Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, ect..) has taken the world by storm over the last decade. Our newsfeeds are filled with cute cat photos, celebrity breakups, political debates, and sarcastic E-cards. Your public profile gives the world a glimpse into your life. Through out the day or week, you share details and pictures with your friends. You read news articles, “like” blog posts, and poke people for fun. Yet, the constant need to portray a seemingly perfect life or capture the perfect photo to post can leave you feeling drained. If you become overwhelmed by what you read on a daily basis, let the Lord pour his love out on you! Let Christ fill your heart so you can turn around and use social media for His glory.

     The world likes you to believe that social media is a complete waste of time. But that is completely false. By choosing to share encouragement,  you not only have the ability to change someones perspective on life but also the opportunity to be a witness of God to others. Even the pictures you share can bring a small amount of sunshine to a persons day! Share uplifting articles with meaningful messages. Build others up by sharing kindness and posts with a purpose. You never know who may need that in their life at the moment. Make a point to fill your feed with speakers that share positivity and light. That way you can share good things with others. And remember to always take a break from social media to let your mind and heart refocus so you are more inspired to share the word of God with others. Lets choose to make a difference in the world by starting where we’re at.

      Technology is addictive. If you’re like me, you are guilty of checking your social media accounts multiple times a day. It’s a hard habit to break. You feel the strong need to check your personal feed while you are drinking your morning coffee, waiting in line, working out at the gym, eating lunch with your friends, or lying in bed. Your phone has become an extension of you. You use it to capture moments you want to remember, as an alarm clock, and to check the weather. Our phones have a sick power over us. We become mesmerized by having this source of connection at just the swipe of a finger. But what if we were compelled to put our phones down? 

       Take a look around you in a restaurant and count the number of people on their personal devices. The number will quickly astound you. The idea of being able to connect to the Internet has become so popular that many businesses offer free wi-fi and ports that charge your gadgets right there next to you. What happened to sitting down to a meal and holding casual conversation with the person seated across from you? 

     What if we decided to be a part of the experience and take it all in, instead of trying to capture the perfect shot to share on our wall? To enjoy that much needed vacation instead of taking pictures of our feet strategically placed in the sand? To savor our food intensely instead of posting a picture of our expensive meal? To be more engaged in conversation instead of only giving half of our attention? 

     Just like our phones, sometimes we need to let our battery recharge. We need to unplug and let our minds rest from the amount of information we take in on a daily basis. We need to be reminded that outside of our screens there are moments waiting to be lived. It’s time to invest in what’s real! Let’s stop allowing our phones to dictate our relationships, drain our energy, and control our lives. Make a conscious effort to be fully present wherever you are! You will quickly feel a sense of freedom you have long forgotten.

     Monday’s have always gotten a bad rap. Everyone dreads them. No one looks forward to them like they do Friday’s. It marks the end of two days dedicated to doing whatever it is you wish. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Monday’s are a privilege. They are another opportunity to wake up and experience a glorious new day. I know you’re thinking..”How can I look forward to the daily grind?” There is nothing exciting about five days of the same old routine. I used to be like a lot of you. Watching the clock while the minute hand seems broken because you are certain this day will never end.

      Several years ago, I worked as a mailroom courier at a local bank operations center. My day consisted of driving around to different bank branches and delivering mail as well as picking up other materials. I enjoyed this job very much because I got to see different people. But I knew this was not my calling. It was not what I was meant to do. It was however where I was supposed to be at that particular time.  

      While working there, a fellow co-worker of mine, an older gentlemen with big bifocals and Grandpa-like qualities, dubbed me “The Sunshine Girl”. Every afternoon for two years, this man would bust through the doors of my office and make hisself known by saying as loudly as he could, “There’s the sunshine girl!” It wasn’t until years later that I realized this mans kind demeanor went with him wherever he would go and his happy attitude was a ray of light all of its own. As I was sucked into the boring ho-hum of my work, this man brightened my day simply by spreading a little sunshine to whomever he came across.

      About a year ago, I ran across my friend in the grocery store. Time had obviously taken a toll on him and his health had deteriorated tremendously. I went up to him and his sweet wife and the first thing he said to me was, “Hello Sunshine!” He still had a big grin on that old familiar face and his words warmed my heart. For it seemed while he was spreading sunshine in my life, I was also a small ray in his. 

      Yes, Monday’s are hard and we often feel as if a dark cloud is hanging overhead. But we must choose to shine wherever we go. Each day of the week is another chance to be a light in someone’s life and Monday’s are no exception. It’s an opportunity to embrace another day as a gift and do what the Lord has put us on Earth to do. So, choose to radiate sunshine today! It’s like medicine to the soul. And who couldn’t use a little extra Vitamin D? 

        A quick scan of the news or briefly flipping through the local newspaper is enough to send a parent into hiding with their children. The world has become a dark and sinister place and can be down right frightening at times. Parents are afraid to send their children to school. People are afraid to go and do simple things such as pick up groceries or go see a movie. There is an uneasy feeling in the air. You may have even asked yourself, “What will happen next?” As a new mom, I have become increasingly more alarmed by the encounters my son may have to face as he grows in life. With the type of society we live in today, I find myself pondering the question..”How do we raise our children in today’s culture?”                     

   With crime rates and violence at an all time high, it’s easy to feel the pressure of it all weighing on your heart. Many times circumstances are beyond our control and we are left feeling hopeless. There is a spiritual battle being waged daily against motherhood and the hearts of our children. But you can rest easy, friend! The Bible has a solution for everything! We are told: 

So powerful! This verse reminds us that  raising good and wholesome children begins in the home. By setting a vision for our sons and daughters lives, we are laying the foundation for them to create their own vision for themselves later on. Train up your children with kindness, positivity, faith, and love! The result will be a happy and confident child that meets the ways of the world with the morals you ingrained in them.