#Shineanyway

   I was never the pretty girl. I was weird, odd, different, okay, and even ugly ( all based on other peoples opinions) it was difficult for me growing up and trying to define myself as what everyone else said I was.

 I would switch up my hair, try to dress different, ect but nothing ever made me feel "beautiful", it wasn't until I learned to accept every flaw I had, until I realized that whether I was bald, or have weave down to my butt, whether I was dressed in micheal khors or forever 21, my beauty came from the inside. 

   I know it sounds cliche but its the truth. If u let everyone tell you who you are you will never know who you are. I spent years trying to convince people that I was beautiful instead of actually being me, and loving me. At 26, I love me, I recognize I have flaws but Dont let them define me. I Dont feel the need to be something so I can get the praises of people who were never really for me to begin with. I choose to ‪#‎shineanyway‬.

Share your story of shining despite what others said, using the hash-tag #shineanyway

Breaking Free: Leaving your comfort zone

Isn’t it amazing what we can get used to?

How we can become so comfortable in a messy or complicated situation.

We are in a season where settling will no longer be okay.

We are in a place, that in order to get where God has truly called us to be, we are going to have to let go of the weights from our past.

Yes. LET.IT.GO.

Like a ball and chain or a brick on our back, so many of us carry old heaviness. Imagine an overweight person losing 100 pounds but willingly still carrying around the extra mass? It wouldn’t make any sense. The same goes for us. We are forgiven of our sins yet we lug around the guilt and shame, as if we are not. God has set us free. He has opened the prison doors and thrown away the key, yet many of us stay in our cells contemplating our crime.

Do not get used to living a guilty life. We all make mistakes. It is a part of existence. The real trick is to use those mistakes to improve, instead of using it as an excuse to stay inside of your box and beat yourself down. It is not acceptable to be insecure, fearful, or trapped in bondage. No matter how we dress it up or how much we have learned to cope, there are some things that God just won’t do in your life as long as you stay where you are. There is nothing wrong with being uncomfortable in the right situation. That is far better that being content in an unhealthy one. 

Empty Pockets: Buying Into Popularity

Everybody wants to stand behind a well known cause. 

People seem to like the action of teaming up for a greater "good".

Sometimes we have to really look at what it is we are behind. 

We must be careful not to sign our names on the dotted line before we even read the contract. 

Picket signs, T-shirts, and Rallies.

Most of the time, people do not even examine their true thoughts on the cause. They just see that a multitude of people are for it. I agree, there is power in numbers . But if a huge group of people don't fight to push through to make an actual change instead of a trend, it is pointless. What about all the silent issues that never get talked about?  Do they not deserve to have a light shined on them because they aren't a "high profile case" or our favorite celebrities are not backing it ?  

Dewey Bozella. Troy Davis. Marissa Alexander. 

The names of these people are all reasons to riot and cause a scene, yet no one ever did. So what happens next? Does the fight for justice stop when it isn't popular? Do we move on to the next thing without solving the current issues at hand? 

Let me ask you a question, when was the last time you heard someone talk about Trayvon Martin's case and trying to change the laws in Florida? It's no surprise that there are so many issues that don't change . It's not surprising that problems we had twenty years ago are still around today.

When does it end?  When do we stop letting the media open and close cases without there being any real change? When do we realize that even though a shirt may remind people of the cause it doesn't solve the problem?

                                       My prayer is that we all can find something that we are truly passionate about. Doesn't matter if it's talked about daily or if it is a silent issue that needs to be brought to light.

Sex trafficking. Juvenile Justice. Homelessness.

Pick a cause. There are millions swept under the rug daily. Find one you can stand behind and get in agreement with, understanding that no matter how popular it is, you are going to choose to fight for it. 

It is our responsibility to be the change we want to see; not just expect others to do it for us.