| 27 Things |

I’ve been seeing these posts around the blogger community and I thought it’d be cool to do one considering my birthday is tomorrow.

27 things I’ve learned by 27

(Not in any particular order)

1 The most recent- it IS possible to quit smoking!

2 True friends and real fun aren’t found in a lifestyle full of drugs and alcohol.

3 Jesus loves me. He has done specific, non-coincidental things in my life that have proven that He is real and His powerful saving grace transforms people’s lives. People can argue all they want about theology, the Bible, whatever… but they can’t argue against what God has done in your life!

4 Family is everything. Whether they’re blood-related or you picked them out, treasure them!

5 Unrealistic expectations and a lack of communication mess up relationships. Be honest and listen well.

6 Being intentional with people is so important. Quality over quantity. I would rather be real and have a small group of people who love me, than be surrounded by a bunch of people that I don’t even know if I like … who don’t know me at all.

7 Best friends are rare. I’ve learned that there are “friends for a reason, a season, and for life”. It’s ok to let friendships go and new friendships grow. Not every friend will be or should be a best friend.

8 It is ok to skip a day of working out. It is also ok to eat the cake. Or the pizza. Or whatever it is. Life is all about balance. This concept was hard for me since I struggled with eating disorder extremes for years. But eating intuitively and giving up control little by little has really helped me to live freer and happier and healthier.

9 Forgiveness really isn’t about the other person. So many people say it, but I have found it really is true! It’s so not healthy to let another person have that kind of negative power over you. When I have had to go through the process of forgiveness, it was definitely not easy during it, but one day I realized I wasn’t controlled by what the person did. So it’s worth it to dig into that pain for freedom and joy in the end!

10 Everyone is beautiful if you open your eyes and look for it.

11 Trust takes years to build and one mess-up to break. I definitely learned that many times.

12 Living in the past is stupid and pointless. Everything happens for a reason. Every decision has an effect. But God uses all of it for my good and his glory. I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

13 Speaking of that ⬆️… the past doesn’t define me. My addiction and recovery do not define me. What people say does not define me. I am loved. I am beautiful. I am strong. I am an overcomer. I am bold. I am a truth-speaker. I am a child of God. I am an heir to a glorious throne and have a home in a place where there will be no lies, death, or tears. I am all of these things and more because Christ who lives in me makes me these things. 

14 I have a purpose. There was a point in my addiction where I wanted it to all end. But I woke up the next morning alive, but even more lost than before. Now I am alive and found. I know where I’m going and what I’m doing. God gives a purpose and a reason to live to anyone who cries out to him. He created me and then he saved me. I’m forever grateful.

15 Don’t judge people by their appearance or what you see on social media. I promise you that I have learned this lesson so hard, so many times. Every person has a story, life experiences that shape them and lead them to where you see them now. I’ve learned to have more discernment while still being open to others. You never know who might have a story like yours!

16 Sometimes ya gotta fight it out… that could be talking or yelling. Haha But you have to fight, argue might be a better word, with the people you love sometimes for their sake. To work things out. Like get a talking stick, some coffee, and sit down and figure it out. NOT speaking from personal experience or anything…

17 Being in your mid-20’s can still be a blast when you look 18 like me. No it really is still fun. It’s so important to be present each day and enjoy life. No regrets!!

18 It doesn’t matter if you are “successful” according to the world! I had a plan for my life and it didn’t work out… I’m just now in school and graduating next year. But lots of people I know don’t go to school. I have found that as long as I am following God, I can be content wherever I am, with whatever he has me doing. It’s hard sometimes. It’s more worth it than trying to accomplish something the world says I should and feeling empty inside. In the grand scheme of things, having the most money, the biggest house, the nicest car… they don’t matter. Can’t take them with you when you’re gone. I would rather be surrounded by people who love me than things. Things are good sometimes, but they can’t replace people.

19 You could really turn someone’s day around with one kind word! I have really learned that- being the one saying it and the one needing to hear it!

20 It is possible to have truth and love.  

21 FOLLOW traffic laws.  

22 Only eat sushi at places where the ginger is white. Pink ginger is dyed and not as authentic… when your best friend takes a sushi class you learn a lot. 😁 

23 Wear sunscreen! I used to lay in tanning beds and had a really bad scare before I moved to the beach (of course). I had to get a chunk of my skin removed … yay… and obviously stopped using beds, but I try to wear sunscreen often being outside most of the time. Seriously it can save your life. 

24 *Girls* don’t ever let a guy make your drink at a party, even if he is your best friend at the time. And don’t let that drink out of your sight. I promise you can trust me on this.  

25 It is hard to be around family when they’re sick. It’s hard to wait hours in hospitals or by their bed, see them so fragile and weak… I honestly didn’t think I was capable of doing it. But over the years I have learned that it gives closure when they pass away. I feel like also, seeing the miracle happen, when they do make the turnaround, is the greatest thing! Either way I have no regrets… only for the times I wasn’t there. Be there in the hard situations.

26 Love love love. When you find that person, be all in, whether it’s someone you want to be with for the rest of your life or a potential best friend! There’s always a chance that your heart might get broken… but at the same time, do you want to live forever not knowing what could have happened?! When you know it’s right, go for it.

27 There is a time for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
A right time for birth and another for death,

A right time to plant and another to reap,

A right time to kill and another to heal,

A right time to destroy and another to construct,

A right time to cry and another to laugh,

A right time to lament and another to cheer,

A right time to make love and another to abstain,

A right time to embrace and another to part,

A right time to search and another to count your losses,

A right time to hold on and another to let go,

A right time to rip out and another to mend,

A right time to shut up and another to speak up,

A right time to love and another to hate,

A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.
I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.
Whatever was, is.

Whatever will be, is.

That’s how it always is with God.