Beat the Heat

      

Rag bone baseball cap hat / Black baseball cap / Vince Camuto panama hat / Summer hat / Vince Camuto navy hat / Keds adjustable hat / Straw hat, $25 / Boohoo sun hat / Black hat, $20

One of my all time favorite accessories for summer is hats. No matter what you are wearing throw on a hat and it will give even more life and flavor to any outfit. I love the endless possibilities hats can give, you can have the masculine baseball hat, the vintage fedora or panama hat, or the classic and feminine floppy hat each giving you a different feel. 


-For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. Titus 2:11-

Motivation without submission is pride. Submission without motivation is laziness. 

This struck me really hard while I was listening to this podcast sermon by Pastor Donnie Petty. As I was listening to the rest of the sermon these words kept reiterating through my mind. If  motivation is such an admirable quality why is it one that is lacking in todays world? I began to look at myself, what are my ambitions, my passions, life goals? We are all allowed to have these but so often I found myself saying I am going where God leads me. Don't get me wrong, I want to go only where God has called me but I so often used that statement as my crutch for lack of motivation in life. People would ask me what I wanted to do and my response would always be, "whatever God wants". Now this is not a bad response, this is a great act of submission but I was lacking in the motivation. I was challenged to make a tentative list of what I would be doing in the year 2015. Note the word tentative, this means it can easily be changed and twisted in different directions. The reason behind this was to physically write down what I wanted out of my year and to see the ways that God manifested. Being able to see how God is working and moving in and through your life is powerful, never underestimate God's ability to radically change your life.

Seeking out the passions God has given you is so important because those are the things God will use in you to shake this world. I challenge each one of you to sit down and think about what God has laid on your heart. People so often have this notion that one has to be a pastor or missionary to really show people the love of our Savior. Well I have some good news, the minute you give Jesus your heart you too become a pastor and a missionary. God has put each one of us right where He wants us, He knows our talents and our weaknesses but He can use our weaknesses for His strengths. One of my absolute favorite verses is found in 2 Corinthians 12;9-10 and it says, "but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." God is actively and constantly pouring strength, love, motivation, peace, and joy into us!

I'll say it again, Motivation without submission is pride. Submission without motivation is laziness. Continually seek God for both motivation and submission. Praying for you all along this journey of life, seeking God and His wisdom daily. Keep clinging onto His promises! 

-You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13

Wedding Season

Forever 21 layering cami / Boohoo embroidered dress / Boohoo daisy print dress / Boohoo side cut dress / Boohoo midi body con dress / Boohoo body con dress / Boohoo neon maxi dress / Boohoo strappy maxi dress

Que the wedding bells, what a beautiful time of year. Wedding season is chiming its way through these warm summer months, sending everyone into a love frenzy. I always feel so blessed that I get to be apart of this momentous part of their life, how truly special. The endless possibilities we have as woman makes getting ready so much easier and dresses make styling timeless. Here are few options in different lengths and shapes and for different dress codes. The key to any outfit is how you accessorize, you can transform any dress into your own personal style. Have some fun and play around with colors and statement necklaces but mostly enjoy every moment of those weddings and the memories you get to make with the happy couple.


Proverbs 30:18-19
There are three things that amaze me—no, four things that I don't understand: how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.

A weekend away is just what the doctor ordered

With wheels pointed north and Taylor Swift blaring on the radio my roommate, Hayley, and I hastily leave our apartment complex. Excited to get away and enjoy the laughs of friendship and the new town. Within two hours we made it to our destination and were warmly greeted by our 4 foot, blond haired, and blue eye friend, the main reason we were excited to for this weekend getaway.

Lisa had recently moved here and we were eager to see the town that we heard so much about. So Saturday morning we began our adventures starting with the worlds largest breakfast, making sure to start our day off the right way. We attempted...and failed to be quite and mature and we were in a constant fit of laughter, enjoying one anothers company. Afterwards we saw the cute downtown shops and the sand dunes that encapsulated much of the land. We hiked a trail surrounded by God's beautiful creations and smelled the fresh scent of Lake Michigan. It was an amazing day but what made it so special was not the place but the people that surrounded me,

My heart was overfilled with love and my stomach was aching from the constant belly laughing. As I get older I realize how important my friends are to me and the moments spent with them are more precious to me than much else. As time goes on and life changes you begin to realize that the once easy process of making friends has become harder and harder.

Life seems to get into the way and can hinder who we are. School, jobs, and money these all seem to be so important, and don't me wrong they are, but the moments made with family and friends are worth much more than the fancy degree or the penthouse suit. Community is what we crave and desire most. C.S. Lewis once said, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” So beautifully written, that friendship gives value to life because life is so much more than having an impressive bank account. 

I can not help but smile when I think about the silly jokes and serious moments that were created this weekend. Take the time to appreciate the people that God has put into your life. I am so beyond thankful for the friends that God has blessed me with. people with different thoughts, different dreams, different people all together but we have created lasting bonds. Thank you God for giving me friends that see you in me and that encourage me to be who you created me to be.

    

    

           

Makeup of the Day: Dark Cocoa smokey eye

                    

1. With a big fluffy brush blend, in circular motions, Beaches & Cream all over your lids and crease, coming close to your brown bone. This will be our transition shade and will make all the other colors blend out easier.
2. Now take Creme Brulee on a more dense blending brush and buff that just into the crease, you will cover up some of the beaches and cream. You are now starting to create an gradient of the two colors.
3. Then take the color Caramelized with a pencil brush and once again place this into the crease(this may seem repetitive but its building a nice gradient from the crease to add depth and dimension to the finished eye).
4. Lastly, take Deep Cocoa on a stiff shader brush and pack on the deep brown color to the lid. And then take a clean blending brush and buff out the harsh line using circular motions. 

Achieving a smokey eye is simple once you understand that all it takes is blending and patience. One of my favorite YouTuber's, Jaclyn Hill, said " Blend until you hands and eyes hurt." Yes, I know that seems silly and slightly dramatic but she is so true. The more you blend the less harsh lines there will be and the more flawless your makeup will look. The great thing about smokey eyes is that anyone can rock one. So be courageous and be bold:)

Freedom vs. Fear

Fear (v): to be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening

How many times a day do we use this word? Fear can be so crippling and suffocating, so why do we let this feeling rule our lives?  For me, fear is something that controls many of my thoughts and actions. Fear makes me question every single move I make, causing me to over think even the simplest of things. It holds us back from so much, like making changes, talking to someone new, or even being yourself...it can turn you into someone you never created to be. But isn't that what Satan wants? God gives us freedom from these thoughts and from the thief of joy, Satan. He has already given it to you, so take it. Choose to live in that freedom and grace, even if you feel like you don't deserve it. 

I have let fear control the many choices of life. I began to see opportunities as inconveniences because fear began to creep in and turned excitement into worry. Too many times in life we think about the future as scary and uncertain. And yes, it is uncertain but how amazing that we don't have to know every single detail about where we will be in the next 10 years. In Matthew 6:34 it says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own". This verse has been a constant encouragement to me because as life seems to become more and more uncertain my trust in the Lord has become stronger and stronger. I am reminded that God is stronger than fear and worry, that He is not held down by these chains and He died to release me from those chains as well. So I am going to choose to live in this freedom and be drenched by His never ending waterfall of grace.

Three months ago an organization visited my church talking about their ministry in China, and for the past three months it has been on my heart and mind non-stop. But fear found its way into my mind telling me that I am not brave enough and I am not a "good" enough Christian. I got so used to hearing these lies that I started to believe them and even started to agree with them. I told myself that I didn't have the qualifications to even think about sharing the gospel. But I began to realize that like Jonah I've been on the run from my Nineveh. But no matter how hard and fast we run we will be reminded of what amazing gift we have been given, freedom and grace. So China, do I feel ready for it? Nope. Am I overjoyed? Somedays. But one thing is for sure, I might get to return to a place that has grown me into the person I am today and get to share the beautiful news about a beautiful savior. There is nothing more exciting than that!

What does fear look like? To me it looks like death, it is like a thief in the night coming to steal your joy. So today I choose joy. I choose freedom from fear! I choose to look towards the cross and run to my savior whatever the cost. I choose to get uncomfortable. I choose freedom! I choose love!