and life goes on...

Well, life has gone on.
Seasons have come and gone, and I feel like I'm living a bitter sweet life right now.

I finished on my second year of University, not exactly how I had wanted to..but I got through it. I started my summer off probably on the wrong foot, but I slowly regained my balance.
I went to Colombia for a week in May, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. God did some amazing things in and through me, as well as the people of Colombia that we encountered. I was Blessed greatly, and I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for the things that God showed me while on the trip.

My dream in life is to make a difference in someones life and really actually, truly believe that I did, and I feel as though that dream came true while I was in Colombia. I'm not going to explain the stories here in this blog, because well, you would be reading for days, but let me tell you, God used me to help some young girls change their minds and not make life altering decisions. I was able to use my story, and my life as a living testimony to these girls to help show them that some things they were doing, weren't really the best things for them, and definitely were not things they are wanting to do if they want to live a life for the Lord.

So, yes it does seem like my year that ended not so great was turned around greatly while I was in Colombia...and it's true, it did. I returned after a week in Colombia, and felt as though I was right where I needed to be in my life, and in my walk with Christ. But it seems as though that's what it is supposed to be like once you return from a missions trip. Super on fire for God, crazy madly in Love with Him, and feeling like nothing can bring you down, but like most cases, it's just a "high" and then we all go back to living our lives how they were before. I'm definitely guilty of this, and I know that most others are as well. And I would be lying if I said that didn't happen to me, but this time it was different. I knew that I had came down from this "high" of Jesus, but I was still hanging on. Most often times, it's totally noticeable. I mean, people can tell, but this time I was able to fake my way through it. It was as though I had learned how to trick people into believing that I was this crazy happy person who loved Jesus with all their heart...but I was...however, maybe not to the extreme that I was showing.
Now please don't misinterpret what I am saying. I'm not some crazy depressed person who really has no faith..I'm not saying that one bit, but what I am saying is that I was not completely truthful to myself, or to Jesus, or to others, really.

You know, as I sit here at school, I wonder why and how I let my life get to what it is now. I'm not saying that my life is bad, or something that I regret or don't like, but I definitely think it could be more.
I'm starting off with a fresh start-or at least trying to- and trying to keep a positive life, where I fully rely on God for my strength, wisdom, knowledge, courage, joy, and pure love and direction.
But, the past 2ish(or more) weeks that I have been at school, I have realized that no matter what happens, or how I feel, how I act, and no matter how much I ponder what and why and how things are happening like they do, life goes on.

Life goes on..wow, such a powerful and bold statement, but it's oh so true. No matter how much people, and even myself hate to admit it, life does go on. You can try to control your life, I can try to control my life, as much as we, as much as I want, but life is just going to keep on trucking on. I can't stop my life, I can't pause it, I can't edit it and add things in, or take things out, because in all reality, my life is going to go on just as God has planned it to.

So why sit and wait? Why question, why try to change things, why try to control things? God is in control, and life's gonna go on.

Colombia!!--Fundraising

Hello to all my wonderful friends...(or to whomever reads this blog!)
As most of you already know, or are soon to find out I am embarking on yet another missions trip in a few short weeks.
With the time for me to leave coming soon, I am still in need of some funds.
I am asking you guys, that if you feel so called to, to help me out. I would greatly appreciate it if you would be willing to donate. Now I'm not saying you have to, because you totally dont, and if financial support isn't possible I am always appreciating prayer support!
However, if you would like to donate you can by going online. If you are a Canadian friend you can donate here: http://www.teenmania.ca/index.php?target=donate, and if you are one of my American friends you can go here: http://www.globalexpeditions.com/donate/ You can search by my name, or my Missionary ID which is: 2554761. If you are Canadian make sure once you get to the website you choose the Global Expeditions section to donate!

Thanks so much in advance, and please keep me in your prayers :)
Peace and Love
Stephanie :)

Thoughts....

Well, as my year comes to an end, with only one more exam to write, and getting ready to go home in about a week, I have mixed feelings/emotions/and thoughts.

I'm really excited that I have survived second year (well mostly), and I'm excited to be off on my adventure to Colombia, but along with all of that excitement I'm nervous, scared, and sad. This year has been hectic. It's been amazing, but completely horrible at the same time, and I'm not sure I'm just ready yet to give it up.

I feel like things this year were so crappy that it made things so amazing...weird I know, but that's how my mind is working right now. The things I went through this year (not so good) led to some pretty amazing things. I honestly don't know where I would be right now, this instant if I didn't have those things happen. I mean, perhaps if they didn't happen I would be in a more positive state more often, and perhaps have an idea of what my life is going to consist of post Colombia trip, but sometimes I like the adventure and the mystery...however I can say right now I don't like the mystery.

I'm faced with decisions I feel I need to make now in order to diminish the amount of stress that I am faced with. But, sometimes it seems impossible to come up with an answer to my decisions. I'm constantly thinking "what do I decide?" "how do I make this decision?" and "why do I need to make these decisions?"
I mean I'm only 21 (almost) and I hate having to make decisions. I mean yeah I am an adult, and these are necessary, but I hate it. Lately, I have been just so wishing that I could be 5 again, and now have to make adult decisions, rather have my mother or father make my decisions for me. haha, but that's not going to happen unfortunately!

Sometimes I just wish that I could get good advice. You know when you go and ask people for advice, or just support as a friend? Ya well, lately it seems like I've been doing that a lot, and I haven't been geting it. I mean I'm not saying my friends are horrible, because they are far from that, and I'm not saying by any means that I have a horrible life, because I have experienced first hand people who have a worse life than I do, but you know, I don't have the best life ever, and sometimes needing a friend, and hearing advice from them is what you need. And this past little while I felt like that is what I needed, and I feel like I haven't gotten it. Perhaps, I'm being selfish, and just thinking about myself and not others, and that may be true, but I don't really believe that, and sometimes I wish I had that support.

I mean, really, how hard is it to just be a listening ear, and give advice when needed and if you can't, just say so, but atleast you were a listening ear..it's not that hard is it? Am I asking for too much?
I mean I provide a listening ear whenever someone needs it; I may not be the wisest, most knowledgable person out there, but I feel like I am able to give a bit of advice when needed...so why can't the same be done to me?

I know I've completely switched my focus of this blog, but like the title states it's thoughts, and oh boy, do I ever have a lot of those! So, sorry for being so jumbled, but you just have to get used to it :)

I don't know anymore. When it comes to making decisions for my life, I know that ultimately I am the one that needs to make them, but sometimes I would just love advice or an opinion from the ones that mean the most to me...but, like I said perhaps I am asking for too much, and if I am...I guess I'm done here, and will try to figure things out on my own...

I mean I guess I have God as my guide. I mean, I know I have him as my guide, and ultimately he's the best friend a person could have, and will give the best advice ever, but I'm not sure if that's really the road I want to go down. I mean I've been a Christian for a while now, but part of me wonders if I'm a real Christian...do I really live the life of a Christian? Do I really shine as Christ would want me to? I don't know anymore....I guess only time will tell..

In the mean time, for those of you who actually read this...if you do, I could use some prayers!

Love!
Stephanie

As of lately...

As of lately, my life has been weird.
I was recently put on a break from my job at school, to help me focus on school and my life and to help me become a better person I guess. For the whole time I was on the break, I really hated it. I was angry, upset, and really didn't want anything to do with anyone. It was in that time that I realized I needed God the most, and needed the help of others the most. BUT, because I'm so stinkin' stubborn and love to do things on my own, I neglected God and the help from others..almost. I mean I accepted the help from others but I was very reluctant, and super spiteful. It isn't until now, now that my break is over that I realized I needed to accept that help while I was on that break. I mean, don't get me wrong, the people who offered, helped a lot..but I really believe that if I had fully and completely accepted their help I would be so much better, and wouldn't be in the weird life situation I am in now.

You're all probably thinking, how can your life be so "weird" and unexplainable right now, especially since you are no longer on the break...things should seem amazing right? But they don't.
I regret how I handled the break, and I regret everything that has happened in my life this past year. I failed epically last semester, in school, my job, friendship, and in my faith, and not to mention the fact that I am continuing that this semester too. I mean I was on that break, I didn't get to work, I have ruined friendships, and my relationship with God is super rocking, however I am slowly getting back on track to where I need to be with him, which is great :)

Now, to break it all down. The break, I definitely should have handled it better. I mean I neglected to accept help completely from others, and I feel horrible about it. Not only do I feel like a complete and utter jerk for being rude and not accepting it, I feel like an idiot because I know my recovery and road to success would have been much faster and a little easier. If only I could go back in time.
I've ruined probably one of the dearest friendships I have. I let my insecurities take over, and I feel like there is nothing I can do to redeem myself, and have the relationship back to how it used to be. It's killing me completely!
As for my faith. I am having the worst time relying on God, and trusting in what he has planned for my future. I so want to be able to do what I want to do, but I need to remember that what God wants for me is the best.

But it seems although my life hasn't been the best the past couple months, I am still able to wear a smile. Perhaps it's not always a real smile, or a real happiness, but at least I am able to fake a little bit of it, which makes it I guess easier to move on with my days.

So here's where the weird part comes into play. My life is so broken, and so not what I had hoped for it, or even thought God planned for it, yet I am able to be happy. Hmm, it's weird. I don't know how that works. How someone can have such a broken, messed up life, and still be happy. I used to envy people who lived a life like this. Who had a horrible life, yet was still happy. That's always what I wanted, but now that I have it, it feels weird, and somewhat wrong at the same time. Perhaps that's God working through me completely, a sign that my life is going to be great soon, a sign that there is something greater planned for my life that I am gearing up to encounter..I can only wonder...and I guess be happy, that I am able to truly be happy amongst all that is happening...

So, as of lately, things have been weird, and I think I'm alright with that.

Philippians 4:6

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God"

For the whole day this verse has been resignating in my mind with me. I guess it started this afternoon as I waited and anticipated a pretty important meeting that I wasn't sure how it was going to end up.
I guess you could say that I am a pretty anxious person, and that is something that has only begun recently, and is pretty difficult to deal with. I find myself in situations where I become so totally anxious and consumed by what is possibly going to happen next, that I get all wound up and can't even think straight.

Today as I anticipated my meeting, the only thing running through my head was "do not be anxious!" I knew there was bible verse pertaining this, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what it was. So what did I do? I just typed into google "do not be anxious" and the first thing that came up was this verse. I knew that it was exactly what I was thinking of, and I think it's just so great how God works in these situations. He puts a thought in your mind and doesn't just easily give you the answer, he makes you search for it. And ultimately that's what God wants us to do in our relationship with him. He wants us to search for him, seek him out, and draw near to him in times of weakness, troubles, hardships, happiness, and even times of anxiety.

Well, I am now on a break from a lot of things in my life in order to help me focus and figure out where my life is headed, and what to do next. Although I don't really agree with this break, or really want to have it, I do know that it is needed, and will definitely be a great time to focus on myself, school, and most of all my relationship with God.

This past weekend I went home to work, and on Saturday night I went to a church service in London, which is something I quite often do when I am home and am working day shift. Anyways, at this service a song was sung..."Meet With Me" by Ten Shekel Shirt. This is a song that I have known for a very long time, but have just recently(saturday) been re-aquinted with, and have fell in love with it all over again.

It's just one of those songs that speaks such great truth, and is something that "you just need to hear", and totally helps. I have been listening to it like crazy since Saturday, and is something that I am working towards. I so long to meet with God again. To have a solid relationship with him, and have him back in my life. Ya sure, he never left my life, but I kind of strayed away, and need to find my way back. Hearing this song on Saturday showed me just how much I need to be back on track, how much I need God.

I used to be so surrounded by God, and was my life. I did everything with him, and made sure that everything I did was Glorifying to him. As my life has gone on, for the past couple years I feel like that isn't my greatest priority, and it feels horrible. I so long to meet with God again, and to have my life back to how it was. To be a happy, joyful person again. I know that it'll happen soon, so maybe this break is a blessing in disguise....
I guess, in time I'll figure out..but for now, I'll never know.

Love you all,
Stephanie.

PS...here's the link for the song if you wanna hit it up and listen to it...I HIGHLY recommend it..it's super great :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMb3xBsGiZU

Broken dreams....how did I end up in this situation?

Have you ever just had one of those days, where you find something really crappy out and it totally crushes your dreams, and then you wonder to yourself "how the heck did I end up in this situation?". Ya? Well I'm totally in one of those situations right now, and let me tell you it SUCKS!

I have never felt so passionate about something, and then watch it get ripped out of my life so quickly. People always say that if you rip the band-aid off fast that it hurts less, but I'm not sure how much I believe that when you relate it back to real life. For the past two hours I have been asking myself, how the crap did I end up in this situation? How did I let myself fail so miserably that I ended up here. I mean, I sort of knew there was a possibility that this would happen; however, I was sort of reassured that it probably wouldn't happen, and then to find out that what I had been hoping for, isn't going to happen.

Ha, you're all probably asking what I am talking about, and it's a job. Now, you're probably thinking, dude, chill it's just a job..but this is a job that I am super passionate about, and really count on in order to afford school...without it, I can't pay for school.

But I am constantly asking myself, how did I end up like this. How did I let myself get in the situation where I am so upset that all I do is cry? I mean, I know theres worse problems in the world, but I feel like I have nothing to make of myself.

• I'm 20 years old
• I'm in my second year of University, with my 3rd major change...
• I've failed classes
• I'm losing my job
• and I feel like my relationship with God is going down hill. I am definitely not relying on him as much as I should, and somedays I feel like I don't care.

I have nothing to make of myself. Ya, I'm still in school but I feel like my life isn't anything to be proud of.

I went on a missions trip to Haiti last year, and I'm going to Colombia this year. I feel like I didn't even make a difference or accomplish anything while I was in Haiti, and I'm not even sure if Colombia is where I am supposed to go.
I am a HUGE control freak, a HUGE stressor, a HUGE panicker, and a HUGE worrier. The fact that I don't know where my life is leading me, or what is going to happen with my future scares me.
I know I am supposed to rely on God and let him lead me, but I find that crazy hard.

I want to call myself a Christian, but as I think about it, am I really one? Am I really a Christian, or am I just living a life of labels; a life of lies; and a life of hiding behind this mask that I am too scared to take off and show the world who I truly am.

My mind is racing with a million thoughts and feelings. I feel like such a failure, an idiot, and like a loser because my life feels so screwed up.

Now, I don't want you guys to think that I am writing this because I'm some crazy super depressed emo kid, who wants attention or pity. I'm not any of the above, and I don't want peoples pity. I'm just ubber upset and I find blogging is the best way to vent, and let my thoughts out.
Take it or leave it. If you don't like it, then don't read my blog anymore.

Well, I hope your night is going much better than mine.
However, I do know within time things will get better, and my life will get back on track. I plan to get super amazing grades this semester, and I plan to make something of myself for the rest of this year and throughout the summer.
In the mean time, pray for me because I could use some serious prayer.


Peace...
Stephanie

Epic Fail...

Tonight is just one of those nights.
Ya know, one of those nights where you feel like no matter what you do you fail.
Call me overdramatic, or depressed, but my day was soooo good, and then one little thing happened and it made me feel like I failed completely!
I don't know what it is, but whenver it comes to my job and I do something wrong I feel like I failed. Perhaps it's the fact that I am super passionate about my job, and absolutely love it, so when I do something wrong I feel horrible. I guess it's the fact that I have such high expectations for myself and when I feel like I don't meet them I get angry at myself.

I don't want to blame this epic fail on anybody else, but I can't take the full blame for myself. Ya sure, I'm the one that handle the situation wrong, but it doesn't make me feel any better of a person when people are telling you everything you did wrong, and proceed to tell you that you should have known what to do, no excuses! Well, I am sorry that people forget, and in intese situations sometimes people forget or freeze up.

Well, I don't even know anymore.
All I can say is that life tonight is an EPIC FAIL, and I am so ready for this night to be over.

Well, there you have it folks...Stephanie Tree in one of her worst times ever.

Stand Together

Yesterday I was watching an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I absolutely love this show but haven't watched it in forever, simply because I didn't have time to watch it. In fact, I first felt called my God to go to Haiti last year while watching an episode of this show. Anyways, there is a website that I often visit daily and it's called givesmehope.com. It's a really great website. People post inspiring and encouraging stories about things, events, or people who give them hope. It's great to read about things that you may be going through and see others post about it. It makes you feel as though you aren't alone in the world. It's sort of a website that is like postsecret.com.

Well, while on this website I saw a GMH about a family who was on Extremem Makeover: Home Edition. This was a family who had 4 children, one of whom took his own life when he was only 11. He committed suicide because of bullying. While watching this episode, not only was I sobbing like a child, but the mother shared the story and showed such strength. You see a women who just lost her son about a year or two prior to this show, because of suicide. She tells the story of how he came home from school and seemed to be a little bit not himself, and then tells us how when she calls him for dinner, he doesn't respond, therefore leading her to go upstairs to see what was happening with him, only to find him hanging himself from the stairwell. Wow, I couldn't even imagine experiencing that, let alone telling the world about it.

Anyways, as the show goes on, like usual they get their vacation, and their new home, but the Makeover team does something super special. The begin a website in this little boys honour, and it's called "Stand Together". The whole point of this website is for people to go on it and take a pledge to stand together against bullying. You print out your number, take a picture with it and upload it to the website, to show that you are taking the pledge to stand together to end bullying.

I'm a huge advocate for stopping bullying. I was bullied as a child, and it's definitely not something that is fun. I am totally against it and it really breaks my heart to hear of stories like this one where people take their life because they couldn't handle the bullying anymore. After watching this show I am so ready to do more. I am ready to be a voice for the people who no longer have a voice. For the people who are too scared to stand up for themselves against bullying, and for the people who just don't care enough to stand up and stop bullying. I am going to become a voice for these people, and I took the pledge to stand together.

I printed out my numer, and as you can see from the picture, a lot of people have taken the pledge! I took the pledge last night, so I am sure that there has been A LOT more since I did it.

I want to challenge all of you readers(if any) to take the pledge, and stand together against bullying.

Simply go to this website: http://www.standtogether.tv/?utm_source=glsen+website&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=Stand+Together&utm_campaign=Stand+Together&utm_source=google&utm_medium=adwords%2Bgrant&utm_content=stand%2Bwith%2Bus&utm_campaign=stand%2Btogether&gclid=CN6DsNbfw60CFc3DKgodu3QrCQ

Print off your number, take a picture with it and then upload it to the website.

Take a stand against bullying and help to eliminate it and make a change in this world!

Peace.

Stephanie

Listen....do you?

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

Or does anybody even knows she's going down today

Under the shadow of our steeple

With all the lost and lonely people

Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

Listen..do you? Are you there when people need you? Do you listen to the rustle of the leaves in the fall, do you listen to the hundreds of conversations happening while you're shopping, do you listen to what's happening in the news while your parents/spouse/friend are watching the news, or even when you have your tv turned to the news, do you listen to yourself? Are you a watcher? Do you see what goes on in this world, do you see what goes on in your country? Do you see what is going on in your town, school, house, and even yourself? I'm sure most of you are going to answer 'yes', and think will probably think I'm a judgemental jerk for even asking those questions, you're probably thinking that I have no place to ask those questions, and may even call me hypocritical. Well, you can think I'm a judgemental jerk, think that I have no place to ask, and can call me a hypocritical person, because really I don't care, because in reality that stuff needs to be asked.

Do you really listen when you're needed? I find often times the people I need that most don't listen, and don't watch. I find myself even being one of those people, so yeah I was hypcritical, but that doesn't mean that is still who I am, because it's not.

You know, for the longest time I really didn't have a care in the world. I didn't know what was going on in the world, I didn't know what was happening in my country, or even in my very town, school and home. Now I'm not saying that I now know everything going on, but I'm far more observant, and willing to listen. I've gone through a lot in my life, and you know, living a life where no one listens sucks. Ya sure, I have people in my life who say they listen, but do they really all the time? I'm not sure I really care if they listen or not because I am a big girl, and I can handle my life, and can handle what I go through pretty much on my own, I've learned to live. But my point is, knowing how much I needed people to listen to me for so long really made me want to listen more. I want to know what's happening, and I want to be able to listen to people and reassure them that no matter what I am there to listen.

The text in italics is a section from a song by my all time favourite band-Casting Crowns. I have loved this band forever! The song is called "Does Anybody Hear Her".

I really think it's a great song because it totally speaks truth to our world today. There are so many people in our world who don't have someone to listen to and they go through crap. There are so many people who don't have someone to listen to them, and they have a great life. Ya know, sometimes having someone to listen to you talk about your life, whether it be good or bad is a great thing, and is something that is needed. You know, sometimes we just need someone to listen. Someone to hear you out, and not judge you, and not talk, just listen.

I think that's really important. It's definitely something I need, and is something I totally am striving to become. I want to be a better listener, I want to be a better person, and I want to be that person that people can talk to, the person who makes them comfortable enough to trust them to talk to and just be heard. I want to be the voice for the voiceless, and get them someone to listen to them.

So next time you're talking to someone, next time you see someone who doesn't look happy, or looks super happy, ask them, and listen.

Born this way...

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong
 
Bravery...when you hear that word, what do you think of?
I was recently asked this question in an email form. I had signed up to be apart of a movement, called the "Born this Way Foundation", and it is reflective of Lady Gaga. Now I must let you know that I am not a big fan of Gaga but she does have some great messages. The whole idea of this movement is to empower youth, and essentially to eliminated the bullying that happens on a daily basis in our world.
 
So I joined the movement, and I was asked what bravery meant to me, and I thought for a long while about what bravery truly meant to me. At first I wanted to say something that totally related to the Lady Gaga theme, and the whole "born this way" idea, but in the end I really couldn't think of the cookie cutter answer....
I came up with this:
When I think of bravery, I think of Jesus. I think of all the things he did for us in this world. I think of how he wore a crown of thorns, and how he willingly was nailed to the cross to take our sins and die for us.
When I think of bravery, I think of the many people who fight for our freedom. I think of the many Canadian soldiers who are fighting across seas right now for our country.

When I think of bravery, I think of all the people who are willing to stand up for who they are. I think of the people who are bullied on a daily basis simply because they are different, or because they don't fit in.

When I think of bravery, I think of the people who do the most outstanding things in life. The people who aren't scared to die for others; the people who aren't scared to stand up for what they believe in; the people who aren't scared to be who they are; the people who aren't scared to fight for others; the people who aren't scared to be humble, loving, patient and kind;

When I think of bravery, I think of the person who I want to become.
I am 20 years old and I want to become brave, because I was born this way

And you know, after I wrote this and submitted it, it became clear that there really wasn't a right or wrong answer for what bravery means. I didn't have to come up with the most cookie cutter answer because ideally it is reflective of what the movement speaks of...

Ya sure, being brave is a big thing to people, and it usually consists of going to the doctors and being brave by getting your needles, or standing in front of a class and saying a speech...but you know, like I said I don't think there is a distinct answer for what bravery is. I think if you feel as though you were brave, and as though what you are doing is good enough, then that's the right answer.

so what does bravery mean to you?

I want to share a video with you guys. It's called "it gets better" and it's sung by a whole bunch of broadway stars. Basically they sing this song for the LGBTIQ community, and I think it's great. I think every single person that is apart of that community is brave because they are willing to stand up for who they are, they aren't ashamed of who they are, and I think that's admirable. I really love this song because it really just shows how many people care about others in this world, and I just love that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeKI8biAglU

A New Year, A New Chapter.

Well, another year has come and gone, and let me tell you, boy am I glad 2011 is gone!
2011 was good to me, I mean I had my ups and downs, as most of you would know from previous posts, but I am super excited for 2012.

I had some great times in 2011 that I am super thankful for, and constantly Praise God for. I mean I went on my first Missions trip to Haiti, and I met some amazing people! I saw God do some amazing things through me and in me while I was in Haiti and it has definitely changed me. I started my second year in University, and started my job as an RA. I love my job as an RA, but I definitely had my challenges.

My faith was tested to the limit, and I still don't completely know how I did, but I guess I will never know eh? hah. I saw God work in many amazing ways throughout the past year. I overcame a lot of things, and began to overcome other things. I was faced with many "adult" decisions within the past couple of months, and let me tell you, making those "adult" decisions weren't always fun, nor were they easy. But with the grace of God and the help of my all-loving Father, I was able to get through it.

With all that being said, 2012 is going to be great! I have learned from my mistakes, I have learned how to become a more obedient Christian, how to Love deeper, how to care more, how to be more patient(sort of) and how to be a better me! I am so ready to tackle 2012 and see what is thrown my way. I know feel more equiped with knowledge, wisdom, grace, love, kindness, compassion etc to go on this year and live it to the fullest. I will be an everlasting, loving, joyful Christian that I have always been, and I am going to let my little light shine!

I hope you all will begin to think about 2011, and 2012 and reflect on the things that you want to change, the things that made you who you are, and the things that helped you to make it this far. I know that once you reflect on 2011, and have an open mind for this year of 2012 you will succeed, and great things will come your way.
I pray that God blesses you all greatly this year.

Love and Peace.
Stephanie