quote of the week

"The Law says do. Grace says done.

The Law says try. Grace says trust.

The Law says behave. Grace says believe."

-David Jeremiah

my mom sent me that quote in a recent package and i love it. truth in a little nutshell. when i look at it like this, why in the world would i ever want to live by the Law instead of Grace? don't go all craz-o on me and think i'm going out to break every law established in america. that's not what i'm talking about. i'm talking about the Law that makes me slave to sin and works.

why don't i walk in grace each day? there's freedom in that people! why the heck do i fight it and beat myself up to live by the Law? dumb. really dumb. but i'm a fallen woman and every day i continue to breathe and stand upright on this earth i'll fight that battle.

here's to hoping and prying to walk by grace a little more often...

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

i couldn't agree more with this statement. probably because i sweat like a man and secretly judge women who workout and can immediately let their hair down as if nothing happened. who are you?! i look like i took a shower when i finish a workout. and i'm all red-faced. ain't nothin' dainty or cute about that. go big or go home.

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"furious rest, you see, is not about doing nothing. it's about doing everything we do with the quiet confidence that our lives, families, businesses, ministries, relationships, and dreams are in His hands."

                            -Louie Giglio, "I am not but I know I AM" (p.24)

i stumbled across this quote a few years ago and have consciously made an effort to live in the mindset that nothing is out of my God's hands. He is big and He is capable of more than i can ever imagine. it's a lifestyle change. i'm believing God.

bekah


live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

in honor of the Boone girls since that's who i'm spending my day laughing with today...

image

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"the more you are in the Word of God, the more you will love the God of the Word." -kay arthur

after that little dose of conviction, i'm committing more of my time this week to be in the Word. nothing is more important to me.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well." -1 thessalonians 2:8

i love this verse. it's one that i model my life after. i love life-on-life discipleship and mentoring. and my favorite way to do it is by coaching. easy way to get in kids' worlds and show them Jesus.

two of my kiddos flew down to florida to visit this past weekend and we had a blast. i haven't laughed that hard in a really long time. it was such a blessing having them here. i just love being in their worlds and getting to share life with them. i hope they see more than a coach in me. i hope they see Jesus and the crazy love He has for them. my love is selfish and broken, but His love is perfect. i hope they know it.

i love my kids. love sharing life with them. and i miss them with all my heart. 

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"we are what we repeatedly do. excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -aristotle

i stumbled across this quote and immediately loved it. excellence. something i strive for in all i do for several reasons. one, the Bible commands me to pursue excellence in all things. two, i'm a full-blown firstborn people pleaser. three, i hate failure and in my mind, half-hearted effort is failure.

i love this little nugget. it highlights the idea that excellence is closely linked with discipline. which is something i could use a little more of in my life if i'm being honest. that being said, i'm kicking off this week with a new focus and a good dose of determination. wish me luck. it's going to be a doozie of a week.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week - patriotic style

in celebration of our nation's 235th birthday, here's a patriotic quote of the week. go america!

"i like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. i like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him." -abraham lincoln

really, this quote speaks for itself. but i will say that  am proud to be an american and i strive to live a life that is honoring to the biblical values this nation was founded upon.

today is a day to remember our nation's history and to celebrate the freedom that out troops fight to protect so diligently. i urge you to keep our troops and their families in your prayers today as you celebrate with your family and friends. happy fourth of july!!

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"don't ask what the world needs. ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

-howard thurman               

alive. i want to be alive. i want to live with passion. i want to make a difference. i want my life to count for something of eternal value.

i'm wrestling with what this looks like in my new Tampa home. i found it in Missouri. i knew. i coached. i mentored. i was alive. and then i moved. my life changed. now i'm fighting to find new ways to be alive and make a difference.

what makes you come alive? what's keeping you from pursuing it?

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"for beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." -audrey hepburn

i love audrey hepburn. in fact, one of the things on my bucket list is to own every movie of hers. like, i'm obsessed with her. and today, i'm taking her advice. i'm going to look for the good in others instead of questioning their motives and expecting the worst. i'm going to speak kindly and graciously. not harshly and rudely. and i'm going to carry myself with the confidence that i have a God who is CRAZY about me and has promised to never leave me.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

“moving on is a simple thing; what it leaves behind is hard.” -dave mustaine

moving on and leaving people behind is tough. that shouldn't surprise you. it doesn't surprise me. i knew it would happen. but that doesn't make it any easier. it's still heartbreaking at times to realize i can't do some of the things i really want to do because i'm separated by 1,000 miles. well, 1,073 to be exact. i keep praying for relationships to develop and opportunities to arise for me to serve like i did in branson. i know it won't be overnight, so persistence and patience will win this battle.


i'm not homesick for missouri, but i do miss my kanakuk family. it's weird to not be there. i miss doing daily life with some of the people i love most in this world. i miss having the opportunity to serve them in small and large ways and be an encouragement in their daily life. sure, i can do some of that from afar, but i can't meet some of the simple daily needs like i could when i was just around the corner. sad day.

here's to embracing my new community and finding ways to serve where i am instead of wishing i could have what i had in branson.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"if you judge people, you have no time to love them." -mother teresa

well, i for one am quick to judge. anyone and anything. i'm judging. i'm not one to think about where the other person is coming from and just why they're a little rude or snippy with me. i automatically assume they're a horribly rude person all the time. chances are, they're just having a rough day and i need to give them a break. 

and let's take it one step further to say that i need to back off on judging people for not having the same work ethic, communication skills, planning skills, etc. as i do. because i do. if you're not like me, you're wrong. doesn't that sound horrible? sadly, that's my attitude far too often.

so, here's to working on my critical spirit by being slower to judge and quicker to love.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"True elegance consists of saying all that should be said, and that only."

 -Francais de la Rochefoucauld      

"Never miss a good chance to shut up."

-Will Rogers                     

Both of these quotes are simple reminders to me to keep a tight rein on my tongue. It's a lesson I've been learning over the past few years and I will probably continue to learn it the rest of my life.


I want to be a woman who speaks with grace and love, but also speaks boldly when necessary. I want to be a woman of few words so that when I do speak, people listen. I want my words to carry weight. I really dislike when I can tell someone is just speaking to fill the silence or giving me "fluff" that really has no value. Here's to learning to speak a little more wisely. 


bekah


live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."

      -st. augustine

this is definitely my approach to life. the more stamps i get on my passport, the better. the more experiences i can gather, the better. the more places i can see and touch and smell and taste, the better. i love to travel. i got it from my Mimi. she had the travel bug too. i've found in my 24 years of life that my life is richer and more well-rounded because i travel. i leave my bubble and experience discomfort, differences, and diversity.

there's something to be said for restful time at home and enjoying a routine. you know me and my freakish organization and routine-setting. i love it. but i also love (and crave) the chance to get out and experience new things, to challenge myself, to broaden my perspective. life isn't about me. and traveling reminds me of that. the world is a big place. there's more to life than my little sphere of influence. it's not all about me.

on that note, enjoy your monday afternoon. i'm going to continue enjoying myself on this cruise with sis, ginny, and ellie.

[disclaimer: i wrote this beforehand since i'm cut off from the world this week]

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

sorry for the lack of a good quote the past two weeks. this whole moving thing threw me for a loop and i still haven't quite settled down. i'm getting there though. so, that being said, i figured this was a pretty good quote to get back in the groove.

"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence."   -Pope John Paul II

well folks, i did just that. i stepped out in faith trusting the Lord to provide. He did. now let's see what happens. :)

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"you never really leave a place or person you love; part of them you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind."

                       - anonymous             

i'm not sure if there's another quote that could describe the condition of my heart right now more so than this one. my level of excitement for life in a new city is matched equally by an aching sadness over leaving the people i've come to love and adore here in branson, ozark, and springfield.

if any of you readers out there want to send a moving gift my way, send it in the form of an airline voucher for a flight back to visit. my return trip won't come soon enough. i'd love to make it back at some point this summer, but that just doesn't seem very realistic right now. insert frown, crossed arms, and pouty lower lip.

but, in all seriousness, the community here will always have a piece of my heart. i may not adore branson itself, but i definitely adore the people here. kanakuk and springfield juniors volleyball club have a huge place in my heart forever.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at." -goethe

well, if this is true, then i suppose my character reveals that i don't take myself too seriously. i'll be the first to laugh at my ridiculous antics and insane ideas. i know i'm nuts. and the sooner you realize it too, the better. laughter truly is one of the greatest gifts. it bridges any gap instantly and turns any less than desirable situation into one that's just a bit more bearable. it's one of my favorite gifts to give.

happy monday everyone and get to laughing...especially at yourself. :)

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"the most beautiful discovery true friends can make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."

-elizabeth foley                 

if this isn't true of my life, i don't know what is. once i left college, i discovered that "doing life" with my friends looks drastically different. chances are, we aren't in the same city, let alone state or even time zone. we're not calling each other between classes or planning christmas and spring break trips together like we used to do. (oh to have breaks again and not have to ration my personal time off...)

i kind of like this phase of life though. we're all pursuing a passion. some are pursuing their inner genius and getting more letters after their name. some are playing volleyball professionally overseas. some are teaching and coaching. some are working full-time. some are married. some have kiddos. some are dating. some are single. some are on the mission field around the world. some are travelling. some are running their own company. but each one is pursuing their passion.

and, while our lives may look drastically different, we're on this journey of life together. we're each growing in our own different, separate ways, but i think it makes the friendship richer. secretly, i live vicariously through a few of them (namely Heather who's playing vb in Italy right now...tough life!!).

i love the unique way i get to be a friend to so many awesome people. i'm blessed. no two friendships look the same. i value each one for specific reasons and wouldn't trade them for the world.

so, here's to growing and walking through life together...no matter how it looks. :)

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"one thing i know: the only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."

-albert schweitzer                  

this one is one of my all-time favorite quotes. i first encountered it in college when one of our athletic directors used it in a charge to the graduating senior student-athletes. it gripped me. because it's true. the weeks that go by where i am so consumed with my own life and what i need to be doing are some of the most miserable. but when i step back and take a look at the needs of those around me, my own chaos tends to diminish. and i encounter a joy unspeakable. i wouldn't trade it. i love making someone's day just a tad easier, brighter, happier, smoother, etc. even better when they don't know it was me. :)

hope you're all off to a great start to your week. challenge yourself to find a way to serve someone each day for the next 7 days. you'll be surprised how easy it is when it's on your mind.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

-teddy roosevelt

this is my approach to life. especially coaching. my kids don't care that i've played volleyball since i was 11. they don't care that i played in college (well, sometimes they do). they don't care that i know ridiculous rules and nitty gritty aspects of the game. that's all fine and good, but it makes no difference if i don't care about them as people first. if they don't respect me, it makes no difference what i know.

i want my kids to be better volleyball players when they leave me, but more importantly, i want them to be better young women. more confident. harder workers. more disciplined. more encouraging. and so on. they won't get that if they don't know how much i care about them individually. how committed i am to them. that i would do anything for them. that i want them to grow and develop as young women more than volleyball players. that i want them to know and encounter the joy of living each day for Christ's glory.

so, i make an effort each day to let them know how much i care about them. then, once they know that i care and they can trust me, my knowledge of the game will come in handy. and in the end, they'll be be better players and better young women too. mission: accomplished.

here's to letting people know you care,

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.