"Sometimes goodbye is a second chance." Second Chance by Shinedown

Have you ever lost somebody? Did they die? Did they move away? Did they just drop out of your life completely for reasons unknown?

I once heard that some people will only be in your life for a season; others will stay forever. But its hard to grasp when someone does leave. We dont always understand why. God knows though. Remember that your life has already been mapped out by your creator. He knows the end of your story...and the body paragraphs.

When God closes one door, you can be sure He will open another. So just like the song says, "sometimes goodbye is a second chance".

"'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

The Guys Around Me

"You make me feel lucky as I can be."- Lucky by Hoobastank

God has blessed me with people. He has blessed me with relationships. He has blessed me with family. He has blessed me with friends. I have a lot of great influential women in my life but at the same time I have amazing guys in my life. Those guys make me laugh so hard. Those guys stand up for me when I need it. They help me stand when I don't think I can ever stand again. So I would love to say some things about those guys! Here I go:

My hero: Daddy- My dad is in one word, my hero. He has been through so much in his life. Seeing how he has become an even better person seriously convincts me. He is daddy. He is my listener. He is my sympathizer. He is my lifeline. He is my teacher. The fact that my dad was a part of me becoming a Christian is very important to me. He is such a great husband to my mom. I want a husband just like him. I know for a fact that he loves me and always will... no matter what mistakes I make. He is the most Christ-like person I know. He truly is. He loves people unconditionally even when it's difficult. I love him so much and have no idea what I would do without him.

My protector: Joey- Joey is the best. One thing I can always say about Joey is that he is the one constant in my life. Nothing changes with him. He is stability. He's an amazing friend. I can count on him to invest in our friendship as much as I do. He's intimidating at first, but once you get to know him, he's one of the best people you'll ever meet. His influence on me is great. I feel safe with him. He's always there to protect me. I know for a fact that if anyone hurt me (physically or emotionally), that person would have a black eye from Joey the next day. Joey is a fantastic person to have in my life right now.

My entertainment and "husband": Andrew- Andrew is truly something. He never ceases to make me laugh. Our relationship is very different from the normal friendship. Something between the two of us clicks. We had to dislike each other to experience that click. I've had more hilarious moments with him than I can count. Our love-hate relationship will forever stand true. :) He's my favorite Canadian as well as my favorite taco... Hearing his voice again would be one of the greatest things I can think of. I miss him so much.

My mentor: Pastor Phil- Pastor Phil is the person I consider to be my second daddy. Him and I are what we like to call "tight". We pretty much tell each other everything. As a teenager it's very important to me that my youth pastor invests in me so much. He invests not only in our relationship but also mine and Christ's relationship. I always know that he's got my back in every situation. I love P. Phil very much and he has impacted my life in huge ways.

My big brother: Kyle- Kyle is my big brother. He's always there when I need a listening ear. He's one of the best advice givers I know. We can joke around as much as we like but somehow Kyle knows when to make it stop. He knows when to stop Evan from picking on me. He can tell when I'm not getting something during band practice. He's great at pushing my pedal back underneath my foot even when we're in the middle of service. ;) He's a phenomenal thinker. If you want a situation thought out long and hard, tell Kyle about it. He's a truly awesome friend.

My little brother: Kendall- Kendall makes me laugh. He gives the greatest hugs. He's always excited to see me, it seems. Kendall is good at making you feel special. I can have the worst Wednesday ever but when I see Kendall and he goes "Emilyyyyy" it makes me feel just that much better. I'm proud of him for a lot of things. His relationship with my friend Julissa is one of them. He's taking it at a pace that's good for him and her, even when it's so difficult. He's the best little bro a girl could ask for.

There are so many more great male figures in my life but those are just a few that I feel I need to put in the spotlight. All of them are so special and important to me. I truly don't know where I would be without them. :)

Joy and Love- Thanksgiving

"Thank you for loving and setting me free. Thank you for giving your life just for me. How I thank You. Jesus, I thank You. Gratefully thank You. Thank You. Thank You, Lord."- Thank You Lord by Dennis Jernigan


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Thanksgiving, as we all know, is that holiday where we get our families together and we eat a bunch of food... And for one time during the year, we're nice to each other...maybe.

This Thanksgiving think about your family members who aren't as well off as you are. Think about the ones who don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Think about the ones that you don't always like. This Thanksgiving, love them unconditionally.  It will make your, and their, Thanksgiving so much better.

"Sing out your thanks to the Lord"- Psalm 147:7

Kaleigh

"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter. As long as I'm laughin' with you."- Life After You by Daughtry

Kaleigh is my best friend (aside from Jesus). Anytime I need her she's there. She always seems to be available. We tell eachother everything. Our friendship is truly a special one. She can make me laugh harder than most people. I trust she has my best interests at heart. She does the same with me.

We aren't perfect friends. We argue. We fight about crazy things. But it never erases the fact that she's my best friend. We've made a pact not to let anything come between us because we realize we need eachothers' friendship. Forgiving her comes easily to me. It's really amazing what God has been doing in my life with Kaleigh. She pushes me to be a better person. I also learn from her mistakes.

My life wouldn't be the same without her.

"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17

Life Starts Now

"Life starts now. You've done all the things that could kill you somehow. And you're so far down. But you will survive it somehow because life starts now."- Life Starts Now by Three Days Grace


The last few months have been the most testing months of my life. I've made mistakes... a lot of mistakes. I've learned things that I will never forget. I have discovered who my real friends are. Everything has worked out and I have survived.

God's grace is the most amazing thing that has ever existed. I am a witness to that grace every single day. Yes, I'm a Christian. Yes, I try to live my life for God in ever way possible. Yes, I sin. Yes, I mess up. God still loves me.

I've also discovered that my friends still love me as well. My true friends will always love me. They're always there for me. I can laugh AND cry with them. That's what makes them important and special.

So when I say that life starts now I mean it. I'm starting over. I'm building my relationship with Christ one more time. I'm building my relationship with my parents one more time. I'm building my friendships one more time. Life Starts Now

"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt..." Jeremiah 31:3-4