I'm Learning: To Live

About a month ago, I had the opportunity, along with several other single women, to have lunch with Mandisa. It was a wonderful experience and the things that Mandisa shared with us spoke right to my heart.

Especially this verse she shared from the Message translation:

"And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life. Don't think I'm being harder on you than on the others. I give this same counsel in all the churches."  - 1 Corinthians 7:17

That ties in perfectly with my word for 2020 - LIVE

I spend far too much time waiting around for the next thing in life. The weekend, my next trip, my own place, finally being in a relationship, etc.

This year, I plan on going to more concerts and events, going on more trips, and doing more spontaneous weekend day adventures,

Here's my reality now, though...

As I write this we are in the midst of a pandemic and are half a week into our 2 week minimum quarantine, so going on adventures is basically impossible right now.

But living isn't just have having great experiences. It's practicing practical and health self care, it's getting back to all of the creative things that I used to do and have left on the back burner for far too long, it's reigniting my relationship with God, and so many other simple things that I can put into practice while I'm stuck at home for 2 weeks (or more).

These next few weeks, and this year in general, and going to be interesting to say the least. I am goint. I am going to do my best to make the most of them. (Great time to write and have several posts ready to publish, right?)

Before I go, I'll leave this verse for you as comfort and a reminder that God's got us right here in the middle of all the crazy.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Stay Safe,
- Tierra Rose

I'm Learning: Life Is Short

Life..... let's talk about that for a minute. I don't know about you, but I tend to forget how fleeing it can be; how any moment could be my last.

I found out this morning that an actor that I've followed for a few years passed away unexpectedly during the night. He was only 20. So full of life and light. So talented. So much life in front of him. So many things still to accomplish. Here one moment, gone the next.

Not to get heavy and overwhelm anyone, but, in my personal opinion, we need to be living life purposefully. What kind of legacy are you going to leave behind when you are gone?

Seeing that news thing morning was a slap in the face. Am I living like I want to? Am I doing what it takes to accomplish my goals? Am I living life to it's fullest?

To be honest, I don't think the answer can truthfully be "yes" for any of those, and hasn't been for awhile. I haven't taken the time to really figure out what it is I want to be and do. I've been stuck in the daily grind and not doing much else. I keep telling myself "I'll sit myself down and figure some things out tomorrow." Or "I'll do that this weekend." and what do I do when I have the time? Nothing. Literally. I sit and scroll through social media and don't really do a whole lot.

I've been so close to crying several times today; I can't imagine what his family and friends are going through right now, but this has been a wake up call for me. It's time to stop doing life and LIVE!

I know that this was a bit jumbled, short, and rushed. I literally got home from church, ate, and sat down to write this (while trying not to burst into tears). Hopefully in made sense and there aren't many typos, this was just a thought process that I wanted to share here.

~Tierra Rose

I'm Learning: To Trust

How is it June already?!? What happened to 2019?

I started off this year with so many goals that I planned to have accomplished my this summer........ They aren't going to happen! 

I wanted to be moved and doing life on my own by my 22nd birthday. My birthday is towards the end of July. Now, I'm not saying that things can't change quickly, I just don't see it happening. 

To be perfectly honest with you, I have been having a hard time trusting in God's timing lately. I don't understand why I am where I am in life.So many of my friends are in very different seasons in life.

It makes me feel lesser than. Like I am going through this season alone and watching every one else pass me on the highway on life, getting to where I want to be. I feel like I'm slacking; not doing the best I could be. Like time is slipping through my fingers and I won't have much left to accomplish the things I want to in life. I know I'm still "young" but, more often than not, I feel below average for a woman in my early 20s.

I know God's timing is perfect and that He has plans for my life that are beyond my wildest dreams, I know it, but I don't believe it like I should. I haven't had blissful peace, peace down to the core of my being, about my future for a long time. I've lost the fire and the passion and the "nothing is going to stop me" attitude that I used to have. I'm stressed. I'm worried. I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels half the time.

I don't know what else to say right now. I'm learning to trust in God's timing and in His plans for me. I'm learning how to hold onto my Heavenly Father's hand and let Him guide me.

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and learn not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5-6

 

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

 

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ~Ecclesiastes 3:11