a personal style blog by Lauren Pfieffer

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Take the Path.


It's only been two weeks. Actually not even two weeks that I've been home. And I can already feel myself sinking, sinking, sinking... It's been a real struggle to go from having everything you've ever wanted to having nothing in a matter of a day. I have very high hopes this summer of a new job, keeping busy, and making new friends. Unfortunately the way we plan things isn't always the way it turns out. My job doesn't give me hardly any hours which I knew when I took it but didn't really comprehend what that meant. A lot of sitting around. A lot of thinking. A lot of wasted time that could be making money that I need; desperately. My loneliness is slowing creeping back in, as well. I can text my friends and keep up with them but of course it's not the same. I've just been hanging out with a lot of guy friends (emphasis on friends). But I get tired of hanging out with them and I want a girl. A female counterpart who just, understands. I don't know where to find one of those.

So I've been praying. A lot and really hard. My prayers have been for Him to show me answers and a path way for what I should do this summer. I want Him to take my life and mold it with His hands, give me a reason to live and thrive this summer instead of sleeping in until one and laying in bed thinking all day. I want purpose, to do something good and in His name. I've prayed for Him to reveal people to me; friends, company, people I can help; anything. I pray and pray and pray until I'm so exasperated and can't pray any more.

Today was not a good day at all. I was the most down I have been since I'd been home and just moping around, really...sad. I picked myself up though and decided to go thrifting. I don't even always have to buy something; I just love looking through the racks of old clothing. Smelling the scent their previous owner left. Gliding my hands across the silks, the polyesters, the cottons, and the wools. Staring at my tired eyes in the cracked mirrors and trying on worn down shoes that have traveled the world. I love it. So I went just to look and look I did.

I came across this red dress. I pulled it out and it was spectacular. A vintage 50's, knee length with a full skirt. Scalloped neck line, dipped back, satin material soft to the touch. The most beautiful dress I'd ever seen in my life. I sent a silent prayer for it to fit and when I went into the dressing room I zipped it up with cautious fingers, sucking in my stomach just to make sure. And it zipped. And it fit perfectly. And then I was just so overwhelemed that I started to cry in that dumb thrift store dressing room because I knew God sent me this dress. You all are probably like, "God sent you a dress to anwser your prayers? Come on Lauren." But He did and it's more than a dress. He showed me that it's going to be okay. That amongst the old, the tattered, the worn down is something beautiful and brilliant. That it holds hope and that it holds unexpectancy. That he heard me and hears me and has great and beautiful plans for me. That what I had in mind is the path I should take.

With my dream dress for $2 in my hands I left the thrift store today completely renewed with a new mind and heart. He showed me what I should do this summer, what my talents are and where my heart lies.

I'm going to start selling vintage and thrift items this summer.

Don't give up on the prayers you send Him. He's going to answer, I promise you. If you seek Him with your full heart, your full spirit He will never let you down. He will show you a way out, a path, a future. It might not be what you expect or maybe even what you want. But if you take the path, it won't let you down. ♥

With much love, Lauren.
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17 comments

Delaney Young said...

This is beautiful!!!

Alexandra Marie said...

Keep trusting God, Beautiful! Praying was the perfect thing to do. I do believe that God sent you that beautiful dress- I was even thinking that before you said it! Sometimes he shows us he cares in the smallest ways. He cares about the little things! You're in my prayers <3 Alex

Sammi said...

Beautiful. You are beautiful, this is beautiful, the dress is beautiful. Sometimes things come in the most unexpected ways, and that's what makes them even better.

xox Sammi
www.thesoubrettebrunette.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Wow, what a moment to show that God has His hands holding us and giving us what we need! I can totally relate about coming home and feeling out of place for the summer from college. For me, it feels like your life is at school and you come home without a plan, schedule, or your friends. But we can make our summer want we want them to be and God knows what's best. I wish you all the luck with selling vintage and thrift items this summer! It's sounds so "you"!

xo, gina

Sara said...

Maybe you were just having a bad couple of days, that doesn't mean your sinking back in. My mom always told me the best way to stay happy is to express yourself, find someone you can trust to talk to when you need to, and always think positively even if something in your life is not going as planned. Believe in yourself and believe that god has amazing plans for you. Don't take life too seriously. Have fun, your still young and you have a whole future ahead of you.

btw LOVE THE DRESS, I bought a similar one a couple of months ago from a thrift store and I love it!

M. said...

Hi Lauren,

I'm a longtime reader of your blog, I just don't blog myself. I'm so glad about your encounter with God and the change He's made in your life. I hope it continues to be the best decision of your life!

I know what you mean about loneliness. It's funny because I'm an introverted kind of girl, I love staying in alone and watching a good movie or having a TV marathon. But still! We're human after all. I'm glad you've found a direction for you summer with selling vintage, but may I make an additional suggestion? You should spend some of your free time doing volunteer work! Maybe you can volunteer a few hours a week at a soup kitchen, an animal shelter, some kind of youth outreach program, etc. Helping others in need is truly the best way to lift your spirits. :)

Acts 20:35 - In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness, Lauren - that dress is just breathtaking! What an amazing find! Selling thrift items it definitely the BEST. I did it for awhile and had to give it up as school started getting completely crazy.

If you need a little thrift change of pace and are able there are some great thrift places next to me in PA. Plus, I'm a hop, skip, and a jump away from Hershey Park - you need to have a little fun this summer too! :)

xoxo,
Laura
http://lauraisthriftingthroughlife.blogspot.com/

lucia m said...

oh! that dress is beautiful!

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Kellie said...

Beautiful - beautiful. And I'm so excited for you with this amazing summer business plan! You'll have the most wonderful curating ever - I'm completely sure of that. This is definitely a spot you shine in!

Hugs!
--K
Accordion to Kellie

The Dragonfruit said...

Lauren, you never fail to inspire me with your beautiful words and your beautiful self. It's not silly to think God sent you a dress. He knows what we need in life, and you were able to see His message to you through this lovely, vintage dress. Isn't it incredible the way He answers? I've been struggling with coming to terms with certain things lately, but through prayer and learning to trust Him completely, I've been finding peace. Something I heard that's been reminding me about this is this quote: "To worry is to tell God you don't trust him."
Keep your chin up lady, and thank you for sharing your epiphany with us. It's uplifting to us all <3

Trendy Teal

Vicki said...

Beautiful post, Lauren. Reading your words helps me to see how great God truly is--He can lead us to great things through little things, and that's absolutely wonderful. At first glance, it might sound silly that your prayers were answered with a single dress, but look at the decision it led you to! That's awesome.(: I know you'll excel at selling vintage/Thrifted items--you always find the neatest things at thrift stores.

Anyway! Thank you for this post--I've been feeling down ever since the spring semester ended for some reason, and you have inspired me.(:

Also, that dress is gorgeous! What an amazing find!

~Vicki
Decked Out in Ruffles

Unknown said...

Aw, too bad you don't get more hours :/ But seriously that dress is an AMAZING thrift store find!!! No kidding! I'll be praying you find a good girl friend soon :) Funny, 'cause I tend to get a long with my guy friends a lot more than my girl friends.

http://findingmyinspiration.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Girl, if you want to make money and friends, work at Cedar Point this summer! They have dorms and apartments for their employees. They give you TONS of hours. Everyone is there to have fun and make friends and make money. I was going to tell you this anyway, and then I checked your about page and saw you're from Ohio, so it's not even like Cedar Point is far away. You should just go for it!

Teddi said...

sending loving thoughts and hope!

Hannah said...

This makes me happy, knowing that you found something like this. It's just so poetic and romantic and perfect. So...you. But if you're ever having one of those days where you're lost or upset, call me, send me a text and we'll Skype. I'll sing you songs about cats and send you links to me favorite ModCloth dresses and talk about makeup and we'll plan a massive road trip for after graduation. Maybe I'll come see you this summer or you'll come see me and we can get coffee and go shopping and take pictures and sing Ed Sheeran songs and we'll just have a grand ole time. Like that dress gave you that sense of hope and right...these thoughts give me the same feelings. Love you. xHN

Jana K said...

God works in strange ways huh? I think that's awesome. The dress is beautiful, and so are you :)

Erin said...

Beautifully true dear girl, He does have great plans for you and I do believe he shows us that in strange ways sometimes (like your dress). :) I'll be praying for you to find community and some lady friends, I've been there before.

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