The Journey of Life

This past Sunday I celebrated a HUGE accomplishment of my life. It had been three years since I graduated from Mercy Ministries. Mercy is a place for young women to go deal with any type of addiction, unplanned pregnancy, sex trafficking, anxiety, depression, abuse, life controlling issues, neglect, self harm, and much more. If you want more information on Mercy please email me personally at whitneyrwest@yahoo.com or get on their website www.mercyministries.org

I truly found God at Mercy. I was a very broken person and hated myself. I was not a pleasant person to be around. I was a burden to others and since I was hurting, I hurt others. What a life to live? it was miserable life. I didn't realize how miserable I was until I truly found God in my life. I began to find joy, and I mean the REAL joy that only God can bring into your life. I had so many things to overcome when I walked through the doors of Mercy. I dealt with addiction, abuse, anxiety, depression, self harm. It was a dark life that I had lived for way too many years. But it was a turning point in my life. It set a foundation for who I would be today. No, I'm not perfect, I'm actually far from it. I now have tools and even better God to go through life.

As I've shared of how I overcame alot there and it was because I truly found God for myself and put him first in my life. Things have been very challenging being in the real world. As things have been a lot better over the past three years, it still has come with many challenges. I have had struggles, depression, anxiety, other things come up that were deep wounds, and rebuilding friendships. Its all been a challenge. I have gone back to counseling at times, I have had people pray over me, encourage me, and just listen. But the thing thats different is, is that even at my lowest points of being home from Mercy, I have had God to turn too and seek.

God is a God who works miracles in our lives and he still does each day. To stay in a healthy place I have to seek him daily and when I am not fully seeking him is when I fall back into old unhealthy habits. Its a journey friends. So when you have bad days know that you're not alone, we are in this battle together. I wouldn't change my life and the things that happened to me and the choices I made. Yes, somethings are not pretty but its who I am today. I am able to help people that other people can't reach and bring encouragement to others. It is all God.

Embrace your journey! It may not be pretty but its a journey God will bring you through, if you're willing to allow him to ride the journey with you. Be who you are. Its not easy and you will have set backs. One of my favorite quotes that's not spiritual at all. And excuse one word in it.

"Pull up your boot straps and wade through the shit" yes not spiritual but true. Sometimes we just have go put one foot in front of the other to make it to the next step. You are worth fighting for. So keep fighting! 

Obsessed

Yes, that's me. I'm not one to post "selfies" on social media. But this has a purpose and what I'm going to talk about on the blog today. We are obsessed with being connected to everyone's lives through texting, social media, blogs, recipes, FaceTime, skype, YouTube, snapchat, candy crush, and much more.

Well this is me on Friday night. I'm pretty embarrassed to have received a text from the friend I was with at the time. She snapped this picture and texted me the simple word "HEY??" I looked up and said this really did just happen. And I think I was on facebook at that moment. Nothing important and forsure not more important than my friendship. But I was more engaged in social media than my relationship in person. Makes me sad to be honest. Makes me think.

We are ALL guilty of this. Some are worse than others when it comes to their phone than others. But this really made me think about how obsessed we are with being connected to everyone, every second of the day. I'm beyond guilty of this. But it stopped me in my steps and encouraged me be more cautious about when I use my phone.

This is my observation of how my generation has become:

* We are not having "real" friendships and relationships. We are using our phones to text and get on social media. that's how we communicate in our relationships. We need to pick up the phone and actually call a friend or even FaceTime instead of just texting. Take that challenge and call just one person this week.

* We don't have "enough" time in the day. How many times do you hear people say this? I DO! But count up how many times a day you are on your phone, texting, social media? GUILTY.
My challenge here is limit your time to "X" amount of minutes or hour on your phone.

* When you are spending time with your friends and family, how many times do you check your phone? Friday I was with a girl I mentor and I answered the phone. HOW RUDE???
My challenge here is tuck your phone in your purse and only get out if you know you are expecting a call or text that's important.

* We sleep with our phones. I'm preaching to the choir tonight! So when you say "I'm so tired" think about how many times your phone buzzed and took you out of REM sleep. I am not as guilty of this and that's because I plug my phone in and put it on the floor.

* We are obsessed with others lives. We want to know what everyone is doing or whose dating who. So we stay on Instagram and Facebook and look at everyones life. I have been stuck in the cycle and I became depressed because I was comparing my life.
My challenge here is use that time to go on a run, call a friend, write a letter, go walking, cook a meal. Get off of it!

* What do you do when you get bored? Go straight to the phone....
My challenge is go do something productive. Find a new hobby, go outside, do something you love.

My list could go on, but I like to keep it short and to the point. It really made me realize how much we are consumed by everyone elses life. And we are not being fully engaged in our present relationships. So when you are with friends and family members, try and engage with them. Make them feel more important than the phone and others. I am challenged by this blog and will continue to work on this. Be fully engaged where you are and invest your time with those relationships. You never know when it may your last time with that person. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, texting, can all WAIT. Your friendship who are you sharing a cup of coffee with is more important than the above.

"Make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

New Perspective

Do you ever experience life as insane, chaotic, crazy?
Or your behaviors are acting as those?

Well I want to share about spending 11 days with my Princess. She truly is my hero. Anne Marie has a heart of gold. She wants to talk, cuddle, be close to where you are, and I love that. I miss waking up to her every morning now. But I learned a very important lesson on some of my actions this past week. I'm not a mother yet, but I know God will bless me with being a wife and parent one day. This past week I felt as a mom at times because Anne's momma was gone.

I was changing the laundry one day last week. And from another room Anne Marie was asking something. And I respond and say "hang on" "I'll do that in a minute." Something came to my mind after that comment. How many times have I told Anne that this week? I was then convicted on how does hearing that all the time make her feel? She was being put off. I know I would eventually get discouraged if I heard that all the time. Does Anne feel neglected? Does she feel sad or abandoned?  Does it hurt her feelings? It gave me a new perspective on how I am with her and others around me. I want to treat others where they feel valued, loved, accepted, wanted. I don't want them to question my motives or them to feel like they are unwanted.

But here's the twist and how God continued to work in my life. Yes I need to cherish and care for my friendships and others I take care of. These relationships are very important to me but God's relationship should always be first. I was thinking how many times do I tell God HANG ON, wait a minute, not now, I'll do it later? Its daily sometimes. It breaks his heart when we are not obedient to God.

I am challenged to watch my words towards others and God. I want to no longer tell God to hang on or wait a minute. I want to be obedient and follow his will right then. Yes I'll struggle with this and not be perfect but I'm willing to change this. Think about how much more peace you would have inside of yourself if you were to stop putting God off. His plans are so much better and bigger than my own!

Be challenged in how you react each day!!!