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THE BLOG |
Let's talk Peter: Peter was a Jewish fisherman OG from Bethsaida, who moved to Capernaum along the Sea Galilee. Before Jesus changed it, his name was Simon and he was an uneducated guy working what society considered to be a "lower-end" job as a fisherman. It wasn’t a glam life. He was the star of Deadliest Catch: Galilee or the newest star on The Rich Kids of Capernaum Hills. He wasn’t a rich bachelor guy in his beach condo drinking mimosas, and Chris Harrison definitely wouldn’t have asked him to star on Bachelor in Paradise if he was eliminated from his season of The Bachelorette: Israel [Obviously. Fisherman never make it to hometown dates] Before Jesus, Simon was doing what appeared to be regular, normal, nothing-extra-special life. He was a married guy with a temper, big mouth, and a sea-side accent who worked with his brother Andrew fishing it up with their business partners James and John. He caught fish. He sold fish. He went home to start it all over the next day. Not enough material for a “Keeping up with the Fishermens” franchise [but keep it real, Kris Jenner definitely could have momager-ed him into a spin-off if she tried] The significance of this is that Simon was a totally normal, real guy living an extremely normal life who went on to lead the apostles and become Peter the Rock. In Matt 4:18-20, Mark 1:16-18, and Luke 5:1-11, we see Jesus asking Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him and be His disciples. Jesus comes to them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, in Luke 5, and tells them to cast their nets again after they had been out all night fishing and had caught nothing. Thinking this guy must be a crazy pants, they try again and their nets rip from all of the fish they’ve suddenly caught. In verse 8, Simon realizes who Jesus is and says “Oh Lord, please leave me—I am such a sinful man.” [Matthew 5:8] Instead of Jesus saying “Yeah, you really are” and peacing out, Jesus says “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” [Matthew 5:10] The story of Simon Peter isn’t really about a fisherman becoming something amazing; the focus of Peter’s story is about Jesus using an uneducated fisherman, despite his failures, despite his mistakes, despite his lack of qualifications, to become His rock and start His Church. The story of Peter really isn’t about Peter at all. It’s about God’s transformation, never ending forgiveness, unending grace, and ability to qualify the called not call the qualified. We usually look at Peter and forget this story was real. Peter was a real guy with a real family, real failures, real mistakes, a real life, and he was really a disciple and friend of Jesus. Often we simplify Peter’s life to: - He was a fisherman - His name changed - He betrayed Jesus but then Jesus forgave him I think we usually think of Peter as the guy who made “one big mistake” and then he was forgiven and transformed and went on to change the world. But, Peter’s transformation and mistakes started way before his denial of Jesus. Throughout Jesus’s time with Peter, we see him fail over and over and Jesus keeps forgiving and growing him. In Matthew 16, Jesus changed Simon’s name and life forever:
This is big. Big, big, big. In this time in history, especially in Jewish tradition, the meaning of your name was a big deal and was often thought of as being prophetic in many respects; people specifically named their children after life events, events surrounding their children's births, or names that had significance in hopes that their children would take on the characteristics or virtues of that name. Simon means "he has heard" in Hebrew and "snub nosed" in Greek [not exactly a cute pick for a "100 Top Baby Names and their Meanings" list.] In that passage in Matthew, Jesus tells Peter, Peter the fisherman who had an anger issues, who doubted Jesus and fell in the sea, who would promise to never betray His Lord, who would fall asleep while Jesus was waiting to be arrested and killed, who would cut off a priest's slave's ear, and deny his best friend Jesus three times while He was being beaten and illegally tried, that he would be His Rock. Not just Jesus's rock, but His rock on which He would build His Church. Not only did Jesus rename and transform Peter and declare him to be the foundation of the Church, but Jesus told him the gates of hell couldn't stop what He was putting into motion. Jesus declared that Peter wasn't his past mistakes or failures, he was being transformed into something new and Jesus would use him despite the mistakes he had and would make. Get. Out. Of. Town. Jesus knew Peter was a hot head with a past, He knew Peter would betray Him, he knew this wasn't Peter's first or last failure, He knew Peter wasn't a hot-shot with years of doctrinal education and a PHD, and still He chose to transform him and use him. Down the road, the famous denial happens. In Matthew 16:22 and 26:33, Peter promises Jesus he would never, ever betray Him, despite Jesus telling Him he would. But, in Matthew 26:69, 70, and 72, Peter denies Jesus three times. His best friend, his savior, his leader. He doesn't just say no I'm out, he says "I never knew Him." This is where I think we forget how real this gets and how deeply, deeply painful and significant that was. Jesus isn't just God, He's fully man and fully God. Those words broke His heart like they'd break yours. But the incredible thing about all of these stories and events is that Jesus still wanted Peter and Jesus still used Peter. Jesus still died to save Peter. Jesus still built His Church on Peter. Jesus knew Peter would keep on making mistakes and because of His incredible grace and power, still chose Peter. We can learn 1,000 things from these passages alone, but what I see today is a God who forgives sinners, transforms sinners, uses sinners for His glory, and still uses and forgives us even though He knows we will sin, fail, and deny Him again. Jesus died for the sins of all people so that whoever would believe He was the son of God and believe God raised him from the dead would be saved forever and have a place in heaven. He used a messy guy like Peter to start the Church and lead the apostles. He used Peter's failures and mess-ups so that Peter could relate to the other messy, messed up, hot-headed people around him and share Jesus with them. Jesus didn't pick the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the religious big-shots that looked perfect and polished to be His followers and start His Church; Jesus knew those people were legalistic and faking their goodness and relationships with God. Jesus chose Peter because he was a failure with a future, not a faker with a clean outside and empty inside. Don't put stipulations on what God can or cannot do with you or any other messy, sinful, mistake-ridden failure. God is bigger than your limits, your mistakes, and your sin. God transform us and makes us new. God uses our ugly, past mistakes and is so powerful that He can use those terrible choices to grow us, teach us, and make us ready for the work He calls us to do. God's love is so great and unfathomable that He loves you in spite of your failures. His grace is so deep and never-ending that once you accept His free gift of salvation, no sin you commit will ever separate you from Him again. God isn't a god of burdens He is a God of Freedom. He isn't a God of labels, He is a God of names. God doesn't leave you at "messy failure" He tells us that the only labels we need are "forgiven, free" and "Child of God". God shows us through Peter that our failure is not our identity, our identity is in Christ and the freedom He gives us. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. "Mindful of this day of Peter and his crushing denials of Christ. Praise God for the man Jesus made of him in the aftermath. It proves that, in Him, failure is NOT a life sentence. The cross of Christ stands eternally fixed, a stake in the ground, between failing and being a failure. I see few heavier burdens among believers than the crushing weight many continue to bear over previous failure sorrowfully repented of years ago. Example: parents who feel they failed their kids often live the remaining decades of their lives-not as having failed but-as failures. That Thursday night at the Passover table, Jesus knew the difference between a faker [Judas] and a failure [Peter]. That failure became a success: One of the fiercest forces in New Testament history. Give it to Jesus. Every ounce of your failure. Offer it to Him to do with it whatever He pleases. Let Jesus make of it humility, gratitude, compassion, empathy for others fraught with their own feelings of failure and shame. Lead the way to the cross where Jesus bore it. There, by faith, failures are crucified with Christ and no longer live and trophies of grace walk out of graves." I finally did it! I'm finally a super-cool tattoo girl who could totally ride a motorcycle and wear leather pants everywhere! [Jk, I already had leather pants and I wore them to Thanksgiving brunch, and I can barely drive a car] I was so scared, seriously SO scared to get my tattoos but I absolutely love them now and I can't believe I waited so long to get them 😍 So here's the tattoo story: The Arabic tattoo says, "الناس الأحرار سوف يحررون الناس" which means. "Free people free people". I heard someone use this in a sermon a couple of years ago and I fell in love with the phrase. It's basically the opposite of the phrase "hurt people hurt people" - hurting people tend to hurt others around them. But people who are free, living in Jesus's freedom, can free other people. This phrase means so much to me because for years I felt like a prisoner of all the pain and effects of sexual abuse. I felt like I would never be free or feel like myself again, but Jesus's healing made my heart more free than it ever was before. God was able to take all the ugliness and pain and chains of abuse and give me freedom; He showed me that he could take all that ugliness and pain and repurpose it for me to help others, and that's lead me to start my new ministry for sexual assault care training, The Real Truth Ministries. I chose to get the tattoo in Arabic because Egypt is my favorite place in the world, and my first trip to Egypt was the beginning of freedom for me. 💖 My second tattoo is on my hand and it's the initial "N" for my grandmother, Nancy. My grandma passed away last month, and I wanted to get her initial to remind me she's with my every step of the way and remember her legacy. She worked hard every day during a time when women in the workplace were looked down on. She made God and her family the most important things in her life. Her love saw no boundaries and she loved people and saw through the lies society spoke of them and kept her hospital door open to everyone. She taught me the importance of standing up, using her voice, and using her privileges to help those without one. She listened to everyone’s opinions and didn’t shut people away because they were different or had differing ideas. She told me I could be anything I wanted to be, and she was there to support every step I took. She was kind, loving, and sharp as a tack. She relied on God to get her through the difficult days when life was too difficult and heavy and taught me to do the same. She married the love of her life, my grandfather, even though there were societal walls to break down and pressure from the people she loved that frowned upon intercultural and interethnic marriage, and they were faithfully married for 63 years. She inspires me so much and I strive to be a strong, godly, loving woman like she was who doesn’t care what the world says and continues to love people fearlessly, who works hard, who knows she can be anything, who loves God relentlessly, and who takes care of others.
Style Challenge Day ThreeDay One of the style challenge was focusing on body types and how to dress in a way that accentuates your natural beauty. Day two was about putting together complete outfits and finding a fool-proof, finished-look formula. Today is the final day of the Style Challenge and it's all about saying who you are with your outfits! If you missed day One and Two, you can catch up here: The past two days of the Challenge have touched on the most important thing about personal style: your look sends a message to the world around you, and you can use that to your advantage, take control, and show that you're a confident, beautiful person who knows how to dress their body and make complete looks. Now that you know how to do those two things, how do you find your niche and your own look? The answer is much simpler than you might think: Be. You. You don't have to copy someone else's look or style to be stylish. If you're dressing for your body type and creating complete outfits, pick out the pieces you love and really want to wear! I used to be so afraid to wear the things I really wanted to. I found myself in a place where I had outgrown wearing only floral sun dresses and cardigans with flouncy tops and I really wanted to wear new things that interested me like cute leather moto jackets, palazzo pants, and basically everything leopard print. But, it took me years to get over my silly fears of trying something new and a long time to realize that I didn't like my outfits because I was just trying to copy someone else instead of dressing my body shape and fitting those new pieces into my own looks. If you watch basically any makeover shows with people that have outrageous or larger than life styles, or you know people who dress a very distinct, over-the-top way, you'll usually see that they are using fashion as a way to communicate, but the message they're sending is saying "look at the clothes or crazy things I have on so you don't see the real me", That's the spot I found myself in; I was scared to let people see me, the real-deal me, so I wore clothes that were someone else, a crazy blonde weave, and copied other people's styles and struggled to find my own. But, once I started being confident and dropped the fears, [literally it was all Jesus], I stopped trying to hide and started wanting to send the that I knew who I was. I studied fashion, and I started using magazines, Pinterest, Instagram, and red carpet looks as a tool to figure out what I liked and what looks would work for me instead of low-key dreading them because I felt like I had to look exactly like the people I saw in them. A lot of people enjoy fashion, [the industry, the art, the magazines, the culture, the trends] but they don't like getting dressed in the morning because it can seem scary, difficult, and frustrating. But here's the thing: it doesn't have to be! You deserve the best and you for people to see you for who you are, so say it through your clothes! It might seem scary to stop hiding behind your regular or comfortable-go-to outfits that you don't really like, but I promise you that using the pieces you put together to show the world the real, confident you feels a million times better than letting your fears control your look. I used to let the things I didn't like about me from moving in the right direction. But, I realized soon that I was just making excuses and pushing off communicating the real me to the people around me. I decided to use fashion as a language. I started asking myself: what does this piece say? Does it say "professional, respectable, business woman", or does it say "I don't know who I am". If you dig a piece, ask yourself that question: "how will this represent me and does it express who I am and want to be known as?" If the piece says I don't know my identity, I'm hiding, I'm not confident, I'm sloppy, I don't care, or I see myself in a poor light, then say goodbye forever, because you deserve better! Let me tell you: it feels so good to love what you wear, show everyone who you really are, and not hide behind anything! And here's the great part about fashion: if you're working on something about your body or just don't feel comfortable with it, you don't have to show it off or make it the focal point, and you can use fashion like make-up! If you're feeling subconscious about something, and you're still working on being confident, then dress for your body type and use style as a tool! If I'm feeling self-conscious about my stomach, I don't wear tops with hemlines that cover up my hips [to keep the attention away from that area] and I stick with high-waisted jeans and or dresses with cropped denim jackets. Think of it like putting concealer on your face if you have a blemish or dark spot you don't like: you use the tools you have and conceal that puppy up! The other good thing is, when you are feeling good about yourself or you're loving something about you, you can use fashion to showcase your beauty! Once you start the healthy pattern of getting to know your body type, dressing it well, putting together completed looks, and picking out pieces that make you happy, what might seem complicated and impossible will become so easy! You know yourself the best and you'll get the hang of it once you start. Here's the most important thing of all: CLOTHES AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT. Thank you Jesus, clothes don't make or break us, give us value, and at the end of the day there are just more important issues in the world! This is a guide to help you if fashion and dressing your body is stressful. You know your own body the best, and know what you love. Don't be hard on yourself. You might not like every single thing you thought would look fabulous on the hanger, and everything you try on might not be your favorite, even if it might go with your body type well. It's a learning process that you'll keep getting better at, and the best way to get better at it is to celebrate the ways that God made you you, and work on being confident in your own skin! To read my post on confidence, click here: Here are some of my favorite resources and fashion inspirations for when I need a creative new take, new outlook, or tip! Day Three Challenge: Look through your closet and get rid of any and all pieces that don't compliment your body type, show off your natural beauty, or send a different message about how you are. Ask yourself "does this piece represent me and who I want to be" when you're looking through your clothes or buying something new. Say goodbye to hiding and letting your fears control your look and the next time you get dressed, wear something you really love, that brings you joy, even if you're afraid to wear it! Use Day Two of the Style Challenge to help you style that piece you love into a finished outfit that will express confidence and beauty. If someone on social media makes you feel bad or like you have to look just like them, unfollow them ASAP-o! Your job is to be who God made YOU to be! Make a list of people that inspire you and give you creative ideas, and start using them as tools to help you with your looks. If you need any tips, tricks, or advice on putting together an outfit, look, or styling a new piece, you can comment on my posts or message me on Instagram anytime! 😘 Find me @CarlieRaeTiceStyle Challenge Day twoYesterday the Style Challenge was all about identifying your body type and learning about ways to dress it to its best with pieces that will compliment your natural beauty and shape. Today, the Style Challenge is about putting together complete outfits that express to the world your identity: a confident boss babe who knows who she is! If you missed yesterday, click here to learn about dressing your body type to the nines: Style is the way that we can communicate to the people around us, and what we wear will send a message. An outfit is more than just a top, bottom, and, shoes. Generally in the fashion world, an outfit is made up of four pieces, aside from shoes and jewelry. The formula for a complete outfit is a basic piece, an interest piece, a completer piece, and accessories. Basic + Interest + Completer + AccessoriesA basic piece would be something like a t-shirt, fitted slacks, jeans, a pencil skirt, or a basic long-sleeved crop top. An interest piece is also known as a statement piece; an interest piece could be palazzo pants, a blouse with a floral pattern, leather pants, statement earrings/necklace, over the knee boots, statement purse, or a skirt with a pattern. When you're adding an interest piece, look for things that are shiny, glittery, have a pattern, distinct color, or a texture you love. The great thing about this outfit formula is that you can use the pieces that fit your body type well, find the pieces in those categories that you love and feel represent you, and put them together to make a complete look, no matter what your fashion and style preferences are! Next, add a completer piece. A completer is a piece that makes your look feel finished, put together, and well thought out. Look for blazers, cardigans, leather jackets, hats, scarves, headbands, structured bags, or belts. The accessory category is for basic accessories like basic heels or shoes, minimal jewelry [like studs, small necklaces, or rings], glasses or sunglasses, or small hair accessories. Usually these are pieces you would wear normally everyday. When you're putting your looks together, use Instagram, Pinterest, and fashion magazines as your best friends! If you have an interest piece, accessory, or even a basic piece that you don't know how to style in your look, search around to get ideas for how to wear it in a complete outfit. When I get a new statement piece, I love to search the piece on Pinterest or look through my favorite fashion Instagrammers profiles to see how they wear theirs and get ideas for my looks! Just remember: Style is not about looking like someone else. You don't have to look like your fave Instagram bloggers or every other girl on Pinterest, you should look like you! Use these tools for ideas and inspiration to get creative when you are putting outfits together. Day Two Challenge: Look at the completed outfits below to get ideas and inspiration for dressing your body type! Start putting together outfits that have it all: a basic piece, a completer piece, an interest piece, and basic accessories, If you only have a top and bottoms or dress, check the formula to see what you can add to make your look finished, thought out, and put together. Hourglasssuede jacket + clear shoulder bag + White V-neck + Vivre Collection Earrings + Skinny Jeans + caged heelsRectanglered sundress + Vivre Collection Earrings + wicker clutch + Nude stilettos + cropped denim jacketMartini GlassPink mini skirt + Gold bangles + Black tie-Front Blouse + Vivre Collection Earrings + Pink Clutch + Kitten Heel MulesPear black crop top + Vivre Collection Earrings + Striped Palazzo Pants + Red Heels + Clear ToteAppleStriped blouse + vivre Collection Earrings + Aqua Pixie Pants + White Platform Heels + Gold Bangle SetStyle Challenge Day oneDressing your body typeWelcome to the Three Day Style Challenge! Whether you're starting a new year new you, binge watching Marie Kondo, or you just want to revamp your wardrobe, this challenge is for you! I love all things style and fashion, and I am super passionate about personal style. For years I didn't know how to dress and I dressed in a style I didn't like. I never felt like me and I wasn't confident enough to dress in the pieces I really loved. Here's the thing: your clothing should make you feel like yourself: confident, beautiful, and respectable. You may have believed the lie that I fell for: that fashion is about copying other people's looks, dressing only one certain way, spending thousands on clothes, and only wearing what's trendy. The truth is, fashion is a way to communicate who you are to the world. Your style is like a language, and you have the power to show the world your identity. Unfortunately, we do live in a world where people do judge books by their covers and may think things, good or bad, based on how people present themselves. That doesn't mean you should become a slave to your appearance and obsess over what other people think. You should never be worried and miserable over other people's opinions or stop being yourself to try to fit a mold! Be yourself! What this means is that we can use clothes as a tool to show people we care about our bodies, take ourselves seriously, respect ourselves, and aren't afraid to be bold and beautiful. Instead of viewing the language of fashion and how the world tends to look at appearances as a negative, view it as a positive way for you to have the power! Through fashion, you can take control of your narrative and present yourself as the gorgeous and confident individual you are. The first step is making sure your clothes fit and flatter your body type! Your body deserves the best, and it deserves to be dressed in the pieces and ways that compliment your natural beauty. You can still wear the colors, patterns, and pieces that make you happy, but your body will look and feel its greatest in the shapes and styles that fit it the best! The Body Type Guide below is to give you some tips and tricks to help you find the best outfits for you! People's bodies come in all shapes and sizes, so you, like myself, may not fit perfectly into a generic body type. Remember, this is a guide based on fit and knowledge of body types to help you feel great in your clothes, but you know your body the best! If you prefer a certain style, fit, or length of clothing, dress in what makes you feel comfortable. Day One Challenge: Look through the guide and sift your wardrobe to get rid of the pieces that don't fit or fit your body type well. Get your bust size measured and make sure your bras fit well so your wardrobe will look extra sharp and you'll be at your most comfortable! Put together some outfits that accentuate your natural beauty and that make you feel amazing! Hour glassYour shape is hourglass if your bust and hips are within two inches of the same measurement and your waist is around seven to ten inches smaller.
Rectangleyour shape is rectangle if your hips and bust measurements are within [around] three inches of each other.
Martini glassalso known as the inverted triangle, you have a martini glass shape if your bust is your largest measurement by a least two inches.
PearYour shape is pear if your hips are the largest measurement on your body by more than at least two inches.
Appleyour shape is apple, or oval, if your hips are the biggest measurement on your body.
Lashes and falsies come in all shapes, lengths, and sizes. I have been a faithful lash wearer for years now, and I have tried everything out there. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and I know the big, bold, and beautiful brands to stick to! There's all kinds of routes you can take to find your perfect lash look, so here's my guide to help you fulfill your eyelash dreams 💗 eyelash extensionsLash extensions were the worst/best thing that happened to my life. I haven't worn them for a few years, but when I did, I loved and hated them. Here's the deal, if you have sensitive eyes, these are not for you. When I got mine, they were so fun and made getting ready so easy. I felt like I could go without makeup or wear natural looks a lot more! At the same time, they were kind of my worst nightmare. They are extremely pricey [starting at around $150-250 and bi monthly maintenance is around $50- $200], high maintenance, and they made my eyes swell up, itch, and hurt most of the time I had them on. I had around 12 lash stylists over the two years I was getting extensions, and some of them were amazing but not all of them were experts yet or used the best lash glue or cleaning solutions for their tools. One stylist didn't clean her tweezers and gave me an eye infection, most all of the glue gave me an allergic reaction, and a lot of lash stylists were simply just new to the game and needed more practice. I worked in a lash salon for about 4 months as a secretary and saw the ins and outs of lash styles, stylists, and the best and the worst of clients. Every single lash stylist will tell you "they won't destroy your lashes, you have a natural lash cycle where lashes fall out so you'll notice that more with extensions", but from my own personal experience and from my time working at the lash salon, your lashes absolutely fall out more and don't grow back as long or thick. Usually, you have to get them fixed up and filled every 2-3 weeks. Here's my conclusion: If you have sensitive eyes and skin, stay far away. If you have tough skin and can handle harsher products, do a patch test first to see if you have a reaction to the glue. I would absolutely keep getting extensions if I didn't react badly. I so wish I could wear them and so miss them! They are so fun and make life easy breezy. If you decide they're right for you, go the extra mile for more experienced lash stylists and always check the Yelp and Google reviews!
Glue-on lashesGlue on lashes: everyone has tried them at least once, right? I wore glue on lashes for almost a year. Here's the good news, they are cheap, easy to find everywhere, and they come in a million different styles. They are very difficult to apply when you first start wearing them, but with practice, you'll get the hang of it and won't even think about it when you put them on. My favorite lash brands are Kiss and Ardell. I prefered full lash strips instead of accents or individual lashes, and I used black glue instead of the white glue that shows up everywhere [you can find black lash glue from Kiss and Ardell at most drug stores, Walmart and Target.] They can get sticky and messy and fall off at random times. If you go for the Ardell individual extensions, be warned to stay away from the glue that comes with the package. It's in a clear, glass bottle and it is THE GLUE WORST EVER. It's basically superglue, so it will make the individual eyelashes stick in place, but they it will pull out your real lashes. Overall, glue-ons are a great option if you're on a tight budget and like new makeup looks, but they do damage your real lashes over time and can be a mess.
Favorite ProductsMagnetic lashesI love, love, love magnetic lashes! I have worn them for over a year and I am obsessed. They are tricky to figure out at first, but just like glue-on lashes, they are easy once you get the hang of them. I am into these lashes because they don't damage your real eyelashes and there's no mess or fuss. Here's my tricks and tips to make them work: don't get them wet, curl them before you apply them, wear mascara or they'll slip, and push the magnets as close to your lash line as possible. The only downside I've found to these is that sometimes the magnets don't line up correctly or the lashes will slip down and you can visibly notice the lashes. Also, sometimes the lashes will lose their shape and not fit to your eye shape correctly. I like to use Kiss's magnetic lash applicator to apply mine. Another tip is to make sure that you buy lashes that have magnets on both ends and in the middle; if there's only one magnet in the middle, the lashes will stick out on either end. Fortunately, more companies are coming out with their own version of magnetic lashes and more styles to choose from. Check the online product reviews and it'll be a piece of cake!
Favorite productsTell me below what your favorite lashes and brands are!It’s almost February and I am so glad January is finally over! The winter blues can be rough, and let’s keep it real, I like to keep my shades of blue tropical 🌴 🌊 here are some of my favorite things that are keeping the cold the weather and gray skies away: Click the tItles For liNksNutrogena Water Gel: This moisturizer is one of my favorites and you’ll hear me talk about it a million times. It’s great for sensative skin, good quality, and the best thing is it’s super affordable and you can get it at any drugstore, Walmart, and Target. It’s a much needed pick me up for dry, winter skin! HyAluronic acid:This is another skin care product I absolutely live by. I’m obsessed with skin care, and hyaluronic acid is perfect for plumping fine lines and keeping winter wrinkles at bay. I buy mine on Amazon, but you can find it all over online. Kiss ME in the ocean body spraY:This was a limited time gem from Victoria’s Secret that you can still find a few places online and in VS stores, but let’s be honest: any Victoria Secret scent will do! I love trying new VS perfumes, and they’ll definitely have one for you! When it’s cold and dreary outside, I like to wear a perfume that reminds me of the sunny days ✨ hair pin:Not many things make me as happy as the beach does, and this adorable shell hairpin mermaids up my drab messy-buns when the ocean is too chilly for swimming. You can find similar pins on Amazon and some super cute real shell pins on Etsy 💕
This year, I wanted to make a mood board with some inspiration for my 2019. It was super fun to find people, places, and outfits, to get my head in the game for the new year. I really love going to Pinterest and fashion magazines to help me find the aesthetic and inspo for my outfits, art, and day, so I tried to create a real life Pinterest board! I went through my Pinterest and picked out my favorite pictures that followed my 2019 motif, printed them out, and made a collage on my wall, somewhere where I'll be able to see it every day. I focused on photos with bright colors, outfit goals, and tropical/vacation vibes. Make your own inspo boardHere's what to look for when you put your own inspo board together:
Happy creating!Happy 2019! This year, I am all about dressing chic, boldly, and confidently.
I've been waiting for a good outfit to wear with these sparkly boots from and this T-shirt dress gave me all the right vibes! I cuffed the sleeves on the dress, matched it up with the over the knee boots, and wore some thick, sparkly, silver hoops. Cold-Shoulder Dress OOTDI bought this dress the day I got home from Egypt on a Target run while I was trying to stay awake because jet lag, and now I wear it every holiday season. I love wearing dresses like this that are covered and long for winter, but still chic and sleek. Less is more!
This looks great with nude pumps, white sock booties, or simple metallic pointed toe heels. It's super comfy, warm, and it helps me fake some curves, which I am all about. Christmas party approved! ✓ leather pants ootdI am a lover of pants, and everytime I get a new pair, I say they're my fave, but this time I mean it: These are my FAVORITE PANTS EVER.
I love these cuties, and this was my Thanksgiving outfit this year. I love this outfit and will for sure be wearing this again. I wore my leather pants with my favorite pair of leather slippers from Egypt, a burnt-yellow crop top, and a gorgeous pashmina I also got in my fave place, Egypt. It was cute, cozy, and let me tell you what, leather pants will keep you warm this holiday. Get yourself a pair of leather pants here: Moms, sisters, girlfriends, grandmas, and girl besties can be the hardest on your list to buy for, so I put together a compilation of all my favorite gifts I've given and been gifted! Snacks, jammies, skin-care, I covered it all. Make your momma or sister's Christmas morning bright with my faves: 1. Pajama setOne of my favorite gifts to give and get from my mom is a super cute pajama set. I love giving gifts that people can use on the regular 2. SmashMallowsThese marshmallows are the bomb. They come in a handful of flavors that are super fun to snack on and great for stocking stuffers! 3. Derma-Roller SetI got a derma-roller for myself and this little gift set is my go-to gift this Christmas. It comes with a vitamin c serum, soothing cream, derma-roller, and case. The best thing is it's only $23 on Amazon and included with Prime! 4. Kylie Cosmetics GlossMy sister is an esthetician-in-training, and she is a sucker for some gloss. I am obsessed with all things Kylie Cosmetics, and her cute boxes and packaging make for perfect gifts and stocking stuffers. 5. Seaweed Face MaskMy mom, grandma, sister, and besties LOVE to get face masks, and this LUSH mask is one of faves! It's so soothing, refreshing, and good for all skin types. 6. Home Body by Joanna GainesMy mom and grandma are allll about Joanna Gaines, so her new book will definitely find its way under the tree this year.
A few years ago, I decided to share my story of sexual abuse. Let me tell you, it was not an easy decision. I wrestled with it for months. I mulled over it every day before I finally shared. I didn’t know if I even wanted everyone to know. I knew it would upset a lot of people that would prefer it stayed under the rug, but I felt so silenced and ignored. So many other people had been telling their own versions of what they thought my story was, and I wanted people to finally know the truth. But, more than that, it was about gaining a sense of freedom. I didn’t want the weight of the secrets and hiding the truth to keep weighing on me. But, in the end, what really made me click “publish” was thinking of other survivors. I prayed and prayed for weeks if sharing was the right thing to do. I felt God burden my heart with the realization that maybe me sharing could help someone else share their story. If I could encourage even one person to share, if one person would feel comfort that they aren’t alone, if one person on the outside could hear my pain that I felt from my friends and the Church and treat survivors better, the backlash would be worth it. So, I started a platform on my blog for survivors to share our stories, and a few others and I did. Owning your story is one of the hardest but best freedoms you can experience. There was a lot of encouraging words and kindness, but there definitely was a strong backlash. Some people were outraged that “I made” certain Christian groups they supported “look bad”. I was so confused because I didn’t use any names, I didn’t trash talk anyone, I just shared what actually happened, what people actually said. However, they felt that no one should share details that make any Christian group “look bad” whether the truth is told or not, and they preferred a lie. At the end of the day, I did feel the freedom that comes from God's redemption, and freedom in sharing the truth so my story could help others look to God for redemption and the freedom in forgiveness as well. But, I still thought maybe I shouldn’t have done that. I thought it would magically make everything get better, but that’s not how it works. My heart ached for things to be "normal" again. I wished it more than anything. I also just wanted people to know the truth; not just know the truth but tell the truth. My story used to make me feel weak. I felt like it was my fault. I felt like if I was more beautiful, smart, valuable, or had more worth, he never would have abused me in the first place. I felt like if my story mattered people would have believed me more and treated me better. I felt the weight of the lies and labels people put on me: “Slut”, “liar”, “asking for it”, “attention-seeker”. It all just made me feel worthless. But, the day I really understood God was going to use my story, even just to help one person, even just one time, it changed. When I fully owned my story, all the parts I didn’t want to own, I felt the fullness of the freedom God gives when you own the truth. Not only did it help me share more, God used it opened doors for me to new ministry opportunities. God used it to open the door for me to become a sexual assault counselor, to start a ministry to train the Church and Christian ministries on how to Biblically care for victims of sexual abuse. I still feel the hurt. I still feel the pain sometimes. I still miss the friendships. I still get scared and feel weak. I still wish deep in my heart, everyday it never happened and I could forget. But the difference is now I know from firsthand experience that God is still good and will use it for His glory. And I know God will use whatever hurt and pain you’ve experienced for His glory too. God is God of truth, not covering up what people would rather not believe. God is a God of freedom, not of being shackled in the pain of hiding what really happened. God is a God that calls you what you are, He doesn’t use the labels people give you. He calls you Child of God; not “slut” or “liar” or “asking for it”. He calls you His. When they tell you not to tell your story, keep speaking the truth. When they tell you to be quiet speak louder. When they tell you it doesn’t matter, remind them it does to God. When they call you by the labels they’ve given you, remind them your a Child of God. When they say it would be better to sweep it under the rug, remind them that God will use it for His ultimate good, and your story is worth telling. It will not be easy. It’s a long, hard road. But some days will be easier. Some days it will get better. God will use it for good. You might not understand how and you might never understand why, but rest in knowing He is always good. Don’t listen to any voice but His. Look to Jesus when you need to be reminded of why it’s important to tell your story, because He will remind you and strengthen you to share. The great thing about ministry is, you’ll never be out of business. If one person is helped, it all becomes worth it, and until every person is helped, you have work yet to do. So speak up, tell the truth, keep pushing on. Even if only one person hears, if one person is helped, if one person changes how they treat others, it is all worth it. If you are a survivor of sexual abuse who would like a platform to share your story, we would love to help you share your story and the truth through the real truth project. I have to be honest, for the past few years I have been a little bit of a Christmas downer, but this year I am so all in! Big, fun events are totally my jam, so Christmas parties and family holiday dinners are some of my favorite things ever. And let's be real, who can resist the Great American Baking Show Holiday Edition. I'm a Christmas in November kind of woman, so I have a whole list, ready to share so you can brighten up your December with some fun, new, holiday gems! ❤️ Here are my top faves: 1. Sequin Fringe Christmas DressAll I have to say about this is that this dress was MADE for dancing at a Christmas party 2. Satin PajamasOne of my favorite family traditions is opening Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve. These are silky, comfy, and so cute! 3. Crumbl cookiesThis is my most favorite fave I have ever shared. Ever. In my life. I love Crumbl cookies. Love. Them. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll see me on my story pretty much every Saturday getting my hands on one [or 5] of these. My fave are these pink, chilled sugar cookies. The best part? Crumbl ships now! You can get these bad boys anywhere now! 4. Pom Pom WreathTarget has the cutest and most whimsical decorations for any Christmas style. I love this bright colored, vintage wreath! 5. TRader Joe's AntipastoThere are so many good things to eat at Christmas! I'm a Trader's believer and antipasto is basically all I eat on a regular basis anyways, so this super easy, crazy delish platter is the perfect platter to pull out for a Christmas party hors d'oeuvres. 6. Rose gold tinsel treeI all about tinsel trees, and this rose gold cutie comes in 3 sizes at Walmart! 7. John and Chrissy Teigen: A Legendary ChristmasThis is the cutest Christmas special I have seen in a long time! I am totally obsessed with John Legend's new album, and this fun, spoof-y Christmas show has all of my favorite songs from him! Watch it here on Hulu: 8. Kylie cosmetics: Cold as ice lipstickKylie's holiday collection is bomb. I love her lip line because there are so many nude lip shades, and this is a fun but still subtle lip color that's mistletoe ready 9. pre-built gingerbread houseI love party games, and this pre-built gingerbread house is the ideal little cookie for a gingerbread house decorating contest! Who doesn't love decorating gingerbread? Share your Christmas faves in the comments below!It's that time of year again where all the girlfriends in the world are wondering "what in the world do we get our boyfriends?" If you're like me, you've used every romantic, homemade, Pinterest-y gift that was ever blogged, and you've run out of ideas. Lets face it, boys are hard to buy for and their gifts can be expensivvve. Take my word for it boo, there is hope for you and your gifting skills. I've searched far and wide for the best boyfriend gifts out there this year and here are my faves that your boi will love. And the best part? They're all $25 or under! Shop it up girl: 1. one-person coffee makerMy boyfriend has coffee every morning, and this one-person, on-the-go coffee maker is the best combo for busy coffee lover. The best part is you can take the cup it pours into on the go! 2.BOW TIE and HANDKERCHIEFOkay I'll be honest, this is more of a gift for me so he can dress up when we go out. But if your guy is into fashion, he might actually be excited to open this one 😘 3. Personalized Bamboo sunglass CaseMason loves sunglasses and he takes his everywhere. I love this customizable box, and for a few dollars more, you can buy customized bamboo sunglasses too! 4. Personalized FlaskGroomsmen gifts are the best gifts for boyfriends. I gave Mason this flask last year for Christmas and he totally loves it. 5. Whiskey DecanterIf your boo likes a sip of whisky at the end of the day, this is the perfect classy gentleman gift. 6. Scratch-off World MapThis is a really trendy and super fun gift to give. If your guy is a traveler, this is a great stocking stuffer. Comment with your best boyfriend/Husband gifts below: |