The Funk

Sometimes, I just feel discouraged. I get upset and feel like my relationship with God is not growing with the same intensity that it normally does.  I feel moody, depressed, and in general, icky.  This is what I like to call, "the funk."  That inescapable place, that hole in the ground that is starting to cave in around you... it's heavy and incredibly unpleasant. 

I've been having a really difficult time spreading the word about my "project."  I've only had one or two people (other than close friends) ask me why I'm wearing the dress.  And honestly, I've been rather shocked.  Not only have people not noticed as much as I hoped they would, but they seem uninterested when I give them my reasons.  They seem to respond with a Oh, that's interesting or I've heard that before.  But that's it.  No one says, What can I do? And this level of apathy is starting to get to me. 

For these reasons, I have started to blame myself, have begun doubting my convictions, and I've just been in a bad mood.  As a result, I was drowning in these feelings of hopelessness.

Well, as of Tuesday, I had not been successful in escaping "the funk."  However, things started to turn around before Crosswalk last night.  I had a great quiet time, I had a lovely evening of praise, prayer, and fellowship, and I was beginning to emotionally calm down.

I started reading Hebrews 10 last night. Verses 35 and 36 say, So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 

I then said to myself, Self, put on your confidence pants and stop being so pitiful, keep on truckin' and God will help you work everything out.

Soon after, I got on to facebook and saw that my friend Danielle Hale, from here at OU, completed her newspaper article about the project.  I, of course, had to repost it.  Within the hour, my facebook homepage and wall were covered in loving comments and shares with requests to read and repost.  I had never felt so loved and supported.  It really warmed my heart to know that so many people DO care about the terrible-ness that is human trafficking.

And, in even better news, today in my dance class three girls asked me why I've been wearing the same dress everyday.  I almost cried in excitement.

Needless to say, I consider myself successfully out of "the funk."

Here is a link to the newspaper article:

http://speakeasymag.com/campus-buzz/students-participate-in-one-dress-one-month-to-raise-awareness-of-human-sex-trafficking/


Here are those puppy pictures I promised:

The sisters, and our reaction to the news that we are getting a puppy.

Day 13: With Hannah, I am so blessed to have such amazing people working with me to raise awareness for such a good cause.

My bestest friend Danielle Rice.  She goes to the University of Toledo and is the one who introduced me to One Dress.  I owe everything that is happening down here in Athens (the newspaper article [written by a different Danielle], the project, and the awareness being raised) to the efforts and the compassionate heart of this girl.

And here is a picture of her dress.  YAY for the support of friends!

 

II Corinthians 4:7-9

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.