Life With Sly

Blog

  • Growing Up with My Role Model: Embracing Individuality

    Growing Up with My Role Model: Embracing Individuality

    When I was growing up, I wanted to be JUST like my big sister. She was smart, funny, and my best friend. There was no one in the world I wanted to be around more than her. I’d even go as far as saying I wanted to be her.

    Whenever we went shopping, I tried to make sure we looked like twins. I’d pick the same outfit she did in the same color, too.

    “Pick something else,” she’d say, and my little heart would break. Why did she get so upset that I wanted to be like her? Didn’t she understand that she was my favorite person in the whole world? I knew at such a young age, that no matter what happened, I’d be okay as long as she was there.

    My sweet big sister, my role model to this day. You have always been an inspiration and I’m grateful to God that I have you in my life. While the instruction to “pick something else” was hurtful to me then, I appreciate it now. It taught me the importance of having things “just for me.” I’m finding my interests, pursuing them, and having a blast!

    Thank you for being my role model, SiSTAR. I love you!

  • Pushing Through Sorrow

    Pushing Through Sorrow

    I want to be consistent. I want to commit to the promise I made to myself before God. A promise to be vocal, and share my heart with the world despite the risk of persecution. My older sister nudges me to keep writing… even if my writings aren’t as positive, uplifting or motivating as I hoped. She said “it’s okay to share your pain with your audience. You’re giving them the opportunity to grow and heal with you. Keep trusting God and the people that are meant to be there will be.”

    So, I’m here. I’m remembering the promise I made to myself before God to share my experiences with others. Should my life be a testimony, I pray that it testifies to God’s grace, mercy, and everlasting love for us. We are all sinners who have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. We may find ourselves being lied to and deceived by the thoughts programmed in our brains that say we are unlovable, unworthy, and irregular. God says otherwise. He says we are loved, we are worthy, and we are made perfect. Our creator chose us long before He created the earth. We are worthy, we do belong, and we have a home on earth as well as in Heaven. We are never alone even when we feel like we’re drowning in sorrows and bitterness. In Matthew 5:3-5, Jesus said:

    “‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.’”
    ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬
    https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.5.3-5.NIV

  • Love Asunder

    Love Asunder

    Green. What does it mean?

    What does it mean? Everyone knows.

    Everyone knows that green means Go.

    Go. Where should I go?

    Should I go where the wind blows?

    Should I go where the water flows?

    Stop.

    Red. What does it mean?

    What does it mean? Everyone knows.

    Everyone knows that red means Stop.

    Stop? When should I stop?

    Should I stop before he bleeds?

    Sssshould I stop before He sees?

    Asunder.

    Still again I wonder… What could stop us?

    Is our story just some plotless, everchanging, mindless bot mess?

    Is it God who put us together since His thoughts are not our own…

    Or did we do this to ourselves causing this dauntless form we called love?

    Apart again for the millionth time but I wonder if a million and one will be it for us.

    Afterall, everyone knows What God joined can’t be destroyed unless He says so.

    Blunder.

    There’s nothing left here.

    The land is desolate; nothing grows anymore.

    I’m letting go for good this time because it hurts too much to keep watering this dry place.

    I’m almost all used up but then I remember:

    Mark 10:9
    9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
    https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/bible-multi-version/9PPRWS532N91

  • Muse

    Muse

    M is for Mysterious

    U is for Unwavering

    S is for Significant

    E is for Everlasting

    John 3:16
    16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
    https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/bible-multi-version/9PPRWS532N91

  • I Still Hurt Sometimes Pt. 2

    I Still Hurt Sometimes Pt. 2

    When I was 20 years old, I thought I found love. Finally. I didn’t have to chase love anymore, because love found me. The best part? I didn’t need God to find it. I didn’t need to follow the biblical rules my family raised me on; I didn’t have to sacrifice the worldly pleasures I grew accustomed to. I just needed my dreams and a go-getter attitude to achieve them.

    As we fast forward to the present day, I can honestly say, I was wrong. I did find a version of love but it wasn’t the love I was looking for. It wasn’t the kind of love that meets you gently in the morning and forgives your bad breath. It wasn’t the kind of love that held your hand when you were nervous while waiting for the test results. It wasn’t the kind of love that wrapped you up in a blanket of peace when the pain of the world brought you to your knees. It was a version of love but it wasn’t God love.

    In 2022, I started to look for God. I experienced a series of unfortunate events at that point in my life and I struggled to find peace. My good friend and some family members suggested that I seek God. They asked “what else do you have to lose?” Nothing. Besides my life, I had nothing left to lose. The first thing I did was watch a sermon on YouTube. As the sermon was ending, I heard a strong voice gently whisper my name. I knew it was God. I knew He was there waiting for me with arms wide open. I found my way home and discovered true love. God’s love.

    Luke 15:6 KJV
    6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
    https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/bible-multi-version/9PPRWS532N91