Here's to the New

There's something about a New Year. 

It tends to make you feel nostalgic, excited, and a little nervous and anxious all at the same time.

I love New Years. Because it's a fresh start. A time to start new. A time to welcome new things into your life, and a chance to grab hold of every new opportunity.

I've never been a huge fan of resolutions just because it has always felt to me like something that people say, but never actually do. I am guilty of that, myself. So instead of resolutions.. I'm going to share with you my hopes, dreams, and goals for 2017.

It's November:

Life has been hectic as ever lately, but I don't think I would want it any other way. So many new things are taking place in my life and I am so excited to watch them all play out. I wanted to just give a little update, and let you all know I am indeed still alive... even though I haven't posted in months! 

The 28th.

This lovely Saturday morning greeted me with sunshine and a sweet temperature of 84 degrees. FINALLY.

I am so so very excited that it finally feels like summertime here in Pittsburgh. I am desperately trying to soak up every second of it. I don't know what it is about this weather that gives me so much motivation, but I am not complaining about it! This sweet, slow morning consisted of blog planning, iced coffee drinking and magazine reading.

How are you soaking up your Saturday morning?

Pittsburgh ::

I wanted to take a little break from the usual posts and share some pictures I took in the city last night. I love Pittsburgh. 

-

to grow // to change

I'm sitting in the student center studying for my last final of my junior year of college.

WHAT.

Life is so especially crazy as of lately but I can't help but be thankful for every twist and turn. Throughout this semester I have learned a lot about growing and changing. Coming back to school this semester was difficult after doing the Fall Semester at home. I was coming back into a place where peoples lives kept moving while mine slowed down a little. There was a ton of new people i had never met, and oddly enough it felt like freshman year all over again (and who really wants to relive freshman year? probably no one..). 

This semester ended up being a lot more difficult than I had thought it would be in more ways than one. I was challenged in ministry in a whole new way, and I was given opportunities to do things that would stretch me and grow me in the aspect.

Along with that, I made some new friends. They always say you make lifelong friends in college and I fully believe that. I'm starting to realize more and more how important it is to have friends who are in the same stage of life as you. It sounds a little silly to say, but you need people to go through life with. And although it can be beneficial to have people who have "been there, done that", it really helps to have people to walk with through it all. 

I know I haven't posted a lot, and when I do it always seems to have the same theme. Growth and change. I think that's the theme in my life right now. A much needed season of growth and change.

Thanks for listening.

r e s t

Lately I've been very tired. In every sense of the word.

Something I'm learning more and more in life is that rest is important. Not even just sleep. But rest.

Sometimes it's better to turn down plans to just lay in bed and watch a movie by yourself. Sometimes it's good to hit the snooze button. Sometimes it's good to take bubble baths. Sometimes it's good to just be quiet.

I'm finding myself in the rest. I'm finding God there also. Coming to him in the quiet, for me, means that He truly has all my attention. All my focus is on him. 

I hope that you can find rest today, and peacefulness in the quiet.