Welcome to my world...

Hi everyone and welcome to my little piece of the world!

It has been evident to me since I was in about seventh grade, that I love writing and it is a talent I have been blessed with . It wasn't until I reached the ripe old age of 28 though, that I realized God had a much bigger plan for the gift he had given me.

Through blogging on MySpace, I was able to reach not only those that I knew in my own life, but also complete strangers and was amazed at how just my "ramblings" had helped so many people to be inspired, encouraged, or just to think about things in a new way.

From there, it grew into an inspirational column in The Charlotte Observer, then a religious news column in The Statesville Record & Landmark, a speaking engagment for a women's church group and now, a gig as a religion news freelance writer for The Charlotte Observer.

The writing that is closest to my heart though is not the news reporting, but the words that come from my soul - the words that I know God puts there not only to help me to understand life better, but also those around me.

I hope you feel encouraged, enlightened and inspired but what you read here and of course, I look forward to hearing back from you too!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

One of These Things is Not Like the Other

Have you ever found yourself wanting to be like someone else?  Or wished that you were more like "everyone else"?  Most likely everyone can say they have felt that way at least once in their life.  But have you ever wanted to be different than everyone else?  Have you ever found yourself purposely striving to be different than everyone?  It's probably not as common as the first but is actually what we all should be striving for.

I have felt a little different from "society" for quite a few years now, but especially in the past 6 months or so, it has become all the more clear to me that I don't want to be like everyone else.  In fact, it's quite the opposite.  That is not to say that everyone out there is the same.  Of course they're not.  But when I say "everyone", I mean our society at large. 

I don't find the need to post my every waking thought on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc, etc, etc... my cell phone is NOT something I can't live without... I don't worship "celebrities" that do nothing but get famous from drinking, partying and hooking up with a bunch of people... I don't think it's "normal" to casually sleep around... I DO think it's possible to not only not cheat on your spouse, but to respect them completely by not "innocently flirting" at work or online... I don't care who wins American Idol... I don't think a Playboy playmate is the ideal of an attractive female... I don't want to read a book on a handheld elecronic device... I don't enjoy watching movies where every other word is a curse word... I do value honesty and expect people to tell the truth... I wish teachers and nurses were paid more than football players and reality tv stars... I don't think 12 year olds need cell phones, Ipods and Ipads... you get the idea.

I know this is how I feel and I know that I won't change who I am or how I feel about these things, but what I realized tonight after the message at my church, is that I actually want to STRIVE to stand out.  I don't want to be like "everyone else" and I will live my life in a way that demonstrates that.  My favorite line from the Nicole Nordeman song Brave is "So long status quo, I think I just let go..."  And that is exactly what stepping out from the crowd for what you believe in feels like... letting go

I do not want to fill my shelf with idols of things that society worships.  I don't want to add my own "addendums" to the Bible (well yes, technically it says this, BUT...).  I don't want to succomb to society's ideas of what's right & wrong, good & bad, beautiful & ugly, important & insignificant.  I will continue to stand for what is right for me (and God).

I hope and pray that society will start to change some of its ways, but until then, I am perfectly happy to be the "odd one out."  ;-)