Single.

As you can tell, the name of my blog has changed.

I realized, as I am living this single life, that we as women need to be encouraged in being single.

I think as our friends are moving on to the season of relationships, engagement, or marriage, we feel left behind.

We feel sometimes they have reached the finish line before us. 

However, I want to blog about my personal experience in being single, currently, right now.

Absolutly single. 

No pursuers. 

No interests. 

Dry as a desert, people.

Completely single and surviving.

This will not be a blog about venting about the troubles and the poor life of a single woman.

Nope. 

This blog will be about taking advantage of this season as one of the most freeing and positive places in life.

So be prepared for the funny, the raw and the vulnerability about being single in this life.

love,
jocelyn elizabeth

I just had to make this photo. i feel like it oozes my confidence in my singleness.

Simple Things in Life

 

I came home from work today and I found these in my room.

My mom went out and got fresh flowers for me.

They are making my room smell quite amazing.

 

Also, I got some new books this week. 

If you look on my bed, there is a wide range of books, from dating to running to school books.

I love books. 

If you know me, you know that I probably recommend a new book to you every other week.

I am learning to find joy in the simple things in my life.

The Lord is teaching me about contentment right now.

I have realized that, contentment doesn't come when we reach major milestones in our life. Contentment comes when we embrace and cherish the everyday life.

So I am choosing to learn to walk in contentment everyday.

Content about going back to school.

Content about being where I am in life.

Content with God.

love,

jocelyn elizabeth

Summer Homework

Summer Studying at its best. (just lots of webcam photos)

learned how to curl my hair with a flat iron from youtube

lots of time on pinterest.

Summer is ending soon.

I must enjoy the fleeting moments of fun.

And be disciplined.

However, this summer has been great.

Lots of eating healthy (elimination of salt, sugar, and white flour products)

Runs around the lake close by.

Late night movie nights with my mother.

It has been so great. 

love,

jocelyn elizabeth

Come Jesus.

These past six months have been some of the most interesting. I feel as though my heart has been tested, tried and persevered. If you read my journal, it seems as though it is a roller coaster of emotion. However, I came across this journal entry and believe it describes perfectly my heart towards God.

Through all of life's turmoil, He is still faithful. 

My heart will forever believe.

Come close, Jesus.

4/4/11

Come Jesus.

Come Jesus, to this feeble heart of mine.

Form me to be more like You.

I want to know the intimate parts of your heart.

I want my heart to be fashioned with Yours.

Intimacy with you makes the puzzle pieces of this jigsaw life,

come perfectly together.

You are all I want. 

My heart is lovesick.

It feels so unsettled.

I do not belong here.

My heart desires to be near to Him.

It desires to be at the feet of God.

For I feel that there is more to this life I live.

This is not my home.

I feel like a vagabond moving from place to place in order to just follow His voice.

His voice, so gentle, so powerful.

Enrapturing this unsettled heart of mine.

Come, Jesus.

Be near.

love,

jocelyn elizabeth

Return from Family Vacay.

Ten years ago, the Lord started restoring my family. I am humbly grateful for the work the Lord has done in each one of us in the Berry clan.

Ten years ago, we started taking our annual family vacation to Florida. Same beach, different houses. Each year, we take the long road trip to Florida. Many memories made and conversations had.

I am beyond grateful for the chance to have family vacations, where a man and wife have been married for 30 years, and two sisters, who are devoted to the Lord.

God is so faithful.

Here are some fun little stories of the family vacay:

-me and mom didn't hit the road for our 12 hour roadtrip until 2 pm.

-2 am, we have a freak accident at a gas station in nowhere, Alabama, where the gas didn't shut off. It was flooding everywhere. We were scared.

-there was a youth group retreat center up the road from our cottage. after remembering all of our crazy youth group days, i decided to start being a youth leader in the fall.

-we ate loads of ice cream.

-read millions of good magazines on how to keep in shape.

-started reading the book "radical" which deserves a separate post all in itself.

Here are some pictures of our little berry vacay. enjoy.

we grilled almost every night.

my dad is the master griller.

This donut place was on the Food Network. We stood in the rain.

They were well worth the wait.

all natural.

a peak into our little cottage.

we love eachother.

close friends.

we can't help that we are so funny.

love,
jocelyn elizabeth

Berry Beach Time

For the past 8 years, the Berry Family has taken a family vacation to the beach every summer. Family vacations are the best and are probably the most relaxing. 

When you are with your family, all your guards are down, and you are organically just you. If you know the Berry family at all, we are one funny, crazy bunch, but have the best time on vacations. 

My sister usually wants to listen to my ipod the whole time, because of all the new music I have added. And I bring 20 books down, in the hopes of finishing all of them in a week. 

Some people say camping really bonds a family, the Berry's don't do the wilderness for fun, only for mission trips.

Let the good times begin.

 love,
jocelyn elizabeth

Friendship

One of the best gifts on earth are friendships.

They help you become greater than you are.

Authentic friendships challenge you to be self-less, rather than selfish.

I can say that I have been blessed with some of the most authentic friendships.

Sometimes, I ask God why He gave me such amazing friends. 

I feel undeserving and overwhelmingly blessed.

I think the greatest gift Teen Mania gave me for the three years I spent there, was friendships.

I love my Teen Mania friends.

We laugh more than we ever have.

We encourage, strengthen, and carry eachother through the hardest seasons in this world.

I am blessed.

I just got back from a trip to visit some wonderful girlfriends that live in Virginia Beach. 

It was so fun.

I loved it.

beach time with hannah. 

we were roomates in Texas and became the closest of friends.

Girl time, mani's and pedi's.

We took a roadtrip to see our dear friend, Ashley get married.

It was 8 hours of pure bonding, sleeping, and laughing.

Alyse took a bus for 12 hours to come in for the wedding.

Everytime I see this lady, she brings so much joy to my life.

I think this picture totally describes our friendship.

Ashley and Me.

We were roommates my first year at Teen Mania. 

Many talks and secrets shared with her.
She has married such a great man. We kept saying throughout the wedding, it is so obvious how much he loves her!

Oh I caught the bouquet. Never caught the bouquet before. it was interesting.

Last night in VA Beach, and it was the 4th of July.

So much fun, laughing, late night runs to the grocery store for cookies and cream ice cream and pizza.

Loved it.

Love,

jocelyn elizabeth