Friends, college, … religion? | a life letter

Welcome to Life Letter #1,

The title of this post says a lot- especially to my conflicted heart. See, I’ve made it a goal to devote much more time to the investment of this blog, but with that comes some very real considerations. For example, what do I even write about? Is it wrong to consider which topics will financially make the most? How should I be more specific in my niche? AHHH Y’ALL, I JUST WANT TO WRITE! And that’s where it’s tough balancing my heart behind this blog while also the reality of what it takes to sustain my website.

If you study SEO and look into how to optimize search engine results, you will find that there is a need to narrow your niche, but guys that is so tough when, as I said above, my heart pulls TWO ways! So, I’m opening this post to put into words that I am placing my trust in our Lord.

I’m trusting that I CAN write on both college (lifestyle) AND faith!! I believe that it is because of my faith and the gracious goodness of God that I have even reached this point in my life; therefore, why wouldn’t I trust that He can handle a problem as small as SEO or analytics??

Honestly y’all, that’s what I desire most for these posts, to be a conversation between you and me. A time for me to write as if I am speaking with my best friend. Here’s what my life looks like right now: I’m sitting at a coffee shop near my University with a cup of black coffee around 7 am. Let’s hope my writing makes sense this early in the morning!! 🙂

Not gonna lie, they probably won’t always make sense, but I pray that through these life letters I can create a space of vulnerability. Truly, I desire that the posts tagged under faith become times for you to get a glimpse of my raw and honest heart. A time where I don’t edit and make my writing all perfect, but rather, a time that I keep it simple, authentic, and life-like.

Because my friends, I struggle too.

I recently looked at the analytics for my site, and upon seeing the review of 2021, I sat in awe of how many people I have the opportunity to write with. (Notice how I say with because I truly believe we are a community!) This platform is something that I take with great humility and appreciation as I am in awe of how great a God we serve. He is a way maker, promise keeper, and literally the only reason I have sanity in the business of life.

It can be so difficult to carry a relationship with Christ on top of our school work and other commitments, but what I have come to find is that it is ONLY through my relationship with our Heavenly Father that I am able to handle and carry all that I do here on earth.

Do you want a glimpse into Halie’s schedule? Well, it consists of 4 jobs, a full class load, a boyfriend, friendships, extracurriculars, and all the added stress that anyone else would also carry. Y’all, I literally had to go buy a planner that schedules by the hour to be able to allocate my time accordingly this semester!!! So trust me, I GET IT!

Go back to the things I just listed. Notice how I have yet to incorporate my faith into it. Because that’s the sad reality of life. It’s in the moments that we are extremely busy that we forget to “add” in Jesus time. When we get busy, it seems so easy to stop praying or reading our Bible or simply basking in the presence of Jesus.

But this is where a key point comes into play: you were never meant to ADD time into your schedule for God, you were created to live your schedule CENTERED around God.

Let me give you this verse:

James 3: 17…

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

In college, we think we’re gaining so much wisdom, and from that, we fall into the belief that it’s through that wisdom we achieve the perfect career, perfect amounts of money, and perfect life. BUT MY FRIENDS, THAT IS SO NOT TRUE!!! Wisdom, if rooted in the world, is so fleeting!

It’s in true wisdom that I have grown to understand the beauty of learning the acts of consideration, mercy, the fruits of the spirit, sincerity, and simply living a peace love life.

Like you guys, I LOVE that!! Wisdom from Heaven is “pure,” and in following that it is “peace-loving.” I don’t know about you, but I WANT THAT!!! I want a life of peace and the love of Jesus!! Because it is out of that that I have the ability to forward it onto those I come into contact with!!

See, I tricked you with the title of this post. It’s not a question of where should I fit my faith into my day, but rather, what parts of my life have I yet to INCORPORATE it into!!

In my own life, and what I personally have grown to see in this chaotic season is that it takes intentionality, dedication, and perseverance to give God the time He deserves, BUT, when we give Him that time in our lives, HE COMES THROUGH!!! When we live with Christ as our core, we have the peace to love through the trials of life.

I just had the opportunity to participate in 21 days of prayer at my local church, and for 21 days from 6:45-7:45 every evening, we would meet. We’d worship, pray, and grow intentionally in the spirit. YOU GUYS! IT WAS LIFE-CHANGING!! I have never been so joyful, patient, generous, and what’s even crazier is that all the “busy” things in my life and tasks I needed to complete somehow diminished and became less of a time consumption than they should have been! When we MAKE time for the Lord, he PROVIDES time for that which He knows we are sacrificing!!

If you really want friends and classes (which are both good things) to flourish in a way like you’ve never experienced, be intentional and take 30 minutes of your morning to worship and praise Jesus for the new day that He made! And then, live your life with Jesus as your joy and Christ as your core!!

Honestly, that would’ve been a good title! “Jesus as your joy and Christ as your core.” I like that 🙂

Because friends, you can live a good life without Christ, but you can live a CHANGED life within Christ.

He was and is and forever will be faithful.

He is our mountain mover in times of despair.

He is our refuge when we lack strength.

He is forgiveness when we fail.

He is freedom.

The world has a lot to say about religion, and out of that, a lot of hurt has been caused by the religious community. But my friends, that is the VERY REASON we are called to have RELATIONSHIP with Jesus over a religion!!

I’m serious, you were never meant to carry the burden of meeting a religious “quota” of a certain amount of minutes per day, but rather, you were created to live in a continual relationship rooted in Christ.

It is finding the pure beauty of a relationship that we see the need to give God time in our schedules. And it is from spending intentional time that we grow to understand how we are to live a 24/7 relationship with God.

If you have ever been in a relationship, or honestly, you could even relate this to a parent/ guardian, you may not always be speaking directly to them, but they are always somewhere in your heart. You are yes, eager to spend one on one time with your significant other, but even in the times you aren’t with them, it’s not like you forget about him and go chase after other guys. (If you are, that’s a WHOLE other discussion.)

But this is the SAME with Jesus. You are eager to spend that quality time with Him through worship and devotionals, but we aren’t to forget about Him nor act out of His will the rest of the time we aren’t being in intentional contact with Him.

Here’s an idea to get you started building a firmer relationship with Jesus: go on a Jesus date!! You, your Bible, your heart, and Jesus. One of my best friends started doing this, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever!! She’d go to a cute coffee shop, treat herself to a coffee, and spend time with her Savior!! She formed a relationship with Jesus rather than simply a religion that solely devoted Sunday mornings.

It IS possible to allocate your time according to God’s will over your own. It takes perseverance and persistence, but it is possible. And when you begin living a 24/7 Jesus Relationship, your daily routines will be 100000X more joyful and impactful!! (just trust me on this one)

I believe in each one of you.

And like I said, I believe that God works in us all, and it is through one another that we have so many opportunities to grow!!

Now, go and be Jesus! We all know this world needs some Jesus joy; let’s give it to them!!

My challenge: grow in the understanding that your day will be so much more beautiful when you are living your life with Christ manifested in each moment rather than the reverse of trying to cram Jesus into your spare minutes.

In love,

Halie Kay