Growing up, I seemed to be an irresistible target for bullies. From elementary school on, it always seemed like I had a string of kids lining up to pick on me. Some were subtle, some more cruel. But it always seemed to play out the same. They would find something irresistible to make fun of, and then the "fun" would begin. It was a painful game of trying to outlast the tormenting, to not let them know just how much they were hurting me.
Over the years, my hair got less frizzy, I grew into my large front teeth, and out of my social awkwardness. Bullies still seemed to find me, but I slowly learned how to deal with it. Only on this side of it all can I say that facing a constant string of bullies has made me a stronger person. It made me dig deep down inside myself to find things about myself that I liked. I learned that my worth isn't found in the eyes of others, but in the Lord, and that He loves me with unconditional love. Check out Isaiah 43:4 if you don't believe me. Like many children and adolescents who were tormented, I was convinced that once I became an adult, the bullying would magically stop; that people would magically change and be nice. One of the most disappointing things about adulthood is that bullying still exists. The games just have higher stakes and crueler consequences. While I was at work today, I found myself once again on the receiving end of the bullying game. A co-worker made a horribly inappropriate comment to me, and it brought on a flood of emotions. After I got over my initial shock, I realized (for the first time) that the person saying it was miserable inside, and that their picking on me was a way to take the focus off of themselves. I don't have the answers on how to fix the problem. But I do have words of encouragement for those going through bullying situations. Keep your chin up. Know that the horrible things they are saying aren't personal -- they are coming from a very insecure and hurting person who just wants to make someone feel as bad as they do. Their words don't mean anything. Your worth is found in the Lord, and He loves you just the way you are. And I am always here if you need someone to listen. [email protected]
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Today's interview is with the amazing Ann Widner of Little Visions Photo & Jewelry Art.
Tell us a little bit about yourself….who you are, where you’re from, what kind of cereal you like, etc? My name is Ann and I live in St. Louis, Missouri with my hubby, my rescue beagle, and my orange tabby cat. I love photography and making the glory of God more visible to people. When I’m behind a camera, I feel alive! After years of taking and accumulating lots and lots of photos, I didn’t know what to do with them anymore. My favorite cousin suggested I make my pictures little and put them on jewelry. That’s how Little Visions Photo & Jewelry Art came to be born. Tell us a little bit about your journey to this point in your life. At times it seems as if I’ve travelled a long road, even though I’ve literally never lived outside of a three mile radius in South St. Louis. It’s been a sometimes smooth and at times treacherous journey. Growing up with an abusive father affected me deeply, and I’m still healing and learning and growing from my rough childhood and adolescence. One thing I’ve always known, deep inside myself, is that I’ve never had to journey alone. “I will hold you in my heart forever, Annie,” are the comforting and hope-filled words that God has always spoken to me and still speaks to me now. What kinds of challenges have you faced through your journey, what you did do to get through them? I’ve had clinical depression and severe anxiety on and off since I was in my early teens. My mom, who passed away last year, was my biggest supporter back then. She sacrificed so much to keep me in school and leading a fairly functional life. Her faith in God was strong, and I think that is her greatest legacy to me. She taught me that God never gives up on us, even if we give up on ourselves. She instilled in me a sense of hope and the knowledge that even when I’m despairing, if I only cry out to the Lord, He will answer, me, comfort me, and give me His hope and light. Throughout my life He has sent so many people to encourage and support me… friends, doctors and therapists, teachers and professors, and co-workers. Medication was also important in getting me through; I used to think that it was a sign of weakness to take medicine for a mental illness. But I know it has helped save my life. The greatest gift God has entrusted me with is my husband, Greg. Being in a good relationship is a blessing but it is also hard work. Through the years, we’ve learned to always talk things through and to give each other enough space to be ourselves. What advice do you have for others going through this kind of situation? Know that things will get better. They always do. When I was a teenager, teachers would tell me, these are the best years of your life. Well, they’re not. They’re probably some of the most difficult years you’ll live through. If you’re feeling depressed or lonely or desperate or trapped, please know it does get better. Hope is alive! Be proactive about getting help and support for yourself. Don’t give up! Keep asking for help until someone hears you. And when your family, friends, or teachers offer help and support, accept it. Know and utilize your resources! We’re all here in this world together to help each other. Who / what inspires you when the going gets tough? Two things help me. One is that I’ve got a very strong support network which includes my husband, friends, family, doctors, and my pets. And the other thing that keeps me going is my faith. Sometimes I get angry with God and myself and don’t want to rely on Him. When I’m in distress and finally do call out to Him, He always, always, always brings me His peace and hope. I’m so very grateful for this gift. I don’t deserve it, but He loves each one of us so much that He always remains with us, even when we don’t want Him around or think we don’t want Him around. He’s a faithful God, that’s for sure. What do you think is the hardest thing that young girls today face? I think that the constant barrage of messages that young people get from the media is the most challenging thing that they face today. And there is so much busyness and lack of quiet and stillness in life that they don’t have the chance to really get to know themselves. Many adults have this problem, too. And when you don’t know yourself, it’s difficult to learn to be grounded and make good and healthy decisions. What advice do you have to help them through it? Try to turn off your computers, cell phones, ipods, tv’s, radios, etc. Even for a few minutes a day, simply be still and listen. Many times it is in silence that God speaks to us the loudest. Even a few minutes of silence gives us room enough inside to discover ourselves. If you could go back in time and give yourself a message about your future, what would you say? Don’t rush. Be patient. Bad times pass. Reach out for help when you need it. Be grateful for what you have rather than focusing on what you don’t have. And be sure to give back. The world needs you! You can check out her work by going to the following sites: Website: www.annwidner.com Etsy shop: www.annwidner.etsy.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/littlevisions Today's interview is with my dear friend and Christian author Merrie Hansen. Her friendship (and her writing) have been very inspirational to me. I hope her interview touches you as it has me.
Tell us a little bit about yourself….who you are, where you’re from, what kind of cereal you like, etc? My name is Merrie Hansen. I am a child of the King – a wife, mother, grandmother – a daughter, sister, friend and neighbor. I love to sing, write, and read. I enjoy walking, backpacking, and roller-skating. Spring is my favorite season, yet Christmas is my favorite holiday. I call Nebraska home, but have also lived in Texas, Alaska, Missouri, and Kansas. I am not perfect…I’m forgiven by the King’s mercy and grace. My sassy mouth requires a Holy Spirit muzzle. I am self-conscious about my appearance. Eating healthy and exercising are permanent items on my New Year’s resolutions. This is not my final home…so I press on toward the goal God has set for me, humbly straining forward to reach His highest calling to take my place in His Heavenly Kingdom. Tell us a little bit about your journey to this point in your life. The spelling of my name gets lots of notice and has had an impact on the person I have become. My maternal grandmother’s name was Mary, but Mom liked the spelling she saw daily as my older sister and brother watched cartoons—Merrie Melody Productions. (She tells me I was lucky they didn’t name me Looney Tunes!) The spelling’s origin reminds me to be happy, joyous, and cheerful. As a wife and mother, this optimistic attitude helps me set the tone for our household. The attention to my special name along with being the youngest member of my family however invoked a bit of problem. What kinds of challenges have you faced through your journey, what you did do to get through them? Living within a safe, loving, church-attending family environment was wonderful. It gave space for my confidence to expand beyond the usual boundaries. Growing up in a small town “where everybody knows your name” enlarged my self-assured attitude. Add all that to my sassy personality and you’ll get a curious, competitive, confident female. Curiosity is said to “have killed the cat.” Competitiveness can turn aggressive. Confidence is a good thing, but there’s a fine line between self-confidence and God-confidence. When out of control, the combination can be explosive. God exposed this ticking bomb to me through singing. At the age of 14, three years after accepting Jesus as my personal Savior, I began singing solos in our church choir. Unknowingly, the flurry of compliments from the congregation initiated the distortion of my self-assurance into pride. Years later, when my husband and I moved from state to state, choir-to-choir, flattering remarks continued to inflate my bighead. After about 10 years of this, following an episode of my mouth shooting off grievances about the current music minister not giving me solos, God pulled me aside. Let me restate that: He grabbed me by the collar making sure to get my attention, and said, “I gave you that voice for my pleasure, my ministry, and my glory.” This was the first time I actually heard the Holy Spirit of God speak to my spirit. It also instilled the meaning of “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of the instruction for wisdom.” Moreover, it was the day Jesus became Lord of my life and not just the one who saved me. From that time forward, singing became my offering to the Lord, a service for His kingdom and splendor—as it should be. I learned to sing “about, for, and to” the lord of Lords and king of Kings. Plus, I discovered humble and gracious ways to accept compliments while giving God the glory. What advice do you have for others going through this kind of situation? Now, when I hear a beautiful voice singing, see someone teaching a Sunday school class, or hear another preaching a great sermon, I thank them for offering their talents to serve the Lord. I don’t want to be about inflating egos. I wish someone had taught me these humble lessons in my growing up days because receiving such a reprimand from God is a sad story to tell. Yet, it is a lesson engrained in my heart. What do you think is the hardest thing that young girls today face? Proverbs 119:9 asks a similar question; “How can a young person stay on the path of purity?” and simply answers it with, “By living according to your word.” (niv) Centuries or decades may change, but the problems of this world do not. Today, yesterday, or tomorrow, the pressures are still the same. Purity of the body, heart, and mind—the core of ones soul—the compass that leads our decisions is under attack. Society mocks and does all it can to sabotage God’s instruction for holy living. While developing the talents and abilities of the young person, society often discourages, even undermines, the maturity of character and teachings according to The Word. Jesus said, “I have given them your teaching. And the world has hated them, because they don't belong to the world… I am not asking you to take them out of the world but to keep them safe from the Evil One…” John 17:14-15 (ncv) What advice do you have to help them through it? Seek and find. Let the hunt for God’s Word be as a quest for treasures of gold, silver, and precious gems. Hide each token in the depths of your memory
Psalm 139:23, 24 inspires me to check all areas of my life where pride or other sin sneaks in. I think of my heart as a child’s bedroom where a parent carrying a flashlight looks under the bed, opens the closet, pulls the dresser away from the wall and exposes the depth of my filth. I invite God to search the dark, hidden crevices for sin leeching to my life. “Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.” Psalm 139:23, 24 (message) I hope you will check out Merrie's work by going to her website. She has some amazing work I know you will just love. Livin’ Out Loud for Jesus - www.MerrieHansen.com Today's blog interview is with the amazing Nikki Mannen of Kniffty Knits.
My name is Nikki McGinnis and I am from North Carolina. I began making jewelry in a jewelry class my junior year in high school. I started my business the next year. Over the years I found out that it is hard work to make this a full time business. For every situation, I had to pray and turn it over to God. When we go through these types of problems, we just need to stop and pray. When things get tough my husband, and family really give me encouragement. My friends have always been there for me too. Young girls today need a good support structure because of all the peer pressure and beauty images that they face. A piece of jewelry they make can tell everyone, "I'm me and I'm not going to be in the same mold." All young girls need to take a step back and evaluate their life and see that if their friends aren't there to encourage them and be supportive, then they aren't a true friend. Looking back at my life then compared to today, I would have told myself to not give up so easily. You can check Nikki's work out by going to her etsy shop knittstergirl426, or her facebook page kniffty knitts. If you are in the the Charlotte, NC area, you can check out her work in person at Mack and Mack of Charlotte. Here it goes...our first of many fascinating interviews. Welcome to the lovely and talented Christina Winchester.
Tell us a little bit about yourself….who you are, where you’re from, what kind of cereal you like, etc? A little bit about me... Hmmmm. I am a junior at Friends University, majoring in Religion. I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do when I graduate, only a few slight ideas. I love to write. My favorite color is pink and purple... And I don't like spiders.... Yep. That pretty much sums me up. :P Tell us a little bit about your journey to this point in your life. My journey has been crazy. From moving from Florida to Kansas at 15, to being diagnosed with Diabetes and Lymphacitic Colitis within a year of each other. And then a few years later getting an anxiety problem. It is never boring with me. But if I hadn't of had these things happen, I would not be the person I am today. I have realized through all of this how strong I actually am, and what I am capable of doing. What kinds of challenges have you faced through your journey, what you did do to get through them? Haha, It kind of seems like since I turned 17 my life has been a challenge. But no, that's not true. While yes, I have had more issues than a normal person my age, I am so blessed. With everything that I have been through I just continue to remind myself that none of my suffering is in vain, that God has all of this in hand, and He sees this, and will use my story and my suffering for His glory. And if that is the only thing that I can accomplish through this, I would not change a thing. What advice do you have for others going through this kind of situation? Trust that you aren't alone. That God sees you, and knows how you feel, and what you are going through. And that he does not delight in your suffering. He's got this. Who / what inspires you when the going gets tough? If the things ever do get tough I just open my Bible to the book of Job. In the last few chapters when it is God talking. Where he points out everything he has done. "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it" It's kind of a reminder, God is awesome. And if He can do all that and more, surely he can and will be there for me when I am struggling. What do you think is the hardest thing that young girls today face? Society is horrible to girls today. Telling them that you have to look like this, act like this, wear this. Sex has permeated things, and it is seeming to be more and more ok for younger and younger girls to do this. And that's not true. What advice do you have to help them through it? Don't doubt your value, you are a beautiful and special daughter of God. And you were created for a special and unique purpose to you, and only you can accomplish that purpose. So embrace it. If you could go back in time and give yourself a message about your future, what would you say? Pretty much the same thing. Don't doubt your value. Thanks Christina! Great words that have given us lots to think about. We'll continue our series with a new blog post next week. I am really excited to announce that we are going to start running a new blog series!! Each blog post will feature an interview from a strong woman who has an encouraging story to share. These women come from all walks of life and have some amazing stories to share. I hope you will take the time to read them and to share them with others. They have some amazing stories and I have been blessed by each and every one of them!!! If you know of someone who has a great story to share, let me know. I would love to include their (or your) story in this series. You can send their / your information in an email to: [email protected].
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