An amazing article from Debra K. Fileta , Author of True Love Dates , We had to share .

Don't date until You Are  Ready :) Enjoy !!

 

 

 

For far too long, the overall Christian sub-culture has been down on dating.

It’s been blamed for relationship problems, pain and even been equated to a lack of trust in “Waiting on God.” As a professional counselor and, well, a woman who dated, I see dating as an incredible opportunity to glorify God and get to know the people around you in hopes of finding true love.

But for as much as I’m a fan of dating, I can’t say that it’s always for everyone. There are definitely times and stages in a person’s life when dating may not be the right thing. Here are some examples:

1. You Hope a Relationship Will Make You Feel Better About Yourself.

I interact with some young men and women who believe that a relationship is the means to their end, as if all problems, insecurities, fears and worries will dissolve in the embrace of a lover.

No human being has the capacity to offer you what is needed for true value and self worth.

If you are looking to a relationship to solve your problems and absolve your fears then hear this: You probably shouldn’t be dating.

There’s got to be an understanding that true security and value must come from within before you will be able to invest fully to another. Relying on another human being to fill those insatiable needs is a recipe for disaster—because no human being has the capacity to offer you what is needed for true value and self worth. True security must be rooted from the intimacy of your relationship with God, and founded in the value He has placed upon your life. Relationships and the joy that they bring are simply overflow.

Seek to understand your true value before trying to find it in the eyes of another.

2. You Just Got Out of a Relationship.

This is what we like to call the “rebound.” We all know that individual who is bouncing around from one relationship to the next, getting over one breakup by jumping into the arms of someone else.

The problem with this philosophy is that it never allows for healing, maturity and growth. When a relationship ends, it’s a signal that something was wrong. Rather than quickly starting over, it’s important to take the time to heal, recover and redefine yourself now that you are standing alone.

It’s important to review the former relationship and learn from your past wounds before you seek to try again. Give yourself time and a chance to heal, because that healing (or lack thereof) will follow you right into the next relationship.

3. You Haven’t Invested in Getting to Know Yourself.

For you to really have an understanding of what you need in a mate, you have to have an understanding of who you are. I would venture to say that the No. 1 determining factor of whether you are ready to date is how well you know yourself.

For you to really have an understanding of what you need in a mate, you have to have an understanding of who you are.

Of course, knowing yourself is a lifelong process, but your past, your present and your future are all important parts to you need to understand and work through as much as possible for the prospect of true love to become a reality. YOU are actually the most important person you will ever date.

4. You Don’t Believe the Timing is Right.

Sometimes it really comes down to this one thing. For some people, the adventure of dating is one that they are not quite ready to jump into. Maybe the timing is not right or maybe they are at a point in life in which their concentration needs to be invested in other things: school, career, ministry or simply getting their life more together.

No matter the reason, it’s important get a green light within your heart led by God’s Spirit in order to go ahead and step into the world of dating.

Dating can complicate—I get it. But it can also be a really special adventure. In order to pursue the rewards of dating and minimize the risks, it’s seriously important to make sure you are ready and that the timing is right for you.

Take inventory of where you are in life and then seek God as you take the first steps. Like I said, I’m an advocate of dating, but if you’re going to date, be sure to date well, because timing is everything.

Health : 4 Ways to Relieve Stress in Your Life

By -Cortni Marrazzo

All of us at one point or another have found ourselves trying to manage a to-do list that is a mile long with only a limited amount of time to do it in, or facing a mountain of expenses and bills with only a small amount of money to work with. If we don’t manage this outflow of responsibilities with our limited resources correctly, then we can find ourselves stressed and worried about how we are going to get everything done. This stress and worry has the potential to not only turn us into unpleasant people to be around, but it can also adversely affect our health. When we are overwhelmed, we need to realize that there is only so much we can do with the time and money we have and there is no benefit to worrying about the rest. Instead of trying to do it all or stressing because we simply can’t, we need to be realistic about what we are really able to accomplish. Here are some ways we can do that.

Establish priorities

Take a moment to sit down and go over everything you need to accomplish or every bill you need to pay.  Take note of the most important items and which items can wait. For tasks on your to-do list, the high priority may be important work projects, your family’s needs, or anything you else that is imperative that you finish right away. For instance, as a work at home mom, I often have to choose work deadlines over cleaning my house because if my house doesn’t get clean, it simply is an annoyance, but if my work doesn’t get done, I’m jeopardizing my paycheck. Examining the consequences of delaying something on your list will often help you realize what can wait and what can’t.

Ask for extensions

Once you’ve determined the items you should focus on accomplishing right away, you will need to make a plan for the other things that will need to be delayed. Asking for extensions on deadlines is one way to relieve some stress off your plate. Whether it’s a work project, a favor for a friend/family member, or even asking a company for a grace period of a few days to pay your bill, getting a bit of extra time for something you need to accomplish can help you a lot!

Realize that you may let someone down, and that’s ok

Telling someone that you can’t do something for them right away might not go over very well, but you have to be honest about what you can and can’t do in a certain time frame. I have clients that I do projects for in my business and sometimes they will send me a project and want it done the same day. There are times when I can oblige, but there are also those times where I have other work deadlines to accomplish or plans I’ve made with friends or family. In those times, I have to let my client nicely know that I won’t be able to complete that project in the time frame requested, but that I can have it done within the next day or so. I have to realize that this may slightly bother them, but it’s better than accepting the deadline and stressing out over finishing it that same day and possibly missing other deadlines because I said yes when I should have said no. (See my previous article on saying no for more on this).

Create a margin in your life

If your to-do list is beyond what you have time to do, it’s time to scale back on some things. Just as importantly, if your list is doable with the time that you have, but doesn’t leave you with any extra time, it also might be necessary to scale back. We have to remember that life happens- you might get sick, your kids might get sick, emergencies happen, traffic jams, long meetings, etc. Something is bound to hold you up at one time or another, and if you have your schedule jam packed by the minute, then there’s a good chance you will get behind on things the minute something unexpected comes up (which it will). Just like it’s a good idea to always give yourself some extra time to get to work or to a meeting in case there is traffic, it’s also a good idea to give yourself some extra time in life to get done all that you need to get done (as well as give yourself some extra room in your budget for unexpected expenses that may pop up).

Jesus encourages us to leave our worries and stresses at the door: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:34). Instead, we are to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (vs. 33). Accept your limitations and do what is in your power to do and trust God to help you figure the rest out.

Florida Teen Grace Bush receives high diploma and College diploma in same week

Grace Bush is the true meaning of a The World Is A Girl's Runway.  She is a great example that you achieve anything that you put your mind to . Check out amazing article below.

Article from CBS Miami

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — It’s that time of year when students all across the country will be celebrating high school and college graduations. One South Florida girl will get a diploma from both in the same week and she is only 16-years old.

Grace Bush already has her bachelor’s degree from college but she doesn’t have a high school diploma yet.

“It’s kind of weird that I graduated college before high school,” said Grace Bush.

The teen from Hollywood earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice Friday morning from Florida Atlantic University.

She did it with a 3.8 grade point average and completed the four-year degree in just three years.

“I started when I was 13 at Broward College and I also took my classes throughout the summer, so I was able to finish it before four years,” said Grace Bush.

Grace will get her high school diploma on May 9th from Florida Atlantic University high school.
The institution’s dual enrollment program allows high performing high school students to earn credit for the same courses towards their college degree and save thousands of dollars in tuition at the same time.

Grace’s parents wanted their nine children to earn college credit in high school because they can’t afford to send all of their kids to college. Their mother, who home schooled all the kids knew early on, Grace had a knack for learning.

“At two years old, she was already reading and I was totally shocked,” said Grace’s mother, Gisla Bush.

Grace is the third oldest in the Bush family.

“My two older sisters are doing it and I’m the third to do it. My oldest sister already graduated and my second oldest sister is graduating in the summer,” said Grace Bush.

The new college graduate said she’ll be pursuing a master’s degree this fall, and then going to law school.

“I would eventually like to become chief justice of the United States,” said Grace Bush.

During her spare time she plays the flute in two orchestras and that keeps her busy but she says she will finally take a little break during the summer.

“To study for the LSAT, so I can get as high a score as possible, so hopefully I can get a full ride into a good school, law school,” said Grace Bush.

The Envelope System Explained

Many of us spend money without budgeting or a plan . We have to make smarter decisions while spending our money.  Dave Ramsey an financial guru,  suggests the envelope system . I never knew Dave Ramsey was the brain child pushing this system.  I believe this system is worth a try.  Check out article on the Envelope system.

 Article form Dave Ramsey

The Envelope System Explained!

The envelope system is certainly nothing new—it has been around for decades.

And yet many people still don’t know exactly how it works. Do you need to save up money to get started? Does every bill get paid with the envelope system? And on and on.

Let’s break it down.

You don’t have to save up any money to start using the envelope system. It goes like this: Let’s say you have budgeted $500 a month for groceries. When you receive your first paycheck of the month, write yourself a check for $250, cash it, and put the cash in an envelope. On that envelope, write “Groceries.”

No money—and we mean no money—comes out of that envelope except to pay for food at the store. If you go food shopping and leave the envelope at home by mistake, turn the car around and go back to the house to get it. Make sure to take enough money to cover your groceries for that trip. If you take $150 and you tally up a bill for $160, take some things out of the cart. Put any change back in the envelope.

When you get paid again, write another $250 check. That’s your $500 for the month for food. If you want to go to the store but don’t have enough money, then raid the fridge for leftovers. Use the envelope system for items that tend to bust your budget.

Common examples include food (grocery store), restaurants, entertainment, gasoline and clothing. When the money runs out of each envelope, don’t spend any more until the new month starts and new money goes in there.

Reward Yourself

If you have money left over in an envelope at the end of the month, congratulations! You came in under budget for that item that month. So for that, it’s all right to celebrate (within reason). Reward yourself if you’d like by going out to dinner or rolling the money over to the next month so you have an extra-big food budget.

Getting that reward is important because it keeps your spirits up. It’s tough to live on a beans-and-rice lifestyle. But you’re making it work! Great job!

Don’t Cheat on Your Envelopes

Be careful not to borrow from other envelopes. When it comes to the envelope system, it can be very tempting to borrow cash from one to fund some other activity. For example, if you use up all your “Eating out” money, don’t be surprised if some inner voice tells you to reach behind that envelope for the one that’s marked “Clothing.”

You must remember that the very purpose of the envelope system is to curb your spending and teach you discipline. When you run out of grocery money, you eat leftovers instead of going food shopping. If you see your gas money is slipping away faster than the remaining days of the month, then limit your trips or even carpool.

If you have a crisis come up in the middle of the month or something happens and you absolutely have no other choice but to shift envelope funds around, then call an emergency budget committee meeting with your spouse. Talk to each other and figure out the best course of action, adjust the budget, and be in agreement on it. Both of you must be involved; it’s a committee decision.

Remember, envelopes are powerful weapons in the fight to corral your spending, but they are not the most powerful. What is? Simple: It’s you. Now that you know how the envelope system works, put it to work for you and take back control!