Journalist life

2015 saw the rise of the popularity of minimalism in a more mainstream way and I, like so many others, jumped on the bandwagon. Although I’ve always kept my personal space organized and somewhat neat, I still felt like I had too much stuff. I was holding on to clothes that didn’t fit even though I had long since run out of closet space. I had way too many notebooks and random papers, and little trinkets that I thought I might want or use….eventually. In late 2015, some of my favorite Youtubers talked to a certain extent on the ideals of minimalism, intriguing me to no end. Minimalism is essentially the idea of getting rid of the unnecessary stuff in your life to make room for the things that matter most to you; whether that’s spending more time with your family and friends, creating art, or having more meaningful experiences. As I studied more and more into this thing called minimalism I saw how happy the people who called themselves minimalists were. Most of which came fro

Spring is the time where new things are birthed. The trees start to blossom. The flowers start to bud. This is also a time to start new habits or perhaps maintain new ones.   Having a morning routine adds some needed structure to my life. I’m already a naturally organized, structured person, but recently I’ve been really loving mornings and everything they bring to the day. The first thing I do in the morning , upon waking is to read my Bible and pray.  The Word of God bring life and I can definitely feel the difference when I do not talk my Creator. Make yo bed . Those little successes of the day help get you ready for a more productive day. I know everyone says to make your bed, but I really feel much better once I’ve made my bed. Oil pulling. Oil pulling is an ancient method of swishing oil (sesame, coconut, or olive) in your mouth for between fifteen to twenty minutes on an empty stomach. I use olive oil because I’m not a huge fan of coconut. While improving your

Hello! My name is Tonya Fowler. I have two sisters and one brother. Because of the age differences between my older siblings and my younger sister, (18-16, and 2 years, respectively), I always feel like the middle child. The one slightly neglected because of my naturally shy personality, compared to the exuberant personalities of my sisters and the quiet, kind personality of my brother, but when need be, I make my presence known. I’m more of an introvert at heart. I love reading, writing, photography(although I have yet to purchase a SLR), art, and creating. In my spare time I like to learn how to hip-hop dance and to code. I’m adventurous. A wanderlust at heart in search of new experiences. I love Jesus and seek to please him with my life. So continue to follow along as I share my experiences and ponderings on life.

Hustling is my prayer for this year. I feel like the Lord gave me this word, this concept, to be my theme of the year. I want  2016 to be a year of intentional work as well as intentional resting. The last two months of 2015 were very hectic and it was during that time in my life that I realized how important my alone time was. I spent so much time investing and helping others that I forgot to make time to pause and do things for myself. So, I started trying to a cultivate a time in the morning, before any responsibilities were required, to rest. Rest in myself and in who God made me to be. It was also during this time, that I started this blog. Starting a blog has been something I had been wanting to do for a long time but never did. I think God wanted me to start as well, because suddenly  everything I listened to, whether it be a Youtube video or a sermon, was on starting something. But not just starting something, but specifically something that you were meaning to do but was

Forgiveness Something we all have to deal with in life. Whether you choose not to deal with it or to not deal completely with it, is something that keeps coming up in life. Unforgiveness can lead to bitterness which is a root cause for many fruit. Fruit like anger, abuse, self- esteem, and our view of the world. God has commanded us as Christians to forgive our neighbor because He forgave us. But, the thought of forgiving someone seems so unfair, like we are in someway condoning the negative actions of others, but in reality we are setting ourselves free from the prison that we have created for ourselves. When we don't forgive someone for the wrong that they have done we are hurting ourselves, by not letting go the anger and hatred that you may feel towards that person. I've been in church my whole life, and of course I heard dozens of sermons and talks about forgiveness. But nonetheless I spent the last four years angry at a particular person, and just when I felt like I

Reading has always been one of my favorite past times. It has been something in recents days that I haven't been able to keep up with the way I want, but it will always be my first love. Reading is the gateway to the seeing the world through a new pair of eyes. An entrance to new places;  a new way of thinking. There are five books of 2015 that make my top five: Bonhoeffer: pastor, martyr, prophet, spy  by Eric Mataxas Dietrich Bonhoeffer represents to me a person who continues to strive for justice and truth, even when it seems like he's the only one who cares. Like its all dependent upon him to keep striving, to endure and influence those around him for what's right. Bonhoeffer's endurance is inspiring. The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson I love books that don't just tell a good story and that's it, but challenges the reader to do something, and the Circle Maker does just that. This relevant book on prayer challenges the reader to dare to believe that