Almost a year has passed....

And after reading my old posts I feel like I was THAT Whitney a LOT longer than a YEAR ago! Lord have mercy He does change us. And I am so thankful!

In the 10 months since my last post I have: a different roommate whom I love and adore. I have a new job that has it's completely different stressors but is so rewarding and I love and cherish with my whole heart. I have a new small group of girls I adore and can't wait to get to know each of them so much more. I have more mature relationships. I have let go of the distructive relationship that ran rampant in most of my posts from last year. I have new friendships that help me grow in the Lord and I can share verses and my inmost desires with daily. But most importantly, I have a PERSONAL, DAILY, nearly CONSTANT and CONVERSATIONAL relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Yes, I was a Christian 10 months ago. Yes, I loved the Lord. But looking back, I can see how much I have GROWN in my relationship with Him. How much my outlook has drastically changed. How my thoughts are not at all the same. My heart and desires are completely different. I barely recognize the old me... oh but with sweet aches in my heart I do know that I was and still am that same girl I was 10 months ago. Because scars heal but they don't go away. And as I am about to share with the newest insight from a book I have read we should thank God those old scars don't go away. For God uses our past hurt. Our pain. And thank the Lord there IS use for our ugly past. And thank God that not only can He use our past, He can heal us from it. And by nothing I have done. By His GRACE alone.

Firstly, I want to say I didn't think I would ever blog again. I was vulnerable and see through and it just didn't feel good. But God has other plans and He often works in mysterious ways. I was at a Christmas party in Madison over the holiday break last week and I was talking to an old Athens, GA roommate and fellow Morgan County graduate I hadn't seen in years. Many of you may know that I post Bible verses nearly every day via Facebook. That is my way to spread God's word, be a witness of Him, and my true and honest hope is that the daily verses will touch someone's heart in some way as it did mine.

I have had great feedback from the verses, much appreciation, and even if that were not the case I will forever post them. Because I know God gave me a heart for others, and He expects me to use it for them and through Him. And I LOVE to.

So anyways, this sweet girl I was catching up with at the Christmas party was not one that had ever "liked" or commented on my verses and truly one I didn't think would ever look twice. Not because I don't think she is a Christian... I actually do believe she is, but I just never would have thought she would have noticed and if she had that she would care.... (that's a whole different lesson Jesus is teaching me... "Do not lean on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5)

But it turns out she did notice and that she was blessed. And she was very happy for me for my relationship with God. She also told me that I should blog. She was pretty insistent on it, actually. And I felt God just a nudging. Because truly I love to talk, write, express... (No way?!) And these days I can't tell enough people how God has changed my heart so much... and He is just getting started... I have a long, LONG ways to go. But what I want this blog to be is an inspiration. Whenever I see something that inspires me... I want to put it here to inspire YOU. I will tell you upfront my inspiration comes straight from the Lord... through his Holy Word, through books from Authors I respect who seek His word, through my daily devotions, friends, loved ones, songs... You name it. I am constantly inspired.

Because I truly believe there is nothing on this planet earth that can fill, heal, or love us like our God can. And I don't blame you if you just rolled your eyes. I have been there, too. Some days I'm still looking for other things to fill voids in my heart, to make me feel good enough, to bring me happiness,.... but from the long history of the Bible and all the people in it to now.... there has only been one person that can... and that is God. The wealthy can tell you money can not and does not always give them security, happiness, and everything. The beautiful, the skinny, the spoiled, the elite, the most popular, and so on.... they will tell you no amount of success or praise can make them filled forever. Everything on earth is fleeting. But our God is constant. All we have to do is seek Him.

Before you call me naive, weak, or think I have lost my ever-loving mind I ask you to do one thing. Just come back. Watch my life. See if you see a difference. See if who I was turns out to be differently than who I am and who I become. See if this faith stays after weeks, months, years. I can't promise any of it. But my God can.

Psalm 112:7-8
They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.

Proverbs 3:26
for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.


And what I already know is what He has already done for me:

"He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." Psalm 40:2

And all you have to do to see it is read those old blogs. You probably know the old Whitney. I was destructive... with my heart, my habits, my life. He saved me from it. He pulled me out of my destructive ways in Athens, GA. It's not Athens' fault. It's mine. But He removed me. Then He put my feet on a rock... on His word... on His love.... on His security... and now my life is secure... no matter what happens. The good, the bad, the lonely, the unsure... He is there. This world is ugly... we have all seen it. We have all been hurt by it. But His love is constant. His love will lift us all out of destruction, despair, lonliness, sadness, insecurity, addiction, affliction, lust, WHEREVER WE ARE. And ONLY He can place our feet on secure ground.

I hope through this blog you will witness the ways. I hope you will seek Him in your life. Because God touches everyone completely different. Because we are unique to Him. He made us all individually and special and different and for a purpose He only knows. As I seek Him and know Him more I know I will start seeing who I am in Him. Why he made me. And you can too.

Like I said before, I like to express myself. Whether it be writing, talking, or singing (Bless your heart I can't do it through this blog, because I would!) But, I don't want you coming here looking for inspiration and feel like you are reading a novel when you do decide to stop by here to be inspired and find yourself staying here an hour... I will cut myself off when I feel I have said enough. Tomorrow I will jump into the insight from the book I just tore through like a tornado. I highlighted nearly the whole thing. And when I tell you the title it is either going to scare you or you are going to think "not me." But I beg you to wake up tomorrow with an open heart and open mind as I share with you the book that EVERY. LIVING. BREATHING. PERSON. ON. THIS. PLANET. EARTH. CAN. RELATE. TO. Christian or not. This is human related.

I will share a lot of the book on here. As with anything I post, I hope that it resonates in you. And, as always, I hope you find inspiration.

Love always,
Whitney

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness." Proverbs 31:25-26