Why do you act in this world?
I am very driven to love people; to help people. I have been given a lot and experienced a lot. And to not give back would just steal away my soul. I have experienced unconditional love, and I think when you have experienced that, there is no way that you can just sit in the house.
What makes you think that you make a difference?
I have had people tell me. I volunteer in my church’s youth group, where I work with teenagers. I have had kids tell me that they are cutting themselves and stopped. I have seen girls walk away from bulimia. One of my best friends lived in Thailand and she came to visit me just recently; she was back in the US for just a short time. And she said that I am the only American friend that have consistently reached out and made sure that she is okay over there. She lived over in Thailand for a year and a half and is going back there in a month. So I think, when you reach out to people, you do get feedback back.
What gives you hope?
Don’t know how much you know about it, but definitely Jesus Christ. I am not saying that in a cultist way, but in a fully transformed way. My life would have been an utter destructive path, and just knowing that there was someone holding me off that destructive path changed my life.
If you were to condense what gives you hope in to three words or a short sentence, what would it be?
And from that, these things remain: “Hope, faith and love” And the greatest of these is love.
So when I have a sad Sunday and don’t know what to do, if you could make me do one thing, what would it be?
Rest! Turn off the TV. Turn off the computer. Find a shady patch or maybe some sun, and just rest and meditate. If you want to read a book; do it, but don’t make it a hard one. Go talk to somebody, who you know is gonna be a safe person; One where you are not going to work to be their friend. They are going to meet you right where you are; to encourage you, but not overinflate your ego. And say” ”Hey, you are doing something good, let’s make sure you are staying on the right track.” Rest would be the number one. Cause if you don’t take a day to rest your body will take it for you.
Since coming out to the West coast to visit family, everyday have been non-stop walking. And this morning, I set my alarm for 9 am and I could not get out till 11 am, because my body was saying, “you need to rest”. And my housemate had to bring me a glass of water, because I got dehydrated. And she was like “Beth, you overdid it. You did too much yesterday. You have to rest and drink lots of water.” And I was like “But I have been drinking water this whole time” And she was like “You over-worked yourself.” So rest would be my number one.
Thank you