Liebster Award!!

I am so excited to announce that I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Angela from Selfless Ambition. I am so honored to be nominated by Angela because she is truly one of my absolute favorite bloggers.  If you do not follow her blog, you should certainly stop by and check it out. 

So, the Liebster rules are:

• Share 11 Facts about myself
• Answer 11 Questions from my nominator
• Nominate 11 bloggers (with less than 200 followers) for the award
• Create 11 questions for nominees to answer

Facts About Me:

1. I LOVE to dance and started taking ballet when I was 2 years old.
2. My favorite food is pizza.  Yes, rather childish but I can’t get enough.
3. I broke my nose in 2^nd grade.
4. I am deeply thankful that God created taste buds.
5. I love pretty much anything that sparkles.
6. I think pearls match everything (tshirt and jeans or my most elegant dress).
7. Makeup is awesome and I almost never leave the house without at least a quick “dash out the door” look.
8. I like rules and schedules. 
9. I’m naturally fairly introverted but I’ve learned how to be extroverted (when necessary).
10. I only own 1 pair of tennis shoes.
11. I have 1 sibling, my younger sister, Casey and we are 9 years apart.

Angela's Questions:

1. If you were stranded on a deserted island with 1 other person, who would you want that person to be & why?  My husband! He’s funny and cute, we could definitely make it on an island together forever.  J
2. What is your best memory from the past 12 months? The day I found out I passed my Engineering Licensing Exam.
3. Your fave movie? Tombstone
4. Your fave candy bar?  Reeses Peanut Butter Cup (does that count as a candy “bar”??)
5. Name 1 person in your life that has influenced you the most.  My parents.
6. What is your take on J.Crew? Love it & shop there often OR cute but way overpriced? Cute but way overpriced
7. If you could have anyone design your home (and money was no object), who would you choose?  Ummm… no idea. I guess if money was no object, I’d have some research to do to discover which interior designers match my style the most.
8. If you could be on any reality show, what would it be?  So You Think You Can Dance! Of course this would require me to quit my job and train for 12 months before the show but hey, this is fantasy right?
9. Describe your ideal vacation.  Romantic city with lots of great historical or significant sites to visit.  Fabulous hotel with a great spa.
10. What is your middle name? Nicole                                                  
11. What is your fave song? This changes very frequently, but today I think… A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. I think this song is so romantic and sweet, and yes, it is from the Breaking Dawn soundtrack!     

 

 

My Nominees:

 

Inspire Motivate Love

Shaina Renae

Accidentally Wonderful

Old Things New

HighHeeled Mama

MyNew Favorite Outfit

The Daily Sarah Jane

Daily Icing

Blogging while single and over 30

Sweetness of Laughter

SMC by Design

 

Questions for My Nominees:

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. Favorite actor?
3. Favorite color?
4. If you could relive any day of your life which one would it be?
5. Coffee or Tea?
6. Describe the perfect date night.
7. Do you have any phobias/irrational fears?
8. If you could have any superhero power what would it be?
9. Who taught you the true meaning of love?
10. What is your favorite holiday?
11. What is your favorite thing to do when you have free time?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!!

Linking Up with Debbie-Doos Newbie Party  today!

 

Blog Party + GIVEAWAY!

Welcome! Today I am participating in a very special Blog Party hosted by Vicki from 2 Bags Full.  I’m so excited for this opportunity to meet other bloggers and find new blogs to stalk, oops, I mean read!  I am still quite new to the blogging world and I learn something new almost daily.  So far, I’m having a great time reading about the adventures of my fellow bloggers.  It is fascinating to realize that ladies across the country (and world) are experiencing the same life struggles, trials and joys that I am.  The blogs I’ve really grown to enjoy, to my own surprise, are style blogs.  Although, I make an intentional effort to always look “presentable” whenever I leave the house, I would by no means consider myself a fashionista.  So, I never expected to enjoy reading fashion blogs as much as I do.  I look forward to seeing my favorite blogger’s OOTD.  

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by my blog.  I hope you choose to spend some time and and take a peek around.  I created Pink Faith Today to encourage women to live out their Christian Faith with excellence in their daily lives.  For more details about the blog click here and here.  For more details about me click here!

As a special thank you for visiting today (and because I’m so excited about experiencing my first ever blog party), I have a special gift for one lucky winner.  In honor of one of my favorite holidays that is quickly approaching, I am giving away one of my personal favorite beauty products, a Mary Kay Satin Lips Set. 

The giveaway will run through February 1^st.  Just in time to have kissable, soft lips for Valentine’s Day!! The only requirement for entry is to answer the question… “Who, in your life, has taught (or demonstrated to) you the true meaning of love?”  Enter the giveaway below via Rafflecopter.

Best Wishes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2013 Goals

I’m not big on resolutions but I LOVE goal setting and do it throughout the year.   So, since we are entering into a new year, I thought I’d share my 2013 Goals with you.  OK, I admit that I’m slightly behind on this post but it’s still January and technically we still have 95.6% of the year ahead of us, plenty of time for me to accomplish these goals and then some.  For my visual friends, I made you something pretty…
 

 

For those of you a bit closer to my own personality type, keep reading for a more detailed outline of my goals.  You might notice that I really don’t have any gigantic goals this year.  The last few years, I’ve had some pretty big accomplishments and life changes and in 2013 I would like to focus on consistency, stability and balance.  I pray that my 2013 Motto and Bible Verse will help me stay focused on others.

2013 Motto:  I will be a blessing every day, in every way, to every person I meet.  

2013 Bible Verse: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  ~Matthew 5:16

2013 Goals
1)      Spiritual

1.       5 o’clock Club- I think, the concept of the 5 O’clock club is revolutionary.  The idea is that by waking up 2 hours early 4 days a week, you can add an entire day to your week! What could you do with a whole extra day??  Ok, so as exciting as that is, I have no intention of getting up 2 hours early every day.  But I will commit to waking up 1 hour early 4 days a week.  (ie. Add a half work day to my week, cool).  I put this in the spiritual category b/c I want to use the time for intimate time with God.  

2.       Relationships- I desire to deepen my existing spiritual relationships and cultivate more friendships with unbelievers, starting with my neighbors.  

3.       Words- I will ensure that the words I speak are edifying and uplifting. We are starting a “blessings jar” in our home (I’ll explain this in detail in a later post), I am reading through I Declare, and I am selecting a new “high energy word” each week.  This one deserves a bible verse for encouragement.

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” - James 1:26

2)      Physical

1.       Drink 4 bottles of water a day- This may sound easy but I do NOT enjoy drinking water but I’m learning to and I’ve found that the more I drink the more I want. Win.

2.       Yoga- once a week

3.       Complete a 5k- this has been a goal for several years now but this year will be different.  My sister is now a kinesiology major and we are going to run (or walk) on together, wahoo!

3)      Career

1.       Organized: For some reason, my desk and email inbox are consistently in disarray at my office.  I really do not like clutter and when things stack up it makes me feel behind on my work.  So I will make sure that at the end of each week my email box is clean as well as my desk.

2.       Star Consultant:  I have been a Mary Kay consultant for a little over 1 year now but have really only been committed to my business for about 6 months (prior to that I was focused on my engineering exam).  This year, I will make my business a priority and will be a Star Consultant, which will allow me to promote myself to the next level in my business. 

3.       Life Long Learner: Now that I am a licensed engineer, I do not want to become complacent.  My goal is to choose one aspect of the wastewater treatment process each month and master it… research it, read about it, visit treatment plants that have great examples of this process and soak in as much knowledge as I can.

4)      Personal

1.       Blog: At least one entry per week.

2.       Domestic: Basically, I want to be a better wife and homemaker.  I want to cook, clean and serve my honey.

3.       Europe!!!!!: This seems pretty self-explanatory, but I have a very deep desire to vacation in Europe this summer.

 So that’s it! This posted turned out longer than I anticipated, sorry about that.  But I think it’s important to have goals in every area of my life for balance.  I would like to point out that I am a HUGE advocate of SMART goals.  Although you can’t tell from my list above, all of my goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable, and Time Sensitive.  I just didn’t want to bore you with all the tiny details. 

Please feel free to hold me accountable in any of these areas and if I forget to update you, ask me.  I also ask that you pray for my success in these areas and in living out my motto and year verse for 2013!!

 Linking up with Prowess and Pearls today!

Daniel Fast: Day 1

Today is Day 1 of the Daniel Fast, 21 days of whole foods and wholesome talk.  For the next 21 days, I will eat only natural foods that come from the ground and speak wholesome words that lift up and encourage those around me. For additional details about the Daniel Fast, click here.  I have decided to make a few modifications but the intent of the fast remains the same…Natural foods, no meat, no sugar, and NO COFFEE.  Yes, I will be relying heavily on the Holy Spirit for strength on that last one.

Each morning I will spend time going through the book of Daniel to maintain the focus of the fast.  You can find the devotional here. The primary reason I have chosen to take part in this fast is to start the year fully focused on the Lord.  Those of you that know me know that I absolutely LOVE food, so this time of denying the flesh will remind me that God is my source and must maintain the number one place in my life.  I hope to draw closer to the Lord and simply enjoy spending time with my creator!

Just in case you are wondering, I will not forsake the OTN90 challenge during this time.  Take a look at my previous post, here, for details.  I will read the Daniel Devotional in the mornings when I wake and then spend the rest of my day listening to and reading the OTN90 passage for the day.

Each day I will have a prayer focus for the day.  So if I start to crave a food that I’m fasting from, I will immediately begin to pray.  My prayer focus for today is: a submissive spirit and loving words.

Prayer:

Thank you for leading me to a church that has a heart for you and consistently challenges me to find ways to draw closer to you.  I pray, Lord, that you would keep my mind fully focused on you in the next 21 days and throughout this year! I pray Lord that the elimination of certain foods would draw me closer to you and not in any way serve as a distraction to me.  ~ Amen

Joseph: Faithfully Loved

God’s Faithful Love.  What comes to mind when you meditate on God’s Faithful Love? I immediately think of His patience, eternal salvation, provision, grace and mercy.  I think of the many abundant blessings in my life that I do not deserve.  God’s Faithful Love makes me think of sunshine and happiness and many wonderful things.  I think that is the reason Genesis 39:21 jumped off the page at me so blatantly.

“But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.” (39:21, NLT)

 
Hmmm, wait a second… At this point in the text Joseph had just been falsely accused of rape by his boss’s wife and was thrown in jail.  Then, I read that as Joseph sits in jail (unjustly sentenced), God showed “His Faithful Love.”  Based on this profound verse, I need to reconsider the images I conjure up when meditating on God’s Faithful Love. Joseph was facing what must have been one of his darkest moments and yet the Lord was there showing “His Faithful Love.”  At first, this was surprising to me, but upon closer consideration it is beyond comforting to know that the Lord is ALWAYS ready and willing to show “His Faithful Love” regardless of my circumstances.  I just need to learn from Joseph and be ready to represent my savior under every condition and in every environment.  In spite of the seemingly negative circumstance, Joseph held steadfastly to his dedication to the Lord and in turn God made Joseph successful at everything he touched even in prison.

What area of your life is not going exactly as planned?  I challenge you fully commit this area to the Lord and allow him to show his Faithful Love to you in your darkest moments.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank you for the inspiring example of unwavering love for you that we have in Joseph. I pray that as the dark moments come, we will stay firmly planted and fully recognize your faithful love.  Help us not to grumble about the difficult times but to press into you more deeply.

 In Jesus name,

Amen

Boring or Beneficial?

Happy Tuesday All! Who’s ready to get this year started right with a reading plan???? I’m so excited to announce that my church has issued a challenge to all of its partners (that's what we call our members) to read the Old Testament (OT) in 90 days! I know I just lost some of you when I said OT but don’t stop reading yet.  I want to take a brief moment to emphasize the importance of the OT to each of us. The OT really is the foundation for all the rich text we love in the New Testament.  Skipping over the OT just to get to the NT is like not reading the introduction and first chapter of your favorite book.  Better yet, it’s like skipping the oh-so exciting “dating phase” of a relationship and going straight to marriage.  The marriage is great, but who wants to lose out on the fun of butterflies and discovery that comes in the beginning phase?? The NT is built on the laws, systems, covenants and promises of the OT!

I’ll be completely honest, there was a time when I would always chose to read a NT passage over an OT passage, if given a choice. Thankfully, I married a man that is an OT fanatic and after quite a bit of encouragement, I recently decided to start reading through Genesis.  Wow, is pretty much all I can say.  I LOVE this book.  There is so much drama, seriously, check it out! I would like to invite you to join me in reading through the Old Testament in 90 Days (OTN90).  The reading plan can be found here.  As we read, I will blog about some of the things the Lord is revealing to me through the OT and I would love to hear what you are learning as well!

P.S.

If you would like a bit more information about the Old Testament, you can find some great information here.

Top 5

Happy New Year!!

We are now officially into 2013. Each year at the beginning of the New Year, I am amazed at how quickly time has passed.  It is truly remarkable how much can change in 12 short months.  The New Year is so exciting to me.  It represents fresh beginnings, new possibilities, and dreams to be fulfilled.  I’m not too big on resolutions but I love to set (and achieve) goals!  But that blogpost will come later.  First, I think it is essential to take time to reflect on the past year and what the Lord has accomplished in my life in 2012.  2012 was a wonderful year for me, filled with love, stability, and dreams come true. Below is my list of Top 5 events in 2012.

2012 Top 5:

1.       Passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam: I took the Professional Engineering (PE) exam on April 13 to become a licensed Civil Engineer and received my (passing) score on May 29^th.   Words really cannot explain the shear excitement of achieving a goal that I have been work towards since my junior year in High School.

2.       One Rhythm: In January 2012, I was blessed with the opportunity to help launch the Children’s Dance Ministry at my church.  Two of my greatest passions in life are kids and dance and it has been so fulfilling to combine these two passions to glorify the Lord.

3.       June 26, 2012: My husband and I completed our first full year of marriage. All I can really say, is that the Lord blessed us so much to find each other and for us to be planted among a body of believers who love, encourage and support us. Our first year was the fairytale I’ve always dreamed of but so much more at the same time.

4.       Grand Canyon and Vegas: We took our first married (non-honeymoon) vacation to Las Vegas on Memorial Day Weekend and had a blast.  However, the true highlight of the vacation for me was the last day, when we visited the Grand Canyon.  This was my first trip to the Grand Canyon and it is absolutely breathtaking!  I stood at the rim of the Canyon and tried to take in all of its beauty and simply reveled in the majesty of my God that creates such splendor.

5.       Family Camping Trip: In November, we had a family camping trip.  It was so much fun! It reminded me of when I was a child and we would take family vacations with my family, my dad’s two sisters and their families and my grandparents.  Everyone was able to attend except for my youngest cousin who was away at college.  We sat around the campfire and laughed and talked for hours. Then we snuggled into our tents and tried to keep warm. Such a great time to share with the people I love.

 Hopefully by now you have already taken some time to reflect on the ways God has moved in your life over the past 12 months, but if not, do it now and share it here.  What were your Top 5 moments in 2012?