My dearest twenty-one year old girl,
This letter may come as a hurtful surprise to you, but please, keep reading. I know that right now you don’t understand boundaries between a man and a woman. You’re not even sure yet why, when and how they exist. And right now you’re naive to the fact…
Balancing Opposite Sex Friendships
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"So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do."
Dead Poets Society, 1989 (via morenonsenseandgrizzlybears)
(Source: keep-calmer)
(Source: nevver)
“Charles Bridge” by Ian Brewer
A year ago I was getting ready to head to Europe. Can’t wait to go back again someday!!
"Be happy. Do things that make you happy within the confines of the legal system. Do things that make you feel good and proud. It can be almost anything. Name something. Yes, sure, try that. Contribute to the world. Help people. Help one person. Help someone cross the street today. Help someone with directions unless you have a terrible sense of direction. Help someone who’s trying to help you. Just help. Make an impact. Show someone you care. Say yes instead of no. Say something nice. Smile. Make eye contact. Hug. Kiss. Get naked. Laugh. Laugh as much as you can. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh. Keep doing it even if people are passing you on the street saying, “I can’t tell if that person is laughing or crying but either way they seem crazy, let’s walk faster.” Emote. It’s okay. It shows you are thinking and feeling. Find out who you are and figure out what you believe in. Even if it’s different from what your neighbors believe in and different from what your parents believe in. Stay true to yourself. Have your own opinion. Don’t worry about what people say about you or think about you. Let the naysayers nay. They will eventually grow tired of naying."
Ellen Degeneres. (via karachitonewyork)
(Source: goodthingsarewildandfree)
We tend to romanticize things ahead to take our minds off the “nows.” Don’t.
He has you here, in this circumstance, in this season, in this trial, for a reason. Even if it just seems like a bad day, it’s where you live and it’s more real than anything.
Acknowledge what circumstances are causing you pain, heartache, frustration, impatience, anger. Walk through it, take a long run, cry if you need to, write it down, call a friend, read the Word out loud, meditate on promises, get on your knees. Be vulnerable with the Lord. Let yourself feel everything.
For our own health, we owe it to ourselves to process and feel even when it seems unbearable or undesirable. It’s easier than ever to avoid, seeing as we live in an age with every distraction possible. We’re beckoned to “take our mind off things” or “just forget it” by objects, entertainment, and other places of conditional joy. There’s no healing there.
Sure, it’s just a movie to relax and take your mind off the hard conversation you just had. It’s also a missed opportunity to face what you’re feeling and ask the Lord be the first easer of your soul. If we pray to, live, and believe in a Holy Spirit that has the power to heal, teach, and hold—-we should respond to our circumstances a whole lot better than with the short-term offerings of the world.
Take a deep breath, you can do it. I’m not saying tv, music, pinterest, books, a beer, anticipated vacation or any of those things are bad. I’m simply saying they won’t heal or fix.
We’ve got an unconditional God who wants us to face things and walk through the hard stuff with him. That’s where He builds character, fills us with grace, allows us to witness His favor, and sends us forward in wisdom. I’d take any of those over a mindless night of Hulu any day.
Be still. Let it hurt. Watch Him heal.
I’m still in your presence, but you’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me. Psalm 73:23-25
