WANTED: GOOD CHRISTIAN FRIENDS! (This is not a real ad, just need tips! Lol)

So ever since classes started I've felt a need to have new friends. I would talk to some people who are apart of the same campus organizations and have some really good conversations but never end up as besties. I know that making friends shouldn't be my biggest concern but I feel lonely and kind of upset. Like God I prayed to you to send me some good friends, I've left the bad ones behind and I am spending more time with you but the result is still zero. I follow Heather Lindsey's Instagram page and in one of her posts she talked about being hidden for a reason because maybe God doesn't you to be distracted from his purpose. But I feel that if I had good christian friends who would brought me closer to God daily then that wouldn't a distraction, right? I know it may sounds cheesy but I dream about having that bubbly, goofy friend who just brings out the best in me and me doing the same as well. I want to go to Bible Study together, Sunday service, hang out at different cafe's and go on road trips. Go to a Lecrae or Hillsong United concert and scream the lyrics to "Oceans" out loud until we're on the floor bawling out in tears. I've always wanted a big sister and I just want someone who can encourage me to do the right things and keep me accountable. Ever since I moved out of my old dorm into my suite its been a little hard to make new friends and almost every chance I get to make new friends I fail. I'm naturally a shy person but once you get to know me I am the craziest girl ever, but my timidness gets in the way a little. It's disappointing to think that within a few weeks left until the end of the semester I am still lonely. I could care less about finding a "Boo thang" I just want a good christian friend to hang out with and gush all day about how good the Lord is! Is that too much or am I dreaming?

Please feel free to comment below with any good tips on making new friends?

Visit and follow my new blog at classyandsaved.com ! :)

Peace& Harmony,

ShayXoXo

Moving On UP! Exciting news to Share!

Hey guys I know that I've been slacking on writing more posts on the blog. Believe it or not I'm always daydreaming in class thinking about what will be my next blog topic and I have written a few in my journal. Blogspot has been my home for two or three years and for this upcoming year I wanted to do something different. classyandsaved.com has every blog that I have ever posted and I am working on some new material at this very minute for you girls. Thank you for all of the love and I hope to see you all at my new site!
The great and very exciting news is that I have now moved to Wordpress which will be a little easier for me and I am hoping that this transition will help me reach out to more people. I started a movement called Classy and Saved which a girl-power faith based organization and blog and something that I've been wanting to do for years but never had the right connections and money to make my goal come true. My new site

Peace & Harmony

Shay Xo Xo

"Not About THAT Life"!: Dorm Life and Dealing with Difficult People

  Over the past three weeks I have been busy doing homework, studying, spending quiet time with Jesus and moving out of my dorm into my new suite. Moved out, the semester just started? Yes I won't go in to too much detail about what happened to cause me to leave the dorm that I was in, but I wanted to share my experience with you on living a college dorm. Naturally I am shy person but once you get to know me I am one of the craziest people you could ever meet. I don't consider myself an introvert because I actually like being in some social settings; and then later crawl into my room, lock my door, and isolate myself from the world. I was an only child for twelve years until my brother was born, and I've always had my own room to myself. My freshman year I was so excited about the idea of  the college experience, living in a dorm and sharing a room with a total stranger. No really I was! Freshman year was okay, but not perfect and I learned a lot from my first year staying in a college dorm. Fast forward to Sophomore year, I was given the option to move in with a friend I knew, and thought to myself maybe this year might be different?

Two weeks ago I had an issue with my roommate which ended in a very negative way. I learned my lesson from the experience and I am using my mistakes as a learning experience to help improve my character. I would ask God why am I going through this bad roommate cycle again? Yes my behavior was unacceptable, but she was wrong too? Or, I am doing everything I can to bring peace to this situation. Lies! I was lying to myself and pointing out anything and everything that she was doing wrong instead of correcting my own mistakes. I was a hypocrite and was believing in my own lies. Whether or not it was my fault that we could not get along with each other, I had said something that I could never take back and probably will never be erased when that person thinks about me. I never wanted to be the one who hurts people because I am hurt. It sucks when you sit down and think about a situation and say to yourself and what the heck was I thinking? I easily could have let the situation go and move on with my life. But no, I had to get revenge and show this person that I am not the one t argue!  My character, my attitude, my happiness, EVERYTHING was centered around this one person and I was no longer in touch with the person that I was supposed to be. I stopped reading my Bible, prayed less, and was using the word as a shield to continue my sin because I 'knew the word.' And because I knew the word, no one could check me or use it against me.WRRRONNG! What I am trying to say is, don't turn into this person! Seriously I don't even know how I transformed into this bitter and selfish woman. I moved out of the room, because staying in the room was making me more stressed out than ever and I knew I had to separate myself from the situation in order to grow. 

Looking back I know I made the right decision to move out because my attitude was not improving and I have more peace with myself and who I want to be. Just my opinion but living in a suite is way more peaceful than sharing a dorm room. I can work out in my room without any interruptions, do my random dance parties, and I have a sense of responsibility cleaning my bathroom and the dinning area. And to be honest as a quiet person, I think having your own space is great, but it does get a little lonely sometimes. In a regular dorm you are forced to be social and step out your comfort zone, which challenged my communication skills and helped me grow. I've learned that in dealing with difficult people that not everything action deserves a reaction. Sometimes it’s just best to pray, walk out of the room, and focus on something else before you say something that you don’t mean. And not just in dealing with roommates but everywhere we go. Everyday we are challenged to take fight or flight when dealing with a difficult person. You could pretend to ignore the person and continue with your own life. Or get involved, hurt the person and yourself in the process, and leave feeling embarrassed. Be the better person and make the decision to give a little more heart than mind because honestly everybody is going through something. There are still good people out there, but you have to put your pride on the side to understand some people. Because it's not all about US! Read Ephesians 5!

Thank you for reading this post!

Peace & Harmony,

Shay

Shake It Off!

Shaking off the haters...literally!

So what do you when you're trying so hard to be nice and mindful of someone but they still throw out hasty and rude comebacks? Sit your tail down and do nothing. Seriously, if they were even worth your time they wouldn't spend every waking hour trying to be a match with you. We live in a society where we fight with each other more than we unite together. We have too many people in this world who put on this mean and hard girl/guy persona, like we're too scared to even let them even see the vulnerable side of us. 😡 We don't want to seem soft or be like a pushover. The side where we actually care about each other and would do anything for that person. Like the new Taylor Swift song (which I am really in love with right now) "Shake it Off", haters are gonna hate and players are gonna play. But I'm just gonna shake it off! 👯 No competing with you, I'm only competing with myself. 💁 Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it (Charles Swindoll- Attitude). 🔁😁 Love yourself, love everybody,👭👬 ❤️ enjoy life, ☺️ 😝😜and keep moving on!  

-SNW💋

The One Who Tried to Come Back

Shea was at peace, spending quiet time with the father and reading Proverbs to herself. Pray, read,and mediate was her daily morning routine for the summer and she was proud of herself for sticking to it this long. Nothing could come between this peace she had with herself and God. Except.... her phone went off with a text from Ex, Josh saying "Hey." Full of confusion, Shea asked herself how the heck did his number get through her blocked numbers list. Being polite yet reluctant about what Josh wanted to say she answered him with a nice "Hello." "Well hate to say you're right but...she (Adriana) broke up with me." Wait, what? Shea thought to herself with eyes and mouth opened wide enough for a fly to jump in. Shea quickly replied to Josh asking him what happened. Shea couldn't believe what she had just read but she wasn't surprised. You see, Josh cheated on Shea with Adriana (the other woman),  who he claimed he was so happy and in love with that he kept both Shea and Adriana as a secret from one another. Over the course of the months after they broke up, Shea had learned a lot about herself,good and bad relationships and God. She had accepted the fact that God closed that door (Josh) to help her move on to something better and live the life he always wanted for her. Shea was stronger, more mature, and wiser than she was at the time of their break up. But the memories of how Josh broke her heart without notice and laughed in her face with his new girlfriend like she was nothing still pondered in her brain. As the conversation with Josh went on, Shea tried her everything to not let her emotions get to her. All the bitterness and anger thoughts she had bottled up inside her poured out on her Imessage and was sent to Josh with no return. As usual, Josh denied everything Shea said and changed the conversation to something more irrelevant. Feeling guilty, Shea apologized to Josh for her little rant and asked for his forgiveness. 

The problem with Shea was she was still not healed from her break up with Josh. Even though their relationship was no more, Shea was still hurting like the day Josh left her. Josh was winning in bringing out the weak and naive little girl Shea used to be. Not wanting to be the mean one, Shea had previously blocked and unblocked Josh's number because she thought that banning his number was making  her look angry and hurt. But every time Josh thought that he could pry his way back into her life, with every text he opened up the scathed wound that Shea was still trying to heal. The question if she and Josh could reconcile and start over as friends did come across her mind sometimes. But truth is Shea had no reason to let Josh back into her life and deny her feelings so that her ex could feel comfortable and hurt her again.


 I'm not writing this to tell you a story about my failed high school/early college relationship for your entertainment. But to show you an example of why us women need to stop being so apologetic for our feelings. I saw a commercial on YouTube the other day showing women in the workplace apologizing for asking a simple question. Saying "I'm sorry" for something that was never their fault. Then at the end of the ad it asked "what are we apologizing for" or a question similar to that? Josh leaving Shea was never her fault because he made that decision on his own. Shea had every right to get angry and remind Josh about everything he did to make her feel so broken. What I am trying to say is that we're in charge of our own happiness and our own thoughts. Who we want and do not want in our life is up to us. We can't stop people from leaving us, but we are welcomed to shut the door and lock it up and move on. If someone is bringing more hurt than help in your life let them go and throw away the key for good. Yes, some people change and a few years from now the memory of the pain they brought into our lives will lessen a little.But when you think back about what if you had let that certain person stay and continue to make the same mistakes, or did you get the chance to learn from the lesson and make wiser decisions. Some people are blessings, and some people are lessons learned. But you don't have to go back and learn the same lesson again. Truth is some people are ashamed to admit that what they are doing is wrong. Stop waiting for that half-hearted "sorry", because trust me it's not coming! Block their number, unfriend or unfollow their page, do whatever you have to do to get that person to that person out of your sight and mind. No, you're not being selfish or unforgiving! You're protecting your heart from being use to the same pain again. I hope that this post helped someone and brought some insight. 

Peace & Harmony,

Shay

Get Over It Girl!

This was just something that was sitting on my heart tonight as I was reading Proverbs 17 and thought that maybe this lesson might be worth sharing with someone. I used the example of anger towards friends or family as a reference but this may touch another issue for someone else.

Scripture:

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9,NIV.

The way to preserve peace is to make the best of every thing; not notice what has been said or done against ourselves. - Matthew Henry Commentary of Proverbs 17:9

You will keep your friends if you forgive them, but will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong. -Contemporary English Version

*I like to look up scripture commentary because it helps me understand and reflect on the verse on a deeper level.

Reflection: He who covers an offense (let go or dismisses) promotes love (peace, tranquility, avoids unnecessary quarrels), but whosoever repeats the matter (brings up the issue, revenge, etc.) separates close friends. -This is just me breaking down the Bible verse and using my own words.

I know that I am guilty for doing this. Bringing up old issues about something that happened between me and my friends or family, and making them into new issues (getting bitter over old news). There's that saying "getting bitter is like drinking poison, and expecting the other person to die" (or whatever you say it). You get your feelings hurt and you want the other person to feel the same pain that you felt. You might of heard something said about you, and the first thing you do is say "well she/he did this" or "remember the time when.." just to change the subject to the other persons wrongdoings. Truth is, whatever happened in the past is OVER! Gone and no more! And talking about the issue again, even though you may be looking at the situation wrong in the first place. The fact of the matter is Get Over It! Whatever was said, is said and cannot be taken back. getting revenge or having an attitude everytime you see that person is only going to make the situation more worse. The same goes for feeling the urge to bash someone with slight shady, cutting unloyal and negative people quotes that never really help us and make us even more bitter. But anywho, for now on when I am angry over what somebody said or did I will shut my mouth and move on. Let it go (no Frozen, LOL) and continue to live my life according to God's word  and be the bigger person. One more angry soul to hate me is not what I want, and remaining quiet when someone expects you to be a raging tornado is the most beautiful thing in the world. We must learn to forgive and let go of all bitterness and anger so that we can be forgiven. Replace spite with kindness, and hate with mercy, and forgive just as God forgave you because of Jesus Christ- Ephesians 4:31-32.

My Prayer
God I ask and pray that you give me peace over my enemies. Peace from getting mad over something I cannot change. Peace to love everybody equally and unconditionally like Jesus Christ. If I mess up correct me and show me what I have done. Give me eyes to see the best in people. A heart to love the most unlovable. A mind to think great thoughts. A mouth to speak only words of wisdom and life to every person I talk to. And a body that does not grow weary and honours God everyday of my life. I pray over my friend, family, enemies, associates and me God. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

Peace&Harmony,
Shay

Journey to Natural: 10 months Post Relaxer!

Only two more months until I hit that one year mark in my transitioning journey and I am so excited! Deciding to go natural was not easy especially when you're dealing with two different textures. I can't explain the joy I feel when I run my fingers through my soft and curly natural hair. Typing my natural hair I have discovered that I am 4A with tight S shaped coils. The top picture doesn't really help show my hair texture but youcan definitely see where my wavy new growth ends and where my stringy relaxed ends begin. I would say that my hair is about 75% new growth. I've thought about doing the big chop or at least a mini chop but I still don't feel comfortable with cutting my hair. Right now I'm just going to get frequent trims to get rid of dead relaxed ends. Hopefully at 16 months post relaxer my new growth will be about shoulder length and then I will cut my hair. Until then I am saving my hair with protective styles like Bantu Knots, Braid Outs, and Mini Twists. I can say that following natural hair pages and YouTube has been a great help in finding new hairstyles. I would love to try Sengalese twists again for the upcoming school year so I can speed up the process a little. I do hydrate my hair with water everyday and seal it with Coconut oil to combat dryness and breakage from this summer heat. I love using Aloe Vera Oil and Eco Styler gel to smooth my edges and baby hair. I cowash (wash with conditioner) my hair once a week and do a protein treatment every two weeks with a Keratin treatment.   I like the support I'm getting from my mother and best friend because they are the reason why I have transitioned this long.  I'm falling in love with my natural hair and can't wait to see what my hair will look like a year from now. 

Peace&Harmony, 

Shay❤️

If you are transitioning, natural, or have any questions about my hair journey please comment below!  

PINspiration Tuesday! I gotta question for you!

Love this quote from Disney's Mulan. Mulan was my first Disney Princess favorite and if I'm not mistaken I think she was on my first or second birthday cake. I just wanted hear everyone's thoughts about this quote and what it means to you? How do you bloom out of adversity? And who is yor favorite Disney Princess so far and why?

My Thoughts On Completing the One Hour Early Challenge!

In the last post I wrote about taking the One Hour Early Challenge created by Blogger Foreverjasxo. For each day from May 12-19, I would read the Bible, pray, and or mediate for one hour. I was excited about taking this challenge because I knew that doing something like this would make my relationship with God grow stronger. And whew, did it bring it me closer to God! Waking up one hour early I would feel tired sometimes but I motivated myself to finish what I had started. I told myself that if I could spend hours everyday on social media sites, then spending one hour of Bible reading, prayer, and meditation was nothing. For the first two mornings I read from the book of Job and then Psalms and plus whatever was the Bible Verse for the Day on my Holy Bible app. I would cut off my TV, mute my phone, and gather all of my reading materials for the hour. I also kept a journal with me just to write down any thoughts I had about the Bible scriptures I would read or make a list on what I could do to practice the word daily. Being the little emotional drama queen that I am I would cry and call out on my knees to ask God for his wisdom and understanding. I wanted his word to change my heart, my thoughts, and my actions. If anything in my heart or mind did not glorify him then use me and make me remember his word. I am glad to say that I am continuing the one hour early challenge everyday so that I can still grow spiritually. I am more happy to spend time with God than I have ever been before. I have even started writing journals to my future husband while I enjoy my season in singleness. I listen to more Christian music and have fallen in love with Christian rap  and all of the upbeat and uplifting songs. Changing the music that I listen to music has also changed my thoughts and also what I am really saying when I sing the lyrics I hear in explicit music. I am changing in so many ways and I am loving the woman I am becoming. I encourage anyone who feels a need or desire to come closer to God to take the challenge everyday or even one hour before bedtime. I like to read the Bible in the morning and at night to start and end my day with God and not on Instagram.  In closing I leave you with one of my favorite Bible scriptures from Psalms 34:5,

"Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame"!

Peace&Harmony,

Shay

Take the #onehourearly Challenge!

Happy Monday Everyone! A new week is here and summer is almost upon us! I am on my second week of summer break and I am absolutely loving it. I can't explain how good it feels to not have to worry about waking up for a class or writing another essay. And eight hours of sleep has never felt so good. I don't know about you all but during the summer months I tend to get a little lazy. If you're stuck in the house like me, the only excitement you have is Netflix or some action movie on the FX channel. I tend to sleep in all day and eat anything I can find just because I'm bored. Last week one of my Instagram followers posted this #onehourearly challenge by blogger @foreverjasxo. From May 12-19 you read pray,meditate and read the Bible one hour before whatever time you usually wake up. Like today I woke up at 8am and read the book of Job for an hour. I learned a lot from that one hour and I am excited to continue this challenge beyond this week and maybe throughout the summer. I've always wanted to do something like this but I never really could stick with a plan. Reading the Bible daily is very essential to growing a closer relationship with God, and I encourage anyone who doesn't know or wants to know him to take this challenge! Make your Summer 2014 well spent by spending time with The Father himself! ☺️

What my first year of college has taught me!

First things first, I just wanna say that I am so sorry for abandoning my lovely blog. These past two months have been the busiest for me, from doing long amounts of homework, preparing for finals, and trying to keep a social life throughout all the chaos.  I am now home for summer break and I promise you I love my blog and I will care for it like its my imaginary baby! Reflecting on these last two semesters, I can't believe how far I have made it through this year personally and academically. I can recall way too many times when I have felt like giving up or going crazy but I am 1/4 away from reaching the finish line and there's no turning back now! Writing this post in my room with Katy Perry's "Prism" album playing in the background (which I will review in my next post), I love the struggle that I went through to get here because it was everything that I had to give up! From homecoming to SpringBash this last year was one for the books and I will never forget all of the people I met, good and bad! My first year of college taught me a lot of things about myself and the people around me. One thing I know for sure that college has taught me is that:

1. I LOVE having my own space. 
Maybe it's just me but sharing a room with a complete stranger is not for me. I'm not saying that having a roommate is the worst thing in the world but being someone who has never had to share their personal space with anyone is most awkward thing in the world (to me) Lol. But it depends on who your roommate is and how both you interact with each other. like if you're more on the quiet and shy side, having a roommate that is more loud and more outgoing might be a little uncomfortable. But you have to learn how to be cordial and respectful, even when you don't want to. Like simple gestures or asking them about their day can go a long way, and never know you might find that you both have something in common.

2. Dating in college sucks (sometimes)!
I tried the long distance thing but it didn't work out like I wanted it to. I have encountered some nice guys who have showed interest in me but the red flags were showing everywhere, and so I had to let them go. And there's the guys that I really wanted to like me but were either taken, crazy, or gay. But I'm not going to cry out for a boo or chase anyone because I know my worth and I have faith in the process that I am going through.

3. Single Life is VERY FUN! (MO' MONEY, NO PROBLEMS)!!
I could be lying if I didn't say that I feel a little salty sometimes looking at couples walk around holding hands and going out on dates. But when I think about my freedom and not having to make plans for another person all the time, I feel content. I have more friends, more free time, and more money in the bank! No seriously these last few months of being have been a blessing because I get make time for myself and learn about myself and what I want. And I don't think I would've enjoyed my first year of college as much as I did if I was tied down. Like going out with my friends and not having to explain myself or who I was with just makes life feel good!

4. I need like three jobs and a sugar daddy (just kidding)!
College is expensive! Let me say that again. College is VERY expensive! From buying books for my classes, paying for institutional fees, Homecoming events, pageants, food (yes, I said food), money is a necessity. I encourage anyone to save up money from working summer jobs or during the semester because it helps. Set up a budget, keep track of your receipts, stay on top of what is going in and what is taken out of your account, and be choosy with your money!

5. The food in the Cafe will make you fat! (Well at least the fries will)
I have never had so much access to food until I came to college! And I'm serious, don't judge me! You walk in, swipe your card (keep your card with you on all times if you wanna eat), check out what's available to eat whether it's grill, pizza, veggies, cereal, sub,etc and sit down. After eating you might feel a little unsatisfied and want something else. And then regret it later. What I am trying to say is that it is so easy to get whatever you want and lose track of what you are eating. The Freshman 15 is REAL but with making smarter choices with your daily diet you can beat it and come out victorious and not as another victim!

6. I love food!
Food is my second boyfriend, next to the one that I don't have. He comforts me when I am lonely, and fills me up when I am hungry. Just kidding, but after these last two semesters I do have a deeper appreciation for food and what I put into my body!

7. Some of my professors should not be teaching a class.
Don't be afraid to ask an upperclassman about a teacher before you sign up for their class, because they might just save you from a long confusing semester. Ask about the course load and what you could be doing to prepare for the class.

8. Not everyone is going to be your friend, and that is okay!
Seek respect, not attention. Not everyone is going to like the same things that you do but the only thing that matters is that you like yourself. And when you practice self-love and heed out the people who don't respect you, them everything will fall into place and you will meet people who love you for you! Trust me I went three weeks sitting in the cafe all by myself because I was not going to associate with people who did not respect me and my beliefs. And out of nowhere I met people with the same interests that I had and we are like sisters.

9. A relationship with God is the best relationship you can have!
Everyone falls short and trust me I hit rock bottom this year, but I don't regret my past because if I didn't I wouldn't have rediscovered my love for God and Jesus Christ. Having a relationship with God is a lifestyle. You can't highlight the scriptures you want to hear, and ignore the things you don't like. You have to give him all of you and that includes changing your ways and your thoughts. I had to learn how to meditate on his word throughout the day, pray for the good and the bad, and love all people even when they don't deserve it. I am growing more and more everyday into the woman God wants me to become!

10. Some people are just compulsive aXXholes, but you just have to let them be great!
People are going to hurt you  and you are going to meet a lot of evil people in college but you don't have to give them sometime of your day! Pray for their insecurities instead of talking about what they did to you because it only makes the hurt feel worst. Don't let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good- Romans 12:21. Kill them with kindness, and bury them with a smile, and I swear you will confuse all of your enemies so much that they will have to love respect you!

11. It's okay to be a Good Girl!
Just because everyone is outside partying, smoking, drinking, and having sex doesn't mean you have to do the same things. When I tell people that I don't party or drink they look at me like I am an alien or something. I have learned that it is okay not to be in the in crowd like everyone else, because what is popular is not always right. What turns other people on doesn't really fascinate me as much. I look forward to Friday and Saturday nights when I can paint my toenails, eat popcorn, and watch a good movie on Netflix. Make your own type of fun instead of following others!

12. Procrastination is the enemy!
Finally I just want to say that it is easy to get off track in college but you have to keep your priorities first. Sometimes I would put off an important assignment and put it off to do something else and then end up having to cram or cancel plans just because I procrastinated. You will have to learn to say "no" to the things you want to do, and "yes" to the things you have to do. But if you do what you have to do first, and then you will be able to do want to do later. (Confused, or Nah?) College is full of many great opportunities and you can experience every single one of them if you keep you keep working hard, and remember your goals. You can achieve anything you set your mind to!

Single & Happy💕

We'll it's that special day that comes once a year where we share and express our love for one another. Some of us get candy, gifts, and affection from our significant other. And some of us get Jack SQUAT! Valentines Day is overrated, but we don't have to cry or act bitter because we don't have someone special for this holiday. Here are just a few reasons why I'm so happy-go-lucky this Valentines Day!

1. More money for me! I don't have to go from store to store to find a great gift. I can spend my money how I want it and not have to drive myself crazy to please anyone. 

2. I don't have to compromise with anyone on how I want to spend Valentines Day. There are some people who think that they have to give up their morals and beliefs just so they can have someone for this day. I don't like being pressured into doing something I don't want to do, and if they're not okay with that then I will open the door for them. I know that not all people are like this but if there ever comes a time where you have to give up something you truly believe in and cherish just for one person, don't do it! 

3. Because God loves me more than I could ever know. HE will never cheat on me, let me down, or wake up and tell me that he doesn't want to be with me anymore. His love is unconditional, patient, kind, and very beautiful. 1 Corinthians 13-4:8

4. I don't have to pretend that I am so in love with someone or boast about my relationship on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. Every couple has their good days and their bad days, it's natural. Even if someone says that they don't have fights with their boyfriend/girlfriend, they still have their disagreesments or secrets that they might keep from one another. The grass may look greener on the other side but it might be covered with bullshit.

5. I get to eat whatever I want and not care about what someone else thinks.🍕🍔🍟🍝🍜🍤🍫🍰🎂🍧

6. It's only ONE day out of the whole year! Good Lord!😩

7. I love myself more than any guy could love me! I know who I am! I know my strengths and weakness, my imperfections, my WORTH, and my heart! And right now my heart is focused on God and doing things that make my soul happy!

8. My Prince Charming could show up Feb, 15! Lol. 

9. There are so many other smart, attractive, and beautiful people out there who are single and living the life of their dreams! Not mopping around because they don't have a Valentine! God will send the right person at the right time!👌

10. I really don't think I'm ready to be in another relationship. My last relationship ended in October and   I spent a lot of time in my head thinking about what I should of done and the many red flags that I ignored. Why did he cheat on me? Why did I do this? These past few months of being single have been a blessing. I'm get to spend my precious time doing the things that I love. Meet new people and make new memories. I went to the Drake concert, made the Deans List, and fall in love with myself all over again! It's a beautiful feeling and I don't regret my ex or hate him for what he did because he made me stronger. I can correct myself and learn from my mistakes so when the right person comes along I will be ready!

11. I like my alone time! I don't have to check my phone every minute to answer a text, or sacrifice my sleep to answer a call. I get to do my nails, work on my makeup, read the Bible, and watch a lot of Netflix without no disturbances or distractions. 

12. Because one day I am to meet the love of my life and he will treat me EVERYDAY and not just on a man-made holiday!😍🌹❤️💋☺️💝💕

13. Because I am in a relationship with God and everything is perfect! ☺️🙌

Don't give up on love! Work on yourself while you have the time! Call a friend or family member and tell them how much you love and appreciate them. Smile and laugh all the time! Love yourself and do the things that make you happy and whole! The greatest love of all is when you love yourself!

Peace&Harmony

Shay❤️

SnowDay ❄️❄️❄️

Wednesday was my first ever snow day in college. We did snow angels, did the nae nae, threw snow balls, and twerked (lol). Just a bunch of crazy college kids playing in the snow at 2:30 in the morning!😂

Choose Happy!☺️

The littlest things used to bother me but now they don't. What other people say about me doesn't effect me anymore more because I know who I am! I've been in the single season for five months, but these last few months have been a blessing for me because I have more time to work on myself. I I read the bible every morning and my relationship with God is growing stronger each and evey day. I post pictures on Instagram even though I my hate how I look or afraid of not getting enough likes. I read, laugh at funny vines in public, and sometimes I say the wrong words. I used to walk into a room and be like I hope everyone likes me. Now when I walk into a room I wonder if I will like everybody. I don't fall head over heels everytime a guy says that he likes me. If I want to eat a donut, I will eat it like it's the best chocolate donut in the world and not regret eating it. The thing is I'm not living my life for the sake of people anymore. I love myself more than anyone can ever love me and that's the greatest love of all. When you love yourself, you could careless about anyone's opinion and you would never belittle anyone because you don't have to. I do whatever makes my soul HAPPY! Like dancing infront of the mirror. Doing a medi pedi and a facial mask (I am the spa. Lol) Singing out of tune to Adele. Doing Zumba with my friends and pretending we are the best dancers on the planet. Doing little scenarios in my head when I should be studying. Anything! You have to choose happy to be happy. If today was my last day I would want people to know that I was happy. That I was smiling and you couldn't see a single worry on my face. I did things that I loved to do and inspired some people along the way. Be joyful on purpose, always! 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Peace&Harmony,

Shay❤️

Be Mindful

Everybody has those days where they just hate the world and anybody who looks at you strange. You don't stop to talk to people. You blame everyone for making you feel the way you feel about yourself. What I am trying to say is Be Mindful. Yes, you might of had a bad day but don't hurt someone else's spirit just because someone broke yours. Half the time the person or thing that broke us doesn't even know that had an effect on us. Your roommate did something that pissed you off again and you want to tell them so badly but you don't know how you can talk to them without cursing them out first. Relax, rewind, and reconsider. Take a chill pill and think about the situation before you go off because you might say something that you will regret. All I am trying to say is put yourself in their position first. Think from their point of view. Ask yourself if you can handle the situation better. Pray that you will stop acting out your feelings. You want God to bless you but you don't want to love the person who is mean to you or left you heart broken. That's not going to work! In 1 John  4:21 it says  "The commandment that God has given us is: "Love God and love each other!" Hate is strong, but Love heals all things. Share even if you don't feel like it! Ask someone about their day or their classes. Notice the small things and give compliments. We can do so many things when we treat each other the way we would like to be treated. You never know when you might need that same person again. Be mindful of your actions because you never know the hardships and hurt someone could be going through in their life!.

peace&harmony,

Shay❤️

Ask Ms.S!

If anybody has any questions they would like to ask I am here for you! If you want me to write about a special topic like Forgivieness (coming very soon) or relationships, etc. I would be more than happy. Your name will be anonymous and I promise not to judge or be too bias. I know how it is, you wanna talk to somebody sooo bad but you're afraid they will judge you or you just don't have anybody who would understand you. I like giving advice and I would never tell anybody to do something I wouldn't do. It can be hard for me to reach out to other people because I'm a little shy and I hate holding things in. Please tell me if you don't want to use your question on the blog. I will answer your question and send to you my response directly to your address. I just wanna help people stop hurting and who knows you might just help somebody else out. I will respect everyone's privacy and I will not save anybodys email. You don't even have to tell me your name. Just write to me at swherry6@gmail.com with the subject as Ask Ms.S! 

peace&harmony, 

Shay❤️

Embracing the New You | Whole Magazine

Embracing the New You | Whole Magazine

Audrey💕

Dorthy Dandridge

Many people idolize Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn but not many people know about the lovely Dorthy Dandridge. Dorthy Dandridge was the first African American actress to win an academy award. Her most famous movies she has starred in is Carmen Jones with Harry Belafonte. When I found out that Netflix had Carmen Jones, I could not resist myself. She's sexy, charming, beautiful, and witty. I admire Dorthy and her work and if I could meet anyone dead or alive she would definitely be one the people I would meet. So who do you admire?

peace&harmony, 

Shay ❤️

Senegalese Twists

So I got my braided the other day because I'm tired of doing my own hair! This transitioning to natural process is long but will be well worth it at the end! I kind of regret getting braids because they took everything and my grocery to pay for and I wished the stylist used black coslored weave instead of this dark brown color that makes my skin look glory. This half up half down look has been my go to style because it's the easiest and cute but Thank God for YouTube and the other braided sistas like me making tutorials on how to style braids and twists. My friends back on campus are going to go cray when they see my hair! What inspired me to get these twists was Pinterest (best app everrrr) because I liked how they looked and wanted to try something new. I'm definetly getting a sew in after I take these braids out so I can stretch my new growth and stay away from unnecessary heat that will damage my hair. Just another day of learning and loving the person that I am becoming!

peace&harmony,

Shay❤️

It's a New Day, It's a New Day,band it's a New Blog!😄

It has been a full year since I abandoned my little blog and so much stuff has changed since then. Today is my last day at home for Christmas break and I can't believe that half of my freshman year is over! I came, I saw, and I conquered! My first semester was great academically and spiritually! I met new friends from all areas across the state. I loved and I lost. My heart was broken but it didn't take long for me to repair it! I found that I am content with my status because love will always be around and all that matters now is completing my educational journey. I strengthened my relationship with God and that's the best relationship I could ever have! I'm excited about the future and the many people that I will meet! When I look at the number 2014, I see the 14 (lucky number). The number fourteen is special or whatever to some people. But to me it means growth, clean, blessed, and new opportunities. I left some people in 2013, and I hope it stays that way. If something doesn't challenge me, help me, or make me into a better person then I don't want it! I'm loving life and the woman that I am becoming this year! Just some words of wisdom I found off Pinterest (my fav app lol.) "Forget the past but never forget what the past taught you!" 

peace&harmony, 

Shay❤️