Walking the Walk

Dear 2020, I am so ready for you. 2019 has held some of the roughest, most brutal days that I can remember. And although 2019 may have knocked me down, you will be a year full of laughter, growth, progress, and happiness. 2020, you are canvas that is begging to be painted on, earnestly waiting to become a beautiful masterpiece in which we are the artists. Perhaps that is the most appealing thing about you -- you are a blank slate that has not yet been characterized by the world and I have the power to dictate how the year goes. The lessons I have learned from the past 365 days have molded me into a different person than I was a year ago, a person who is ready to take on the challenges of 2020 and conquer them, not let them rule my mind and my life. The worst days of 2019 are in the past, ans they will be left there. 2020, we are starting anew, and I promise to look at you through fresh eyes -- open, willing, and eager to live one day at a time, bettering both myself and e...

Dear Athlete, The season is by far the most exciting time of the year. Big plays, good memories, traveling new places, and winning championships... But yet another promise is that season is also exhausting. You are going to get tired. You are going to get worn out... But remember that this season of your life doesn't last forever. Remind yourself why you play. You play this sport because you love the game. You love the competition, you love your teammates and the friendships that you've formed, you love the lessons you learn aside from the physical aspect. So each day, continue to choose the game. It's not easy. But if it was, everyone would do it. But discomfort is where progress happens. Quit dreading practices, quit wishing for rain, quit complaining about conditioning, and quit taking for granted a busy schedule that is literally made just for you. Tens of thousands of young girls and boys would do anything to be in the position (literally) that you...

Transferring -- it's a taboo subject that people don't like to discuss. It's usually seen as a bad thing, and although transferring is one of the toughest decisions that an athlete can make, it is also one of the most important. No, transferring does not always happen because of a lack of playing time, although many do transfer for that reason. Several student-athletes transfer from junior colleges to 4-year universities. Occasionally, athletes will switch schools in order to be closer to home. But a majority of the time, athletes transfer because of the culture they were a part of was not what they were promised or longed to affiliate with, typically severely hindering, sometimes completely destroying, the confidence and strong-will that has defined the player for so long. Dear transfer student-athlete, You are not alone. Your past does not define you. It does not make you any less of a student, any less of an athlete, or any less of a teammate. Your changing ...

I don't know a better way to start this letter than with a simple  thank you . Thank you for every single laugh and every single memory. I can't seem to think of a single memory of my childhood when you were not there. Thank you for the sleepovers when we said we were gonna pull an all-nighter but fell asleep at 10:30. Thank you for talking about ugly boys with me. Thank you for making cup song videos with me. Thank you for helping me prank call my parents at work when you were over. Thank you for the impromptu photo shoots in the tree in my backyard. Thank you for creating dance routines with me to the crazy popular High School Musical hits. Thank you for taking the most awkward pictures with me (that for some reason are still on our Facebook accounts). Thank you for being you. Thank you for making me laugh until I couldn't breathe. From sitting right next to each other in elementary school to going our separate ways in middle school, the weekends we...

It's always been fun to be the one with the "cool dad." You have been there through it all; victories, breakups, and every single first day of school. I remember that my first real heartbreak came when I was 5 and I found out that I couldn't marry you. Nonetheless, you showed me the characteristics that a man of God posses, the characteristics I should look for in my future husband. I have high expectations because you set the bar so high, and I can't thank you enough for that. Thank you for showing the world exactly how a man should love and treat a woman. Thank you for being the man of God that you are; a man of integrity, compassion, and honesty. Thank you for always doing things the right way and not letting the ways of the world influence you. Thank you for leading our family for providing for us every single day. Thank you for being the best at your job. You constantly teach us that hard work, perseverance, and prayer are what make us successfu...

Mom. Where do I begin? You deserve to be celebrated so much more than one day a year. You are my biggest fan, my constant encourager, my role model, and my best friend. You are the epitome of wisdom. You are the definition of grace. You are so full of passion. I just have two words to tell you: thank you. Although those two words mean so little when comparing them to every little thing that you have done for me. But no words could ever be enough to thank you for the positive influence that you have on everyone you ever meet. I could never thank you enough for teaching me how to be strong, how to be passionate, and how to be great at everything that I do. Thank you for always making sure the house is clean because you have taught me to stay neat and organized in everything. Thank you for disciplining me, because you have taught me how to behave and treat others with respect and dignity. Thank you for exercising, because you have taught me how to stay healthy and motiv...

As women, we are pressured by so many external sources to look a certain way, to fit into a certain size, and to be able to pull off certain styles. As women, society tells us that in order to be beautiful, we must be thin and we must be trendy. Yet as female athletes, we feel the pressure to hold ourselves to this same standard, but the life that we choose to live has different requirements. Not every female can wake up at 5 a.m. on a daily basis, squat 250 pounds, or continue to get better despite fatigue, injury, or even the repetitive nature of the sport. One of my guilty pleasures and the worst thing for my bank account is that I love to shop. What girl doesn't? Shopping brings out the girly side of me that two-a-day practices and sweat sessions in the weight room don't exactly do. But as we become more muscular, our bodies change shape, leaving us feeling insecure when shirts are too tight in the shoulders and jeans that fit in the thighs are too big in the waist...

“For whoever walks with the wise will become wise; for a companion of fools will suffer much harm.” Proverbs 13:20 “Never quit.” Sounds good, doesn’t it? It’s a cliche that society uses as an effort to keep pushing and pushing, promising that eventually everything will work out. But… what if… God says “no?” I began to pursue softball at the mere age of 4, when the only competition was to be the “pitcher,” standing behind the head coach in the middle of the dirt with a helmet atop one’s head. Here I am 16 years later, just as in love with the game as I was in 2003, as a 20-year-old Christian girl who is blessed with the opportunity to play Division 1 softball. About three years ago, my family and I picked up and moved across the state the summer before my senior year of high school. The decision to move was nothing short of God’s sovereign plan; we ended up where we did because of my dad’s job’s transfer to a new location. The move was well prayed over, well thought-out...

You are worthy. Psalm 90:2 says, "Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." Based on this truth that God is eternal, meaning that He has always existed and always will (I know, my mind can't comprehend it either), we can trust these words of John 17:24, "because You have loved me before the creation of the world." Y'all. God KNEW us and LOVED us before we were ever a thought. Before this world was even created. And yet we think that we have the right to think less of ourselves or that we are unimportant, unworthy, or inferior to those around us? Sweet friend, you are so special. Special enough that the God of the universe came to this earth and poured out His innocent blood to take a punishment that we deserve. My youth pastor used to say something that's always stuck with me:  "God doesn't make mistakes, so why would He start with you?" So whenever ...

Below are just a few quotes from the happiest company on earth that can motivate you as you start each new day! 1.   "Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine." - Snow White Snow White reminds each of us that we have the potential to make the world a much better place. 2. "Think happy thoughts." - Peter Pan "And you'll fly," quoted Peter Pan. Our mentality directly affects how we react to situations. Happier thoughts create happier days. 3. "Believe you can, then you will." - Mulan Continuing to inspire kids everywhere, Mulan encourages people of all ages, all over the globe, to be confident in themselves. Belief is the key to achieving! 4. "You're only a fool if you give up." -Jafar No matter how dumb we may feel or how far-fetched our dreams may seem, there is no such dream as one that is unreachable. With goals in athletics, academics, relationships, etc., giving up is always a guara...

James 1:2 // "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith produces perseverance." Joy. A word that's meaning is often interchanged with the definition of happiness. Folks. Happiness is temporary. It does not last. It does not fill. And it does not satisfy. Just recently have I recognized what it means to be truly JOYFUL. Joy is a permanent state; it does not change based on thoughts, things, or even other people. This little verse in James tells us to "consider it pure joy" when we face trials... wait, what?? Why would I rejoice in trials? How can I be happy in hard times? Yo. The answer is simple -- its hard to be happy in hard times, but with Jesus, we can be JOYFUL!!!! Listen to this cool stuff --with Jesus, we have the promise of eternal life. We can be joyful in Jesus when we realize that we are the recipients of incredible grace and undeserving mercy. We can ...

Let me be the first to tell you, God has been doing some WORK lately. A super prominent characteristic of my Type A personality is a strong* desire for control over almost everything -- what I do, how I look, who I'm with, you name it. Sometimes I wholeheartedly believe that my way is the right way to do something.. .. ha WRONG. But recently my prayers have included tear-soaked pillows and loud screams in the car asking God why nothing makes sense and why it seems as if everything is falling apart, just as soon as it started coming together. And then He gave me this: Luke 9:23. It reads, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross DAILY and follow me." Wow. Convicted. I've been working overtime trying to force my plans to work, getting frustrated when they don't, and meanwhile I've unknowingly been taking God's power and authority and attempting to make it human-sized. And trust me, it's hard. It's...

To my future husband, I've been praying for you. I pray for your well-being, your work, your schooling, your family. I pray that you are earnestly seeking and searching for God's ultimate plan over your life. I pray that, wherever you are, God is constantly shaping and molding you into the godly, kind, genuine, and passionate world-changer that you are intended to be. I pray that you are so hidden behind the cross that you are blind to the inconsistencies of this world. I pray that your love for Christ, His Word, and His work far exceeds the love you have for me. I'm not gonna lie, when I was very young I made a list of the qualities I wanted in a future husband. While you may or may not be the tall, athletic guy with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes that I desired when I was seven, I wholeheartedly believe that you are far greater than what I could ever imagine for myself. Of course, I have envisioned (and even somewhat planned, thank you Pinterest) how ...

Little things become big things.  This applies to literally every single thing that we encounter. Over the course of a day, you are faced with millions of decisions. What to wear, what to eat, how to respond to a question, whether to take the stairs or the elevator. These things add up to create habits, which become building blocks of your identity. These choices -- no matter how small -- greatly affect your day and who you are creating yourself to be. The little things make the big things happen. We see beautiful houses, but we forget about the nails and the caulking that hold it together. We see beautiful pictures, but we forget about the detailed lighting and the numerous poses that make it aesthetic. We read beautiful books, but we forget about the small events until we see how they create the big picture. It is easy to examine some aspects of our lives and see how these small details can create larger, positive results. For example: to stay in shape, you must exer...

Okay, before I start, you should know that I LOVE Instagram. I will unashamedly scroll for hours upon hours on the social media site, stalking my cousin's boyfriend's sister's cat. It happens. But  Instagram has a wicked way of making people feel absolutely terrible about themselves. One look at the Explore page and there is picture after picture of these seemingly perfect girls with perfect bodies in their perfect swimsuits with their perfect friends. And it leaves you wondering, "what am I doing wrong that I don't have this perfect life?" Except "this life" that you see is so NOT perfect. In reality, it most likely isn't even real. Pro-tip: Do NOT compare your life to the ones you see on social media. ..... People say it takes 21 days to break a habit, so I deleted my Instagram account for three weeks, and this is what I discovered: 1. Instagram is a highlight reel. People glamorize their lives to give off the impression...

Tattoos are one of the most controversial debate topics, and also one of the most popular trends of the 21st century. The argument is especially prevalent among the Christian community. Using the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, several biblical scholars debate tattoos and whether they are derived from a sinful nature. Sin is defined as anything that does not bring glory to or point people to God. Several Christians carry a very antiquated, ritualistic belief that any marking or piercing on the human body is blatant disobedience of God's Word; however, from a devout Christian perspective,  the Bible provides a clear explanation that these tattoos and piercings are indeed no longer of sinful nature because of the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The widely held belief that tattoos are sinful was once a true statement. The Old Testament reads, "'You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead, or tattoo any marks upon you,'" a Levi...

I get it. The mundane days. The repetitive schedules. Seeing the same faces in the classroom or in the office every day. The continued workouts that promise results, but just leave you feeling empty and unmotivated. Life has just gotten to you lately. It seems as if the waves of life are about to crash into you at full force. Expensive bills, annoying bosses and coworkers, busy schedules, family problems, relationship issues. You are so overwhelmed that you feel like you are about to drown in the deep waters that are surrounding you. But what if I told you there is someone who will stand with you in that ocean when the storm and the waves are continuously knocking you down and ferociously tossing your boat around, and just when you feel like you are about to capsize, this person assures you that you will make it out alive. It would be hard to believe, right? You are about to drown in these rough waters and to your knowledge, there is no escape, yet there is someone next...

"Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:2  There is a question that plagues my mind daily: How are people ever going to come to Jesus when we Christians look, act, and think like the people of this world? Let's break down Romans 12: 2: "Do not be conformed to this age." Here, Paul uses the words "this age" to describe the secularized, increasingly unholy society in which we have been a part of since the fall of man as recorded in Genesis. This consists of those who have yet to put faith in Jesus Christ alone and those who do not acknowledge the authority of the holy God. In the second part of the verse, Paul states, "but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." As for Christians (those who have indeed put full faith and trust into an almighty Savior), having a renewed mind is the direct res...