70 MILES OF DESERT | STYLE

Before spending a weekend doing some much needed wedding shopping and DIYing, Adam and I got to spend the morning together before going our separate ways on Saturday. It was the opportune time to do an outfit post. To my surprise Adam actually really enjoys taking pictures of me. When I first asked him to do it I anticipated that there may be some bargaining involved. But he really likes it and is just as excited as I am about doing it. It's sort of been something fun that we can do together.

skirt: consignment / shoes: birks / top: american eagle / sunglasses: gifted/unlabeled / anklet: destiny rescue

A quick note, I got my anklet from an organization called Destiny Rescue. They work intently on rescuing minors from the sex slave industry in Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Loas, India and the Philippines. All of the jewelry they sell is made by girls and boys formally trapped in sex slavery. Adam and I sponsor a child through their organization and have been blessed by the process. I highly recommend donating or getting involved in the great work that they do for children across the world.

Peace.

NIGHT OUT

Quick everyday update my friends. Tonight Adam and I went downtown for a fun little date. Our church was putting on a concert and I was super excited to go and just make an evening of it. So, we decided on getting some coffee beforehand and then parking on the front lawn of the church to listen to some awesome music and spoken word for the rest of the night. It did not disappoint. It's always a blessing for me to support artists in their journey of being just who God made them to be. So, this was a great treat! Here are some of the photos I took of the night, not a lot, but you'll get the gist!

Peace.

PROJECT 365 ROUND-UP

This year I decided to start project 365. If you haven't heard it's basically a commitment to take a picture everyday for an entire year. Starting today I'm going to engage in a weekly round-up from the pictures I've taken. Since it's been 2015 for basically four weeks now I'm just going to post seven of my favorites so far.

//Just expressing my love for succulents //January 1st celebrating with Adam //Adam being silly and ending up looking like a model //Light reflecting off my favorite cup //Keeping warm outdoors in my favorite way //Morning tradition //Sculpting tools that look like murder weapons and dental tools at the same time

Peace.

WEEKLY FEELS

heavy // filled // calm

Heavy because this week started out with me feeling really overwhelmed. I found out early in the week that my great grandmother had passed away. I was surprised at how weighted I felt from the loss, considering that she was 93. I spent the evening with my grandmother and my aunts and uncle, eating and making funeral plans. I live ten minutes from my grandmother's house so I was one of the first to arrive after we heard the news. The death along with feeling hectic from school and work lead me to come home feeling weighted and generally overwhelmed. It wasn't the best way to start the week.

Fulfilled because sometimes things surprise me. This week I've entered into a really special place with Adam. It's a bit hard to explain, but it's been really good. Relationships aren't always easy, (nor should they be) but it's good to feel like your walking clouds every now and then. And this week, that gentleness has really been a blessing.

And calm. Nothing in my circumstances has really changed since the week started. But the sense of overwhelmingness has all but gone. I am left here in the calm. Just sitting and trusting that all really is well. Worrying won't add an moment of my life. So in the midst of chaos I recline in the arms of the Lord and take things one breath at a time. And that really is a great thing.

Peace.

ILLUSTRATION TUESDAY

Is illustration Tuesday even a thing? Ha, well it is now! I've really wanted to motivate myself to start drawing digitally a bit more. So hopefully committing to crank something new out at least every Tuesday, that'll do the trick. Without further ado, this Tuesdays Illustration.

Peace.

THOUGHTS ON ZACHARIAH 1

When I read certain books of the bible, specifically books about the prophets. A lot of this stuff goes over my head. There's a whole lot of symbolism and a lot of the scary side of God. That people don't like to talk about. The God who is our Judge and our King... But here I am plunging into what I knowingly don't know much about publicly on the internet for everyone to read. But, I figure, that if I can blog about every other part of my life. Why not this part? Yeah? Yeah.

Like I said, I am no where near wise enough to understand all the symbolism that happens when God is talking to the prophets. (I'm sure there's also a lot of stuff that is contextual to the time it was written that I don't understand as well). But one thing that does astound me. Is the way that God continues to give his people second (and third and fourth and fifth and sixth... well you get the gist) chances. It's one of those things where the Israelites have continued again and again to say, "We don't want you here, go away God." And God submitted to the will of his free people. But yet he is still faithful to them. With a promise, "Return to be and I will return to you."

Even God, the Judge. God, the King of all things. Deals with his people with relentless Grace and Mercy. He just waits, and when we call, he comes back. What really caught my eye was verse 12, "I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt." God's forgiveness isn't begrudging, it doesn't have any strings attached. He comes back and he builds his house with us. He's here to stay and he lives in our midsts (Not on some hill far away). For as long as we rejected him and went against his wishes. He is so quickly willing to come back just as soon as we ask him to. God doesn't force himself upon his people, but when we return to him of our own free will he gives all of himself back to us. Without reproach and without holding anything back from us.

I am by no means an expert on any of this. But, I love God. He doesn't require expertise from me. He just wants me where I am, how I am. I just love Jesus, and I want to share him in all the places of my life. Even if I am no public authority on the Bible, haven't gone to seminary, and haven't even lead a bible study before. But Jesus doesn't need me to be or do any of those things. He just needs me to be me. And that's awesome.

Peace.

-a link to Zachariah 1-

STYLE

Hey guys! Happy (extremely belated) new year! As my first blog post of the year I feel like it should probably be super special new years related thing... But I'm super late on the ball here, so I'm just going to go with a regular run of the mill style post. Without further ado, here you go. Maybe not my first outfit of 2015, but definitely a favorite. ;)

overalls: american eagle || shirt: thrifted || flannel: thrifted (borrowed from the man) || shoes: consignment

So far, the beginning of 2015 has been amazing! And it only gets better. This is the year that I graduate from college, get married, and who knows what else! It's a wonderful blessing to be in such a fast-moving formative place in my life. Everyday brings a new joy and a new adventure. It's great to have the knowledge that every step of the way I'm cared for and watched over by my father God in heaven! 2015's going to be great for me, and I hope it's great for you too!

-photo cred goes to my handsome fiancé-
Peace.