Little Life Lesson Link-Up!

I am so excited to be linking up with Lindsay today! I love the lesson she has shared on her blog and I hope that you find that same encouragement in this post.

I want to share with you ladies a few things I have learned recently about Biblical womanhood.

My church is doing a series on Biblical manhood but they also hosted an event last night for all the single ladies (and also all the married ladies, but I just like to sing Beyonce whenever I get the chance) and taught us what Biblical womanhood really means.

Before this event, if you would have asked me what I thought Biblical womanhood meant, I would have probably said things like:

A woman who serves her husband well

A woman who is nurturing with her children

A women who tends to her home

A women who hosts church events at her house and greets people at the door in her apron- Susie Homemaker style

Ya know, Proverbs 31 type stuff.

So how does a single twenty-something year old like me achieve Biblical womanhood when none of the things above apply to me?

I don't have a husband

I don't have children

My home is a one-bedroom apartment in a "Keep Austin Weird" kinda neighborhood

But I do have an apron...so I mean, I have that going for me.

How do I embrace Biblical womanhood when I feel like the Proverbs 31 woman inside of me is being held captive by a pair of Spanx and some fake eyelashes?

I run to these truths:

(These truths are ones shared with me last night by great women leaders in my church)

1. Women uniquely express the affection and kindness of God

At any stage in our life, a woman can be kind and gentle to those around her.

2. Women can still display the image of Christ unmarried

In the role of marriage a husband loves his wife like Christ loves the church. So if we are not married, and we are to be like Christ, then we are called to love our church. And we can do so by serving our church body well.

3. Single women can still make disciples

Without the commitments of marriage and children, we have more free time for The Great Commision. After all is there anything more Biblical than making disciples?

The good news is God doesn't use us based on our relationship status, He uses us based on our personal relationship with Him. 

Biblical womanhood doesn't happen when I get married, or have children or cook barefoot in the kitchen (kidding) but Biblical womanhood happens when I live my life in the image of Christ. In His image is where I find my identity and my womanhood.

The only way for a lady to find her real role as a woman is to seek for it in the heart of her Savior.

Sweet Tea Social

Hey y'all!

(or should I say ladies, but this is for Texas women so y'all seemed more appropriate)

I am excited to join this new community of bloggers!! Bloggers have to be one of my favorite groups of people, not only because I am one of them but because they are usually creative, fabulous and jacked up on coffee, or in our case...sweet tea.

Should I also reveal that my older sister is Brandi of "Realities With Brandi"? Because she is.

I am excited about our tea party, mainly because I am not a coffee drinker and I am excited to see another blog embracing the idea of drinking tea!

If we were sitting on a porch, rocking our chairs out in the Texas sun, these are a few things I would reveal to you about this past week:

1. I am training for a 5K! I am not a runner, and living in Austin where every one and their mom runs races makes me a tad embarrased to say I have to train for a 5K. But I am and I'm owning it!

2. I'm going to start doing yoga. Mainly so people can call me "Yogi Barrera". Kidding. But this recent yoga kick is brought to you by my (totally hipster) neighborhood grocery store offering free yoga classes on Monday nights! Are any of you ladies yogis?

3. I'm reading an awesome new book by my pastor Matt Carter and former UT football player- Colt McCoy. It is a book on Biblical manhood but as a single woman it is teaching me a lot about the man I should be looking for.

4. I would also ask you if you have any tips for getting your dog to take his flea medicine. Mine has learned that those huge, yet delicious, peanut butter sandwiches have a nice, big chopped up pill hiden in them. You can only imagine what me on the floor wrestling with a 60 lb. pit bull-mix would look like. This is what I have resulted to, people!

5.  Lastly, I would ask you about your week. Something to know about me is that I love coffee dates (the ones I drink tea on but you get the point). I love investing in friendships with women and being an encouragement to them in their daily lives.

So how are you new friend?

Hope we get to chat soon, and maybe next time it won't be so dang hot outside.

Adios. :)

Get Down To Business With Cards From Tiny Prints!

Photo Credit: Tiny Prints

As a freelance writer, blogger, and copywriter based out of Austin, TX I knew I wanted business cards as creative and unique as the city I live in and that’s where Tiny Prints comes in. Tiny Prints is a sister site to Shutterfly so I knew they'd be a great company from the get-go. I was thrilled every step of the way, from first discovering their website all the way to seeing the little turquoise package on my doorstep. The process of picking out my business cards was not only easy and pleasant but it was fun too!

My fabulous cards are just my style!!

With that being said, here are five tips that I’ve learned along the way to help get your business cards out into the world of networking!

1.    Be You.

So you have a blog and you have your business cards, but now you’re wondering how you get them out them out there? First things first, just be yourself! Tiny Prints offers a variety of different styles that range from professional and modern to creative and stylish! The best part of finding a card that brings out your inner social butterfly is that Tiny Prints allows the option to custom design your cards. So not only can you make it trendy but also you can make it “you”- literally! You can upload your own picture or logo on your card, which will be sure to make you memorable at conferences or meetings with large numbers of people. I have never been more confident to approach people I didn’t know at a conference and be able to hand them a card that truly represented me and of course, my blog. It makes networking more fun when you have a card that stays true to your personality!

2.    Get Social

As a blogger there is one thing I know how to do and that is “get social”. I’ve learned that social media is such a powerful tool in the world of networking. So how do you incorporate your business cards into that world? It’s easy! In the blogging community bonds run as tight as families, or at least from my personal experience, and we are always looking for ways to help each other out. A popular blogging practice is called “swapping”, for example: book swaps, coffee mug swaps, or anything other item that one blogger swaps with another just for fun. Next time you’re a part of a blog swap include some business cards in your package and let the other blogger send some to you as well. This is a great practice for getting your cards out across the country without even having to travel!

3.    Work It

When I’m not freelancing, blogging or getting my social media hustle on, I work for a big time coffee company. Since there is not a conflict of interest between this big time coffee company and my writing career I like to take advantage of all the connections I make with my customers. I have had the opportunity to meet a variety of different people ranging from small business owners, philanthropists, actors, musicians and even other writers. With that many creative people coming through the doors, I like to keep my business cards handy in my apron pocket. I have met several people who have helped me with where I am today in my freelance writing career and will continue to do so with the help of my business cards! So the moral of that story is- don’t be afraid to work your business cards because you never know whom you might run into next.

4.    It’s All Relative

Relatives are a great way to get your business cards out there! Seriously, is there anything better than having your cards in the hands of people who really believe in your blog? The best part about this tip is that it’s free advertising for you! Each member of my family has my cards on them at all times and after convincing my brother that it wasn’t for him to give to guys he thinks I should date, he came up with the brilliant idea to hand them out to the sorority girls he networks with on his college campus. My family may be spread out across the Lone Star State but it’s nice to know that with the help of my relatives and my cards- the eyes of Texas are upon my blog and me!

5.    Do It Yourself. Literally.

Are you a blogger with an Etsy shop or specialize in any other DIY business? If so then this tip is for you! Next time you ship out a package put a couple of your business cards in with your shipment. This is a fantastic way to get your cards in the hands of people who enjoy your craftiness! I can’t tell you how many times I have asked someone where they got a certain item and we fumble around for something to write the website address on. How great would it be for your customers to be able to help you advertise for a product they really enjoy? Be sure to also utilize your cards as coupons. Include a discount code on your cards and people will be willing to take them off your hands in no time!

Tiny Prints makes it easy to find business cards that compliment your blog!

I hope these tips help you get your business cards into the hands of the right people. The best part about having cards from Tiny Prints is they are not only going to be fabulous but durable too, allowing you to tote them around at all times and be fully prepared for whatever networking opportunity may come your way!

So what are you waiting for? Check out their site and find out how you can start getting down to business with cards from Tiny Prints!

That one time when I got super crafty and forgot to document it...

Hey y'all!

As most of you know (or should know) I moved into my new apartment this month!! I am loving the extra space and living in a "big girl" place but I will miss my studio apartment, fo sho!

The best part of moving? Decorating, of course.

I tackled my first DYI furniture project and what do you know- I forgot to document it! Such is life.

I am proud to say that I did most of this project myself, with a little help from my dad. 

Growing up I had a chest of drawers that was painted baby blue and white (let's just say it was ugly for dramatic effect) and it had a little damage throughout the years. I really wanted to keep this piece of furniture because it such a durable piece of wood and it is something I've had for many years. And let's be honest, I've always wanted to do a DYI furniture project that I could document on Pinterest and get a ton of "oooo's and aaaah's". But I failed at that.

So here it is, my chest of drawers that I painted for my new apartment

*For a before picture just imagine an old piece of wood painted white and baby blue. So very very ugly. And then there's me- hair in a messy bun, sweating in the Texas sun, with spray paint on my arms and fingers (and shoes and shorts)*

What DYI projects have you done?

Have you ever fallen victim to "failure to document" like I have?

Even if you haven't say yes to make me feel better.

Ode to Stephen Curry's eyes

Photo Cred: BleacherReport.com

My dear friend Mallory requested that I write a blog post about Stephen Curry's eyes. So naturally, I obliged and this ridiculousness was born. Enjoy my fellow sports fans (and females who are fans of pretty eyes).

Dear Stephen Curry,

Though I write this in a hurry

it doesn't take away from the love us ladies have for your eyes

they make us weak in the...thighs? (It rhymes, okay.)

But I have one question:

Exactly what color are they?

Are they hazel or are they grey?

Or are they blue?

I hope that last one is true.

They seem to match your uniform at times,

which is what inspired these sick rhymes.

Let's be honest, we may not all be Warrior fans

but most of us ladies fall

for your beautiful set of two eyeball(s).

In conclusion,

I hope you beat the Spurs

and hang them out to dry like furs.

If you ever see this, I think you are a balla

so feel free to holla.
(Except that you're married, so for rhyming purposes just ignore that)

The End.

The Makeup Brush Gospel

Photo cred: nicolewmakeup.com

I originally wanted to share with all the female readers of my blog a quick and easy Pinterest find on how to clean your makeup brushes. Who would have thought that through the process of cleaning my brushes I would learn more about the Gospel?? (are you laughing at me yet?) It's true though!!

Let me explain.

A friend of mine recently told me about a quick and easy way to clean your makeup brushes by just using warm water, Dawn soap and a splash of vinegar. She raved about this homemade concoction so I had to try it for myself.

My first victim was my brush that I use for my bronzer. If I am being completely honest, and you know on here we keep it real, that brush was disgusting. Anyone who wears bronzer can relate to having a brush that is always brown and messy. I let it get outta control though, it was so dirty and gross (You're welcome for the mental image). I wanted to take a Before picture of my brush to compare to the After picture but I was too embarrassed to let all you ladies see how messy I can be sometimes.

With a few swirls in this homemade Pinterest potion my brush was clean within seconds!!

I was amazed at how fast the gunk came off and I knew for sure I had to share this with y'all! I immediately regretted not taking a Before picture though. Without a picture of what my brush was like before you would have a hard time believing just how awesome it looked after. Without a Before picture my brush just looked like another clean brush.

And then BAM that's when I realized something.

As Christians we often hide who we were before the Gospel out of embarrassment of people seeing how messy we once were. It took me years to finally share my story because I was too afraid of people knowing how dirty and disgusting I once was. Instead I just shared my life after the Gospel and hoped that people would still get the gist of it.

Without a Before picture, my life looks just like another Christian who goes to church.

If I don't share my story of my life before Christ, how would someone know just how sweet it really is?

We share our story of our lives Before the Gospel changed us so that God may be continuously glorified in the After picture as well.

Without the sharing of our stories, some people may never know that God can change the hearts of:

Addicts

Liars

Cheaters

Thieves

Alcoholics

Lust-ers

Gossipers

Those people might feel like they are stuck in their patterns because no one can relate to them.

Our stories are proof that nothing we do can make Jesus love us any less.

Our stories are proof of how powerful the Gospel really is.

Our stories are proof that Jesus can make anyone clean, no matter how dirty you once were.

So I encourage you to share your story because through it you are making the power of the Gospel known to those who feel like they are stuck in their sin alone.

That one time when my mom thought David Wallace was my pimp...

I am not really sure what the rules are for talking about pimps when you are writing a faith-based blog. But I figure since I am not actually employed by a pimp it would be okay to talk about it.

For those of you who don't know, Andy Buckley from The Office (the guy who plays David Wallace) has been a customer at my Starbucks for about a year and a half now. He is a really nice guy and we've become friends over time but I never let him in on the secret that I know who he is. I figured that he wants to be treated like everyone else and be kept on the DL.

We usually talk about his vacations, trips and family life back in LA and he would ask me questions about my family, you know, BFF stuff.

So one day Andy came in and I took his order and then my mom got in line behind him.
And this is when the best story of my life began...

"Hello Mother" I say as my mom walks up in line

Andy looks at her

"That's my mom!" I say to Andy

Andy and my mom introduce themselves to each other and she still has no idea who he is.

When it's Andy's turn to pay for his coffee he tells the manager at the register "I'll also pay for whatever this lady is having."

My mom being the polite lady she is turns down his offer due to the fact that her drink is very expensive (which may or may not have to do with how high maintance it is).

"No no no, please let me buy your stuff for you! Your daughter is so good to me!" Andy says while holding a wad of cash "Look, it was a good day for me." Flashing my mom his dolla-dolla bills y'all. But in a non-pretentious way...if that's at all possible.

All this is happening while thoughts are racing through my moms head.
Who is this man?
How exactly is my daughter so good to him?
And what do you mean it was a good day for you?

So after some hesitation my mom let him buy her a drink, even though she is in the midst of one of the most awkward moments a mom can have in parenthood.

I later on cleared it all up.
I informed her who Andy was.
Why he probably had so much money.
And then it all made sense to her.

And that's the story of that time when my mom thought David Wallace was my pimp.