Hey friends!! I am starting to believe change is my favorite thing. I ended 2020 with a little vacation between jobs, new car from totaling my car in an accident and grateful heart for a year that was full of challenges for many. If you have been here a while, you know I am a glass half full kind of girl. I believe to my core in the worst situations you can find joy and gain wisdom. Everything happens for a reason and nothing is a coincidence. Ever.

New year, same girl with a new perspective. This is the first year I haven’t sat down to create a “bucket list” for the year, lofty goals, and a plan for exactly how I was going to accomplish it all. This year I have a blank sheet of paper with nothing on it. This is a first for this type-a planner and I must say it is nice for a change.

Maybe it’s Matt rubbing off on me to live more spontaneous? Maybe it’s me finally letting go of the need to control everything? Maybe it’s me finally learning it’s not my plan, but his? Maybe this will be the first year I live totally spontaneous and see what happens?

One thing I definitely know is:

1. I am taken care of. Provided for. I am the daughter of an amazing God.
2. I am right where I am supposed to be.
3. I am confident in my ability to figure it out, hold on to my faith, and to trust my gut instincts.

Friends, I am a planner. I love structure, routines, and to-do lists! I will write something on my to-do list I just completed so I am able to cross it off. It just brings me great joy and a sense of accomplishment. I love to work and make things happen. When I decide I want something and my mind is set on it, you can say it’s done.

I have also “set my mind on something” and fell flat on my face. I started the race, took ten steps past the starting line and didn’t move again. I just sat there like a pig in mud. I even danced and rolled it at times. I realized I actually didn’t want whatever it was or wasn’t willing to do the daily activity to make it a reality. FRIENDS THAT’S OKAY!!!

Look you don’t know if you actually like something until you try it. Until YOU try it. Not your friends or your family. You. SO many, me included, people are too scared to start something because what if you don’t like it, not good at it, or whatever other reason decide it’s just not for you. I would always think it would make me look like a quitter or I wasn’t capable enough to do it. This last year taught me, it’s okay to go do something else. It’s okay to chase your “dream life” right now. You don’t have to wait twenty years. You can make all of those things a reality now… well at least start running in that direction. For me my “dream life” was living in a certain part of town, working a certain type of job, being a certain type of friend, sister, daughter, girlfriend. I am doing that today.

Honestly, most people have so much going on in their world, they may think about you for a second when you make a change or a life pivot and then they move on to whatever is occupying their life. Think about a friend that made a life change… what was your reaction? How much time did you spend thinking of him or her?

It’s your life sis. You are the only one that has to sleep in the bed you made. What you decide in that moment go for it. I just challenge you to not run from the first trial or tribulation though. No one said it would be easy. Worth it, absolutely!

Friend, I am cheering for you! I want you to have the most success and to live your dream life. I want you to be so happy you tear up thinking about all the ways you have grown, lived and learned. I want you to be proud of you. That my friend is powerful. You are capable of living THAT life. Have the courage to chase your dream, pivot when you need to, and to laugh along the way. My dad always tells us, “Enjoy the journey!” I did just that in 2020. I grew, learned, laughed, and made great memories even if it felt the world was coming to an end.

I am proud of me. I am proud of my journey. Most of all I am thankful for every moment, person and experience that has shaped me into who I am today. I get all teary-eyed when I think about my life today. All happy tears!

Was it easy, nope. Worth it, absolutely!

Thank you precious friend for reading along today! Have a wonderful week! Be brave! Be strong!! Be YOU!! The world needs YOU just the way you are. God only made one of you for a reason.

Until next time,

Amanda

Hi friends! Something I love about blogging is these words not only help other people, but they help me too. I swear this blog is just a tool for God to speak words to the people that need to hear them. Before I start writing, I ask God,”Okay, what do you want me to say?”

Here’s what he wants you to know. These are the words that come to my finger tips.

Have faith my child. Your story is already written. Don’t worry about the people around the story. I will work everything out. Trust me. You are running down the field with the football and you have no clue which players I have already blocked and will block. I just need you to run. Run like no one is stopping you. No one is going to hold you back or stop you from scoring a touchdown. Trust me, your touchdown dance is pretty incredible. I know you will score the touchdown because I already made that happen. It is already done. Your entire life is already written. Now, you have the choice to run zigzag, up and down the field, off the field and you will STILL score the touchdown. I may just have to do a little more blocking and tackling. Don’t worry though… that won’t be a problem for me. I wish you would have the faith to run in a straight line. To trust that I have you. You do a majority of the time, but you definitely doubt it sometimes. Why? I have proven my abundance to you. Look at your life. Look at all the blessings in your life right now. Are there things in your life that are not how “you” pictured them?? Yes. You have no clue what is coming. I do. Get ready, my daughter, it is going to be incredible. Oh the things I have in store for you. Enjoy the journey and trust me enough to run straight. Be faithful and confident that I will take care of you. Love you big!

Friends, we are just going to leave this one here. That’s all she wrote tonight. I don’t know if you are the one that needs to hear this or someone in your life does. Stand firm in your faith. It is a challenge for me sometimes, so if it is for you too you aren’t alone.

Thank you for reading along and spending some of your day with me! Until next time!

Amanda

Hi friends! This one is going to be real, raw and one I have had on my heart for a while. I am going to be 100% transparent, honest, and just lay it out there. We don’t judge around here. K. If you are a Judgy Jane, just leave now.

Body image. It is something everyone struggles with. Everyone. Whether you think you are too thin, too fat, too [fill in the blank]. We all have things we want to change about our body. Fair?

I have social media accounts. I love a good filter. You can go from looking homeless to glam in a swipe. I don’t do the face tune app of whitening teeth, smoothing fat parts, clearing your skin or whatever else you can do with that app. I can never whiten my teeth without smearing my entire face. #fatfingers I definitely crop pictures, change lighting, use filters, etc. to create a better picture. I creep on people when I want to play detective to find something out. When in reality it is just a narrative I came up with using context clues based off the highlight reel of their life.

When a friend calls me about an ex dating someone new and she feels insecure, I tell her to look at the tagged pictures. Why? Because everyone posts the best pictures of themselves. You want to see what someone really looks like go look at their tagged pictures. I have fat rolls when I sit down. I love my legs, but when I cross my legs I have some cellulite on the side of my upper thigh that I don’t love. I critique pictures of myself and am picky on the normal problem areas… stomach, back, arms, legs, etc. Then I want to take the picture again thinking it will be different. I cannot for the life of me figure out how people take pictures in the right angles. Put your foot here, leg here, turn your body here, put your hip out, weight in one leg. I mean for the love are we taking pictures or playing twister?! I would probably get a better picture playing twister. HA!

I love pictures! I love the memories they capture. Candid pictures are my favorite! I love when true, raw and real emotions are captured. I am not a judgy person in the sense I won’t hold anything against a person for what you do, wear, say, etc. Different story if you are being disrespectful, rude, a bully… those things don’t fly around here. Don’t be a jerk. If you are living your life and just doing you. I am all about it and fully supportive! You do you boo!

On another note, most of my life I was bigger than my peers. I went through puberty early and have always been a taller kid. I was in the 95th percentile most of my childhood. I grew a foot, a freaking ruler, in one year. I was an athlete. Bigger legs, tall, and broad shoulders. The guys I had crushes on always went for my friends. They were tiny and cute. I was massive. That wasn’t the reality, it was just how I felt. I would constantly question why I wasn’t good enough in the looks department? The nail people would always tell my sister she was so tiny like baby. They told me I was healthy. Thank you very much. That messes with a kid/teenager when all they want to do is fit in and be accepted for who they are.

Today, I am still tall. My body is different. I am more toned and thin. I see the thin Amanda a majority of the time. I am comfortable in my own skin 95% of the time. There are times I still see big Amanda when I look in the mirror or in pictures compared to my friends. I see the rolls, fluff, squish. In those moments, I am very critical of my body and how I look.

Let me let you in on a little something… EVERYONE looks at pictures and critiques themselves. EVERYONE wants to change things about their body. EVERYONE is a work in progress and trying to find their way. EVERYONE is dealing with something and has insecurities. I don’t care how attractive, fit or whatever else they are. They have something they wish was different/better.

Little PSA: Take care of your body. Live a 80/20 lifestyle. Food, exercise and sleep can fix a lot of health issues. A lot. Also, quit worrying about the number on the scale or the size on your clothes. Buy clothes that fit and flatter your body. Who gives a rats ass what size clothes you are wearing. When you try to fit into clothes you used to wear that don’t fit anymore (big or small) it is not cute! You are either busting out of them or being swallowed up. Last time I checked, most people don’t tell you how cute you look and then ask,”Oh what size is that??” Swallow your pride and buy what fits you best!!! Moving on.

Here’s the deal friends! You are beautifully made. You are precious! God knew the world needed YOU! Are you going to be confident in your own skin after reading this? Maybe more than you did before, but it’s not an overnight change. You have to intentionally change your thoughts. It is a constant work in progress. In the meantime, I am here to encourage and remind you of a few things.

You are beautifully and wonderfully made. Perfect. Yes, you!

The world needs a YOU… just as you are.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are comparing yourself to the models in magazines, on TV, and all the people on social media. Editing is very powerful. It is also not real. You see what will fit in the screen of their phone. You don’t get to see the whole picture.

I have personally never struggled with eating disorders. If you have, get help. There are so many resources that will help and want to help. That doesn’t define you.

You are enough. You are more than the number on the scale or size of shirt. You are SO MUCH more than that.

You, my friend, are valid in your feelings/insecurities. You just can’t stay there. Embrace all that you are inside and out. You can be the most beautiful person in the world and have an ugly heart. That makes you are the ugliest person in the world. How you treat people and yourself matters so much more than how good you look.

Wear what makes you feel best! You love color, rock it! You love neutrals, rock it! Wear it with confidence and you can rock any outfit!

Friend, you are beautiful. Truly beautiful. God doesn’t make mistakes. Ever. Don’t ever forget that.

Have the best day!! If you can’t get the right angle either, you aren’t alone. Laugh in our awkwardness! Laughing pictures are the best anyway! Thank you for spending some of your day with me! So much love and good vibes sent your way!! Until next time!

Amanda

Hi sweet friend!! Today is going to be great! I am a cup half full kind of girl. I always try to see the positive even in the worst of times. There are a few things I have been extra thankful for lately. Let’s go into some detail because we keep it real around here and we share it all…well most of it. Yall don’t need to know everything. HA!

First, I am extra thankful for unanswered prayers.

Oh friends, have you ever dated someone and thought oh this is it?? It doesn’t work out. You find yourself saying,”Whyyyy???” You see them weeks, months or years later and say,”THANK GOD!!!” Oh I have… more than once. Still do. The guy I am dating now is amazing. Truly. The fact that I, Amanda, get to date such a ten just puts a big ole’ smile on my face and a glow you can only get when you are genuinely happy from the inside out.

Hi friends, My name is Amanda and I am planner to the core. (Acceptance is the first step. Just kidding! This isn’t new.) My boyfriend jokes around and says if there was a plan on how to make a plan I would be the one behind it. [insert eye roll] He flies by the seat of his pants and doesn’t plan a single thing. He keeps life fun and spontaneous. It is a great balance! As much as it drives me insane, I love it at the same time. He keeps me on my toes and keeps life interesting.

Well I had a 5, 10 and 15 year plan. Everything was tracking right along. Then wabam, all gone. Adios amigo! Fast forward a few years, I am SO THANKFUL that God didn’t fulfill those prayers, desires, or “plans”. He blew those out of the water ten fold. I would go through everything I went through 100 times and then some to have the life I have now. The relationship I have with my family, friends, boyfriend, and his family are incredible. I used to dream of what I have now and I truly thought it was never possible. Well, spoiler alert, it is. I am living it now.

Thank God for unanswered prayers!

Second, I am extra thankful for my prayer journal.

A while ago, one of my good friends challenged me to start a prayer journal. Getting your prayers on paper and being able to go back to see what prayers have been answered is one of the coolest things ever. You often think about the “big prayers” you want God to answer and we often question his faithfulness when those prayers don’t get answered. Friends, get a prayer journal and start writing out your prayers. Go back and look at all the prayers he has answered. It will blow your mind, make you smile and feel like you got a big ole’ bear hug from the man upstairs himself! It’s also really cool to see how God will answer prayers through other prayers. For example, he will bring certain people into your life that will introduce you to other people that will ultimately answer a different prayer. It’s crazy cool! The thing I love most about a prayer journal is it is a constant reminder God is so good. So so so good! We are taken care of. He hears you. He loves you. He has your back.

Thank God for prayer journals and his faithfulness.

Third, I am extra thankful for friends.

This is a given. Yall know how I feel about my people. I love them big… duh! Here’s the deal though, each moment, conversation, etc. I have with them I just soak. it. up. I just feel so so so thankful every day for them, each time they show up, and when they stay true to the incredible people they are… I have to pinch myself. I, Amanda, have these people in my life. I was chosen to be their friend and vice versa.

Thank God for my people.

Friends, when you let God go to work and trust him 100% that he has your back. When you know to your core you are taken care of. He will blow your freaking mind and any life you thought you would have it will be 10X better. I am not saying it be without bad/hard times. I am just saying God works in huge ways when you let him. Take a look around. What is in your life right now that you know is from him? Everything. Sounds grand. It is and so is he.

Nothing in life is a coincidence. Ever. We call them God winks around here!

Go find those God winks in your life. Start a prayer journal. Be a good person. Have an incredible day!! You are loved, cherished and an answer to people’s prayers! Thank you for spending some of your day with me! I appreciate it! Until next time!

Amanda

Hey cutie patootie! Hanging in there still? Good. You got this girl! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It is no secret I love my people in my life BIG! I love them like family and always make room for anyone and everyone. Well just come on over here my friend! You and whoever you bring is welcome. People are shocked with how many good people I have in my life and how we can all be together with very little to no drama. The “how” question is pretty quick to follow most of the time. I’ll let you in on the how… it’s not hard and you can have good people in your life too. Just remember friendship is a two-way street. Not an even two-way street, just a two-way street. I will explain later.

I have always been a vibey person and can pick up on a person’s character pretty quick. There are times I have been off. A majority of the time I am spot on. Believe it or not, I am a pretty reserved person when I first meet you. I am more of an observer. Once you know me, you’ll get the Amanda that is super loving, loud, always down for a good time, a lot of sass, humor, sarcasm, and a big dollop of personality. That Amanda, the one that let’s you into her life, will love you forever unless you give her a reason to kick you out of her life. See I don’t play with the drama and petty bullshit. Nobody has time for that and I don’t associate with jerks.

People mess up. Friends will piss you off. You will disagree with someone. You won’t have the same views. Hello, that is life!! Get your panties out of a wad, open your mouth, and have a conversation about it! It is okay to disagree. It is okay to not see the same. That is healthy. That is what makes this world unique. The world needs all kinds of kinds to go around and around. When you have a conversation be real and transparent, admit your mistakes, and say sorry. Just own it! You forgive and you move on still loving that person. Your friendship will be better because of it. If you can’t move past it, then move away from it. Bye, girl! I just wasn’t the person for you and you weren’t the person for me. That is OKAY!

You aren’t going to be everyone’s apple pie! Be okay with that. I struggle with it sometimes. I really did when I was younger. You just want to be liked by everyone. Now with some wisdom I would go back to my younger self and tell her those exact words.

See sister, you are someone’s answer to their prayers. They have been looking, praying and patiently waiting for a friend like you their entire life. You, as you are right now, an answer to so many prayers. I believe to my core friendship is one of the most precious gifts on the planet. You need friends. You need people in your corner that you can always count on. That is what gets you through anything and everything life throws at you.

A lot of the friendships I have today is because I semi-forced myself into their lives. Hi, that’s me! Haha I called just to talk. I invited them places. Even when they said they couldn’t go, I kept inviting them. I got vulnerable with them. I asked for advice. I was the friend I wanted I have. I found good people and didn’t let them go. I joke around with them and tell them they are stuck with me forever… sorry, not sorry! Really though, how many times have you met someone new and thought,”Gosh, I just want to be her or his friend?” I challenge you to make that friendship happen. Just be brave! They probably think you are pretty cool too!

Remember when I said friendships are a two-way street? The reason I say they aren’t an even two-way street is because sometimes you are going to put in more effort and other times you will take more. Friends are there through it all with no judgement. You love them through every season and life turn. There will be times when you are in different seasons and won’t talk or hang out as much. Just make time for it and give your friends a lot of grace. Everyone has a lot on their plates. A lot. There’s give and take in every relationship and grace is key. Thoughts??

The most special friendships I have grew deep roots when we have been there for each other during tough times. Quite a few of my friends have been divorced. We all agree we would never wish divorce on our worst enemy. It’s the worst. Really, it’s terrible. We have all grown a ton from it. We have all learned about ourselves and have made major strides to properly heal so we don’t drag our nonsense into another relationship. We are all a constant work in progress…you too!

Those friends were answers to my prayers and still are. They are my angels on Earth. They are all different and all so special to me. When you are called to be a friend to someone, be that friend. God is using you for his purpose. He is moving through you to change that person’s life. He is using you to show them his love. Gosh, what a gift! Friend, cherish that calling and step up to the plate! Be there. Your life will be better for it. I promise.

Friendship is precious and something I am so thankful for. It just makes my heart grow and gives me that genuine glow from the inside out. You never know the impact your friendship will have on someones life.

Life is short. Be kind. Be a good person.

Thank you for reading along and spending some of your day with me! Until next time!

Amanda