Opened and Closed Doors

Life lately has got me thinking of opened and closed doors, figuratively speaking. I believe that sometimes God closes doors so that he can open up new ones. Sometimes it's hard to walk through that new open door because what lies behind the old closed one is still fresh on your mind. And you can't help but hope that maybe someday in the future, God will decide to open it back up for you. But you're also afraid of missing what could be beyond the opened door if you wait to long to walk through it. And the thought of walking through the open door and then missing the closed one, if it reopens, makes things even more difficult. To summarize it up, it's just a mass tangle of confusion.
In a way, this kind of sums up my life right now. Things are going really good for me right now, I guess sometimes it's just hard to not wish that things could go back to the way they were. God has closed some doors in my life recently. I trust that he did it for the right reason, I just wish I knew what the reason was. But who doesn't really? I know we all go through these types of tribulations in our lives and sometimes it can be hard to cope with the reality of what is going on. I fully believe with all my heart that God has a plan for my life and I trust in that plan, even though I have no idea what it involves. It seems like God has been opening up some new doors in my life and it makes me happy, don't get me wrong, I'm just having a hard time finding the strength to leave the closed door. I don't think I'll ever give up hope that it will be reopened, but I know that may not happen for a long time. I don't know what to do, but if there is anything I know, it's that God has my back.
 I guess my message to anyone reading this is that if you are feeling like doors have been closed on your life, just know that they were closed for a specific reason. And if you don't feel like any other doors have opened for you just yet, give God some time and doors will surely open up for you soon. What I'm learning now is to not ask so many questions and just go with my gut feeling. I know that I can't focus on the thought of "what if?.." That stupid question seems to hold so many of us back. But my philosophy is to take any chance you get and forget about the ones that passed you over because apparently they just weren't meant to work out, or atleast maybe not at that point in your life. So don't let the fear of losing what's behind the closed door keep you from walking through the opened one. You might just find someone truly beautiful and wonderful lying behind it's boundaries. But you will never know if you never take the risk. Who knows, in time the old door could open back up and then it's just one more journey in your life that was worth taking. Find your strength in the Lord, and you can never go wrong.
"Dream as if you'll live forever, Live as if you only have today."

Everything Happens For A Reason

Do you ever feel like your heart is being pulled in different directions, but your mind can't decide which one to follow? That's how I feel now. I've always been one to plan out everything I do. I guess I'm just a planner with a lot of dreams, when something gets in the way or those dreams seem to be shut down, I just kinda lose it. I'm working on that, but it's a long and difficult process. God has been revealing some things to me lately, and I just don't know what to think.  He's got me so confused right now. I've been going through a lot of changes in my life lately, and now I just can't figure out what it is he wants me to do. It's frustrating at times, but I have to believe that he has everything in control. I know he's not putting me through this rough spot in my life for no reason. I know he has an exact purpose for this, and it's okay if I don't know that purpose right now. It's just hard. Life is hard. For what feels like one moment, I was on top of the world. Life was perfect and everything seemed to be going my way. But then it all came crashing down, and left me with a broken heart. But God is starting to restore that broken place in me. One of my biggest problems is that I want to take control and fix things myself. I'm afraid to trust someone else because they might not do it like I want it. But I'm trusting God with my heart. I don't even know where to begin to pick up the pieces, but he does. He always does. There is no one else I would trust my heart with than him. Even though times can be tough, my life is truly beautiful. And he is the one I have to thank. He blessed me with this life and I am forever grateful. Sometimes you have to weather out the storm to experience the sun shine. So I will stand firm and praise him with everything I have. And I hope if anyone reading this who is experiencing a tough time will stand firm, too. My message is to not give up hope. God knows what he's doing, and everything happens for a reason. But if you trust in God and allow him to lead the way, then he will take care of everything. My sacrifice is to forget what I had planned and let God show me his plan for my life. So I ask, what is your sacrifice? What are you willing to give up for God? God wouldn't ask you to give something up if he didn't already have something bigger and better planned for you. So trust in him and you can never go wrong. If your heart aligns with God, then follow your heart and he will lead the way. I know this is all jumbled up, but I just have a lot on my mind tonight and this isn't even half of it. But this all I will write for now, and I just pray that you will allow God to work in your life to whoever is reading this. He is forever faithful and will never do you wrong.

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

Like Apples on a Tree

Why is it when it comes to relationships with people we tend to try to make it work with the ones who treat us wrong and give up so easily on the ones who treat us right? It makes absolutely no sense. I guess sometimes we want a relationship with someone simply just to be in a relationship. We depend on someone else for our happiness, and that's not the way it should be. I'm not talking about myself, just some people I know and things I observe. If I'm gonna be in a relationship, it's going to be because I truly care about that person and could see myself possibly marrying them one day. I have some pretty high standards, too. I think people tend to try to make it work with the wrong person because they are the easiest person to get close to. When in reality, it's just a disaster waiting to happen. Sure it can be hard to find the right person, but once you do, you should never let them go. It reminds me of a quote I saw a long time ago and fell in love with. This is it: "Girls are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. The boys don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they just get the rotten apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy. So the apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they're amazing. They just have to wait for the right boy to come along, the one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree." So any girls (or guys) out there reading this, don't give up hope. There is not one thing wrong with you. You are perfect. God has a plan for you and before you know it the right person will come along. Don't waste your time on someone rotten, because then how will you find someone good? Just keep your head up and know that at the right time, the right person will walk into your life and never want to leave it.

Unconditional Love

So just to start off this blog, I thought I would explain why I made it in the first place.  I'm not using this to write about how wonderful or awful my day was, but I am going to use it to write what is on my mind, the more deep stuff. The way this came about was I had somewhat of a revelation I guess you could say when I was just sitting in one of my college classes.  I've been thinking a lot lately about love. A simple four letter word that has so many misconstrued meanings that it's heartbreaking.  I think everyone somewhat has their own view on what love should and should not be.  And I'm not saying anyone is wrong, I just want to relate what I think it is.  People tend to base true love, love between a guy and a girl, on the feelings they get from each other.  Or even on the circumstances going on in their day to day life.  But in my opinion, that's completely wrong.  In relationships, we tend to look for the warm, fuzzy feelings that someone else gives us when everything is just dandy.  But if you focus on those feelings, what happens when they're gone? Usually we tend to give up and look for those feelings in someone else.  That is conditional love.  Love that you are only satisfied with when things are going your way.  I don't want that kind of love, that's not what I dream it is.  I don't want to always have to be in the best mood, or do everything exactly right just to be with someone.  That's a lot of pressure and can ruin a relationship.  If I'm gonna be with someone, I want unconditional love.  The kind of love that I can be in the pissiest mood ever or I just seem to screw everything up that day, but it doesn't matter because I'm loved anyway.  The kind of love where no matter the distance or time apart, your feelings never change.  The kind of love where I'm loved for the person I am.  Unconditional love is just that.  You don't love someone for the feelings they give you, but you love them for the person they are and you wouldn't change a thing about them.  That's the exact kind of love I want to feel towards someone and have them feel towards me.  That's the kind of love that you read about in books or watch in movies.  But the best part is, we can make it a reality, and not just something we read or see.  Love is not an emotion, it is a way of the heart.  It is unchanging and forever faithful.  This is how a healthy relationship develops and stays strong.  If you want to feel this love and you strongly think you have a chance with a person but you're afraid of getting hurt, take the chance anyway! Sure, you could end up with your heart broken into a million little pieces but God will put it back together, trust me.  Love is a chance worth taking, no matter the consequences.  And if you find unconditional love in a person, never let it go, because it will never let go of you.  That's the beauty of it.