I Believe.

Yesterday, I got home from LTC and for all of you non Y junkies that have no idea what that is, it's a leadership training conference that honestly, has nothing to do with leadership. In fact, the word leadership was not mentioned once. But anyways, this years theme was called "This I Believe" which is based off a series of "I believe" essays. If you've never seen the book or read it, it's basically a bunch of different people coming together to write essays about what they believe, and making a book out of it. Very inspirational, I advise you to check it out! At LTC, we were told and encouraged to write our own "This I Believe" essay, although it was a little hard to actually sit down and think of what my believes as an individual were, I in time finally came up with a few believes that I knew were correct for me so I thought I would share them, and as time goes on i'm sure i'll keep adding to my essay until I feel it's complete. So here we go...

I believe that happiness is not a feeling, but a decision, a mind-set, a way of living. Yes, the people around you usually effect your happiness, but you cannot let them change or determine it. You are the writer, the author of your own life, your story. Therefore, your peers do not hold the pen to your journey. I believe to accomplish something you must believe in it, because if you have no confidence in your task, you have no motivation, and without motivation I think we can all agree that it's hard to get anything done. I believe that seeing is believing but also, not seeing is believing. I know it is hard to believe something you cannot see, but that is where faith comes in. If you do not have faith then I believe that all hope is lost, but if you have faith, you can believe and dream anything. "For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." I believe that you should never have a destination, but that you should respect, and enjoy the journey. It is often hard to enjoy the journey when you know the destination because you are so consumed and so excited about being there that you cannot see the beauty in the getting there. You should always live in the moment, like the quote "wherever you are, be there" Often times it is so easy to be conformed to the patterns of this crazy world and so consumed with our personal issues that we cannot live in the moment for fear of what our past will make our future. I believe in Heaven, and I believe in Hell. My own personal beliefs make me believe that without God, there is Hell, but in and with him, there is Heaven. I believe however, that you should respect others faith and beliefs because that's what my God calls me to do, to love and respect others like myself. I believe that everyone alive on this Earth has a purpose, and although we may not be revealed that purpose, it is there, waiting to be seen. But we can only embrace it if we open our hearts , our minds, and let it embrace us. I believe that there is no meaningless life, everyone lives for something and eventually, everyone dies for something. No matter how let down you are, how much you say you hate your life, you are here for a reason; be that to preach, to write music, to become an investor, may it be anything, you are on this Earth to affect someone else on this Earth, and to continue the amazing, so humble, gift of life.


"Life is Rough Waters, be sure to have a stable boat"
-KG

One if those blogs where I ramble about the nonsense in my life

So graduation was last week, and although I didn't graduate, a lot of my friends did. Including my best friends. Friday morning before graduation even started I began to think
about how in exactly a year, I'll be the one graduating and I'm definitely not ready. For the past 3 years I've been like oh my gosh I can't wait to graduate but now that the realization is coming close I'm like holy cow, wait a second! I just can't believe how fast these past few years have flown by, how much I've learned and most importantly how much my life has changed and been altered. I was one of those wild child kids my freshmen and sophomore year and it wasn't the easiest of times for me. But at the end of my sophomore year I met someone who I never knew would change my life forever. She taught me that my hurts and hangups and all the junk in my life was nothing at the shadow of the cross. And from that moment on my life has been drastically renewed and changed by God's amazing grace. I'm not saying I'm some perfect person now because I still mess up everyday day of my life. But I don't linger on my sins anymore because I know my Lord has forgiven me and that he still loves me and still has amazing plans for my life. On another note, God Never leaves my side. Random bold statement for this post I know but really, he's showed me that more then ever this past week. A few days ago I was really feeling down about some junk that's happened in my life and the feelings I felt were really dragging me down. I woke up at like 5 in the morning completely sobbing because I felt like I had betrayed God and a few of my friends. When I finally got myself
Together I texted my youth minister Dave (he's never not been by my side to help) and my best friend Nate and just asked them to pray for me because I was having a rough time. Wow. I never knew God could place such amazing people in my life with such amazing hope for my life. Dave texted me the next day with a prayer he had prayed for me and although I didn't
Tell him what was going on, God gave him a prayer that was on point of what I needed. God creates such small miracles that make something hugs. Isn't that amazing? Anyways, last night Nate called me and said that he was still praying and that just makes me rest assured that my father knows my heart and knew what people to place in my life so that I would never be alone in my walk with him, but have people by my side to help and guide me along the way. My prayers and concerns are slowly getting answered and now I rest assured that my life has a plan and a purpose that will allow me to live for God and become a servant for him alone.

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

Life is rough waters, just be sure you have a stable boat.
-KG