Is God Still On Your Back Burner?

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33) When Jesus said this, He was making it very clear that God should be our number one priority above everything else. At times, people find themselves battling various trials and tribulations in life, wondering where God is and how they even got there. But, they don’t realize that some of those challenges didn’t come as a test from God; rather, they were the result of a misaligned relationship with God. We are all guilty of doing things our own way, and then asking God to get on board afterwards—that’s not how God works fam. To live a life surrendered to Him means letting Him guide you. But in order for God to guide you, you have to hear Him clearly. So tell me, what is drowning out God’s voice in your life?

It Takes a Village for a Reason

You’re not tired? Yeah YOU! When you have a problem, who do you call? You. When work is getting difficult, who do you lean on? You. If an unexpected bill or expense arises, who takes care of it? You. So again—you’re not tired? I get it—you’re used to living a life where you look out for yourself and I’m sure your reasoning sounds like this: if you want to avoid disappointment, you do it yourself; if you don’t want to be let down, you do it yourself; and if you want things done a certain way, you do it yourself. But wait, what happens when your health takes a hit because of how much you’re doing? What happens when you don’t have the strength to manage all the responsibilities you’re struggling to juggle? What happens when you’re feeling mentally drained? Well, you’ll only have one person to blame—YOU.

The Company You Keep

We all have people in our lives that we hold close to our hearts. We call some of them friends, some of them besties, and some we even call family. Eventually, these individuals begin fulfilling some role(s) in our lives- going out with us, tagging along on trips, imparting wisdom when needed, accompanying us to whack events, etc. Regardless of the reason, these are people we have chosen to keep around. We are so used to them that we probably don’t notice how they could be influencing our own lives. It’s crazy to think, right? They already accepted us for who we are; so why would we try to change ourselves? That’s just it; we don’t- at least, not intentionally. We may not realize it but their presence alone does more than we give it credit.

Don’t Bear Your Burdens Alone

Depression is a severe feeling of unhappiness and/or despondency that many people suffer from, and yet somehow it does not always receive the attention it desperately needs. The rate of the number of people suffering from depression has steadily risen over the years but it has recently seen a sharp increase. BlueCross BlueShield conducted a study earlier this year that revealed, of the 41+ million people it insures, overall, there has been a 33% increase in the number of those diagnosed with depression, with a 63% increase in young adults ages 12-17, and a 47% increase in adults ages 18-34. I don’t know about you all, but these numbers are not only staggering, but unsettling as well.

My Hiatus of Solitude [Part 2: The Lessons]

So here’s what ya boy learned (again, sorry for the length of this post):

"I Believe the Children are Our Future"

We were all kids once. We know just how crazy a roller coaster ride it was, but all of the things that happened during our childhood are what shaped who we have become. That crucial stage in our lives determined our future, and it was a fragile time where the smallest things could have lasting impacts. That is why its important to make positive impacts on kids while they're still young, so it continues to grow inside of them and helps them become great people.