Morning Musings

When my bad case of the Mondays spilled over into my Tuesday,

I stumbled across these sweet words. 

And felt encouraged to not only make the day special,

but find a way to treat everyday as such.

Needless to say, I think my Tuesday has turned around.

Happy Tuesday

K

Time Flies!

These first two weeks of my last year of college have flown by. Well, really these past few years have as well. 

But that comes as no surprise. Despite how many times I've said, "I cannot believe its already {fill in the blank}."

You do it too! We 20 somethings (any age really) feel like we're growing up to fast, like real life is trying to trip us up while we're green and unprepared. I have TONS of friends that say they would prefer to stay in college forever, rather than face the responsibility that awaits us--with a career and a family and everything else our generation is expected to take on in the near future.

But growing up is reality. Change is expected.         And can I tell you a secret? 

I LOVE it. I love that nothing in life is constant. I love that it moves quickly. Call me crazy but change is fascinating! Change keeps me on my toes, forces me to be flexible and lets me be easy-going. 

More importantly--change, growing up--challenges me to have faith. My understanding of time gives me the perspective I need to live my days intentionally. To maximize relationships and love the best I can. With each birthday and a growing list of responsibilities, I am reminded that I am moving towards something. 

I am not static, I am not stagnant. I am Kellie, Daughter of the Most High God, and I am moving towards becoming like Jesus. With that perspective, change doesn't scare me. Time passing too quickly doesn't scare me. 

God has my life laid out for me already. So the time he gives me is a gift. And the changes he challenges me with are for my own good, especially in achieving my goal. 

Psalm 139:16-17 says, "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!"

I pray for all of you reading this who know Jesus that you would take heart in these verses! Not only did God lay out your days, but He thinks about you all the time! We cannot even imagine a number that would encompass all the things our doting Father has to say about us, His beloved children. I pray an increase of faith in your life that would allow you to trust God in how he fills your days and what he fills them with. 

And for those of you who don't know Jesus yet... I pray that you would come to realize that there is a God that exists and He, the Creator of all things, is pulling for you. He is on your side and He would LOVE for you to know His Son, so that you could be brought into this precious family of believers. I pray that stress and struggle that comes with time and change would no longer burden you, because you would know who gave you that time in the first place!

Embrace change, delight in the time you are given, and have faith in God to bring you into a life you could have never even dreamed for yourself!

Ephesians 1: 3-6

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Love, 

K. 

Where Art Thou FALL

Well hello again,

Labor Day is coming to a close, and with it all the goodness of summer seems to be waning.

Fall is practically... basically here! With one week of school done, one Rice football team beaten the hell outta {Whoop}, and fresh Fall trends gracing the racks of every department store... the season is almost in full swing.

Only one problem.

I live in Central Texas and today the heat index definitely hit triple digits. 

So I'm stuck in this Texas seasonal limbo. I want so badly to break out my boots and sweaters! ...But heat exhaustion plagues me with the thought of all those layers. 

I'm well adjusted to this purgatory enough--after all, I have lived in Texas my whole life. Shorts for another month or so if good enough. But nothing beats autumn in Texas. 

So tonight I take in a nice, cool evening indoors... and dream of my favorite Fall things.

Like the changing colors of the Hill Country. None of this flat Central Texas junk. 

Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

Big, comfy sweaters.

Happy {almost} Fall lovelies.

K.

My Etsy Wishlist

Etsy is a cult of the affordable and original. With tons of products and vendors to browse, there are few things that aren't offered on this site. I love browsing Etsy when I have time, and I LOVE shopping there when I have the money! This morning I stumbled across some fabulous Etsy shops. Here's a few of my favorite things that I am looking to purchase (hopefully sooner than later!).

This Mint Green Wooden Jewelry Box from Paragraph Loop

 10.00

These gorgeous Black Gold Square Stud Earrings from LaLiLa Jewelry

 16.00

This Infinity Scarf from FairStore

 10.40

These precious Painted Wooden Vase and Candle from Shade on Shape

25.00

I hope you check out these awesome Etsy shops!

Love,

K

Thoughtful Thursday

I am obsessed with The Civil Wars. The past couple weeks, I've been listening to them on Spotify nonstop. 

As heartbreaking as their hiatus (yes, I know.. *tear*) has been, I can't help but get excited for the new album to drop. 

Currently available for free streaming on iTunes, The Civil Wars is set to release on August 6th. 

From what I've streamed, this album is absolute magic. 

Joy Williams and John Paul White certainly bring out something special in each other. 

I love everything about their songs. The soulful guitar, the haunting melodies, the lyrics that dance around in your head for days..

One of my absolute favorite songs from their older stuff is Forget Me Not.

I've been awaiting for you
And you've been awaiting for me
Tell me that you'll always be true
And you'll be the only one for me
Forget me not my dear, my darling
Forget me not my love
I just wanna hold your hand
Hang on every word you say
Let's write a song for us
And sing until we're old and grey
Forget me not my dear, my darling
Forget me not my love
I'm coming home real soon
Please leave a light on for me
Tell me that you'll always be true
And you'll be the only one for me
Yes, you'll be the only one for me

Happy Listening.

Love

K.

In All Honesty

The trouble with working in a customer service job is the unique look you get into the true nature of people.  

Now everyone has a bad experience once in awhile, but it's actually heartbreaking to think that the person on the other side of the phone is lashing out for nonsensical things. It illuminates something of that person intrinsically chaotic that is spilling over into their lives. Even their phone conversations with complete strangers.

I used to think I was a fairly patient and understanding person. Then I got placed in customer service position  for a week. I'd like to say all my conversations were pleasant, but despite my efforts to offer solutions to customers... about half would lash out or become angry. Hence the introspective post here, ;)

I believe I was placed in that position for God to teach me something. He was opening my eyes to something. And to what exactly? 

Well nothing new to be honest. Just that I'm not nearly as great as I think I am and people in general can really let you down. As broken as some of those customers' lives can be--my life was once that way. 

It's true for all of us. We, being born into sin, walk through some darkness before we turn to the 

Father. 

As someone who loves Jesus, I want to be as gracious and understanding towards others as He was to me.

Rude, impatient, indecent, vindictive, deceitful, careless. All labels I could give to quite a few customers I've had to deal with lately. But labels nonetheless that were attached to me in the past. And not all that long ago.

The depravity my soul once knew is evident in a society that lives so far from what God intends. There's not a day that goes by where you don't walk by or interact with someone lost in a pit of sin desperately hoping for a way out because their life is spiraling out of control. That breeds all the negativity, anger, bitterness, jealousy, and disrespect we Christians hear daily. Even from each other, despite God calling us to live above reproach. 

So for those of you who are at times damaged or insulted by the outpourings of souls caught in sin--there is hope. We can all think back to times in our lives where we were fumbling around in the dark. Lost with no direction, we tended to be clumsy, stepping on people's proverbial toes while we tried to figure out our own lives. It's what happens when we are consumed with ourselves and not with our God.

And then, as Christians, we remember that time we stepped into the glorious light that is a relationship with Jesus. The darkness was exposed as a lie and a trap. we were taken to a place-a secure place-God's own family where he was going to lead us through life.

In this light we walk everyday. And here it is much harder to step on others so carelessly. God has restored a sense in because of the Holy Spirit which makes us hyper aware to those things that used to entangle us in the dark. But traveling in the dark and being called into the light has also given us the perspective to understand why so many others keep stepping on our own toes.

Not everyone knows light. Only Jesus brings light. Then there is darkness. No in-between. We, as lovers of Jesus, should want the people of this world to stop fumbling around in darkness and step into light. 

Jesus is our hope. If we aren't doing our best to live as he did and share the gentleness and love of his character with the people we interact with, we aren't going to see any hearts finding their way out of darkness. Don't take the hate personally. Love with a heart that knows love itself and allow that love to pour into the souls finding their way.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 

Love,

K

It's Friday and I'm Feeling Exhausted

Instead of dwelling on all the boring things that wore us out this week...

Let's look forward to all the beautiful things we'll be doing this weekend! 

What am I looking forward to?

SLEEP. 

BREAKFAST with some lovelies at this sweet diner. 

TANNING... {but not for long because my porcelain skin in this Texas sun and yeah...}

READ some Crazy Love!

SIP some of my favorite tea. 

LOVE with my Jesus people at church this Sunday! 

http://blog.freepeople.com/2013/02/doubt-drink-tea/

It's the simple things, you know.

xoxo

K

It's Friday and I'm Feeling Inspired

I'm thinking these beauties are gonna get printed. I love them so much! 

K

Summertime Blues

Don't let Alan Jackson convince you there ain't no cure.

Here's some of my favorite things to do to shake up my summer. Blues be gone!

• CRAFT. 
• Omg I can't even tell you how many times during a summer I say, "I wanna paint stuff." I'm sure you have more than enough supplies to get you through your favorite Pinterest projects. (Check out my page!!) It can be as simple as spray painting some old bottles, or as detailed as designing your own bulletin board. Fewer things bring more joy to a twenty-something than the outcome of something newly crafted. And if you don't have the supplies, get on your game and head to Hobby Lobby. Because sometimes all you need is some Starbucks and some craft supplies to refuel your creative energy. Let the summer spark up some inspiration and get to crafting!

• DRIVE.
• That's right girl, road trip. Texas is THE PERFECT STATE for day tripping. Seriously. College Station feels like its just a few hours from everywhere. Which means this girl gets to pick any spot on the map and have a new adventure anytime I feel like it. Don't plan either! Be spontaneous! My favorite thing to do is eat. So I scour the internet for restaurant reviews, coffee shops, and bakeries that are worthy of a visit. I could spend all afternoon walking through a small town I've never seen before. Big cities like Austin, Houston, and San Antonio are great for day trips too. I swear I will never run out of things to do in Austin. Love love love it. Museums and pretty scenery galore. My happy place for sure. 

• INVEST.
• No not money. I'm in college, I don't have any of that. Invest in people.  With more free time on my hands than during the school year, I am able to reconnect with people I've met but may not have had the time to really get to know. Schedule coffee dates, bookstore visits, volleyball matches, movie nights! Anything to get you around the people you already know so that relationships can be deepened. God was so sweet to bless us with actual brothers and sisters in this Body of Christ. We're family, so its high time to start loving each other like we are! I am blown away by the incredible people I have met while in school. And the more time I spend with my dear brothers and sisters, the more wonderful they reveal themselves to be!

Bye bye blues!

Love

K

It's All in the Attitude

Early morning starts for summer school and long days cooped up in an office have really gotten me down this week.

I'm so exhausted I can't even stand it. I can't remember the last time I slept straight through the night. Forget about getting 8 hours! Haha. 

It feels like brutal payback for the laziest Spring semester on record.  Time is whizzing by and I want to enjoy it all but I can't help but feel the pressure from all the necessary deadlines. 

It's stressin me out and making me frustrated. 

Total wake up call: my baby sister is graduating from high school in 3 days. You know those things that you know in your head to be true but you really can't translate into reality? Then one day it's like BAM, EPIPHANY. 

Not only am I growing up, but the people closest to me are too. 

I don't have time to be all frustrated and impatient with people. I don't have time to complain. I don't have time to have a bad attitude. Couple that with my lack of quiet/Jesus time the last two weeks and I become a hollowed version of myself. I don't have time for that. 

So I find this on Pinterest today and it totally spoke to me. 

If I'm not taking the time to create beauty with my behavior and my actions, then I'm just wasting it all away. The countless moments of interaction I have with a friend or a family member or a coworker all exist so that I can create something beautiful. 

That something beautiful to me is this: 

A lasting impression that I am a joyful and loving human being because something exists within me that I cannot deny. I have the Spirit of Jesus who saved me from depravity welling up inside and empowering me to look beyond circa trance and situation and striving for the beautiful. 

Philippians 4:8 says that we are to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. And not just think to keep those things in our heads but let them overflow into our words and our actions so that lives are transformed for the glory of God. That's beauty! And with the Spirit inside me, I can create it. Because the Creator of the Universe allows it to be. 

I really can say Happy Hump Day! Because things are looking absolutely beautiful to this girl! 

Love, 

K

Not knowing _______... 

Can be the worst--and best--thing. 

I have a bad habit of skipping to the end. Of a book, a TV show, a movie, even a magazine article. 

If I know someone who's read the book I'm about to start or seen the movie before I did... I always ask for spoilers.

Like, I know who wins the Bachelor/Bachelorette every season by Episode 1. I knew Bella had a half human/half vampire baby by skimming some of Breaking Dawn while I was still on New Moon. 

I'm a sucker for a good spoiler. Yeah, yeah, yeah.... I'm the worst. 

Funny thing is, knowing the outcome of a good story never really spoils the narrative for me. I still enjoy it all. Beginning to end to middle. And then back to end. Kind of gives me something to look forward to, or in some situations hope for.

Harsh Reality:

Life does not really work that way. Life is not a book and I can't skip to the end. I can't take a peek at the outcome, crossing my fingers that all ends up well, then settling back into life as I know it, waiting for my end to arrive. 

Lately I've been struggling with this absolutely daunting feeling of simply not knowing. Specifically... not knowing what career I'm going to take up when I graduate college next year. And its not just mild uncertainty. I literally have zero ideas about what I could possibly want to do when I graduate. My mind changes like the wind on this particular subject. I am quickly arriving at a crossroads in life, with bags full of debt. Trying not to let that weigh you down can be a little tough. How on earth can I hope for a job that I still can't even conjure up in my mind?  

I know this sounds like the worst. But knowing Jesus has taught me that this can be the best thing. 

Exciting Revelation:

My future is not indeterminate and someone does know the end of my story. Not only does he know the end, but he wrote it... along with the beginning and the middle. 

God, in his vastness, is not daunted by my prayers. He is not afraid of me asking Him what exactly my future holds. And whether or not he decides to clue me in on the events or not really doesn't change the fact that he's looking out for me. 

Romans 8:28 tells us that "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." 

It goes onto say that God "knew his people in advance." As I look into my murky future, I choose not to be intimidated by the not knowing. The Holy Spirit has given me this sweet assurance that I will be called up to fulfill the perfect plan for my life, designed by God himself, when the moment is right. I don't worry about tomorrow because I have an intimate relationship with the Almighty. And he created all of the tomorrows and todays and yesterdays. Sunrise to Sunset, I put my hope in not what I can see, but in the One who sees in all. It blows my to think that a God that big can love little old me. 

And folks. That's all I really need to know. 

To all you who just don't know...

Chin up ;)

K

Walking as Jesus Did

Something to pray for each day this week: 

     Holy Spirit, 

Grace me with the strength and wisdom to walk as Jesus did. With gentleness, humility, and love. With boldness. So that Christ may be glorified in my life and others may see how wonderful He truly is. There is love and life to be shared and delighted in with each moment of life. Carry me through these moments. 

     Amen. 

Summer Book Club

Hello lovelies!

I, unapologetic-ally, am taking this summer to burn through my collection of Christian Living books. 

And when I say burn I mean read thoroughly and introspectively for the utmost comprehension. 

;)

I love me some Jesus. Like, if you don't know Him, please please please seek Him. Heck, just learn a lil something about him. The Man changed everything. 

I also love me some literature. 

So I really love reading about Jesus. 

I am being ambitious with this reading list. These books come highly recommended from my closest and most trusted friends. They are written by some of the pastors that I most respect. 

Needless to say...

I am excited to be challenged    and stretched    and encouraged    and grown     this summer. 

Now, these books are never to be equated with the Word of God. 

But y'all. I am 20 years old. If I have the chance to learn from great Spiritual leaders via the written word (that happen to be soaked in the very Word of God), I am SO gonna jump on that. 

So without further ado,

My List:

So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Forgotten God by Francis Chan
Erasing Hell by Francis Chan
I Am Not But I Know I Am by Louie Giglio
The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler
Radical by David Platt

All of this books have been under my own roof for the past year. And because school can be such a bummer and zap all your time and energy (I mean.. stay in school.. because it rocks.. seriously.) I am NOW finally getting to reading them all. Yaaayyyyyyy!!!! :)

So. Join me! Pick up a book, pick up the Bible! Learn some more about this crazy guy Jesus. See what he really did for us. And thirst to know more and more about Him. To fall more and more in love with Him. 

That's my hope this summer. Every season actually. 

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Love,

K

Back to the Blog

I owe you (whoever and however many you may be...) an apology.

Its been, what, like 3 weeks since my last post? YIKES.

I blame this on my lacking time-management skills, my slowly dying laptop, and my overwhelming desire for sleep. Post-finals recuperation, if you will.

But I'm baaaaack! And I'm here to stay.

You couldn't get rid of me if you tried.

I'm still trying to figure all this stuff out. You know the types of post I want to do, finding my blogging voice, convincing myself I'm interesting enough to maintain an audience...

the blogger's usual.

In other news...

I am a television fanatic. I get wayyyy too invested in more than a handful of characters. The same kind of goes for movies. And I am a loyal fan.

I saw all four Pirates of the Caribbean films in theaters. Mind you, I was 10 years old when the first movie came out. And IMDB is telling me there's gonna be a fifth film in 2015. You bet your life I will be in my nearest theater the day it comes out. Growing up, I watched the first 3 films so many times (like dozens upon dozens, no exaggeration), I had the lines memorized. They are my absolute favorite.

Like I wish I could be Pirate King Elizabeth.

SO. These past few weeks, season finale's have been rolling out. One of my favorite times of the TV year! This week, my two favorites aired their conclusions: How I Met Your Mother and New Girl. 

And they couldn't have ended more wonderfully. 

I saw the Mother. And holy smokes not what I pictured. But I repeat, I SAW THE MOTHER. Hallelujah she actually exists and Ted will be happy and in love again!!! I'm super excited for the coming season. 

Annnnnd OMG Jess and Nick are doing this thing for real!! They're actually gonna see where their lil romance goes! Ahhhhhhh so happy lol. 

The box office has also been chock full of some movie greatness this past month. My two faves: The Great Gatsby and Iron Man 3. 

I read the great Gatsby last summer and fell in love with F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing. I mean dang that bro has a way with his characters. And I love love love me some Baz Luhrman. And he knocked this adaptation out of the park! Absolutely beautiful in Lubrman's perfectly unique way. I highly recommend seeing it, especially if you've read the book. And if that isn't enough here's a little extra motivation...

Mmm. 

Final words. Iron Man 3 was entirely enjoyable. Tony Stark *spoiler alert* ends his Iron Man career as no other hero could. I'm a sucker for a good Marvel film. See it :) 

Until next time!! 

K

The Perks of Being An Aggie

There are many wonderful things about going to A&M. Countless things.

But at the top of the list... at least top 5... There is Breakaway.

Breakaway is this big, on campus bible study, that exists solely for the purpose of connecting Aggies to Jesus. Breakaway meets every Tuesday night in Reed Arena. The study is led by Ben Stuart, Director of Breakaway, and all around wonderful person.

I cannot imagine my college experience without Breakaway. I heard about it before I even moved into the dorm. Breakaway became a place of refuge and weekly restoration during my Freshman year. The messages were all so timely and encouraging, totally soaked in the Spirit. In the middle of so much change, it was nice to take a break every week from the stresses of college life to just spend time with Jesus. 

So when volunteer positions opened up last Spring, I jumped on the application!

I had an interview about a month before I left for Passion 2013. The week of Passion, I found out that I was accepted as a volunteer. And I've been serving for Breakaway since.

It has been such a blessing to be a part of such a powerful ministry. I could go on and on about all the ways God is using Breakaway to minister to people here in College Station, and all the way around the world in China!

And what continues to surprise me is the outpouring of support Breakaway gets from Aggies across campus. It truly is the meeting place for our university's Christian community. 

Well, I'm done bragging about Breakaway now... haha. I encourage you to check out some podcasts! Ben is a wonderful speaker and the Lord has totally equipped him with the specific tool set needed to minister to college kids. You'll enjoy his messages, I promise!

Oh! The reason I actually started writing this post...

The Jeff Johnson Band is a huge part of Breakaway, leading us in worship most nights for the past few years. Jeff and his wife, Jourdan, and their band are soooo great. They just released an album on iTunes today, as a means to fund another album. Turns out this album is just crazy good and hit #1 on the Christian Music iTunes Chart not long after its release. Whoooooop ;)

Available on iTunes!

Please please please go give the Jeff Johnson Band a listen! We at A&M and Breakaway LOVE the Johnsons, and we really love that they love praising Jesus!!

Yeah. So. Love you blogging world.

Peace. 

K.

Easier Said Than Done.

 

http://shinystarrlight.tumblr.com/

I honestly can't add anything to this quote. Its just a lesson that God has seriously been teaching me over and over and over again this year. Yes, year. I'm coming to realize just how deeply-seeded my unresolved things are in my heart. 

 

Things done to me in the past that I still have yet to deal with. 

Emotional scars from sins that are long gone.

Thoughts and feelings that stir and scare me about the future.

But I'm being patient. 

I am praying, praying, praying, constantly praying through everything unresolved. 

I ask for healing and for wisdom and for understanding and for encouragement. 

And I ask for patience.

I acknowledge that I have issues. 

Consequence of the Fall of Man into sin: We ALL have issues. And that's okay.

God deals with us. And He works all things together for the good of those who trust in Him. 

So the things that are unresolved do not define me.

And they certainly are not staying unresolved.

I am welcoming the work that will be done in my heart.

Sometimes having God bring to mind sin and struggles in life is messy. And painful.

But I welcome the pain and the mess, because it is only temporary.

The sooner I go to Jesus, the sooner He can get to work on making me more like Himself. 

Awesome quote. Wonderful lesson. 

Grateful for a God who leads me into these seasons of resolution.

We certainly are journeying somewhere wonderful together.

Love,

K.

Thoughtful Thursday

I've been lazy lately guys. I am so sorry. I haven't quite yet got the blogging thing down, and getting in the habit of posting regularly is still something I'm practicing. 

But I really would love to hear from you, or a follow! If you have a blog too, post about it! I would love to check yours out! 

Anyways. Here are some things that are seriously getting me through this crazy week.

 Pray for Boston. Pray for West. Pray for healing.

Love,

K.

Praying Through The Crazy

Wow, what a week.

This past weekend I went to Baton Rouge to spend with some really good friends of mine. I hadn't seen them in a couple months, and I had never been to Louisiana, so it was a wonderful trip! Soon I'm gonna post about the trip and all the yummy adventures (amateur foodie here!) so you'll have to stay tuned!

This week I'm trying to hammer out a 10 page paper and study for my first of four finals. Let me tell you, the stress of the semester has finally set in. Add in some Breakaway and church responsibilities, and it all makes for one overwhelmed Kellie.

And just as I'm living in my own head, thinking I've got it rough... The Boston Marathon Tragedy happens. I found out about an hour after it happened, and man was I moved. It breaks my heart what goes on in our world today. And it breaks my heart even more that the world doesn't realize how badly they need Jesus. 

Nothing like a threat against people's lives to reawaken you to what really matters. 

The night of the Boston Marathon.. last night.. I prayed for those affected by the tragedy. And I prayed for the responders and the families and the police and the agents seeking justice. And I prayed that in the midst of their pain and struggle and vulnerability, that they would all open up to the Healer and the one who seeks to bring ultimate justice to this sin laden life we lead. I asked that those #PrayForBoston would call upon the Holy Spirit to move in the city and do what our own human ability can't -- offer healing on this side of eternity, and a place, a home.. on the other.

Please join me in praying for Boston, and for this nation. Hearts can be changed in times like these.

Love, 

K

P.S. My post will be happy next time I promise ;)

On My Beauty List This Week

Hello and Happy Friday :)

Today I'd like to share with you a few things I'll be buying here pretty soon, per recommendation from my closest friends and family.  Do you use any of these products already? I would love to hear from you!

1. Biotin, $10

I'm trying to grow out my hair, and lately my nails have been really brittle. Heard about Biotin from a friend and I'm ready to try it out!

2. e.l.f. High Definition Powder, $6

I keep seeing this pinned by some of my favorite bloggers. For only six bucks, I'm ready to add it to my daily makeup routine.

3. Mario Badescu Silver Powder, $12

My little sister heard about this miracle powder that dissolves blackheads like nobody's business. Only problem was it cost wayyyy too much. After some research, she found that Ulta had a very reasonable alternative. After trying it for the first time, she texted me immediately before and after pictures of her nose. Needless to say, she was a little excited. But heck, with her results, I'm convinced.

4. Butter London Foundation Base, $19

This product I've used before. And it rocks. A good friend and fashion blogger let me borrow her collection of Butter nail polish and I absolutely loved it. The base coat was the best I had ever used. It was slightly tinted (hence "Foundation") so it covered up little imperfections in my nails. I'm willing to bet that this super base coat works with all my other polishes as well. Time to get some of my own to be sure!

5. Monistat Anti-Chaffing Gel, $6

Say whaaa? Don't be weirded out. I recently read that this gel serves as a great make up primer. It supposedly has the same active ingredients as Smashbox's primer, but for 1/6 of the cost. This one I'm a little more skeptical about, but I love trying new things!

I'll keep you updated on how well these products work over time. Keep your fingers crossed! 

Important note: You and I are beautiful just the way we are. Though sometimes we feel we need to be convinced of that... The way I look may not reflect the image photo shopped and airbrushed and fabricated by our culture, but I do reflect the image of God.

I love being a girl. Messing around with all this beauty junk is fun :) But it is the condition of my heart that really makes me feel as beautiful as God knows that I am.

... but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

1 Peter 3:4

Until next time beautiful,

-K.

Hump Day Slump Buster

Found this on Pinterest today.

I'm always looking for natural ways to feel and look my best!

A lot of times, what you don't eat in food can be made up for in Vitamin Supplements. (Now that's certainly not intended to make up for everything.) There are lots of benefits to taking a multivitamin to supplement your diet.

Here's to healthy skin!

What are some of your natural beauty secrets??

Happy Hump day ;)

-K.

What a Glorious Day!

Happy Easter y'all!

I'm taking a much needed break from studying to share a few thoughts with you all. Things have been very busy for me the last few days, so I apologize for the radio silence on my part!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine certainly was full. Saturday morning, my church here in College Station served about 4,500 people with our 3rd annual "Egg The City." This was my first year to participate and it was so much fun. The church rented out a park and invited families in the city to have some Easter fun! We had games, food, snow cones, bouncy houses, face painting, Clydesdale rides, and lots of other attractions for kids of all ages. Then we had a HUGE Easter egg hunt. Our church team filled 50,000 Easter eggs so all the kids could participate. Those little guys cleared out two soccer fields full of Easter eggs in under five minutes. It was craziness. But it was such a wonderful time to serve the sweet children of this city. I loved being able to love on all kinds of people yesterday, just by helping out in a few insignificant ways. My job has hair-painter! Spraying little heads with temporary blues, greens, reds, pinks, and purples.It was so much fun!

At one point during that long Saturday morning, I looked down at my hands absolutely covered with hair dye. Red and blue from all the boys who wanted killer mo-hawks, and pink and purple for all the girls who wanted to match their Easter clothes. Too precious. And I would look out into the park and see those crazy-colored do's running wild. Absolute bliss to a child of that age.
Then I thought of that verse in Matthew where Jesus is encouraging Christians to serve. He says "whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)  I got this wonderful picture in my head of Jesus with green and blue hair, matching those brothers and sisters of his.

To him, my efforts that morning were significant. I may not even know the names of the children who's little heads I looked over, but He certainly does. And maybe someday, those little boys and girls will look back to a time, when somebody wanted to make them feel so special, and loved... that they dyed their hair. Or gave them a free snowcone. Or led them on an egg hunt. Jesus doesn't overlook the little things. And the kids certainly don't either. They feel the weight of loving kindness, especially when it may not be consistently present in their young lives.

Often, its the little things God uses to reassure us that he is there. I felt his presence among the 4,500 yesterday. I felt his heart beat in longing for those children and parents who don't know him yet. I felt him renew my strength as that early morning turned into a hot afternoon, combing the soccer fields for leftover trash. And it all brought joy to my heart!

If you don't read another word from me again, please don't miss these next three.

Jesus is everything.

He is everything to me. He has given everything to me. He is the reason I get up in the morning, He is the reason I smile, and He is the reason I am confident in who I am.
I feel the weight of his loving kindness, because it didn't exist before I knew Him (and I mean REALLY knew Him).

This Easter, my heart breaks for a world that doesn't know Jesus. They don't realize what they (or maybe even you reading this) are missing. I can see how far away people are from God. I see how there sin weighs them down, leading them away from the most fulfilling life with our Creator. I see people who have never had an encounter with the Cross. The Cross that was so necessary in the history of humanity.

Be thankful for this day. Be thankful for everyday you spend knowing that you are forgiven. Forgiven of a lifetime of wrongs that should have you sentenced to eternal death, but instead you are raised to eternal life because a Man decided that He couldn't even imagine a world where He lived without you. So He died that He might have you spend an eternity with Him. Don't overlook that! Jesus went to hell and back so he could save you! Wake up to that wonderful reality! No other person in all of history will do that for you, and no other god has ever literally died and resurrected for their people. Only Our God, the Great I AM would humble himself to die a criminal's death because it meant restoring the most beautiful of relationships. One that I invite you to become a reconciled part of.

God and his children. I am a beloved daughter of my Father in Heaven. Look to the Cross and be led to Him for yourself.

I hope you have a beautiful day..  With love,

-K

Thoughtful Thursday

Hello all!

As Easter Sunday approaches, I hope that you are mindful of the reason why it is a time worth celebrating.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to live and then willingly died. So that He could defeat sin. And believing in Him meets being reunited with our Heavenly Father forever. And being absolved of your sin. Of all my sin.  In Jesus, I have received grace upon grace upon grace upon grace upon grace upon grace...

I look to the Cross, and  I see a victory. I see Jesus hanging there, love in his heart for me, and for you. He saved me.

That's why I celebrate. Because to Him, I am to die for.

Happy Easter Y'all. May the love of Christ dwell richly in your heart!

-K

March 27th

Did you know that slavery still exists today?

Not only does it still exist, but there are more slaves now than there ever have been in the history of the world.

The United Nations has even given us a number.

27 million.

And there's an average age.

12 years old.

You may have also heard this world wide issue referred to as human trafficking. Same thing. It is defined by the A21 Campaign as:

 ...the illegal trade of human beings, mainly for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. As the world’s fastest growing criminal industry, it affects every nation across the globe. Every thirty seconds, someone is forced into this type of bondage—modern slavery.

In January of this year, I attended Passion 2013. There I was made aware of the plight of the modern day slave. More than 60,00 college students were gathered at this event. Our mission was simple: make the name of Jesus known. And what we dedicate ourselves to to be the hands and feet of the Body of Christ: ending human trafficking. At the end of the 4 day conference, we raised more than $3 million to support organizations that are committed to seeing this atrocity end. This added onto the $3 million raised the previous year at Passion 2012--the first major event to identify modern day slavery. Over the last few years, movements in the Christian community and beyond have begun spreading awareness and raising support to rescue those 27 million. 

END IT Movement came out of the workings of Passion 2013 as an additional effort to increase awareness and provide a means of donating to organizations like the A21 campaign. END IT Movement lasts this Spring only. And let me tell you, college campuses all across the nation have totally gotten on board. I am so encouraged by this generation's persistence concerning this issue. But the fight is not over.

Today is the 27th. So in honor of the 27 million modern day slaves, and as an effort to raise awareness and support for ending human trafficking, we (those who have pledged/support END IT Movement) have been posting on social networks every 27th minute of each hour. #enditmovement was trending this morning on Twitter.

I invite you to educate yourself on modern day slavery. Awareness is the first step in this battle. And being aware can help you spot human trafficking in your own backyard. That's right, America is not immune. IH10 is one of the largest human trafficking corridors, and Houston, Texas, is a trafficking hub. It is time to stand up for these 27 million people. I will not sit by and allow this crime to fester. I want to be part of the solution. And God willing, He will bring justice in this day and age. Pray that the world will see this issue clearly, and that hearts will be moved to join in the fight. 

-K

If you would like to learn more about Human Trafficking in the 21st century, here are some places I'd recommend you check out first!
     The A21 Campaign
     END IT Movement
     The International Justice Mission
     Polaris Project
     Free The Slaves
     Love 146
     Not For Sale
     Made In A Free World
     Slavery Footprint

Are you in it to END IT?

    

Oh, Texas...

...Just when I thought my boots and sweaters were to be put away for good (after experiencing a week's worth of temps in the high 80s), you usher in a coldfront that is scarf-worthy. Well, at least for this girl.

Go figure, the first day of Spring was just a few days ago! While I do look forward to warmer weather, I have been enjoying the chill. This morning before work, I happily reached for my flannel and riding boots :)

A delicious cup of coffee got  me going this morning, and a hot cup of tea awaits me as soon as I get off work this afternoon. Mmm, little joys. This evening I plan to spend curled up in my favorite armchair, with my favorite fleece blanket, reading. Sure its for an English class, but I don't mind! This cold front will be gone before I know it, and the blistering heat of Central Texas will certainly find its way back into the forecast. And yes, it changes that fast.

What are some of your favorite things to do on chilly days? I would love to hear from you!

Happy Spring :)

-K

FoodDay Friday

Eating healthy is tough. Eating healthy in college--even tougher. For one, healthy, whole foods are expensive and difficult to keep fresh for long periods of time. Then there's the constant barrage of fast food driving around campus.

I am quite the avid food-pinner on Pinterest and within the first couple months of living off my own groceries, I had a lot of research at my fingertips. I used to really ambitious: meticulously planning my meals every 2 weeks, even sticking to them. Then school started. To put it in the wise words of my good friend Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for dat." Since, I have modified my methods over the last semester. Granted, I haven't come up with a fool proof means of the cheapest, healthiest grocery trip you can make... but I have come up with a definitive list that can help most college students-or anyone-eat well.

First. Consider how often you can afford going grocery shopping. I prefer keeping the bill around $70 or less if I can. So that means shopping every 4 weeks for me. Yep. 4 weeks. Gotta be smart about this stuff.

Second. Get a handle on what you can cook and what you can't. If you find a way to ruin cereal, then its time for a little kitchen education. Google is my best friend when it comes to the how-to's of cooking. Make a list of all the things you can cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (or a list of things you'd like to ). It's like outlining your kitchen assets, building your culinary repertoire. :)

Third. Refine your meal choices. If your meals consist of mac n cheese and frozen dinners... Hello freshman 15! Lets be real. You and I can no longer afford to eat like that. So maybe instead of a frozen dinner, bake a chicken breast and sautee up some green beans, with whole grain toast to finish. See! Easy substitutions and totally manageable.

College is the perfect time to form good eating habits. Live and eat by these words: portion control, balance, and moderation.

By portion control, I mean don't eat a pork chop the size of your face. Do some research and find some practical ways to maximize your portions appropriately. I'm not big into counting calories, so here's my dietary catchall:

Boom. There's your dinner plate.

By balance I mean don't pig out on one healthy food thinking it'll get you through the day. You need energy and nutrients to function properly, and lacking those vital resources can be dangerous to your health. If you make it to the end of the day and think, I haven't had a single fruit or vegetable all day--time to chow down on some carrots. Same goes for protein and dairy. On top of eating all that, throw in a multivitamin for good measure. You will find yourself feeling much better.

By moderation I mean enjoy those guilty pleasures. Just don't sit down and eat an entire roll of ThinMints. Limit your intake of sweet and salty stuff. This isn't news. But really commit yourself to this one.

Fourth. And basically final step--make the friggin grocery list! Here's mine!

• Pantry Staples:
  whole wheat pasta
  brown rice
  Israeli couscous
  canned vegetables
  oatmeal
  canned soup
  canned beans (red and black)
  canned tuna
  saltine/ritz crackers
  coffee (!!!)
  peanut butter
  marinara sauce
• Freezer necessities:
  mixed frozen fruit
  frozen spinach
• Fridge necessities:
  sticks of butter
  salad dressing
  coffee creamer
  mayo/mustard
• Pantry:
  bread
  snacks (fruit snacks/mixed nuts/etc.)
• Produce:
  zucchini
  sweet potatoes
  baby carrots
  spinach/salad in a bag
  lemons
  apples
  grapes
  bananas
• Protein/Dairy:
  pork loins (the family packs are cheap, buy a couple and freeze em)
  chicken breast (again buy them fresh and then freeze!)
  sliced provolone cheese
  milk
  eggs
• Other:
  juice
  tea

This list is a really good place to start. From here, you can plan out your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, then learn from experience what you need and what you don't. Practice makes perfect!
Eat your freshest food first! Then as the month goes on, transition into those frozen foods and pantry items. Oh and realize that you will have to revisit the grocery store for milk and salad and bread. Lol you do NOT want to keep those for a month!

I hope this list helps you shape healthy eating habits. Fresh food is your friend!

Enjoy eating well! And feel free to comment with your questions, I would be more than happy to answer them :)

-K.