Dancing Through Life

About a month or so ago, I decided to step out of my comfort zone just a little bit.  I decided to join a closed group on Facebook to help promote the new book of one of my favorite actresses and authors.  The actress/author is Candace Cameron Bure and the book, Dancing Through Life.  Candace decided to write a book on her experience doing the reality TV show Dancing With The Stars.  I have been able to read her book and know that it is a must read for everybody.  It is a great testimony to all that God is doing through her life, but also a challenging book that will grow the person who is reading it.

Besides the fact that Candace Cameron Bure wrote this book, I was drawn to it because it had to do with courage and conviction.  For me personally, conviction plays a huge role in my life.  From an early age, I set my convictions, values, and morals to what I wanted them to be from what I saw in others and what I had heard or learned about.  Just like Candace, I am also a Christian so my convictions are close to what hers are.  Candace described conviction as, "the thing that keeps me grounded in my faith." When I read that statement, I felt uplifted and inspired.   I know personally that the convictions I have placed in my life keep me grounded in my faith, just like Candace.

I would love to tell you guys about the convictions that I have on my life.  As a Christian, I have made my convictions biblical convictions.  I live a life with Christlike character, I don't see rated R movies, I don't use swear words, I put Christ first in all that I do, I watch family friendly programs, I don't listen to music that has swear words in it or is derogatory towards people, I try not to judge others, and these are just a few.  These are convictions that I can't be moved on.  I literally stand firm on them, just like Candace does in her convictions.  When I made my convictions, I knew that it would be tough to keep them and that the world would tempt me to go against them.  I know that with Jesus Christ by my side, that I can keep my convictions.  He is the reason I stay true to who I am because He molded me and crafted me into the person I am today.

I love that Candace decided to write a book about her experience on Dancing With The Stars.  I love this show as well, but a person's convictions can be tested.  I am glad that Candace stood firm on what she believes and wrote about it.  This book can be a tool for other celebrities that have the same convictions as Candace to know that you can still keep your beliefs and be on this type of show.  Also, this book shows that doing a show like Dancing with the Stars will bring lots of hard work, struggles, challenges and fun times all in one adventure.  The truth is that a person with biblical values and conviction can do a show like this and show others who they really are.

With all of this said, I 100% recommend Dancing Through Life by Candace Cameron Bure.  It is a great read.  A book that will change your life for the better.  It is well worth the money you spend on it.  My prayer for those that do read it, is that God's power will shine through Candace's story into your life.  May the Lord bless you all.

Trinity McLaughlin aka T~Money

Life Mission Statement of Trinity McLaughlin

Trinity McLaughlin, an all-in, fully committed, follower of Jesus Christ striving towards being a Christlike, godly person through my words, thoughts and actions by always giving my best to:

-Live like Jesus and share His love by being the example Christ wants me to be, having His same attitude, loving others, being a good listener, and being a humble servant.

-Be a 3D Christian standing out in this world as a bright light.

-Be a true addict of Jesus, willing to pay the price and enjoying my salvation more than the world enjoys their sins.

-Have a daily devotional, prayer and worship time with the Lord.

-Study God's Word, continue to learn from the Word and prepare for the day that I preach from a pulpit.

-Die to self and picking up my cross daily, standing with my arms held high, my heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all, standing with my soul surrendering to all God has for my life.

-Be a transforming servant leader always showing humility by accepting the leadership gift that God has given me.

Key Words to describe Trinity McLaughlin:

loving, surrendering, selfless, woman of the word, woman of prayer, fearless, strong, healthy, learning, growing, compassionate, caring, balanced, passionate, conqueror, soldier, leader, integrity, trustworthy, responsible, loyal, humble, hard worker, servant, confident, faithful, courageous, flexible

My life will be reflected in the fact that I will choose to do the following:

-Above all things, I will honor and serve Christ in all that I do

-Seek the Lord and godly counsel whenever I need help

-Do unto others as I would like them to do unto me

-Maintain a healthy lifestyle so my body can be a temple for the Lord to dwell in

-Be sincere and decisive

-Listen instead of assume before I make decisions, Get the full picture

-Keep a positive mental attitude with enthusiasm

-Never compromise my integrity

-Stand firm on my values and convictions

-To live my life to the fullest

-Keep a good sense of humor

-To laugh out loud daily

-Not have fear hold me back, but have faith to always move forward

-Be orderly in person and work

-Be a teacher, role model and mentor for others to succeed

-Be completely trustworthy and honest

-Have courage whenever I am fearful

-Never give up, Never give in, Don't Give An Inch

-Always giving my best and then a little bit more, Perfect Effort

-Dream Big for the Impossible

-Live my life in total surrender to Christ

National Autism Day

Today April 2nd is recognized around the world as National Autism Day.  The way that people bring awareness is by wearing the color blue which is a great thing for me as blue is my favorite color and I wear it pretty much every day or the week.  So just so everybody knows, the definition of autism is a pervasive developmental disorder in children and adults that characterizes impaired communication, excessive, rigidity and emotional detachment, a tendency to view life in terms of one's own needs and desires.  There are different forms of autism and the intensity of autism can vary on a spectrum.

So to get a little more personal, National Autism Day holds an extremely significant meaning in my life.  In February 2007 as a 21 year old young adult, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome which is on the autism spectrum.  The tall and short of it is that I struggle with how I socially interact with people.  I will not understand people's jokes, but make it look like I do.  I can say things that don't go within the conversation.  I miss the majority of social cues when interacting with people.  Another things that I do that is categorized under the Asperger's Syndrome symptoms is talk in a really loud voice and not know it, only wear certain color patterns, eat my food a certain way all the time, don't mind playing by myself, put things in a certain order like having my music CDs and movie DVDs in alphabetical order, excel in mathematics and statistics, craved friendships and relationships to the point of obsession and done many other different things to the extreme with no balance.  I was so glad when I found out I had Asperger's because I knew I was different then lots of other people, but didn't know their was an actually name to it until I was diagnosed.  I was never in denial about it, just always knew I was unique.  Like I said before Asperger's Syndrome is on the autism spectrum.  There are people that can't function at all or those like me who are considered high functioning.  Those considered high functioning can do lots of things independently like live on their own, hold down a job and so forth.

So it has now been just over 8 years since my diagnoses, so how has my life changed?  My life has changed a lot.  I have a whole knew perspective on how I relate to others.  I was able to get some counseling which helped out a lot.  Also I slow down on think about what I say before I say it or I take criticism better than I did before.  I want people to hold me accountable for my actions.  I still do the eating food weirdly, wearing the same color of clothes, having things alphabetized, still love numbers and statistics and try to keep my voice down, but the loudness does come back sometimes, and the most important thing is that I don't crave friendships or relationships that once wanted.  I am grateful for the ones that I have and have learned to balance them out.  Like anybody else, I still fail at the little things and try to learn new things every day.

So that is why April 2nd, National Autism Day is significant to me.  I hope you all learned a little bit about what Autism is.  I know this is really brief but hopefully it sparks some interest.  Just remember that God makes everybody uniquely and has a plan and purpose for all.

T~Money

 

AA Battery Charge

The other day I was think about how a double A battery was significant in my life. So I started thinking about what makes a double A battery so special.

Here is a list of what I came up with:

1. Everybody has them

2. They help bring something back to life

3. Usually either 2 or 4 will do the trick

So why would some thing like double A batteries strike some curiosity in my brain? Well I started finding descriptive words for the AA in a double A battery, and how they recharge my life on a daily basis. First off, it takes 2 AA batteries so 4 descriptive words. Those 4 descriptive words are Acceptance, Accountability, Alive and Active. These worlds hold tons of significance in my life and I would love to share it with you right now if you don't mind. Alright, Ok, then let's go.

1. Acceptance: The definition of this word is favorable reception, approval, favor. So let me break it down a little. I get a recharge when other people accept me for who I am regardless of the mistakes I have made and the flaws and quirkiness that I have. The other recharge I get from acceptance is from me accepting myself. I accept myself in my strengths, weaknesses, my physical appearance, and my actions. If a person doesn't love and accept themselves then they can't be the person God created them to be. So it is extremely important to be accepted by others when we are truly ourselves and accept who we are in God's eyes because we are important, valuable, and have a great purpose in this lifetime.

2. Accountability: The definition of this world is liable, answerable, explainable, responsible for our actions. Accountability is huge in my life. To be personal and honest, I think all of my actions are right and appropriate when a lot of the times they are only about 25% of the time right. So I strive and recharge on people who can stand up to me and say, “Trinity maybe that wasn't right or appropriate.” When I hear that then I can rethink then I can change what I had done if needed. I strive on having and living a life with godly character and having people hold me accountable is extremely important and recharging in my life.

So the first AA battery is Acceptance and Accountability. They hold extremely importance in my life that help me keep my life full of love, joy, and happiness because I get a recharged by this AA battery. Now let's move on to the second AA batter because my life needs a double portion of charge.

3. Alive: The definition of this word is having life, living, existing, in a state of action, fully of energy and spirit, vibrant. The bible talks about the Word of God being alive within our hearts. I am recharged when I am reading, studying, learning and applying God's Word in my life on a daily basis. No matter what I am going through as long as I have God on my side, I feel alive and fully of joy every moment of my life. Having Jesus is all the recharge I need to be fully alive in Christ. Alive and kickin' is a good way to live a godly lifestyle. I totally am enjoying this ride 100%.

4. Active: The definition of this word is engaged in action, participation, being in a state of existence, having the power of quick motion, causing change, effective, busy. I have always wanted to live an “active” lifestyle. I haven't had one all the time, but keep on trying every time I fail. The ways that I recharge by being active are eating a healthy diet and getting exercise in as much as possible. I love to go on walks, play sports, do the elyptical machine at the gym and lots of other things to stay active. Another way I like to recharge by being active is to live out the Word of God in my life everyday. Besides having the Word of God be alive in our hearts, God commands us to have it active as well. By living an active lifestyle of godly character, having a prayer life, my life gets recharged fully back when my tank gets run dry. So to get a recharge by being active it is both physically and spiritually. It isn't one of the other, but both.

So now the second AA battery is Alive and Active. Once again both are extremely valuable in recharging my life and filling my tank when I am weak. I feel joy, peace, and happiness when I live a life that is alive and active.

In conclusion, I now understand how AA batteries can have a significance in my life. Thank you Lord for being the creator of the AA battery and how they have spoken to me. It is ironic how the littlest of things can spark clarity and interest in one's lives. This just shows God's love and faithfulness in my life.  Until next time, may Jesus be your ultimate recharge.

T~Money

Don't Stop Believin'

Don't Stop Believing is the famous song from the band Journey that helped launch an amazing TV Show called Glee. Glee is about a high school glee club that is made up of all different kinds of kids who come together to sing. The glee club is full of diversity from jocks to cheerleaders to loners to divas to anybody who wants to be apart of a group. It didn't matter what your background, this glee club would accept you. The main purposes of this show are to inspire others to don't stop believing in their dreams and to be who you are.

I will be the first to admit that I am a “gleek”. The definition of a gleek is a person who loves Glee very much like a super fan. Now I don't own any merchandise from the show, but have bought lots of songs from Itunes and seen every episode. So maybe I am not a true “gleek”, but have some of those “gleek” qualities within me. Now I was drown to this show because of the music factor. On each episode, the actors would sing between 4 to 8 songs per episode. So the singing always took me to a new place every time I watched an episode.

Another thing that I enjoyed about Glee was how realistic it was to what the youth and young adult generations are going through right now. The topics that were addressed on the show ranged from bullying to teen pregnancy to gay marriage to true acceptance to individuality to self esteem to following your dreams and many others topics. I will say that I don't agree with how this show represented some of the topics, but I will say that I was educated on how truly corrupt this world is and how badly everybody needs Jesus. Jesus is the only ay to true happiness. There was a tiny bit of Christian symbolism but not much. They stayed away from it because it isn't the stuff people wanted to see. Just like every show it catered to what their audience wants to watch. That is why I commend the show because this is truly realistic corruption. It makes me pray for this generation harder.

So let me share with you the things I have learned from watching Glee:

1. Don't stop believing in your dreams

2. You are fearfully, wonderfully and uniquely made by God

3. There is corruption and confusion in this world

4. Prayer is needed at a whole new level

5. Jesus is the only one who can give a person strength

So in conclusion, Glee was an eye opening TV show to watch. I am sad to see the show end because the music will stop. I do look forward to using this show as a ministering toll to show others Jesus. My prayer is that this show will inspire people to be who Jesus wants us to be. TV shows can give inspiration, but Jesus is the only one who can fulfill our needs.

T~Money

Here is the first time Don't Stop Believin' was performed on Glee back in 2009.

Happy New Year 2015!!!

Happy New Years to everybody that actually reads my blog.  Know that I appreciate it very much.  My prayer for everybody during this new year is that you have an increase in all that you do, but most importantly that you draw closer to God an allow him to move in your life in ways that only He can move in.  I see big things happening during 2015.

So let me give you a review with the highlights from 2014:
-Favorite NFL football team Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl first team in history
-Trip to Louisville, Kentucky to volunteer at Camp HiHo (camp owned by actress Jennifer Lawrence Family), also visited a dear friend Tiffanie Shives.
-Dad fell off ladder and makes full recovery was the spark to a change in lifestyle for me with a reward of 50 lbs weight loss so far, think I put some weight on during holidays, hopefully not a lot.  Guess I need to re evaluate my goals.
-Walked at graduation for Master's Degree from Gonzaga University.  Officially will finish my degree within the first 10 days of January.  All my hard work has paid off.
-Trip to Colorado with parents in December, but was also able to see my family in April on my layover coming home from Kentucky.
-Hope's Alive Conference put on by Kathy Triccoli and Michelle Margiotta with my mom.
-Accepted a head coaching basketball position up at Northwest Christian High School.  I run the girl's JV Team and assist with the Varsity Team.  Our Varsity team is 10-0 and JV is 8-1.  It is an honor to be apart of this program.
-Started the process of writing a book.

So it has been a full, enjoyable and exciting year for me.  Hopefully it continues to be like that in 2015.  No matter what lies ahead for me, I know that God sits on the throne with total control.  I give all glory and trust to Him in 2015.

To close this blog post, I would like to let you in on my focus word for 2015.  That word is Faith.  I know that in 2015 my faith is going to get tested and increased in the way that God wants it to be.  The verses that will go along with my focus word are Hebrews 11:1 & 6.  So I look forward to a year where God can teach me more about faith and how I respond when my faith gets tested.  It is going to be an exciting year.

May God bless you throughout 2015, take you to a more intimate relationship with Him.  2015 is going to be great.  I can feel it.

T~Money