Wishful Wednesday: My Favorites

I love to go shopping, but I also really love online shopping.  Lately I've found some fun new websites with great deals that I just had to share with you all.  After all, I wouldn't want you to miss out on all the fabulous deals out there! Statement necklaces seem to be the eye catcher for me, but these sites also have great prices on home decor, fashion, and kid items as well.  I've bought some beautiful pieces from both sites recently, but there are still quite a few pieces I've got on my wish list.


Enjoy and happy shopping! :-)


GroopDealz:  This website has something for EVERYONE.  They update with new deals every morning which include items ranging from fashion to home decor, and more!  I've bought two really cute necklaces from them recently and have had my eye on a couple of other deals as well.  If you like great quality products for an ever better price, this site is for you!  Plus it helps small businesses which I love!! You have to be quick though because most of their deals only last 24 hours!

 

This is my most recent purchase from GroopDealz, but I bought mine in mint.  Only $6.99 and free shipping!

Simple Addiction:  Ok, so I only found this page a few days ago, but I had to exercise some very good self-control to not buy every piece of jewelry on their page!  The one piece I did purchase was this gorgeous white/cream and gold colored statement necklace that I've had my eye on for probably a year now.  Everyone else sells them for $30+ (I refuse to spend more than $20 on a necklace, and even that is pushing it for me), but this site had it on sale for $5.95!!!  Um yes please!  Needless to say, it will soon be joining my wall of jewelry.  I love this page because they too update with new inventory every week which means their unbeatable deals are always changing. Seriously, go check them out!

This is the necklace I mentioned above.  Only $5.95 and $2 shipping! They still have them in stock and it comes in three colors, but hurry the deal ends soon.

Ok, well now that I've put a dent in your wallet, enjoy the rest of your day.  Hopefully we'll get to enjoy some nicer weather soon!

This post is not endorsed by either GroopDealz or Simple Addiction.  

Opinions stated above are solely my own.  

Pictures are from the GroopDealz and Simple Addiction websites.

2014 Goals

This post probably should have been written closer to New Years, but I kept putting it off.  Every year I think of some things I'd like to accomplish, but rarely actually see them through.  I think most of that comes with the fact that there's no accountability.  If no one knows I'm trying to pursue something, then there's no grief or embarrassment of failure when I don't complete it.

This year, I'm hoping to end that unhealthy cycle and actually work to accomplish some specific goals.  One way I can help keep myself accountable is by sharing my goals with all of you.  If anyone on the great world wide web can see my goals then I have quite a bit of accountability to keep me motivated! Plus, it's helped in the past to blog about my progress as a means of self-accountability (and it gives me something to write about when writer's block hits :-) )

So here goes.. My goals for 2014 (in no specific order):

• Enhance my photography knowledge
• Learn how to take better pictures
• Document life more often through photography with my new camera!
• Organize my photo files on the computer

• Improve my overall fitness level
• Lose 50 pounds by the end of the year (a little over a pound a week starting now)
• Strengthen my back and core
• Take up a new form of fitness 
• Make it a point to do some form of physical activity at least 30 minutes/day

• Improve my quiet time
• Begin working my quiet time into my morning routine instead of always doing it at night
• Start a new devotional

• Decrease the overall time I spend on social media each day

• Begin pursing my dream of becoming a wedding planner
• Study and learn more specifics of the industry
• Explore wedding planning agencies in the area

• Become a better reader
• Read at least two books this year (this may sound silly, but for someone who NEVER reads, this is a big goal!)

• Become more responsible and aware with my financial planning
• Create a budget
• Save more/spend less
• Start saving for future needs/dreams - like a new car!
• Continue to improve my organization of ministry finances 
• Pay off all interest on my student loans and increase my payments above the required amount as much as possible

• Blog more!

So there you have it.  My rather long and ambitious list of goals for this year.  I may not get every single thing done, but I certainly want to try and complete them all on some level! Keep a lookout for future posts on my progress!

Weekend Recap

What an amazing weekend this has been!!

My weekend started off with a trip to High Point to spend Valentine's Day with my old roommate, Jessica Rose.  Neither of us had plans, so we decided to get dinner, see Safe Haven, and catch up.  I haven't seen her since October and have really missed hanging out with her every day!  I forget how long the two of us can sit and talk, without ever running out of things to talk about.  We sat on her bed for like three hours catching up.  It was SO nice to spend some time with her.  I couldn't have asked for a better valentine's day lol!

I also spent Friday and Saturday with Grey Stone's youth helping out at Metamorphosis.  A few weeks ago, I was asked to be a small group leader for our church's Metamorphosis Weekend.  I said yes immediately, because I have always LOVED Metamorphosis (formally known as D-Now).   When I was in the youth, this was an event I always looked forward to.  I loved having college aged group leaders come in and teach us, I loved the scavenger hunts, and how it always seemed to make our youth group grow closer together.  I still remember the small group leaders who taught me and how much of a difference they made in my walk with Christ.  I was SO excited to, again, get the opportunity to have that kind of impact on a young person's walk.

Our theme this past weekend was Upside Down.  We taught the students how Christ came and turned this world upside down.   How he changed our world forever, and how it was our job to continue that cycle.  We went through a study teaching students how they can turn our current world upside down and that the change must start with them.  It was so cool to watch God work in their lives!  This was the first D-Now event, that I've helped with, where the students genuinely seemed to want to know more about Christ.  Almost every student really wanted to be there, not to socialize with their friends (even though that was a perk), but to learn and grow in their own walk. 

I led the High School Girls with Sheena & Lauren.  The three of us leaders hit it off right away and really clicked on our teaching methods.  We met before each lesson to make sure we had a plan and were all on the same page.  I loved getting to hear their thoughts on how they interpreted the message and then getting to add my own thoughts into the mix.  What would have been a great bible lesson with just one of us teaching, turned into an AMAZING time for the girls to learn.

Our girls asked some very difficult questions, and pushed us leaders to not simply teach the lesson provided, but to truly teach them about every area of Christ.  I was genuinely blown away by their willingness and eagerness to learn.  I think we all made some great connections this weekend, and I truly hope and pray something we said will stick with these girls forever. 

We challenged each of our High School girls to find one thing that stuck out from the weekend, more than the rest, and to really take the time to explore it further and help it grow in their life.   I also loved that one of the lessons challenged us leaders to ask every student where they wanted their walk with Christ to go, and how they planned to get there.  Hearing these girls' dreams and steps they planned to take was so encouraging.  We have some GREAT leaders that are about to turn this world upside down!  I just ask that you would all join me in continuing to pray for the students who participated this weekend.  That they would no longer be comfortable living how they currently are, but that they would have the courage and boldness to turn this world, their world, upside down for Christ!

Today, and over the course of the weekend, God has truly blessed me by letting me see some of his plans for my life come together!  As you all know, I'll be moving to Haiti sometime in the next year.  When I told everyone that, I still had a lot of unanswered questions, and still do.  However, the opportunity to go to Haiti in April has opened up, where I'll get to meet Amber and really try to get some plans put into action.  She and I have been talking about living together, and will be looking into apartments/housing options during that week.  We are also going to work on getting that building, or at least getting an idea of how much money we'll need to raise for it.  I know God has HUGE plans for this trip, and I am so excited to meet Amber, work with her, and watch His plans unfold!

I posted a note on facebook last week, asking 5-10 small groups/Sunday School classes/churches/ businesses/etc if they would be willing to sponsor $100-$200 for this trip.  I've already got some people on board (a pampered chef party, a parent's night out event with camp, and some Sunday School classes donating) and have been so blessed to watch God take care of the financial needs.

God is absolutely amazing, and blows my mind away EVERY day with his love, guidance, provision, and grace!!  Please continue to keep this journey in your prayers!!

Haiti here I come (again)!!!!!!!!!

My Journey to Haiti: Part Three

These last couple of months have been filled with the most eye-opening and amazing moments, all of which have been orchestrated by God!

Let me give you a little bit of background that I left out of part two.  Once I hit that moment of realizing that God wanted me in Haiti and I had to give him control and join the ride, fears/worries of different kinds started creeping in my mind.  You see, I graduated college last year in May, and I knew my loans would be entering into repayment VERY soon.  Most college graduates have 6 months after their graduation date before that repayment period begins.  Around the time all of this realization took place, I was about 3-4 months away from having to make large loan payments.  I went into the loans websites to get an idea of how much I would be looking at paying each month.  I have 3 loans, through 2 different organizations, and came to the understanding that I would be paying around $350/month starting December 2012.

Yikes!! That's all I could think.

At this point, I had no job, no prospect of a job, was contemplating moving to a fifth-world Country, and honestly had no clue how those payments were going to take place.  Honestly, I panicked.  I thought there was no way I could ask people to support me each month to live in Haiti AND ask them to send enough to make those payments.  I just didn't feel right asking people to do that, nor did I think there was any way people could do that.  I reached a point where I figured my only option would be to find a job, work for a year or so, and save up enough money to make those payments before I could move to Haiti.

To say I was bummed and feeling discouraged was an understatement.  The job search had yielded absolutely NOTHING, I didn't have a peace about working in design any longer, and truthfully felt like I had run into a brick wall that I couldn't find a way around.  I kept praying and asking God to show me a solution to this problem.  I know God is bigger than any financial hurdle, and I simply had to trust that he would take care of it.  Until then,  I had to keep looking for jobs and going about life.

During this whole ordeal, our team was preparing for our upcoming (my fourth) trip to Haiti (Dec. 2012).  We were raising the funds, gathering supplies, planning our week, and getting really excited for the upcoming adventure.  I prayed constantly that the Lord would use our team in ways we hadn't even thought of.  That He would go ahead of us and prepare the hearts of those we were going to see, as well as prepare us for the journey.  I prayed that He would use this trip to make my calling clearer, and give me a better understanding of his plans for me in Haiti.  I prayed every way possible over our trip.  I knew God had big plans and I was so anxious to see how they would all unfold.

About a month before our trip, I attended the Missions Committee meeting at Grey Stone.  I spoke with Randall that night, and he really pushed me to make the move, step out in faith, and wanted to know when I was going.  I jokingly laughed and brushed it off, knowing that I was still afraid and genuinely had no idea when or even if things would ever get to that point.  It wasn't until I was on the way home that it hit me...

God had taken care of my financial hurdle.

A week prior, I received a letter in the mail letting me know my first loan payment was due.  That payment was through CFNC, on one loan, and was a $50 payment.  When I went online to make the payment, I realized I hadn't heard anything from my other loan company.  I went on their website and realized that they had my loan listed as not going into repayment until 2015.

2015!!!!

I didn't realize it at first, but on the car ride home that night I broke into tears over the realization that God had just cleared the path.  He had given me a 2 year window where I could go to Haiti and not have to worry about paying the  $300/month.  This may seem so silly to some of you, but in that moment I felt more blessed than ever before.  I've heard of this kind of thing happening to people who are faithful with their giving, but I had never experienced anything this big before. 

So let me recap:
I have no full-time job holding me back.
I no longer have to worry about a $300/month payment.
I am single and don't have a family that needs me here.

There was no longer any reason that I couldn't go to Haiti.  Nothing at all was standing in my path.  I had to go!!  I had to; and this was the absolute perfect time!!

I loaded that plane with our team on December 28, 2012 knowing deep in my heart that this was not a trip where I was just visiting.  I was no longer going simply to love on the people of Haiti and visit old friends.  For the first time, I was going to make plans for a full-time move down there!  The best part, was that we were staying with Jim & Debbie Hambrick, who took me on my first trip to Haiti.  It was so fitting that the people who helped me fall in love with Haiti would be the ones who helped me move there full-time.

If you read my blog posts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) after we got back, then you know how incredible the trip turned out to be.  God worked in my heart in ways I hadn't even imagined.  He opened up some doors, reaffirmed once again that Haiti would be my home very soon, and created some lasting friendships.  After talking with Jim, Debbie, and Donna that night, there was no longer any question or fear in my mind.  Even though some hard questions were asked, and I knew the journey would not be easy, I finally felt 1000% at peace about everything.  My heart was fully in love with Haiti, and I finally announced to my family and everyone else that I was moving to Haiti!!!!

Through this whole process I have come to realize just how amazing God is.  He orchestrated all of this from the time I was born, and will continue to work in my life until my time on earth is finished.  I have come to appreciate my relationship with the Lord so much more than ever before over the last few years.  Even though so many thoughts, decisions, and actions deemed me unworthy of this relationship, I am so grateful to serve the Lord who forgives ALL sins and loves us anyways.  I am so thankful that He never gave up on me and has loved me unconditionally through every stage of life. 

I've learned that no hurdle is too big for God.  If it's His will, He will see that it comes to pass.  I've learned to relinquish my fears, worries, and concerns and trust that God is bigger than anything I could ever come across. I've learned that God uses our weak moments in life to shine just how big his Glory is.

If he can use me: a 22 year old girl with a messed up past, then he can use you too!  I never in a million years would have guessed this is where my life would take me, but I am so glad this is where I'm going.  I know this story is still being written, and that it's still in its early chapters, but if God has done this much already, I can't wait to see how the rest unfolds!!

Please keep me in your prayers as I take each step in Faith.  Please keep this journey, wherever it may take me, in your prayers.

I say this a lot, but we genuinely serve an AMAZING God yall!!  If you are reading this and have never given your life to Christ, or are on the fence, take it from me:  jump in with all you've got!!  You will never, EVER, regret it!!  If you have questions, or would like to know how to give your life to Christ, please ask!! I would be honored to share that with you!

So here we go!  Part four is just beginning.  I can't wait to see what God is going to do!

My Journey to Haiti: Part One

I've started, stopped, re-started, and deleted this post multiple times.  I can't seem to find the right words to do justice to this story.  To give enough praise and honor to God, who has orchestrated it all.  It's such a large story that I feel too small to write.

However, it is my story.  It's the story God has taken me through and continues to write.  It is my job to follow God's call, and share all of the spectacular things He has done in my life.  The whole point of this blog was to encourage, challenge, and inspire others through my story, and I know if I don't share the most important story of my life with you I would do more harm than good.  While I am not proud of all the steps that it took to get me to this point, they were all crucial and equally important.  God uses those hard, painful, and even shameful moments in our lives to shape and mold us into the people He wants us to be.  While I don't enjoy sharing my sinful moments, I know that God can use my story to mold other people, so I must be faithful in sharing the good, bad, and all the in between moments up to this point.

So here goes...Let me give you a little background of how I came to know the Lord, because lets be honest:  I wouldn't be here today, sharing my story, if that had never happened :)

When I was six years old, a close friend of mine shared the ABC's to becoming a Christian with me.  (A- Admit that you're a sinner and acknowledge that you need Christ to forgive you,  B- Believe that Jesus is God's son and he came to Earth to pay the penalty for your sins by dying on the cross, and C- Confess that Jesus is Lord and commit your life to Him.)  My friend had just finished VBS at her church, and was so excited to share this with me.

Now, I grew up in a loving Christian family who always took me to church.  Our family was there, no questions asked, every Sunday Morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night.  I was no stranger to the ABC's, but in that moment I finally got excited about it.  I remember jumping off the swings in our backyard, and running inside to tell my mom about my decision.  We met with our Pastor, and I got baptized shortly after. I remember how excited my family and friends were. I remember another close friend of mine getting saved around the same time, and the thought of being baptized together was so exciting for me.

Needless to say, I had a 6 year-old's mentality of what it meant to be a follower of Christ.  It's honestly hard for me to say if in that moment I truly understood how huge the commitment, I was making, really was.  I know my family and pastor would not have let me get baptized if they didn't believe I truly understood, but I genuinely don't remember what I knew at that age.

I do, however, know that from that moment on I looked at myself as a Christian.  I remember always making it a point to tell my friends about my beliefs.  I loved being "the Christian girl" in my group of friends.  It was something I took pride in.

And then, high school came.  Oh high school....the four years of my life I regret the most.

High School is when I truly lost myself.  I got in a very unhealthy relationship (which I was completely blind to at the time),  I pushed my parents, family, and friends away in every unthinkable way.  All I cared about then, was myself, and that relationship.  Anything that got in the way was simply unacceptable, and I did whatever possible to remove the hurdle.  I get knots in my stomach just thinking back at all of the horrible things I did and said, to so many people back then, that I truly loved and cared about.  If I could redo anytime in my life, it would be that time.

I am not proud of those years.  I ruined so many relationships, hurt so many people, lost track of all things good and Godly, and totally lost myself along the way.  I had fallen so off course with where I wanted my life to be, that it honestly, felt impossible to repair.

I still claimed to be a Christian during that time, and always made it a point to tell my friends.  I tried to justify my sinful actions, and make excuses to hide them.  I had gotten so far off course from what it meant to be a Christian, that it's a wonder my friends ever believed me when I said I was a Christian.

Luckily, we serve a great God.  One who NEVER gives up on his children, no matter how hard we try to push Him away, and no matter how many times we sin.

It wasn't until college that I finally stepped back and realized how far my life had gotten off course...

Stay tuned for parts 2 & 3.  This story was too big, and too long, for one post :)

Where Do I Start??

10 days...

Is that really all it's been since my last post?  It feels like months to me!

The past couple of weeks have been packed with all kinds of things.  I've found myself blessed beyond belief amidst all the craziness that has been happening lately.

Last Tuesday I got my wisdom teeth removed.  I've had 19 teeth surgically removed, so I wasn't really worried about having four more taken out.   I wasn't looking forward to having it done, but it needed to happen (while still on mom and dad's insurance :) thanks mom!).   The whole process has been pretty good.  I didn't have much swelling or pain at all.  My jaw has been a little achey, and I don't particularly care for the taste/feeling of the incision site, but that is to be expected.  I'm finally reaching the healing process (Thank you Lord!), and am eager to have my mouth back to normal.

I've also kind of been working over the last month.  A few weeks ago I posted on Facebook that I was looking for some odd jobs (babysitting, design work, organizing, etc) to start saving up for the move to Haiti.  I was shocked at how many people reached out to help!!  I've really enjoyed meeting new people, helping out any way I can, and having something new to do each day.  I've also created some great new contacts through all of this, which will be so helpful when the day comes to really hardcore fundraise!

Lately I've been helping a mom of 5 twice a week.   She just had baby #5 so I've come in to give her some time off to relax, heal, and get things done without five kids screaming her name.  Their family is great and have been such an encouragement.  Her kids instantly opened up to me and it's been really fun every time I've gone to help.  Plus I get to hold and cuddle a 3 week old baby, what's not to love!  Seriously though, it's been such a blessing!

Now I'm starting to help another young woman and her husband with household needs (running errands, cleaning, etc).  I met with her today and was so encouraged to hear how strong their faith was. They have/are setting up their guest room with a Missions theme so that anyone who stays in their home will either be encouraged in their walk with the Lord or have a chance to learn about God.  People always say "your mission field is where ever you are."  This couple has truly grasped onto that concept and it was such an encouragement!

I've found myself the last two weeks feeling discouraged and unsure about the move to Haiti.  Not in the sense that I was questioning it, I just felt like things weren't moving and I SO desperately want them to.  After spending some time in the Word I realized that my feelings of discontentment were because I had let my priorities get out of check.   I had begun focusing on working, money, getting the answers, etc, and I forgot to make God the first and most important priority in my day.  After some serious praying and asking God to help me refocus my thoughts and priorities I can already see an improvement in my mood, outlook, and contentment.   I asked God to light me on fire for Haiti again and show me what step to take next.

No surprise here....He answered!!

On Sunday I was SO encouraged by people at our church.  Lots of people have come up to me to say they are praying for me, and ready to support me when the time comes.  Other families are already saving up to help me in the fundraising.  Another amazing thing: Mom told me that the church of one of her coworkers has committed to supporting me as their missionary for the year. All of that, plus these jobs I've been getting has really encouraged me.  It lets me know that God sees me, and He knows exactly what I need.  He is already going ahead of me and preparing the way.  I am so thankful to serve a God that loves me THAT much!  He has never, and will never, leave me or forsake me.  He knows my needs and provides them.   I feel incredibly, INCREDIBLY, blessed!

And just when I thought God was done encouraging me for the day, I got a message from Amber.  She is on her way back to Haiti and will be staying through April.  Her goal is to get that building, and I am SOOO very excited to see how it all plays out!!  Please join me in covering Amber, this building, and her mission in prayers.  If she can get the property, things will really get moving!  Please pray that God will bless her time in Haiti.  Pray that He will guide her path as she begins the journey to purchase this building.  Please pray that God will provide an affordable property for her to use (even if it's not this one!).  Pray that He will be her strength, comfort, and provider.  Pray that even on the hard days, Amber will feel God's presence and guidance.  God is faithful to hear and answer our prayers;  please please pray!! This is SO important!!

We serve an amazing God.  A-MA-ZING!

I promise my next post will be about how God has gotten me to this point.  It's a big story to tell, and I want to make sure I do justice to it.

Escaping the Limbo: I'm Moving to Haiti!

My biggest God moment of the entire week in Haiti was Tuesday night when I sat down with mom, Donna, Jim, & Debbie to discuss how I felt called to Haiti.  The conversation started with just mom, Donna, & I over a game of Rummikub.  I don't really remember how it got started, but I vividly remember how it went and how it ended (lots of tears, excitement, expressing of fears,  overcoming those fears, and lots of encouragement through it all).

Donna (Jim's sister) is a motivational speaker, and is now working with Jim Debbie at their House of Hope in Haiti.  To say that she has a way with words is an understatement.  She asked me some very difficult questions and really pushed me to get out of the limbo of not knowing.  When she and I started talking, I was in a place of maybes, what if's, and I don't knows.  I wasn't 100% sure of God's calling or if I was able to do what He was asking.  I knew God had been laying some pretty big stepping stones up to this point, but I felt like I had run into a wall.  I was questioning where I'd work in Haiti, where I'd live, what I'd be doing, how I'd raise the money, etc.

It wasn't that I didn't want to go, I just felt like the journey had come to a stand still, and I wasn't sure how to get it moving again.  I was also still in a place of exploring working as a designer here in the States, and trying to mesh the two together somehow.

Basically I was full of excuses.

Donna put it bluntly (which I most definitely needed!!) that if I were raising these questions about anything else in life, I would go get on the web or begin getting connections to answer these questions.

Duh Allyson!!

I had let my fears, and overwhelming amounts of questions paralyze me.  Instead of taking steps forward I just froze and stopped trusting that God would show me the way.  Donna pushed me to let go of the "I don't knows"  & "I don't cares" and to begin taking steps forward.  She, Jim, & Debbie all encouraged me by saying, that once I began taking steps forward to follow God's call, whatever they may be,  that the ball would begin moving again and it would all fall in place.

So, here I am now saying to you all that I am no longer pursuing a career in design, I am no longer letting the fears or questions paralyze me, and I'm taking the first step forward by announcing this:

I'm moving to Haiti to do full-time Missions!!!

I still do not know when I'll leave, where I'll be working, where I'll be living, or how much financial support I'll need to raise, but the move is going to happen!  My hope is that I'll be down there by the end of the year.  I've already started talking to some contacts Jim, Debbie, & Donna gave me about possible opportunities.  Nothing has been decided yet, as there are a lot of details that need to be figured out first.  I'm pleading with you to cover this journey in prayers.  The power of prayer is a POWERFUL tool that we all have access to.  I would be so appreciative if you could remember me each day as you pray.

One specific prayer I'd like to ask you to lift up is for Amber Hasson & the ministry she is trying to start in Haiti (Amber is one of the contacts Donna gave me).  She is trying to start a trade school for young men & women in the Ravine (see previous post).  From what I understand, she is hoping the school will provide them with access to education learning basic skills that can assist them in getting jobs.  She is also hoping to provide a daycare area for parents, so they can work without having to leave their little ones at home alone.  I haven't heard the full expanse of her dreams for this place, but what I do know is right now she is in her own place of waiting.  There is a building right by the Ravine that she is hoping to buy and fix up to run this trade school in.  She is in the process of trying to figure out if it is for sale, if so how much, and if it is something she could afford.  As I spoke to her about the possibility of teaming up with her in this journey, she seemed excited, but explained that nothing can move forward until the building is purchased.  She asked that I pray with her over this, so I am asking you all to do the same.  If it is God's will that this building become a place for his work, I know it will come to pass.  Here is the building she is hoping to buy:

Please join me in covering Amber, this building, and her mission/dreams in prayer!

I don't know yet if this is where God will have me work, but it would be an honor and a joy to partner with Amber.  Until then, I will do my part, and that is to pray and support her.


As for some other steps I am beginning to take in following God's call:  
-I'm planning to start learning Creole.  Every missionary I spoke with last week urged me to learn the language before I come full-time.  They all said it makes life much easier and your work more effective.  So here's to learning Creole!! I'm pretty excited about this step!

-Begin creating more contacts in Haiti and exploring mission opportunities for me.

-Take a trip back to Haiti alone to do this networking & exploring.

-Begin trying to save up as much money as I can, while I try to get a better understanding of how much I'll need to raise before I can go.

-Pray, pray, pray, & Pray some more.  Along with faithfully trusting God every step of the way.

-Begin taking on more mission opportunities here at home.  Jim made a very good point that if I'm not sharing God's word at home, then there's no way I'll share when I'm there.  I need to make an even bigger effort to share God's word every chance I get here.  I need to break through some of my self-doubts and insecurities and just go full force.  Practice makes perfect right?!  A couple of ways I've already agreed to are by being a small group leader for our church's upcoming youth Metamorphosis weekend, and by agreeing to be the Director at Grey Stone Kids Camp again this summer.  These are two HUGE witnessing tools, and I'm excited to go even further than I have before with them both.

-And then, along this whole journey I will be trying to discern God's specific call for me in Haiti.  I seriously cannot ask you enough to cover this in prayer! It is a HUGE step in the process, and one I find myself worrying about often.  (That's the planner in me!  Trying to let that go and trust God with the plans!).  Once details are figured out the fundraising and specific logistical plans will begin happening.


I am so so SO very excited about this next chapter of my life.  I have never felt more at peace about a decision before, and I cannot wait to see how God will use, challenge, and grow me through it all.

I'm moving to Haiti!!!!!!

God Moments: Wednesday in Haiti

Wednesday was a very emotional and moving day for me.  I knew our plan was to walk the ravine and visit Pastor Cenor's orphanage.  I did not, however, know that God was going to break my heart in more ways than one, push me to consider options I'd never thought of, or encourage me at the end of it all with a good laugh.  God is pretty incredible like that.

Wednesday morning we woke up, had a fabulous breakfast (thank you Donna & Debbie!!) and walked over to Sherrie's place. Sherrie Fausey runs a school/orphanage/feeding program/everything just down the street from Jim's place.  I worked at her place back in 2009, during my first trip to Haiti, but this was the first time in three years that I got the opportunity to spend time with her and see what all she does again.  Sherrie gave us a quick tour of the school (side note: that place is HUGE now!), and then proceeded to walk us up to the roof; her favorite spot.  From her rooftop you get a complete 360 degree view of Port au Prince.  You could see the ocean, the mountains, and everything in between.  It was stunning!

(View of the ocean from Sherrie's roof)

As the team stood around admiring the view, Ken asked Sherrie if she would tell us about how she got started in Haiti.  I knew all about what Sherrie has been doing in Haiti, but I had never heard the story of how she got started.  To fully understand how much her story meant to me, you need to know that just the night before I spent a couple of hours talking with Jim, Debbie, Donna, and Mom about my calling to Haiti.  It was an emotion filled conversation with lots of added encouragement, challenges, and direction (more to come on that soon).  As Sherrie told her story, I felt Jim looking at me, but I also felt God saying "SEE!!  IF SHE CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU! JUST DO IT!!"  At the end of her story Sherrie said "If you feel like God is calling you to do something but it's scary, and you feel completely inadequate or unable, then He is definitely calling you, so just jump in feet forward!"  She said, "It feels like you're stepping off the side of a cliff and that you're going to fall 1,000 feet, BUT if you're following Gods call then He is walking with you, and will not let you fall."  

And then my heart started racing.  Tears were welling up in my eyes and it was another one of those moments where there is absolutely no denying that God was calling me.  I've had quite a few of those moments over the last few weeks.  They are insanely scary yet the most peace-filled moments you can imagine.  I've written quite a bit about my fears in moving to Haiti; how I feel completely inadequate and question "Are you sure God?? You really want ME?"  After this week, there is no doubt in my mind that He is sure.  He wants me there. He has orchestrated every single tiny detail up to this point to get me to where I am. It's crazy, but I've never felt more at peace about any decision than I do right now.

After Sherrie shared her testimony, she walked us down to the Ravine.  For those of you that do not know about the ravine, it is basically the slums of Haiti.  These people have next to nothing but their little concrete block, one room home, and a tin roof where their entire family lives.  Their houses are situated on the ravine; a river filled with sewage, waste, and everything else.  This water is what the people drink from, bathe in, go to the bathroom in, cook with, wash their clothes in, etc.  Until you see it first hand and experience the poverty yourself, you cannot imagine what these people must go through each day.  

 (Danny crossing the Ravine)

(Mom crossing the Ravine with Jim's help.  He was so graciously willing to step into the trash and parasite ridden water to help us across.  Thank you Jim for your Servant's heart.  You are an inspiration!)

As we walked through (and across) the ravine, I found myself in awe of the people who live there.  With my selfish American spoiled mindset, I found myself thinking these people should be angry, saddened by their conditions, broken even.  But what we found was nothing of the sorts.  Every. Single. Person we passed had a smile on their face.  They greeted us with "Bonswa" and "Alo" around every corner.  Kids ran out from behind their curtained doors to grab our hands and walk with us.  The people came out to help us navigate our way through the maze of a tent city.  They were the most loving and gracious people we encountered all week.  These people who have every reason to be mad at the world, love it in a way that I can't even comprehend.  They are grateful for what they do have.  They never forget the joy a smile can bring.  They jump at the opportunity to hold your hand and express their love to you.

In this realization I found myself feeling guilty for all of the selfish thoughts, actions, and motives I have each day.  I have NOTHING to complain about, yet we as Americans find things daily to groan over.  We are blessed in thousands of ways, yet we are still not content.  I was encouraged and challenged by these people to find contentment.  To love regardless the circumstances. To smile even when things are hard.  To love fully and unconditionally.

(Sherrie talking to a mother about her child)

And then, just when I thought my God moments were over for the day, I was wrong (no surprise there).  After we left Sherrie's Jim told us about this sweet elderly lady that lived down the street from him who was in her final days of battling cancer.  He went into her home to see how she was doing and to ask if we could come in and sing to her.  She was not having a good day, but agreed to have us anyways.  I was not prepared for what lay beyond that door. We walked into a tiny little concrete block home.  It was dark, hot, and just a tiny little fan was blowing.  And then we saw Elizabeth.  

(Elizabeth & Jim. Picture taken from Donna Tyson's blog)

Jim was sitting beside her on the bed.  She had only a sheet on and it was covered in blood from the tumors that had come through the surface of her skin and broken open.  Her right arm was swollen, and her left one was so frail.  She took all of her energy to sit up and greet us.  Mom started us off and we sang hymns to her while she used what little energy she had left to sing along with us.  As we sang How Great Thou Art, my heart was breaking. I will never be able to sing that song again without seeing Elizabeths face or thinking of her (I broke down on Sunday at Grey Stone when they started singing it).  Here was this incredible Christian woman, fighting her way through her last days on this earth.  She was pain ridden, bleeding, frail, and dying yet she still found the strength to praise God.  When we finished singing, Jim asked if someone would like to pray for her.  It was all I could do to not break into an uncontrollable sob, let alone get the words out to pray.  He prayed over her, and at the end said to her, "When you get to Heaven, your pain will end.  You will have a healthy, strong, and cancer free body.  And when we get to meet you in Heaven one day, we will be able to sing those songs together in the same language."  What an incredible picture that was.  How joyous Heaven will be.  I only spent a few short moments with Ms. Elizabeth that day, but she will forever hold a very dear place in my heart. I cannot wait to see her singing, dancing, and praising God one day in Heaven, with her healthy body!

After visiting Elizabeth we headed back to the house, ate some lunch, and then headed out to Pastor Cenor's orphanage.  I've met Pastor Cenor twice now, but had never gotten the opportunity to see his orphanage.  His place and the kids were great.  We all noticed how well behaved and polite all the kids  were.  While the kids ate lunch Pastor Cenor shared his testimony with the team.  

(Pastor Cenor and his wife)

I heard his story back in 2009, but it is an incredible testimony.  He shared about how real and evident demons are in Haiti.  Here in America, we don't face demonic possessions or see their power first hand, but we have our own demons: like technology, pornography, hatred, etc.  The Devil knows just how to get in between us and God, and here in America it clearly doesn't take much.  In Haiti however, they experience evil in a much more head on way.  Pastor Cenor shared about how VooDoo spirits took over his mother, how he escaped from that world, how he came to know Christ, and how he has led many VooDoo priests and followers to Christ over the last few years.  It's an incredible story, that I simply can't do justice to with my own words.   I was encouraged, however, to hear his story and about how big his faith is.  He will do anything the Lord tells him without question.  He's incredible.

Now, I mentioned above that God also spoke to me that day through laughter.  Before we left for the orphanage, Debbie mentioned that we should ask the kids to sing and dance for us.  We had no idea how much fun it would be.  The kids danced and sang their heart out (see link below).  The workers were cracking up with laughter and we ended the day on such a fun note.  It was a beautiful reminder to me that God see us and he knows just what we need.  He is faithful to guide us, direct our paths, push us to new beginnings, expand our comfort zones, and use us for his goodness; but he is also faithful to fill us with joy and a happiness we cannot explain.  He blesses us with those moments where we can sit back, laugh, and enjoy His creation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opJmtfGVnVo

We serve a Mighty God yall.  One who loves us more than we will ever understand.  This was just one day of how God worked this past week.  I'm just getting started so stay tuned.

Haiti God Moments: Dorothy's

As you all know, Dorothy's orphanage holds a very near and dear place in my heart.  I absolutely love her, the work she's doing, and all of the kids.  It warms my heart every time I get to hug Dorothy's neck or bend down and scoop up an armful of her kids.  I love it there.

This time around, however, our trips to Dorothy's were different than the past two trips to Haiti.  Because we were not staying at her place, we did not get to see the kids as much as usual.  While I missed seeing the kids as much, I found staying at Jim & Debbie's allowed me to return more rested and energized.  I was much more open and ready to play with the kids this go round.

It was also really incredible when we pulled up to Dorothy's house the first day.  This was the first time mom got to experience where I had been staying and working over the last year.  As soon as we got out of the car, you could hear the kids screaming "Cassie-Allyson!! Cassie-Allyson!!"  Mom thought it was cool, but I found myself giddy with excitement to go see them.  Cassie and I ended up rushing out to the backyard so we could wrap our arms around the kids.  I completely bypassed the guests in the house, and forgot to show mom, Amy, and Amanda around first.  Those initial moments, seeing the kids for the first time in 7 months, and them screaming with excitement to see us is a feeling you can't describe, you just have to experience.  I eventually went back in the house and introduced mom and met the guests.  One of the ladies inside introduced herself to me and asked my name.  When I said my name was Allyson, she goes "Ooh!! You're the Allyson the kids keep asking for!!"

And my heart melted.

They don't just remember me when I pull in the driveway.  They ask for me by name even when other guests are there.  Cassie put it best when she said in that moment she realized that the kids love us.  We both know how much we love them, and we hope and pray we can make an impact on their lives and provide a loving support to them, but it wasn't until that moment, that we both really understood for the first time that they do truly love us.  We have impacted their life, in a positive way.  They love and miss us just as much as we love and miss them.

Love.  It's such a powerful thing.

I experienced this moment again when it came time to leave Dorothy's on the last day.  I had been dreading saying goodbye to the kids, as it is always hard for me.  This time however, I was holding back tears all morning.  When I went outside to say goodbye, Johnny ran, jumped in my arms, and just hugged me as tight as he could.  When I couldn't put off goodbye any longer, I whispered to him "mwen renmen ou" (I love you in Creole).  His head popped up and he grinned and said I love YOU!

And my heart melted again.

He understood.  Not only did he understand but he responded with the same love.

It was in that moment that I got a glimpse at how big God's love is for us.  I recently read a book called Kisses From Katie, about a young girl who moved to Uganda to do mission work.  Right before we left for Haiti, I watched this clip where she shared about how she understood how massive God's love is through the adoption of her children.  She said that while we are not direct biological children of God, like Jesus is, He still loves us just as much as he loved Jesus.  In that moment, where I found myself loving this child as if he were my own, even though he did not come from my body, I understood how big God's love is.  He loves all of us just as much as he loved his very own son, Jesus.  What an incredible and inspiring love that is.  Katie verbalizes it better in this audio clip:

It never ceases to amaze me at how God shows His love for us.  He did it in so many ways this past week, but when Johnny looked back up at me and said he loved me, it was as if God himself said I love you. Just as you love this little boy, I love you even more.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." -1 John 3:1 

"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." -2 Corinthians 6:18

(Me & Johnny being silly.  January 2013)

What an incredible God we serve!

"Tears in My Heart"

Day two in Haiti has been wonderful.  We got up early and had a delicious casserole and grits for breakfast (we're being spoiled beyond belief).  We headed out to Pastor Cenar's church around 7:30.  At first I didn't recognize his name or the church, but then Jim reminded me that Pastor Cenar is the one who used to run the rooftop church we went to in 2009.  They used to have this great rooftop on the side of a huge mountain where they could use the loud speakers and everyone on the mountainside could hear the service.  It was a really cool experience and such a great witnessing tool.  Unfortunately, that property can't be used since the earthquake, but they have a great location close by.  

Haiti churches are always fun to attend. They worship and sing for over two hours before the message is even brought.  This isn't your traditional hymns, stand around and sing quietly church.  This is a scream, shout, dance, clap, get on your knees, or whatever the Lord puts on your heart kind of church.  They worship in ways you've probably never seen in an American church.  I may not have been able to understand much of the words they sang, but I worshipped right along with them!  Randall got to preach, and it was a great message.

After the service, Pastor Cenar took us around to see the school he's just built on the church property.  While we were in there, he explained the story of three women he had previously asked Randall to pray for during the service.  These women unfortunately are in the difficult and desperate situation of prostitution.  This is not a lifestyle they want or wanted to choose, but it has come down to either selling themselves to feed their family, or having no food.  This story really challenged all of us today.  It puts into perspective how beyond spoiled we are in America.  We may not have the newest phone, car, or nicest clothes, but I'm pretty sure none of you have ever been forced to decide between starving to death or selling your body.  It's a heart-breaking story.  These women want out so bad.  They know their actions are wrong, but what choice do they have?  One woman is basically a slave to the guy paying for her.  If she were to leave him she would be forced to completely uproot her family to a different location in fear of him killing her.  I can’t even imagine being in such a desperate, heart wrenching, painful, and difficult situation.  Pastor Cenar pleaded with us to lift these ladies up in prayer.  He said I have “tears in my heart for them.” I’m pleading the same thing to you tonight.  They want out, but need God to provide a way.  Randall preached today that there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you less.  He loves us all just as we are with a love so strong we can’t explain it.  He said that God loves you no matter what you’ve done.  I think the ladies really needed to hear that message today, and I’m hoping they found some hope through it.  Please keep these ladies in your prayers.  Pray for their safety, guidance, and for a safe way out.  Please also keep the guys they are with in your prayers.  They need to find the Lord just as much as these ladies.  A change in their hearts would do wonders.  It breaks my heart, and while I wish I could do more, we were all reminded today that prayer is such a powerful and wonderful tool that we all have.

The rest of our afternoon was spent pretty much relaxing here at the house.  We had a great lunch (leftovers from last night), most of the team got a nap, and we had time to recuperate and get ready for our bible study at the Phillipino UN.

Jim & Debbie over the last few months have been hosting a weekly bible study with some of the soldiers in at the Phillipino UN.  The soldiers just recently switched out, so everyone there tonight was new. It was an exciting time to see another area of ministry here in Haiti.  As these men and women get to know Jim more over the next few weeks, this ministry will grow and grow.  We also got a good laugh while at the UN because all the soldiers wanted pictures with “just the ladies.”  At one point Amanda, Cassie, and I were trying to get a picture of the three of us and all the men asked to get their picture taken individually with us.  We got a good laugh out of it; It was like we were celebrities.  So if you see 50 new pictures of us on Facebook tagged by a bunch of random guys, you’ll know where they came from!  Ha!

It’s been a really good day.  We had a great dinner, played some bananagrams, phase 10, and have been blessed with power all day! That’s such a blessing! I am BEYOND excited to see Dorothy and the kids tomorrow.  So excited, I hope I can sleep tonight!  I hope you are all having a fabulous week, but I’m sure it simply can’t compare to ours!

More to come tomorrow after I see all my babies and hug their necks!! Have I mentioned I love this place?

Goodnight!

Don't Give up

Last week was a really hard week for me.

I didn't blog much because I didn't really feel like admitting my feelings, short comings, or frustrations.  I didn't want to accept that I didn't get the job, and I knew blogging about it would mean it was definitely true.  I didn't want to talk about my feelings because I wasn't just disappointed, I was angry.

Very angry.

With myself,  employers, and the whole situation. I was angry with people not understanding, and with having to relive the ordeal every time someone asked me about the job.  And honestly...I was angry with God. I couldn't understand (and still don't completely understand) why things weren't working out.  I couldn't understand why He gave me this passion, but no job to live it out.  I was angry that I worked my butt off for the last four years to be the only person in my design class that can't find a job in design.

It was a very frustrating, devastating, and anger filled week for me.  I'm not proud of it, but I handled it the best I could.  I still don't understand why things aren't working out how I would like, but I've learned I'm learning to just go with it and find contentment where ever I am, doing what ever I'm doing.

This is hard for me. Please don't think that I've got it all together, because I definitely do NOT.

However, the other night when I hit my "I can't do this anymore/cry out in anger to God" moment, as crazy as this may sound, I felt like He spoke to me.  Not in an audible standing in front of me conversation way, just an inner peace through the words of a song:  "Don't give up." I can't explain why this song popped into my head at that moment, other than to give me a little pick me up and encouragement from his Holy Spirit.  I hadn't heard the song in days, and at first I didn't even realize I was singing it in my head while I laid in bed crying.  I've probably heard the song twenty times on the radio over the last year, but had never really taken the time to listen to the words (I do that a lot with songs). I immediately grabbed my phone and looked the song up on YouTube.

I can't fully explain that moment to you.  I remember feeling like an idiot for questioning God, but found myself crying and thanking Him for the reminder of hope. It was like He said "I see you, I know how hard this is, I know what you're thinking and feeling, and I've not forgotten you."  It was a one-of-a-kind, you have to experience it yourself moment to truly understand.

Maybe you're like me and feeling completely defeated lately.  Feeling like you're stuck, with no hope, and just revolving in an endless circle.  This song helped me, maybe it will do the same for you.

I have no idea what tomorrow will hold, let alone next week, month, or year, but I'm choosing to trust God.  He never promised our path would be easy, but he did promise to be there for us.  I saw this the other night, and it was a definitely needed moment for me.

Whatever you are struggling with tonight, God knows.  He sees you, he knows your thoughts, fears, frustrations, dreams, and concerns.  This may not be where you want to be, or feel like you should be, but God's plans are larger than anything we could dream up on our own.  Trust Him.  I know it's not easy, but it is necessary.  He will take care of you! When you feel like you can't go on anymore, Don't Give up!

Thursday Thoughts: Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!  

Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays.  I love the time together with family, the reminder of how blessed we all are, and the food...I mean come on, who doesn't love the food?!?  But seriously, my absolute favorite part is getting to spend time with my family.  Un-rushed, relaxed, one-on-one time with family where our main focus is each other.  It's like Christmas without the presents, which almost makes this holiday better since no stressing over gifts is necessary.  I love the holidays!

How does your family celebrate?

My family always makes it a point to get together and enjoy a ridiculously large amount of food, combined with lots of reminiscent stories, laughing, and hugs.  On Thanksgiving day, we spend time with my mom's side of the family.  The location varies each year, but a pot luck meal is always to be expected.  My favorite items of this meal are the macaroni and cheese (I know, no surprise there) and my great-grandmother's cake (or at least my Aunt Missy's best attempt at it, which is just as good!).   This cake is literally to die for.   It's incredible.

Then on Friday, we head up to my Grandma's and spend the rest of the weekend with my dad's side of the family.  Since they live two hours away, we typically spend the weekend to make the drive and gas go a little further. The best part about this meal is Grandma's stuffing.  I like stuffing, but her's is a-ma-zing! Friday's dinner is also where I can typically be found laughing so hard my sides hurt.  I mean you put Pa, Andy, and the rest of the family in one room together and this is only to be expected (anyone that knows Pa knows what I mean).

I literally love this holiday, too bad it has to come and go so quickly.  However, in true thanksgiving fashion, this post would not be complete without a list of the things I'm thankful for.  So here goes:

I am most thankful for:

• My Savior.  I know I say this a lot, but I can never truly express how grateful I am to have a Lord that loves me so unconditionally that He would send His only son to die for me and you.   I'm so thankful that my Lord is not only unconditionally loving but that he is full of grace, mercy, guidance, forgiveness, and goodness.  I'm thankful that He pushes me every day to be better than I was the day before.  I'm thankful that he never gives up on me.
• My Family. This may seem cliche, but I seriously have the best family ever!  I'm so thankful that they love me unconditionally, support my dreams, push me to grow, and teach me how to be a better person every day.  I am most thankful however, that I am blessed to have a family that taught me to love the Lord and show me the importance of having a relationship with Him. They never give up on me and I can't thank all of them enough for that!
• My Friends. A few years ago I did not have a lot of close friends in my life, due to some very selfish decisions I made.  It wasn't until college that I learned the true importance of friendship and formed some of the best relationships a girl could ever ask for.  I'm so thankful that my friends support me through anything and everything, and that they laugh hysterically with me through it all.  I'm thankful that my friends are always there when I need them.  That they teach me to be more patient, understanding, and loving of all people.  
• Laughter. This may seem silly, but I thank God a LOT for the gift of laughter.  It is by far one of my favorite things in life.  The way it brightens your day, lifts your mood, and is oh so contagious.  You simply can't have a bad moment if it's filled with laughter.
• The simple joys in life. You know, things like a comfortable bed to crawl in each night, food on the table every day, an abundance of clothes in your closet, or the joy of enjoying your favorite items.  And then there's things like the way your heart races when you meet a guy you like, or the comfort found in a hug from a loved one, or for that high you get after a job well done.  There are so many little things in life we take for granted and today I'm reminded to be grateful for them all.
• Second chances. I love the freedom, forgiveness, and sense of hope that comes with second chances.  I've seen this recently in my life and it truly is an incredible blessing.  To give and receive forgiveness and form a stronger relationship from it, is an amazing gift that I am so thankful for.
• Haiti. You all know how much I love Haiti, so it's no surprise that I am thankful for the country, people, and friendships I've formed there.  My only regret is that I cannot wrap my arms around those sweet children in Haiti and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving in person; but I do send my love to them!
• Love. Love is the greatest gift any of us can ever receive or experience. It is the glue that holds this world together, creates bonds, and blesses relationships.  I never ever want to take love for granted, it's a true blessing!
• The unnecessary blessings in life. Like my car, iphone, computer, TV, music, movies, etc.  All of these little things that make life that much more enjoyable can be so easy to overlook.  It's easy to forget that they are blessings, not necessities.  I am thankful that I am able to enjoy all of them, but am reminded that they can be taken away as easily as they were given, and I'm thankful for that.
• Hope & Dreams. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I am a dreamer.  Sometimes the things I dream up can leave me disappointed, but usually they remind me of how powerful a little hope can be.  When things get hard, I'm grateful to have that hope and promise of a future as written in Jeremiah 29:11.  I am thankful that the Lord gives us a hope and that we have everything to look forward to, even when things are really hard.
• My education. I am so thankful to have been born and raised in a world that allows education to be readily accessible.  I'm thankful that my parents pushed me to be more and allowed me the privilege of going to college.  I'm thankful that my education allowed me to explore my hopes and dreams.  I'm thankful for the opportunities that my education has and will continue to bring me. So many people in this world never get the chance to go to school, I am so thankful that I was blessed with the opportunity. 
• Our Freedom. I am so thankful to live in a Country where we are all free. I am beyond thankful for the sacrifice all of those who have or are serving our country give.  I can't thank all of our service men and women enough.  You may our world a better place, thank you!
• My sweet puppy dog. Again, this may sound silly, but I am so thankful for my sweet puppy.  I'm thankful that his cuddles, sweet face, and cuddles can brighten any day.  I love how he lights up when we get home, and always wants to be in the same room as us.  He is a part of our family and I love him oh so much!
• Everything. Literally, there is nothing I'm not thankful for.  My life has been beyond blessed.

Hope you all have an incredible, joy filled Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Drooling over these

Ok, so if you've been following any of my posts on Facebook or on here recently, you probably noticed I've entered a LOT of giveaways.  The reason for this is because, one of the blogs I follow does a HUGE set of giveaways each year.  In order to enter those giveaways (each one valued at easily over $700 each) you have to like all of the participating vendors' Facebook pages.  At first this might seem a tad overwhelming, BUT most of the vendors in these giveaways are small businesses.  Lucky for all of us who liked their pages, they get really excited when they hit big milestones like 2,000 or 5,000 fans.  I would say almost half of the vendors I've "liked"  have done an additional giveaway on their personal pages for reaching these big goals.

I say all of this to say that because of the BIG giveaway, I have found my new favorite online shop.  It's called Personalized From Me to You.  They specialize in custom monogrammed goodies.  I overlooked them at first, thinking this would be just another monogram store, but don't be fooled like I was! They have absolutely STUNNING pieces.  Everything from monogrammed scarves, sunglasses, home decor, and jewelry.

Oh the jewelry!  I'm swooning over all of it!!  Seriously, if you love jewelry go take a look.  BUT be warned, you're going to want to buy every. single. piece!

At the moment I'm eyeing their cut out monogram ring.  I don't typically wear rings, but this one is special, one of a kind, and so cute!!  At first the $70 price sounded outrageous but when I googled other stores I found that $70 is a steal, seeing as how they retail at over $200 at other stores.  I haven't bought it yet, because well...I still don't have a job, but no worries it will be one of the first things I spoil myself with when I can! Here take a look, I'm telling you I've got to have one!!  (Size 9.5 in gold if you'd like to buy it for me.  ha!)

And if that piece doesn't have you drooling, this monogram necklace will!  I've been seeing gold monogram necklaces everywhere, and have entered every possible giveaway I can find for one.  If I don't win, then well I'll just have to buy my own one day or ask for it for a Christmas gift.  They're gorgeous!

Seriously, I'm in love with this shop!! I wish I had an income and could actually afford their jewels!!  For now, I'm going to keep window shopping (via computer screen).  Here are some of my other favorite pieces:

Monogram Candy Bracelet

Wooden Monogram Large

Large Purse with Interchangeable Monogram

eGift Card

How'd that last one get in there!?!  Haha oops ;-)!

Seriously go check them out, you're going to love it ALL!

**All pictures, products, and links are from www.Personalizedfrommetoyou.com, they are not my own!**

Quick Tip Tuesday

Don't be afraid to mix and match prints when choosing fabrics for your upholstered pieces. As long as the colors coordinate and one print does not over power the others, mixing prints works beautifully!  I heard a trick once to help make your job easier if you don't fully trust your fabric-mixing/picking abilities (yes I made that up).

It's called the "squint test".  Lay out all of the fabrics you're considering and squint your eyes.  If one pattern stands out a lot more than the rest, then discard that fabric and pick another.  If they seem to all blend together then you've got a winning selection.

When I performed my design test at Ethan Allen, he praised my ability to mix patterns and fabrics.  I didn't use the squint test, but hey not everyone has gone through design school!

Here are some samples:

Friday Free-For-All

I am proud to announce that I have reached the 10,000 view mark on my blog!! 

Not only was the 10,000 mark hit, you all made the 10,000th view on my 200th post!!!  I'd say that's pretty impressive!  That means if this were a perfect world and everything averaged out correctly, I've had 50 views on each of my posts!  That's incredible!

I started this blog in June of 2010 with the intent to heal my broken heart and have a place to spill out all of my thoughts.  I never in a million years would have guessed that people would actually read it, take time to invest in getting to know me through my words, or that I would be sitting here today healed of the broken-heartedness that began this blog 2 1/2 years ago.   People I don't even know have taken time out of their lives to read a little bit about mine.  It's crazy for me to even think about that, yet so encouraging!  I've had readers in Germany, Russia, Australia, India, Brazil, Latvia, and that's just to name a few.  Technology is a truly incredible thing, and I am so thankful to have such faithful readers who not only care about my life but have encouraged me so much over the last couple of years.  Thank you so much for your kind words and giving me the push I've needed, over and over, to pick myself up and keep going.  You'll never fully know how much that means to me.  But thank you, 10,000x!

What's to come for the next 2 1/2 years?  Well, you'll have to stay tuned to find out, but I hope it will only grow and become more of what it is today.  I will maintain the personal side of my blog, as I find it very therapeutic to write out my thoughts.  I also hope to increase the amount of blogging I do, on design topics/tips/ideas etc.  I hope the next 2 years will be filled with wonderful memories, limited brokenness, and lots of joy for me to share with you!

In a more true Friday Free-For-All post let me update you with the happenings of my life the past couple of days:

-Yesterday I had an interview that went really, REALLY, well.  But that's all I'm going to say for now because I don't want to jinx it!  More to come on this soon!

-Last night I went to the State Fair with Erin & Stephen.  I learned that it's not as much fun as I remember growing up, but the Fair will probably always remain on my must-do list each year.  I'm a sucker for traditions.

-I learned that fried foods are simply not as enticing when they cost $6 a pop.  Same goes for the rides at the fair.  I paid $5 to ride the ferris wheel, but that's all the money I could stand to dish out!

-Speaking of money spent at the fair, I got out of there spending only a whopping 12 bucks!  That's got to be some kind of record! ($3 of that I could have saved if I had looked at how many tickets the ferris wheel would require before I bought them.  Oh well!)

-Tonight Erin & Stephen are coming over for dinner, because mom misses them!  As Erin and I say, this simply adds to our on-going joke that she is the favored child around these parts!

Other than those few points, that's about all that's been happening around here!

Oh for all of you wondering about the giveaway....it will be posted on my blog the beginning of next week!! Stay tuned and you could win some fabulous jewelry!!

Happy Friday!

Quick Tip Tuesday

Painting a small room, like a half bath, in a rich/warm color will create a more intimate and cozy space.  Dark colors can be overpowering in large spaces, but are great in small doses.  Your first instinct may be to paint small areas in lighter colors, but try switching it up.  Trust me it's beautiful!  Here take a look..

 Don't understand the angle of this one (guess they were trying to show off the ceiling) but it's beautiful!

 We all know how much I love grey. 

Ignore the rose kleenex box and soap dish, the brown is beautiful!