guest post - Chantal

Today [whilst I'm off getting married!] you get to hear from my lovely friend Chantal.  She blogs over at Peeling the Paint Away and Piece of Panaché.  I am blessed to know her in real life, and we were even roommates for about a year.  She is beautiful [just look at that picture!], strong, courageous, and full of life - and understands all things fun and stylish.

Without further ado...here is Chantal!

  ______________________________________________________________

My name is Chantal. I’m 25 years old and unmarried. I have brown shoulder length hair that isn’t quite straight and isn’t quite curly. I have hazel eyes that only look green when I cry. My skin is ivory and dotted with freckles. My body isn’t bad but it isn’t great either; it’s just average. However, I like to think I have an above average mind and spirit that make up for the aforementioned facts. But perhaps I’m partial.

Now that we feel adequately acquainted and you can imagine what I look like let’s dive right in, shall we? I grew up in what many nowadays would call a “broken home.” Heck I, myself, would even concede that I was dealt some pretty heavy stuff to sift through from a very young age. I don’t feel it necessary to go through the drudgery of it all right now, and frankly, I think it’s mostly irrelevant because I am NOT a broken person. I survived! Sure, I have my share of scars that make me hesitant and a little afraid of things, especially love/parenthood. I think that happens to all of us in some way or another along the way. And then we transition into adulthood and acquire even more bruises and battle wound scars… and such is life.

My point is this: we each go through truly stressful, painful, traumatic or heart-breaking experiences, whatever they may be, that are unique to each of us and our lives. But that is a part of our purpose here. Each struggle helps shape and design us into the individuals we are intended to be. I’m not going to lie and say it’s always easy to keep this in mind and endure our trials well. I know better than anyone just how easy it is to become weighed down by it all and lose hope, or worse, faith. But I can honestly say that I’ve learned that all things can be made for our benefit if we trust in the Lord and His healing hands. Hopelessness can be cured as we increase our faith.

I’m grateful for the opportunity I have to live each day and experience it all, good and bad. In spite of everything, even the very darkest depths I have felt, I still BELIEVE. I still HOPE. I still hold to my FAITH.

And yes, I still believe in LOVE.

Just look at Tim & Katie!

I hope to find what they have someday. This is why those of us who remain in 'singledom' fight, why we choose to keep going each day, to make those hard decisions because they’re the right ones.

I choose to be patient. I choose to be strong. I choose to believe.

And now I leave you with A Lovely Love Story by Edward Monkton to ignite the believer in you! Enjoy!