A Little Bit Brave

|| "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36 || "My body, my choice." "It's my decision. It doesn't affect you." "It's a free country. I can do what I want." Our culture loves the idea of freedom. We like the idea of power. Of being whoever we want to be, regardless of what anyone else says we should do. We like being without restraint, without anyone even implying we should act any differently. freedom; n: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Christians, I think, like to believe that the freedom God offers allows us to do what we want without consequences. Forgiveness is there to catch us, after all. We can live the lifestyle we see fit. Have sex whenever and with whoever we want. Wear clothes that flaunt what we got. Lie. Cheat. Swear. This kind of freedom is attractive. Sin is attractive. Sin looks good, and, in the moment, feels

I've never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day. Maybe that's just a side affect of never having a boyfriend ever. Whatever. So it's the time of year when everyone's Instagram  feed with either couple photos or photos of people complain-o-bragging about being single. Because you can't be happy on Valentine's Day if you're single. Or happy anytime. Because life is about relationships. But seriously. Let's get down to business (to defeat the Huns). You want to be miserable on V-Day? Well, you're in luck because I have for a few very easy steps to accomplish this #goal: 1. Re-name Valentine's Day to "Singles Awareness Day" This gives you full right to complain about how you don't have a significant other. Just like you'd talk about starving puppies on Starving Puppy Awareness Day (also known as Sad Sarah McLachlan Song Day), you must necessarily complain about how single you are on Singles Awareness Day. Because

There's something incredible about being able to look out a window and see the ocean stretch on for miles. A thousand shades of blue dancing over and beneath the surface. Life. Beauty. Wonder. How do we go through each day without stopping and staring at the incredible creation around us? How have we become so complacent, so blind to the beauty around us? We're sucked in by rush, by busy, by cell phone screens and Instagram filters. We don't want to miss out on Snapchat stories or Twitter feeds. But we miss out on sunsets and starlight. Breathing in warm sunlight. Moonlight between tree branches. The ocean stretching out for miles, stretching out forever. We snap a photo of autumn leaves, a gorgeous sunset, and share it with all our friends. Then we move on. We don't pay attention to the small details of our lives, the little moments of utter beauty. The little miracles that make our lives magical. The small strokes of the paintbrush God has used to fill in th