Faith Friday: Yes, It Is A Good Friday.

Today I woke up with an instant smile on my face... along with a bit of sniffles but that's besides the point. Everyday is a good occasion to think about what God has done for us but today we can all, in unity, thank Him for sending His son to set us free. When I was younger I used to think, "Why do they call it Good Friday? Jesus died today. That's sad!" It was only until I matured that I realized today is just one extra special day to celebrate. Whereas all of our days would've been sad otherwise, we can now be joyful because we have been cleansed and renewed by that sacrifice. 
So what is this Easter all about? If you've paid close attention to your television or stepped into any drugstore lately, you'll see bunnies, chocolates and eggs. Now,  I have absolutely no clue where this came from but it has sadly been used to take our eyes away from the meaning of Easter. I mean, tell me how both Christmas and Easter, two holidays which centre on the life and death of Jesus Christ, have been masked by fictional characters and traditions that are only there to stop us from realizing why we are actually celebrating. It weighs down my heart knowing that we live in a world who would rather endorse bunnies and chocolates because sharing the truth about this season is unacceptable. In that case, I think it's time to get a handle on what Easter is and why today is a good day. 
For a few weeks now I've been reflecting on the fact that Jesus died for me. It's something we are taught and that we speak about but I'd never really understood the profound truth behind that act of selfless love. The biggest shock factor came when I realized that the amount of pain Jesus felt and the situations He went through were to save me. What did I do to deserve that? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am standing here today as a testament of God's grace and forgiveness. He knew I was imperfect and would mess up day after day but He chose me from before I was born. He had my life planned out and His love for me was so big that He sent His own son to die for little ol' me. 
Let me set one thing straight for you. Yes, Jesus died to set you free and to give you life. (I know, weird concept but it's as if you were dead before that...) But after that was done, and He said "it is finished", that's it. The slate that was filled with all of the bad things you'd done was cleaned. His sacrifice was to rid you of any shame or guilt and feelings of unworthiness forever. There is no measure of how long this sacrifice is good for. It's not a limited time offer. He gave us eternal life. 
One other thing to settle. The grip of the enemy was broken that day. You are right, Jesus died to set you free, but from what? From the creator of lies and of everything God does not stand for. I see so many people, including me some days, that live their lives acting like the devil still has a say. It's like bullies, the more you pay attention to their lies, the louder they get and the more they affect you. If we could only realize that Jesus has already defeated the enemy and he is literally irrelevant, things would be very different. He will always be there whispering things that completely go against who God says you are, but they mean nothing. You stand on solid ground, he doesn't. He is literally shaking and you know how you can really scare him? By not paying attention to him. By living your life showing him that you know Jesus did it all that day, you are exercising the power God gave you. I love the lyrics from Bethel that say, "The same power that raised Him up is the power that lives in us". Hold onto that. You have a say now because of what Jesus did. 
I wrote about Kari Jobe a few weeks ago but today is the best day to sing out her song "Forever." "Now death where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated." It gives me chills. So yes, today is a GREAT day. We get to celebrate that we were given a new life. God chose you that day, live to choose Him today and every day because He is good and has broken every chain that bound us to the darkness. 
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit"  - 1 Peter 3:18
"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. and who ever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"  - John 11: 25,26
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"  - John 3:16
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy, and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.  - Ephesians 1: 4-8
Happy Good Friday! 

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. 

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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.

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"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.

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Ways To Save: Beauty Bargains

Everyone has their own "stamp collection", if you will. Some people may actually collect stamps, others may love shopping for clothes, others for little trinkets and for people like me, beauty products are just too fun not to play around with. With how much makeup and beauty products are going for these days, it can get a bit pricey, so I've found ways to test out new things without breaking the bank. Even if you aren't a huge makeup lover, this could save you some pennies (which don't even exist anymore in Canada, so there's that...)
Shopper's Drug Mart Sorry to Shopper's but their pricing on drugstore items is kinda ridiculous. The fact that same product goes for at least $4 more than it is at Walmart literally makes me gasp. But hold on and listen to what I have to say. If you go near the cash register in the cosmetics section, you may encounter a box filled with tons of products and nail polishes. It could perhaps look like they're doing inventory but don't be fooled! That little box contains makeup for 40% off or more and Essie nail polishes from past seasons at around $4.99. Yes, you read right! Essie polishes are probably most expensive at Shopper's, going for $11.99 a piece, OUCH! But you can find amazing deals in that magical box near the register. I've even seen some great shades of Nails Inc. polishes! Next time you go into Shopper's don't run away from their regular priced items - make a bee line for the cash!
Winners If you haven't come across this treasure box of makeup, hair and skincare, then you are seriously missing out! Not only are their clothes and handbags by big name designers like Kate Spade but if you manage to go on a day they've unloaded new products, you're in for a real treat. I've seen all kinds of incredible products for waaaaaay less than they are usually. Remember that Clarins palette I showed you guys a while back? Such a good find! I've seen Real Techniques brushes, NARS skincare, tons of Clarins products, and nail polishes from OPI, Essie and Butter London. The deals are absolutely shocking and you can come across some real gems. (Quick tip: I've heard stores near downtown areas are even better!) Winners is where it's at for high end products at amazing prices. 
Walmart This is one that doesn't need much explanation but compared to any other drugstore, Walmart is the place to go for the lowest price. Depending on the time, certain products may be more affordable at Target for example but on the whole, their prices can't be beat. Definitely come here for all of your Maybelline, Revlon, and L'Oreal needs! 
Cult Beauty There will come a time when you hear about a product that isn't sold in Canada or can't be shipped from a United States site. When that time comes, Cult Beauty will be your best friend. They are stocked with some incredible brands, including one that I want to try more of,  Jouer. The site's currency of choice is the British pound so you need to always look out for conversions! My biggest tip is to sign up for their emails and wait for when they have free worldwide shipping. Although they offer free worldwide shipping on orders of 50 pounds or more, that's about $90 CAD. If you only want to try one or two new things, this may not be the best offer. So wait for one of their free shipping promotions and browse around. Their shipping was incredibly fast - like, faster than anything that has even been shipped from the US. It took three days, and it was free! Plus, they always have amazing deals and gifts with purchases! For us Canadians this is probably not the place to buy your daily essentials but when you find a product that you can't find anywhere else, this is the place to go. 
Sephora Now, this isn't the first place I would go to for a deal but I thought I'd include it because there are certain times in the year where they actually have a sale. I know, shocker. Just this past weekend they had 15% your entire purchase and if you are a Beauty Insider or VIB member you can find some amazing sales from the e-mails they send out. So, this isn't your first stop for beauty bargains but keep your eye out for sales because when they come, you can't miss out. Oh, and they always have amazing value sets and palettes so check those out on their site - but beware of mini sizes at the cash, sometimes you are paying more to have it in a smaller bottle and it's actually better value to buy the full size! (Sidenote: if you ever need a sample, Sephora is amazing at letting you try things before you purchase them. And their return policy is unrivalled - if something doesn't sit well with your skin or you just hate it, they'll take it back without hassling you!)

Drugstore Foundations Worth Trying

I may love my Estee Lauder bases but there are certainly some amazing budget options at the drugstore! Every now and again I do a bit of a clear out and decide to try something new in my foundation drawer. I'd been wanting to try the L'Oreal True Match Foundation for ages so that was no doubt going on my list and then I saw that the Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation was on sale for a mere $5.95! So I went into WalMart with these two in mind and picked up the shade W4 in the L'Oreal and 220 in the Maybelline. Here's what I think:
L'oreal True Match

The Good: I chose the True Match foundation because I thought it gave a good amount of coverage and the finish was natural and not overly matte or dewy. After trying it for a few weeks I would have to say that it delivers on those fronts. The shade worked well for my skin (might I add that there are a whopping 23 shades in the range!) and the formula is incredibly easy to blend out so you can take your time and buff it in or you can put some between your fingers and slap it on as you run to head out! The coverage is great and you can build it up in areas where you need more concealing. Once applied it looks really beautiful on the skin because it doesn't cake up like other foundations can and I find that my face looks glowy (not be confused with greasy!). From a person who has combo/oily skin, it looks natural and flawless without looking like a mask and it lasts a good 6-7 hours without significant fading. I got home after a long day of classes and my mom said "Woah, what do you have on today? Your skin looks great" - I took that as a very good indicator of how the foundation looked. I can definitely see why this has such a loyal fan base in terms of drugstore foundations. 
The Bad: The packaging..... I've seen this foundation in videos and reviews from the UK and I noticed that their bottle comes in a beautiful glass bottle with a pump. Now if only L'Oreal could get the memo that North Americans appreciate foundation pumps too. Since the formula is on the more liquify side, product can go to waste when you tilt the bottle over no matter how careful you are. (I've tweeted them but apparently they don't see the issue....) Side note: It does have SPF 17 so you might love it for the day time but if you plan to take pictures with flash, you might not want to wear it unless you're going for the Caspar look. 
The Ugly: Nothing to report here. I think this foundation is great apart from the stinkin' no pump issue but I think if I tweet enough L'Oreal might have to just listen (or think I'm a psycho haha).
Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free

The Good: I have tried the original Fit Me liquid foundation and I liked it for days when I know my makeup doesn't have to last too long or when I'm having drier skin but it wouldn't make the cut for my oilier skin days. So, when I saw the Shine-Free version, you can imagine my excitement. I've never been a stick foundation kinda girl. The concept always seemed strange to me because application looked so awkward - do you stripe it on like war paint? Do you rub your finger in it and then swipe it on and blend? When I first tested it out my initial impression was intrigue. The formula is so creamy that it didn't resemble any other foundation stick I'd seen before. When you blend it in it becomes velvety, thanks to the shine-free core as they call it, but not extremely powdery, and gives your skin enough glow to prevent it from looking like you powdered it heavily. I tried it on like foundation and it was okay but then I took some pointers from Kate (gh0stparties) and used it as a concealer and I liked it a lot more. I wasn't crazy about having all over, maybe because my skin was going through a drier stage, but it did work well to conceal scaring and made it easy to wear a lighter coverage base on areas just to even out my skin tone. Like I said, it is super creamy so you won't have an issue in terms of blending. 
The Bad: I don't necessarily find this a bad quality, but some people may not like it. Having to apply by rubbing your finger in it may not sit well with germophobes but it does make for easy application when you're in a rush. Because it is shine-free I would say that if you have drier skin it probably wouldn't be the best product to just swipe all over your face from the stick but to spot conceal I think it works quite well. 
The Ugly: Again, nothing too ugly to report here!
So, are you looking for new drugstore foundations to test out? You might want to start with these two!

Faith Friday: Courage To Be Bold

(background image via The Glitter Guide Tumblr)

I'm actually pretty glad that I waited until today to publish this weeks Faith Friday post because I got really inspired by the occurrences that took place yesterday night. After having finished my first exam, I met up with a few people from my Youth Group for a bit of a Creative Worship night, in which we decided to worship through sharing God's love to others around our city. Now, I've touched base on this before but one of the biggest reasons I started this blog was because it gave me a platform to reach other people and share my love for Christ. 
It's always a bit nerve wracking when you walk up to someone and you share God's word because you wonder how they'll take it. I remember as a kid we'd do those little evangelism excursions and I always felt shy and like I was intruding into other peoples space. One of the coolest things I've learned from my youth leader has been that sharing God's word is all about showing love to people above all. Sometimes you don't need fancy words when a simple "God loves you - Have a nice day!" will suffice. Or maybe it's taking that moment to encourage someone when you see that they may be struggling. I always thought that you had to do all of the work, like if people didn't accept Jesus into their hearts you had failed. I have good news though - planting a seed is just as good. I mean, snaps for you if through your testimony someone comes to Christ automatically but sometimes Gods' plan may be to use you in the first step and then use someone else to keep watering that seed. All in all, the point is to do something! Take a look at this poem written by a friend of mine - so much goodness, right? 
You know that feeling you get when you wish you could just tell someone that although they are going through a tough time they can rely on God for their comfort? It's there for a reason. You aren't here to judge anyone but there isn't anything wrong with a little encouragement and showing people some love! You'd be surprised at how much it is lacking in our society! For me, my first step has been writing things down. Even yesterday, when my friend (mentioned above) wanted to share something with a girl she simply wrote a little note and handed it to her. The girl was probably quite surprised but it was the perfect way for my friend to share since she isn't completely comfortable with speaking those words yet. I feel like I'm in the same position. I feel so much more comfortable writing about what God is doing than saying it but there will come a time, and I've probably let some times pass me by, where I need to speak out loud. And it's in those times that I just need all of the courage to be as bold as I can be.
Walking in the faith isn't always easy but it certainly is rewarding. It might be scary to share your feelings about Christ but it's not impossible. He gives you courage when you need it most. So I'm going to try to expand the ways in which I am bold for God. Writing is great, but let's try something out loud next time, as simple as it may be. Your words shouldn't be condemning, they should be healing. People out there need hope and hope has a name; Jesus. Always remember that your testimony also speaks for you most of the time so always keep that in mind but remember that it really isn't the thought that always counts in this situation, we need to act. 
So I just encourage you to be a bit bolder and speak words of love, strength, encouragement and beauty onto other people - and I accept my own challenge! I know it's time for me to go beyond my writing. Some people may not to be open to it and reject you, others may listen and say thanks at the end. Whatever the case may be, we need God's grace and compassion to know how to approach those situations regardless of how the outcome may be. 
have you ever felt this way? How do you share God's love with other people?

What's On My Face #1: Barely There and Bronzed

Most of my posts showcase different products I love but I thought I'd start showing you what I'm loving as I wear it. It's always nice to get a review of a product and see a nicely composed picture but what we all want to know is, how does it look on? The other day I was sporting quite a natural look that had a summery feel. As the weather is warming up I'm just itching to get a nice golden glow and bring out the bronze! Definitely a bit more monochromatic and neutral but I'm kinda digging' it. I applied my foundation and concealer with my fingers and I didn't powder - I thought it gave a really nice glowing effect. I kept it really simple and dusted on a bronze toned highlighting palette. This isn't something I'm used to but it wasn't shimmery at all, it just gave a nice radiant glow to the cheeks. For eyes I smudged on some shimmery rose gold shadow on my lids quite messily and coated my lashes with mascara. Since everything else was so glowy I chose a matte lip colour to balance out the face in a peachy nude and that was that. It's a simple look but I think it brings out the warmth of my skin and would be especially beautiful if you were wearing a really colourful outfit! So, wanna know what I was wearing?
Face: L'oreal True Match Foundation in W4 // NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard // Revlon Highlighting Palette in Bronze Glow
Eyes: NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base // VS Silky Eyeshadow in Provocateur (same shade, reformulated) // Maybelline Volume Express The Rocket in Black 
Lips: Revlon Matte Balm in Complex