Give Thanks-- 100 things to be thankful for

Thanksgiving.  The word revolves around turkey and good food and family and traditions and football and sleep.  Sometimes I forget what the word "thanksgiving" actually means.  The connotations with it in today's world is anything but what it means oftentimes.  Thanksgiving.  Giving thanks.

Giving-"freely transferring the possession of (something) to (someone); handing over to"

Thanks-"an expression of gratitude"

So transferring our gratitude to someone.  Aka God.  Aka other people.

So here's my challenge.  To myself.  But also to you.  Say, "Thank you!"  Appreciate all the beautiful things in the world and especially appreciate all the beautiful people in your life.  Tell them "thank you" for what they've done in your life and remind them that they are having an impact.  Sometimes people forget that.  And I know you have people impacting your life for the better.  I think we get all caught up in thanking God for the things in our life and the people in our lives.  I do absolutely think that's important...probably the most important thing, honestly.  But, don't forget to thank the people in your life...God loves them a lot too.

Now, if you're struggling to think of things to be thankful for, I'll help you brainstorm.  Here's a list of 100 things I am super thankful for this Thanksgiving.

1. The sky.

2. Shoes.

3. My Bible.

4. Good quality pens (you know, the ones that write better than all the others).

5. Friends who support my faith and help me grow in it.

6. Santa hats.

7. Choir concerts.

8. New York City.

9. Basketball season (sorry, I'm a UK fan so it's gotta make the list).

10. My professors.

11. My pillow.

12. Actually, my whole bed.

13. And going off of that, sleep.

14. Spotify.

15. My parents.

16. Windows.

17. Pianos.

18. Chocolate.

19. Chocolate ice cream (and ice cream in general).

20. My high school teachers.

21. Dr. Seuss books.

22. Christian Student Fellowship.

23. Musicals.

24. Dancing.

25. My theatre family.

26. DanceBlue.

27. Walking outside on the beach at night.

28. Good books.

29. Board games.

30. Grandparents.

31. Pinterest.

32. Sugar cookies.

33. Hot chocolate.

34. Waterslides.

35. Little brothers.

36. The snooze button.

37. My dorm.

38. A cappella music.

39. The Tonight Show.

40. People who will willingly be my "older siblings" since I don't actually have any.

41. Fun gift bags.

42. Those singing birthday cards.

43. Tangled.

44. Painting.

45. The lady who works the front desk at my dorm.

46. Picture frames.

47. Cameras that capture the pictures I put in those picture frames.

48. Water bottles.

49. Apples.

50. The people who work at the dining halls.

51. Kentucky.

52. Unnecessarily long showers.

53. Glow bracelets/necklaces.

54. Bonfires.

55. Friends from church.

56. My home church.

57. My new church.

58. My high school.

59. And elementary and middle schools.

60. The teachers from those schools.

61. Track meets (that I watch, not run in).

62. Lotion.

63. Journals.

64. Fuzzy socks.

65. Theatre directors/athletic coaches.

66. Road trips.

67. Fast food.

68. A home-cooked meal.

69. Stuffed animals.

70. Christian mentors.

71. Cheeze-Its.

72. When you really need to sneeze and then you do (that may have just happened).

73. New music.

74. Old songs that you love.

75. Wonderful neighbors.

76. Bunco.

77. Home videos.

78. Scrapbooks.

79. Chicken noodle soup.

80. Little sisters.

81. Painted canvases.

82. YouTube.

83. The weather forecast.

84. Especially when it says...75 degrees and sunny weather.

85. Aunts and Uncles.

86. Go-karts.

87. Horses.

88. Vacations.

89. A new box of crayons.

90. Cousins.

91. The first day of school.

92. The last day of school.

93. Meals with friends.

94. Ticket stubs.

95. Love.

96. Cotton candy.

97. Puppies.

98. Flowers.

99. Snowflakes.

100. God.  His son Jesus.  The salvation we have through Him.  And the beautiful creation He placed in this world and in my life...aka YOU.

I could go on, but you'll get enough of my sappiness in the coming days.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve/Day get me all weird because I'm sappy and nostalgic and sentimental.  I used to be kind of self-conscious about that, but now I embrace it 100% because God made me that way and He is going to use me that way.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Go eat some turkey and give some thanks.

The Follower of God who Happens to Really Love Theatre

I started doing theatre in middle school, but I had been forcing my cousins and siblings to put on performances with me and daydreaming about performing for years.  It was in middle school that I started doing "real shows" though, and I never looked back.  Except I did.  I looked back a lot, because I was constantly being "warned" about the people in theatre and the arts.  Many well-meaning Christian friends and mentors told me all about how there weren't many Christians in the industry, and how there were a lot of "lost people."  Well, newsflash, there are a lot of "lost people" in every industry.  That being said, I continued to do theatre, and as I got deeper and deeper into this hobby of mine, I found a passion for the arts and arts education and a deep love for the people involved in them.

I loved God, but my life was becoming rooted in the arts.  I was sick and tired of people judging me for my passions and telling me not to pursue them in college.  My plan was to go to school and major in Arts Administration.  I got a lot of strange stares, a lot of kind words about how that industry needed lights for Jesus there, and a lot of "you're wasting your time and talent for a degree that won't get you anywhere."  People didn't get it.

What they didn't know was my story.  That in middle school, I cried every morning because I hated school.  I cried every time my family visited a new church because I felt so alone everywhere we went and just wanted to go to my home church with my friends, now lost.  I felt so alone.  Then God stuck theatre in my life, and I found a community who loved me.  I believe 100% that God uses non-believers to work his plan, because there is no doubt in my mind that theatre and music were put in my life by Him to impact me and allow me an outlet to express my joy and love for Him...and rediscover that in the process.  The arts were my passion, and I was being told that they were this super dark, scary place where God was not.

So, I went into college, chasing my dreams of working in the arts, but unsure of how my faith fit.  No one wanted to shed any light on that.  Probably because no one knew how to.  But this semester, God has come in and redefined what I'm doing and taught me some things about where my passions fit His plans.  Because here's the thing--I don't think God would give me a passion that's outside of  His will.  I've really grown in my faith over the last few months and fixed something.  I no longer love God but have a life rooted in the arts...I love the arts and my life is rooted in God.

Many well-meaning people had made it seem that working in the arts and living for Jesus were two things that didn't fit together, making theatre out to be this dark, dark world where there was no hope.  Well, Jesus is hope, and He is with me, even in theatre...even in the other arts...even if I decide to go into more TV/media/entertainment.  I will admit, I see and recognize that many people in my career field don't have the same morals and beliefs as me and sometimes that is difficult, but I have the greatest amount of love and respect for these people.  Theatre people are extremely respectful towards me and my beliefs, because I am the same towards them...I have never felt attacked or pressured to believe anything differently, and  I love people in the arts.  I love people who love Jesus too.

So many Christians seems to fear the field I have surrounded myself with.  People seem to want to run the opposite direction.  But I have a passion for the arts and a heart full of love for the people in the arts.  I don't have any reason to believe that was a coincidence.  I 100% believe that if "there are very few Christians in the lost world that your field is" that is all the more reason for me to be there.  Who is reaching those people?  Who is being Jesus?  I'm not here to shove things down anyone's throat, but I am here to love like Jesus while doing what I love.  And I am totally on board with that plan, and I'm really thankful that God has started to show me what that looks like.

So, to all the people who warned me against doing what I'm doing (whether it be because of the jobs I will get/money I will make or the lack of Christians in the field)...thank you for your concern, because I truly know you say what you say because you care.  But also, this is me telling you that God is going to use my passions for His glory and to change the world for Him, just as He uses yours.  And I can't wait to see what He does, and I hope you feel the same way.

Love,

The follower of God who happens to really love theatre

Dear Mr. Preacher Man

Dear Mr. Preacher Man by the Bowman statue,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17) This is what the Bible says about God and the people on campus/at the University of Kentucky. God loves the world. That means the people. Those humans you are screaming a message of condemnation at? Yeah, God loves them. So if you are claiming to be carrying out His message/mission/ministry/whatever you wish to call it...you'd be loving them. Last time I checked, I don't talk to people I love like you're talking to the people on this campus.


Now, I believe in a heaven and a hell, and I believe that you have to admit to God you are a sinner, repent from that sin, believe in Jesus and all he has done to save you, and confess your faith to be saved. But I also believe that Jesus came to earth with a whole lot of love. I mean, when he took the sins of every man on the cross and died the death I deserve, I'm pretty sure He loved me. And all the students at the University of Kentucky. And, yes, even you, Mr. Preacher Man. I also believe that God lets us choose. And I think that's a beautiful thing, but also a sad thing sometimes. And it's why I don't go around yelling and screaming at everyone that they are "going to hell," because that's putting zero hope in their hearts. They aren't going to go look for that God.


Truthfully, I look around and see a lot of lost people, just like you you apparently do, Mr. Preacher Man. However, here in the last two days that you've been on campus, I'm seeing a lot more lost people who don't want anything to do with Jesus. Well, I do. I want so much more of Jesus. I want Him to overwhelm this campus and this city and this nation and the individual hearts of the wonderful students here at UK. Because I think that when Jesus really shows up--when someone really does His ministry--there is love. Love abounding.


Lastly, to my fellow UK students...Christian or not, I want you to know that you are loved. You are loved by me, but more importantly by the one who set the sky in place. I'm not going to try to make you believe that. I could say I don't care if you do, but that's a lie. I care. I hope you do. Because the story of what Jesus did for me is one that no one can take away from me...he literally took my broken world and made it whole. And I believe he can do the same for you and every other person on this planet. But when you're seeing the people sharing all that hate, I don't blame you for wanting no part in it. But from me (and a whole lot of other loving Christians) to you--I love you, and I am sorry for the hate shown by some people who claim it is from God...for God so loved. I just felt the need to say something because it would break my heart to see someone turn away from the God who loves them because they see hate. So, I love you. Regardless of who you are or what you do. I love you. And so does Jesus. And He is waiting for you with open arms to take you home and into a life more beautiful than you could ever dream. Take hope, for He has overcome the world.

Change in the Air

I was walking back to my residence hall the other night.  The weather was warm, but a cool breeze was in the air, moving around the yellow and red leaves and swirling them around.  I turned to my friend and said, "There is change in the air" and followed that statement up with, "I need to go write."  Because that's how I operate.  I'm a little odd, but sometimes I am touched with inspiration and there's nothing I can do but go write about life.  So here I am.

I hate change.  Hate it, hate it, hate it.  Ask anyone who knows me well.  I am a sentimental person anyways, but change just derails me.  Change can start an emotional roller coaster that I only want to get off of, and I hate it.  I'm anxiety-prone.  I am a worrier.  I like to have things planned out for days, weeks, and months in advance, and change makes things uncertain.  Even the seasons unnerve me.  I sit outside on gorgeous fall and spring days and there is just this uncertainty in the pit of my stomach from the knowledge that things are changing that is unsettling.  Call me crazy.  Because I probably am.

Seemingly unrelated to the fact that I hate change is another fun fact about me...I love nature.  Particularly the sky.  Once again, anyone who knows me well or follows me on social media probably knows this thanks to my excessive pictures of the sky.  I am constantly looking up at the trees, at the mountains, at the sky, in wonder.

But those aren't unrelated facts.

Because here's what I've realized over the last year or so--God uses the world he created to reveal himself and His plans.  See, here's the funny thing.  The most beautiful things in nature are things that are in a season of change.  My very favorite things are fall leaves, and sunrises and sunsets.

The leaves, so vibrant in color, so alive...are dying.  Those gorgeous trees are about to go into a dark season, but there is beauty in that change.  And the trees aren't worried.  Matthew 6:25-27 talks about not worrying and speaks about how the birds don't worry...God provides.  The trees don't worry either.  God always brings back their beauty in the spring.  So, why on earth wouldn't we trust Him?  Change is natural.  It's a part of a cycle of beauty.

And then my favorite...the sky.  I am the type of person who literally stops what they are doing to go sit outside and just watch the sunset.  I did this all the time senior year.  And if I'm awake when the sun is rising, I'm watching it too.  Those sunrises and sunsets are beautiful because they are changing.  And you know what's even more intriguing???  Those sunsets and sunrises are even more beautiful  when there are clouds...those dark things in life. Change is beautiful. Life is beautiful.


A year ago I was overwhelmed with life and started staring at the sky as a way to remind myself of God's overwhelming peace. And then references to sunrises and sunsets starting popping up everywhere in my life. That was no coincidence. It was a reminder that if God can make something as vast as the sky that beautiful, then certainly he can do the same with my overwhelmed life. And He does make my life beautiful. Every day. Every way.