faith, freedom, food
faith, freedom, food
My hands are no longer in beautiful shape 24/7, my ring is starting to feel as if it’s been on my finger forever, and “wedding talk” is becoming a necessary segment of every catch-up and conversation. And while all of this is so exciting, and […]
Hi Friends! I am currently surviving off coffee after one of the most exciting/emotional/crazy weekends of my life. Full post on that pending… Today, however, I am excited to share with you the most well-edited and concise version of my testimony ever published. I am […]
Dear Maddie, You’ve heard it before. But when I met you, literally from the moment I saw you, I remember thinking, consciously, “I want to be that girl’s friend.” Little did I know, less than a week later, I would share more of my soul […]
I haven’t wanted to face it, let alone write about it. The very topic has caused me to close my laptop and attempt to anything and everything but write. I haven’t wanted to acknowledge its presence, but it has hit me: writer’s block. I would […]
I looooove finding new things to cook my fiancee. My wonderful fiancee… who has very specific tastebuds. 😉 As an aspiring homecook, this only makes for a very fun challenge. One of his favourite meals out is Boston Pizza’s shrimp tacos. So, I took to […]
It’s 9pm on a Tuesday. You’re exhausted. You barely found the energy to make dinner having almost succumbed to Miss Vickie’s and pickles as your meal, you did a load of laundry but folding it is a whole other story, and you really wanted to start working on that personal project tonight after work, but all you feel like doing now is curling up in your bed with Netflix and Instagram.
Sound familiar?
In case you missed it, I wrote a few weeks about avoiding procrastination.
Now, there’s a difference between mindful rest and procrastination. And with this post, I feel called to clarify that difference by sharing the number one thing, likely the only thing, that I believe it keeping you from achieving your goals: mindless consumption.
I have wrestled with my role as a both a content creator and consumer for many years now. Sometimes, I want to delete all of my social media, surround myself with books, and boycott the Internet. Other times, I’m in awe of the wealth of knowledge available to us online, excited about the other content creators I can support by reading their columns, and keen to write what I feel called to in this corner of the Internet.
So, here’s where I have landed. And please, do allow me the gift of your own opinion by commenting below.
Like books, online content can be incredibly useful and worthwhile. But that stops the moment the content becomes unlike a book.
Here is what I mean.
I don’t read books mindlessly. I don’t pick up a random book, turn to any ol’ page, and start reading. This is what I DO do with Instagram. I– sometimes instinctively– open the app, and allow my “feed” to chronologically– well– FEED me. Whether I care to admit it, or like the reality of it, or not, this is what my feed does. It feeds me information. So I am mindlessly, but still willingly, submitting myself to all sorts of content, without care for the truthfulness or merit of it.
When I choose to read a book for entertainment purposes, I am still choosing to read one story, carefully crafted by an author, that I can reflect on and learn from. When I scroll through random bits of content online for entertainment, I am not consuming anything meaningful or purposed, but most prominently a stacking of photos carefully curated to make individuals look their best. THAT is what our generation spends a lot of our time doing.
Yeesh. As a Christian, I personally believe I’m going to stand before my God one day and give an account for my life. The time I’ve spent mindlessly consuming is a deep conviction of mine.
Now, mindful consumption is a whole different story.
Again, like when I choose to read a book, if I set aside time to read a blog post, or curate an Instagram feed that contains accounts that post meaningful, relevant, worthwhile content that will help me to help others, I think it is a vital tool, given it does not become an idol in your heart, or a way to boost your own ego.
Mindful consumption– not just of social media, but anything and everything we consume– can lend itself to helping you, too, and your personal projects to thrive. I don’t mean I think we should shut people out of our lives, because “I hate people” is not an okay statement. It simply means being aware of the way we are spending our time, and the way that influences us and everything we do.
Think about it: how much time would you have on your hands if you didn’t own a cell phone? If the answer is “I don’t know what I’d do with my free time,” it’s time to wake up and see LIFE.
Part of mindful consumption for me has been understanding what I believe to be True.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
I am constantly discerning, through God, what is His will, and what is good, and what is useful, and what isn’t.
I don’t want to waste the time on this earth that is already a blink of eye-short.
Tell me…
The Procrastination Station.We’ve all been there. Itching to write, but finding our thumbs scrolling instead, our minds numb rather than busy. Staring at the mountain of laundry begging to be folded in order to free up the bedroom to look like something from a Pinterest […]
If you are unaware, this week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. As my contribution, I wanted to link to some of my past posts, as well as some other blog posts, that I think bring important awareness to eating disorders for those who are […]
Happy Hump Day my friends!
I get questions from time to time about the advice I most often consult in terms of my hypothalamic amenorrhea. While I am not healed from it yet, I am doing better than I have been in years and years. I truly believe that full healing is coming.
Here is the advice that has helped me the most:
Beauty Beyond Bones. Read THIS.
Since this has been one of the most asked about and read topics on my blog, I know that more of my readers are struggling with this than I may even know. The more actively I seek answers and remission, the more I feel called to share the journey, in hopes someone else will come to see the answers fruitfully.
I am praying for fellow women battling this, and trusting that this journey is producing a deep faith, ultimately making us better stewards of God’s faithfulness.
Hi Friends! Because I get more questions about this topic than anything else on the blog, I figure it’s something people are either interested in, experiencing, or want light shed on. I also think it’s important to talk about, remembering that I am not a […]
Since the ringing in of a new year, perhaps you have come across this image: And you’re probably familiar with this now dated one too: Many people are loving the new “food guide,” so perhaps my opinion will be unpopular one. But I have been […]
I have an unwavering, overwhelming, constant need to write.
I’ve had it since before I can remember.
When I was in fourth grade, my teacher entered a paper I wrote in a writing contest that I ended up winning. From that point forward, I was told my every English teacher that I should keep writing.
And this need to write hasn’t ceased… but my follow-through and actual time spent writing has.
I don’t blame anyone but myself, and relent my frustration toward one thing: technology.
So, I have some questions for you guys.
Do you feel guilty when you spend time consuming others’ creative content rather than creating yourself?
Do you push off “content creation” for relaxation? Or is content creation not on your radar?
Do you have goals and plans for your creative work? How do you prioritize those goals?
I have affirmation that part of my life’s work is meant to be in writing content that helps people. And while I don’t know exactly what that’s meant to look like, I simply keep trusting and walking in the plans God has for me.
Today was a day of errands all across the town.
I got my hair done for free by my beautiful friend Morgan to help her with her updo skills, went grocery shopping, and picked up my new glasses, all with the encouragements that make up #BellLetsTalk day ringing through my ears, while I thought, if these torturous illnesses exist and are people’s realities, we NEED to be talking about them.
And now I’m getting ready to do homework, but not without first sitting down to simply write.
And in the midst of confusion, of wondering more than ever “what the heck” I’m going to pursue in a career, and resting in Jesus, today of all days I know it’s ok to be confused, to be broken. It’s actually part of the calling.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Ps.147:3
Hi friends! I guess you could say I’ve been dealing with a January slump. 🙁 I always struggle in January, with the cold weather and snowy conditions. And yet, my wedding day is in the heart of January 2020. In the cozy Cambridge Mill, though. […]