The Quest to Be Beautiful

I am a freelance writer. It's one of those fields where you have to create your own job. There's a lot of hustle involved. With a hustle, paychecks may not always be steady. As a result, I have a few side gigs. One of my favorite side-jobs is being a nanny. I love learning how to facilitate the needs of children. It's  really awesome how much God teaches me through my interaction with them as well.

After spending the day at one of my nanny jobs, I came home and ran into my dad walking toward his car. He stopped to look at me. He then told me that it looked like I had a rough day. Sure, I was on my feet more than usual. Even though I had a great day, I was extremely tired. I then went inside and looked in the mirror. I looked like it had been a horribly rough day.  My hair was in a disheveled afro puff on the top of my head. My eyebrows needed some shaping. I was in desperate need of a facial, manicure and pedicure. And the wardrobe had accents of baby ravioli all over.

While it isn't necessary to be top model ready upon leaving the house, it is important to put effort into the way we present ourselves. We can honor God even in our physical appearance! Even if you don't have much money and you're trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents, I'm there with you and we can still make it work! Here are some tips:

1. Learn how to do your own manicure and pedicure.
- It may take some practice to get a steady hand but it is possible. You can purchase fantastic nail polishes at your local beauty supply store for under $2 and nail polish remover is $1 at the dollar store. There are way too many Youtube tutorials out there not to be able to figure it out at home!

2. Learn the simple hair styles.
- For me, a twist out is not a simple style. It's easy but it takes a bit of work and it can easily go south. However, a bun is simple, elegant and no-fuss. Learn what hairstyles are easiest for your hair and work with those.

3. Create a routine.
- For example, once you put the baby down on Monday nights, it's "me" time. Do a simple DIY facial with inexpensive products you can find in the kitchen (lemons, bananas, yogurt, apple cider vinegar). Wednesday nights could be mani/pedi night. If you make a schedule and commit to sticking to it, you'll not only look better but you'll feel better as well.

I've inserted some of my favorite Youtube Tutorials & article links for different beauty regimens. Check them out. Some are more involved than others. You don't have to do them verbatim but if there's anything you like, try it out and customize it for yourself!

1. Smooth Heels (If you're a dancer like me, you already know the struggle! :)
2. Natural Beauty Remedies  (Great compilation list)
3. Problem Skin Remedies

Ambrosia is one of my favorite vloggers. Subscribe to her channel and check out more of her beauty tricks!



Shanel Cooper-Sykes is a teacher to the core. Her regimen is a little more than I can honestly commit to but I do think it's fantastic for those who can put in the time. Check both videos and see what works for you! :)

 

I'm going to do better! And I'm challenging YOU to do the same!!! We can do it, ladies!!!

Love What You Do!

So, I've always been told that when you love what you do and work hard at it, the money will come to you. I've seen that happen many times in the past with many people I know. It would happen on occasion for me but I occasionally put effort into the things I truly love to do. Sad, right?

Most of the world does the same thing unfortunately. 

However, that's not what this post is about. So, I was coming up with ideas for blog content. I never really have a hard time doing that. I can come up with plenty of ideas with no problem. So, when I was coming up with the content, I started to think about ways to put more money into my ideas without breaking the bank. I have plenty of projects I want to work on and share but projects aren't free. I was thinking about how I wish I was making more with the writing career and how I'd love to freely spend now. But, I made up in my mind that I would make up a plan to get there and execute it.  THEN....I remembered I had an Adsense account. I started an Adsense account when I started this blog a few years ago. I must've created the account and forgot all about it because when I say I NEVER checked it, I'm not kidding! So I logged into the Adsense account this morning and lo and behold, I made some money over the past couple years!!! I couldn't believe it! Granted, it's not "let's retire and move to Maui" money but it's still exciting to see cash that I can use to make my blog better! 

So I guess it's true! When you do what you love and work hard at it, the money will come to you! 

Have a great weekend!!!

What To Do

One of my close sister friends and I try to pray once a week with one another. We started doing this at the beginning of the year and even though we may miss each other some weeks, we have tried to touch base and keep one another in prayer on a regular basis. This past week, I asked for prayer when it comes to my relationships with others. I was deeply in need of clarity. I felt mistreated by people in my life and usually I look within first to see if it was something I could've said or did to hurt them. If so, I would have to go and apologize.  If not, there's usually some confusion. Hence, why I needed prayer. It can be really hard when you confront people about any misperception or confusion and they deny it. But you know there's been a shift. I was needing prayer on how to move forward and so that was one of my main prayer requests.

The very next day, I received a text from a friend. 

I'm really grateful for this. It clicked in such a different way for me and it is self-explanatory. Now even though it is self-explanatory, there was still something in my heart that wondered what I need to do if people ask about why I'm this way and not that way or accuse me of being a bad person because of blah blah blah. The answer came back as clearly as the questions went out: 

Never try to change the minds of those who have already made up their mind about you. 

...and that is all :) 

What do Jesus and the Internet Have in Common?

As a entrepreneur, it's really important to brand and market yourself. Admittedly, it's been a pretty steep learning curve but I'm up for the challenge! 

I was recently listening to a marketing podcast. The podcast was comprised of a panel of experienced marketers. The podcast was filled with 2 hours worth of great content but there was one statement that never left me. 

What is "it"? Well, this marketer was talking about the internet. She was coming from the perspective of someone who consistently puts content on the internet. When you are trying to build a business online, sharing valuable content consistently is really important. In addition to creating and sharing valuable content, it's really important to make sure that the content can be found. This is why plenty of bloggers, writers or anyone with a website should have a marketing plan which includes tagging, hashtags, and search engine optimization. Once you have those components in place, it becomes easier for the internet to "work on your behalf" and get you to the first page of Google. Getting to the front page of Google isn't something that happens overnight and dedication and consistency on your part, but it can happen. The internet can work in your favor because technically, it never sleeps. 

Here's where it gets better. God never sleeps and He is always working on your behalf. There's nothing you can do to change that. He is God and He never changes. Neither do His promises. What's so encouraging is that no matter how much I may try to lay out a plan (works, faith, etc), my plan will never match His faithfulness. There's no amount of work that I can put in that will compensate for what He's done and going to do for me. All He asks is that we love Him and keep His commandments. Most of us (if not all) break those commandments on a regular basis. This isn't to discourage you from pressing in toward Christ and being holy as He is holy. However, the Christian life is one that cannot rely fully on ourselves. We need a high priest interceding for us. We need someone sitting at the right hand of the Father petitioning for us. 

Be thankful that no matter how hard you work at being a better Christian, there is a God who sits high and looks low. He is always working on your behalf! Praise God! 

I saw this picture and reposted it to my Instagram a little while back. The message is pretty appropriate for today!
Be Encouraged! :)

Never Give UP!

I had to give myself a bit of a pep talk! Here was the end result! :)

Visions & Blueprints

I love art, creativity and color. One of my favorite pasttimes is painting. I was recently painting at my sister's house and when I started to paint, I had no plan in mind. I was so anxious to get started that I didn't think about what I wanted to paint at all.

As I started mixing colors, ideas came to mind.

At one point, I figured I'd channel my inner Frida Kahlo and do a self-portrait.

I changed my mind and decided to do something abstract instead.

The abstract idea quickly became lame and I continued to be stumped about what to paint. 

I started to doodle. 

I started creating a small house with windows, a chimney and purple grass. 

It was quickly getting bizarre.

I looked up only to see my sister laughing. She saw me trying so hard to make sense of what was on my cardboard canvas but it was a lost cause. I started laughing because I had to step back from it. What started as a relaxing fun hobby with my sister turned into a situation of mass confusion. We joked about how this is how our lives can be sometimes but of course, it sparked a more serious conversation. 

In Habbakuk 2:2, the Bible says to write the vision and make it plain. It's so important to have a vision and clarity about how to make it happen. You can have a saw, hammer, nails, and a crew of people to help build. But if you don't know what you're building or what you would like the expected outcome to be, anything goes. When anything goes, mass confusion usually ensues. 

If you'd like to create a beautiful painting, figure out what you want to create first. Come up with a pencil sketch. Make sure you have the right equipment and then begin to paint!

If you'd like to be a better Christian, carve out time to spend in the Word and in prayer. Find a church home and get involved.  

If you'd like to be a better spouse, get in tune with your partner. Speak to them in their love language. Get advice from an older couple whose been happily married for many many years. 

If you'd like to be a better business owner, get a mentor. Set company goals and implement ways to achieve them. 

These are just suggestions but you get the idea. You must have an vision and an action plan or else anything goes. You don't want that outcome. Connect with God and ask Him to show you ways to improve and then operate in what He's told you to do.

Be proactive. You can do it!

Nothing Is Impossible For You

Can you believe it?! It's Friday already!!! I've had a blast back in the blogosphere this week! Thank you for joining me on my first week back! I have so much to share to keep checking in! You don't want to miss anything!!

A couple days ago, I shared that I joined a 21 day soul detox. When I signed up to join the challenge, I didn't realize that I was also signing up to join the contest! Two days ago, I got an email from Ashley saying that I was one of the winners!!! How exciting!!! I'm thrilled! I look forward to receiving my gifts and looking forward to see what God continues to do through this awesome 21 day journey! For more information, please check out Ashley's instructions and information here. 

As previously mentioned, I've been incorporating music into my devotionals as a part of the detox challenge. My theme song for the challenge is "Healer". I am mainly listening to the Kari Jobe version live. The words are so powerful. Some of my favorite lines are:

1. You walk with me through fire.

2. Nothing is impossible for you. 

3. You're more than enough for me!

4. Jesus you're all I need!

To some this may seem super elementary but I'd like to challenge you for a second!

Do you believe those words? 

It's one thing to say that you know God is with you but do you believe it? Or do you constantly feel a pang of  fear, loneliness, desperation and anxiety? God is love and his love is perfect. Perfect love casts away all fear. When we cast ALL our cares on Him, a sense of peace and calm should come. You can't surrender the burdens to God and then go back and pick them up because devotion time is over. A walk of faith is a moment by moment thing. Faith doesn't just show up when you're in church praising God or when you say your grace before you eat. Faith needs to be exercised constantly. I believe it's a discipline or a muscle that needs to be exercised and strength! Have faith and the strength to let it all go and rest in what He can do!

Believe God today! He can do the impossible!

God bless you!