andeemichelle

Alright friends, it's time to drop some truth on ya. I hope you're ready..here it comes! Being a Christian is the hardest, freeing, and craziest thing I have ever chosen to do. Still with me? This is going to be one of the most honest blogs I've written to date, and I need y'all to get this. When I say I am a Christian, that means that Jesus is the most important thing to me. I try to live my life as a reflection of His. No human being is perfect, and I am going to make mistakes, so please do not judge me as I make mine. That being said: No, I'm not going to judge you if you tell me you're pregnant and not married, living with someone before you're married, have had sex before you're married, if you're gay or a lesbian, if you drink (I happen to like a glass of Moscato here and there), or if you have tattoos (I have 2, and am about to get a 3rd). Judging is not my job. If you feel that way before you have even talked to me, then I sincerely apolo...

Today I was having a nice conversation with one of my best friends about none other than dating and boys. As we were talking, I found a meme that says "Bae has everything on my list, except being a Christian" - along with a picture of a cute baby making a funny face. I was having a similar conversation earlier with my bestie from work, we decided if there was any a time to play the "Jesus card" as a Christian, it's when it comes to dating. As we talked about boys, I had a few things come to mind that I'd like to share with all my single ladies (all my single ladies...)! 1- Jesus looks at you and loves you. He doesn't try to change you in any way, He tells you to come as you are. Your man of God should be no different. There should be no, I'd love to date you, BUT...! Once you hear that, move on. He's not the one for you. 2- Jesus pursues you, and is patient. These are two super important qualities in my opinion. Having a man that pursues yo...

So one of the things that's been on my heart to write about lately is something I feel as though a lot of us, if not all of us can relate to. Remember going through elementary school, middle school, high school, and college trying to maintain a group of friends? Well, sometimes, as you grow older, you realize that you cannot always do that. Sometimes life just happens. People drift apart. It's a reality. Maybe you're single and all your friends are in relationships or married. Maybe your friends are having kids, and you're not quite there yet. Maybe, you're just separated geographically due to jobs you've landed. Either way, you're changing. You're growing up...and sometimes that means growing apart. At first, it can be a gradual, slow process. Not communicating with them as much. Being too busy with school/work/significant other or children to plan a get together or a video chat. In the beginning, you try to make it work. You try to text/call have a...

We all have fears. We all have insecurities. It's one thing to know we have them, it's another how we deal with them.  As a young woman in her mid 20's, I'm starting to learn more and more about myself. I'm learning that I'm more of an outgoing introvert than an extrovert. I'm learning that I'd rather read or go on an outdoor adventure than watch TV or a movie. I'm learning that it's okay to share my hardships. Most importantly, I'm learning that it doesn't matter what people think of my outer appearance.  1 Samuel 16:7 says this:  The  Lord  does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,  but the  Lord  looks at the heart. I recently sat down with a good friend of mine to just catch up on life, and what we feel the Lord has been teaching us. As I began to tell her my struggles as of late, having to do with my skin, she stopped me and said something I replay in my mind every single day. She said,...

About a year ago, I wrote a blog post about singleness. Typical 2014. As I grew (spiritually, cause I will be 5 feet tall forever) over the year, I had a thought more than once that I would like to share. Ladies and gentlemen, I believed I lied to y'all. I am in fact in a relationship, one that I believe we tend to over look, or take lightly as we say we are in it. Before you read any further, know that these are my thoughts and opinions on this matter. Feel free to agree or disagree. I'm in a relationship with Jesus. When you say this, do you mean it, do you feel it? I'm not talking about believing in him, because it is more than that. A relationship is work, and the one you have with Jesus is no different. He pursues us, desires us, listens to us, just outright loves us, and expects that from us as well. So as this year starts out, I would like to reflect on this. Try not to take this too literal. When someone asks me if i'm single, I do say yes. At the same tim...

Lately, I've been making a lot of decisions. So naturally, as I'm thinking through all of the choices I've made, and have to make..I decided to blog about what's on my mind. CAUTION: this is merely my opinion. You may agree, disagree, or not care. There is no offense taken. One thing on my mind as of late is choosing joy. Sounds a bit weird, but stick with me. I work at a job where sometimes, it's hard to choose joy. So what does choosing joy (for me) look like? I'm lucky enough to work 3 miles from home, so I go home almost every day for lunch, and plug into my source of joy: Jesus. Now, to some people that is strange. But I have had people ask me "Where does your joy come from?" , and it does indeed come from the Lord. For without Him, I wouldn't have the strength, the patience, and the joy that I have. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:12 Every day He gives me the gift of a new day. ...

It's 2014, and the most popular blog posts I've seen circulating are ones about singleness. So of course I have to put in my two cents. Here goes nothin'. Since December 20th, I've seen 7 engagement announcements thanks to my Facebook. In the last year, I've personally had 5 friends get engaged. Yet here I am, 25, single.....and perfectly okay. I was recently at a family party, where I had a family member tell me I'm crazy not to date. I should at least date around, and kiss some guys until I find "the one". This is America. Dating has been turned into a game, so it seems. Dating to me is not a game, it is a journey to find your future spouse. My belief is that if you can not even picture yourself with this person in the long run, why bother? Now many of you may view this as extreme, but what is the point of dating someone if you're not going to end up married to them? It's a waste of time if you ask me. If I wanted a guy who could "...