godly friendships

my cravings for closer godly friendships surfaced when i experienced community with those from my bible study group. i had been attending for years but it wasn't until i put effort into sharing my vulnerabilities that i began to see the importance of surrounding myself with other believers.

being intentional with friendships that mattered is something i place on my priority list, most especially with girlfriends. their is a sense of accountability that is unique when god is at the center of the bond. it challenges you, encourages you, & moves you out of your comfort zone according to his word.

while i feel it is important to have deep, authentic, meaningful friendships regardless of who is at the core of our beliefs, more & more i find myself desiring godly friendships & community. god answered my prayers when he reunited me with an old elementary school friend who i kept in touch with during junior high but lost contact with in our high school & our college years. social media re-connected us. we bonded over our love for crafts. one day we had a sweet reunion when i visited her in SF. we both came to know that we were no longer active in the catholic faith of our childhood upbringing but rekindled our love for jesus within the christian faith.  just a few months later i found out i was pregnant & she has been such a source of wisdom & guidance for me during my pregnancy. during the month i juggled 2 jobs & was to tired to go home, she let me take naps at her house. she sent me off with crackers to keep nausea at bay on my commute's home. she's a wealth of advice about what i "really" need as far as mommy gear. she encourages me when i have doubts if i will be a wonderful mother. she reminds me of god's calling. its a friendship that draws me closer to him & keeps me connected with god. i'm thankful for my answered prayer.

hello! its been awhile..

theirs been much excitement between my husband & i as we are expecting our firstborn child. however, this week i was filled with doubt & anxiety. will i be enough as a new mother. is my knowledge about jesus adequate enough to raise up a child that we hope to be disciple of christ? aside from the normal parental worries, that question has been lingering on my mind. what a gift & true blessing god has entrusted us with & we want to make sure we raise up our first born in a way that honors him. 

i stumbled upon this verse as i was reading up on mommy blogs. 

" and i am sure of those, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of jesus christ." philippians 1:6

it brought me peace as i wrestle with feelings of motherhood in this new season in my life. god put this sweet reminder of hope as we await the arrival of our firstborn child. he put me on this journey & called me to the vocation of marriage & motherhood & he will always be my side. 

for you, my god

i don't want to live a lackluster, lackadaisical, uninspired christian life. may the worldy view of success continue to dim in comparison to the deep, life altering, & unchanging view of sucess & love according to god. i want to live a life that matters to his kingdom. 

heart check

she spoke life giving words & prayed for me during seasons of extreme discouragement. she left a life restlenses & financial comfort to seek gods calling through an intensive 9 month christian centered mentoring & leadership training. what a true inspiration! she's become my mentor & im so thankful god made our paths cross. im thankful for this spiritual relationship that allows me to grow stronger in god's word. 

since coming back from her training, we have our almost weekly dates. sometimes we meet for coffee. sometimes we take nature walks. we check in with one another, pray over each other, & have "heart checks." is our heart aligned with our god given purpose? how's our heart feeling today & how can we better serve each other as sisters in christ? she blesses my heart. 

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, & all the more as you see the day drawing near.   hebrews 10:25

juice cleanse..the beginning

juice cleanse as a way to detox has been on my to do list for quite sometime. however, the cost of it has always deterred me from taking the full 3-5 day plunge. pressed juicery (at in store locations only) offers a one day cleanse & i thought this would be a great way to see if i can even last a day without solid foods. well..what do ya know, i powered through the day feeling full & confident that perhaps i can last a few more days of relying solely on nutrient dense juices from plants & fruits.  they recommend one bottle of juice every 2-3 hours but each bottle left me feeling so full, so i was stoked to have some left over juices for the next day. 

vanilla almond has always been my favorite from pressed juicery. its creamy, filling, & the medjool dates add a perfect amount of natural sweetness. other notable favorites were the greens #3  (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, apple, celery, lemon, & ginger) & roots #2 (apple, carrots, ginger, kale, parsley, romaine, spinach). the chlorophyll water is probably the cleanest water i have ever tasted! ive been reading & researching the benefits of chlorophyll & it looks like i may have to visit the vitamin store soon. 

aritzia

i recently introduced a co-worker to aritzia. it has been my go to place to shop on the very rare occasion that im in the mood to add staple pieces to my wardrobe. they are a bit on the pricey side but the quality is superb. im careful with what i choose making sure each piece can be wearable throughout all 4 seasons. she absolutely loved aritzia & picked up several items while i left empty handed as my search for a durable winter coat turned out unsuccessful. i donated most of my jackets as ive put quite the mileage on 2 in particular & it shows! like worn down..really shows! im still on the hunt for a jacket since winter will soon arrive & i have nothing heavy enough to keep me warm. in the meantime im hoping for layers of clothing & a huge scarf to keep me warm until i can find coat durable & heavy enough to not make me shiver (i get cold very easily).

aritiza..oh aritzia..i always leave lusting over items i can't have. i love their scarf blankets. it's huge, chunky, & can be wrapped around several times. all the traits of a great scarf in my opinion! & that sweater..oh that alpaca sweater. so soft & cozy as if i were wrapped in clouds of fluff! i wanted to take home both these items. however, i refrained. ive gotten quite good at this over the years *pats myself on shoulder*. it was fun to play dress up while it lasted. 

15, october

Jesus Calling | 15, October


"TRY TO STAY CONSCIOUS OF ME as you go step by step through this day. My Presence with you is both a promise and a protection. My final statement just before I ascended into heaven was: Surely I am with you always. That promise was for all of My followers, without exception.
The promise of My Presence is a powerful protection. As you journey through your life, there are numerous pitfalls along the way. Many voices clamor for your attention, enticing you to go their way. A few steps away from your true path are pits of self-pity and despair, plateaus of pride and self-will. If you take your eyes off Me and follow another's way, you are in grave danger. Even well-meaning friends can lead you astray if you let them usurp My place in your life. The way to stay on the path of Life is to keep your focus on Me. Awareness of My Presence is your best protection."

Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 12:1-2

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Lord God, 

During this season of awareness, help me learn to be still & listen. I am tempted to busy my schedule to avoid your voice because listening sometimes means dealing with with the darkness, self condemnation, self pity, despair, & these hard truths you are opening my eyes to. Help me to remember you are my place of rest. You are my protection.