"Liebster" award to my fav bloggers!

Hello friends! Today’s post is surely an exciting post, and I can’t wait to share it with the each of you. My lovely new blogging friend Lacy was sweet enough to nominate my blog for the "Liebster" award. Before she nominated me, I honestly had never even heard of this award before.

Lacy explained what exactly this award means perfectly so I am sharing with you guys her own words in explaining the Liebster award:

 "The word "Liebster" is German for the word "sweetheart" or "dearest. This originated from a German blogger and I can't remember now when exactly the first one was posted, but it was for up-and-coming bloggers with less than 3,000 followers. Basically it is NOT an award that is given by judges and a panel of experts on the subject of blogging, rather it is an award from blogging peers who consider you worth giving an award to for your blogger personality. It is now for bloggers with less than 200 followers who have potential. The main point and why I am so excited about it, is that it is an award to share love and build community with other bloggers."

-Lacy

The basic procedure of the Liebster award is to do as follows:

• Thank your nominator! Include a link back to their blog with your appreciation
• Answer the 11 questions given to you by your nominator
• Post 11 facts about yourself
• Nominate 5-11 other up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers for the award--no tag backs!
• Come up with your own set of 11 questions for your nominees to answer
• Let your nominees know you nominated them so they can pass it on
  Well first things first, thank you Lacy for nominating me for this award, you are such a sweetheart! I have loved chatting with you about Jesus and getting to know you better. I love that the whole idea of this award is to encourage the building of a blogging community and to share with others what our favorite blogs are! Lacy and I recently met in the blogging world, and I already have been so blessed by our friendship. Lacy, if only you and I could meet for coffee, our chats about Jesus would probably last for hours! Her love for Jesus is so inspiring in my own faith. Lacy just started this awesome new "daily verse" section in her blog where she posts a different Bible verse each day to share with her followers. It is something I already love and look forward to reading. You can check out those posts by Lacy HERE. I highly recommend you get on over there and check out Lacy's blog, friends!  She is one heck of a Jesus-loving gal!

& now, my responses to the 11 questions Lacy came up with for me:

1.  Why do you blog?
   Well, at first I wanted to start a healthy eating blog, based off of my weight loss story and all of my success with that. I realized though that I just didn't have enough passion to keep a blog going like that. Jesus was the one who gave me passion and purpose, and I knew that I would be able to write about what He was doing in my life on a daily basis. So I decided to create a blog to (hopefully) lead others closer to Jesus, and to encourage myself in my walk with Him. It's therapeutic writing out in my posts what I'm struggling with and what I'm learning in my walk with my savior.
2. Is your main job blogging or do you have a "real job"?
   No, blogging isn't my real job unfortunately. Dang, that would be awesome though.  I am currently a senior in college, and I am graduating in 30 days. I was recently accepted into a full ride masters program at my University, so I will be doing that for another two years after I graduate next month. I will be getting my masters degree in English & Communication, and I will also be teaching a class at my University as part of the masters program.
3. If you could only eat one thing forever it would be______
   I was going to say chocolate, but then I realized I would probably throw up or something with eating chocolate for the rest of my life. Hmmm but then wouldn't I just crave chocolate if I didn't have it at all? Okay never mind, chocolate is my final answer then.
4. Describe yourself in 6 words.
   silly, clumsy, outgoing, friendly, passionate, and funny.
5. What is your cure for "bloggers block"?
   Whenever I have "bloggers block" it is usually for two reasons: I am making an idol of my blog and not making Jesus a big enough priority, or I am hungry. The second one isn't a joke I promise. When either of these two things happen, I usually just whip out my Bible and make something to eat, and then when I feel refueled spiritually and physically, I'm good to post on my blog.
6. What is the best book you have ever read?
   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hands down. I'm a Harry Potter nerd for life, baby! I literally hibernated in my room for two days straight when the last book came out, and I finished the entire book in that two day period because it was THAT good. Gryffindor for life!
   
7. Weird question: If you were something in nature ( tree, flower, cloud, star) what would you be and why?
   I would totally be a tree, only because I used to talk to them when I was younger. Yep, I was that awkward child. I have always loved nature, and the beauty of God's hand in it amazes me. If I were a tree, it would be awesome because I would be surrounded by God's beautiful nature-filled world. Unless I were a tree in a boring location. Can I request to be a tree in a forest? thanks. ;).
8. What is your favorite kind of music and why?
   I would say Country. I love all kinds of music, but I really really really love country. I also love hip-hop/R&B a lot too, but Country makes my heart happy.
9. What has been your favorite trip to ever take?
   When I was in high school, my grandpa paid for my moms entire family side to go on a cruise to the Caribbean. It was seriously the best vacation I have ever been on in my life. I was super close to my cousins growing up, so it was a trip that I was able to spend with some of my best friends at the time. The Caribbean is absolutely beautiful, and there are very few things that I love more than being on a beach.
10. Do you have a favorite lifetime memory? What is it?
    When I was younger, I used to go to San Diego all the time because a big portion of my relatives live there. Well, Sea World was right down the street from my grandparents house, and naturally I had a year-long pass to it's park. I am very passionate about whales, dolphins, and just the ocean in general. I remember so much of the joy that I received from those daily trips to sea world, petting the dolphins and checking out Shamu. God's marvelous creation.
11. If you had one day to do whatever you wanted, money is no object, what would you do? Why?
    Dang, good question Lace! I would say that I would travel to Israel to see where Jesus walked and all the other places He went too in that area. I would also bring security guards with me during this Israel vacation because I know that it is somewhat dangerous over there right now.
    
    11 Facts about Me:
    1) I am TERRIFIED of Spiders. I will literally cry if I see a big one nearby me. Especially If I'm alone.
    2) When I was in the third grade, my parents moved our family to Spain to live and go to school for 3 months.
    3) Mushrooms make me want to throw up every time I smell them.
    4) I recently received my Italian citizenship to Italy.
    5) I am a big-time animal lover. I love cats, dogs, horses, whales, dolphins, all kinds.
    6) I wanted to be a Marine Biologist most of my life until I turned 15 and found out how much math was required to obtain that kind of degree.
    7) I don't watch scary movies, simply because I can't. I always have nightmares.
    8) I have been a swimmer my whole life. I joined the swim team Freshman year of High school and swam the rest of my high school years.
    9) I love to travel. I have been to Spain, Italy, France, The Caribbean, and London. I hope to travel more someday. (When I'm not a broke college student.)
    10) I love to pain Bible verses and hang them on my bedroom wall.
    11) I have always wished I could dance, but I can't.
    
    & now, ***DRUMROLL PLEASE*** My nominee's are......
    (& No, this isn't just a random list of bloggers I chose for the Liebster award, I intentionally picked out these wonderful blogs because they have been such an encouragement in my faith. I absolutely love the each of these bloggers and I am so thankful for the encouragement I receive from the each of them):
     
    1) Kellie @ Nothing Less Than Bread
    2) Miss ALK @Miss ALK
    3) Allison @ A God Fashioned Life
    4) Gennean @Loved, Not Lost
    5) Francesca @ The Happy One
    6) Cassie @ Sage
    7) Abigal @ Abigail Jasmine
    8) Julie @ An Anchor For The Soul
    9) Kiki @ Paint Chip Madness
    10) Brittany @ Happy Is A Choice
    11) Lauren @ Marked by Grace
    
    11 Questions from Jessica to my lovely nominees:
    1) When did you first start blogging and why did you decide to become a blogger?
    2) What is something awesome Jesus has done in your life lately?
    3) How would you describe yourself in 6 words or less?
    4) What is something you have never done that you have always wanted to do?
    5) If you could go to any concert you wanted for free, which one would you go to and why?
    6) Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
    7) What is your favorite place to shop at and why?
    8) If you could only eat one specific type of food (Mexican, Chinese, American, etc) for the rest of your life, what would you eat?
    9)If you could hold on to just one memory from your life forever, what would that be?
    10) Which TV show's world would you want to live?
    11) What are three things you look for in a future spouse?
    
    
    I cannot wait read your responses to my questions, blogging friends! Thank you so much for the encouragement your blogs provide me on a daily basis! So thankful for the each of you! Jesus is far too wonderful for blessing me with this blogging community!
    
    xoxo