Scriptured Inspiration

I've spent a lot of time in my Bible here lately.  It has always been my main source of hope, and it gives me uncomparable strength!

For two years I've battled some pretty tough fights with anxiety and depression, and it's been a struggle since my life changed with the fire in April.  But, I've also lived a very fruitful and blessed life when I was able to see past the gloom and smoke.  I have an unbreakable friendship with the Lord again and I can honestly say that I am refueled and rejuvenated every time I spend a few moments with God in the mornings.  My disciipline to have 'quiet time' everyday has definitely made a difference.  I am just a happier person these days... even when people try to break my spirit down.  I honestly think that because it is faithful to the Lord, and for the betterment of myself, no one can break this spirit of mine down. 

I continue to see the positives! 

Here are some verses that have kept my spirit up and my heart and soul full of faith!

God is great... He has provided for me and blessed me during a year full of downfalls. 

I continue on because of the promises I find in His word.

"HOPE WILL KEEP YOU HAPPY AND FULL OF PEACE."

-Romans 15:13

"IN MY DISTRESS I SCREAMED TO THE LORD FOR HIS HELP. AND HE HEARD ME FROM HEAVEN."

-Psalm 18:6

"Let me see your kindness to me in the morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for my prayer is sincere."

-Psalm 143:8

"BE HAPPY. GROW IN CHRIST.

LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE."

-II Corinthians 13:11

"Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God."

-Hebrews 13:9

"GOD IS AT WORK WITHIN YOU."

-Philippians 2:13

 

all images via weheartit

peace and love

b a i l y

Romans (my favorite!) 13:8

In my devotional today, I randomly opened up to Week 32//Friday on page 196.  Haha.  Because, I always do that.  I told my Mom the other day there was 'not a chance' that I would ever actually go IN ORDER when doing a year-long devotional.  I mean, to have my attention for a few minutes daily is a chore enough, to get me to do it in order and step-by-step.... not going to happen!!

WAAAYYYY too A.D.D.!  I think I have entertained my Mom quite a bit the past couple of weeks as she has witnessed how profound my attention defecit can be at times!  It's definitely been a strange time in my life, but I'm just a baby bird with broken wings and her Momma is getting baby bird better.  Gosh, me and my analogies - especially the bird/freebird thing.  Haha.  Anyway, I just got veered off course talking about attention defecit disorder... (ya think!?) 

Back to my devotional... I loved the scripture and if you know me and my 'saving grace' (hint: the book of Romans) then you know this one is a very favorite of mine! Romans 13:8

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

I love this one right now in my life!  My parents are living examples of the most unconditionally loving people I may ever know.  I've lost some really close people to me here lately, in the past few months since everything began unraveling for me, but my family and best friends have remained warriors in their faith in me and without that belief they have in me and the hope I get from it, I wouldn't be able to fight my battles every single day. 

This verse just spoke to me in so many ways and made me realize what blessings I have around me and who take me in to make sure that I do what's best for me from here on out.  4

I love how God speaks to me every morning as I go about my quiet time with Him.  He has shown me so much in recent weeks and I continue to love the life He has given me because despite the turbulence it is blessed, indeed!!!

peace and love

baily

inspiration

Hello! It's Wednesday!

Happy 'Hump' Day

hey Friday, hurry up - will ya?!

I was approached by one of my good friends from the College of Communication and Information Sciences a few days ago.

She was a dear friend who helped me out in more ways than I probably ever expressed to her.

I always enjoyed being around her because she wasn't in the same group of 55 girls that went with me

to pledge parties and sorority 'swaps.' She wasn't a Tri-Delta but I took to her freshmen year

because she had a lively spirit and a Godly soul and I always wanted to be around her.

Thus, when I have a chance to see her - I usually get excited because I know she is going to inspire me to think outside the box and find ways I can put all mypassions together to live one very passionate life!

So, when I ran into her the other day, I was so excited that she was reading my blog!

She also told me that I would always be a journalist in her eyes - as if I don't hear that enough!

I assured her that what I was doing in my career was what I felt led to do.

(I told her of the day I was in my car driving down the road and had to pull over because I felt

so moved by something. I immediately hung up the phone and called the boy I was dating at the time to

tell him that I planned to switch my major in Journalism and my minor in Public Relations to a major in Child Development and Early Education and a minor in Family Studies.)

She said, "well that sounds like a lot more fun than CLEVELAND!"

Yes, I once fell in love with a boy and told him I'd move to Cleveland if that was what was in store for his/our future.  Looking back on that today, the way I felt when I said that, I would have moved to South Dakota for him. But, seasons change, so do cities.

It's weird looking back on all the hopes and dreams I had over the past 5 years. I've gone through some phases - some high's and low's and I think that the biggest feat I've ever had is that I'm still standing.

She asked me how I was doing since the fire. A lot of people no longer ask me this question because they have seen me day in and day out or keep in touch with me on a regular basis, so "fire talk" isn't really the conversational content with those people usually. Talking about the fire on a serious level usually happens few and far between. But, when it does, it always happens with me saying..

''alright, enough... I don't really talk about this that much.''

Where others might disagree - because I tended to de-stress when I needed to, and failed to notice who was around me and who else I was stressing out (I just thought that was part of friendships and relationships).  And it is, to a certain extent.  I just wish I would have talked on that 'serious level' sooner

so that maybe some of the stress would have subdued itself by now.

My friend, the quirky journalist girl who lives the dream of spaghetti-o's and a cramped apartment in New York City.  Ahhhh, to a writer - that IS the dream.

Except I might have to take it to the West Coast and be a San Francisco writer.

The Big Apple overwhelms me.

She's inspired me to really pray about what I want to do and what I want my hobby to be.

Obviously, I want to play a role in making a positive and life-changing difference in children with disabilities.

I want to make the world a better place by showing people that love doesn't stop when an extra chromosome is thrown into the mix, and we should love all of God's creations.

I want to write. But I want to write about what I want to write about, not some bia of an editor.

And I want to glorify Christ in all that I do.

You know what the Carrie Bradshaw told me? (Even though she's so much like Charlotte!)

Why don't you make another blog and make it about something totally specified.

I told her of my sports blog, but she says even though I have an insane amount of football and basketball knowledge for a girl my age, that I have lived a far more interesting life.

She said,

"You're a liver. You aren't one of those girls that has stood on the sidelines. You have no idea the amount of respect that so many people have for you. I knew you weren't going to hold a microphone in your face on the sidelines of Thursday night football games. You knew it too - that is SO not Baily Jones!"

I have never had such a compliment be said to me at such a right time.

When I was told I had compromised myself, or settled into a life I didn't really want, or that I had lost strength and drive, I am reminded by people that didn't even see me go through what I went through from a zoomed in view like some, but yet they know what my heart is and they know my potential.

I still wake up in the middle of the night and want to scream out and ask 'why me?'

I want so badly to look into the same blue-green eyes and promise them I haven't lost ambition or drive.

I want to take a reallllyyyy long nap, so that I won't be as tired and irritable - but no time for that!

Hence, why I'm in this little whirl-wind right now.

But I just wanted to express how much that meant to me. And how much I really am going to pray about an even more detailed direction in life now that I am closer to graduating, and whether I like it or not - I'm a one man show and I can make the best of it.

I do feel like the past two weeks I have learned a lot about Baily. I learned that in every decision I have made, I made it for myself. It's easier to sleep at night knowing I haven't disappointed anyone but myself. And I forgive myself a lot more than others are willing to forgive me.

I know, because I've walked a mile in a lot of unfortunate pairs of shoes. The painful ones, the dreary ones, the happy ones, the ridiculous ones, etc. I know that some things I have done along the way have been wrong, but I choose to do what the Lord does and 'feel' and find forgiveness for others rather than working solely on principle. If I had made every decision, or turned every person away based solely on principle I would not be known as the girl that is a liver. I wouldn't be the go-getter. I'd play it safe, and stand on the sideline and watch life go by. It's so much more fun to play the game and to play the game with people you love most because that's what it's all about - in my opinion.

And what's exciting is that there are other peope who share that same belief with me.

I know I won't meet these friends and lovers by standing on the sidelines, though...

so put me in, Coach. I'm ready to play!

Love life and Life with love you back!

peace and love

baily

What a happy little piglet-dog!

She loved swimming at Oak Mountain State Park when

me, mom, dad, ashley, and tyler brought the dogs there.

She's such a smiler! And she loves to pose!

Daily Quiet Time Scripture

Proverbs 11:8-9

"The righteous is delivered from trouble,

and the wicked walks into it instead.

With his mouth the godless man would destroy

his neighbor, but by knowledge the

righetous are delivered."

missing child&prayer request

 Over the weekend I was informed of a news story happening in my hometown in Florida. 

If you know anything about me, then you will know that what I am about to tell

you is something that is really bothering me and very heavy on my heart.

On Friday afternoon an 11-year old little girl by the name of Nadia Bloom, who is mildy autistic, went missing.  The search has continued since Friday.

According to the Winter Springs Police Department, this is the largest "missing

child" search that the city has taken on in over 20 years.

Nadia's bicycle was found just outside of the gated neighborhood in which she and her family live shortly after she was presumed missing.

How terrifying this must be for her parents, friends, and family.
 It would terrify any parent if this were to happen to their child. 
But how in need of comfort the Bloom family must be to know that

their child is mildly autistic,
and therefore may lack the knowledge or awareness of the dangers
 in this situation. The Bloom family is in need of prayer
 for comfort and support during this time.

The WSPD and the Seminole County Sherriff's Department are searching

a 3,000 acre area that is dense with swampy, marsh-like woods.

Please continue to pray for

the protection of Nadia,

comfort for her family,

and above all else,

her safe return.  

Psalm 22:24

FOR HE HAS NOT DESPISED OR DISDAINED THE SUFFERING OF THE AFFLICTED

ONE; HE HAS NOT HIDDEN HIS FACE FROM HIM

BUT HAS LISTENED TO HIS CRY FOR HELP

PeAcE & LoVe

and to God be the Glory

Bjj

penguin love

Did you know....

That when a penguin finds it's soulmate, it stays with them forever?

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

HIS will; NOT my own

I started doing a devotional with my mom and my Aunt Paula.  It seems that me in my early 20's and them in their "older" years, still have trouble with finding our purpose in life.  It's a funny thing about life - you can make plans, have an agenda, and set goals, which all greatly attribute to success but success and finding your purpose are not the same things.  I think I have had a really hard time realizing this until I started working through the 40-day devotional.  "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren is the study we are doing and I feel like I've already achieved a great sense of peace in my mind in just the few days I have been participating.

Already, I feel humbled.  I have always believed that God is the Creator of all things and that all things are possible through faith in him.  I believe that he created the world, that he created me, and that he created every living thing for a purpose.  Including ME!  I guess what really popped out in the book to me, thus far, is this analogy:
If an inventor came and handed you his new invention it would be of no value if you did not know how to work it, what it was, or what it's purpose is.  The same thing is us as humans.  God created us and if we want to know who we are, how to be, and what our purpose is.. then we need to ask God because he is our "user's manual" and "instructional packet".  We're gadgets at the hand of God, and we need to seek him in order to seek ourselves.

I got to thinking about relationships after I read this.  Friendships, romantic relationships, familial relationships, all of it.  There's an old saying that says "a woman's heart should be so on fire for God that a man should have to seek God in order to love her heart."  How wonderful is this in any of our relationships?  I would not have the loving relationship with my mother, father, sister or brother-in-law if I did not have a relationship with the Lord.  My dad is so disciplined by the will of God that in order to understand him and live a successful life that he has so greatly been an example of, I stay true to the Christian values and morals that he taught me over the past 22 years.  Same goes for my mother.  She is a God-fearing woman who has exemplified the kind of sacrifice and love that only a mother and a Savior could ever show.  She is Christ-like in so many ways when it comes to love - the UNCONDITIONAL love - that she pours out into the lives of everyone around her.  My sister, well, if you have read my blogs than you know how deep my adoration and admiration go for her.  She's a wonderful human being who is compassionate in work, life, and leisure.  She is one of those women whose on fire for Christ and the best relationship/friendship you can have is with someone like that.  She challenges me to give my life over to God so that I can live a blessed life in so many ways.  My sister and her husband are the prime example that life with God being a top priority is such a beautiful thing.  It's not as dark and gloomy in their world because God is in control.

That is my challenge in life now.  I'm humbling myself and admitting that for a while now, God has not been the one in control of my life.  I've tried to decide my fate, chase down my destiny, and MAKE everything fall into the place that I want it to.  I have ignored the fact that God is in control of my life, he knows my plan, and in order to discover myself as a person, I must turn to him because he knows me, my thoughts, my heart, my dreams, everything - he knows everything about me. The past, the present, and the future.  Why would I not want to draw myself closer to the higher being that created me and all the wonderful things around me?

He created the ocean and the sandy banks, the mountains and their mist, my boxer pup and all the other precious creatures, the palm trees in my front yard in Florida, the loving family and amazing friends.  All of the things that I love most in this world are made by the hands of God.

So, as so many philosophers say and I've come to realize, we really are just a blank canvas that God has made into a masterpiece.  We have to love ourselves and love our God so that the masterpiece stays that way and doesn't turn in to some worthless, faded, old mess of a painting.  To keep things beautiful, and to spread the beauty around the world, we must turn to God and discipline ourselves to live by HIS will and not our own!!

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible... everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. -Colossians 1:16

Peace & Love & Blessings from God
Bjj

Daily Scripture

Matthew 7:1

New International Version

Do not judge; so that you will not be judged.

With Kabbie Rains in Tuscaloosa (September 2009)

Daily Scripture

Romans 8:28

New International Version

And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to them who are the called, according to his purpose.

This past weekend with friends/DDD pledge sisters. Kathleen Henderson, Me, and Kathryn Cook.

Daily Scripture

Since I forgot to write a daily scripture yesterday, and this being the first Sunday since I started the Daily Scripture, I thought I would share my very favorite bible verse.  I have lots of "favorites" so I am going to post one of them on Sundays.  I usually just open my bible and start reading and share the verse, from what I just read, that means the most to me/applies to me most on that particular day.  However, some days it is just good to revert to my bible that has 11 years worth of highlights, notes, and lists of favorite and meaningful scripture.  This verse has been a favorite since October of 2002.  I will always remember this verse (even if it wasn't highlighted and noted in my bible) because I found it completely enlightening that my Pastor preached on this verse in a Sunday sermon my sophomore year of high school.  The day before this very Sunday sermon that  I am referring to, I set my personal record in a cross-country race.  Not only was this a special weekend for me, but I never beat that time ever again in the remaining two and a half years of my cross-country career.  The fact that this verse was spoken to me the very next day made this racing highlight even more memorable.  And, this verse - about 'running the race' - has served as a guide in my life-journey.  I know I am still 'running the race' and that only God knows where my finish line is.  Still, I try my best to keep a steady pace and practice endurance and strength as a Christian woman.  I hope we all run our races with an aim at receiving the prize - the ultimate prize - seeing our heavenly Father and living an eternal life with him. (Leave me a comment and share YOUR favorite bible verse).

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

New International Version

Do you not know that in a race all of the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be diaqualified for the prize.

At the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Cali. for the BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Alabama vs. Texas

With friends: Richard Crump, Preston Nash, Me, Baker McConnel, Collin Jones, Michael Horner and Eric Sand.

Daily Scripture

1 Corinthians 1:18-21

New International Version

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through it's wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believed.

With friends, Megan Bevis and Justin Core, in Oviedo, Florida this past December.

Daily Scripture

Psalm 9:18

New International Version

But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

With friends on our Spring Break 2009 trip to Key West. Will Pappas, Me, and Braxton Pruitt

Daily Scripture

Psalm 103:13

New International Version

As a father has compassion on his children, the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

My Dad and Jackson at the Dog Beach.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!

Daily Scripture

Isaiah 43:1-2

New International Version

Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.  When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

With roommates at the National Championship Celebration at Bryant-Denny Stadium

Elena, Sarah, Me, and Stephanie

Daily Scripture

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Proverbs 31:25

New International Version

With friends in Jacksonville Beach, August 2009.  Me, Savannah, and Jennifer.