Summer Must Haves

Here's a list of my must have products and things for the summer!

1. Pillow Soft Curls

Perfect for a lazy summer day. It smells great and definitely works!

2. Love Does by Bob Goff

This book is seriously amazing. It's funny, thoughtful and has tons of powerful truths! And that's just with me being half way through!

 3. A beautiful one-piece swimsuit 

I think that two-pieces have their place, but nothing can beat a great one-piece! 

This one is especially fantastic!

4. Verge by Owl City ft. Aloe Blacc

Perfect for graduations! This upbeat song is totally Owl City with a little bit of a twist!

5. A Comfy but Cute Dress

Summer outfits need to be easy to put together and comfy but cute. This dress is an adorable option!

via

6. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

To. Die. For. Recipe here

7. Bananagrams

This game is perfect to play out on the patio as the sun goes down! And it's for all ages!

Buy it here

8. French Bread Pizzas

I haven't tried these yet but they look easy to whip up and delicious - so they're definitely going to be perfect for summer munching! Recipe from here

9. Caroline by Jon Foreman

As the lead singer of Switchfoot, it's pretty much a guarantee that anything this guy touches will turn to gold. This song is only available on Spotify at the moment but it's making the anticipation for his new albums (4 with a total of 24 songs coming out this year!) even greater! It's a beautiful background song for the summer.

Top 3 Faith Books of 2014

Here's my list of top three faith books for the year (in no particular order)!

1. Restless by Jennie Allen
To be honest, the start of this book took me a loooong time to read. Once I got about halfway, however, the honesty and openness of Ms. Allen's words really drew me in. The book is all finding how your gifts, passions, places and relationships weave together into the purpose that God has given us. The writing was refreshingly honest and powerfully convicting. I would recommend this to anyone who is in a stage of their life where they feel like they are moving but don't know what they are moving towards.

2. Chasing God by Angie Smith
This book was a soul-convicting, life-changing one for me. The openness and friendliness that Ms. Smith writes with drew me into a book that changed my perspective drastically. As the title implies, Ms. Smith writes about how she has spent her life chasing God and why that's not the way to go - why we need to stop living with a faith like that. Her honesty and candor make the words she writes refreshing and convicting all at the same time. I would recommend this to anyone.


3. Loveology by John Mark Comer
This book was a bit of a curve ball for me... It's not a book that I would usually pick up, but the cover and the name definitely intrigued me. Just like the title suggests, the book is a study of Godly and Biblical love - how it applies to marriage, to singleness, to being gay, and everything in between. He carefully unpacks each of these areas in a way that convicts but is still loving. I would recommend this one to anyone over the age of 18, but especially to anyone who is engaged or newly married.

Currently reading: The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst - so far so good!

Top Christian Singles of Summer 2014

 "Fix My Eyes" - For King & Country

"I'd love like I'm not scared, give when it's not fair"

 Bold melodies that will be stuck in your head all day (trust me on this one). It's got a solid message, even if it is a little different than their usual!

"It's Not Over Yet" - For King & Country

"To everyone who's hit their limit - it's not over yet"

Wow! Two killer singles off one album... in one summer! Only FK&C could pull that off! Hot (as in today) off the presses, this has some beautiful melodies and awesome lyrics. It's sure to be blasted out some car windows this summer!

"Lay It Down" - Sanctus Real

"Those problems you're worried about can't keep you from living now"

This one just popped up on my FB newsfeed. I love the simple truths that this band is consistently able to transfer into beautiful song lyrics.

"More of You" - Colton Dixon

"I've made my castle tall; I built up every wall; this is my kingdom and it has to fall"

This guy is a gem, and this song comes out of a heart that is truly committed to Christ - something that is cool to see coming off the stage of American Idol. Awesome truths and some great music... what more could you ask for?

"Hold You Up" - Shane Harper

"But the angels, they brought you, and they're gonna hold you up."  

 The main character in the hit movie "God's Not Dead," not only does this guy have some acting chops, but he's got some sweet song writing brains and vocals as well! 

"The Broken Beautiful" - Ellie Holcomb

"Your love can take broken things and make them beautiful"

I of course had to make sure there was some female representation in this list, and I think Ellie's song is the perfect addition to a summer playlist. It's light, playful and has some beautiful truths in the lyrics! If you haven't heard of her, do yourself a favor and check out her songs! 

"Hope In Front of Me" - Danny Gokey
"Even after all I've seen there's hope in front of me"
Another solid Christian that I first spotted on American Idol! This is full of insane truths, and paired with Danny's unique voice, this (in my opinion) is an amazing song! It's been on over and over for me so far this summer!