Happy Monday!! Let's make this a good week! I came across this the other day and wanted to continue sharing it with you. Hope everyone has a great week! 

Working Girl

Whew! What a busy month! Some of you may know I started my job January 7th and I love it! I am not taking anything for granted after the year I have had and I feel truly blessed where God has lead me. I believe this job was waiting for me!

4:30AM sure does come early! The adjustment hasn't been too bad, well considering I'm in bed by 8:30 and the two cups of coffee in the morning aren't a bad idea. I catch the train at 6AM to get to work by 7:15 and I'm off at 4, but it takes me about an hour and a half to get home. I am known to fall asleep on the train. Yep, I am that girl whose head is bobbing up and down.

Now I need to figure out how to fit working out, cooking dinner and continue doing the things I love with this new schedule! How do people do it, especially those with kids?! It might take some time to get used to, but I couldn't be happier!

As you can see I have taken a break from blogging, but it's because I feel as if my life has taken a turn since I first started. I started blogging in hopes of finding some inspirational bloggers and I have surly succeeded and also to provide me an outlet as I was going through a really tough time this past year. You can read more about it here if you are new to my blog. :) I will continue to share my thrifty finds, recipes, inspirational quotes and some exciting adventures, but I may not get to blog every day like I would hope to do. I have missed many of the wonderful girls I have met through this blogging journey and I appreciate all the emails and texts I have received from my new friends. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me!

Hope y'all have a wonderful week!

 

Goals for 2013

Happy New Year friends!! I love a fresh start to a new year! Here are what I like to call goals for the new year!! Do you have any goals? I'm sure you do!! I would love to know what they are!!  :)

* Run a 5K, 10K and a half
* Become debt free (Pay off all student loans)
* Track a budget
* Stop worrying about what others think

Source: thirstmissions.org via Brittany Hope on Pinterest

*Stop worrying period!!
* Stop comparing myself to others

Source: backonpointe.tumblr.com via Kristen on Pinterest

* Volunteer in the community and at church
* Take a vacation with Jon
* Eat healthier (no cokes or fast food)
* Take my vitamins
* Buy a car
* Learn show to sew
*Stick to "She Reads Truth" plan
* Unplug for love (no phone or computer after 7pm)
* Read more books (I no longer have to read school related study material!!)
*Grow my blog

Generosity

Source: spirituallythinking.blogspot.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Facing The Giant

As some of you may know from Friday's post, It's Official!!, I have passed my board exam for Occupational Therapy! It has been a long journey, but worth it! Some of you have read about my struggle with this test from my post, Confident Heart. 

To give you a brief over view, I graduated with my Master's Degree last December and have sat for the exam five different times, failing four of the times and once "failing" it by one point. I have struggled with test taking anxiety all of my life. After months of studying, I finally took many of my friends and family members advice in seeing a doctor. I was against taking anti-anxiety medicine (I don’t see anything wrong with anxiety meds if you need it, but I just felt very conflicted about it), but I went to the doctor anyway and to make a long story short, my blood work came back and I have HYPOTHYROIDISM. TA-DA! That explains all of it!! For the past several months I have been feeling anxious, depressed, sluggish, moody, having no appetite, and experiencing weight gain and I literally thought I was going crazy! The doctor immediately put me on medication for it because two days later I was scheduled to take the exam. When exam day came, I felt like “me” again. There was no extreme heart pounding in my chest, sweaty palms, and negative thoughts. I was confident and believing in myself again! Once I completed the four hour exam, I went home and “tried” to forget about it for the long, agonizing two weeks to get the results! The first week went by quickly since my family came into town for almost a week to celebrate Thanksgiving, but once they left, it became really hard. 

Here are a few of my favorite scripture verses I read to stay in close communication with God.
 

- "I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born." Isaiah 66:9

- "Do not fear, I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

- "Any my God with supply all [my] needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:19

- "Don't be worried and bothered by so many things; they don't matter. Instead listen to what God is telling you." Luke 10:38-42
- "We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perserverance and perserverance, proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5
- "For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13
- "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
 

I am not saying that my thyroid was the complete reason why I didn’t pass the first four times, but I think it played a big part. I do fully believe God brought me through this! I relied more on God during this time of my life than I ever have before and I feel it taught me so much about Him and myself. I now have a much great relationship with God and thank Him for all the lessons I have learned through this journey in my life! I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for me! 

I also can’t go without thanking my family and friends! You never gave up on me and continued to encourage me to keep going! And my husband Jon, he has been a great supporter through it all! He supported me in moving to Florida to complete an internship of my dreams after we first got married and when the days came when I wanted to give up and come back home to him, he would push me to just keep going! He was there through the tears, mood swings and the days that I just wanted to give up! I love you JON! 

I can’t wait to start working with the gifts God has blessed me with! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and remember to always have faith in yourself!
-Kristen

It's Official!!!

I am an OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST!!!!! I PASSED my exam!!!!!! I am super excited!! This is one of the main reasons I have taken a break from blogging. It has been a very long journey to this point, but it has been worth it! I have missed all of my blogging friends and look forward to catching up on your blogs soon. So many of you have encouraged me through this journey the last several months and I thank you all so much! Never give up on your dreams and always believe in yourself!!!

Have a great weekend!!!!!!
-Kristen

Source: daily-special-bargains.info via Amber on Pinteres

      I just love this!!!

Source: Uploaded by user via Brittany on Pinterest

A little inspiration and High Five For Friday Linkup

Sorry again for my absence, I explained it in a late post yesterday called Relying on Him .

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you;
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 

I don't think I have shared this with you before, but I do my daily devotionals from a book by Joyce Meyer and Sarah Young, often times I will write a favorite verse that has really spoken to me or a quote from the author on an index card, punch a hole in it, put a ring through the hole and carry the index cards with me where ever I go.

High Five For Friday

1. The weather was just perfect this week!! I wish it would stay like this forever!! 

2. Went to Old Navy yesterday and bought a few really cute shirts!!

3. Found some great Goodwill finds!! I will share them on my Thrift Treasures post on Thursday! Here are some Thrifty Treasure posts from the last few weeks!!
Are you ready...
Thrifty Treasures
Thrifty Treasures: Coffee and Tea Bar

4. I enjoyed a Soy PSL the other day while I sat outside and just people watched! I love people watching :) Do you have a favorite place to people watch?

5. I'm just happy that it's finally the weekend and I will be spending it with my hubby :)

Relying on Him

Hello lovely readers!!

I'm sorry for my lack of posts this last week and the lack of comments, but I have needed to take care of some things recently. I hope to be back after next week! Reading inspirational quotes, bible verses as well as listening to music and fully relying on God's plan helps me during stressful times so I will try and share with you some of my favorites through this next week and a half. I have missed reading my favorite blogs and look forward to catching up when things start settling down.

Here is a recent favorite:

Source: Uploaded by user via Ashlee on Pinterest

"I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born" Isaiah66:9
"And my God will supply all [my] needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19

Have a blessed day!
-Kristen

Believe it!

Source: black-and-type-prints.tumblr.com via Chelsa on Pinterest

Have a great Saturday!!

Good Morning

I am a slacker today! I did not prepare a post and I'm asking the question, "where the heck did the weekend go?!" It went by so fast! It was a great weekend though! Jon and I made a flower bed in the back yard and planted some flowers and I also had my singing debut with the praise team at our church. Hope you all had a great weekend and I will leave you with this....

Source: back40life.3dcartstores.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Praying for those in the path of the storm!

What are you up to today? Are you going to the grocery store or just for a nice walk around the neighborhood?  Are you taking your car in for an oil change or grabbing a nice warm cup of coffee at Starbucks? Whatever you do today, smile at someone and say hello. You never know what joy you can bring to someone's life with such a simple gesture. I have been on the receiving end before when having a bad day and it got much better after that!

Have a great weekend!
-Kristen

Source: google.com via MOIRA on Pinterest

Well said....:)

Time for a change

It is time to make some changes around here and I'm hoping that if I share them with you, it will hold me accountable...

1. Get a new blog design (I am getting tired of the one I have and would like to find someone who can personalize it more to reflect me and the purpose of my blog) Anyone, know of any good blog designers they have worked with before?

2. Host a guest blogger! It's time to pay it forward :)

3. Have a fun photo shoot for new pictures for my blog (there are so many blogs with the prettiest faces!!)

4. Reach 100 followers ( And when I do I would like to do a giveaway for the 100th follower)

5. Make a new button (well I guess that fits in with the whole new blog design)

6. Get out of the habit in participating in so many linkups. I truly love link ups, they are really fun and it has helped me meet a lot of other wonderful bloggers, but participating in just link ups was not the reason I started blogging. I will still participate in my favorites but also include some of my own writings when I do.

7. Assign two days out of the week to respond to emails and comments. I hate it when I have waited too long to respond to a comment or an email, and I get stressed when I see emails piling up so I think assigning Tuesdays and Sundays to respond to these would be a good idea!


Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!! :)

-Kristen

Success!!

Happy Friday! I found this on Pinterest yesterday and would like to share it with you today!!

Source: sweetconfessions21.blogspot.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Have a great weekend! -Kristen

Love this!

Love this!!

Source: optimisticminds.tumblr.com via Erica on Pinterest

It's my turn to share it with you

My friend Ashfany shared this quote with me on instagram today and I thought I would pass it along...

When you find yourself thinking the wrong thing, immediately interrupt yourself with the Word.
                                                      -Joyce Meyer

Thought of the day: Confident Heart

"My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident" Psalm 57:7

What is that telling you at this very moment?

Joyce Meyer put this verse in great perspective for me this morning. She said it is important to be confident! The devil will always find a way to "introduce thoughts into [our] head to make [us] lose confidence." My example is while I continue to study to pass this license exam, I feel people are saying things like, "she just isn't smart enough", "she doesn't have it in her". Whatever we do or think, the devil will always find a way in our thoughts to destroy our confidence in our self. The devil wants us to go day by day feeling insecure and like a failure!

The best advise Joyce Meyer said was, "...we should get up every morning prepared to keep Satan under our feet." We should not fear discouragement, but to know that we can conquer anything with the help and love from God. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

How will I do that?

I will have FAITH and continue to have CONFIDENCE that God will lead me through this hard time and in the end I will have gained a better relationship with Him and a mature character. 

"We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance, proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hears through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5

"Let us draw hear with CONFIDENCE to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" Hebrews 4:16

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you" Isaiah 41:13

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28

Pinspiration (Fitness Edition)

Ok, seriously, it is time to get busy workin' on my fitness! I have been eating pretty clean, but I have been putting working out on the back burner, but enough of that!! Here are a few "inspiration" pins  I found on pinterest to help me get to the gym!

45 minute Treadmill Interval Workout

Source: fitsugar.com via Kristen at FewOfMyFavoriteThingsBlog on Pinterest

This is great! I always get bored on the treadmill, but this should keep me going!!

Source: bing.com via Kristen at FewOfMyFavoriteThingsBlog on Pinterest

I want this on the back of my car!!!!

10 moves to slim inner thighs

Source: shape.com via Kristen at FewOfMyFavoriteThingsBlog on Pinterest

Source: fitsugar.com via Kristen at FewOfMyFavoriteThingsBlog on Pinterest

Perfect if I can't make it to the gym one day!

Source: fitnessmagazine.com via Kristen at FewOfMyFavoriteThingsBlog on Pinterest

I hate crunches!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day and don't forget to link up with Brooke!!
-Kristen 

Finding comfort in Him

We all have our good days and our bad days. I seem to be having a lot of bad days lately giving some circumstances. Nothing severe or life threatening, but it is something God has put in my life for a reason that will only be revealed to me through Him and His timing. This "road bump"   ( I would like to call it ) is making it hard for me to see joy in other areas of my life. I'm constantly anxious about future plans, finances, relationships and so on. I need to realize that my circumstances don't define who I am nor is my joy dependent of them. The person I am, my character and my relationship with God and with the people I love define me. 

I have been keeping some index cards with scripture verses I find in my daily readings to keep me in His presence as I go through this struggle...

•  "For I satisfy the weary one's and refresh everyone who languishes." Jeremiah 31:25

• "Don't be worried and bothered by so many things; they don't matter. Instead listen to what God is telling you." Luke 10:38

• "We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance, proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5

• "Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

• "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

• "Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place." 1 Chronicles 16:27

I hope these scripture verses can help you find comfort in Him and I just ask for prayers this week.
If you are looking for a daily devotional I would consider looking into...

• New Day New You! by Joyce Meyer 
• Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

If you are looking for a good book by Joyce Meyer I recommend Never Give up. I recently finished it and I never wanted it to end. It was very inspirational and filled with great scripture reading.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and thank you for taking time to read this post. It's hard putting your heart out there but in the end I actually feel better.

-Kristen 

Hello Tuesday!

This week is already flying by! I wish it could slow down just a little bit! I don't have a post ready for today, but I would like to thank all of my newest followers! My goal was to gain 10 more last month to get to 50 and now I'm at 64! I also want to thank you for all the sweet comments! Hope you all have a wonderful day and check back tomorrow for a really yummy recipe! I think you will like it ;)


Take care,
Kristen

P.S. If you are going through something really tough right now please read Romans5:3-4. It has really helped me this past week! 

Source: google.com via Judy on Pinterest

Thank you

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via Sheri on Pinterest

I have not prepared a post for today and probably won't be posting the rest of the week because I have a bit going on right now, but I just wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to all of my followers! I have reached my goal this month of 50! I thank my readers for your wonderful comments and just reading along! It just means so much to me.

When I first started this blog I didn't put too much pressure on myself and my confidence wasn't very high about it, but you have all made me feel so great! Thank you so much :)  I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week and I will be back next week! :)

-Kristen