The Beginning of the Second New Year

It may sound silly but many people consider THIS time of year to be the second beginning of the year.  You guessed it, school starting and fresh starts.  The Church does a big push for people to volunteer and people to join community groups, and flat out get involved.  You can look at the different ways to get involved at  Buckhead Church click here.  There are tons of other things you can do through all of the Northpoint Ministries.  They have Next which is learning more about Christianity and community service projects through intersect.  They also do a global outreach for mission trips through their global X program.  For my Watermarke friends the link is here.

The point is every year when people start back at school and they start back at other events, programs, and hopefully Church.  The summer is a time for vacation and fun in the sun!  The weather is nice and who would blame you?!  You can go to the pool, the lake, the beach and so many other fun things to be around water or outside!!  I love being around water and being in nature.  I feel so much at peace and just being able to relax is always nice!  I love spending time with my friends and there is a ton to do in the summer. 

Think about the difference in the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics.  It seems like most of the sporting events are in the Summer Olympics.  There is so much to watch it can seem over whelming.  But who doesn't like the Olympics?!  It seems like it always goes by so fast!!  I can't believe it is already over.  Think about how long the athletes train and all the hard work they put into getting ready for the biggest competition of their lives.  If it was me I would just want to do my best and not have any regrets.  I would want to think that there was nothing else I could have given to my endeavor.  I feel so bad for the athletes that fall or make some kind of stupid mistake that they will regret forever.  How many times do they perform the same routine or drill and almost never fall or trip?  Then when it really counts and millions of people are watching they mess up.  That would be the worst.

So with everything that we do and all the things we are starting for the first time in this new season, do your best.  Don't have any regrets, wondering what else you could have done to give your all.  Practice makes perfect, so always persevere!  If you have a challenge face it head on and don't look back!  There is only the present so focus on what you can do today to conquer your obstacles.  Dream Big and think about ways you can always improve yourself. 

A Graduate

Graduation day.  After often years of hard work,  dedication, studying, breaking your brain on finals, when you graduate all the effort pays off.  It is a quantified result of how much you put in to your studies.  Some people will get honors, some people will just be happy to be done.  Either way it will be an end of a season and the beginning of a new chapter in your life.  Graduating is definitely something to be very proud about.

Sometimes it seems people focus so much on getting into a University that once they get in they realize that is when the real work begins.  Long days in class, combined with work if you are doing night classes and working full time, can cause exhaustion when it is finally time to go to bed.  Trying to memorize everything when you are studying, all you can hope is to at least try to remember everything you would need to do well on your exams.

My husband just graduated from Emory's Evening Master of Business Administration program.  He has worked full time and has taken night classes for the past three years.  On top of all the physical work he had to do it seems like a bigger accomplishment because we got married in 2010, and he drives all over GA for work.  I have so much respect for him because while doing everything for school he made it look relatively easy!  He always made me a priority, keeping our relationship number one.

So when he walked across the stage to accept his award, I know this is just the beginning of great things to come.  Since this is his second masters he is officially an overachiever!  He is definitely one of the smartest people I know and I am so happy to be his wife.  No only because he is bonified, he is the sweetest and most loyal husband I could ever have dreamed of having.  I am truly blessed to have him in my life!

Persistence in Life

Persistence to Pursue a goal is everything I have ever done.  In school, in work and in love.

In school, I have always worked hard and have never let circumstances deter me from doing the best I could. I wasn't the best in my classes.  I did well because I didn't give up.  I achieved my good grades by being consistent in studying, learning and asking for help when I needed it.  Any one can tell you if you apply yourself you can get great results.  The key is to carry on and not give up.  You may not be the top of your class, but you don't need to be.  Set your own standard and improve upon that.  If you can, you go for the highest result you feel you master.  I compared myself to myself.  I fought to be better than my last grade.  I took the endeavor to beat my personal goals.

In work I am dedicated.  I take my love of life, people and the Lord and I bring it to the work place.  We can live the life that is pleasing to the Lord in our job.  Through that I hope to be able to show others, by example, the Holy Spirit in me.  Then  when someone is interested or going through a trial I can be there for them.  The first step is to build relationships.  People are more apt to listening to what we have to say when they trust us, because then they know we are genuine. They know our heart is in the right place.  They would be more likely to come with us to church.  Then  from there the Lord is already working through us, but we have to be Bold.  We have to see the right time.

In love, I am always on a pursuit.  When I was single I went through many different stages.  When I was young, I was learning what it was but it was something I didn't fully understand. My parents loved me completely, but I didn't recognize that when I was little.  When I was older I experimented with dating people that were accidents.  I say they were accidents because almost every single one began because I needed a date to some kind of event.  I didn't realize that until I started dating people on purpose... my husband is the first person I did this with ;)  I had some extremely wise advise from my dad who said, "Jennifer, you need to stop reading about dating and relationships and find someone you like and make it happen."  I was to a point in my life where luckily I was tuned into my relationship with Jesus Christ and never have felt closer.  I was able to pray about it honestly.  I remember specifically a thought coming into my heart and it said, "Kyle would be perfect for you." I thought back to that voice and replied, "You are right."  I never talk to myself, never.  So this was divine intervention.

As a woman married to the love of my life, I am still persistent.  Every day I love my husband completely.  Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy or boast, love completely, love through good times and bad.  With Christ in the center of our relationship it is much easier to do.  Since I am married to Kyle and he is a Christian leader in our relationship it also helps keep our love in the right place.  Love is persistent, just as we have the right to pursue happiness.  We have to live our life and as my Grandmother says, "Do your very best in everything you do, and you will never have any regrets."