Favorite Things

The following are a few of my current favorite things . . . 

Current Go to Snacks:

*fruit and grain cereal bars (breakfast)

*yogurt for "lunch"

*protein packs (nuts, seeds, and jerky)

*energy trail mix

*guilty pleasure--Reese's pieces cups! Oh. My. Word! I should not be eating these. Yum!!

😋

Favorite Quotes:

"I take pleasure in my transformations. I look quiet and consistent, but few know how many women there are in me." --Anais Nin 

So. Much. This. <3

From a young friend: "Sometimes you just have to treat yourself like the diva you are." Yes! Like when you eat a Reese's pieces cup!

🥀

Book I'm Reading:

"Unraveling" by Sara Ella

The second book in the Unblemished series. This is a sweet little YA fantasy. It took me a bit to get into this one, but I'm totally in love with it now. Recommend!

🕮

Music:

So on a more serious note (Note. Get it? Lol.), I spent the beginning of this week in a funk of sorts. I tend to have anxiety from time to time. I started the week feeling it and was also oddly irritable, which is not like me. I couldn't seem to get out of it. I finally starting asking the Lord, "What is this?" 

At some point, I began to notice a theme. It was present in Sunday's sermon. It was in two of my devotionals. It was even mentioned in the book I was reading. Music. The right kind of music can be therapeutic. It can change your mood and lift your spirits. Once I made the connection, I tried to be more intentional about what I was listening to (and choosing to listen to music).

I started with "Lions" by Skillet. This one reminds me of who I am in Jesus and helps me want to find my brave.

I usually listen to music on my phone. So when YouTube suggested a song called "Warrior" I was intrigued (Jen Ledger). I'd never heard it before. If Christian Rock is your thing, then check this out! The lyrics are as good as the sound. It's an edgy, lets-go-to-battle, bring-out-your-inner-drummer type of song. 

I might as well leave these two are loop. They are my current therapy.

🎸

Writing:

I'm currently working on a fantasy in a similar vein as Tolkien and Lewis. It feels really risky and crazy to throw aside what I was working on (another historical fiction) and totally switch things up. But I wasn't happy with what I was writing after two attempts.

I've been reading A LOT of fantasy--both Christian and secular. It's something I find entertaining and intriguing. So why not?

✏

Well, that's it for now, friends. 

Are you reading or listening to anything interesting? I hope you are. If not, and you're cool with fantasy fiction, some of my faves are: Mary Weber, C.J. Redwine, and Sara Ella. I love these girls!!

Love, J💚