Kara's Soft Words

Meeting him was like a breath of fresh air. I hadn't dealt with many guys like him. Most of the time, dudes act like all we (females) wanna hear is, "Hey ma. . . (hey sexy, or what up shorty)" but he simply said, "Hello." He was warm and hilarious- willing to embarrass himself in the grocery store just so he could keep talking to me. Before we went our separate ways, he'd asked me out. Talking to him was easy! If there's one thing that girls love, it's being able to have a great conversation with a guy. He amazed me with his knowledge of statistics and a desire to analyze almost everything. He was easygoing and fun to be around. He really wanted to know about ME- who I was, what I'd studied in college and what interested me. . . And he didn't mind giving out compliments ;-). Our meal together was bittersweet.  Like I said, talking to him was easy. Hours passed during our conversations on the phone and in person. We kept each other l...

I can't believe I did it. As much as I've been talking about overcoming fear. . . and replacing it with faith, I let it grip me. To be perfectly honest, these last few months have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me and I kept thinking that I didn't want that to be reflected in my writing. So I simply stopped blogging for a minute.  Just recently, I guess you could say I came to myself and remembered- everyone experiences a variety of situations in life . We won't be happy every single day but there are always lessons to be learned. In 2 Corinthians 3:2, the Word says, " Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you (The Message)." I don't know about you but I want my letter- my life's story to be one that inspires others.  I know I won't get everything right but I definitely am willing to share the lessons I've learned in hopes of making a difference in someone else's life. (Revelation 12:11-...

**This post first appeared in the February 2014 Issue of  Women's Elevation Magazine . Sign up for your free (online) subscription by visiting  www.womenselevationmagazine.com ** Do you love yourself?  I’m not promoting being vain or obsessed with yourself. . . but can you clearly see and appreciate your qualities? Do you recognize your value? I truly believe that a relationship with God can help us to recognize our own worth and establish a healthy sense of love for ourselves. If we care about someone, we’ll most likely cherish and want to protect them. We should be grateful for our lives and desire to make the most of them. Realizing that we have been created in God’s image should remind us that there’s no need to compare ourselves to others. If we focus on the world’s messages, we’ll always be more concerned that there’s someone prettier, smarter or popular instead of the fact the fact that God views us as His masterpiece. How amazing is that? ...

**This post first appeared in the January 2014 Issue of Women's Elevation Magazine . Sign up for your free (online) subscription by visiting www.womenselevationmagazine.com ** Happy New Year! I hope you’re excited about it!   This time of the year can take on different meanings for different people. Some are anxious to say goodbye to the last 12 months and the events that took place, while others look at it as a time of new beginnings.   I want to encourage you to embrace this time as the start of a new chapter in the story of your life. As you may know, a vital part of the writing process is reviewing your work and making necessary revisions .   We can apply this principle to our lives as well. Are there aspects of your life from the last year that you weren’t happy with? Well here’s something to think about. "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." If you know that something 'didn't work' fo...

This is funny lol!  It's taken me so long to post this because I was trying to narrow down my list of items :-p. I really wanted to pick things that represent various aspects of my life. So here's a little collage to address the first part. . . In the top left corner, we have journals, of course! I'm almost always writing *something* down but these 2 are a couple of my favorites.  Made by DaySpring, these journals have scriptures on the bottom of their pages. . . sure to inspire and encourage the writer.  I feel like they represent my {growing} love for writing and God at the same time. In the top right corner, we have A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George.  This book represents the fact that I love to read but more importantly, I appreciate reading books that will motivate me to grow.  This book challenged and encouraged me- from the very first chapter! Front and center is my Vertical Current hoodie!  I love this band! ...

{Random right? Just bear with me. . .} As you know, life is filled with a variety of experiences! We all are guaranteed to deal with highs and lows. One day, we may feel like we're on top of the world but the rug could be yanked from under our feet, on the next. I just want to encourage you to keep things in perspective. You've heard the phrase, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Yeah... okay *rolling eyes*. Personally, I very rarely buy regular lemonade.  HOWEVER, I will say-> Auntie Anne's old-fashioned lemonade is the bomb :-p. When I think of lemons, the first thing that comes to mind is the tartness of the fruit. The taste is powerful and not exactly pleasant. I bet your face is scrunched up- just thinking about it. We're able to add water and sugar in order to make a sweeter beverage and then it becomes something that we enjoy. You see the transition??? Something that we didn't like or weren't fond of (at first) can be...

     I see you.  I know you have dreams and goals but for one reason or another, you’re sitting on them.       What are you waiting for?  Do the stars have to be aligned perfectly? Does everyone need to be in your corner? Do you know whether you’ve saved “enough” money?  Is it the perfect time. . .      Wake up!  These things may never come. . . but you still  - no-> you ALREADY have the power to make a difference!  Napoleon Hill once said, “Do not wait; the time will never be just right. Start where you stand and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”      Remember to replace fear with faith! You may not realize it but fear can be the thief of many dreams. Often times, we allow our own words of doubt to stop us from accomplishing our goals. We focus more on  “what if” rather than the FACTS  that a...