Christ, Coffee, and Cornfields

  I don't really know how to even open up a post like this. Frankly, it isn't something that should need to be written but here we are. I would say to blame all of the past couple days of crazy on severe cabin fever from Corona, but we have seen scenes like this before. A person with dark skin is killed by cops or a non dark skinned person and everyone loses their minds.   That is not to make light of the situation. George Floyd was killed in a violent manner by a cop. He should still be alive. I hope his soul rests in peace and that his family finds healing. But the fact that it immediately  became a political stunt to further the "cops are racist, and America is racist" dialogue is incredibly sickening, because it just so happens that he was black and the cop was white. I would even argue that it is disrespectful to Mr. Floyd and his family. It cheapens his death to a statistic, his life to the color of his skin. It's another headline that will go away soon,...

  Today is a very important day in US history. It is the anniversary of the US Supreme Court's biggest mistake. Today marks 47 years that our country has allowed abortion to be legal. Today, we remember the over 50 million babies that have lost their lives.   Today is a day that lives in infamy.   Why does that matter? Why be so passionate about something that restricts "a woman's right to choose?" Why mourn the lives of beings whom nobody ever even met? Why stand outside of a Planned Parenthood or the US Capitol building in the freezing cold to pray or silently hold a sign?   Because every life matters. That's why.   Abortion is the greatest evil of our time. To claim that amongst all of the other bad things we are surrounded by may seem like quite a jump, but it isn't. There is no other evil that so systemically destroys the most innocent of all God's creation the way abortion does. There is no other evil that lies and exploits the vulnerable the...

  Let's start with a true story:   Once upon a time, a young girl was told by her parents that she should start to pray for her future husband. They told her that if she was called to marriage, it was important that she start praying for him now because Satan hates marriage. And so, for many years the girl prayed. She prayed that her future husband would follow the Lord, that he would pursue holiness, and that their marriage would be strong and centered on God. During that time, she also started to write letters to him. She didn't know whether or not he even existed, but those letters were an act of faith that God had someone He was preparing for her. Through all of the schoolgirl crushes, loneliness, and failed relationships, she prayed.   And then, one day, he came along. She continued to pray all through their courtship. Now, though, she had a face to the man she'd had on her heart for so long. Soon, they were happily married.  The girl, now a woman, still...

  A few weeks ago, I posed a question to my readers asking what I should write about. I got some really good answers! This is my first "request" post. If I could write a letter to my 16 year old self, what would I say? What have the past 5 years taught me; how has my life been different than I expected? Although my maturity level has always been higher than my respective age, I still went through many of the same experiences of a typical high schooler. Puberty doesn't discriminate, after all, nor does drama.   Dear 16 year old me,   I know how alone you are feeling right now, how it feels like there is no guy who will ever want to marry you. How you think your acne will never clear up or that you will never be able to tame the frizz and curls on your head. A school this size leaves slim pickings for true, lifelong friends who want to share their hearts with you, and trust them with yours. All the hours of making awesome music in the band and choir rooms will come to a...

  I've written before how patience is something I would really like more of. Something I'm still working on. Someone once said that God answers us in one of three ways: "yes", "no", or "I have something better"....the last one is code for "just wait." It seems like I get that answer from Him quite often.   It's really frustrating when we don't get the answer we want, and especially when it isn't immediately following our request. This doesn't just pertain to prayer, either. It might be waiting for test results or waiting to hear back on the offer you put in for a house. You may also be waiting for the right person to come along to marry or maybe you're like me and are waiting to become a parent.   Life is full of waiting.   It's inevitable, really. So what do we do when we're faced with a time of waiting? Well, there are two options: you can focus on the wait and stress about it, or you can choose t...

  It's crazy that Ash Wednesday is tomorrow already! Lent is one of my favorite parts of the Liturgical Year, and I think it's because it leads to the greatest season of all...Easter!! Besides that, though, it gives us a reason to restart. It's a time dedicated to drawing near to Christ and His Passion and Death. It's a time to do our best to give ourselves back to Him, for all He has done for us. The Church sets Lent aside to work specifically on prayer , fasting , and giving alms .   I've never been good at New Year's resolutions, because in my mind a new year technically starts every day. Lent, on the other hand, is a short season with a tangible finish. We know the ending to the story. Jesus died for us, and he went on to beat death! But for now, we must wait and prepare ourselves. I've always kind of looked at Lent as a time to better myself and my relationship with Christ, rather than just moping about because I gave up warm showers or something. It...

  I know I tend to write quite a bit about my love life, but I'm not sorry! I'm passionate about it and about relationships in general, so I keep writing. I have been thinking about how those in romantic relationships, whether it be dating, engagement, or marriage, lean on each other a lot. I'm not saying that's a bad thing; in fact, that's a huge part of relationships. You need to be there for each other. What I have noticed in my own life, though, is the fact that I can't hold Jordan up every time he's down just like he can't do it for me every time. We simply aren't strong enough.   A Christian relationship consists of three entities: one man, one woman, and God. As the Bible says about these relationships, " a cord of three strands is not easily broken ."   Jordan and I are smack in the middle of the most stressful semesters either of us have had, and the strain of school, wedding planning, work, as well as the basic responsibility ...

  Soooooo when I started brainstorming about what to write for this post I was in the middle of a pretty rotten day and my post was essentially going to be a pity party for me. I was super tired, got up late, felt like nothing was quite right all day and finally tonight I was at a gathering of friends where I was not feeling accepted at all. It was sort of the last straw, and I was like, "God, what's the deal here? Why are these people not liking me when I've tried so hard for so long to be accepted by them?" It was rough. On my way home, I realized something that in the back of my mind I knew was the problem.   I didn't give God my life through prayer today.   Recently, I created a solid prayer life and my world has drastically changed since then. Whenever I don't pray, my whole day is off and I feel like everybody is against me. That's what the deal was today. I hadn't really prayed hard core the last couple days, just meal prayers and bedtime pr...