I put this here to make you SMILE.

I'm just going to be completely honest. The past few weeks -wait, scratch that. The past few months have been a challenge. A challenge in my relationships, in my faith and in myself. I have turned away from things bringing me down & turned towards things that have lifted me up. I have physically had to take myself out of situations and put myself in encouraging and loving environments where I could see God working. In the midst of all of the trials & heartbreaks, I have always seen the little light at the end... even if it was growing a little dimmer by the day.

God has really been in my heart saying.. "Lauren! Look at all the MILLIONS of things I have put in your life to make you SMILE! STOP staring at the ugly parts and the downfalls.. start loving every little happy part of your life! NOW!"

I have everything that I could ever dream of. I have a God who loves me UNCONDITIONALLY. He has blessed me in a multitude of ways & is blessing me continuously through friendships & people that He puts in my path. I have a few friends who would give anything for me, and who would walk to the ends of the earth if I needed someone to hold my hand. There might only be a few of them, but they make the word "bestfriend" look like a drastic understatement. They have been my shoulder for the past few weeks- without hesitation. They have listened to me babble for hours about how I don't understand this world.. and they haven't turned their back, not even for one second.

I encourage you to build your friendships on Christ. I encourage you to ENCOURAGE someone. There is a girl in your 1st block class that you can't stand, but even SHE needs to be picked up & loved on. In the past few weeks, yes, I have stepped back from a few friendships, but I have been emersed in other friendships that are glorifying who GOD IS. I have a friend who prays for me & I pray for her. We sit down at least once a week and spill out our hearts.. and spill out what God is doing in our lives. If a friendship is built on lies, worry & backstabbing, it isn't coming close to glorifying who MY GOD IS. And honestly.. what else are we here for?