Old Made New

What's one thing you can do when you wanna turn into a brand new 'you'?

DYE YOUR HAIR!! :)

My natural hair color is blond. I'm pretty sure you would still be able to figure that out even now with my hair dyed darker. I can live up to the image of a "dumb blond" sometimes. After things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to my first semester of college, I felt I needed a change. The first thing that came to mind was to dye my hair.

I dyed my hair auburn in high school but then ended up changing it back to my natural blond color. Everyone seemed to like it, so I decided to try it again. It turned out good and I like the change a lot. Hopefully a lot of other people do too, but in the end, what matters most is what I think.

When I looked into the mirror this morning, I felt like a new person. I don't know how to exactly explain it, but I felt like my past was in the past and there it was going to stay forever. I know changing your outward appearance doesn't change what you feel on the inside, but I'm trusting in God to deal with all of that.

If you need a change in your life, you don't have to exactly change your hair color. There's lots of other ways, like changing your daily routine, the way you dress, or maybe even getting more involved in church/school activities. Whatever suits you best, I say "Go For It!!". Just make sure you stay the true person you are :)

Sincerely,

LOVE

God's Unexpected Plans For ME!

Do you ever just wanna give up sometimes? Maybe your hearts been broken way too many times and you constantly  keep telling yourself that you're just gonna stay single the rest of your life because you're tired of being hurt. Or maybe life has just been too overwhelming and you blame all your problems on God. You tell yourself that if God really loved you, he wouldn't allow all this crap to happen to you. I was one of these people but God has touched my life drastically in the last couple months.

A mistake I made during fall semester was not getting involved and reaching out to make friends. I spent all my time with Zack and once we were no longer together, I became so lonely and did everything by myself. Well, this semester things have changed. I've hung out more with my wonderful roommates Sammie and Sarrah, and some other amazing girls: Anna, Lindsey, and Michele. I couldn't of asked for any better of a group of friends. Through getting to know them, I've started to come out of my shell. I just hope they don't start getting annoyed by the loud, crazy Courtney I can be. It's nice not having to sit in my dorm all day with no one to hang out with. I don't think they realize how much it really means to me just to be invited to go shopping, eat dinner together, or even just sit in Anna's room and be our crazy selves after drinking mochas too late at night. I truly love these girls and feel so blessed :)

I give all the credit to God for these amazing changes in the past month. I started spending more time with him by reading his word and doing daily devotionals. I've come to realize that doing this really does help turn your life around. When you feel like giving up or that all hope is lost, just give it all to him. It doesn't hurt to turn the TV off for 20 minutes a day to spend time with God. Would you rather watch That 70s Show while your life stays a mess, or would you rather sent aside a time with God each day and watch your life turn into everything you have ever wanted it to? You choose!

Psalms 13:6 

"I'm yelling at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers!"

Sincerely, 

LOVE

You are B-E-A-UTIFUL!

So today as I was walking to my morning class, I passed a group of guys. One of them looks at me and asks his friend, "How about her?".  His reply was, " She's got nothing to look at, dude!!".  Inside I was thinking, "What a jerk!!"

Truth is, we are all beautiful! Every guy doesn't have to find you attractive. In fact, God has placed one guy on this earth for you that will make you feel like you are the most beautiful girl in the world. He will treat you like a princess and be the man that you deserve to have.

Guys can be total jerks sometimes and you just gotta deal with it. They take so much longer than girls to mature. Even though I'm in college now, there are a lot of guys here that still act like they are in high school. We all wish they would just grow up and be the men we women want them to be. Guys probably don't even realize how hurtful the things they do and say can be. They are all CLUELESS!! 


So girls, never look in the mirror and think......

• I'm so ugly!
• Wish I could look like (enter name here)
• Why can't my face be clear of acne like every other girl?
• Wish I was taller
• Wish I was skinnier
• Wish I had a sense of style
• Was it true what that guy said about me? Do I really not have anything to look at?

Instead look in the mirror and say:

• I'm beautiful the way I am!
• I love my height
• I love my body type
• I look good no matter how I dress
• Those guys are stupid! I mean, look at me! I'm so gorgeous, any guy would be lucky to have me!

Genesis 1:27 says:

"God created women(it actually says men but I made a little tweak) in his own image, in the image of God he created us."

**You definitely aren't ugly or worthless if you were made in the image of God**

Stay B-E-A-UTIFUL ladies!!!!

Sincerely, 

Love

How do you get over a guy you love?

How are you suppose to get over a guy you've fallen head over heals in love with? How are you suppose to act when you see him around but he doesn't even seem to notice you? Why does it seem impossible to be friends once the relationship is over? No one asked me these questions but I have wondered these things for myself.

• When you fall in love with a guy, the truth is you're gonna love him the rest of your life, even if you deny it. I believe that if you can stop loving them, then you were never in love in the first and said it just because you thought it sounded good. It's gonna take time to get over the routine of being with them though. I know from experience that's it is the hardest thing ever to be with and talk with that someone every day and then go from that to having no contact at all. There are gonna be days that you're gonna be strong and not think about him at all. Then, there are gonna be days where all you think about are the memories and you just wanna lay in bed all day and cry your eyes out. You have things in your room, like a Reeses pillow and sweatshirt he gave you or photos of you two together, but what do you do with them??
• When you see your ex around school, it's so hard not to just look at them and smile or say 'hi'. Believe me, they are most likely feeling the same way you are when they see you. It's even 100% possible that they think about you just as much as you think about them. Sometimes you just gotta look away and pretend you didn't even see them. The best option is to walk around campus with friends so that your eyes don't wonder in a direction that could make your heart feel like dropping.
• I think it's possible to be friends with each other after the relationship is over, it just depends on if each of you are willing to put everything aside in order to do that. Yes I know you've kissed and held hands or maybe even gone a little bit farther than that. In my recent past relationship though, it was more then just a bf/gf bond, we became best friends. We shared everything with each other, even goofed around wrestling or having a pillow fight(not kinky at all). So I not only lost my boyfriend but also my best friend. I'm willing to put everything aside and be friends but like I said, he has to be willing to do the same thing in order for the friendship thing to work out.

**An important note!!**

Never jump into another relationship quickly after you've just got out of one. If you just so happen meet a new guy, take it slow. Make sure you're not using him as a rebound. Not only take it slow because of that, but because you need to find out everything about him first. You don't wanna find out his true colors later down the road when you're together and the pain of losing them hurts worse then it could of if you just waited.

If you're asking these same questions and you just feel like your heart is still broken, go do something to keep yourself from dwelling on the sad times. Go on a walk, hang with friends, make new friends, just don't spend too much time alone. Most importantly, give it all to God!! 

Revelations 21:4 says,

"He will wipe away every tear from your eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

Sincerely, 

Love

Dear Desperado 1 and 2

"Why are all the good guys, that are cute, taken or gay?"

Well the answer to this question is simple........they aren't! I use to ask this question all the time, but the truth is, all the good, cute guys can't all be taken or gay because I know for sure that God has a plan to bring along someone perfect for both me and you. He doesn't want us to be single the rest of our lives, if that's not the desire we have for ourselves. As we grow older, we begin to become more and more discouraged about finding the one meant for us. Don't get discouraged at all!

If you look at my life, you would see that I've only dated 2 guys, but each relationship ended in a heart break. So make sure you don't go "looking for love in all the wrong places". 

My advice to you is to sit down and make a list of all the characteristics you want in your future husband. Keep this list somewhere safe. Try and pull it out once a day, and pray to God that he will bring a guy into your life with all the qualities you desire in your soul mate.

           Psalms 37:4 says, 

" Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." 

It will come when you least expect it. It could be today, or tomorrow, next week, or even next year. Just be patient and trust in God!

Sincerely,

Love

We Always Question God Why?

My life always seems to have its ups and downs, starting ever since I was a baby..........

• In the beginning of my life, I was diagnosed with cancer at 15 months old. 
• When my middle school years came around, I had no friends. I was known as the "Quiet Girl". I would sit by myself at lunch everyday until my 8th grade year when they built a new school and I had to transfer there. I made lots of friends but once that year was over, all of us were heading off to different high schools.
• In high school I became the quiet girl again. I made most of my friends in band. If I ever talked, it was only around them.
• I met a guy my freshman year in math. His name was Devon. He was the first guy to ever show interest in me. We started dating even though my parents didn't agree with it. For one, they thought I was too young to date and two, he didn't believe in God at all. We were off and on all throughout high school. He just kept breaking my heart but I still always went running back to him. 
• We were broken up for only a week, my junior year, when I heard he got with some girl sexually. I was so broken, especially since I was still struggling with friends, plus my dad(who I am so close to) was deployed for the second time overseas. Things became so overwhelming that I decided to sneak out of school early. When I got home I ended up overdosing on Tylenol. You might think I was stupid, and I was, but I just couldn't take the pain of life anymore. My mom and sister ended up rushing me to the E.R. I was fine after everything was flushed out but sadly, my heart was still so broken.
• Devon joined the Army after he graduated. We got back together despite everything. I had shirts that said "Army Girlfriend" and we each had a dog tag with our picture on it that said "forever". Our relationship ended when he came home to visit from his duty station in Germany. It was because I found out he had been talking to other girls behind my back. Something finally clicked in me that I needed to move on and fine someone who treated me right.
• After I graduated, I ended up going to Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. I'm studying to become a nurse on pediatric oncology. I met a guy named Zack my first week through friends of my roommate Sammie. He was so sweet and believed in God. He treated me with respect, opening the door and paying when we went out, plus he accepted me for my past. The one thing that amazed me, was that he always made sure he would pray before every meal. I wasn't use to being around a guy that did all of that. I also fell in love with his family. His mom treated me as if I was her own daughter. After a month of dating, problems started arising. He would get jealous easily, and he let his anger and life struggles get the best of him, taking it all out on me. I was hurt by the things he would say and do. After taking time to get to know each other first before we dated, I never expected this would be the outcome. I fell in love with him hard and he became my best friend. It's been so hard to let go especially when I see him around campus. I pray for him every day though because I know he could be the most amazing guy ever if he just worked through all the life issues he's facing. 
• Over winter break my sister got married. Her husband is in the Army and stationed in Oklahoma. We have always been like best friends, so her moving so far away from home was the toughest thing I have ever had to face.

Well this has been all the crazy, hectic things that have happened in my life so far. I have cried many tears, more than I should have within my first 18 years of life. My question has always been "Why God?". The answer to that question is, God didn't cause all of these problems in my life but he did allow them to happen to see if I would stay strong and lean on him. I know I have failed at trusting God through all my circumstances, but now I am trying to turn my life around and grow closer to him. God has shown me that I can use everything that I have been through to minister to people that are struggling with the same situations.

So this is why I am starting a blog called "Dear Love". If you're facing some tough life struggles just message me and I'll be happy to help and give the best possible advice I can give to you. I was given the middle name "Love" for a reason, and I believe that is to love everyone no matter what.

I leave you with the most important advice I could ever give and that is GIVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND PROBLEMS TO GOD.....HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN IF YOU JUST TRUST AND BELIEVE!