An open letter to the person battling anxiety

An open letter to the person battling with anxiety:

You are going to get through this and you will win.

You wake up to a new day and you feel fine. You go about your normal routine and you’re read to face the day.

But then, out of nowhere, you feel like you can get nothing accomplished and the day doesn’t look so bright and promising anymore.

You feel depressed, like you just want to curl up in a ball and tune out the rest of the world. Like you want to turn off all of your emotions and escape to something else (the TV, reading, self-harm, drugs, alcohol, all of these can be a person’s escape when anxiety sets in.)

You just cry for, what you think is, no reason. But maybe your subconsciously crying for help or because you’re upset at everything anxiety has taken from you today. Whatever the reason, it’s okay to cry.

Then you get overwhelmed over doing the simplest things. Maybe it’s writing a paper or cleaning house. Maybe it’s going to the grocery store or, even, taking that next step to achieve your dreams. Sometimes, when the overwhelmed part kicks in, you wonder if you just want to see yourself self-destruct because everything might not be as bad as you think it is in this moment. I’m here to tell you that NO! You are not doing this to self-destruct, you’re just having to go to war with your anxiety today.

Finally, the anger sets in. You want to throw things. You want to run away from all of these problems looming over you. You’re mad at yourself for not being able to handle these simple things. You’re mad that your hands are shaking making even the simplest of jobs, like carrying a cup of tea, difficult. Maybe you’re mad at other people and think that they are adding to your anxiety. Maybe you’re even upset with God and wonder why He lets you struggle with this on a daily basis.

Anxiety sucks! And it comes in many forms. But, anxiety can NOT beat you! Anxiety can make you feel like crap for a while, but it makes you stronger. You are a warrior and you’re battling with anxiety. But, I’m here to tell you that anxiety doesn’t win. YOU win! Did you get up this morning? That’s a victory! Did you press on and do your best? That’s a victory! Did you not turn to your escape? That’s a victory! There are people in your life who care for you and will walk beside you during this. That’s a victory! There is a God Who loves you and is watching out for you. He has amazing plans for you and He is with you every step of the way. That’s a HUGE victory!

To the person battling anxiety, you’re going to make it through this and you are going to beat anxiety. I believe in you and I know you can do this because I’m battling anxiety too. But, WE are going to win, everything is going to work out, you’ll see. So, for now, keep on fighting!

Sincerely,

A person who is battling anxiety along with you.

Lessons from Daniel

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself  in this way." ~Daniel 1:8 (NIV) Okay, can we just talk about the example Daniel sets for us in the opening of the book of Daniel in the Bible? Here's a young man, probably a teenager, who is sticking to his morals in front of a king! I don't know about you, but if I were in Daniel's shoes I would probably be to afraid to stand up to a king! But, how many of us have already been in Daniel's shoes? No, we haven't stuck up for what we believe in front of a king, but what about in front of friends? Sharing your faith in that class at school when you know the teacher will not approve? Telling that guy or girl that you like where you stand on the whole dating thing? We are a generation who has to stick to our morals and I think Daniel gives us insight on how to do that.
 "Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven." ~Daniel 2:17-19 (NIV) I like these verses for a couple of reasons. First, Daniel shows us what it is like to have Christian friends that are there for us and will pray for and with us. After all the friends who pray together stay together. Second, Daniel shows us what we should do when a prayer is answered, PRAISE GOD!

In Daniel chapter 3:16-27, we see Daniel's friends really trusting in God! They would not bow to a false idol and were thrown in a blazing furnace! They never questioned God or backed down from their faith. So, what happened? GOD showed up in the furnace with them and protected them!!! Let me repeat that, GOD SHOWED UP IN THE FURNACE WITH THEM AND PROTECTED THEM!!! I don't know about you, but there are times in my life where I feel that I am walking in that blazing furnace all by myself. But the truth is that I'm not! God is with me and He always will be and He will always protect me!

"Daniel answered, 'May the king live forever! My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty." ~Daniel 6:21-22 (NIV) Daniel obeyed authority. The only time he didn't was when a rule was passed that he couldn't pray to God. Daniel prayed to God anyways, but here's the catch, he prayed to God where EVERYONE could see him! He didn't hide in a corner and do it secretly. No, he wanted to show the world the God he served even when his life was in danger and God protected him. Again, how many of us pray in private cause it isn't the "cool" thing to do? We need to pray boldly and face the lions den head on knowing God will be with us always!

"Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." ~Daniel 10:12 (NIV) I love this verse! Here we find Daniel being told that everything he has done God has seen and He hears Daniel! GOD HEARS Daniel! And GOD hears us too! God is with us always and He loves us! I hope these verses from Daniel have encouraged you like they have encouraged me!

Special Edition: Thanksgiving Greetings

Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I hope it is a wonderful day of happiness and thanks! I'm going to share some of the things I am thankful for.

•  My family. 
• My uncle being home
• My house and all the things that make it livable.
• My education. So many people do not get the chance to learn about what they love.
• The clothes I have.
• A car to get around in.
• My friends. Especially my partner in crime, my Anna to my Elsa, the girl who is always there for me, my travel buddy. Courtney.
• I'm thankful for different seasons.
• I'm most of all thankful for the God I serve and the fact that He loves me!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
   Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs. 
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name. 

 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100 (NIV)

Could you spot a victim?

 Psalm 107:28-30, "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven."
International Princess Project "Order cool punjammies (pj pants, capris or shorts) made by women freed from the red-light district."
Women At Risk International "Rescues women and children all over the world. They sell jewelry made by at-risk or rescued women."
Gospel For Asia "Reaching the slum kids and outcasts of society with hope, help and Jesus."
Polaris Project "Get posters and other materials here to raise awareness."
Unlikely Heroes
The A 21 Campaign
The Hope Soap Project 
 Hope for Justice
Exodus Cry
Twenty-seven million. That's how many people are enslaved in human trafficking around the world today! Human trafficking can take many forms. Forced labor, prostitution, and many other things. So, what can we do to help? There are links to websites that focus on putting an end to human trafficking. Here are some signs to look out for in a person who might be a victim of human trafficking:

• They suddenly drop out of activities they use to enjoy
• They miss school a lot or their grades suddenly drop
• They keep running away from home
• They show signs of drug addiction
• They have bruises, abrasions or other indications of physical abouse
• They have older, edgier relationships
• They suddenly have a lot of expensive stuff they normally couldn't afford.
• They have a new set of older, edgy friends who don't like authority and tend to avoid adults.

This is from Sisterhood Magazine "If you know someone who shows some of these signs, they may be a victim of abuse or trafficking. Ask them gently if they're in trouble and if they open up that they are, or especially if they respond in fear, call the human trafficking hotline. The hotline is available 24/7 and all calls are confidential. If you're not comfortable calling the hotline, tell an adult whom you trust and ask him or her to call with you. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911."
The Human Trafficking Hotline is 888-373-7888 or text HELP to BeFree (233733)
I wrote this because no one knows if or when they will be in a place where they will have to report human trafficking. I hope I have educated you, after all we have Twenty-seven million people counting on us to be their voice!

Operation Christmas Child time!

It's that time of year again! Operation Christmas Child! It's collection day at my local Lifeway Christian store. National Collection week starts on November 17th. I love doing these shoe boxes because children get Christmas and get to know about Jesus!

So, what goes into a shoe box?

• soap & washcloth
• toothpaste & toothbrush
• brush
• coloring book & crayons
• pens & pencils
• stuffed animal & small toys
• hard candy
• hat, sunglasses, & shirt
• personal letter
• Socks

What are the ages?

• 2 to 4
• 5 to 9
• 10 to 14

What not to put in a box?

• Chocolate & candy that can melt
• toys that look like weapons/army
• liquids

I hope this list helps and that you'll join in making a great Christmas for a child in need!

Special Edition: Veterans Day

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” ~Exodus 14:14

Today is Veterans Day. I have always been thankful for the military and what the soldiers do so I have freedom. I spent Sunday night in the VA hospital, because of a family member, and I got the blessing of spending a couple of hours talking to a retired soldier. Hearing what he saw and some of the things he had to do made me appreciate the soldiers so much more! They are protecting strangers and risking their lives every day! When I was in Ohio for Spring Break last year, seeing the planes that were used in wars with the bullet holes was a real eye opener! So on this day, and every other day, pray for our soldiers and their families. And if you get the chance, thank a Veteran. They've done so much for us! Happy Veterans Day.

It's been a year!

One year ago today I sat in the back of my college math class, after class was over, and wrote the first post for A Traveler's Thoughts. At the time I didn't know if I was going to keep the blog or not. It was something I was just trying to see if people wanted to read about what I had to say.
Here we are a year later, thanks to all of you who read my posts! This blog wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you! A big thanks goes to Victoria over at Miss Tadoodles Corner for helping me with the set up of this blog.
Of course this blog would be nothing if it wasn't for God and my relationship with Him. He's given me a desire to share about Him and He is with me all the way!
I want to apologize for not posting regularly these past few weeks. I've been sick and school has been crazy. But, I'm back on schedule and next week we will be talking about Operation Christmas Child.
Again, thank you to everyone who reads these posts and likes my Facebook page and follows me on Twitter and Instagram! I can't wait to see what the next year looks like!
"The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer, my God, my Stronghold in whom I take refuge, my Shield, the glory of my salvation, and my High Tower." ~Psalm 18:2

Highlights of November

"I Consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." ~Romans 8:18 (NIV)
 Wow! Can this really be the last day of November already? This month has gone by so fast and for me personally it has been a month of growth. I want to first start by finishing up my THANKFUL NOVEMBER
Day24: I am thankful for all of my family being together.
Day 25: I am thankful for God giving me the strength to chose purity.
Day 26: I am thankful that I live somewhere where I can continue my education.
Day 27: I am thankful for my health.
Day 28: I am thankful for another day to give thanks.
Day 29: I am thankful that I am saved by grace and that God loved me enough to die for me.
Day 30: I am thankful to be alive right now!
  Now for the November milestones. The very first day of November at 6:30 AM a beautiful baby girl was born. No she isn't mine but she is truly a gift from God and an answer to my prayers for her daddy! On November third I was blessed with the chance to celebrate another birthday with my Nana. The next day on November fourth a twelve year dream came true and I got to go with my daddy and see WWE Raw live!!!
  This whole month I have been going to a different church and meeting more teens that I can be friends with who will help me grow in my walk with God. This month was also the first month in nine months that I was not dating anyone and had more time for friends, family, and most importantly God. I also became very dedicated about finishing my book on Figment called "The Girl with the Blue Mask". It is still being written but I will finish this story!
  God has also opened my eyes to the importance of letting Him guide me all the way. Especially when it comes to relationships. He is teaching me to be patient and He has opened my mind to ways to make dating even more godly and less worldly.
  Finally, tonight I found out about the unfortunate death of Paul Walker. I loved him as Brian in the Fast and Furious movies and my heart and prayers goes out to his family and friends and all of his fans. It is a tragedy to lose someone so talented and young.

  I do not want to leave this blog post on a sad note so I will leave it with this: "God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.: ~C.S. Lewis. God is in control of all things!

Let's travel with Doctor Who

Day 23: I am thankful I can spend time with God & be in His Word!!! (THANKFUL NOVEMBER)
Ecclesiastes 8:7 "Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?" (NIV)
Have you ever heard of Doctor Who? It is a British TV series that was started on November 23, 1963. This show has been running for 50 years today! Now this show is about a man named The Doctor, and no one knows his real name. He is a Time Lord and he has a blue police box called the TARDIS which means "Time and relative dimension in space." The TARDIS is a spaceship that can take him anywhere in space. This Doctor has many faces because he can regenerate after he has been hurt. He is the same man, just with a different face.
The Doctor also takes companions with him on the TARDIS. He doesn't like being alone and he normally chooses a human companion, see the Doctor is an alien. He is not violent though. He is 100% against violence and he saves the world with reasoning. I absolutely love this show because of how I feel about traveling. The Doctor is the ultimate traveler!
So why did I bring this up in my blog? Well, I think this show can teach us a lesson about God making plans for our travels. In Ecclesiastes we know God tells us that no one can know what the future holds and in Doctor Who we see more than once that the Doctor ends up in a mess by being in the same place two different times. Also in Matthew 6:34 says "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." While you watch Doctor Who you see that the Doctor is always happy and ready to go with the flow. 
I think Doctor Who is a great show for all ages and can show a good message about needing to trust in God's Travel Plans instead of our own Travel Plans. So This is my thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, which is premiering today. 
Another Doctor Who Devo

Some more things I am Thankful for!

                                                                   Thankful November continued:
Day 17: I am thankful for having hope.

Day 18: I am thankful for plenty of healthy food.

Day 19: I am thankful for God preparing my heart.

Day 20: I am thankful for getting to spend a lot of time with my cousins.

Day 21: I am thankful for Disney movies that show hope and love.

Day 22: I am thankful for God never leaving me!

My family is going through a pretty big storm right now. We have a couple of deaths in the family and plenty of heartbreak. But even through all of this I will be thankful and praise God!
"weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5 (NIV)

The Gift of Giving

   So today my two cousins and I packed Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. This is what Operation Christmas Child, or OCC, is: it is an organization where you pack a shoe box, or clear food storage box full of things for kids in third world countries who might not get a Christmas gift. This box can be filled with a number of things such as: washcloth, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, pens, notebooks, coloring books, crayons, hair bows, combs, socks, shirts, hats, hard candy, gum, sunglasses, a personal letter from you, and of course toys.
  Some toys can be Slinky's, yoyos, cars, jump-ropes, stuffed animals, anything girls would like to play with, and anything boys would like to play with that will fit into a box. Just no toy swords, knifes, fake guns, or army men because these boxes could be going over to war areas. The ages for the children are 2-4, 5-9, 10-14. After you pack your shoe box you drop it off at a drop off location during National Drop Off Week. From there the boxes go to the OCC headquarters closes to you. At the headquarters volunteers go through all the boxes collected to make sure everything can go overseas. Then the boxes are taken to their destinations.
   As the boxes are being handed out volunteers teach sort of like a vacation Bible school to the kids and they learn about God. Some of these kids have never heard about God until they get a shoe box! There is still time to do a shoe box if you want to. Here is the link with all the information in it. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

  This year my cousins and I did eight boxes. Now I have done a box since I was in first grade (I went to a privet school my whole life.) but for my nine-year-old and three-year-old cousins this was their first time doing a box. They loved it and I do believe we have started a new family tradition. What a blessing today was. Here are some pictures:

Have you packed a shoe box? Leave a comment and let me know.
THANKFUL NOVEMBER CONTINUED:
Day 15: I am thankful for Christian Bookstores
Day 16: I am thankful for OCC and my cousins wanting to help with boxes.

A Divine Intervention

  So I know it's only been a couple of hours since I posted last, but when God is at work how can I not praise Him for that?
Now today Moma and I were in a store and my mom started talking to this lady about clothes. The conversation turned to where to get baby clothes. Now there must be something about babies and God because after that conversation my mom got on her "Jesus Kick" (She starts talking about God and you can hear the passion for our Savior as she talks) as I call it.
  Soon this sweet lady started sharing some things that has happened in her family that it was obvious that God had been at work in. Soon I found myself standing there with tears falling down my face silently praising God for how wonderful He is and praising Him for being with a sister in Christ like He has been. 
  I've been saved for about six years now and I've never had a moment when I have the chance to stand in a public  place and rejoicing with them. It was a wonderful feeling and I felt like I had known this woman my whole life while we were talking about God and it made me realize I will know her forever when we get to Heaven one day!
  When I got home I thought about the days events while I was writing in my journal tonight. I realized that what happened tonight had to go along with what I am thankful for today. I am thankful for God putting me in this world to do His work. Today I did a part of His work by fellow-shipping with a fellow Christian! I would call today a Divine Intervention.
   Divine Intervention: God making something happen that is considered something only God could do in an every day situation.
  THANKFUL NOVEMBER CONTINUED:
Day 14: I am thankful God put me on this world to do His work.

Joy Unspeakable

   This post is early, but so many God-things (Things that happen & you know that it could only have been God's doing) has happened to me this week! First, on Sunday I went to church with my grandmother and the preacher preached on the book of Ruth. Now Ruth is one of my favorite books in the Bible and the book I am doing a Bible study on!
    Sunday night I was back at church and there was this guy about my age was there who wasn't there that morning. Now why this is important is because I am suppose to meet this guy this Sunday at another church! It turns out that he was there with his cousins. The preacher preached on having a God-given reputation and at the end of the service he just randomly started talking about how young adults who were single should be praying for their future spouses!
On Wednesday I went to church with my grandmother again and the guy from Sunday night was back. But the wonderful thing that happened is that a sixteen-year-old young man got up and preached the sermon and his passion for God was so encouraging!!  
I have  found so many fellow Christians close to my age on Twitter and their tweets have been so encouraging over the past couple of days!
God put these tweets, like this one from Christian Girls (@christiangirls_) "God's love is the best accessory a girl could wear." From To My Future Husband (@ToMyFutureHus) "#DearFutureHusband Thank you for making me believe in love again." There are many, many, many more too.
Between these tweets and the sixteen-year-old who preached tonight at church God has saved the fire that burns in me for Him. Now it is burning bright again instead of being little sparks! He knew just what I needed to be close to Him again and I just want to praise Him for that! God thank You for loving me so much and being with me through everything! Amen!

THANKFUL NOVEMBER CONTINUED:
Day 10: I am thankful for Church

Day 11: I am thankful for Music 

Day 12: I am thankful for a warm house

Day 13: I am thankful for coffee 

I want to leave this post with this song that gave this post its title:

 

Thankful November

So I'm a little late on this, but I had an idea this morning. I am going to celebrate Thankful November (Yes, this is something I made up.) This is how I'm going to celebrate it. Everyday on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterset I am going to post something I am thankful for. This is just a way to be very thankful this Thanksgiving and to start a habit of be thankful everyday!
We should be thankful everyday. But unfortunately we are not. I learned in my ACA class (Study Skills) That    if you practice something for 32 days it becomes a habit. So let's see what happens in 30 days.

Day 1: I am thankful for my car because it gets me where I need to be safely

Day 2: I am thankful for doctors, police, firefighters, people who keep us safe

Day 3: I am thankful for paved roads cause it would be quite scary to drive on roads like in some countries

Day 4: I am thankful for spending time with family and having fun

Day 5: I am thankful for living in the country

Day 6: I am thankful for seasons such as summer, fall, winter, and spring

Day 7: I am thankful for technology I have so many writing tools at my fingertips (EX: this blog)

Day 8: I am thankful for heartbreak It shows us we have feelings, draws us closer to God, and shows us how to treat others

Day 9: I am thankful for my two best friends who have been there through everything. They are more than friends, they are my sisters (by heart.)

So... what are you thankful for?