In a recent instagram post of beautiful beaches and warm scenery I suggested that 2019 was one of the best years I’ve had in a while. I suppose this is me telling those of you who take the time to read my thoughts, why.

Some people choose a word for each year. I used to do that, last year I didn’t. Last year instead I decided to pick a challenge. By decided, I mean that the Lord impressed it upon me to do so.. I attempted to be obedient. So last year I tried to be purposeful and say yes to things that scared me. Mind you, I’ve become a scaredy cat and at this point in my life, most things scare me. This world is scary. And I had gotten very comfortable, and had started to stay there…we can’t be having that if one wants to grow.

So, I said yes to moving offices when I was comfortable where I was and had no clue if I would like being around more people. I said yes to trips. I said yes to doing more things by myself like sitting in coffee shops and at panera bread, going to the movies…
I said yes to moving in with family. And more.

It’s the simple, little things that mattered the most to me and that changed me. Saying yes more often to little opportunities or going out even if I didn’t have anyone to go with me were the things that brought life back into me. Fear didn’t have a hold anymore, and it set my mind and myself free. So now, I just need to keep saying yes.

So that’s why 2019 was so much better than previous years. I’m so hopeful for the future years also. It feels like I’m coming back to life after a few years of feeling a bit lost. God is good and is so patient and gracious. Whatever season you’re in, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, to be obedient to God and to quiet yourself so you can be with Him.

I’ve recently been doing a light study on fasting in the Bible, whilst also trying the intermittent fasting fad. Studying it – has made me love it. I’m also really bad at it – unless it’s for specific spiritual reasons and I am desperately needing answers from the Lord – than I’m great. But unfortunately those are extreme circumstances. So as a spiritual discipline and a regular thing – its very difficult for me to do.

So why do I love fasting if it’s so hard for me to do?

It shows me my need. My weaknesses. It shows me that oftentimes my love for food and television outweighs my desire to commit myself to obedience to the Lord. WHOA. *face slap*
BUT, it also draws me closer to God. Because I see my need and my depravity/sinfulness I cling more to God. Because honestly – in my daily life – I don’t see my need for God as often as I do when I take time to do things that force it upon me. And I know I’m not the only one.

So here’s my confession/very recent learnings:
I fill myself up with things to feel a certain way. I eat food to cure stress, boredom and just for enjoyment. I watch TV to ignore my own life and emotions and for enjoyment and to rest also.

The things I enjoy, television and food and whatever else are all good things. Food is a necessity but the amount of food I often will eat – is not a necessity at all. It’s a comfort, it’s disguising certain feelings. It’s numbing. Anything good – has the opportunity to be taken advantage of.

I use the good and the bad reasons to fill myself up with things that don’t actually help me live a godly life and look more like Christ. Sometimes I can fill myself up so much that being able to actually see Christ in my life – becomes a difficult task. What a shame on my part.

My heart can’t overflow with Christ if there’s other things taking up His space. 

I want my heart to overflow with Christ. His love, His kindness, His justice and peace. His grace. But recently, I’ve oftentimes found myself turning my worship music down when at a stop light with my windows down. WHY?! Am I ashamed? I didn’t think so…but maybe secretly I am.

I write this for a couple of reasons.
1. To keep myself from becoming comfortable with NOT sharing about Christ. The Bible says to confess our sins – and although confessing on the worldwide web may be a bit unconventional to many – writing it out is helpful to me. Even if I didn’t post this and just wrote it – that would be something.

2. BUT, I post it because I personally feel encouraged when other believer’s post their struggles. We are also told in the Bible to spur each other on – I think this is a great way to spur one another on. Even people that we may not be in contact with every day, or are worlds apart. The internet gives us reach to so many more people than our own little communities. What a cool resource!

3. Also – if you know me and you read this – then you can help keep me accountable! You can tell me when you’re seeing/hearing me spend LOTS of time with my TV friends, or if I go for 3rds at dinner…you can ask if I’m actually still hungry?

 

I love Jesus. He’s given me new life – which is saying it lightly. There’s so much more than just new life He’s given. I want my life to honor Him but honestly I don’t know if it does sometimes. I don’t want to have to convince myself that I love Him – I want to be able to see it in how I’m living, in my relationships and in how I’m spending my time. He’s worth it.

 

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to You, “Your face LORD, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8

 

In a previous post I mentioned how going to counseling has been a huge help in my well-being. I would like to share with you my ‘counseling’ story so to speak.

 

It took me about ten years to actually have the courage to go to counseling. I should have gone a long time ago, but there was always this stigma of shame around the word ‘counseling’ for me. I never thought bad of others who went or needed it. I knew it was a good thing and a helpful thing. Whenever it came to me though, it was shameful.

When I was in Northern Ireland serving with YFC and at a local church I had entered into a season of great doubt. Doubt in God & my salvation and it led me down a really dark path. To the point where I had to leave to go home about 6-7 months early. How was I to teach & disciple young people in the ways of God if I didn’t even know if I believed in Him anymore? It was there in Northern Ireland before I left that I was just about to enter into counseling which was advised by my leaders but because I went home early, that opportunity went away and I never sought it out when I got home.

Then about a year and a half to two years ago I had a job review with my bosses (aka, Pastors). We had these papers where I had to rate myself on certain scales for specific things (task & character related) and they rated me on the same things. It became very clear from that meeting that my view of myself was disturbingly low and as one said, “not reality.” I didn’t argue with them because deep down I knew it to be true. Somehow through my 20’s for some reason my confidence was just destroyed. Confidence has always been an issue for me since I was a little girl, but mid-late twenties I think is when it spiraled downhill for the worse. It was after that meeting that counseling was suggested and I knew it was time to pursue counseling.

It took me about 6 months to actually make the call to schedule my first appointment. I kept putting it off, because it scared me. I believed it no longer to be a shameful thing and I knew I needed it, I just didn’t want to do it because I knew it would be difficult. But, I wanted to change. I was miserable and broken in my heart, my mind and in my work. So I finally made the call one day while at work and scheduled my first appointment and in June of ’18 I started counseling.

I hated it. (But knew it was helping) The first few months was really just recognizing how hurt I was. I had been hurt by judgements put on me for things about myself that I started to think were not okay or acceptable – but were true to who I am at my core. My counselor helped me to see that who I am – is actually okay. The fact that I am a very emotional and sensitive person, is 100% okay. The fact that I deeply care about people and care what they think, is 100% okay. She taught me different perspectives to help me in my thinking and accepting of who I am.

I also learned that my biggest fear and what I hate most – is pride. So my motivation to tear myself down and to not be confidant is to keep myself from becoming puffed up and prideful.

I learned that I am actually a motivated person. I always thought I was unmotivated but it turns out that everything we say and do, is motivated by something. Whether it’s positive or negative. And motivators are a good thing. If we can recognize what our motivation is, we can understand why we do what we do.

I also learned that I am a people pleaser. I need boundaries. So I’ve started to implement some boundaries for myself and that has done wonders for my emotional and spiritual health. (A book that helped me with this is ‘No More Christian Nice Girl’ ) It’s just a matter of keeping up with those boundaries (this can be the tricky part)

I think overall, the biggest things that I took away from counseling was 1) to celebrate and 2) that who I am, is A okay. It is okay to be me – and as I get older I will be more comfortable with who I am.

About late fall I started to go less because I was told I didn’t need to go every week like I had been. I was pumped. I had gotten to the point where I was able to say things that I did good and smile….instead of not being able to even admit good things I did at all, or cringe when I did even a decent job at something.

I also noticed that I started to become more intentional. More intentional to be more pleasant and supportive at work instead of the pain in the ass (excuse my language but sometimes it’s what portrays what is true) I was. More intentional in spending time with my friends. More intentional in my relationship with God and spending time in His Word and journaling and personal worship.

And then I started out 2019 with being told that I don’t need to go back to counseling unless I really want to. I celebrated with DQ AND Mcdonalds! Super healthy and great choices, I know. (I’m a stress & celebratory junk food eater)

So here I am today, 6 months of counseling changed my life. Changed me. Took a toll on my bank account (counselings not cheap). Took a toll on my emotions (I cried every single time the first 4 months) but I am so thankful I was pushed to do it. Will I go back again, I am sure I will. In fact, I probably should call them this week. Will I still struggle with a lot of these issues, I am 100% sure I will. But I feel ready. I feel prepared. I feel renewed.

If you’ve been questioning on whether to go into counseling, or you have a friend who really could benefit from it – do it. Don’t be ashamed. These people can relate to you, they know how to get things out of you and how to teach you to see differently. They care about you also. I loved seeing the excitement on my counselor’s face and in her voice whenever I made progress. She continuously challenged my perspectives, but also continuously showed me my progress and growth. Sometimes we just need an outside person who doesn’t know us – to do these things for us. Because we know our people will always fight for us and sometimes, as sad as it is, their words can unfortunately turn to mush. When you’re no longer believing what your friends are telling you – about yourself in-particularly, maybe it’s time to go to an outside source. And counselors are perfect for that. It’s literally their job.

Maybe counseling will take you longer, or even shorter. Maybe we all should go to counseling as a check-in every few months or less or more often. No matter how often one may need it – don’t be ashamed. Don’t compare. We are all individuals and unique with different hurts and quirks. Don’t let the roadblocks stop you from being sanctified.

Grace & Peace my friends.

Here’s the thing…sharing my thoughts scares me. The idea of making public some of the things I’ve written, freaks me out – what if people try to start a debate, what if people don’t like it or disagree, what if something awesome comes out of it, what if its not written perfectly…etc.

There are things that I am scared of today were never fears of mine even just a couple of years ago. There are things I worry about or care more about today, than I did years ago. There are also things I care less about. I think this is just a pattern of life depending on our different experiences. Certain things trigger fears.

My theme for this year not by my own choosing has happened to be fear & faith.

At the end of last year I felt God whisper to me that I was letting fear stop me from living a life I dream of. I say no to things that make me uncomfortable (particularly social) and are a potentially really good thing for me – simply because I’m to scared of them, to scared to be uncomfortable. If I have learned anything in my life – it’s typically that the things that scare us the most – are the things that God uses most in our lives. So I decided for 2019 – to start saying yes more often. To say yes, no matter how small of a thing, to something that I typically would say no to – to something that scares me and will make me uncomfortable. Because deep down, Ive always wanted to say yes, I just don’t have the courage to do so, or to even admit that I want something that would make me uncomfortable. And I have said yes to a few things this year already that scare me, even just a bit – and I am excited for them. Excited to see what God does and will do. Also excited to see what else He brings for me to say yes to.

So in the midst of this working through fear, even on a small scale, the talk of faith has been coming up often in different circles. I used to pride myself on having the spiritual gift of faith, and as having a lot of faith – which I have faith, but when it comes to personal fears – i lack it majorly. This is something I have learned & realized so far this year – that I don’t have as much faith as I thought. I don’t have as much trust in God as I thought I did. (Pride – always gets in the way…you’ll eventually learn if you stick with me how much I despise pride).

Faith and fear – cannot be present at the same time. (Disclaimer: not talking about the fear of God – reverence). 

The Bible tells us ‘do not fear” quite a number of times…(i don’t have the research to give an exact count) It’s enough times, for it to be important. (Really if it’s in the Bible, it’s important) If we can’t learn to not fear things of this broken world and to trust in God, our lives will be quite miserable and not very fulfilling or honoring to God. God never promises us to always be safe…but He does promise us His presence.

If we cower in fear every time something happens to us, or we are threatened, or an invitation comes, or we get in our car…etc, how is that living? how is that trusting the God who saves? The God who heals, the God who is VICTORIOUS? If we don’t face the things that scare us – we won’t learn. We won’t overcome and see the power of God. We won’t grow in our faith and grow in trusting Him.

The best way to overcome fear is to face it head on.

I speak this more to myself, than to you, reader. I need a constant reminding of who God is in comparison to what scares me. Because my fears should be scared of Him and what He is capable of.

He is God, Lord over all. He spoke, and the earth came to be. He sent His own perfect Son to die a thieves death…out of love for us – the world who are broken and sinful. He gave us His Holy Spirit so He can be with us, and make us more like Him, so He can receive glory. He is jealous for His namesake. He is also jealous for us, for our attention and love. He is righteous and holy – Sovereign over all things and kingdoms. And SO MUCH MORE!

Why should I be afraid of getting into conversations with people, or getting into my car for a few hours, or being alone, or something happening to me…etc when HE is the one guiding my every step and with me through all of it…? Where is my faith?

I started reading (and by reading I mean listening…I’m trying new things) this book called Afraid of All The Things by Scarlet Hiltibidal. It’s funny and challenging. And also encouraging, knowing that I’m not as extreme as I thought, but also knowing that none of us are alone in the struggle. We tend to get on our own little islands with our struggles and think we are the only ones…but we’re not.

To fellow believers, Face what scares you – God is with you and you are His sheep. The shepherd goes after the one that is lost, the shepherd takes care of the sick, and the sheep know His voice and follow because He is their only hope of survival and safety. Fear overcomes so many of us…what if we trusted God enough to do some things that scared us? How much more would the church of God grow? How much more would the power of God be known in our lives?

There’s so much to motivate us to face things – yet we (and by we I mean me) always look at the wrong motivators to keep us from facing things. Just be brave. Choose a different motivator. Strengthen your mind, your belief.

I don’t know what else to say really. Except that I badly want to face mine (except my fear of worms and snakes…not yet, hopefully not ever). I want the power of God to be revealed in my life, I want to experience a much more abundant life than I am living now and that’s not going to happen unless I choose to face some fears. Some may go south, and some may go amazingly. And that’s okay – because truly the best part, is that my God is with me in it all. His presence is my most treasured promise. What’s yours?

 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:8-9

Hello blog world. It’s been well over a year. I had intentions of monthly writing, with a theme/topic…and obviously that just didn’t happen.

This past year, since turning 30 (now 31) was a journey. It was a great year, one of the best in a while but also not without it’s hard things.  I feel like for the past few years I’ve been trying to gain myself back. That may not make sense to anyone but me, and that’s okay. There’s things that happen to us (it’s called life) that can make us feel like we’ve lost ourselves a bit, or we forgot who we are. I believe that we are constantly having to re-learn, adjust to who we are becoming in life. With age, we evolve and change. That is one of my favorite things about life – getting older. We truly get better with age in my opinon.

So the awesome thing about this past year, is that I feel like I’ve gained myself back. It took what feels like a long time, and it was a really slow process – but one I am thankful for and wouldn’t trade. But within gaining myself back, I’m not the same person I was when I was 16, 20, 25, I’m not even the same person I was a year ago. But I feel like me. Which to define for you what feeling like ‘me’ means – is just that I’m happy with me.

For the first time in years, I am able to actually see and recognize growth in myself.

That’s a big deal folks! And honestly, I believe I have counseling (and the people that pushed me to do it) to thank for that. (probably will be a post about counseling at some point) With that, I feel like I can see clearly again and my heart is stirring. And whenever my heart stirs, I have things to share because I’m learning and seeing and being challenged.

I’ve always loved expressing myself through writing. People have often told me since I was 18 that I was good at it and that they were encouraged by it. I like to be an encouragement to people. Writing is easier to me than just talking because I have more time to process. So I want to get back into it. I have things to share, I have thoughts and experiences that I think other people can benefit from. And I want to continue to grow, and this is an outlet for that.

So, I’m back. Hoping to grow in and hone my writing skills. Hoping to share some life and my heart and to encourage believer’s and even non-believer’s. Jesus is for everyone. I want to reach whoever I can. I’m not putting stipulations on myself this time – to write a certain amount within a month, or to write on specific topics. I’m sticking solely to whatever the LORD has laid on my heart and when the free time comes to write about it. So much of my life is scheduled with boundaries, so sometimes I just need things that are spontaneous and free flowing.

So welcome reader! Comments are welcome. Feedback is welcome. Questions are welcome. You are welcome ;).

 

Grace & Peace my friends.

I’m reading through the Bible (very slowly it seems), and I just love the Old Testament. I just finished Exodus and have entered into Leviticus. The book of Leviticus can be tough to get through. All the rules and laws of how to sacrifice an animal for specific offerings and what animal to use, how to sacrifice it, who can eat what part of it…etc can be a bit monotonous and hard to take in. The Bible truly has a bit of everything in it!

Even the last half of Exodus can feel a bit slow – when God is telling Moses how to build the tabernacle and all of the yarn and tools and material they will need and the dimensions that it should be and then add everything that needs to go inside of it like the ark of the covenant, oil burning lamps, tables…etc and it can feel the same way Leviticus does. But there is importance to all of it. God cares about where He dwells, and so should we. (Although I am thankful that Jesus became the spotless lamb on our behalf for our sin so we no longer have to do animal sacrifices every time we sin. Instead, we can have a personal relationship with Him and that is pretty amazing!)

(*Side Note: The Bible Project videos are super helpful in seeing the importance of some of these books that can be hard to understand. For Leviticus, the suggested videos are the Read Scripture: Leviticus and the video on Atonement is spot on!)

So in Exodus 25 – 31, the Israelites are at the beginning stages of building the tabernacle and commanding Moses to tell the people to bring their contributions.

“…From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me”. Exodus 25:2

and in Leviticus 7:37-38 this is how the chapter is ended for these specific offerings…

“This is the law of the burnt offering, of the grain offering, of the sin offering, of the guilt offering, of the ordination offering, and of the peace offering, which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day that he commanded the people of Israel to bring their offerings to the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai.”

So what does this have to do with Worship?

As in Exodus, we all have a contribution to offer the Lord. The Lord doesn’t just ask contributions from the Israelites but from all of His people. If we are His, part of our response to His love is to offer our love back to Him. He has given us all gifts and talents – that He is due the honor and glory for.

And just like in Leviticus, sometimes we are in seasons that feel like we are wandering in the Wilderness. It can be hard to see God’s purpose in our life, or to see His hand, but His provision is always there, His presence is always with us. But even in the midst of the wilderness, we can give our offerings. Whether that is food, time, finances, work of our hands, belongings…etc. God is still worthy no matter what season we are in of our all.

So whatever you can give, no matter how much or how little – give it. God will be pleased, and you will be blessed.

I’ve come to hate cliche’s. But the thing about cliche’s, is that the majority of times they have a reason and a purpose and a lot of their purpose is good.

It seems rather cliche to me to write a New Year post, to make resolutions…because it’s what is expected by most people at this time of year. But there is nothing wrong with making resoutions, and wanting to better yourself or make changes. What is life without change being a part of it? You have to keep things exciting somehow!

My community does this thing each year, where they pick a WORD for the year. This word is something that they really want to learn/strive in, in the upcoming year. It becomes a mantra, a reminder, something to pursue.

Over the past couple of years, I have chosen to NOT participate in deciding on a word. I’ve allowed hurts and scars on my heart to keep me from opening up, wholly. I knew that choosing a word, would mean that I had to share with people and be held accountable and live up to something. Well, that’s not real appealing to someone who is trying to hide, and is fearful of pretty much everything.

Scars on my heart have left me with this debilitating fear. Fear of love, of vulnerability, of being seen, of being honest, of sharing with others, of giving my heart away, of doing the uncomfortable things, of being different. But I’ve been sensing a change for the past few months. This desire or longing – to be intentional, to be kind, for depth and love, to feel alive.

So I’m deciding to embrace the change and to not push it away this time. I want to see God move in my life, and the lives of my loved ones. And although there are so many words that I could choose, because there are so many words that I need in my life right now…I am going to choose love.

Not a romantic love, or a friendly love, but God’s unconditional love. A love for people, but also God’s love for me. I need to fall back in love, with God and with His people. My scarred heart needs to know that it’s still capable of love and that the risk is and always will be worth it. As much as it scares the life out of me, I believe it’s what is needed. To know that depth again, that intimacy with my Maker, and that connection with Christ’s bride.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God send his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love on another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:7-11

So I encourage you, wherever you are at spiritually, physically, emotionally…do what you’re afraid to do. Be brave, and learn from your mistakes. Don’t discredit your hurts and the lessons in your life, but embrace them and allow them to have their healing work and strengthening of person in you. Trust God, don’t ignore Him. No one will ever love you the way that He does. He is worthy of any and every effort on my our end and will always meet us with abounding grace.

This is my new series idea. Mixed in with these, will probably be random things I am learning. I just really enjoy writing. It’s a great way for me to process, learn and express myself. So I am dedicating one day a month to just writing.

I love worship. It has always been one of the most intimate ways that I can connect with God. I’ve learned a lot through practicing it, and watching others. I also have had the privilege to help be a part of teaching students about the heart of worship, and what worship leading is like because it’s more than just being on as stage. Through that, I have looked and found many worship stories/encounters in the Bible that I have fallen in love with. There are some ones you would expect and unconventional ones, but the Bible is full of them. It’s God’s story, so pretty much any encounter with God can be a worship experience. Which I love.

So in the future, I will write about different encounters I’ve read and things that I personally have learned and gleaned from the encounters/scripture and hopefully you can take something away from it too.

So you can expect the first one by the end of this month.
Thanks for sticking with me!

 

I had a milestone birthday a few weeks ago, the big 3-0. A brand new decade.
I was pretty excited about it. Excited to see what this new decade will bring me…

I’ve already started to freak out a bit about being in a new decade, because if I am being honest, where I am at now – is not where I expected I would be when turning 30. And when I look around me at other 30 yr olds, I’m not anywhere near where they are. But that’s called comparison, and that is something I am tempted to do, but always reminded that that’s not fair to do because I have a different path than other’s. Plus, when I really sit and think through what I’ve done thus far, and the people I have met, and the work I have done and am doing – I feel pretty blessed and privileged.
The 20’s helped to shape me, and the 30’s will only shape me even more. There have been lessons I needed to help mold me into who God has designed me, and there’s only more to come. I’m only a few weeks into 30, and I’ve already been hit with a bombshell of something that I need to work through…but I think I’m ready.

So, what did my 20’s teach me?
To have fun. That I’ll never reach the top (in a good way, staying humble basically and that there is always room to grow). That I don’t even want to be at the top. That I am always well taken care of and loved very well. That I cannot live alone. Dreams do come true, but aren’t always dreamy. That I’m clumsy. Technology hates me. I will survive. Sometimes I don’t have a choice and that is okay. God is ALWAYS good. That I am a hard and loyal worker. I love deeply. I need to be better at time management. I’ll never stop growing, but I also have to be intentionally about growing. You should ask for help. I have limitations and it’s okay. Kid’s are a delight to me and can always lift my mood. People believe in me, so I need to believe in myself. I was born to disciple and to worship.

I have high hopes for my 30’s. So here is what I’m hoping for:
That my 30’s will be good to me genetically. That I can get healthier, that I get more sturdy (even though I spilled water all over myself today), that I can live more intentionally, to not take myself so seriously, to be more happy, to let people in, overcome some fears, and to laugh so much more. Also really hoping to become a mom (via adoption). To choose joy more often. To not be so selfish.

I know that these list’s could be ridiculously long, but for your sake and because I like to keep many things to myself – I will spare you! Really, I just want to be obedient to Christ and to be helpful to those I love. I have so much more room to grow, and so many things to learn – so thanks to all of you who have been with me this far no matter at what point you came in. I’m looking forward to the future.

Enjoy some of these funny photos from my birthday part(ies). My friends are crazy, and thats why I love them. I like to think that I stir that crazy pot for them :).

So, unfortunately I didn’t divy the places up enough like I thought I did, and I don’t have a 30:30 place. If i would have done cities rather than states (or I did a mix of both and combined some places), then I could have…but alas I can’t go back and re-do it!

So, for this final post, I thought I would make a list of the places I have NOT been to, and to where I would like to go before I die. 🙂

If you have suggestions as to places, please feel free to leave those in the comments!

With-in the U.S. (because I’ve come to realize, that our country is huge, and there is a lot to see so I should appreciate that!)
California (more specifically the Red Woods & Yosemite and San Fran, and wine country)
Savannah, Georgia. My mom has always wanted to go here, so therefore I do to.
Waco & San Antonio Texas, trying to talk the family into a vacation here next fall/winter. Mom loves Chip & Joanna Gaines, so hey! might as well!
Oregon
Seattle, Washington
Colorado (hopefully going next year…I have a friend in Grand Junction, so its helpful when you know people!)
New Mexico (i just drove through it, so I would love to just explore the state, and also see the hot air balloon festival)
Grand Canyon (duh)
Hawaii (any of the other Islands, since Ive been to Oahu)
In the World
Turkey
Israel
South Africa
Greece
But pretty much I will go anywhere because I love culture and travel.
So if you know of anyways to travel cheap, any tricks for a single person who doesn’t spend a lot of money and doesn’t have a lot of money, send them my way! 🙂

thanks for following along!