Monday, July 30, 2012

Faith that can Move Mountains

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

I think that a lot of us Christians struggle with the fact that while one of our friends might be a great person, they don't have Jesus so they won't get to heaven. Today I came across a picture of this verse (http://pinterest.com/pin/76631631130251393/) and it hit me in a way that it never had before.
  
We can be an awesome person, we can be the best volunteer, the best scientist, the best mathmatician, the best peacekeeper, the best teacher, the best whatever, but if we don't have love we are nothing. 1 John 4:7-9 says:  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 

God is love. God  is love. God is love.

If I speak in the tongues of men, but do not have God, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have God, I am nothing.

Me and greatness without God is nothing.
Me with God equals things beyond our wildest imaginings.  

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Book Review - Tour de Force

Tour de Force by Elizabeth White
Gillian is a ballerina with talent and she's got the body, the work ethic and the attitude to prove it. When Ballet New York gives her a bit of time off to perform at a festival in her hometown, she jumps on the chance. When she meets Jacob, an ex-BNY dancer, she is confused at what God is doing. As she dives deeper into her role in BNY and works with Jacob on a fantastic idea for a ballet, she can't begin to see what's around the corner. And what is there might shatter her dreams and ambitions forever.

Although I read a lot and have a lot of "favorite" books, when I finished this one for the second time I decided that this one is definitely in my top five. I think that it is a fantastically written book on fear, faith and learning to trust God with your life. I recommend it to anyone, even people who haven't danced before.

CD Review - Homemade Worship by Handmade People

Homemade Worship by Handmade People - Rend Collective Experiment
This funky, worship-filled, unique CD is a perfect addition to your summer playlist. Every song is packed full of meaningful lyrics and phenomenal musicality. From the banjo to the harmonies, this Irish band, is unique and passionate about God.
My favorites from the CD were The Cost and Desert Soul.

Friday, July 13, 2012

All that I am

Desert Soul by Rend Collective Experiment

Faith

"Faith isn't just about what you think God's doing in your life. It's about the effect that He's going to have on everyone else's because of your obedience."
- Shelley Giglio

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
- Hebrews 11:1

"Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” "
- Matthew 21:21-22

"Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods."
- C.S. Lewis

"Faith in God includes faith is His timing."
- Neal A. Maxwell

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Pattern Mixing

Pattern mixing is a fantastic way to get more mileage out of your clothes. Here are to examples on how to wade into this great trend!
Stripe on StripeStripe on Stripe
If you're not too sure about this trend, try starting out with a simple mixture of the same pattern. A smaller stripe with a bigger stripe looks great. It allows you to pair items that you wouldn't normally pair and wear your favorite pieces more often!

high waist skirt, blazer and pattern mixing. classyBe Bold!
Ready to dive right in? Try mixing two different patterned pieces (like this metallic stripe and animal print!). My favorite right now is pairing polka dots with floral.

Book Review - The Rose of Winslow Street

The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden
Libby's summer holiday is interrupted when she and her father find out that her house has been taken over by a family from Romania. Determined to get it back, they quickly head back home. The family, the Dobrescus, are a family full of secret but they seem to have a legitimate claim to the house, which worries Libby and her father. As Libby spends more and more time with the family, she finds herself caught further in the web of what is going on. Could she lose her family by following her heart, or will her need to be loved by her father take her in a different direction?

I absolutely adored this book. Though it was different than her last book (The Lady of Bolton Hill - which was fantabulous!), Elizabeth Camden is such an amazing writer that I enjoyed it even though it was different than what I was expecting. I love her style of writing and how you really get to know the characters. I also found this plot very intriguing and I liked learning a little bit about Romanian history.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Stars

God's promises are like the stars, the darker the night the brighter they shine.
~David Nicholas