Ladies,

Enough with the body shaming. With the fat talk. With the idea that as soon as you achieve the "thigh-gap" everything will be great. With the idea that a middle that isn't flat and hard isn't worth having arms wrapped around it. Because, I'm going to level with you, all of that is nothing more than a giant pile of bull shit.

Be healthy. Yes. Do that. Please. But don't do it to finally fit into that jean size. Who gives a flying fuck what number is on the small flap of fabric inside that pair of skinny jeans that makes you feel like a million bucks?

Go ahead. Run a mile every day, or just take the stairs today, not because you want that number on the scale to be a little bit less, but because your body is your home for as long as you're on this earth and you might as well take care of it.

How many miles have your capable legs taken you in your lifetime? How many dances have your feet allowed you to enjoy? How many loved ones have your arms embraced? Thank them.

Strengthen them to take you further. To dance for just one more song. To hold on a little longer. To squeeze a little tighter. Feed it with the kind of food that'll keep you going that extra mile. I'll be damned if that doesn't include apple pie and ice-cream in the fall.

Because isn't that how it should be? You shouldn't hate this beautiful and marvelous vehicle which has taken you this far. On your first bike ride. To your first of many dances. Across the stage at graduation. To that city where you really started to understand yourself.

You should celebrate it. Thank it. Care for it. Recognize it as the God given gift that it is. No matter how different it is from the girl's sitting next to you in class or the woman's you pass in the grocery store. Realize that every little freckle or scar, every feature you have, is just part of an illustration that helps tell the story of your life.

And just as reading a book with the same illustration on every page would be boring, so would being a part of a world where everyone fits the same mold. Your story is beautiful, special, and unique. Your body is too.

Embrace it. Try to be grateful for it. & Please take the time to learn to love it.

Pray.

Pray without ceasing. & no matter what darkness clouds our world I beg you, hold on to hope.

Always,
L.A.

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The true author of my story

It's been almost two weeks since I've wrote anything here, and for the past two weeks, I haven't been sure what that meant.

I thought my creativity may have run dry. That my passion for words was gone.

*cue me being {secretly} dramatic*

But honestly I think I just needed some time away from analyzing the story God has been writing for me. I needed time for me to just live my life the best way I know how and let the greatest Author work.

Happy Monday, World.
Live courageously.

Always,
L.A.

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I'm okay.

Sometimes you just have those mornings. You know the ones. You wake up and as you're looking in the mirror putting on makeup hurriedly before class you realize that you're going to be okay.

You laugh to yourself as you realize just how different God's plans might be from your own, but despite it all you know, just know in your heart of hearts, that His plan is going to be much greater than anything you could have dreamed up.

& Because of these beautiful truths, you find yourself smiling again.

Praise be, friends. Today is going to be a good day.

Always,
L.A.

Papa Benny love

“If you follow the will of God, you know that in spite of all the terrible things that happen to you, you will never lose a final refuge. You know that the foundation of the world is love, so that even when no human being can or will help you, you may go on, trusting in the One that loves you.” 
― Pope Benedict XVI

“There are times when the burden of need and our own limitations might tempt us to become discouraged. But precisely then we are helped by the knowledge that, in the end, we are only instruments in the Lord's hands; and this knowledge frees us from the presumption of thinking that we alone are personally responsible for building a better world. In all humility we will do what we can, and in all humility we will entrust the rest to the Lord. It is God who governs the world, not we. We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength. To do all we can with what strength we have, however, is the task which keeps the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: 'The love of Christ urges us on'.” 
― Pope Benedict XVI, God Is Love--Deus Caritas Est: Encyclical Letter

"There is still time for endurance, time for patience, time for healing, time for change. Have you slipped? Rise up. Have you sinned? Cease. Do not stand among sinners, but leap aside."

- St. Basil

This little piece of the world wide web that I've claimed as mine has become a place for me to save quotes I come across...If they inspire you, wonderful. If they don't, take no offense to my post and have a wonderful day anyway.
Always,
L.A.

“To fall in love with God is the greatest of romances. To seek Him, the greatest adventure. To find Him, the greatest human achievement.”
- St. Augustine

A reminder for me:

"Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we’ve been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won’t be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God’s strength, our problems are small, indeed."
— Francis Chan, Crazy Love 

Let us set the world on fire

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And this shall be my life…

God knows that I really am trying to do
                  Everything He’s asked me to…

There is no such thing as a useless prayer

‎"All of our prayers -- with all the limits, difficulty, poverty, aridity and imperfections they may have -- are as it were purified and reach the heart of God. We must be certain, therefore, that there are no superfluous, useless prayers; not one of them is lost. And they find a response -- even if it is oftentimes mysterious -- because God is Love and infinite Mercy. "
- Pope Benedict XVI

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."
– Mother Teresa

Faith

"Faith is the power to stand up to the madness and chaos of the physical world while holding the position that nothing external has any authority over what heaven has in mind for you."
- Caroline Myss

Some days

Some days, no scratch that, almost every day, I wish God would just write me a letter,
a nice long letter, telling me what I’m supposed to do.

Do you ever feel like that?

Always,
L.A.

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Do not lose heart

I am a woman of faith, or at least I do my best to strive to be. More often than not though, I follow St. Francis of Assisi’s advice, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary use words.” But today's daily reading is kind of wonderful and I could not help but share it with you. {Long, but wonderful.}

It's from 2nd Corinthians 4:7-18:

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “ I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

No matter what we're struggling with, and no matter what tragedy the world is faced with, {today the Aurora, CO shooting comes to mind} we must not lose heart. Our God is an amazing God, and even in the midst of all the craziness, we must remember He has something truly great planned.

Always,
L.A.

Truth

“I choke because my every day life begins too feel small compared to the expectation. And He breathes truth that a life is not made by lives saved or bellies fed or words written. To adore the one who created the Heavens and the Earth, to give thanks for who He is and all He has given, to worship and commune with Holy God, whispering in the quiet, clinging in the noise, believing in all
circumstances – this is what makes a life large.”
— Katie Davis 

 

How true this quote is.

I dream of changing the world, of doing something that, in the grand scheme of things,
really means something. But even if I change the world, accomplish every goal I’ve ever made, and lived the life I’d always wanted to, who am I to say that I’m a success?

All the power, money, and fame in the world won’t guarantee us happiness.  Being thin, smart, or beautiful won’t either. Having an amazing career, getting the promotion you’ve been working your arse off for, being the envy of your colleagues, it’s all meaningless in the end.

The world’s measure of greatness tends to be a little skewed. It’s easy to forget that.

But we must remember the truth.

Always,
L.A.