Marisa Donnelly

Find someone who puts passion into your soul. Whose every word is captivating, and who hangs on every syllable that falls from your lips.

Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you allow them a free passage back into your heart. It doesn’t mean that you open the doors to your life and give them the key.

In this life, I hope we stop second guessing. When we see someone we have feelings for, we find the words—the imperfect, honest words—and let them spill out of our mouths. When we feel at home in someone’s arms, we share that with them, vulnerability so raw it hurts.

Even if you feel little or lost, know this—the universe isn’t done with you yet. You are only beginning.

I’m learning that it’s okay to love what was, but infinitely better to appreciate and focus on what is.

Romantic love is not a measure of whether or not your life is full.

“I tried to steal her dog because we raised him together. I sneaked into the house and tried to grab him but she caught me.”

No matter how much you’re been broken, you still miss the people you love(d)—and that’s not wrong. True leaving and true healing take time.

Who you are is someone to be proud of. The way you stand is something to admire. Your faith and strength, your ability to speak when others are against you—those are powerful traits of a powerful girl.

‘Woman’ is not synonymous with weak.

I can’t hate you for leaving because life is too short to hold onto things and people that don’t fill our hearts with happiness and purpose.

Let go of all the pain that has been brought into your life, all the events that have shattered you, that have weakened you, that have shaped and changed you. Let them go.

Love is the moments between wake and sleep, cool body temperatures that spark flames when eyes open. Love is cloudless sky, full of hope and possibility.

I’m learning that I cannot rush—my decisions, God’s plans, or the feelings written on someone else’s heart. I do not have control of this; I must trust, let go, and let life play out.

Sending mixed signals.

I know my worth. And I’m worthy of real love.

Maybe we aren’t meant to become, aren’t meant to reattach, aren’t meant to rewrite the past and begin a new story.

My sisters in Christ, please do not lose faith. Do not lose your fight. We have so much work to do for one another, so many battles to face, so many dreams and beliefs to push for. We cannot give up. And we cannot believe He has given up on us.