A few of my favorite things

Time to share more of my favorite things! Just a few today, but these are some of my tried and true faves.

I absolutely LOVE EcoTools makeup brushes. They are so soft and made of earth friendly materials (bonus!) I just got the kabuki brush....aaaaamazing!



Those little gems are awesome. They're really fun and they make my lips super soft, plus they're easy to if find in my big purse! I always have one with me.



And in honor of our one year wedding anniversary, my wedding day perfume. I like to wear it occasionally to remind us both of our special day <3

The Word of God is alive!

 






"God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what."-Hebrews 4: 12-13 (MSG)


Today and everyday, I'm thankful for His promises. I'm thankful for His Word and the power and direction it brings to my life!

Just breathe....

     



“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.”- Oprah Winfrey

Why should I worry?

Without getting into too much detail, I have been struggling with some anxiety. At times it gets to the point where I am consumed and overwhelmed by that one little anxious thought. Now, this isnt a daily occurence but I came to realize that the anxiety was starting to gnaw away at my joy. It started to become a burden on my heart and I became convicted about it. I was driving home from work yesterday and I was listening to Christian talk radio, half paying attention because I was praying and asking God for peace. But something the radio host said caught my attention and she began to quote this verse: "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."- Jeremiah 29:11. Now, here's a little something about this verse. It always pops up whenever I'm dealing with something. I see it or read it or hear it somewhere else. I really felt God speaking to me in that moment...He does not call us to be fearful! 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us plainly, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." And again, in Joshua 1:9, "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Letting go of fear is not a suggestion; it's a COMMAND! When we allow fear and anxiety to take over, we also allow doubt in God's faithfulness to creep in as well. Fear=no faith. I have to be obedient to the Lord. That means holding fast to His promises and and trusting that everything is according to His will. I don't want my fear to replace the faith I have. I know He holds me in the palm of His hand and protects me. He has my best interests at heart! I just have to trust Him and let Him do His thing. As cliche as it may sound, I have to "Let go and Let God." When that happens, there is no room for fear.

"Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." - Psalm 55:22

A thought to start the week....

"You find yourself refreshed in the presence of cheerful people. Why not make an honest effort to confer that pleasure on others? Half the battle is gained if you never allow yourself to say anything gloomy." - Lydia M. Child

Inspiration for the end of the week.

"When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable." - Walt Disney

You make ALL things new.

There's something I love about Spring. While it's not my favorite season, I appreciate the abundance of new beginnings. There's nothing quite like feeling of a warm day after months of cold and bitter or a landscape awash in color after being draped in a cloak of gray for the winter. Creation becomes alive once again.

I can't help but draw a comparison between the the actual season and the season of our heart. See, at one time or another our hearts are that winter landscape: cold, gray, lifeless. But God made a way for us to have new life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!" When we come to know Christ, our past mistakes and sins are gone forever! He comes in and replaces the cold with warmth, the gray with color, and He breathes new life into us. But in order for us to be able to flourish in this new life, we have to do our part as well. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “But forget all that—  it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." Sometimes, we hold onto our past regrets and they quickly become dead weight that drag us to the bottom of a sea of fear and remorse. When we do that, we block God from having His way in our lives. We can't move forward in His will if we're constantly looking over our shoulders. But Jesus didn't come for that! He came to bear it all so that we don't have to! I needed to be reminded of that myself this week and I found peace in Matthew 11:28-30 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Let God do His thing....let Him make ALL things in you new. Then and only then will you experience the freedom of His grace.

A few of my favorite things

Here are a few things I'm diggin' lately.



So timeless!



Nude nail polishes are pretty much all I've been wearing as of late.




Because my hair is so short right now, I can't do much with it. So I've been rockin' the headband!



Red lipstick. 'Nuff said ;)



I got this perfume for Christmas and I LOVE IT. It's light and crisp and easily one of my all time fave perfumes.

Weight of the world

Ever have one of those days where it feels like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders? That's the kind of day I'm having.

"Can I see another's woe,
And not be in sorrow too?
Can I see another's grief,
And not seek for kind relief?

Can I see a falling tear,
And not feel my sorrow's share?"

Excerpt from William Blake's "On Another's Sorrow"

Forgiveness is more than saying sorry.

Matthew 5:23-24
The Message (MSG)
 23-24"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God."


Matthew 18:21-35
The Message (MSG)
21At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"
 22Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.


I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately. There have been some circumstances more recently in my life that, if I were not a Christian, I would most likely feel entitled to hold a grudge. In fact, I got to the place where I could feel it starting to build up. I immediately felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit regarding my attitude. I had been wronged, yes. But He has provided me with the tools to overcome it. I know from past experience that holding a grudge and a spirit of unforgiveness is spiritually unhealthy. I may have verbally tried to fix things, but internally I was still raging. I felt the wedge I was driving in between myself and God. In that circumstance, I thought I had done things right... I went to that person to make things right before presenting my offering to God. But that verse didn't say "verbally apologize" it says MAKE THINGS RIGHT. That means I had tocompletely forgive the person who wronged me, admit my wrongdoings as well, drop my self-defenses, and wholly make things right. To forgive the person who wronged me not once, not twice, but seventy times seven! But I didnt do that, at least not immediately. When I felt that rage start to boil, I should have been forgiving that person over and over. Instead, I added fuel to the fire and caused it to burn bigger and brighter than ever. Why? Because I was not obedient to the Lord in forgiveness. And it wasn't until I was obedient that I felt peace over that situation and renewal in my spirit. And so it goes with what I'm going through now. If you're reading this, I ask that you pray for me. That I will be able to completely forgive those who have wronged me. That I will be obedient to the Lord so that I may be free of a grudging spirit. Forgiveness involves so much more than an apology. It must be part of our spiritual lifestyle. It must be part of MY spiritual lifestyle.