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To say the word "holy" is the simplest task, but its powerful message is harder to grasp. Four little letters make a word of small size, but in them immeasurable meaning lies. To speak the word "holy" can be easily done, just a pluck of the lips and a roll of the tongue. Though a simple word of smallest measure, it is saturated with incomprable treasure. To sing the word "holy" in done every day in various songs and in various ways. Under its sound is a great connotation of a powerful God beyond imagination. It is He who is holy; He defines the word. He gives it meaning of wonders unheard. The word may be small, but its owner is grand, all holiness held in His mighty hand. He who is holy is high and above, set apart from all others by His infinite love. There is none like Him to even compare, for His righteousness and mercy are ever rare. He who is holy possesses all sovereignty, all strength, all glory, all authority, all wisdom, all honor, all of creatio...

When the week's schedule gets hectic and the items on my to-do list accumulate, I always look forward to my Sabbath day walk. You might call it a "Sunday stroll," but I like to think of it as my own type of Sabbath tradition. The only way I can rest from my work is to leave it on the desk and escape for a while - so I take a walk. Today, as I was walking outside in the cool fall weather, God reminded me of all the things He has done for me this past week. I remembered in the Old Testament that God often called His people to write down His words, record His works, and build alters and memorials so they wouldn't forget what He had done. As I reflected on my week and its events, I felt a tug of my heart to write them down so I would never forget how wonderfully faithful God is to guide me. This post is simply a journal entry of my heart, a personal testimony to what God has done in my life this week that I don't want to forget. ~ This week brought some joy as well as...

When I approached the librarian desk to check out my books, there was a war going on in my mind. Every little thought was fighting for my attention and my head was spinning from the inward battle. I had just returned from my 8:00 chemistry class. I was probably supposed to learn something about molar mass and percent composition during that hour, but as the result of a conversation with my professor, all I learned was that I had messed up in the lab the day before and there was nothing I could do to correct it. It didn't help that I had taken a three hour chemistry test the night before, and I was already worried about that test grade. Now I had another bad grade in my lab on top of that. As I was walking out of the class room, I dropped my remote (a fancy tool we use in academic classrooms these days) and broke it, so now the batteries won't stay in. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I officially hated all things chemistry. So I headed off to the library in a...

When my eyes first peeked open Saturday morning, I was suddenly wide awake. I glanced over at my sister in the bed beside me, and the lump under the covers told me that the bright morning sun had not awakened her. With excitement, I quietly seperated the blind and peeked through the slot to see what the weather looked like outside. Then, I tiptoed over to my computer and checked the radar on weather.com to confirm my certainty that today was going to be a beautiful sunny day. After a week of solid rain, surely the clouds would roll away just in time for all the great things I had planned for the day. I had been anticipating this weekend with my sister for a long time, and I had scheduled several exciting and adventuresome activities for us to do together...if the weather approved. As I clicked on the radar on my computer screen, my stomach sank as I watched the dark green blobs cover the screen and block the map from my view. I watched it several more times, hoping that it might change...

It always amazes me how God knows exactly what I need, and He always gives it to me right when I need it! It rained all day today, and every drop reminded me of how vast God's storehouse of blessing really is. There is no way I can comprehend all that He has in store for His children, but maybe if I open my hand, I will catch a few drops of His glory and goodness! I'm experiencing one of those moments right now, one of those moments where His love overwhelms you! I feel like I'm standing in a beautiful rainstorm of His love, holding out my hands and catching all the drops that I can as I let His love wash over me. I just returned from a devotional where a group of college girls gathered to sing, fellowship, share, and pray with each other. As I walked home in the rain, I began to experience this feeling of awe in the presence of God. Not only was the singing beautiful, but the devotional message was just what I needed to hear, and the group of girls that I prayed with provi...

When I first stepped outside this morning, I was rudely awakened by a pestering raindrop that landed right on top of my head. I had expected a cool, crisp fall morning, but instead I encountered a clammy, humid, and rainy greeting from the world. I grumbled as I realized that I didn't have an umbrella, and it didn't help that I had just spent twenty minutes fixing my hair only to have it frizz instantly when I stepped off the front porch. I walked to class, frustrated by the inconvenient rain and concerned that everyone was looking at my hair and murmuring, "What's wrong with her hair?" As I was complaining to myself about the rain, I recalled an experience from this past weekend... I had come home from college for the first time since I began my freshman year, and I had brought a friend with me. Eager to show her a good time, my mom and I took her to a little shopping center with roundabout drives, small shops, and romantic lights at night. We were enjoying a won...

Note: These tips are for young ladies like me who might struggle with body image, weight, or diet, whether that comes in the form of an eating disorder or not. To see the first two tips, check out the previous posts. Practical Tip #3: Journaling and Writing I haven't always been a "journal-keeper," but as soon as I started, I never stopped. My first journal was a big long list of things that I was thankful for. As I look back on each journal entry and read the things that I was thankful for each day, I smile and laugh. I remember the days when my pet goldfish was number one on the list of things I'm thankful for! Some of my old journals are a source of laughter and amusement, but one otjer journal in particular is a source of hope and strength: the journal I kept during my eating disorder. It was a very simple journal, one that I could take with me wherever I went. I didn't feel like I always had to use my best handwriting when I wrote in it. The lined pages are s...

Note: This series of posts is what I like to call "Practical Tips" for girls like me who might struggle with negative attitudes towards their bodies or their weight or food, whether that comes in the form of an eating disorder or not. See an earlier post for the first practical tip. Practical Tip #2: Thinking of Food as Fuel! Temptation always creeps up on you in the moments where you feel most vulnerbale. For me, that seems to be around food. My eating disorder triggers around mealtimes and snacktimes, and it causes me to think negative thoughts, or "eating disorder thoughts", about myself or the meal in front of me. If you relate to this in any kind of way, let me share with you something I learned from my counselors at the clinic I attended. Think of food as fuel . For me, I was tempted to not eat enough. When I began to think of food as the fuel I needed to serve the Lord and obey Him, I experienced mealtimes in a whole new way. My meals were no longer times of ...

I'm a fan of practical tips. My favorite classes in school are the ones that have practical applications. (Who wants to learn something that you'll never use?) My favorite books, movies, and songs are the ones that leave me saying, "Wow, this has changed my life." I love to hear a speaker that leaves the audience with a practical application - something that you can tie into your own life, a lesson that you can use daily. When I was diagnosed with an eating disorder, I wanted something practical to help me through it all. I wanted some little tip that could help me when I started feeling the pressure. And as a recovered patients of an eating disorder, I want to share something very practical with you! So the next few posts are devoted to sharing some of the practical things I did that helped me regain a healthy mindset and a healthy body. Practical Tip #1: Direct your thoughts (aka "Thought Triggering") For me, mastering my mindset was the hardest part of m...

At one point in your life, you might have heard a Christian talk about how important it is to read the Bible. If you grew up in a church, this was probably hammered into your beliefs at a young age. Although the phrase, "read your Bible", may seem powerless because we hear it so often, I can't go a day without living out this command. When I struggled with an eating disorder, the most valuable thing I ever did was read my Bible. The power of God's Word is something you come to recognize, experience, and love when you actually dig into its pages every day. From experience, I know that its words are alive! They carry meaning, truth, encouragement, conviction, and life that is so deep, so refreshing! It's one of those things that God will show you personally when you devote your time, energy, intellect, and heart to the study of His marvelous book! It's so wonderful that I can't explain it - it's one of those things that God will reveal to you on a person...