Finish This 12: Link up

I know it's a little weird but// I would probably be okay eating just sweets for the rest of my life. People usually have a sweet tooth, well thats's all I have.

When stopped at a stoplight// I tend to look at the cars next to me and see who is driving. You never know, sometimes when you look over there is a cute dog, or even little kids acting up in the back seat!

My guilty pleasure//  Pretty Little Liars, and french fries. Im so sad the season ended already! French fries..mmmm they are just so good and bad. I always choose the fries, over the side of fruit, whoops.

Favorite way to unwind// Usually just chatting with a friend, or watching television.

# 12

Five on Friday

Five on Friday everybody! I hope you all had a fantastic week! I am currently visiting my hometown and about to go to winter camp for our junior high ministry from my church. These girls are my absolute favorite and I can't wait! Heading off to that soon, so I  thought I would do a link up before I left!

((1))  Sunglasses from Francesca's. I already have a pair of sunglasses, but these were too cute to pass up! Besides a girl could always use more. :)

((2)) Prayer written by  O. Hallesby. On the last chapter of this book, and I must say it's such a good book! Written very differently, well from what I'm used to. It has given me a deeper understanding of prayer and has made prayer so much more exciting. I definitely recommend!

((3)) My cute new journal! I finally started using!

((4)) Be Still from Steffany Frizzell Gretzinger & Bethel Music, off their new Tides album. Steffany Frizzell is one of my favorite artists and this song is amazing. 

((5)) The Help.This Movie always makes me cry and never gets old! 

 

Lent: Giving Up My Expectations

Now I know what you're thinking, don't people give up food, or coffee or something else insignificant that reallyyyy may not affect your life and relationship with Jesus? 

So I came across this list of things to give  up for Lent, and it surprised me. I expected to see, certain types of food, or drinks, or makeup, or maybe a flat iron, or I don't know.. social media maybe. I didn't know much about it. But that's what I figured. I have never done this before, and didn't know much about it. I've been raised Christian all my life, went to a Christian private school, never learned about and honestly I didn't know anybody that celebrated it. I was under the impression Lent was only done in Catholicism...I know, I know, Christianity branched from Catholicism. But still...I hadn't learned about it until sort of recently, and that it is just removing something from your life that distracts you from Jesus.

So I read over the list and this is what I found....give up the guilt, fear, anxiety, comparing yourself to others...give it up! It's preventing you from a deeper relationship with Jesus! All fantastic things to give up. But as I thought about it more, and prayed about it,  God was telling me give up your expectations Ashley!

I was like, hmm okay God, maybe. I have been noticing this for a while and within the last few months realized it has been a problem for me. I hold people to standards and expect them to be a certain way. Where does it lead me? Well usually let down and then I get angry. So that can't be good. God has been trying to get me to surrender to this for a long time now and its been tough. I am giving up my unrealistic and unhealthy expectations for other people.

I can't expect people to: Always agree with me. Like what I like. Enjoy what I enjoy. Value what I value. Behave how I expect them to behave. Want what I want. See what I see. Desire what I desire. Treat me how I want to be treated. I mean the list could go on forever!!! 

How many unrealistic expectations do we have for our friends, spouses, our families, our coworkers, or even those bloggers who don't always write about something we want to read?? We cannot expect things to always be in our favor. It doesn't always work like that. 

Expectation is the father of disappointment. 

I can have desires for people, Just like Jesus has desires for us, not expectations. Theres a difference. He desires for us to love him back, but he died on the cross with no strings attached. When he covered our sin with his blood, he didn't expect anything in return.  Whats that I hear? The sound of sweet, sweet grace. 

Surrendering it all to Jesus and letting him take over this area of my life, something I try so hard to hold onto. Jesus sets the standard and I won't put that standard on other people. He is all the matters, he exceeds my expectations with so much more. And that's enough. He is enough.  

Bye bye expectations! 

Praise The Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.. who satisfies your desires with good things. ~ Psalm 103:2

What are some things hindering your relationship with Jesus? Have you realized it? Prayed about and let Jesus take over? He promises to be there helping you, every step. I can't do this alone, but he promises to help. It will be a process, but I'm ready for it. 

I want to hear about you!

Comment, share and show some love! :)

March Goals

How come I have never set up monthly goals for myself. Well this March will be a first! So here we go! 

---> Be more disciplined in spending quiet time with the Lord in the morning, even if that means getting up a tad bit earlier on my early mornings before class. That would be Mondays and Wednesdays, and I'm starting work at my new job, so that will take time away from my sleeping in days (or as my dad would call it my sleep-a-thon). So I will need to be getting lots of rest if I want to wake up early. With that being said, If I want to get up earlier, then I must go to sleep earlier. Ugh.

---> Maintain the peace in my apartment with my roommates. It's been a little crazy around here. We don't like facing conflict, and that has been a big issue lately. Oh boyy!

---> Give more.

---> Start coconut oiling ( oh yes I just turned that into a verb) my hair more. I have been slacking and OH the benefits that come from it! I have missed the softness.

---> Make my prayers more about thankfulness, and God focused.

---> Eat less sweets. You know how people have a sweet tooth?? Well that's all I have.

---> Stay consistent with my workout!

---> Blog more. :) And be intentional and serious about my blogs content.

---> Offer prayer for friends and strangers, and be willing to stop and pray for them in the moment. God is glorified in these moments, that so easily  I let it pass by all the time! So I should take the time and take advantage of glorifying him. Plus meeting a need of prayer for someone else is one of the best gifts you could offer.

---> Sign all day for at least three times a week, not using my voice at all. Today my roommates and I are strictly signing today. I need the practice, so I have to be disciplined in staying with this goal. Good thing two of my roommates are fluent! We will be signing all day, except between 5-6pm. Because Pretty Little Liars is on, duh.

So there are some of my goals, and now I have to stick to them because they are officially posted on my blog. Ha! Share, show some love, and comment! :) 

Weekend Recap

My weekend started Thursday and Greys Anatomy just made my heart so happy!! I'm a huge fan of the show! Jackson and April are my favorite and if you follow me on twitter you probably could tell by my crazy posts about the episode this Thursday. April went all runaway bride on Matthew and followed her heart and chose Jackson, and I loved it. I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say?? 

Anyways hope you guys watch, we can chat about it!

So on Friday I drove to OC with my friend Emily because she's from the area and I was able to visit my best friend Nichole this weekend. We got to spend time together, which is always fun we have been friends since we were eleven years old. Best friends is more like sisters. She is one of my longest friendships. We shopped, both of us bought new sunglasses. We went to Laguna beach even though it was rainy ( but hey it's Southern California, it's still nice!) and drank lots of coffee and chatted it up like always. We went in the hot tub like we always do when I visit her and then made a night trip to beach. Always more fun with boy we kept saying but best friends will do. :) ha 

Our church adventures on  Sunday are always interesting. Especially this week! 

What can I say I love living in So Cal! 

Now it's back to school on Monday and I'm already ready for the weekend. Anybody else? I recently got a job so my weekends won't be available like this anymore, so I cherished it. Caught the end of the Oscars what was up with best actress??! Anyways how was everybody's weekend?? Those were my highlights, how about you? I am so no ready for Monday. Comment, share, and show some love! 

Break-Ups Don't Always Suck

Whether your going through a breakup or the end of a friendship or just leaving behind an old season, please keep in mind that "There are far better things ahead then you leave behind" - CS Lewis

Remember God brought you through the last season of your life even if you thought it to feel like forever and your pain may have dragged on for more than you wanted. People grow and drift apart and decide they want different things in life and I believe true bravery comes from knowing when to let go and wanting the best for that other person. If you guys know who I'm talking about well then you probably know the situation..  I don't necessarily know where God is bringing me to, and that's okay. But like I've said before we are promised goodness and only the best because we are children of The Almighty. :) how great is that? Nothing is wasted and he has so much in store for me and you too!

Anybody recently learning to let go and trust that God knows what's best? I'd love to hear all about it! :) comment, share and spread love!