What's Inspiring Me Lately #3

It's been quite a while since I've done a post sharing what's been inspiring me so I thought today would be a good day for a bit of an update!
1// He is still good. 

via

The story in Daniel 3 is one that we should all read. There is nothing more encouraging than people who stood up for their beliefs in front of those who had the most influence at the time. Three young men said no to denying God and they had unwavering faith that He would deliver them but even if He didn't, God was still good. How many times do you need to be reminded that no matter the outcome, He is good?
2// You Make Me Brave
It's no surprise that when Bethel Music comes out with a new project, I get really excited! They have an album coming up really soon featuring some amazing women who proclaim Christ's love in a way that is truly inspiring. There is one song in particular that I just haven't been able to stop listening to and it's the title track, "You Make Me Brave". I hadn't heard Amanda Cook sing before but oh my, she is all kinds of wonderful. This song is such a fantastic declaration of how God can make us brave and calls us out of our comfort zone. You know I love me some good lyrical imagery and just saying the words "As your love, in wave after wave, crashes over me" fills me with so much joy because God really is like that. He is so good at just overwhelming you with His love and filling you beyond measure. Ahhh, so good! (I'll stop my love fest now.... jk never!)

3// It is finished.

via

"Don't put a ? where the Bible puts a "." - It is finished." Tomorrow is Good Friday and everyone is extra focused on Easter and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. I'm excited to share tomorrow's post where I'll dive into some of the truths presented in his sacrifice but for now, I'll leave you with this. He tore the veil, overcame the world, washed away your sins and gave you new life. If that isn't something to be joyful and thankful for everyday, not just tomorrow, then I don't know what is. 
4// Words are powerful. Stop #fattalk
I've done this countless times and still look at myself in a way that manifests everything God has made me to not be. It's true, words are powerful and the way you talk about yourself can be way more hurtful and abusive than anything anyone else could ever say about you. Why? Because you make yourself believe it. If we can't say we are beautiful, and wonderfully and fearfully made, who can we expect to do so?


5// Kate Bosworth's Makeup
I have a recent beauty crush and I must share. I've literally loved everything, beauty-wise, that Kate Boswroth has been sporting and I can foresee my Pinterest boards filling up with pictures of her. (Gosh, that sounded borderline creepy....) She's just so effortless and all "I woke up like 'dis" - ugh love. Definitely some inspiration coming into my beauty looks for Spring.

via

Style Inspiration: Brighter Than The Sun

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who's been getting tired of the monochromatic black and white look. Looking inside my closet I was flabbergasted at how much cream and black I had in there. Since Spring is right around the corner I needed to get a little style inspiration by way of Pinterest and all of the bright colours got me super excited for warmer weather!

1// 2// 3// 4// 5// 6// 7// 8// 9//

Last year I didn't get into the scalloped trend so this year I'm on the hunt for the perfect bright shift dress with scalloped details! Bright pops of colour really make an outfit so much happier and I love colour blocking with different shades. Definitely going to give it a try this season. Oh, and shoes! Hopefully Target brings back their leopard pumps and maybe even some pastel shades as well because I need to depart from nude and black heels for a while.  What looks are you excited to try this Spring and Summer?

Current Inspiration: Faith It!

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the site Faith It but I've been hooked ever since I saw some people on Facebook sharing videos that would often leave me in tears. Last week I shared things that were inspiring me so I'm going to continue this week by sharing some videos that have really moved me! It's so great to see so many videos that profess so much faith in God and see different peoples stories. I hope you'll find something that inspires you just as much as it has for me.
ONE// Modesty and Swimwear


I've spoken about modesty before and this video was so clear in exposing our societies ideals of female beauty. I definitely don't judge depending on what bathing suit you choose to wear, but this really got me thinking! Should we buy in to constructs of what femininity should look like?
TWO// The Bachelor Sean Lowe: Virgin Bachelor?


The idea of the popular reality show The Bachelor is pretty controversial. I mean, can you find true love when you are dating over 20 women? Although the process of this show isn't ideal, Sean Lowe's testimony reveals how much God used him despite the circumstances and how he has used his influence to share his story. This is definitely one to watch!
THREE// The Influence of a Ten Day Old Baby


I was wrecked by this. It's absolutely incredible how much faith families can have despite the most extremely difficult times! In his short life of just 10 days, this little boy has inspired so many. The Lord is so faithful and my heart goes out so all the families who deal with these kinds of situations, yet they turn it into something so positive. This is truly inspiring. 
FOUR// Making Friends With Strangers

I just loved this video! It's so incredible how much people can learn from people they've never met. It honestly restores your faith in humanity when you see people being so kind to one another, not expecting anything in return. No stranger danger here ;)
FIVE// Best Father Of The Bride Speech


This is as sweet (and hilarious) as it gets. Seriously, just watch it. 

Anything inspiring you lately? Share below! Hope you guys are having a great week so far!

Faith Friday: Love That's Unchanging

source

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Though this isn't my favourite "holiday" ever, I wanted to send each and every one of you lots of love today! I certainly don't think showing love for people should be reserved for one day but since we've got the chance, why not turn this hallmark moment into something special. Truthfully, I've been thinking and thinking about what I'd write about for today's Faith Friday post. I was unsure what angle to take..... love is in everything. Sure, Valentine's Day is marketed towards couples and making a day when people have to show that they still care, at least for a day. But love is something you can share everyday in all things. If you can buy someone some chocolates but can't even show love in the way that you actually care for them, what good does that serve? So today I'm gonna share what love is to me right now; not what love will mean when I'm dating someone. Because the truth is, your definition of what love is shouldn't change depending on if you have a significant other - love is eternal and will remain the same no matter what. If you can't learn to love right now in your singleness, how do you expect to love a future spouse?
God is love. See how easy that was? If you think of what God is, you have the perfect example of what love should be. Cliche as it may be, 1 Corinthians 13 gives you the key. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So you might be thinking, "I haven't learned to love like this yet!" which may lead to the thought that "I want to love someone like this some day". Ok, hold it. I'm stoping you right there. I know these verses are used very often when it comes to romantic affection, but love isn't bound to those situations! Remember the Bible says to "Love thy neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31) and neighbour isn't just a boyfriend or husband. We should want to love those around us in a way that exemplifies patience, kindness, a lack of envy, boasting, pride. Don't aspire to learn to love for a particular person only - learn to love now! There's nothing stopping you! The kind of love that we receive from God is unchanging; it'll be the same today as it will be tomorrow. He is completely in love with you. He didn't wait to love you, He's loved you since even before you were born. If His perfect love isn't exclusive, what makes you so special that yours should be?
Today I was speaking with someone and I said, "Girls should learn to love right now... prepare your love skills so they're perfected." To this I got the response "Love will never be perfected." Now, let me explain how I formulated my response to that. Love that is being perfected doesn't mean that it is perfect. Love that is being perfected means that you love others through God's love, which thankfully is perfect. We may not execute it with the perfection that God does but the love that we share, if it is derived from God's love, is perfect. So no, you won't love perfectly, but you will offer up a love that comes from perfect love! 
I'm gonna transition this to the single women reading this now... although girls who are in relationships definitely need to know this as well. This period of singleness is beautiful! For a long time my thoughts were just centred on waiting for a man to come into my life. That to me would be the finishing touch. But if you haven't understand what love should be, how can you expect to love someone else well? This is your time to fall in love with Christ. He's your Valentine. This brings to mind lyrics from a song by Tenth Avenue North that I love: Why are you looking for love? Why are you still searching, as if I'm not enough? Think about that. Have you been looking for love because God's love isn't enough for you? I've said this for months now and it's something that I've learned as I walk through my singleness. If you are waiting for a man to complete you, stop searching! No man will ever fill whatever void you have. The man God has for you will compliment you but never complete you. You can't live life without God! He is your completing factor and nothing or anyone else! How many times have I fund girls who say they aren't who they are because they don't have a guy?1 It hurts me so much because I used to be that girl. I was in a relationship thinking that because he was with me, I was all good. But in the end, after I was left alone, I realized that I'd lost sight of the love that completed me. The love that makes my whole existence. I was now single but God hadn't left. So again I say, if you are apparently "alone" and think you're missing something when you already have Jesus, reevaluate your situation. This isn't the time to be looking for love in the wrong places when you haven't grasped the love that is eternal and perfect in Christ. 
"Dear friends; let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" - 1 John 4:7
I'm not encouraging any single girl to become bitter about Valentine's Day! It's actually so horrible to see a girl be angry and unhappy because she doesn't have a man in her life, yet she can't take the time to thank God for the love she receives from the people near her. Remember that it's better to be single than to be in the wrong relationship! Love is beautiful. From my position in life right now, love is amazing and because I know that God is love, I know love will be just as beautiful when I have my person! Whenever that is, I'm not sure but I'm grateful to the Lord for these moments. Moments when I can search for His heart and find out what love is. Knowing that love is unchanging and that it is not bound by a relationship status. Look to complete yourself through Christ's perfect love! More and more I have found that I am absolutely nothing without Him. I'm a speck of dust in the universe, yet He chooses to give me love and care for me.  I love this quote from Lauren DeMoss: "When you give everything to God, when you find your very identity in Him, He becomes the completer piece to every part of you." Whatever void you want to fill, God is that completer piece! 
Know that this time won't be forever but don't let it pass you by without enjoying every second of it! God gives you singleness as a time of discovery. A time to discover His love, to know that it is constant, to give love without asking for anything in return and to know that He is what you are missing! When you figure these things out, a relationship will be that much more meaningful. And you'll know who you are, with or without that person, because you will know that God made you you long ago! Because truthfully, without knowing your identity in Christ, being in a relationship will likely make things worse. 
Know that you are loved beyond measure today, and everyday! Have a beautiful day everyone!

Single Ladies, Listen Up!

Hey there! Today was quite the stressful day with another midterm out of the way (all I have to say is that I'm so glad that one is over with) so getting in the post I had planned didn't happen. But, I didn't want to go without sharing something with you today. I'm seeing lots of really inspiring posts everywhere that are uplifting single girls during this Valentine's Day week so I wanted to throw in my two cents. The other day as I was studying, or taking a break from studying that is, I came across a video by Pastor Mark Driscoll. I've been single for a long time now and I'm at a happy place but this video really opened my eyes! As a single girl, you've only got a few options.... you get to choose! Sit back, relax and watch along!

Faith Friday: Who Are You Living For?

(source of background image)

Happy Friday to all! Today's Faith Friday post is really special because I feel like it applies to what I'm living in my life at this very moment and I hope that it will be of help to people going through the same thing. For a really long time I had the same thought in my head - "God, what am I supposed to do in my life?" Am I going to be a doctor (yeah... no.), a lawyer, a teacher? I realized that I had been focusing so much on making a career be what defined me as a person that I lost sight of my ultimate purpose. We are all called, no matter what we do, to spread the good news of Christ and to share his love with people around us. This applies to everyone: male or female, doctor or lawyer, rich or poor. So then this got me thinking: if my career isn't the deciding factor, does it really matter what profession I go into?
I will preface this by saying that we must look for direction from God in our lives. {The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him - Psalm 37:14} Now what I'm getting at is simple. It won't matter what God leads you to do in your future because He has a perfect plan and all you need to do is lift up His name no matter where you are placed. If you trust in the way He works and live your life solely to honour Him, you're on the right track. That being said, is making a living off of being a pastor, theologian, or music leader any better than a doctor, chef or teacher? No. If you make all that you do honour Him, you will touch lives and spread his Word in every part of society. One life calling isn't more "righteous" than another. If your heart is set on transmitting God's love through preaching or making cupcakes for people - then GO! I'm so thankful for someone having shared the book Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke. It was only after reading what he speaks about in regards to this subject that it all sorta clicked. 
We spend so much time thinking that to be a Gold-Star Christian you have to have a specific "Christian job" but what about the platforms that God gives you to share his word outside of ministry? There are so many people that I've encountered who feel like they are second rate because they aren't establishing God's Kingdom on Earth the same way other people are. But that's just it - you may be establishing it in a different realm but who said that was a bad thing? Jefferson speaks in his book about quitting baseball to look for a more suitable Christian job but goes on to realize, who showed Christ to those guys? He has been given a platform that maybe a worship leader doesn't have but He left it because, well that's just not good enough for God is it? 
Here's the key though. Whether you are in ministry or aren't in a traditional ministry, you have to let all that you do be for the glory of God! ALL OF IT. First sign that what you're doing isn't glorifying God? When you're doing it to get attention drawn to yourself. We are humans and we have this thing inside of us that's all "Look at me! Did you see what I'm doing? I'm such a good Christian!" Sorry to tell you this, but it is not about you. It never was and it never will be. It's about HIM #shocker. Show God that you're living a holy life for Him and stop spending time trying to convince everyone else around you of it. Remember Matthew 6:16-18 when Jesus talks about the example of the hypocrites who show people that they're fasting by how hungry they're feeling.
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full" 
 What does he say? They have already received their reward! So what you do for Christ, if it truly is for His glory, you won't be looking for attention to be drawn to how well you do things because you'll get your reward on Earth - and if there's something I'm sure about, the reward in heaven is gonna be so much better. 
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31. 
Do you recall what I have written in capitol letters up there ^.... ALL for the glory of God. There is nothing you can hold back for yourself. So I encourage you to bring Him honour and glory in whatever/wherever you've been placed. I've heard this so much but I think it is so true - we need people boldly and shamelessly proclaiming God's power everywhere in our society because everyone needs to know. 
I'm going to segway into my personal story. A lot of people from the outside might be thinking, "What does makeup and beauty have anything to do with Christ, Nathali?" It may look like I'm partaking in some vain activity trying to make myself externally beautiful or wasting my time writing about beauty products. God gave me a love for this and I'm not ashamed because I know where my beauty lies. It's a part of me and I decided to mix it with my faith. At first I said "God how am I going to manage it?" but God has made it so easy for me. Some people may not write about beauty or love it the way I do and that's okay. It doesn't take away from what I or they do. But what I have realized is that God gave me a platform. I love finding girls on blogs and YouTube who love beauty and fashion but aren't ashamed to share their love of Christ! Take BreeLovesBeauty for example. She is sharing about Christ all the time and it has blessed me on so many occasions, as well as other girls who loves makeup but may not have known about Jesus. This is her platform. Thousands of people watch her videos and she shows them Christ through the way she carries herself. I may not be a preacher or a leader at my church but that gives me no excuse not to share my faith with others. I may have a more specific audience, but it's an audience that I can reach and I fully intend on doing so. Wherever God ends up leading me, my only job is to bring Him glory in what I do, no matter what that position is. 
I encourage to pray about this. Don't rush into anything. God may call you for things in a specific church ministry or he may not but don't lose sight of the fact that whatever you do for Him is your ministry. Trust God to lead you the place and platform he has set up for you and work with it! He has your feet firmly planted. but only if you delight in him and only look to glorify him. Have an incredible weekend - Lots of love x

Faith Friday: I'm A Dependent Woman (say wha?!)

source

Anyone else sad that the January Faith Friday series is over today? Not to worry, there's a lot to continue talking about in the near future so keep checking back! To close off the past few weeks of "What Am I Called To Be As A Woman" I wanted to bring it all together in a more general sense. As I started off saying at the beginning of the month, I feel that God is calling us as women to be different. He has a special purpose for us that we can only discover as we discover more about Him. I feel strongly in my heart that we need to redefine what it is to be a woman, especially one after God's heart. Our society's view of women today places importance on being the "independent woman". *Cue a Beyonce anthem* This idea has been in my mind for quite some time and I didn't know why, until God started revealing to me what He wanted me to share. 
Right now more than ever, we are bombarded by the idea that women have always been oppressed by men and that we need to step up and be independent and work harder to be treated as equals. I don't consider myself a feminist in any way but I do think that women should follow their dreams and not just live life thinking that their husbands will support them so they can be lazy. I think God places talents and skills in women that men don't have and we should explore those things and bring them into fruition. BUT, becoming power hungry and striving to live a life that is consumed by work isn't the way to go either. I'm gonna go against what everyone else says and state that we should be women who are dependent! Yup, you read that right, but hear me out. I believe with all my heart that as a woman I am dependent on Christ and no one else. I don't depend on my family, my future spouse or even future career/job. The whole idea behind being independent actually transforms into being self dependent and that is completely not biblical at all. 
"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" John 15:5
Simple. Without Him you are nothing and can do nothing because your life springs from His being and nothing else. You can't do things on your own, at least not in a way that results in a good outcome. That isn't to say that you are going to sit around waiting for God to do everything and be passive. He needs your cooperation and permission to have a say in your life. You alone allow God to come in and be your everything and until you do that, you won't be fulfilling your potential. He wants you to work, and work hard! He isn't promising you that by depending on Him things will be easy, He just promises to hold your hand the entire way.  God made you a strong, vibrant, capable and loving woman and He wants you to know that to be all of those things you need to put your trust in Him and no one else. I think it's time for us to redefine what it is to be women who love God. Women who work towards putting Gods plan into action and who focus their vision on His heart. 
We've talked about the real meaning behind the Proverbs 31 woman, learning to be courageous, finding our worth and beauty from within and living modestly in all aspects and today we finished off with our dependence on Christ. To be the woman that holds all of the characteristics I've written about it all depends on whether or not you will choose to define yourself by the world or by Christ. It doesn't matter at what point in life you're in now... being the woman God called you to be is a lifelong mission and you can start at any time. Start digging into the word and finding more about what God is speaking to his generation of women about! Trust in Him to see you through and enjoy this journey! 
"I depend on God alone; I put my hope in Him. he alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honour depend on God; He is my strong protector, He is my shelter. Trust in God at all times, my people. Tell Him all of your troubles, for He is our refuge" Psalms 62: 5-8 (Good News Translation)
Sending you all lots of love and praying that you've been touched by this series! Happy weekend and thanks for stopping by! x

Faith Friday: Modesty Is The Best Policy

Continuing on with the Faith Friday series for this month I thought I'd dig deeper into the topic of modesty. This is something so important for girls to grasp and put into practice in their daily living. What I'm going to share today is sort of along the same lines of what I spoke about for last weeks FF post, but a bit more extended. Last week I encouraged you to put your main focus on what it is to find your beauty from who you are on the inside, despite the fact that it's still alright to try and present the outside with as much care. A big part of having your inside "you" match your outer appearance is modesty. Like I've said before, you are a direct re-presentation of Christ wherever you go and to presenting Him as anything less than holy and worthy of respect (remember the Proverbs 31 post from the first week?) is just not right. You are sharing Christ with a world who may not even know anything about Him so if you distort the image you were created in with a tainted sense of self, it's not very helpful to them is it?
"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion" - Proverbs 11:22
When it comes to modesty people often think "why do Christians have to be boring? What's the big deal if I wear this skirt or not? Jesus loves me for who I am inside anyways"..... well, wrong. Modesty isn't about being boring and if it bothers you that you can't dress like everyone else then we have another big issue. Other people may not know better, they may think that exposing their bodies will attract a man and that it will solve their problems but you know God is the only one who can give you a sense of worth. There's no need to dress in a way that is distasteful just because it's what everyone else does because God calls us to do something very important:
" Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you will discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" - Romans 12:2
The Bible is very clear that as a person who is looking to build a stronger relationship with Christ you must not focus on what the world is doing because it's almost always against God's will. So being cool isn't your priority.... bringing Him glory even in how you present yourself is! Renew your mind. Dressing modestly isn't about throwing one a smock that covers you from head to toe, it's about a different attitude and outlook. Let's get one thing straight, modesty isn't just clothing! Sure, it's an important part but I think modesty is about what you're presenting to the world. It's showing love for others, speaking in a way worthy of God's presence and being humble in all things. Remember that "you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). 
One thing to keep in mind is that the idea of dressing modestly because you don't want to make a guy lustful of you is just not cool. As much as God is calling us as women to show our beauty in a way that is pleasing in His sight, He has also called the men of this generation to close their eyes to sin and keep their minds pure. The issue of dressing modestly and acting that way is not so that you can spare a man from committing adultery, but to honour Christ. Pray for the men in your communities, that God may help them also raise the standard of how they should act and view other women. Modesty is for both guys and girls! 
Something else I feel strongly about is compassion. Recently that's been on my mind and I feel like it can demonstrated in every situation. yes, you may see a poor man on the street who you can show compassion to but I think this goes for anyone you know or maybe don't that has no idea that God loves them. If you yourself have done a good job maintaining modesty in your life yet you judge and speak without love about other girls who may be struggling with this, what does that serve you? They are no less than you but they do need a good example of what modesty looks like. If they see you dressing modestly but speaking of other women in a degrading way that you shun men for doing, you're missing the whole point! Reach out to people and lead by example. God has made us beautiful, each and every one of us and he also made us to lift each other up. Learn to expect more from God than you're letting Him. If you limit God then you're missing out on a lot of what makes this life beautiful. He has planned for us to see ourselves in His image and I encourage you to share that message with people who need it. Showing off your body only gets you enough attention to temporarily fill that void, but know who you truly are in Christ? Well, that's more than a few stares and whistles will get you.
God is calling you to follow this today: "I appeal to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" - Romans 12:1
"Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works." - 1 Timothy 2:9-10
Like I said before, dressing well and being modest can most certainly go hand in hand and the above Bible verse isn't saying that's possible but notice that the first thing mentioned that we shall adorn ourselves with is respectable apparel, modesty, self-control and good works! These things should come first and be what is seen at first glance. You can't be praying for a godly and strong marriage for your future if you're reeling guys in with your body. If that's all he sees then it will probably be very difficult strengthen the relationship if you put on a few pounds or God forbid something physically happens to you. In any case you will be God's child and you'll be beautiful but will this man treasure you as the child of God that you are if you don't look like the barbie doll he expected? I can only hope for myself and for you that the man that God has prepared for you will be attracted to how much you love Christ, your love and compassion for people and a heart that is grateful to God and desire to show the world outwardly what He has done in your life. You'd be surprised that not every guy is wanting a Victoria's Secret model! But like I said before, focus on being modest because it is what God has called you to do and the fact that a man will appreciate you for it will come naturally.  Enjoy your weekend! x

But What If They Reject Me?

Today I felt it in my heart to share something that worried me for years and that I'm still working to let go of. As people who love and honour God we get the privilege to share the Good News of Jesus Christ to a world that is lost and broken but it so easily becomes a burden for us. We are scared of rejection. Scared of what people might label us as. Scared of being, well, scared. We forget that Jesus went through more than we could ever imagine just to share God's love to the people around Him who said "I'm lost. Where do I go from here?" He was spat on, beaten, made fun of. Anything you can think of, He went through it. And after laying on that cross and dying for us, we can't seem to muster up the courage to tell non believers that "I love Jesus!" How many years did I let pass me by feeling like an outcast because while others were rejected Christ once again, I was reading the Bible and building up a relationship with Him. I would tell my friends I went to church but I felt incompetent of telling them "Hey, Jesus loves you!"
So no, I'm not judging you for not sharing. I'm telling you that I've been through it but I've made the choice to grab a hold of God's strength and share with others that He has saved me, that He loves me and everyone else on this Earth and that He just wants us to love Him the same way. I know how scary it can be. Growing up surrounded by church community, talking about Jesus is normal. But then you start growing up a bit and you realize that not everyone has cultivated this relationship with Christ. Not everyone has heard about Him. Some may even say they don't believe and don't want to hear anything about Him.
I distinctly remember 11th grade. It was the first time I had been rejected by a friend because of my faith. I was very bluntly told that the reason this person, who had been my friend for three years, decided to never speak to me again was because she didn't like that I was a Christian. I was hurt to say the least. I had shared my faith with her in hopes of planting that seed and I was stomped on. I asked God, "Why are you making it hard for me to share about you? Why do people hate me for it?" But I quickly realized that I had no right asking God why doing this was hard when Jesus went through worse doing the same thing. In fact, He had gone through that pain to allow me the privilege to share His love with others. 
So you ask yourself, "But what if they reject me?".... Here's what the Bible answers you:
"But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven"  Matthew 10:33
You may have to put up with being rejected by strangers or people who seemed to be your friend but the real prize will be in heaven.  Sharing the Word isn't about recognition here on earth so that you look more spiritual, it's about doing what you were meant to do for Him. Again, this isn't about you. It's about Him and being His advocate. You need to defend the name of Christ even if it costs you something dear to you. You don't have to all of a sudden go to school and jump on a table and scream "I love Jesus" (although if you have the courage, do yo thang girl!) but you can take it step by step telling people around you to not worry because God is with them when they're in need. It might be terrifying at first but it gets better. It's one of the reasons why I started this blog. I wanted to find a way to speak of the Truth to more people and no matter if you're a believer or not, my job is fulfilled and that fills me with joy. I love Jesus and hope to keep learning that peoples opinion of me doesn't matter. What I care about is what He thinks of me and all signs point to Him loving me, and you more than anything! 

Faith Friday: It's What's On The Inside That Counts

via

Continuing on the "What Am I Called To Be As A Women" series for the month of January today's focus is going to be cultivating the inner you. By that I mean to say that God has called you, as a woman, to find pleasure in making yourself a better person no matter what the outside may consist of. I talk a lot about beauty tips and tricks and all things girly on Glorious Peonies but I never fail to remind anyone reading that this isn't what life is about. I'm not defined by my beauty products or how I look, God will ask for an account of who I was on the inside and what I did in my life at the end of the day.
The all familiar saying "it's what's on the inside that counts" is total truth. When you determine if someone is beautiful it should never be based on how pretty they are according to societal structures of beauty or the clothes that they wear; but their heart, that's what matters. This is another aspect of what God is calling you to be and do: aspire to make your soul beautiful and that glow people get with makeup, well it'll be the love you have that'll make you glowier than any face product ever could. You should remember that no matter how much skinnier you can get or what brand of shoes you are able to buy, that will never add to how beautiful you are. You should place the utmost importance on your spirit; nurturing it by having a constantly growing relationship with Christ. Here's what the Bible says on the matter:
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight" 1 Peter 3:3-4
By this it doesn't mean that you should pay absolutely no attention to enhancing your beauty or expressing yourself through fashion or makeup, but your sense of how beautiful you are shouldn't be defined by it. It can be confusing at times, even for me, to find a good balance between not placing value on your outer appearance yet wanting to do your best to present yourself well. Remember that if we are re-presenting God to everyone around us, we should try to let His spirit shine through us in every aspect, and that includes getting dressed and looking well put together. There's no shame in that. Stated most simply, you should be focused on nurturing your spirit so much that when it comes time for people to pin point the reason you are so beautiful, they'll have no choice but to say that's it about Jesus. Our whole lives should be about bringing Him glory through everything, that excludes nothing. It's never about us. God is the star of the movie of life, you're just blessed to be chosen as one of the extras. I know the world may tell you differently but this is what God designed life to be. 
I want to encourage you to think of what your inner self would look like if you had to picture it. Is it full of pride, vanity and selfishness or does it glow with love, patience, and a gentle and quiet spirit? God has called us to put value on who we are through him and to show our true beauty and worth through our spirit but if you want that swipe of red lipstick to empower you to show it in every aspect, then do it! I'm not gonna sit here acting like I got this routine down, and I want to be as open and honest as I possibly can. I struggle with truly knowing my worth comes from within; I can sometimes forget that but reading His word snaps me back to reality. I've said this before, it's an ongoing process and you may not come to realize these things right away but I hope one day you will and you'll give glory to God for making you a beautiful, valuable woman in His hands. 

Saying Yes To Freedom

I know it's not Faith Fridays but I think we all need a bit of Jesus more often! Something has really been speaking to my heart lately while doing my daily devotionals and that's freedom. When you think of freedom it can often bring visions of reckless behaviour where nothing matters because you are free to make whatever decision you want but God has a bit of a different story with that one!  God gives you freedom to choose, but He loves you and wants you to choose Him every single day. Each day you arise is a new opportunity to say yes to God all over again and let me tell you that is such a privilege! Freedom goes beyond that though. We were set free from captivity, from sin, from all that could burden us, through Christ. You are so loved, you know that? So much so that Christ gave it all up to have you set free. But are you going to use your beautiful gift of freedom to go back and open your arms up to the chains that used to bind you? I hope you decided your answer is no! Don't take my word for it, the Bible says it very clear:
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" Galatians 5:2
You are being called to stand firm. It's not about being wishy-washy. You were basically given a "get out of jail free" card without deserving it one bit. I know it can seem harsh but you weren't set free because you deserved it, rather your Saviour had so much love for you that He gave it to you anyways, knowing you would fail. So you might be asking yourself, what do I do with my freedom? That's a good question and as usual, the Bible has the answer for you!
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbour as yourself" - Galatians 5:13,14
How sweet and utterly simple is our Daddy! Being unchained and set free from captivity was so that you could be able to serve each other better! Again, it's not about us, it's about Him, ALWAYS! His sacrifice was not for you to live a wild and reckless life. I've heard so many teens say "well it's my youth and I want to have fun. I'll be responsible later" but guess what? Depending on what you do with your youth, you may not even make it far enough to get the chance to be responsible. Let go of what everyone else values. Everyone is going crazy wasting their life in things that don't nurture their souls, but you are called to be crazy about the one who made you and gives you the opportunity to wake up each morning with air in your lungs. You're called to be different. So different that you would much rather spend your life loving others, not pushing them to the ground deeper each day. You lift people up! It's simple, one rule. Love your neighbour as yourself. So choose to say yes to freedom every single day. To break the chains that may be holding you captive and making every second be about serving others humbly and loving them under every circumstance, no excuses. 

Faith Friday: Learning To Be Courageous

Here we go, this week is my second instalment of the "What Am I Called To Be As A Woman" series! I thought long and hard thinking of what specific things we are called to do as females that men aren't necessarily and something that truly touched my heart was the story of Esther. I know, kinda cliche right? There are a few women in the Bible that are pretty famous and Esther definitely makes the list. During the summer I set off to read Esther and Ruth because I found it interesting that these were books in the Bible named after women, pretty cool huh? I'd watched movies and heard so much about how people loved the love story found in the book of Esther but reading the passages led me somewhere else. What impacted me the most was her courage! 
I mentioned in last weeks post how important it was that the Proverbs 31 woman be clothed in strength and I think that courage can be linked quite perfectly. By clothing yourself with strength, you are arming yourself with the ability to act courageously! Sometimes messages of women being submissive in the Bible are taken to mean that they are weak but Esther is a great example that we don't have to be!  Esther's story wasn't all magical, all the time. She was an orphaned girl who was taken to the court of a strange king because of the fact that she was beautiful. She probably asked herself, "God, why are you taking me to this new place? But He had a plan for her and this won her the kings' favour. So much so that the king provided her with special food and twelve months of beauty treatments (I'm sure those aren't much to complain about right ladies?) God was already doing His job in order to prepare her for what she was there for in the first place.
After hearing about the plot to kill the Jews, Esther was convinced to take action! She hasn't revealed to anyone that she was a Jew and she realized that if anything were to happen and people were to find out about her origins, she would perish along with her family! But she, instead of letting fear take over, said:
"I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish" - Esther 4:16
How incredible is that? She took a stand for what she believed in and risked it all! Would you do the same? She went to the king and already having his favour was offered anything, even half of the entire kingdom. Talk about God's favour being important right? I think this is something we can all take from this story. Finding God's favour in all that we do is the first step in allowing us to have full confidence in the fact that He has it all under control. Her strength and courage are so evident in her actions and she is granted her wish and the Jews are then able to defend themselves. Without her fearlessness, things would have gone very differently. Sure, we may not be in a situation where we need favour from a king when taking the step to protect our people specifically like it's illustrated in this book, but the same idea can be applied to our every day lives. As a woman you'll be faced with some tough situations and it'll be your choice to either stand up in courage or sit back and wait. How will you succeed? Through God's favour. The next logical question then is, how do I receive favour? I think the most important thing is bing faithful to God in all that you do. 
Her story serves as encouragement in our daily lives to be courageous and speak up. Imagine if Esther would've kept quiet and said "Well it's against the law, I don't want to get in trouble with the king so figure it out yourself!"Think of all the situations you've gone through where you didn't speak up. How would they have been different if you let courage lead the way? We are called to be women who speak up for the things God is most passionate about and to, when necessary, stay quiet and fight in prayer. Being quiet doesn't mean not taking action. Sometimes our biggest fight is fought on our knees speaking to God. So, I encourage you all to try to be more courageous when the circumstance allows and ask God to show you His favour every day, always knowing that He's got your back!

Faith Fridays: What Am I Called To Be As A Woman?

As much as I truly enjoy sharing my passion for beauty and lifestyle topics, the main goal of this blog was always to create a safe environment where women (regardless of age) could uncover their worth and true beauty.

Often times I struggle to create a balance between all of these topics on the blog but I guess that will come with time. If you remember my post about who you really are, I spoke about our identity as daughters of God. As it was more generally speaking about discovering who you are in Him, this month I want to make Faith Fridays based on a specific topic that deals with identity. So for the month of January I'd like to dig deeper in what we as women are called to be. I personally think that women have a very special purpose in the Lord's eyes and being sensitive to that will allow us to grow spiritually and reach our full potential. 

Today I want to really meditate on a common verse that is quoted by young women. I see pictures with this verse all over Instagram and I think we've forgotten to truly comprehend what it entails. You guessed it, I'm talking about Proverbs 31. It's the one chapter that women read and strive to emulate because it describes "the wife of noble character". So why are single girls trying to become like this woman? Well, there's a lot to be learned. It's quite a long chapter so I'll focus on verses 25, 26 and 30.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue"
This is probably the millionth time you've read this but hopefully I can shed some light on it and reveal something you may have let slide. Like I said before, you may not be a wife yet but you certainly can't expect to one day get married and suddenly be this wife that Proverbs 31 is speaking of. As a young woman who is single it's necessary to start allowing God to shape you into the framework of this woman and slowly build up to it. 
She is clothed with strength and dignity, how beautiful! I picture these words visually as if the garments covering you were strength and dignity. What does that mean? I feel like both these qualities are so necessary in a woman of God that she must be clothed in them from head to toe. It's not just a veil, you should let strength and dignity shine through in everything so that you may embody them. I love that strength is mentioned here. I feel that as women we think that we are weak and can only do so much but the Lord knows that because of this we need a double portion of strength. Strength to deal with situations men might not have to deal with, strength to push forward despite opposition, strength to fulfill the role of a Godly woman. Being a Proverbs 31 woman takes some serious strength! And dignity goes hand in hand as this verse suggests. A definition of dignity states that it is the "quality of being worthy of honour or respect". How important it is to be a woman that is worthy of honour and respect, especially as the daughter of the King. In all that we do, we are representing Jesus. If we truly let that principle guide our lives, we would probably make some drastically different decisions! To be worthy of honour and respect means carrying yourself differently. Keeping your head up in the face of adversity, knowing your place is found in Him, and being a constant reminder to those that look at you that you are made in the image of God. Those are only some things that constitute being worthy of honour and respect. The most important fact is that your worth is not found in the people around you but only in Christ and don't you ever forget that! So, why is this woman able to laugh at the days to come? Because she is clothed in strength and dignity!!! She doesn't worry because she is strong and knows her worth in her Father. 
You are also called to speak with wisdom and give faithful instruction. It seems like a daunting task but there's one easy way to overcome that. The Bible! I know, it seems like that's the answer to everything but it truly is. How do you expect to speak with wisdom if you are not filling yourself up with the wisdom of God? How are you to find this wisdom..... by reading His words of course! It should be our desire to learn from God in His word each day and put them into action in our daily lives. Sure you may not be perfect but that's not what God is interested in, He's interested in a heart that is willing to search and work to be nearer to Him. The only way you'll be able to speak with wisdom and give faithful instruction as you have been called to do, it to firstly find wisdom in the Word and then share what has been revealed to you by the Holy Spirit as you have read, meditated on it and put it in practice!
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"
Main point of this verse? When you look back on your life and you analyze what makes you worthy of entering into the Kingdom, it won't be your charm or beauty that gets you in, it'll be the fact that you feared the Lord. That's not to say that you should let go of yourself and not care what you look like because that is another way of representing Jesus, but it shouldn't be your main focus. The brand of clothes you wore, the extent to which your skin was flawless or how much people liked you on Earth will not get you a standing ovation. Your reward will come because you were a woman who respected the majesty of God. Fearing God doesn't mean you need to be scared of Him like He's a monster, remember that He is the perfect embodiment of love! Fearing Him means that you are in awe and respect how beautiful and perfect He is, that you will work to do what He is calling you to do. If you have these basic principles in your heart and strive to take the necessary steps to get closer to exemplifying these qualities in your life, you will be well on your way to being the woman God has made you to be! Strong, with dignity, wise and God-fearing. 
There ya have it folks. My first instalment of Faith Fridays for 2014! I hope these words have been a blessing and that it opened your eyes to what God is saying to young women of today's generation!  Happy Weekend. 

New Year, New Chances

source

Can we all take a moment to realize today is the last day of 2013?! It's so incredible how this year has just flown by, although it seems that that is always the case! As I reflect back on 2013 I can't help but be so grateful to God for everything that he blessed me with this year. I've met great people, developed amazing friendships, faced my fears about starting a blog, taken the chance on changing career paths and so much more! As much as this year has brought change, and good change for that matter, I'm confident that 2014 will bring new opportunities and experiences that I couldn't have imagined for myself. I've evaluated how I've developed as a person this year and taken into account what I can do starting today to continue growing in the Lord and making my own decisions. This new year I will leave my teen years behind and enter my 20s and I couldn't be more thrilled! I'm slowly learning to be more independent yet dependent on the Lord and that it's time for me to make decisions for myself. I know this new chapter will have it's moments. Moments where I'll find my way to the career I've dreamed of, where I'll meet new life changing people and where I'll feel defeat but the most important part is the one constant figure in my life that won't let me down. There is only certainty in me that God will provide and guide me to where I'm supposed to go. He knows my dreams and desires and as long as I continue loving Him each day, He will take me on the most amazing adventure of my life. 
What are you most excited about this year? I hope this new year will bring with it a courage to look at new opportunities with a positive outlook. That we may all trust in the Lord to see us through every circumstance and know that He will surely bless us in everything as long as we are faithful!  Wishing you lots of love, health and joy for 2014! Thanks for making these last few months some of the best
Verse of the day: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end" - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Faith Friday: Hearing God Speak

I thought for today I'd shed some light on the issue of hearing God speak to you...  For the past year or two I struggled with truly knowing if I'd ever had God really speak to me. In my head I'd always imagined it as a roaring voice coming out of nowhere like the times you read in the Bible when God spoke to people like Moses. Since that had never happened to me I just assumed, well I guess I'll keep waiting until I hear something. But after talking to different people and praying about it, I came to realization that God doesn't have to be an audible voice that you hear, He can communicate with you through random thoughts that pop in your head, or artistic things like music. The main point is that God communicates with different people in different ways and If there's something I've had to learn it's that your relationship with God is unique and specific to you. You can't go around comparing everything you share with the Lord with your friends because everyone is on a different level. Some are just acquaintances and others see God as their absolute best friend, in which case the way that God will speak to them will vary according to their intimacy with Him. 
A few months ago I was getting ready to leave the house and all of a sudden I got this idea that sprung up unexpectedly. I was just doing my makeup but I got this word in my head and I decided to run to my rom and jot it down on a piece of paper. At the time it really didn't mean anything to me. I had written down that since the Bible is God's own words, He is literally speaking to us every single time we open the Bible and that there was a huge difference between reading and meditating on the word. I folded up the piece of paper and placed it into my desk drawer. I'd completely forgotten about it and kept going on with life thinking, well I guess I'll still have to wait for God to speak to me. About a month or two ago I was having a really tough day and had spent over two hours on the phone with a friend crying it out. Suddenly I felt the urge to go to my desk drawer and find the piece of paper that I'd written that little message on. As I read the words that I'd written down I instantly burst into tears. There were specific parts in there that basically tore through my soul and alleviated any pain I felt. It was all so surreal, I couldn't believe what was happening. That's when I realized that God had in fact spoken to me but it wasn't in the way I'd expected it. 
I'm constantly amazed by the way in which God works. He is so creative and knows exactly what will resonate with me depending on the situation. Before recognizing that God speaks in different ways I felt like I was missing a big part of my spiritual life; as if I was stuck in this elementary stage while everyone else was about to graduate from university. But it was through this experience that I learned to be quiet. How can you expect God to speak to you if your brain is constantly wandering where it shouldn't and it's filled with chaotic noises?! Sometimes hearing Him means shutting up for a bit. Imagine Him thinking, "Wow, I've been trying to have a conversation with her but she won't stop moving and ignoring me!"Find your quiet place, the secret place where you can connect with God the most. That may be in a room where it's dead silent, or when you immerse yourself in worship with Him. Whatever it may be, just know that sooner or later you'll understand the way in which you hear Him the clearest and trust me, it'll change your relationship with Him for the best! 
Wishing you a very peaceful and happy last weekend of 2013! 

Give The Gift Of Giving

Every year during the holidays we are reminded that it's not about the presents! Yes, it is a thoughtful way of letting someone know that you appreciate their role in your life but you can do so much more, all the time. The gift of giving shouldn't be limited to one single day of the year. We need to make ourselves available to others and show them we care by supporting them in times of need. Today was a rather good example of this. The ice has been hitting us hard and last night we lost power. I woke up to a very cold and dark house. When I got the courage to look outside at my neighbourhood, I realized that the fallen branches from the trees had damaged a lot of my neighbours' cars. Although my family was left with a damaged car that later broke down, it wasn't time to think about ourselves but to lend a hand to those who were also needing it.
It's the perfect way to show people you care, even if they're strangers. A box filled with chocolates wouldn't do that but helping them move a branch from their damaged car was certainly a step. A small act of kindness goes a long way, any time of the year. I've found that the moments I transmit Christ the most can be as simple as a "Have a great day!" or "Would you like some help?" Very often you'll get the grouchy people who aren't impressed by what you've done, but sometimes they will stop in their tracks and realize that their attitudes could use some positivity. Humans can be weird sometimes, bothered by things that others would smile about, but it's no excuse not to try. Every day should be a new opportunity to do something nice for someone else! This coming year, starting from today even, I hope to bring at least one person joy each day. Clean off your glasses (spiritual ones of course) and be sensitive to the needs of others. 
Join me?