Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Does He Love You?

Who remembers this song?  … If that boy don’t love you by now…he will never ever, ever, ever love you.” Ciara woke up a lot of women when she detailed the limbo many relationships get into when they just aren’t working anymore.  If he doesn’t love you, won’t marry you, doesn’t speak of a future with you, then he is probably just not that into you. He either has his own issues he’s dealing with, another woman, or he never really wanted you. He wanted the consistent intimacy, or the ‘kicks and giggles’, nothing more and nothing less. There are thin lines we tip-toe when we stay trying to make a relationship work, uncertainty AND insanity. Are you working for something valuable and you are uncertain of the outcome because this is just another bump in the road for you and your companion? Or are you are the one foolishly holding on to something that should be a thing of the past? (Which is insane! Yet, aren’t we all insane sometimes? We don't have to be..its a choice)

Some relationships are worth keeping and you know it just takes good 'ole hard work to make it last. It is healthy to have a relationship that goes through different seasons (good and bad/not abuse though) as long as you know at the end of the day love is a choice and what you both have is worth fighting for. (Especially in a marriage) Some relationships are just dead ends but you have to be the judge of that.

It can be so hard to see clearly when to leave or stay when you are in a relationship due to a few factors.

1. If you are too emotionally invested, sometimes you just can’t think clearly to walk away. Your heart and brain have a disconnect that you can’t reattach when you are so emotionally invested, even though you logically know you need to let them go. If you’ve slept with the person, most times that can make you stay way longer than you should because you fall in love with how they make you feel physically, but you don’t REALLY love the person, so you stay. INSANE.

2. You are desperate. You see the person is bad for you but you don’t care because you just want someone. Everything inside of you said walk away early on, but you stayed. Then you invested so much time and energy...you just hate to put in so much work for nothing. It will never work out boo, walk away. Desperation never leads anyone to true long lasting love.

3. He/she is a great person but something is missing and you’re not sure how to move forward. Well, then you’ve got to evaluate yourself and the reasons you are with that person. Maybe you are scarred from a previous relationship and have an issue looking at your new relationship as something different. You aren’t ready to move on. You could be overcoming trauma from your youth (divorce, domestic abuse, etc.) which affects your current relationship habits. You might be immature, and the time may not be right to be serious with anyone. Whatever it is that is keeping you from progressing should be considered when you have another life being affected by your actions. Work on self before you build with another.

4. You may not actually be in a relationship.... but a situationship. If you are with someone who has no plans with you and is not initiating a certain goal to attain with you (like uhhhh MARRIAGE)... RUN. These types want all the benefits of having you without the title or commitment. They will use you and dump you empty and broken if you let them. Many guys/girls who trick people into staying with empty promises and believable lies try to string on people so that they will conveniently stay. Don't stay. It will hurt you worse and you could be missing out on other great people to date.

5.You have unrest or no peace. Life isn't a cake walk but God calls us to live in peace. If red flags are signaling and all the bells and whistles are ringing, GET OUT! You can leave and trust that if it's meant to be, they will come back 10x better or you will find another new person who's 10x better. A great relationship is not perfect. It is finding someone who's imperfections you can deal with. You can love them through it all, making you both better people in the end. Yet, if you have no peace you've NOT found your partner in this crazy life..don't add to the crazy. GET OUT !

ALRIGHT,
LOVE YOU
JESUS SAVES
..GAB

Friday, October 23, 2015

While You Wait

If there is anyone who rushes through life and tries to speed past hardship or uncomfortable situations, it is me. If I can prevent certain unfavorable outcomes, I will. If I can circumvent certain confrontations, I do. Don’t get me wrong, I can "turn up" when I have to (lol). I definitely professionally confront people who try to start altercations on the job, and if I must, I do speak up when the cashier tries to cheat me for my change at the store (haha). Overall, I just love peace so I try to stay out of drama and away from crazy situations that are of no benefit to my life. 

Being this way, I rush and am often impatient waiting for things. I like to try to skip past waiting periods, obstacles, and hardships in an effort to get to an overall sense of peace about whatever is conflicting me.  I am one of those people whose parents as a child, would say to me, “Gab, in two weeks I am going to buy you a new phone or in a year you will get a new car...", and then ten years later I get that promised gift or I finally buy it myself because they take so long. (haha) So, I am going to blame them for my impatience, because to me if I don’t see what I ask for in a certain amount of time, I feel as though I’ll never get it. #spoiled

I am extreme with my impatience sometimes. My thoughts go from, “What if I wait and then I don’t want what I wanted so badly anymore?” or “What if God calls me home and I never experience this or that?” I mean come on, I seriously over-analyze and over-think everything. This is a bad habit that can cause stress and anxiety. Therefore, to my close friends, they think I am such a hippie because I act very lackadaisical about so many things when really I am trying to find new ways to be stress free. I outwardly attempt to go with the flow and practice trusting God. So in appearance and in my speech, I have trained myself to say it’s all good or all is well no matter what I am going through, in a successful attempt to trump my anxiety over things that are not going my way or completed in my timing. Honestly, it works because when I relinquish my stress to God and rest in his word, all my issues get solved! He has perfect timing and great resolutions. So, I like being 'hippie-ish' it is quite freeing! ;)

Although I am a little better with my impatience, I still have a little ways to go with this issue. So I want to pose this question to you. What do you do while you are waiting? Do you let your blood pressure rise and pull your hair out until it is resolved? Have you taught yourself how to cope instead of how to conquer? I sat and pondered these questions evaluating myself so that I could grow. I came to a few realizations that can carry over to helping us wait for our next career move, new car, relationship, marriage, graduation and whatever we have to wait for in this life.

1.       Find contentment: You will never be happy if you don’t find a sense of peace exactly where you are. Strive for better and don’t settle if you KNOW you can accomplish more for yourself, but be grateful for the lessons you are learning in your now moments. Be content in the small things so that your character is upheld when you reach larger success. You should want to reach your success with such gratitude that you won’t be able to puff with pride. You will beam with appreciation.

2.       Seek God first: Don’t hesitate to pray for guidance. He says in his word if you follow him, not only will you have a prosperous life, but you will see the desires of your heart unfold. How can he show you his plan if you ask everyone else what you should do next instead of him?

3.       Make a plan and take steps: After you’ve prayed, God will give you a sense of direction. Make a plan of action and while you are waiting for whatever it is you are waiting for, you can get the ball rolling on completing whatever it is as he opens doors for you.

4.       Put yourself in position: Great things happen to those who practice and prepare. If you met the person who could make all your dreams come true today, whether it's business wise or a lifelong partner, would you be ready? Would they be impressed by your skill and professionalism? I am not saying you should be perfect or at your “arrived “ state, but you should definitely be somewhat knowledgeable about how they can get you to the next level.

Lastly, while you wait enjoy your journey. I literally try to make every moment, even the hard ones, enjoyable because we have one life on this side of heaven to live. Every part of our journey can be valuable if we let it push us to greater and not break us. When I look back on my life in my old age, I want to say I lived wonderfully. I don’t want to say I barely made it through. I want to say I had so much faith in God and he did so many miraculous things in my life making others want to follow him. I don’t want my life to be lived in vain….do you?


Enjoy your wait…for whatever it is you’re waiting for. 

Love,

Gab

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Give These Men a Break

There are plenty of great men out there.  I think I am friends with a few of them. They are hard working, driven, growing in their relationships with the Lord, love their mamas, and take care of their friends. Now, I didn't say they were great to date (hahaha) but they are good men. The reason I am differentiating them being good men from being good companions is because I believe most of them have great potential, but aren't ready to become someone's husband. This is because they are young and ambitious, but have not began to practice the habits of settling down. 

Men need to experience life before they settle down because most of them have a one-track mind. Tunnel vision is so real and we all know most guys simply can not multi-task. This means they can't fathom pursuing their career and a woman at the same time. (I've been told this by a guy before when I inquired about his disinterest in committing) Along with this, men are natural born providers. They like to build themselves up to a place where they can provide, and if they don't feel accomplished to a certain extent that they are comfortable with, it's sometimes difficult to add a woman to that situation. 

You may be thinking what about those couples that meet and grow together? They are awesome examples of people who are ready and willing. Yet, the key here is that a man WILL NOT settle down until he's ready. He has to be in a place where he is so in love, it is worth him giving up ALL other options and submitting to a life where he can no longer just think about himself, but he must think about another person and their future family too.

Now, some guys agree with my sentiments, and others would disagree and say they only keep searching until they have found "the one". They argue that there is no right time, it's just about meeting the right person. True, but I'm a firm believer in timing. My dad told me when he was younger, he didn't think he would ever get married. Now being married 25 years and counting, he told me he knows meeting my mom was a Godly thing. He didn't see many godly marriages when he was growing up, but when the lord showed him my mom that one day in church, he said he thought to himself, "that's going to be my wife!" He knew the lord would keep them together, since it was him the brought them together. He said it was great timing because he was secure in  his relationship with the lord. He had established himself in his career and was ready to start the next phase of his life, which was family.

You may think you're the perfect woman or man for someone, but if they are not in the place in their life where it's time to take that leap...let him or her go! It's probably not the time and you may not be their fit. Why do we see guys leave a girl and then less than a year later engaged to someone else? He found the one and he was finally ready! A real man does not let what he really wants pass him by! They are going to get and have what they choose. So if you are not being pursued, your best bet is that he doesn't want you. They are resilient. That is why we see men out here pursuing the same woman for years even when she turns him down. They have the capacity to work until they get what they want, knowing if they make the girl tired of them asking for a date, she may just falter and give them a chance. These are the best stories because the woman gets an amazing guy she never thought she'd even want, and the guy gets the woman of his dreams.

In closing, ladies give these men a break! Better yourself, pursue your passions, seek the lord and live your life! Stop worrying all the time about relationships and situations with men that are out of your control! Wait on God for your mate. Men keep growing, learning and maturing. Know that we haven't given up on you, you are amazing that's why we ladies can't get enough of you! You have the ability to be great husbands, fathers, and friends, but it's all up to you. Start stepping up when you know you need to. Be the role model you didn't see! Be a better role model than the ones you did see! The world is waiting on you to stand up. Seek the lord he will give you all the direction you need.

Love you ,
Gab

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Don't Listen to Your "Homegirls"

I was talking to a group of ladies and in the midst of my yapping away about a situation, one friend yelled out, "Girl that couldn't have been me!" I paused and thought to myself girl...what do you mean that couldn't have been you? Its been you time and time again in even worse situations!

Don't we all have that one friend who gives out all this crazy advice but never listens? That one friend that's always single, tells you what not to put up with in your relationships, but never seems to have a man or help you get and keep a man. 

Guys say over and over again to their ladies, "Keep your home girls out of our business." I am literally in tears laughing at this one time I was dating a guy and we got into a small argument right before I was leaving his house. After I won (hahaha) and he complied with my request, he said ,"I know you're about to go out to eat with your girls, so don't go tell them what happened making it seem like I'm a bad guy." I lied and said, "of course not this is our relationship," and spilled every detail to my girls as soon I got in our booth at the restaurant. 

Ladies, we love to talk to our girls about what's going on. We look for clarity, support, and safety among our friends. Our girls help us kick him to the curb when he's doing us wrong or tell us to do better if the guy you have is a good one. I beg my friends to stay with their guys if I know he has a good heart. I warn them that it's hard out here, so don't be silly. But I'm also the first one to help you make him miserable if he's a dog..it all depends on the circumstance :)

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is... LADIES share what you need to share, but practice keeping some things to yourself. In a marriage, EVERYONE should not be included in your relationship. You want to practice these good habits now. Have you seen the pyramid diagram of godly relationships? At the bottom corners it's you on the left and the guy on the right. The top point is Christ. Christ has to be the center, the focus, and the goal. In this day and age the devil is destroying families, and we need to find ways to make them last! God has to be the source.

You know why I write these blogs? I am heart broken over my generations terrible ideologies on love, family, and marriage. Some of us have got to do it better than those before us, but we can't do that if we don't think differently than they did! I hate seeing failed relationships turn people bitter and their heart cold. One day I will meet the man I am suppose to marry. I write these blogs so that I can talk about ways I am preparing myself right now to make his married life better than he could ever imagine, because I definitely expect him to do the same for me. But it takes two!

Therefore ladies... YES, even me ..sometimes we need to SHUT-UP and keep things just between ourselves and our lover. DRAMA always starts from outside sources tampering with the inner workings. ALL I need is my holy ghost to make me aware of issues, and then build trust with my partner. So that if I bring up a situation that concerns me, I can trust him to answer truthfully and then leave it alone. It is not healthy to NEVER be able to trust your man. That is a pointless relationship. Choose someone you can rely on, grow with, and depend on. If they carry these qualities, you BETTER hold the same.


Alright the rant is over. Love you all who read.

Gabs xoxo

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

I love You Nice Guys, but Nice Guys Finish Last…?

One of my guy friends walked up to me and said, “You look suspicious!” He proceeded to call me a “Fed” and I laughed. He thought because I was hanging with the guys, I was taking mental notes on who was creeping with who, etc. just to report it all back to the girls. I had pretty much spent most of my Alma Mater's homecoming weekend with the fellas. I only did that because I always have the best time with them, they look out for me, and it’s no drama. I was definitely not there to be a snitch, but I will say I collected quite a bit of great CONVERSATION material over the weekend for my blog. THANKS BOYS! :)

One conversation really caught me by surprise. I was made privy to a phenomena unheard of in female conversation. This phenomena was that if they (good men) attempt to behave like a good guy, not pressuring ladies for sex, not running game or playing you… that we ladies don’t know how to appreciate it. One guy went even further and said “I don’t have the juice anymore now that I’m choosing to be nice.” He then described how when he was acting up, his phone was blowing up as if women anticipated “doggish" ways and desired it. He spoke about how now that he is not looking for sex but a serious monogamous type of relationship, women are literally running away from him. GEEZ. As many times as I’ve heard women say they can’t find a good man, I just couldn’t believe that some guys feels as though we encourage their bad behavior and accept it. LADIES DO BETTER! Ladies, who accept bad behavior and seek to be treated terribly because they love the drama, mess it up for the good girls waiting for a good guy. Even with this happening, GOOD GUYS DON’T GIVE UP ON BEING NICE! YOUR PATIENCE WILL GET YOU A TREASURE OF A WOMAN WHO WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE EXCEPTIONAL. My man will be so spoiled when he wife’s me up. I can’t wait to treat him like the king he is.

Now, maybe some men put us women through so much that when we meet a nice guy we don’t know how to act, but this can’t be the norm!? Right ladies? Do we do this often? Do we really run good men away based on bringing up our old baggage, in an attempt to protect our heart from being hurt again? I kept arguing with the guys that we hate getting our heart broken. We hate when males don’t grow out of their love for bachelor life and desire to juggle multiple women. We don’t like feeling that itch to check your phones or fight over silly stuff. If you know you have a good man treat him well! If he does not, cut the crap. Women, we’ve got to learn to love ourselves enough to desire good treatment, expect it, and move on from guys who don’t give the respect you deserve. Don’t stay in a relationship where you are treated terribly and then hate all men after you chose to stay in a sour relationship because you thought you loved him or because he could “put it down".

Lastly, GOOD GUYS…YOU JUST MIGHT “finish last”, but what if the last man’s reward is the greater prize.  Your crew might talk about you and your ego might not be boosted when you’re not out there acting a fool, but so what. I’m sure God is up there smiling at you and he will bless you for it. Think about your future daughters too. Treat women like you want men to treat you mom or future daughter. We are such an impatient generation. Who cares if you have to be the only one in your crew doing right? DO RIGHT ANYWAY. Who cares if everyone else is bae’d up? Singlehood is great if you make it that way. BUILD YOUR EMPIRE. I love being single because I choose to be. I will love being a relationship because I will choose to be. I won’t settle just because my generation is. I will wait and have what’s mine, at the right time. What about you?!

Love you MR. NICE GUYS… This one was for you!

GAB 

Monday, September 28, 2015

Why Sex Matters

We had a good time. Our date was interesting. I think we clicked actually. But one little wrench threw the whole situation off. He asked me if I expected sex in a relationship. My initial thought reaction was if you have to ask me that, YOU are expecting sex at some point. I confidently said, “Nope! I am waiting until marriage to have sex, so no." He seriously died slowly before my eyes in his seat. After a few seconds of awkward laughter he mustered up a speech on why my choice was respectable. I tried to coach him through my decision, but I knew my comments threw him right off. His excitable countenance became dull. He was distraught over thinking he found a great woman but was sad he was not able to express his desires for her through sex. (SN: ladies and gents YOU SHOULD HAVE  MORE TO OFFER THAN SEX) In his mind, the fact that an attractive girl with a checklist of marriage qualities, was incapable of providing something that he felt was almost non-negotiable wrecked him. I was laughing on the inside. 

I've been through this before. I have the t-shirt and the key chain in commemoration. I'll meet a guy, and he will be so interested in me. But when he finds out I am not sleeping with him, he eventually stops calling and texting. He finds a female willing to satisfy his desires temporarily, and drops me for them. Cool. lol When I told a friend about what happened, he stated, "man you must feel bad." I have to say it’s not enjoyable, but it is definitely not sad to me, nor do I feel bad. Telling men I am not sleeping with them protects me from the ones that are up to no good. SEX is spiritual. This is why sex matters to God. It's a unification of TWO as ONE. Therefore, the man who the lord speaks to and tells to pursue me as his wife, will be willing to wait. He will understand God's love in a way that encourages him to show me true love through waiting. This isn’t a fairy tale idea I have come up with, it is an ideology of faith I have in God and his love of marriage. Marriage is a Godly thing. A good godly marriage glorifies him and brings more souls to his kingdom. We can’t play matchmaker for ourselves because we might not know every characteristic we need in our spouse that will complement us, but he does. Honestly, even if I never got married it will be the best life lived for me because God knows what is best for me and I trust him. Yet, I truly believe that marriage is in his plan for me because of Psalms 21:2.

In our society today, sadly, sex comes along with casual relationships and the repercussions are life changing. It is no longer considered sacred for marriage, and with our culture promoting immoral sexuality and extreme pleasure, it seems IMPOSSIBLE to remain abstinent. BUT you know what, it is very possible. It is a mindset and it takes understanding and the removal of a lifestyle that is opposite of a Christ-like lifestyle. We forget earth and it's pleasures are temporary. You know if you look at the bible, we see we may be living in the last of the last days. I can’t tell you how far along we are, but I know the word tells us to be watchful, encouraged, and passionate about telling others about the lord and be consistent in our faith when things start looking dark and evil. Living a holy life is beneficial to us. It is protection and a testimony to others saved and unsaved alike. If you are making mistakes, don't quit on your walk with the lord. I sure don't quit when I fall. Being perfect is not your ticket to heaven.  TO BE HONEST a simple belief, the accepting of  Jesus, and his forgiveness is our only ticket to heaven.(Romans 10:9-10) We could never live "right enough" for him to let us enter in. The reason he ask us to live our lives in a way that reps him is to show the world what a wonderful life looks like when it is COVERED AND SMOTHERED in Christ and his word! IT BENEFITS YOU AND OTHERS!


Man, I love Jesus! The bible says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” I have tasted and I have seen and he sure is AMAZING. I don’t see anything in the world that can fill me and satisfy me like he can. Dating is great, I love a good man. The way his cologne smells, his stature, the way a strong Christian man prays, the way he looks at you when he’s attracted to you. Yet, that can’t satisfy me. I like to be among friends, I’ve been to great parties, and have had some nights to remember. But NOTHING has ever mattered to me more than my relationship with Christ. The thrills of this life mean nothing to me without Jesus. I want to spend eternity with him knowing he used me for his purpose and that I was not selfish with my life on earth. I am storing up eternal treasures! I want you to see this truth too.

I pray this blog blessed you in a way that encourages you to accept Christ amazing love and his precious gifts of forgiveness, purpose, and unlimited blessings so that you can share it with others and transform lives around you.

Love,
Gab

Monday, September 7, 2015

Worst Date Ever..Wasted Time

A couple of weeks ago I went on the worst date ever! #truelife #lol The guy invited me out, exemplified no chivalry or tact, and just plain wasted my time. The next morning I woke up mad.  Haha, harsh I know. Let me explain.

We met under interesting circumstances.  He and I did not click when we initially met, and I knew we would never be more than associates. He was coming into town for the weekend, and when he asked me out, I accepted his invitation to be nice.  I should have know by the way he was behaving he really just wanted a girl to show off to his friends.  His conversation prior to our date consisted of, “a beauty queen knows how to represent, you're good at being arm candy.”  Alarm number one. Yet, I convinced myself he still seemed like a nice guy. After all, his IG page contained #gentleman and #Christian in the bio.

I know, I know... I seem all judgmental and harsh in tone when talking about this fellow, but I am in shock that I was treated so terribly on the date. I need to give a great THANK YOU and pat on the back to some of the guys I have dated, because I have NEVER seen what I experienced on this occasion…#spoiled.

When guys ask ladies on dates, it doesn’t always have to be about trying to ‘wife you up’. Sometimes it is simply friendly fun. This guy couldn’t even provide that. He was jealous when other guys hit on me throughout the evening and the only reason guys had the opportunity to talk to me, was because he kept leaving me. Numerous times he walked away awkwardly leaving me to stare at my phone,  faking like I was occupied. He made dry conversation mainly about himself, and he even disappeared at the end of the “date”. I had to walk myself to my car and was obligated to pay for my own parking. Statistically, men still make more money than women, and we are currently fighting the “glass ceiling”  in the workplace. Therefore, I shouldn’t be paying for anything. HAHAHA. I’m kidding. But you all know what I mean. Men should still be gentleman and take care of the lady when he asks her on a date. I’ve never gone on a date with a guy that didn’t.  This guy didn’t even text me at the end of the night to thank me for coming, or to see if I made it home.

So.. you might be wondering, why did I even give this type of dude any of my precious time?

Well, when you know better you do better.

Yet, the reason I am sharing this is on a larger scale of things. Why do we let anyone who should not be in our life, stay, and waste any of our time? You know and understand when someone is bringing you down or building you up. Yet, we date crazy people who wreck our lives for YEARS just so we won’t be lonely or uncomfortable finding someone new. We are so impatient! Until we are fed up, broken, and in need of God's repairing after we’re sick and tired of the mess we’ve created.  No condemnation on you if it has taken that long to let someone go, but don’t make it a habit to hold on to no good.  Beyond this, why do we entertain unnecessary things and let it fill our lives and distract us from our true purpose?  We have a duty to identify people and things that will bring us down, and to accept people and opportunities that build us up! We have one life. One life that does not consist of redo's, but of lessons learned and opportunities to grow and make our lives meaningful. We have the power to overcome obstacles with the Lord's help, and to use every gift and talent for his glory and for the benefit of others. Yet, we waste so much time on foolishness. 

I just want to encourage my generation to see past all of the distractions and nonsense we entertain and find focus again. It is possible. Lord knows I am trying but it is hard. If we do it together it would make a world of difference.

This date taught me a lesson, if YOU KNOW someone or something will be a waste of time, DROP IT..FAST...spare yourself the trouble :)

Love You!

Ephesians 5:15-17 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Colossians 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
xoxo,
Gab

Friday, August 14, 2015

Why I Love You So Much: Telling On Myself

Pandora is disrespectful.
When you are going through certain situations, Pandora starts playing all the songs that gets you into your feelings.  That is why I remind myself constantly, Gab guard your heart. Then I have to Google scriptures for heartbreak, happiness, good thoughts, etc. to get a list of great verses to read in order to refocus myself back to sanity. lol
Ugh.. this is a hard blog to write because my current situation is still sensitive, whether I act like it or not, and I hate telling on myself sometimes. Yet, I think it's too late to be modest and reserved, because I'm in way to deep with this blogging stuff.

SO..here it goes.

I hate when people leave.

I am so attached to my friends/family that if they leave, it messes up my flow of things, I get so selfishly anxious. Separation anxiety is legit. I mean... I’ve lost a couple of really close friends, we just simply parted ways. But they will never know how much their walking out of my life affects my emotional state of being. lol (In my overly dramatic voice) I have also lost a love or two the same way. Me and a guy I start caring for deeply will have to separate, then I freak out and hold on for dear life to them, when I know it has to end. Yet, like the philosophical meme says, “never force anything, not ponytails, more food when your full, and especially not relationships." So I adjust and eventually get over it.

One thing I have learned in my two decades of life is that relationships, jobs, promotions, and open doors that are meant for you will not pass you by.

For example...

My very first pageant was so scary to me. I remember although it was hard work to prepare for, it was intimidating. BUT the winning part, stepping into my new role as a title –holder, was easy. It was like a shoe that fit perfectly. I just knew something about it was for me. A few pageants later, I was standing on the Miss Georgia stage winning best talent in front of an audience larger than you could imagine. Great things in life take work, but ironically, they also seem to ‘just happen’.  

I remember reading the scripture where Jesus tells the disciples, “take my yoke upon you for its burden is easy and light”.( Matt 11:29) Yokes are the mechanism animals are strapped into and later attached to carts in order to carry farming items/crops.  Jesus tells us there will be yokes we must carry, but carrying his yoke is not as difficult. He carries them with us! This shows me that sometimes we love a person and they don’t see how deep we love them, or when it seems so difficult to be understood in a friendship, maybe that’s not your relationship to carry. It should take work, but not back breaking exhaustion for someone to feel loved by you or for you to feel understood. It should flow naturally. Most married couples I know share this one fact that marriage takes work for sure, but they weren’t hesitant in knowing the other person was “the one”. It was like a puzzle piece in their heart that finally found it’s missing piece. Therefore, the work to stay married was hard but it was not unbearable because they were doing the work with their missing and quite strengthening piece.

I can’t wait for that kind of love to find me. Until then, I’m falling in love with my career, great friendships, awesome food, fun, and a life well lived for God. I mean EVERYONE wants love and that’s great… but love comes in many forms. Not just between a man and woman romantically. Until God reveals the person that is ‘the one’, accept his many forms of love. Be so filled with it that when you meet your spouse they will be the cherry on top of a cake already made with lots of layers of love. Let them be en embellishment to a life that is already being lived well. If they are your only source of love and happiness they will continually fail you, so don’t fall for that trap!

OK  I have a spa date waiting for me so I am done gabbin…

I love YOU readers. Write me back. J

Gab

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Divorced: Age 24

Well, I've missed you blog/blog readers.We are at over 7,000 views. I love you readers, Thanks. <3

 I have spent the last six weeks as a camp counselor in "no man’s land", Missouri, changing the lives of inner-city youth. Outside of the camp site, there were millions of acres of farmland, plenty of trees, and no cell phone service. The nearest store was almost an hour away and it was simply a Wal-Mart. Honestly, sometimes going away to a "no man’s land" is just what we need to clear our mind and reconnect with God. So I'm grateful.  I want to share something I experienced out there in those majestic woods.

One day at camp, I was headed to teach a canoeing class to ten students on the lake. Before class in the middle of the woods, I stopped to sit on a bench in order to prepare a bible study to share with my class. I was spraying bug repellent on, because my bug bite count was nearly 65 at this point and in the midst of my spraying, a major epiphany occured. I don't know why God chose this moment to speak but he did in a major way. These words came to me...

Divorced at 24. I was like I've never been married ..what? Yes, I've dated and many would agree because I have not slept with any of my" boyfriends", never created any soul ties, or exchanged marriage vows, being divorced was impossible. This girl has not yet nodded in agreement to the scripture, "and the two shall become one."  So what analogy was God trying to teach me? As I pondered over these thoughts, I went over my recent heart break. I thought of the boundaries I had let slip, the emotional attachments I had made without God's permission, and the inconsistency of my words and actions in that "situationship". I could honestly say maybe, I was emotionally divorcing. UGH EW. I felt so bad, my silly self started singing, "How diiiid youuuu get hereeeee..." in my Deborah Cox voice (hahaha).

Anyway, the bible says adultery begins in the heart. Jesus says, "If a man looks at a woman with lust in his heart, he has committed adultery." So, he is letting us know EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH THE HEART! When we give away our heart to someone who is not called to be our spouse, in a way we are practicing adultery and divorce. No wonder marriages aren't lasting anymore. We date as many people as we change our outfits in a week. How do we expect to stay married assuming a ceremony will automatically change those bad habits? In a world where dating is used for leisurely fun and not as a means to walk toward a lasting marriage, it is important to look at handling the heart of those you date carefully and purely. You should expect the person you date to handle your heart with care as well!

So God and I began to go through scripture and he showed me the verse Revelation 2:4. "But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first!" It was him calling me back to my first love, Jesus.  I am supposed to be so wrapped and satisfied in him that when it's time for me to surrender my heart to my man, God will give the OK. Just like our earthly fathers are suppose to be our first example of love and they give us away at the alter on our wedding day... I want to be so consumed with Christ that I don't let any man walk down the aisle of my heart unless my father God says so.

I was just so shocked that God revealed this to me. I had to let his word wash me and heal me from my past. I've always said I never want to enter a marriage with lots of baggage for my husband to unpack. I want to start early guarding my heart and emotions so I am ready when my husband comes. IN A GREATER SCOPE OF THINGS....I would like to close with this. Like I am intentionally preparing my heart for "the one", we've got to be intentional about guarding/preparing our heart for THE SON. (Matthew 25) Jesus, tells us he will be returning for his church whom he makes reference to as a bride. Earthly realities are simply metaphors for spiritual truths! Let's get our hearts ready for our heavenly home and the return of our saviour! When we feast with him in eternity that will be the ultimate wedding day :)


I'm just gabbing..AGAIN..

Love Ya'll.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Death To Pageants

Yes, I made you look but before you forward this to your friends and tell them Gabby's lost it hold your horses and read to the end.

"Death to Pageants" is really a sentiment all girls feel when they lose. We get over the sting of losing then write a nice status about how we've grown, how we've met amazing young women on our journey, and talk about other positive learning experiences we had as a result of competing. We definitely mean all of those things genuinely, but deep down inside we want to scream...IT'S NOT FAIR!

We privately chat to our friends about how pageant politics played in "this" girls favor or how "that" girls board prepared her better. We argue over who gets the best sponsors when they win a certain title and rush to work with the same coach another person used because that particular person made top 10 using that that coach the year before. Some of us break down statistics and wonder if a singer won this year will the judges want a dancer next year? If you are a minority, you are often not worried about the talent that;s popular to win. You wonder will the pageant organization I am competing for finally encourage judges to pick someone who is black, asian, or hispanic?  In 2015, yes some of us have to ponder these thoughts. Especially, if in some states only 2 or 3 minorities have EVER held a state title in over 70 years of holding the state pageant.  We talk about how sometimes mean girls fair the best in pageants. We also analyze how how nice girls often get a pat on the back the good job "You're All A Winner" speech, but not a single award/trophy at the end of thier competition.

What I've learned BEYOND ALL OF THE DRAMA in my previous paragraph is that in life. NOT JUST IN PAGEANTS, sometimes things have to die and we must let them go. When I lost my last pageant, I wasn't mad about the money, time spent, or the sacrifices because I knew despite the loss, God still had plans for me! Some plans or ideas will just not pan out the way we think they should, and guess what... you move on ! You can't hold onto these broken pieces of life.  

We know that according to the bible Jesus warned us ," In this life you will have trouble but behold I have overcome the world!" LIFE WILL BE UNFAIR SOMETIMES. Life will have obstacles and troubles, but he works out EVERYTHING for the good of those who love him! There may be a job YOU are the best candidate for and you don't get it,but guess what? GOD ALWAYS HAS A BETTER DOOR for YOU TO WALK THROUGH. There may be a guy you love and want to build a life with, but if he walks away you can't hold on!! Even though you maybe the best thing that ever walked into his life, if he doesn't want you, you can't throw your pearls before swine. Swine/pigs eat slop. They don't know the value of a precious and rare pearl. (That's scripture lol) You are precious, don't devalue yourself for anyone.

In essence what I am trying to get you to understand is that you should put "death to all things that hold you back from greatness". If a journey is over, let it be. Don't go through your list of should've , could've, and would've! What I love about flowers is that when the petals die they fall off and only the colorful lively parts remain. In our lives there are things that just have to die and float away while we continue to bloom! It is ok to let go. I know it's hard. I've had to let go many times and it hurts, but the pain eventually goes away.

So be rebellious with me and brush of negativity others like to dwell in. Let's let go and simply follow Christ to our great destiny. Take the lessons you've learned in your experiences and use them to propel you to your bright future. Don't ever stay mad at anyone or anything that does you wrong. THANK them for being a catalyst to your inevitable success. Remember, the story of Joseph in the bible? He was special and was given the colorful coat by his father that made all of his brothers jealous. They were so jealous they sold him into slavery. After being a slave for many years , everything Joseph did as a slave was so blessed he was eventually elevated to one of the highest positions in the land alongside the king. The next time he saw his brothers was when there was a famine in the land and they were bowing down at his feet begging for food.  They didn't even know it was thier brother until he unveiled himself to them! He forgave his brothers and told them if they had not sold him he would not have been in that place of honor helping his family get out of the famine they were in!

God has a place of honor for you. I dare you to look beyond any present failures or unfair circumstances and see the glorious plan he has awaiting you!

Be Blessed! 

Love...Gab

Thursday, June 11, 2015

When Love is Wrong

 As I was packing for the big weekend ahead,  (Miss Georgia Week 2015!!!) I thought about a conversation I had with friends over the weekend, and I just had to sit and write a blog. Now, most of us are single or in some type of "limbo" with a lover, haha, but I realized many dating decisions made are the result of a mindset. If you do not have the right mindset, then emotions , anxiety, fear, and pressures from life can really affect your decision making when it comes to love. REAL LOVE protects one's own heart, as well as looks out for the interest of the person you choose to date. You can't let infatuation lead you, anxiety of being alone overtake you, fear of never finding someone make you settle, or pressure from family to have kids/get married make you stay in BAD relationships.

Human beings have this way of thinking if I constantly please myself, if I selfishly live life to fill my every desire I will be happy! That is such a lie! Have you noticed how certain celebrities who have everything, indulge in everything, and rarely tell themselves no, live the most depressing lives? They aren't happy because happiness does not come from a person or material things!  TRUE HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHIN! You must first be content with who God has made you to be. You have to rest in his good plan or else you will dig deeper holes for yourself by making your own plans. In dating, you can not look for someone to fulfill your need for happiness or to just fulfill your lust. You will remain empty and always unsatisfied.

When love is wrong, muster up enough courage to walk away. If you are attached to someone you KNOW is wrong and you can't seem to pull away, pray. Say, "Jesus...you know my struggles. Help me to listen to you. Help me to find my escape and be free because your word says, He who the son sets free is free indeed!"

When love is wrong, we potentially delay the one God has for us... STOP THINKING FOR NOW AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT PROVIDE YOU WITH A BETTER FUTURE!  If it is the wrong time for a relationship, have enough courage to wait on GOD. IT IS WORTH IT.

<3
-Gabby

P.S prayers up as I compete this week for the title of Miss Georgia!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Secrets About Women and Why We Stalk Your Phones Fellas

Ok, I'm going to tell my business today.Recently, I was invited to Chicago to have a short panel interview with Steve Harvey about my dating life all because of this blog and my mom (thats a story for another day lol). God must want me to continue to write because I've received so many random messages about how what you've read in my blog has uplifted you..so I will keep telling my personal stories!

Lets get into it.

I finally went through his phone. His is the name I will use for the nice guy I was so excitedly dating. I was the girl that said, "OH NO I WOULD NEVER GO THROUGH A MAN'S PHONE." I AM SO TRUSTING. When I say I trust you, I mean that I trust you. I am completely and utterly shocked if you break that trust because I expect the treatment I give. If I'm available for you to trust, you should do the same. Honestly, two can play the [playing the field] game, so if I choose to rip apart my "game" card then so should you.

Now, I wasn't going through his phone because I suspected cheating, I just wanted to know was what was in his head. I wanted to know more about what was occupying his time or why he reacted they way he did to certain situations. I knew his friends, history with ex girlfriends to a minimal, and other important info, but I just had this strong need to scroll. (haha)  I cared a whole lot about him or I would've never touched his phone. When I scrolled, I saw a few names of girls I didn't recognize and conversations I didn't recall him telling me about. (Duh why would he tell me he was having casual convos with other girls. I would get upset.) I learned through my snooping that there was a foundation missing that needed to be built through proper communication/understanding. Why didn't I know about these people? Did he want to continue to play the field? Why wasn't I secure enough in what we had to leave the phone alone? Was he simply texting new friends and it wasn't a big deal?  Why don't we talk more about our daily occurances? Most issues we had stemmed from our lack of talking about the "important things", which led to me looking at his phone. The important things include thoughts like what do we agree is respectful or disrespectful to the relationship, and so on...

WHY AM I SHARING THIS?

I need the fellas to be enlightened:

FELLAS: Women are detectives. There is nothing we can't and won't find. The only reason you THINK we don't know is because we are waiting for the right time to bring it up. YOU ARE CAPABLE OF BEING GREAT DATERS, HUSBANDS, and FATHERS, but  IT IS ALL UP TO YOU! You must know when you are ready to be monogamous and faithful. Don't string a girl along if you know she is worth more. Don't add to her heart breaks, and don't be her next mistake. My dad told me when he was ready to get married he knew he was ready and behaved in a manner that exemplified that. TWENTY-FIVE years later he is happily married and still feels as though he made the right choice.

LADIES: I am sharing this because honestly, we should NEVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH A MAN'S PHONE. MEN are not perfect (neither are we), but with you they should be willing to provide enough security in the relationship where you do not need to touch his phone. Going through a phone is a sign that there is an issue within yourself that must be resolved or a need to re-evaluate why you are with that person. The issue with yourself could be that you already know you should leave, but decide to stay 'stuck' anyway. Maybe he really is a great guy and you're not secure enough to think you deserve someone to treat you right. Another issue could be that you are holding on to your past terrible dating experiences and are bringing that baggage into the new relationship.

What I learned through that situation was that God places people in our lives for a reason, season, or a lifetime. We must carefully understand where he has placed the people we meet. God speaks to us all the time, but impatience causes us not to listen. Often people dating only concern themselves with who makes them happy, how they make them happy, and are very selfish with their relationship. Dating has become a past-time, and not a means to finding a spouse or mate. There are so many broken people because it is no longer dealt with responsibly.  It is ok to stay single until you are ready to date with intentions to marry. It keeps you from treating someone as if they are disposable. Date the way you want to be treated, and expect God to bless you for treating his children with love. It's also ok to fail and make mistakes, but always make an effort to grow from them.

In the mean time SCROLL ON LADIES...TRUST YOUR MAN BUT BE SMART AS WELL..
HAHAHAHA

With that being said... see you next blog.

LOVE YOU,
GABS

Monday, April 20, 2015

Women, Why Do We Stay Losing?

When I was a kid I was taught that rules are meant for your protection, not to kill the fun. I was so focused on all of the things I could not do, that I did not think about all of the things I could. As I grew older, I realized this statement was so true and rules really did protect me. Having and setting boundaries were beneficial. Think about it. If there were no rules on the road, how many more reckless drivers would we have? There would be no order and driving would be even scarier and more unsafe than it already can be. What if we didn't adhere to road regulations? We could drive on both sides of the road or skip past stop signs and ride through red lights. There would be mass chaos!

So if rules are implemented to provide order and security, why don't we adhere to setting boundaries and regulations while we date? We think we should just follow our emotions and our heart, which can lead us into trouble. Our emotions change and our heart may not always lead us in the right direction. This is why wisdom, great godly advice, and rules can be so beneficial to our dating experience, So that we don't facilitate emotional chaos.

I remember having a conversation with this guy I was dating about different boundaries I was asking him to respect while we dated. He was baffled that I really lived by what I was saying and that I expected him to help me uphold my standards. I asked him, "how many women have you met that are broken, unstable, and not so great to date because they are overwhelmed with past relationships? They don't trust, are insecure, and unpleasant." He said, "so many." I began to express to him it was because unfortunately they allowed a man to give them a bad dating experience, which left them hurt and scarred. I didn't want to carry baggage from bad past relationships into healthy ones. Therefore, I  protect my heart and body from frivolous dating. I don't want to be a broken woman who doesn't responsibly carry her own heart.  Me and that crazy guy eventually parted ways and I left that relationship whole because I followed the boundaries I had set for myself. 

Women sometimes act so impatient and so eager to date that we just throw away our good judgment. We can go against all we believe for love when we don't have to. We have so much power in our hands that we do not utilize. A good man who realizes your value will be so excited to date you that he will do whatever it takes to keep you. He will be patient, kind, and attentive. You won't have to get out of character or do things beneath your standards to keep him. WE CAN WIN IN RELATIONSHIPS IF WE FOLLOW WINNERS RULES. I will go into detail about what those winning rules are in another blog.

Love you!
Gab

Friday, March 13, 2015

Why I Am Never Getting Married

Alright , now you knoooow I don't believe I'm never getting married.

Yet, how many women have had this thought before.

Let me take you down a funny memory lane..and why this thought of never getting married popped up in my head!

In middle school, the guy I liked told me I was ugly (hahaha!). In  high school, the guy I was crazy about decided to kiss me (and I mean a big french one) in front of my locker, after I had turned him down for a kiss the day before. (I was so hurt I stayed home the from school the next day lol!) In college, I stayed single because most men wanted to have date and have sex. As you know, I am waiting for marriage, so when I finally thought I met a "good Christian guy" who wanted to wait with me, he instead tried to use the bible to tell me why we should be having sex. (Gross dude, C'mon you want to manipulate the bible for sex? Just go elsewhere! Which he eventually did.) Anyway, although some of my experiences were funny, these things can make a good girl go bad, get bitter, or give up... I'm telling you DON'T!

Throughout my life despite the negativity, I've always let my optimism outweigh the bad. I would tell myself , "Gab you're pretty, smart, young.... I promise you won't be single forever."  Then I'd meet an idiot and he'd make me question my optimism. HAHA. You see great Christian couples on Instagram or in your life and say, "WOW! They are some of the lucky ones." Truth is, these are all simply thoughts. My faith never lets me dwell on these things. If we trust God in every other area of our lives, why not in our relationships? IT'S WHEN WE LIVE IN FEAR and DON'T TRUST GOD that we settle for less than we deserve, fall into unnecessary sin, or give ourselves stress we don't have to carry!

Although I am not married yet, and I am still just dating, I trust that what's for me I will never miss. God never fails.  He gives us the desires of our heart according to Psalms 21:2, and if you are getting impatient fill your time with something fulfilling so that you are giving your spirit life. You want to be so involved with your happy life that when you meet that special someone they will simply add to your happiness, not complete it. They can't anyway. I believe there is somebody for everybody if you welcome it! Use wisdom, learn from your mistakes, be optimistic, and receive godly council while you date. Most of all, if you're single LIVE YOUR LIFE!  The bible says being single is a gift, so think of it as that. That way, when you receive the gift of marriage you will be grateful and want to make it last. Lastly, never say never. Although my title says, "Why I Am Never Getting Married,"  I don't believe that at all. If you've had these sentiments, throw them away.


xo,
Gabby

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Women Scorned

I have a friend who once told me, " Everyone needs to or will get their heart broken at least once in their life." I said, "no dude, I think that's preventable and bla bla..." until the day I got my feelings hurt. Now I wasn't ALL IN with this guy who "broke my heart", because if you've seen my previous post, I believe in protecting mine. So although I cared deeply for him, possibly even loved him,  I never gave him all of me. My heart wasn't his to protect and keep. He was not my husband and God had not joined us together. The pieces I had to put together when he left weren't as tiny because I held onto them throughout our "situationship". It didn't take as long to piece myself back together because I forced myself to tread carefully and lookout for reg flags, rather than ignore WARNING SIGNS. But the truth in all of that scenario was that my friend turned out to be right. Everyone gets their heart broken, and honestly we can all choose to allow bad break ups to make us better.

What leads me to write this post today is the fact that my above scenario isn't everyone's story, and as I continue to date my eyes continue to open to new information and insight. Sometimes we fail to guard our heart like Jesus asks us to, and the outcome isn't like my scenario above. Sometimes we just simply mess up, and the situation we put ourselves in gets messy and ridiculous. Jesus doesn't mind mending the pieces. He is just that kind and loving. So I want to talk about what to do when you're a woman scorned.

You feel guilty.
Angry.
Bitter.
Wounded.
Hurt.
Sad.
Sick.
maybe...still in love

These are ALL normal, but you can't stay stuck in these emotions. They will weigh you down. Feel them, talk about it with God, then let it GO. LET NO MAN/WOMAN have power over you and how you feel. You've got to renew your mind and ask God for the help when you know you're stuck on stupid and can't give up one someone that's bad for you. HE WILL HELP YOU. I just want to encourage you to recieve and pursue your healing, because when God reveals the one he has for you, I want you to be ready. I did NOT say PERFECT but ready.

love you.
Gabs

Monday, February 9, 2015

Why I Can't Love You


My best guy friend called me the other day and said, "Gab you date like a guy." I burst out laughing. He continued by saying, "you've always hung with guys, observing our antics, our conversations, and you've learned too much. Now you know how to outsmart most of us and play back the game we play." 

Now I won't confirm or deny his statements here in this blog hahaha but I will say I did go through years of observation. I can almost read a guy's whole dating style by his first looks and his first line. I've mastered the art of playing coy when I know the truth and letting him think he's got the upper hand when really I'm holding the reigns. (Mom taught me that one I think haha) Yet, these are not the rules I'm planning to live by. These are protective measures to guard my heart. I'd like my husband to unpack as little baggage as possible from my life (I hope he's considering the same for me). Therefore, I don't get too close too soon to multiple guys, so that if I need to leave, I can walk away without heavy attachment.

I want you ladies and gents to work on SELF CONTROL. You don't have to bear your heart to everyone. One day there will be someone who you can be vulnerable with, but that's not every Tom and Harry you meet. You don't have to follow dating guides and rules, just follow God's law of love. Treat others how you want to be treated. I've heard from my parents, who've been married over 25  years that each relationship is its own journey. Ask for godly wisdom when necessary, listen to the holy spirit, but most of all... have peace about whatever situation you're in. Not peace that it's perfect, but peace that God's in the forefront and your selfish desires or lusts are in the background. 

So I keep that in mind and try to build solid friendships and other connections with a person, rather than physical or superficial connections. As I get older I'm learning not to settle, but to look for deeper things to fall in love with in a person. Not the things "your girls" talk about. His abs, wallet, or type of car he drives won't make the relationship last. For me, If my man isn't saved or doesn't put God first (even over me), then I can't love him. I refuse to fall in love or give my body to anyone I can't trust to guard my purity, respect my values, and encourage me spiritually. Everything else can follow...but my soul is anchored in the Lord, my soulmates should be too!

The hardest part while dating is that it seems our emotions sometimes are louder than the spirits voice. So we've got to try harder to listen to whatever is clouding us from keeping us from loving the wrong person. I've noticed in my life that although I feel as if I have so many answers, I really know nothing at all. I'm not saying don't take the advice on my blog (haha), I'm saying while we are young, we really don't know a whole lot. It is important to seek godly council, seek God, and trust the Lord with all of our heart. Don't focus on your heart, it's wishy-washy and changes it's mind a lot haha. Go to the source. The creator of love, relationships, and the people we date, for what you need is his word. The bible has ALL the answers.

Xoxox y'all.
Gabs

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

2015 We Found Love

There is a funny thing about the soul. It is the part of us we can't see, that intangible piece inside of us that longs for two things. A connection with  God and a connection with earthly beings. From birth we have this space that longs to be filled with immeasurable love and until we connect with love (God) ...we journey through life with no purpose. Love gives us purpose.

Because I love my mother, I'm driven to accomplish certain goals to make her and dad proud. My parents love for me has driven them to sacrifice their time and energy into making sure my siblings and I were raised properly and well taken care of. This is an earthly example of love giving purpose.

LOVE gives us purpose and a reason to complete certain tasks or to attain certain goals.

So in a larger scope of things, meditating and studying God's love in scripture gives us a reason to live, our purpose. Why? It shows us he loved us first before we could earn or achieve his love, making it a gift. Two, it allows a connection with a being beyond our comprehension allowing us to be humans with a mission to be great, not just for ourselves, but to positively affect those around us.

For those who struggle with accepting  Christ's love, they try to fill their life with human love or pleasures only to find it redundant and unsatisfying. These voids drive, affect, shape, and mold our lives. Have you ever wondered why media, music, TV, etc. always covers the topic of relationships and dating? It's because of love. Why do some women stick with bad guys or some men live reckless lives that reflect constant poor decision making and selfishness? They are looking for love.

True love can't be found in people or things. No man can fulfill every woman's desires. They can't promise to never let you down, read your mind, or solve all you problems. That's God's job. As soon as you realize that, you'll be happier. You will see a man is a cherry on the cake to an already tasty treat. They augment but are not the source of the sweetness of the cake. So in your life you must realize you're already whole, fulfilled, and satisfied within Christ. When your man enters your life, he his an additional joy to an already captivated life. He will appreciate this logic because when he fails, you'll be quick to forgive, easy to forget, more equipped to be patient with him, and not a nag. You will know your true source of happiness and dwell in Christ... not in your man.

Love covers a multitude of sin. (1 Peter 4:8 /Proverbs 10:12)
Love is as strong as death. (Song of Solomon 8:6)
There's no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for a friend. (John 15:13)
Out of faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love. (I Corinthian 13)
If you do not love, you don't know God. for God is love (1 John 4:8)

These scriptures and many others share the importance of grasping God's love.
Let love rule you and see how it changes your life!
Welcome to the new year!

Xo,
Gabs