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Meet Celeste

My name is Celeste Elizabeth and I'm so glad you're here. I hope in this space you find words that encourage you, resonate with you, and inspire you. I hope that when you're done here that you would do something brave, something out of love, or something you believe will make the world a better place. #LetsDoMoreOfThat

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yesterday my caption was a poem. i never usually write poetry (i leave that to my friend @peyyyyyyy cause she is DANG GOOD) but as I was thinking about this past year the words just flew from my fingers. - - if you have your own interpretation of the words then stop right here and let them mean whatever they mean to you! - - for me where those words came from is the place that this year has probably been one of the most challenging years, so far. { i got a lot of life left folks, let’s not pretend like this is it} but even though it’s been the most CHALLENGING year it has not been the HARDEST year. I say that because I have definitely experienced some hard, hard things. My anxiety peaked last fall to the worst it’s ever been and was no longer just clamoring over me, but over B. My parents officially ended their marriage, literally the day before I entered mine. I lost my beloved grandmother. And we uprooted everything we knew and loved to move across the country. - - Those are hard things. That’s a lot of believing lies, fear, grief, and uncertainty for a year. It’s a lot for the human heart. But ALL of those things, even the worst things, have had hope laced through them in ways I could never orchestrate. It hasn’t been the hardest year because we are making it through, we are holding hope high over our heads and braving the challenges of life. It has been the most challenging year because through all of these things, some anticipated and some not, I have had to really work and dig and find the fact that God is not challenging me. - - He is not my personal police officer, He is not sitting on His throne with a bucket of lightning bolts waiting to just test me with trials. No, that’s not God. He is holding me. He is not surprised by the past years circumstances, and He promised to carry me through before I was willing to climb on His back. I was hesitant. I was tentative. I was skeptical. I’ve never experienced life like this. - - but as @janaejcollins told me when I told her once that I was skeptical of God and feared He would leave me, “Which is why it will be amazing as we watch Him do the opposite because He loves you dearly.” And boy, was she right 💫

this year is flying by and I’m begging time to slow down. in the depths of waters I’ve never dare tread before, there’s been moments I’m afraid I might drown. - - because the unknown is like a masquerade ball... behind the mask, is someone who might pull you down... or dare to help you grow tall. - - the unknown can be crippling to the point of paralyzation. the unknown can be riveting and give us a surprising sensation. - - it’s all about perspective right? the way we view doesn’t reflect the identity of the who... - - and who we are is more clear than the muddy waters we swim through. because through all the junk that feels like miscalculated tests or trials without rest, we are made B R A N D N E W ✨ 📸: @michelleleesmitty #poetanddidntknowit

happy birthday, chuckie! 🎉 i could share less put together photos of what our lives looked like at 6am meetings, or the many nights of rolling paint and amateur construction, but these are my favorite because you quickly became a good friend to Brandon and let me know he’s no cheese pizza. we love you and hope that you have the best day! we will have a birthday dinner with you and @casciasmith sooooon!

I think I’m being reminded that of what it means to live for heaven. I’m being reminded that I want my life to be used up and wrung out so that when I arrive at Gods door all I have when I show up is a nearly dry rag. - - A rag that He will have used to make riches. - - Not riches in the sense of anything materialistic, anything that is a false win. But riches in the sense of the fruit that comes from a life that lives to show God glory. A life that has lived the gospel in its most rich and pure form, a life that has let others witness it and only used words when we had to. A life that hasn’t been restrictive or repelled someone simply because they are different. A life that has made heaven as palpable and low barrier as Jesus made it through His final days and days to come. - - That’s the life living for heaven that I want. The life that shows up and shows out for victory under a banner of LOVE. And you know what? All I have to do is walk in that to be used by God. I don’t have to change who I am, I don’t have to achieve something specific, I don’t have to be a believer for a certain period of time, I don’t have to lose a certain amount of weight, and I certainly don’t have to deceive others that I have anything together because I am just starting to figure it out. And I think this moment of realization, that I am just starting to figure it out, will occur over and over and over again. I think it will have to if I can even begin to believe I am doing something right. - - I am sitting down in humility and awe to look up. Because I think looking up is the only way to really get riches out of this life. That posture, when we look up, is the only way we will even be able to get a glimpse on earth, as it is in heaven. #LetsDoMoreOfThat

“true belonging doesn’t make you change.” - @brenebrown I am thinking about that for more than a minute... ••• we can preach all day long that we want people to feel like that they belong, that we want to be community oriented, and that people can “come as they are.” ••• but if, really, all that is true then we don’t put a prerequisite on someone before they can show up, before they can serve, before they can contribute. it means that we don’t preach other people into the labeled cesspool of sinners while thinking we are saints. it means that when we looks through the lens of how God sees humanity that we see His love, His desire, and His acceptance of every single one of His children. No matter what they’ve done. No matter what they believe. No matter what they wear. No matter who they vote for. No matter if they change. Because in the words of @bobgoff, people are not projects. ••• They never should be. And when we see others as our projects and project it as our ministry we are doing the opposite of creating a place of true belonging. ••• But when we do really embrace others as they are, and ourselves, we make space for something more beautiful than we could ever imagine. #LetsDoMoreOfThat

i get a lot of messages and a lot of people who ask me about my counseling journey or who resonate with my battle with fear and anxiety. - - i am so thankful for this online space where we can be encouraged by each other and might even dare to try something new. that’s really my hope in sharing about this journey and process is that people would be encouraged to hold out hope for healing and that they would actually DO something to work towards their own progressive journey. - - but I have also received a handful of messages from people who think counseling isn’t for them, that it’s for people who are weak or in “need”, or that it doesn’t work. and I feel the need to debunk a couple myths about counseling... ✨ healing happens fast✨ i really wish it was true...but it doesn’t. it might for some people, but we can’t rush it and we can’t stop trying just because we don’t get the instant gratification. you don’t go once and get fixed...actually if you have a good counselor, and one who is doing their job, you won’t even dig in on your first session! your first session is typically called an “intake session” that covers a lot of legalities and goals. I’ve been in counseling for 3 years and I’m still working on my stuff. be patient, it will come. ✨my counselor will tell me what to do✨ again, if you have a good counselor (and one that’s doing their job) they won’t tell you what to do. i know this seems backwards...and it was the reason i was frustrated for many first visits...but really the counselors job is to ask you good questions, help you process, and ultimately come up with coping mechanisms. Those coping mechanisms are tools so that you can head out into the world and when a similar situation arises then you know your values, your approach and how to handle things better than you did the last time. ✨i can just figure it out✨ this might be true for you. however, i would say that if you are seeing a repetitive cycle in yourself of behavior, reactions, struggles or thoughts that are negative and aren’t serving you well then it might be time. - - it doesn’t make you weak, it makes you brave. let me know your counseling thoughts or questions! i would love to help!

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