm going to list my resolutions below, and In red I'll put what I did this week. Blue is what I'm hoping to do soon/this week to meet those goals. Green is other. 1. Blog everyday      I wrote 7 blog posts     Write 6 blog posts (one's done) and plan out 10 more 2. Finish high school well      Studied like crazy     Study like crazy again and prepare for midterms 3. Find a church near my college     On hold until August 4. Work out 3 times a week      Jan 1st: Walked     Jan 3rd: Played in the snow     Jan 4th: Walked     Jan 6th: Swam for 2 hours     Jan 7th: 1990's exercise video     Jan 8th: Swim for 2 hours     Jan 9th: Go play in the snow     Jan 11th: Swim for 2 hours ...

Happy New Year! Welcome, 2016! Each January, there is a lot of controversy over whether or not it is even worth making New Years resolutions. I hope yesterday's blog post gave you hope that yes, some people actually accomplish what they set out to do and that you're not alone in you attempt. Setting resolutions has always been a tradition for me, with some years being more successful than others. Sometimes I set as many as 100, but this year I am setting what I think will be attainable - 15. Here Are My Resolutions: 1. Blog everyday 2. Finish high school well 3. Find a church near my college 4. Work out 3 times a week 5. Spend time with God daily 6. Journal often 7. Get a work study job 8. Blog a book 9. Go on an adventure with my roommate 10. Live intentionally and authentically 11. Complete 100 Hours of Service 12. Read through the entire Bible 13. Be mentored 14. Read at least 12 books outside of school 15. Com...

So many people complain that making New Years resolutions is a waste of time, because no one actually fulfills them. Personally, I enjoy setting goals and seeing them fulfilled at the end of the year. Today's post is to prove that it is actually possible to keep your resolutions. In 2014, I set 67 resolutions and I accomplished 32 of them. This year (2015), I set 44 resolutions and kept 17 of them. Here are the ones I kept: 1. Start a blog 2. Take the SAT Test 3. Get Driver's License 4. Complete 100 Driving Hours 5. Complete Precepts Study (Bible study I created and led) 6. Apply for Student Leadership team at my church 7. Complete 100 hours of service 8. Complete First Year of Greek 9. Make 20 new friends 10. Share my testimony  5 times 11. Give 20 things away 12. Earn $100 13. Enter a contest 14. Be mentored 15. Learn to cook 16.  Complete first year at new school 17. Get a Bi-mart Card The key for me is to set...

1. Transportation is a must. Being able to drive yourself is awesome ! Having your own car is even better. 2. Becoming an adult isn't as magical as it may seem. Act like one before you get there. 3. Taxes aren't that difficult. They're fill in the blank . 4. Having a plan makes it 99.9% more likely that you'll get where you want to go. 5. The college admission process can be enjoyable. 6. Self-motivation is a life skill that will never go out of style. 7. Arriving on time/early can actually improve your reputation. 8. Time with family is crucial, even if it's not ideal. 9. Cooking is easy. You follow the instructions. 10. You never will have enough time, so make good use of the present.

What I've Learned (The Hard Way) 1. File your FAFSA personally. Don't make your parents do it. Get used to doing it yourself. 2. Create Your FSA ID Before January. This goes for both the student and the parent. Although you can file for them the day you fill out FAFSA, they take 1-3 days to process. Since they're good for 18 months, go ahead and file for your FSA ID's early. 3. File your taxes as soon as possible and don't lose your copy. However, if you misplace your copy, you can always request a free summary (Transcript) of your tax information from the IRS. It takes a few days though.  4. Know what documents you'll need before you file. 5. Don't Procrastinate! State funding runs out in early February. 6. It's okay if your expected family contribution  (EFC) doesn't seem realistic - most everyone feels that way. 7. Always state your interest in all of the available loans/grants. Don't limit your options. ...

1. I am Gluten-free and have been for 5 years. 2. I was accepted into my dream school. 3. I have written a book in one month. 4. I have a sassy cat. 5. I enjoy volunteering at Church 6. Christmas is my favorite holiday. 7. I enjoy sending snail mail. 8. One of my favorite foods is homemade mashed potatoes and gravy. 9. I enjoy swimming. 10. My favorite color is green.