ONE WORD 2014 // TIFFANY
hey everyone! today you'll be hearing from my beautiful friend Tiffany. I've had the pleasure of knowing Tiff for years. She has the most beautiful soul. Her heart for people is so huge and she is a constant inspiration to me! Take it away Tiff...
Hello my name is Tiffany. I am a wife, a worship leader, a nurse, a coffee snob, and I love to encourage smiles! I am two years married to my rock of a husband Roman and it just keeps getting better. I love to worship God by singing, and dabbling on guitar. I love my church of Glad Tidings & Adore and the work that God is doing in the hearts of His people there. Laura is a fantastic friend and inspirational leader one of my fav people so thanks Laura for having me share on your beauty of a blog!
Getting married was the second best decision of my life. Although challenging at times I love it. Our first year had a lot of bumps, think about it, two very different yet similar people, two schedules, two jobs and only one car, 2 opinions, and the list goes on. BUT we are wonderfully in love with each other and we want to walk through our differences and challenges because of this love and the example of true love that God laid down for us.
One benefit of all this is that your hubby is your ultimate accountability person. So as things come out of your mouth, sometimes in an endless stream, they can, stand with you and verbally acknowledge your feelings and then lovingly admit to you the things that you might miss yourself.
Roman, my best friend; has helped me to notice the negative or ungodly things trying to creep into my life, the old ways or habits and the new. He doesn’t point fingers at my weakness and furrow his brow. He sits beside me, hears my story, and walks with me in my struggle. He secures a trust and in it he shares honestly what he is hearing. He doesn’t do it to strike me down, but to love me more. So yeah sometimes I am wrong HA! Hard to swallow but it’s the truth! Thank goodness Roman is who he is or I may not take it like I have.
Ro talked me through a near explosion on a family vacation last summer where I was ready to run and give up. He held me by my arms, stared into my eyes and said “This isn’t who you are!” He speaks up to protect and defend me from myself and others. He validates my feelings and when I cry he wraps His arms around me even if I don’t make sense and he comforts me. Ro is a listener sometimes he speaks and sometimes he doesn’t which can drive you nuts at times but you know his heart! What is even more beautiful about all of this is that when he does these things, I feel God in our relationship. I feel God’s love, His strength and hope holding us up even when we feel we have failed GOD IS WITH US.
I am thankful and blessed.
God is with us. He believes in us that we can get through all things with Him, especially the dirty and hard things. So my one word for 2014 is PURIFY. My prayer to God in January was asking God, as I am, to PURIFY my heart to help me to become more aware of the things trying to creep in and discourage. I asked God to scrape from my mouth any hint of gossip and to say no to fear of what people may think of my decisions. For God knows my heart. I asked God to remove any bitterness from my heart that has been building up from judgment or hurt feelings. God forgives, God forgive me and I will forgive others.
The last two months I have been experiencing God purifying my heart. I won't lie, it isn’t easy and sometimes it really hurts, but end result Eternity with Christ and Him using this life to love, so worth it.
A friend gave me a new concept for the word purify, we used to sing that worship song “Purify my heart.” Beautiful song, but I don’t think as a young’n I really thought about the REFINERS FIRE! Ha! Sometimes it burns and hurts when you are being remolded or sanded ouch! We’re asking God to make, us sinners, like Christ. It’s a big job.
It might be nice to say once I became a Christian that was it, no pain, ta da, but I am even more glad to say that through my walk with Christ I have hit road blocks, messed up sometimes, but God was with me nudging at me, guiding me. At times it was hard because I fought with what I wanted and His plan. I still do! I am so over joyed to have chosen God’s plan and I have seen great reward and blessing in walking with Him, and have myself molded into the woman He sees me to be.
God’s way is always better
all photos by Amy Gary
Thank you for sharing your word with us Tiff!! Love you :)
Check out our one word brunch here and check out the past one word explanations- Laura // Amy // Sarah // Nadia
Hope you have a lovely day!
xo,
s.s.♥.
P.S. Do you have a one word for 2014 too? If so I'd love to feature you. Email me at laura at ssheart dot com or comment below for more details!
MY FAVES // LIPSTICK
If you rifle through my bag you're most likely to find my agenda, wallet, floss, perfume, and a handful of lipsticks. It's no surprise that I am a lover of lipstick. Growing up I thought it was way too intense and was 100% devoted to sticky lip glosses. Thankfully in my early 20s I transitioned to lipsticks and I haven't looked back.
I own a variety of colours and I'm always on the hunt for more but these 5 have been my staples the past year.
From left to right:
1. Vegas Volt by Mac- This is my favourite coral. I find it to have the perfect balance between pink and orange. I usually wear this one in the summer when I have a bit of a tan, but it's also good for spring too.
2. Sweet Succulence by Mac- I purchased this one last fall. I usually wear Mac's Nightmoth lip liner under it to make it extra dark. It's a perfect shade for fall. (Unfortunately it was limited edition BUT I linked it to Mac's Cyber which is quite similar).
3. Pink Caprice by Dior- This is my go to barbie pink. I discovered it a few years back and was so happy when I did. It's a perfect blue toned pink that I had been hunting for. The texture of Rouge Dior is super creamy, which I absolutely love. I'd buy more shades if they weren't so flipping expensive.
4. Blankety by Mac- I was looking for a new nude lipstick and I'm thankful that my friend (thanks Rachel W.) pointed me to blankety. This is the perfect nude to pair with a smokey eye and it's been my go to shade this winter.
5. Viva Glam by Mac- This is the original viva glam shade by Mac and it's a great classic brick red. I usually pair it with their Cherry liner which is a bright cherry red but I couldn't find it when I took the photos below. If you wear it on its own, it's a true brick red. Either way I love it. (Below I added a bit of Mac's Russian Red to jazz it up).
What's your go to lipstick? Let me know in the comments because I'd love to know!
smooch, smooch,
s.s.♥.
THICK & CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Some days call for classic thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies. Those days could be hard days, sad days, lonely days, happy days, cold days, warm days...who am I kidding? Almost any day could call for freshly baked thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies. This is my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. It produces exactly what it says, thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies...nom...nom..nom.
It's Monday, you know what that calls for? Thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies. :)
xo,
s.s.♥.
SEARCHING FOR SPECS
So I'm on the hunt for new glasses. I had my first eye appointment in two years yesterday and my vision has gotten a bit worse. It's not terrible. I can get through life fine without glasses but with them, I'm able to see everything very clearly.
Now that I have my new prescription, I'm lurking a bunch of sites trying to find the perfect pair. All the glasses above are from Bonlook. I'm really digging the "bonnie & clyde" ones and I think I might go for those in a tortoise shell, what do you think?
Happy Friday! Hope you have an incredible weekend :)
xo,
s.s.♥.
SEASONS
I've been learning about seasons lately. As you know, I've started my half marathon training. It's been a little bit crazy. On Sunday I did 17.7 km in the icy rain (yeah, not ideal…spring come soon!) The good thing about the training is it gives me a lot of time to listen, think and talk to Jesus. Recently I've been working through some of Steven Furtick's sermons. Last December he did a miniseries on seasons. Wow, just wow, has God been doing a number on my heart through those messages.
Let's just get this out there…this winter season has felt very loooooong. As I've said it many times before, fall is my favourite. But (along with most of the population) I do love summer too, and spring is great with all those beautiful cherry blossoms. But winter….well, winter is dark and cold and looong. Is anyone with me on this?
Personally, the past three months have been pretty right on par with the weather. Let's just say it's been a very emotionally draining time with a lot of tears, fears and angry runs and showers (please tell me I'm not the only one who hashes the hard things out with God in the shower?) It's been yucky and at times I've been tempted to make my heart as frozen as that icy rain that beats angrily against my window.
God's been teaching me though. I've been learning that I can't choose my circumstances, but I can choose my response. I can choose to be frozen, numb and bitter OR I can choose to cling to Jesus and trust that spring is just around the corner. I can choose to trust that God is doing something in me through this season, that He knows what's up and He is producing something in me that will blossom in its time. I will dare to hope. I will declare over my life that God is faithful.
And he has been faithful. He's sent me prayer warrior mamas who pray for me. He's sent me angels who've given me mani & pedi gifts. He's sent me friends who encourage, who give me beautiful frames with God's truth in it. He's sent me people who listen. He's sent me the Holy Spirit to fill me up and move through me when I couldn't even fathom being used by him.
So I will remain in him and set my sights on the sun and trust that hope is rising. I will have spring again.
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.
- C.S. Lewis (The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe)
So I write this post not to depress you but to encourage you that even though you can't choose your circumstances, you can choose your response. God is with you and for you and he will be faithful through this winter season. Remain in him and let his hope arise in your heart. Spring is just around the corner.
xo,
s.s.♥.