Fat Mirrors and Dove Videos

So lately I have not been liking how I look or talking well about my body. I know I am not obesese, but in all honestly I have gained 5-10lbs in the past year. No big deal, I just need to watch what I eat and exercise right! Right!

Well I don't know what my deal has been b/c I have sort of been obsessing over it. I try to camouflage my body and cover up the extra weight. This takes forever and stresses me out. One thing I have done that has helped is to remove the "fat mirror" that was hanging on my closet door. You know how some mirrors are skinny, fat, or normal. Well removing this mirror, which actually needs to be thrown out has helped tremedously. So has getting a pedicure, buying a pair of jack rogers, a few clothes that fit. (PS  the jack rogers were my "I got my tax return back" splurge!) All that has been great but I think the thing is that I don't need to look in a mirror that much anyway. I just need to make sure everything is covered up and that I don't have something in my teeth!

Also, I came across these dove videos and realized how important it is to not worry about my image. Of course scripture is uber helpful, but something about watching these videos made everything "click" in my brain! Click this to watch my favorite video on the dove website! I couldn't believe the women could not come up with anything that they love about their bodies. I love my eyes, my fingernails, and my collarbone area (random I know)! My eyes really are my favorite, but they are inherited from my namesake great grandma, my granddaddy and mama! Watch these videos! It is sooooo crazy what the media tells us about our looks. God created us in His image! He thinks we are beautiful! But the most beautiful part about us that know Him, is that we are His!!

I did order a cookbook that I am excited about to help me eat healthy! Dr. Josh Axe also has a facebook page with lots of helpful hints etc.

But in general I have decided to just be healthy and embrace the body that I have! Everyone isn't a supermodel. Even supermodels don't look like supermodels!

Conferences this Past Year

Our ECU Crew at Campus Harvest!

The month of February was filled with conferences. First was our annual Campus Harvest. This is in Durham, NC for our college students. We took 60 students from East Carolina to join the crow of 700 students from Virginia, Tennessee, & North Carolina. It was a fun weekend where tons of students gave their lives to the Lord, 6 from ECU got baptized, and 6 from ECU felt called into full time campus ministry. 

Cute girls! Rachel on left is one girl I mentor that got water baptized!!

Rachel getting Baptized!

Grace and I had an awesome opportunity to speak during one of the break out sessions. We talked about "Being Set Free and Sent Out." It was about receiving healing to be able to go out and do all that God has called you to do! We just talked about how to practically recieve healing and how their really is no formula. For me it has just been through time spent with Jesus, praying and worshiping to music in my room and reading my Bible. I have also received healing during church, worship nights, conferences, Harvest Institute, the EN School of Ministry, the School of Empowerment, going to Christian Counseling, reading Christian books, reading novels, watching movies and so much more! 

Seriously one time I really felt like I was supposed to watch the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Target was selling it at the time for $5 so I bought it and watched it. Well there was this one scene between a couple and I just balled. God was dealing in my heart about how I could be loved and have a Godly relationship. God is awesome in that He knows our hearts, what will "speak to us" and He uses that for His purposes!! 

All of us Campus Ministers!

The weekend following Campus Harverst, a group of our Young Professional ladies (and friends) went up to the DC area to the Rethink Singleness Conference! This semester I am helping to lead a Young Professional's women's Bible Study with two friends at our local church. Our group combined with two other groups (a coed and a guys group) make up the new Young Professionals group at our church! It has been fun to get the ball rolling and I can't wait to see all that God does through the YP ministry!

All of us with Lynette! We felt like celebrities b/c she posted this picture on her blog! 

I love Ron and Lynette's love story. They are Pastors in Raleigh, NC and NYC.  Lynette was 40 when she got married. Her book Remember the Roses is a must read! It talks all about her journey with the Lord navigating singleness and how her love story unfolded.

Well the conference was awesome. I felt like I was in their living room, eating some popcorn, pilled up on the couch listening to their every word. It was really encouraging!! We also heard dating advice, always a fun topic!

Hanging out with all of these awesome ladies was amazing as well! I am so thankful that God has surrounded me by such great friends! Any season of life is much easier when you have fun friends to go through it with!

Me and Elissa!

One of my best friends in the world was there! We didn't know for sure if each other were going to be there!  So, I was so plesantly surprised to see her at the conference! Elissa and her best friend Janice flew up from Texas to be there that weekend. It was great to spend time with her! Phone calls and facetime are great but nothing beats actual face to face time!!

All in all two awesome conferences!!