1,234 visits

So im kinda weirdly excited because i opened up my blog and saw that i was the 1,234 visitor. NBD. Just thought id say haha :)

Authenticity

I've been thinking alot about this lately... and i just feel like i should articulate my thoughts and just get them straight... in MY brain, But also share them with you. 

Im writing little pieces of this each day, and taking my time, because i really want my thoughts to be clear and understood. 

I think i'll start with a definition. Authentic is one of those words that EVERYONE knows what it means, but then when it comes to defining the word, everyone has a different definition. Well here's the official definition-

Authentic (ADJ)- Of undisputed origin or authorship; genuine; accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy; reliable: An authentic account. When i read that definition i think of someone i can be sure of. That they make it obvious who they really are. Confident and caring. They're always themselves, you can trust them and rely on them for everything.  But the thing that really stands out to me when i read this definition though is the last part.

"accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy; reliable: An authentic account."

When i read that, i think... when someone represents them-self as the person they really are, they're seen as being trustworthy and reliable, because they're an authentic account of them-self. 

So if you aren't an authentic account of yourself, does that make you an unreliable person? Does it make you not trustworthy? 

Do you want that? What DO you want? What DO you want to do with your life? How are you going to spend your time on earth? Its up to you. That's a beautiful thing about life.

Another thing i thought about was how we all want to look like that one celebrity. We all have that person that we want to look like and sometimes even act like. We all have that one person that we look up to and what to be just like them. Im even guessing that specific person came to mind when you read that. Maybe not, but i know we all at one point in or life (if not all of it), have that person we want to be identical to. Sometimes we try so hard to be like someone else, that we become inauthentic. 

in-authenticity is toxic. 

When you try your entire life to please others, you aren't being yourself. You aren't being the person God created you to be. 

Sometimes we're afraid of letting people close to us, letting them be around us, because we're afraid they'll see the "real us"

But who's the "real us" anyways? 

God's looking for those who are themselves inside and out. We, as Christians have the privilege of being God's servants. To teach and preach about God. We can help people open their mind and heart to God and others. 

To me, this sounds like it would be really hard. But in God, we have refuge. 

But authenticity is a daily practice.

We can only be Gods when we let go of what we think and others think we need to be like and be ourselves. We can love ourselves and others through Gods love for us. 


Authenticity demands whole hearted loving and living. We need to model Gods grace and love to everyone around us, all the time.

We have to go to scripture to know what God wants us to be, because culture wont tell us. Culture tells us its all about ourselves, scripture tells us otherwise.


There's a security we need in our identity that we can only truly get from God.


Authenticity is something i struggle with, but work towards. Im getting better, but still have so much work to do until im even close to authentic. 


I ask you to join this battle with me and work towards being authentic... because if we aren't authentic, then we cant be as strong of servants for God. 

Back From The Trip

Hey! So im really sorry that i havent posted any pictures from the trip yet. Ive been super busy. How is it im more busy now than i was when school was in or even during finals week? I thought summer was for sitting out by the pool and relaxing. Buying hundreds of pairs of sunglasses and going to sonic happy hour every day and not having a care in the world. Well its been the opposite of that for me lately. Not only have i been super busy, but ive had lots of emotional stress. I dont have the time to explain it all, or to get all the pictures together from the trip, but ill hopefully get them both on here eventually :)

I love youuuu,
Anna

Southcarolina:]

Hey! So it's the second day on the beach and im almost as tan as snooki. Well... Not quite... But close ;) I'm just planning on posting a bunch of pictures throughout the trip :)

Love you!
Anna

I love you :)

hey so umm i feel horrible not posting lately, but its finals time. so im just saying here that i love you and lifes great! :)

Anna

Elmo Prank Calls

I absolutely LOVE these videos... Elmo prank calls :) Hahah theyre really funny. Take the time and watch 'em :)

Love,

Anna

You know your family is weird when....

Ive always known that my family was a little off... and a little strange... but today i was actually quite confused when i walked into the bathroom and saw this...

I must say im still a little confused... and everyone else in my family thinks its funny that i think its weird... which disturbs me the most 0_o

A whole new blog!

Hey everybody!
Ive spent about an hour today changing up the blog! Added some html, created some fun things, and voila! A whole new blog! so please let me know what you think! Hope you like it :)

Anna

Wishing

Last night i looked  at my clock and it said 11:11. I realized that it had been weeks since i had wished at 11:11, and i used to wish every single night. It was a habit i had... and i just stopped? I realized that my life was better since i stopped wishing at 11:11.... Or maybe i was just looking at it differently... looking at it as more of a gift. I used to wish for things... over and over again.... but obviously, God didn't want me to have those things...they weren't a part of his plan... he had something much better in mind. I would wish and wish for those things, and really hope for those things, and then get discouraged when i didn't get them. I realize how BLESSED i am. God has given me WAY more than i need... but i thought i NEEDED those things i wished for...those people i wished for... So i wish i could write a long long blog post because thats what i feel like doing today... but i have no time. Im just supposed to be printing off my science assignment sheet... and i think my mom will catch on pretty quickly.

So if i do wish any time from now on... ill wish this...

Keep Smiling,

Anna

A New Direction

Today at my church we had a prayer room... there were 10 different stations and you would stop at each station and have an activity...  I loved seeing all the scripture and everything, but i really wasnt moved in any way.... till i got to station 9, at least. At station 9 there was a tub of wipes and a sign that read
"NEW DIRECTION:
Take a wipe and clean your hands. Think about all your hands have reached for in the past. Some things brought joy, others pain, and still others probably left you wanting something more. As you clean your hands, clean your mind and challenge yourself to stop reaching out for things for the wrong reasons and start reaching out to God. When you do, you'll discover a new you that is free from the bondage of the world.
Jeremiah 6:16-
This is what the LORD says: "stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."


This really hit home with me... especially since this is what I've been working on for quite some time now... but pretty unsuccessfully. As humans, we reach for things without always thinking... and some bring happiness... but some also bring sorrow. When we reach for things for the wrong reasons... we'll never find what we're looking for, but if we look for things with God number 1 in our hearts... we'll find exactly what we're looking for....
Then there was another sign that said this...

"1. what are the idols in your life that compete against God for your time and attention? Are they more important than your heavenly father?

2. Look back on your life. Do you like what you see or who you've become? Why or why not? If not, what can you do differently from this point forward?"

I challenge you to answer these questions and reflect on jeremiah 6:16.
I hope that this affects you like it's affected me.

Keep smiling,
♥ Anna