Just thinking

There is an amazing Christian artist by the name of JJ Heller. She has such a unique sound and God is using her in amazing ways! She has a song called, "Small". I love this song so much because it really paints a picture for how a lot of Christians live their lives. The chorus breaks down like this,

"I don’t want to make you small
I don’t want to fit you in my pocket
A cross around my throat
You are brighter than the sun
You’re closer than the tiny thoughts I have of you
But I could never fathom you at all"- JJ Heller, "Small". The Pretty and The Plain (2007)

As simple as the song sounds, those are really powerful lyrics. A lot of us seem to think that our relationship with God is determined by the amount of Bibles we have and the crosses we wear. We always forget that even when we are pushing God aside and making Him our last or least important priority, He is right there bigger and stronger than ever. We have to remember the God created us and everything we are. He knows every word that will come out of our mouths and all of the deepest and darkest thoughts in our heads. 

We should be using our actions, instead of just using these material earthly items to show people how Christian we are. Why is it so easy for us to walk around with crosses on our necks and Jesus fishes on our cars, but it is so hard for us to verbalize our love for God. We are making him smaller than he really is. The song also says, "You love, in spite of us." God does not love us despite our flaws, He loves us in spite of them. He knows we are not perfect, but He does ask that we strive for perfection. God is like a child in some ways. All children want are for us to love on them and pay attention to them and want them. God is the same exact way. He does not want to force us to walk in His light- He gave us free will for a reason. But He wants us to come willingly, He wants us to pursue a relationship with Him and stop brushing him aside. 

There is nothing wrong with having spiritual symbols like crosses and bumper stickers, but God isn't a sticker you just put on your car and call it day. He is our Father, our Creater the Alpha and the Omega. He is love, and all He wants is for us to love on him and not be ashamed. I hope this inspires you to rejoice in the Lord and to pursue a relationship with him. Before I go, I just want to leave you with a Word,

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16 NIV

Blessings,

Brittany xoxo

Grab your tissue ladies!!!

 

Okay, so I just have to start off by saying that I am a HUGE Grey's Anatomy fan! If you really know me, then you will know that I will put life on hold to catch the new episodes! There is a re-run that I watched recently that really struck a cord with me- I basically cry every time I watch it! Well, to be completely honest, I cry when I watch most episodes of Grey's! :oD

This is from the last episode of season 3. Preston Burke is preparing to marry Christina Yang. Preston decides to try out his wedding vows to his room full of female coworkers- in the middle of open heart surgery no less. If you are ever wondering what speaking from your heart really sounds like, you should take a cue from Preston...
 

"Christina, I could promise to hold you, and to cherish you. I could promise to be there in sickness and in health. I could say till death do us part. But I won’t. Those vows are for optimistic couples, the ones full of hope. And I do not stand here, on my wedding day, optimistic or full of hope. I am not optimistic. I am not hopeful. I am sure. I am steady. And I know. I am a heart man. I take them apart. I put them back together. I hold them in my hands. I… am a heart man. So this, I am sure, you are my partner, my lover, my very best friend. My heart beats for you. And on this day, the day of our wedding, I promise you this. I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hands. I promise you… me.”

 
I don't know about you guys, but, how much more heart felt can you be? These are some of the most beautiful vows I have ever heard- and I have been to a million weddings. These vows are pretty much a showstopper! 

25 Things I ♥ About Me

1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE watching Jon & Kate plus 8!

2. I skipped work to wake up at 7am to watch Britney Spears' comeback performance on GMA

3. I love watching sappy movies, even though they make me cry

4. I have had the same best friend for 17 years

5. I read my Bible.. a lot.

6.I am so excited to start what I hope turns out to be a career with World Vision

7. I am very shy

8. Pink and Green are, and will always be my favorite colors- even when I'm 90!!!

9. I love babysitting Anya and Kyra- they are so fun!!

10.I love road trips

11. I still listen to New Kids on The Block and probably always will

12. I once went on a trip to Oklahoma with my mom and brother LoL

13.I can't wait to be a mom

14. I voted for Barack Obama and Joe Biden

15. I love going to get my nails done and being girly, but then they get in the way and I end up cutting them off.

16.I am proud to be a Virgin.

17. I love and am proud to be an Army brat!

18.I sponsor two beautiful little girls, Evelin from Mexico and Britany from Nicaragua.

19. I save babies for a living

20. I have finally learned to let go and let God!

21. I am 150% UNASHAMED of the Gospel

22. I have the GREATEST true friends in the world!

23. I love my lancer and I can't wait to hook him up

24.I have a Bichon/Poodle mix named Sammy and a Calico named Trixie.

25. I fully plan on changing the world some day!

Waiting Part 3

Another downside to being an advocate for abstinence is that, some of my friends think I look down on them. I can easily say the ninety percent of my friends are having sex on a regular basis. If you know me, you know that I love my friends more than anything. I don’t judge them based on their extra curricular activities and they don’t judge me based on mine. They know how I feel about sex, and my real friends respect me for making the decision; a lot of them also wish they had waited as well. I do have some friends that feel like they can’t talk to me about these things, but I do my best to constantly reassure them that I will always be there for them, regardless of the subject matter.

The only other downside I can think of is the reaction from guys. I have dated quite a few guys and can only think of one that was seriously taken aback by the fact that I would not have sex with him. He had a hard time understanding why sex just wasn’t as important to me as it was to him. Girls, let me just say one thing- if a guy decides he doesn’t want to be with you because you won’t have sex with him, then he is not worth it! Don’t let some guy you’re seeing tell you that he loves you or he wants to be with you forever just to get you into bed. The pain, tears and heartache that will follow are really not worth a few minutes of pleasure.

A lot of people wonder how a person could ever get through a relationship without sex. Once most guys realize that sex is not an option they tend to peace out, but not all guys. Being a virgin is a personal choice, and if you have enough conviction behind it you won’t have to worry about temptation, right? WRONG!! So very wrong! Why, you ask? Guys can be very smooth operators. He will probably tell you that oral sex isn’t sex and that’s all he needs to be satisfied. He may also tell you that those activities are okay because you can’t get pregnant that way and he’s clean so you won’t catch anything! When did guys all of the sudden become comedians?

So what do you do? You figure, “we will just make out and do things with our clothes on”, right? Sounds great in theory, but what happens when hands start to explore? What happens when he’s under your shirt or pulling at his drawstring? Do you keep going and pray that you have protection? Or do you remember that you are strong and in charge of your body and say no? Other sexual activities not including intercourse are typically meant to be a gateway in that direction. Doing those “other” sexual activities are just a big sign for you guy telling him you will eventually cave in a sleep with him. The hardest thing to do in a relationship is to tell your boyfriend that you aren’t ready to have sex- or so you think! There should be nothing hard about saying no and saying I am NOT ready to go there. But I know some of you out there aren’t as comfortable with talking about it in general so I will cut you a little slack.

What makes it so hard? A lot of things actually, it really just depends on the person, the situation and the relationship. If you are the type of person that never opens up about their feelings or you are not honest with people when it counts, then you are going to have a hard time telling someone you don’t want to have sex. If you are in a relationship that is just starting or you are with someone you don’t know completely, then it is going to be hard. It is really all about honesty and timing. No, I am not saying you should tell a guy on the first date, you don’t want to scare someone off who could potentially be “the one”. If you are not going to wait until you’re married to have sex, you should at least wait to do the act until you completely know someone inside and out, which means you shouldn’t even discuss it until then. I am not condoning premarital sex by any means, but let’s be honest- I’m not going to reach everyone.

That's it for tonight, hopefully this series will inspire young girls and guys to wait.

Many blessings xoxo

Waiting Part 2

There are a lot of good things that come from abstaining from sex, I mean, besides the obvious. We all went to school with that girl or that group of girls that were rumored to be easy or the school sluts. Unfortunately for them, a lot of these rumors were true. There were those girls that bragged about how many partners they had, and the girls that got bragged about. You would think that most people would try to refrain from having their names out there like that. Surprisingly enough, I think that these girls actually liked it. What really sucked is that I happened to be friends with a lot of them, and knew that the rumors were true. It was shocking to see the girls I have known for years were turning out to be so loose.

Now, besides the whole pregnancy thing, STD’s are becoming way too common. It used to be something that people were ashamed of and wouldn’t talk to other people about. It has since turned into a common conversation starter. I know quite a few people that have or have had STD’s and think it’s hilarious. I, however, do not find miscellaneous bumps, rashes, odors and discharge to be funny. Most young people have it easy and only get things like herpes and the clap, but everyone can’t be so lucky. AIDS is no joke, and is now more common than ever in women in America. It’s a serious thing and the risk shouldn’t be taken lightly. I don’t want to bore you with serious stuff; I just wanted to get a point across.

So, we have talked about the great reasons to wait, now let’s talk about the repercussions. I honestly do not care how people perceive me based on my sexual activities, or lack there of, however, people are going to talk. People seem to think that just because I choose not to have sexual intercourse I am a prude or an “ice princess”. If you have ever hung out with me you would know that is completely false. People will be talking about sex around me and in an effort not to offend me; they will deter their conversations in another direction. I’m not twelve. I am old enough and mature enough to talk about sex. I have had plenty of conversations about sex and don’t think that my lack of experience should exclude me from them.

That's it for tonight, hopefully this series will inspire young girls and guys to wait.

Many blessings xoxo

Waiting part 1

Most girls my age are on their 3rd or 4th sexual partners, some even more. Others have had their first babies. This is not a trend I plan on following. Sex used to be something you weren’t supposed to discuss, let alone do out of wedlock. Then, sex became something what was sacred and was only supposed to be shared with the person you were having it with. Now the meaning of sex is unclear. It has become something that all of the “cool kids” are doing. Everyone is having sex and no one is ashamed to talk about it. Contrary to popular belief, I am not saying you should be. If you aren’t having sex, people tend to think something is wrong with you; morals have completely gone out the window. It is very rare these days, to find a young woman that is a virgin. Losing your virginity at a young age has become a standard and a way of life for most young girls. Young girls are getting pregnant everyday. With the media glorifying celebrity pregnancies, girls are beginning to think that pregnancy is glamorous and that it’s just a walk in the park. These girls have no idea what being pregnant does to your body, especially at a young age when your body isn’t physically ready to go through that.

So many complications come along with having sex. Besides the obvious things like pregnancy and STDs, sex changes who you are mentally and emotionally. Being twenty-two is already a struggle in itself; this is enough stress for me. I work my butt off everyday to get where I am. I am finally moving out and away from the comforts of living rent free, having my food paid for and my laundry done by someone else on a regular basis. I’ve got enough things to worry about! No need to throw in a boyfriend with an overly demanding sex drive. I like where I’m at in my life. Do I wish things were different sometimes? Of course I do, who doesn’t? However, if things were meant to happen this way, then this is how they will happen. I have a very hectic work schedule. Any time I have off is spent cleaning, hanging out with family and friends, running errands; and in the off chance that I get some alone time, sleeping. I’m not saying that I don’t have time for a boyfriend because, trust me, I will make time. But I just don’t have time to get emotionally caught up in anything.

Friends of mine have become my inspiration in a way. Now, even though the chances of their situations happening to me are slim to none, there are still valuable lessons learned. Recently, I sat down with a good friend of mine and we discussed our former high school classmates. A huge chunk of those girls have since gotten pregnant, married, or a combination of both. I don’t know their individual circumstances so I can’t judge or comment really, but something has to be said when a large majority of the girls I know have babies.

I had a friend in high school who thought that being a mom was the greatest thing in the world, and she’s right. The only problem with this theory is that she was a junior in high school. She was in a somewhat steady relationship with the guy she was sure she would never break up with, (she has since married another guy), and she got pregnant more than once. A few miscarriages, a few years and an abortion later, they finally ended their relationship. Now, at 24, she is happily married and pregnant with her second child and is in a good place now. Some of the other girls I went to school with aren’t in such a happy place. My point with all of this is that you never know what is going to happen. No matter how safe or smart you think you are being so many unexpected things can happen. And to most of us, statistically, a lot of these things will.

That's it for tonight, hopefully this series will inspire young girls and guys to wait.

Many blessings xoxo

Ryan Seacrest (Edited)

People in the entertainment industry, Athletes and everyone else who
gets paid millions of dollars to do NOTHING piss me off!

Don't get me wrong, I love going to the movies and seeing stars like Cameron Diaz and Patrick Dempsey in horrible attempts at romantic comedies as much as any girl! I too appreciate dancing around to Heidi Montag's latest musical venture. But seriously?? I mean come on... really???

The number of people in the world that are starving has reach a staggering ONE BILLION
PEOPLE.....!!! And counting! That is absolutely ridiculous!!!

I know the economy is hitting the United States pretty hard.. but the fact
that we are hurting so bad means other countries less fortunate are
hurting worse!

Ryan Seacrest signed a new American Idol contract and he will make $45 million for 3 years just to stand up and host a
show! And that is only 1 of the shows he does- he also Cohosts E! News
and a radio show! Not to mention he is the "executive producer" of pretty much every E! reality show including Keeping up with the Kardashians, Girls Next Door and Kendra. He has been named the highest paid reality host ever!
disgusting.

I just find it so strange that we can't get out of debt, but we can pay some actors $25 million to make a movie. I also
find it strange that we complain and moan about how tight our finances
are right now and why won't the government help us out- yet we help
single movies make upward of $250 million at the box-office... is this
strange to anyone else but me??

I really just felt the need to gripe about that. I think it's appalling and really, who needs to make THAT much money???

For up to the minute hunger statistics, visit http://www.stopthehunger.com/

Enough

Sometimes I feel invisible,
Like the world is oblivious to my feelings.
I try to suppress my tears,
But they always flow out like
A river spilling into a pool with no drain.

I often look in the mirror and think,
“Am I pretty enough?”
“Am I funny enough?”
“Am I smart enough?”
“Am I enough?”

Then I wonder if I've had enough
I wonder if I can take anymore.
Am I strong enough?
Is this life worth enough?
The world will see my true feelings.
The world will see all of my imperfections.
The world will know that I am enough.

Why Can't You?

Why can’t you see me?
Am I invisible?
I’ve been waiting all my life to find you,
Why won’t you find me first?

Everyday that I see you,
I wish that we could be together.
Why do you make the wrong choice every time?

Why can’t you see that the girl
You have been waiting for is
Right in front of you?
I wish you could see that
We were meant to be.

All night I look at the sky and I know
That you are looking at the same moon.
Our hearts were meant to be one,
Why can’t you see it too?

In Like

In Like
Time goes by and I fall deeper in like.
The world keeps spinning, but my mind completely stops.
I close my eyes and all I see is images of you.
My heart is racing but I can’t move.
And I’m in like.

Time is moving so slow.
I feel your arms around me, long after you’ve let go.
The sent of your body still lingers.
And I’m in like.

I try so hard, but something happens
When you look at me.
I lose all of my words, and all of my
Thoughts just disappear.
When you kiss me I go weak at the
Knees and my body melts.
And I’m in like.

Some things never change...

This is a letter I wrote to God 10 years ago when I was 13!!!

Dear God/Jesus/Daddy/King of Kings,

I know you have one perfect person for everyone, and I am sure that is true. I asked you to help me make the volleyball team and you did. I asked you to heal my ankle when I sprained it during cheer leading practice and you did. I know this is something I don't have to ask you for because you already know it, but I just want to make sure we are on the same page! So here is my list:

*He has to be a man of God. If he only goes to church on holidays, then we will have a problem.
*He must love and respect his parents. If he only has one parent like me, then he must put them before everything, except for you.
*He must be honest- even if his honesty might hurt someone.
*Can he have dark brown hair? And be taller than me? Just asking!
*God, if it's not too much to ask, can he whisk me away on a white horse? A brown horse would be find too- I'd just like there to be a horse!

Thank you, and I love you!
Amen
Brittany Nicole Gray

Well.. here I am 10 years later- still waiting to be found by my man of God on his white horse :o)