Surviving Your Next Semester

It’s pretty stressful being in school full time and also working (part time or full time), along with life’s everyday challenges, and I don’t even have kids yet (props to the moms finishing school!). This past semester was one of my most hectic. It was my first semester back to school full-time, and also my first full-time semester at SHSU. On top of returning to school full-time, I started a new job, was busy packing to move out of our apartment, and planning a wedding. Needless to say, I was pretty stressed out. But by the grace of God, I managed to pull off all A’s. He is my strength. He kept me sane and helped me through the struggles. I am so grateful.

Here are a few things that I did to make the semester as smooth as possible:

1. A few weeks before class starts, get your schedule printed and write down what you think each day of the week will be like.
This really helps with time management; realizing how much time you’ll be spending at school and work, and figuring out when your study/homework time will be.

Example of my upcoming Spring Semester:
Monday:
Online Class (SPED 2301) + Homework/Study 8am-10:30am
Work 11am-5pm
Continue Online Class (if necessary) 6pm-8pm
Tuesday:
Work 10am-3:30pm
Class (Math 3381) 4:30-5:50
Homework/study 7pm-8pm
Wednesday
Work 11am-4:30pm
Class (READ 3380) 5:30pm-8:20pm
Thursday:
Work 10am-3:30pm
Class (Math 3381) 4:30-5:50
Homework/study 7pm-8pm
Friday
Online Class (BESL 2301) + Homework/Study 8am-10:30am
Work 11am-5pm
Continue Online Class (if necessary) 6pm-8pm

Weekends:
Wedding Planning
Time for family
(I usually try not to do anything for school on the weekends)

So this is just an example of how I think my week will be going next semester. My school schedule is set in stone, but work isn’t. Luckily, my bosses are pretty flexible (mother/father in-law). But if yours aren’t, always make sure to set your priorities, so even if you work all day, don’t go home and watch Netflix, keep up the hard work and do what you need to for school. I am definitely one of the worst Netflix watchers, but I am also a crazed "to-do list” go getter. I am one of those people who has to get everything on my to-do list ASAP, or else it never gets done. So i do projects and papers ahead of time.

2. Look up your text books a few weeks in advance so you can do your research and order online according to get the cheapest prices.
I usually find my textbooks pretty cheap on amazon and I always order used if the option is there. But if you prefer to get new books, then you have the option of getting amazon prime to get free 2-day shipping. Students get it at a reduced price, but you can also get a 6-month free trial if amazon prime is not in the budget. If you intend to get used books keep in mind that free 2-day shipping doesn’t always apply to used items. And don’t forget to order your books a few weeks before school starts to provide plenty of time for them to arrive before school starts.

3. Find out where you’re going.
This may be extreme, but the day before I first started at Sam, I had maps of where all the buildings were, and where all the parking lots were. I made it very easy for me to find parking by arriving early and knowing the exact parking lot I wanted to park in to make sure that I would be close the buildings that my classes were in. It worked out pretty well! And saved me time and stress.

4. Gather your syllabi from each class and look at the schedules.
I usually like to write exam dates and due dates in my planner in case I lose a syllabus (but make sure you never lose any!) I always go through the assignments and projects I will be doing and the rubrics for them. I also look at how much each assignment/project/exam is worth. These are good things to review in order to aim for the grade you want (hopefully you’re aiming for an A).

5. Make a schedule for your assigned reading.
Each syllabus will most likely list what you need to read and when it needs to be read by. Look at how many pages you’ll have to read and determine whether the reading can be done in one sitting or will have to be broken up by a few days.

For Instance:
Read Chapter 3 by next Tuesday (4 days from now). Chapter 3 has 28 pages. You can wake up early, make a pot of coffee, and read the entire chapter in one sitting, or you can go easy on yourself and break it up. 28 pages in 4 days = 7 pages a day.

If you have to read a chapter in each book in 4 days, do the same for each book. Break the pages up between the four days, and read each books assigned pages of the day, but break that up too. Example: Book 1 in the morning (5 pages a day), book 2 during lunch (8 pages a day), book 3 after work (11 pages a day), book 4 before bed (4 pages a day). That way you don’t confuse your readings. And read them in the same order each day. You can decide which book to read during certain times of day, for instance, if I know I wake up late in the morning, I would choose the book with the least pages to read in the morning, or I would choose that book to read before bed because I know I will be tired and not in the mood to read.

6. Work ahead of your syllabus schedule
Try your best to start assignments or projects long before the due date (if your schedule permits) so you won’t be stressing and cramming when you knew the due date all along. I tend to work pretty well under pressure, but I prefer not to. I like to give myself plenty of time to work on something so I don’t have to feel like “there’s not enough time to do it, so why put in 100%?” So try to avoid procrastinating. As soon as you find out about a new assignment, start it right away. It feels awesome to get things done with a week or two to spare! Trust me.

7. Create a “time to study” atmosphere.
Make sure your desk is clear of clutter so you can focus on school. I don’t have an office/desk area at the moment, so I tend to do all my school stuff on my bed. I like to make sure that my room is tidy and my bed is made, this makes me feel less stressed and more focused. A mess can be really distracting, and I just can’t study until I clean it up. I also love candles, so I like to light one or two just to make myself a little more relaxed.

8. Keep your highlighters and post-it notes handy.
Highlighters are pretty much my best friend when it comes to reading textbooks and studying. If I think it will be important, I highlight it. It makes homework/research a little easier. Sometimes it really helps getting used books because the previous owner most likely already highlighted all the important stuff. But you might want to use a different color highlighter so you can tell what they highlighted and what you highlighted. Great minds don’t always think alike!

9. Flashcards & Study Guides!
Flashcards and study guides are great resources for studying for exams. Many professors create study guides for you about the material that will be on the test, they’ll go over key points that they hit throughout class that you will need to go over. That’s when flash cards come in handy. You can use them for vocabulary, formulas, and so on. This makes it easy to quiz yourself and review for your test. Not all professors create study guides, so use your notes you took in class and also what you highlighted in your textbook and create your own study guide.

10. Prayer for peace and rest
There were plenty of times last semester where I would lie awake at night thinking about all the things that I had to do the next day or the next week. I would stress and worry, but then God would put it on my heart to stop thinking about it, give my troubles to Him, and get some rest. His word reminded me of His truth. Read these verses and keep them in your heart:

”Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” -Matthew 6:27

”Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” -Philippians 4:6-7

"I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” -Philippians 4:13


I hope you all have a great next semester! Feel free to share your own tips for surviving a crazy semester!

Being Thankful for a Busy Life

So it's been a while. We've been jam packed with so much to do! Brian and his family have been very busy at work. In addition to being busy at work, Brian has been putting up with me stressing out about work, school, and wedding planning. I am so fortunate to be marrying someone so amazingly patient! I have not been easy to deal with! And I am so sorry for that, Brian. My anxiety has been through the roof.

With so much going on, it's hard to stop and really appreciate what we have, our situation, and the loved ones around us. With school starting back up, we let our anxiety make us lose sight of what we should be thankful for and focus on what isn't going right or is taking too long.

I admit, I definitely need to stop stressing and trust God to do what he does best!  He is the best at being there for me. He is the best at providing for me. He is the best at guiding me. He is the best at knowing what is best for me. But it's up to me to accept his guidance and wisdom and to trust Him with all of my heart that He will not fail me. So what's not to be thankful for?! 

"Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus." -1Thessalonians 5:16-18

A prayer when things aren't going according to the original plan. "Thank you, Lord! I may not be getting what I want, but it's only because you have something much better in mind. You have never failed me and I know the truth about you: you do not fail. Amen".

A prayer when things are taking longer than you expected. "Lord, please help me to be patient and trust your timing. You are perfect in every way! I know you are working on it and will not fail. Amen".

So with all the chaos, keep your head up, keep praying, and keep trusting. He is with us. Always.

Make-It-Count Monday [Week 4]

Helping Without Judgment

God is perfect. He is the only one who does not make mistakes. He does not make perfect people, but He also doesn't make junk. We cannot expect anything or anyone to be perfect and we cannot hold anyone to such expectations or get upset with people when they make mistakes, because there is only one perfect being and that is God. God wants us to help each other with kind and loving hearts.

While on the cross, Jesus said "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." Jesus was already on the cross; He was already in pain and dying. Yet there He was, asking God for our forgiveness! He was not judging those who crucified Him, He was still trying to help them! As many times as we try to help others, we must keep helping. God does not give up on us. We should not give up on each other. Pray for others as Christ prayed for us.

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" meaning that we should always forgive as Christ forgives us and always help as Christ helps us. When Jesus was on this earth, He did not judge anyone for their sins; He healed them for having faith, and told them to sin no more.

God is the perfect judge. We shouldn't try to do His job; we don't know what is in anyone's heart, but He does. That is why only He can judge others. We should support one another and build each other up. I hope that today, and every day from here on out, that we can help each other without passing judgment, without thinking we are better than those we help. And that we will help with a loving heart.

Let's make it count! I know it's Monday, and we've been calling this Make-It-Count Monday because Mondays just seem to be a bit harder to make count, but let's make every day count!

Have an awesome week!

Good Reads: Overwhelmed by Perry Noble

So many of my books, I stockpile from Lifeway because they always put books on sale for $5. So I have quite a few books on my shelf that I have yet to read because I buy them all at once for a really good price because I just hate to pass on a good priced book. It's a curse and a blessing. I usually choose a book from my shelf at random for my next read. The most recent book I read was Overwhelmed by Perry Noble. But this time it wasn't random. I chose it because I have really been feeling overwhelmed and it really seemed to fit into my life perfectly.

Perry Noble did an astonishing job writing this book. He applies scripture to real life situations in such a unique way. I enjoyed all of his real life stories that he told in his book. They are so easy to relate to that you almost think he is talking about your life! There are some pretty funny moments and some pretty serious moments, and they all point you back to the Lord. He does such an amazing job at helping you realize that your overwhelming situations are under the control of a powerful God!

There were many quotes from this book that stuck out to me but so I don't give away the whole book, I'll just show you one:
Only the truth of God's Word can shatter the lies of the enemy and cause stress and anxiety to fall from our shoulders like chains being removed from a prisoner's wrists.
-Chapter 11: Letting Go of Control.
That is so powerful and so true. I absolutely loved this book and it definitely helped me to look at the stressful circumstances in my life in a new light.

Are you feeling overwhelmed? I hope you get a chance to read this book. I believe it can help you understand that God has a special plan for you despite your difficult circumstances because He is greater than any problem, any enemy, and any hardship that you face and He can conquer it all for you.

Purchase Overwhelmed by Noble Perry Here

Thanks for reading! Have a blessed weekend.

Make-It-Count Monday [Week 3]

God Sets The Best Example
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” -1 Peter 5:7. When you have such a great and amazing God that wants to help you and guide you, it makes you want to help others and lead them to Him. I want to show everyone how great God is. I want to show them that God cares about them and there’s no better way to do that than to care about them the way God does.

Something we can do to help others the way Jesus does, is to make ourselves available. If we are too busy to help others, we are too busy to do God's work. Jesus always made Himself available to His disciples and anyone He came across! Jesus had a lot to do, but He was never too busy to help someone in need. Sure, times are different now and almost everyone lives fast-paced, but we should slow down for those in need.

Brian is great at making himself available to help others. He is just that kind of guy! And I love him for it! Someone can just call him up and say they need help with car trouble or need help moving, and he's on his way. He does this out of the kindness of his heart and I am so amazed by the love he has for God to do so much for others.

Have a Make-Yourself-Available Monday to Make-It-Count!(:

Make-It-Count Monday [Week 2]

God's Help Through The Bible
I believe God presents opportunities to us to help others and show them His amazing love. And the bible is our best guide to helping others.

“By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ.” –Galatians 6:2.

It wasn't too long ago that I had absolutely no desire to help anyone. At all. With anything. I thought that I had done just fine not having help from friends because I could do pretty much anything on my own. I'd get all bent out of shape any time any one asked me for anything. I got bitter. I would think, "Well, I never ask anyone for anything. Why do they have to come to me when they need something?" How rude is that?! Oh man, thinking back, I'm just so glad I am not in that same mind set.
God got me to start reading His word. Now, I love reading. In fact, I've finished a few books in a single day. But I have to understand what I'm reading. I have to be engaged in what's going on. For some reason, I just couldn't get into the bible. Maybe it was the translation I was reading. But I could not read and finish a book in the bible. So I would flip to a page and put my finger on a verse, just to see if it would be a good place to start. Well, God was putting my finger on some pretty important verses about helping and about being selfless.

I started finding a ton of verses that really opened my eyes to how important it is to help others in need. I'm so grateful that God has changed me. I'm not completely changed; He's definitely still working on me. I still have times where I really have to make myself help someone, but there are times where I don't even think twice about it! And that's improvement. It is much better than the way I used to react when someone asked me for help. We can't stress ourselves out trying to be perfect because it is an impossible goal, but we should definitely take time to really appreciate the little changes in ourselves that are helping us grow closer to God.

God speaks to us through His word. We can get our help from the bible, and we can also use the bible to help others.

I'd like to challenge you to memorize a verse about helping others. It can be the verse I referenced above, Galations 6:2, or you can choose your own verse to memorize. Keep the verse in mind any time someone asks you for help. After helping, see how you feel. It may be Monday, but you'll feel great!
Have a great week!

Staying Positive

Well, it's Thursday... Which means I survived. Positive
Tuesday, I was in an accident. Negative
God took my car, not my life. Positive
I was considered at fault even though the person who hit me fled the scene and had a suspended license. Negative
They caught up to him and had to arrest him.Positive for me/Negative for him
I still got a citation. I also DO NOT consider myself at fault... But nothing I can do. Negative
My car is also not drivable. Negative
I'm still oh so very sore. Negative
I missed my class and have a lot of catching up to do. Negative
Brian is sick so I'm taking care of him instead of him taking care of me after the wreck. And I've got to go to work and school and won't be home until 9 tonight. Negative

Oh I'm sorry... I forgot I titled this "staying positive". It is just so easy to focus on the negatives. I mean there's just so many of them! But there are just as many positives!

God gives us so much. We shouldn't doubt Him the moment that things aren't going our way. We must praise Him. Whenever something like this happens I just have to say, "Thank you so much, Lord. Things really could have been A LOT worse. Especially if I didn't have you." There is a promise from God that is very important, especially in hard times. He will never abandon us. He is always with us. He will never let us down. 

In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” -John 5:17

I know that God is with me, I know that he loves me, and I know that he has amazing plans for me despite my circumstances. Positive, Positive, Positive

It is not easy being positive all the time, even when we have Christ on our side. But focusing on the negatives... will keep us from seeing the positives. And I had to learn not to keep myself from seeing the good things that God has done for me.

I was stressing about not making it to work and not being able to go to class. I had no car to get from home to work to school and back home. Everyone told me that the most important thing was that I was okay, but I wouldn't let myself focus on that! How insane is that?! Here I was in a serious car accident and instead of seeing that the most amazing thing was that God let me walk away with just a few bruises, I was freaking out about everything that went wrong. It took a while but I'm so grateful that I'm alive! And I'm so grateful for the people that God put in my life to help me realize that!

Sure, I don't have a car anymore. And it was my first car. It had sentimental value. And sure, I got a citation that I don't believe I deserved. And sure, I'm not focusing on school because I'm taking care of my sick fiancé. But I have my life, and I have someone who loves me who has taken care of me when I was sick, and I'm happy to put everything aside and do the same for him. And I have an AMAZING God who protected me and loves me enough to put me through something that will hurt both of us but in the end make me stronger and wiser.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you for helping me forget about all the things that went wrong and embrace the positives you put in my life!!! Amen.

I hope everyone is safe and having a great week!

Make-It-Count Monday! [Week One]

This semester I am taking a counseling class called intro to relationships for my degree in Interdisciplinary Studies EC-6. One of the writing prompts was about how your personal values influence you to help. I chose this prompt because I felt like I could really reach out to others about Jesus and how He is my ultimate help. I decided to turn this into a short series!

My personal values have a lot to do with my faith, and my faith encourages me to help others. I believe Jesus is Lord and proclaim him as my savior. He came to this earth as a baby; our savior came into this world vulnerable and defenseless. He lived a full life free of sin and has gone through every struggle that we face today. He humbled Himself. He did not come to boss all of God’s people around and demand that they obey Him. He gave up His seat at the throne to come and help those who would not only reject Him, but murder Him. God gave up His one and only son to save the sinners who disobeyed Him repeatedly. Romans 5:8 states “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He is my ultimate help.

Throughout the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Jesus travelled with his disciples teaching them and everyone they came across, how to live in order to have eternal life. He helped them spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Jesus had a desire to help everyone He came across and He helped the people more than they could have ever imagined; more than they even realized. He cast demons out of men, gave sight to the blind, healed a leper, gave a paralyzed man the ability to walk, healed a bleeding woman, restored a girl to life, and so much more. But most of all, He died for us while we were still sinners, so that we may know God’s grace, love, and mercy firsthand.

Today, I just wanted to explain the series I'm starting and show what an inspiration Jesus is. Next Monday we will dig a little deeper on how we can help others! I'm so excited!
It's Monday! Wear a smile and help others! We will call it: Make It Count Monday!

New Bucket List

So today, I was listening to a podcast from Joyce Meyer called "Self-Centered Part 2" and there was something she mentioned in this that really inspired me.

She talked about how people have bucket lists of what they want to do before they die and she turned it around to make a new kind of bucket list. Things I want to do for others before I die! I just thought it was a beautiful and powerful message.

So here is my Bucket List of things I want to do for others before I die:

-Make at least three people smile every day
-Make it a habit to pay for the people behind me at a drive-thru
-Give a bible to someone who wants to build a relationship with God
-Donate to charities on a regular basis
-Volunteer as much as I can, wherever I can
-Go on a mission trip
-Go on another mission trip
-Buy clothes for someone who hasn't been able to afford new clothes in a long time
-Tutor kids who need help with school work

I'd like to update this as much as possible. I just loved the message Joyce Meyer gave. I hope I can do all of these things and more. I've always been a bit self-centered, but I'm working on changing that. I've discovered that worrying only about yourself can make you miserable. I'm tired of being miserable. I want to give to others because that is what brings real, lasting joy.

Happy Friday!

Christ-Centered Relationship Goals

Lately, I've been seeing different relationship goals posted on instagram and facebook. These goals consisted of cute selfies, having matching his & hers vehicles, and other things that the world sets their minds on. I wanted to make a list of Christ-Centered relationship goals. Goals that matter to God, not the world. So whether you're single or already in a relationship, I hope these goals help you discover the kind of relationship God wants for you.

"I'd rather be viewed as weak to the world because I'm submissive to my husband... than be weak in The Lord because I submit to the views of the world" -Candace Cameron Bure

-Always put God first.
-Pray/worship together.
-Go to church together.
-Pray for each other.
-Serve together.
-Say grace before every meal, even if you're eating out in public.
-Study the bible together.
-Be patient with each other.
-Appreciate each other.
-Be slow to anger & quick to forgive.
-Love like Jesus loves.

These are the things I want in my relationship with Brian. Sure cute selfies are nice. Of course, a perfect wedding would be great. I'd like a nice house, and am excited to start a family with him and do all the neat projects I see on pinterest with him. But God comes first, and He will provide our needs before anything else. And for that, I am grateful because my wants can be a bit ridiculous at times. So before I accomplish anything like that, I want a relationship with Christ and a Christ-centered relationship with Brian.

What are your goals for your relationship or future relationship?
I hope everyone has had a great start to their week!

Inspirational Podcasts that Glorify God

I feel more productive when I listen to podcasts and do chores at the same time. Strange? Probably {lol}. I love podcasts that speak truth and pull me closer to God. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Joyce Meyer: I don't know your opinions about her, but I just lover her! She is really inspiring and has overcome some great obstacles in her life. I think God has really done some great things through her. Her messages are always so honest and genuine. She is not afraid to tell it like it is and I think that is what really draws me to her.

2. Proverbs 31 Ministries: These are just 1 minute podcasts, but they really hit home. The fact that they are just 1 minute makes it really easy to listen to every day. The women of Proverbs 31 Ministries are such an inspiration. Lysa and Renee have daily messages that are full of wisdom about things that all women go through. I love this podcast.

3. The Influence Podcast: I recently found this podcast and I am so glad I did. It features interviews with women who are using the internet to glorify God. These women talk about their relationship with God and how He has called them to do His work. It's really motivating!

Are there any podcasts that you just absolutely love? I'm looking to expand my collection, so let me know!