ThatTimeJuls...

 Life doesn't always take the shape of the plans you originally had. Sometimes you don't even see the life you hoped for. But, if you keep on the journey life will take you down paths you never thought would or could be worthy of.  I thought... isn't that the start of every downward spiral? I thought. Sometimes we need to go back a few steps, thoughts, moments to better understand where we are and where we're going. My oldest is chartering his path as a high school freshman. I can only reflect on my high school experience. When I was in high school all I wanted was to lay a foundation that would get me out of my city (New Orleans). I couldn't see past getting out. All I could see was how everyone around me looked stuck. I couldn't pinpoint when they appeared stuck because it seemed like that was life. And I didn't want that life. I wanted big city because I had big city dreams.  Moments make our lives and shape the decisions we make. I was blessed in so many...

Art by: Danielle Warsley Williams Instagram: @warsleywillcreate Art by: Danielle Warsley Williams Instagram: @warsleywillcreate   Lately, it seems like everything is toxic. If you don't agree with me you're toxic. If you agree with me too quickly, you're toxic. If our opinions differ in ways that make me uncomfortable yep you guessed it... you're toxic. We love to take an idea, concept, thought and milk it dry.  Me having healthy boundaries that protect my mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing will never be toxic. It will make you uncomfortable because the games you're used to playing no longer work. I will upset you because I'm standing my ground and you no longer have a foothold. Healthy boundaries are meant to keep the good in and the bad out. If you find yourself on the out wouldn't that make you toxic? Since toxic is something that is extremely bad to the point of harm it is safe to say better out than in.  There are times when we look at situations...

  When I was kid there was a group of Christian College Students that would come to my church every year and sing. I should probably point out that I was raise southern baptist. Every year when these groups would come my mom would make sure I got to church early. If anyone knows me, they know I don’t get to church early. When I was a teen and could drive, I would get to church late. I didn’t mind going to Sunday School, but I felt like if ever there was a moment to see the fake folk shine it was Sunday School. In their defense it could have also been the morning. I am not a morning person. I’m not interested in being up in the morning and I am surely not interested in the overly joyful personalities in the morning. Nevertheless, on the days the students were there I made sure to be to church bright and early. These students were so cheerful and obnoxiously kind, it would make my stomach turn. No offense to them but it just felt fake to me. I didn’t understand how they could be th...

  Growing up I struggled with my weight. Well, I thought I struggled with my weight, but I was a normal size for my age and height I just didn’t live within a community that said my size was normal. I don’t mean my mom. My mother never complained about my weight. I don’t have any memories of my mother saying anything bad or good about my size. Other than being short. I am short people will forever point out that I’m short. It doesn’t hurt… any more lol. I remember when I was around 10 years old. I was hospitalized with asthma issues for about week or more. It was so bad that my brother was called to come and see me just in case I died. Shortly after getting out of the hospital my life began to normalize again and I went back to doing kid things. I was however on medications. One of my church friends says to me that she and her mom have noticed that I’m getting fat. For context I was 10, just got out of the hospital from a near death experience, and on steroid medication to help k...

    I have so many thoughts about what I’d like to share. I just can’t seem to lock into one and go with it. I have so much gratitude for my friends and family that support me and have my back. And to add to it all I am an over thinker. I will take a thought and dissect it to the nth degree. I will then take the pieces and over analyze them too. Are any of you over thinkers? If you are an over thinker, I know you completely understand, and I feel for you. For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you. But his heart is not with you.” Proverbs 23:7. I have been thinking about this scripture and about what it means to me. I used to think the reason I have to capture my negative thoughts or the thoughts that weren’t like God was because I would become them. However, as I was typing the scripture, I noticed that it said thinks in his heart. There is a difference between thoughts that come into our mind and thoughts that take root in our hearts. I am...

    Wow I’ve made it to day 8. I don’t want to get to excited, but I want to celebrate small victories. This is the most consistent I’ve been since starting my blog. Thank you to everyone that is supporting my blogging journey. I’m so appreciative. I was looking at my youngest son plug something into the wall, and I remember the days I had wall protectors covering every outlet. My children are growing into amazing young men and I’m not ready. I remember when my life was consumed with making sure their every need was met. When they were babies, they couldn’t do for themselves. As they began to grow, they developed more independence. They became a little more self-sufficient and confident with each attempt at a new task. As a mom I wanted to make sure they hit every milestone. Hitting milestones was the way I knew they were growing healthy and strong. There were moments when they thought (especially my oldest) they were big enough, or strong enough to take on a task like...

  Where is the place you get your best ideas, thoughts, or dreams? Where do you talk to the Lord best? I seem to have the best conversations with Christ in the shower or in my car driving. It’s the moments when I don’t have a pen or paper and if I did, I wouldn’t be able to use them anyway. I am learning that sometime God just wants us to listen. We are so busy with the day to day of life that we don’t always have the time to sit down and think let alone listen for the voice of the Lord. I want everything God promised me. There are days where some of those promises seem so far. It’s those moments I must pause and listen. Just take a moment to center myself in what God promised me and allow him the space to pour into those areas that need him the most. Growing up my best friend’s parents would make us have bible study before we could leave on nearly every occasion. One of those bible studies we discussed the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The example pops gave was to l...