i Believe In.

I believe in living this life on earth to the fullest, in dreaming big and loving hard. I believe in spontaneous dance parties in the bathroom, especially when 90′s music is involved. I believe in God.

I believe in marriage, in forever, and in non-cliche romance. I believe in getting dirty, in playing outside, in jumping on trampolines. I believe in using exclamation points, sometimes for no good reason at all! I believe in always eating popcorn at the movie theater, usually with m&ms.

I believe in joy, and that joy is both a fruit of the Spirit and a daily choice. I believe in choosing joy, even though sometimes I have to remind myself to do it. I believe in date nights and making out, even after you’re married. I believe in good, pure, honest, do-anything-for-each-other friendship. The kind that requires a lot of effort. I believe in change.

I believe in hard work, in being challenged, in taking risks. I believe in fighting for what you want, and not letting other people bring you down in the process. I believe in reading, in learning, in growing to be a better person. I believe in telling the truth, even when it hurts. I believe in surprises, in handmade gifts, in showing love through little gestures. I believe in Apple products. I believe in the peace that accompanies quiet mornings and the power of prayer. I believe in occasionally running as fast as possible.

I believe in writing, and I believe in strong communication.

I believe in thrift stores, recycling, and always buying off the clearance rack. I believe in yoga, but not the super hot kind. I believe in confidence, in boldness, in taking a stand. I believe in fearlessness. I believe in growing your own vegetables. I believe in rule-breaking, library-talking, and grass-walking. I believe in sharing my life with complete strangers, because really, how else would I reach anyone?

I believe in transparency more than I believe in privacy.

I believe in actions more than I believe in words.

I believe in forgiveness more than I believe in justice.

And perhaps most of all, I believe in grace.

What do you believe in?

{this post was inspired by Lesley Miller}