ONE WORD 2014 // ELIJAH
Well today I have a special treat for you. I have the first male to post about his one word for 2014! Today I introduce you to Elijah. I've had the pleasure of knowing Elijah (or Jah as I like to call him) for the past four years. Over the four years I have seen him grow in his walk with Jesus and it has made my heart sparkle. He is an incredible guy and God has so much in store for him!! Ok, take it away JAH...
Hello all! My name is Elijah, I'm an intern at Glad Tidings, as well as a worship leader at city youth. I'm so unbelievably blessed to know Laura and James. I have loved reading all these one word posts so much that I was inspired to write my own!
I know what you are all thinking...Woah first time hearing from a man on the blog! Heck ya!! Monumental moment right here!
I couldn't decide on just one word, I had to go with two, my words are TRUST, and PERSEVERANCE!
In this new year I didn't have any New Years resolutions, other than to loose weight (who hasn't thought that one) but on New Year's Eve I prayed to God. I asked him to change my life this year. And I found out that He had something so amazing planned that I didn't see coming at all. This year has already been a very unexpected journey through some very rough roads, and I'm still surviving, but nothing could have prepared me for any of it.
God planted two amazing men into my life, who have inspired me, and helped me start to grow into the man God wants me to be. Although things seemed to be looking bright, the enemy was still gripping onto me. I found myself still looking at the negative, because of the lack of trust that I put in God and the lack of trust I had for these men.
I was either at an extreme high, or an extreme low every other day, it was very unhealthy, and I was leaning too much on these two men, and not enough on God, which is so dangerous. These two men continued to walk with me and encourage me, and give me advice that was always trying to get me to focus my eyes onto God. But I continued to stare at my past, and in result, I became stagnant. I stayed in this place of turmoil, of self hatred, and self doubt. Everyone around me was screaming a different story at me, speaking truths, and covering me with not only their love, but God's love, but the enemy had boxed my ears and covered my eyes and spoke lies into me making my trust in God fade even more.
God doesn't want that for any of his children. He doesn't want to see us in pain. He is always right behind us and he's always waiting for us to smell his sweet fragrance or hear his voice, and remember that we can turn around and fall into his arms.
Through out my pain, and struggles, I always asked why? Why God, why do I have to hurt? Why do I have to keep failing? And the answer was so simple... The answer was trust. Trust that his plans are better than my own, trust that he is using these hard times to grow me, and that he has huge plans for me; that these test and trials are to help me not hinder me.
A verse that comes to mind is tattooed on one of these lovely men it's Psalm 37:3-4
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
I'm only just starting to realize how if I place all my trust in God and his plans for me, how beautiful the ending to my story could be!!! And that's where the perseverance comes in, I'm still going to face trials, and still face hardships, but I have to trust God through it all, and persevere and remember his promises to me.
That's about all I can say for now, my prayer is that God will use these words to inspire whomever reads this, and my prayer is that my Trust in him will never fail, and that through all of this perseverance becomes my best friend!
Thank you so much for reading!!
Thank you so much Elijah for sharing! Your words have blessed me and I know they are going to bless others. So stoked on the journey that God is taking you on!!
Check out the previous one words- Amy | Sarah | Tiffany | Danae | Nadia | Micaela | Kristy | Me | Julia | Caitlyn
If you would like to share your one word for 2014, email me at laura@ssheart.com
stay gold,
s.s.♥︎.
REAL TALK TUESDAY
I snapped that pic of roses when I was at the Root Cellar on Sunday. Pastel roses are my fave. (FYI it took me 5 tries to write out fave, dang autocorrect kept changing it to have...)
While we're on the topic of roses, I want to be someone who takes times to smell the roses. Right now I find myself in a very full season. In the next two weeks I have a distance course due and my first half marathon.
Last Saturday, I kinda hurt my back on my run. It was really stupid, I went too hard on a long run without the week of hard training behind me. I have a massage on Thursday and I'm going to train a bit smarter before the big race but ahhhhh. It made me realize, I can't do it all. As much as I want to, I just can't.
So the next two weeks I'll be a little MIA. And I hate that when I get "busy" the first thing that suffers, is this blog. This place has always been a creative release for me. I love writing. I love making graphics. I love curating cute things. But I have to remind myself that blogging is not my full time job and I'm ok with that. (I think if it was my full time job, I'd go a little crazy…) I have to remind myself that education is important, and I want to do well. My health is important. My job is important. My marriage is important. Making time for my family is important. Taking time to smell the roses is important. My walk with Jesus is important.
So I'll still be posting, just maybe not on the usual Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. It won't be a ghost town round here. I do have some one word posts coming up from some pretty fantastic people, so be excited for that! And after May 25th, my life will be a bit less hectic, so I'll be able to get back to a posting schedule and get back to diy-ing, makeup tutorials, wardrobe shoots, BOOYAH. And then next month I'll be at ALT where I know I'm going to come back so inspired for this space.
I want to thank you for continuing to read this blog. Your encouraging comments and your messages mean so much to me. Like, seriously, so much to me.
love you to the moon & back,
s.s.♥.
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day!
So I think Coco is trying to get me ready to be a mom (for the record, I'm not pregnant, just one day in the future I hope to be). She wakes me up every night at 4am where I then chase her out of our room and close the bedroom door and then again at 7am where she's crying very loudly for her morning bite to eat. I know it's a little bit (ok, a whole bit) ridiculous to compare a cat to an actual human being but I'm just saying, she's training me to wake up multiple times throughout the night...
Coco disturbing my sleep gets me thinking about all the times my mum would be woken up by a little cry. I have three siblings, so there would have been a lot of little cries.
Can I just brag on my mum a bit now?
I was raised in a single parent household from age 7 to 18. Aka my mum worked her tail off to provide for my siblings and I. She taught me what it was to work hard. For years she drove my brother and I everyday at 4:30am on our Times Colonist paper route so that my brother and I could earn money. Even though she worked crazy hours, she still managed to come out to the baseball games, the musicals, etc. She supported my dream of living abroad at 18 and supports the dreams in my heart today.
I rise up and call her blessed. Blessed is she now and blessed are the days ahead of her.
I love you mum.
So to all the mamas out there. The natural mamas, the spiritual mamas (I've had so many and I sure love and appreciate you), the step mamas, the foster mamas, the ones who are expecting, the ones who are trying, the grandmas, the mother in laws (love you Margaret!)...today is your day.
You are cherished, you are valued, you are celebrated.
I hope you know how much you are loved.
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
photos by Ameris
MOTHER'S DAY GIFT GUIDE
One day I won $50 on a monopoly scratch and win ticket. It was awesome. I bought a gift for my mom with my earnings. A massive, stuffed animal dog. Oh, I should probably mention, I was like eight years old or something (and my dad bought the scratch and win ticket, incase you were wondering, ha).
That being said, over the years, I have become a better gift giver (because stuffed puppies aren't everybody's thang). And today I have for you, some gift ideas for your momma. Moms are awesome and totally deserve that $40 candle you were eyeing...
1. Kobo Candle- These are my favourite candle. James got me the Kyoto Quince one for Christmas and I light it all the time. They last a long time because they're soy wax and they give off a good but not overpowering scent. If you're in Victoria, you can get it at Violette Boutique!
2. L'occitane Hand Cream- This is my favourite hand cream and I'm sure your momma would love it too. It gives off a great scent and is super moisturizing yet not greasy...win win!
3. Issey Miyake Perfume- I have the EDT version of this scent and totally love it. It's floral and so elegant. Perfect for you mom.
4. Switch Off Your Brain by Caroline Leaf- Caroline Leaf spoke at the conference I went to last weekend. She is incredibly smart. Your momma would be blessed by this book.
5. Sophie Conran Teapot- How cute is this teapot? Can't you imagine you and your mom having a beautiful conversation while drinking tea from this pot?
6. Rifle Paper Card- Incase you haven't picked out a card yet, this one is really pretty. :)
So you now have two days to pick something out for your momma. Hopefully these gifts inspire you and if you're stuck, go to the florist and get some peonies that will make her heart sparkle.
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
ONE WORD 2014 // CAITLYN
So today's one word is from the very lovely Caitlyn. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Caitlyn this past year through our church's intern program. She's pretty rad and I'm very excited for what God has in store for her!
Hey, I’m Caitlyn! I am currently an intern at an amazing church called Glad Tidings, which is how I met the lovely Laura! I live in the beautiful city of Victoria and I absolutely love it.
So, here we go! This past January was the first time I had heard of the “ONE WORD” movement. To be honest, I was not too eager to find my “ONE WORD”, but by the end of January I felt that it was becoming more and more clear.... STAY!
Here’s a little history....
Prior to starting internship in September, my dream was to become a flight attendant and travel as much as I possibly could. In fact, I almost did not commit to the internship program because I had been waiting to hear back from an airline. The interview process alone takes months, not to mention waiting to be called back can take FOREVER! I decided to start the intern program since I did not think I would actually ever be getting a call back from the airline, but I was still hopeful.
Becoming an intern at the church was the best! It was such a great way to get connected in the church, make life-long friends and a great way to be involved in such an uplifting community. It seems like the first few months flew by and before I knew it, 2014 was here. Our church had been conducting a 21 day challenge of fasting/praying with daily prayer meetings at noon for the first 3 weeks of the year. It was great. Thankfully, I was able to attend on my lunch breaks (thanks to some great friends, SHOUTOUT to Andria & Becky!!!!). I was feeling closer to God than ever before and it was unreal.
Just before the end of 21 day Challenge, I received a pretty sweet offer letter from the airline I had been waiting on. It seemed perfect! It was everything I had hoped for. I was soooooo excited! In my head, it seemed like the absolute perfect timing as my then current job was coming to an end in February. But the only thing was, I had 48hrs to respond. How on earth was I supposed to make such a HUGE life decision in two days?
Immediately I was ready to accept the offer. According to my family and friends, this was a no brainer! But my heart was saying something different....STAY. I made so many pro/con lists, talked it out with good friends, and sought out advice from leaders. I was a wreck. Surely, God couldn’t be asking me to give up my dream. I would soon be unemployed and the offered starting salary was double what I was making. This was all wrong! The moment I started praying and seeking God’s will I knew I needed to just STAY.
BUT...that was definitely not the answer I wanted to hear! I wanted to hear GO, SOAR, FLY...anything but STAY. In fact, I did not even accept what God was telling me! I tried to convince myself that I needed to take this opportunity of a lifetime. So I responded to the offer. I scanned two copies, one to the airline and one to myself just to be sure. Immediately I knew I had made the wrong choice but I was totally in denial. God was calling me to stay and I was trying to run in the opposite direction! Then I came across this scripture passage...
“I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
God’s Decree.
For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
not come back empty-handed.
They’ll do the work I sent them to do,
they’ll complete the assignment I gave them."
So you’ll go out in joy,
you’ll be led into a whole and complete life
Isaiah 55: 8-13 (MSG)
A few things really got my attention in the passage...
1. I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
God’s Decree.
For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think
God seriously knows what is best! Obviously! He is in control. Always has been, always will be. I needed to trust Him!!
2. They’ll do the work I sent them to do,
they’ll complete the assignment I gave them
One thing I have really been learning is that what God starts, He finishes! He’s not going to leave us hanging half way. He is right there beside us, cheering us on to run the race marked out before us! He’s Emmanuel, GOD WITH US. He NEVER leaves us or forsakes us!
3. So you’ll go out in JOY, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life
God is FOR us, not against us! JESUS is the ONLY one who can bring true wholeness. I honestly believe that by obeying God, He will lead me into a whole and complete life- better than I can even think or imagine!
I knew what I needed to do. It was hard choice! So, there I was….soon to be unemployed but learning to trust God. OH, and just in case I still really wasn’t sure I was hearing God correctly…the airline later emailed me saying “Sorry, it looks like you didn’t get back to us. Best of luck on your future endeavours!” HA! I feel like God totally has a sense of humour. But guess what? I WAS RELIEVED! For me, that was a confirmation that I had made the right choice.
Today, I am happy to report that I am employed! All in God’s perfect timing, things slowly started coming back together. But those next few weeks were not all warm and cozy! There were many nights I stayed up tossing and turning wondering what I was going to do next. Every day of being unemployed I felt like a failure. There were seeds of disappointment growing in my heart and part of me felt like I had made the biggest mistake. But I knew what God had said, I knew He had a plan, but I just couldn’t see it. And it was frustrating! I am very much someone who likes to have a detailed plan! Everyday I had to make the choice to trust Him. “He knows the plans He has for me..”, I said that over and over until I truly started to believe that YES, He was speaking to me too! But guess what, I’m not perfect. There were many days I made the wrong choice and chose worry over faith. But I am so thankful that we serve a God who is unchanging, who loves us so unconditionally and is with us until the very end!!
All in God’s perfect timing, things slowly started coming back together. Each day I chose faith over worry God began speaking so clearly to me about why I needed to stay. As someone who had quite an unstable past, always moving around, never really following through with anything, this was a big deal. STAY? Like…forever? That did not sound appealing. I do not even know how to do that. I’d been to 22 schools and moved more times than I can remember. When things get uncomfortable I like to have the option of a quick escape route. But He began to speak to me about the importance of having roots and being planted. He started showing me even in the lives of people around me the importance of stability, of being connected. Most importantly, He’s been revealing that He ALONE is my security, my stability, and my safe place! God has seriously moved mountains in my life to get me to this place.
We are all on a journey and He will never, ever give up on us. EVERY SINGE DAY I want to choose to trust Him with every area of my life! God’s way is the best way! Even though I have no idea what the road ahead holds, I am SO confident that the best is yet to come in my life…and YOURS!
How good was that? And FYI I was with Caitlyn and helped her fax the acceptance letter to the airline and it said it went through...CLEARLY God wanted her here! Again, I'm so excited for what He has in store for her here! Thank you Caitlyn for sharing your beautiful heart :)
Previous one words- Amy | Sarah | Tiffany | Danae | Nadia | Micaela | Kristy | Me | Julia
If you would like to submit your one word, email me at laura@ssheart.com
Stay gold,
s.s.♥︎.