Somewhere Only We Know

I miss a lot of people right now...

Don't Complain. Just Don't.

So maybe 2 degrees isn't fun...

But if you think about it...

It could be worse...

New York, New York

Here are some of the photos I was able to take on my NYC fashion trip at the beginning of November. The quality isn't very good because they were all taken with my phone, but hopefully you can see a tiny bit of what I get to see...I would have taken thousands more, but eighty percent of the places I went didn't allow photography. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

40th street to Bryant Park was closed for a yearly accessory tent show.
MUJI - Japanese "no label" store
One of two pieces of art work dedicated to Fashion Avenue
The second piece is shown here. It's a four story sewing needle through a button. The cool thing is that the needle is the only support for the piece.
Gotta love Macy's
Mood Fabrics. Dream come true.
Rockefeller center
Three story Anthropologie
The best doughnuts in the world- in china town. Owner/creator is from Greensboro :)
Jimmy McMillan - singing
Times Square
biggest Harry Potter poster ever
Wicked on Broadway!

Goin' home

Join The Song

Keep Your Mind and Heart Wide Open

I guess you really did it this time

Left yourself in your warpath
Lost your balance on a tightrope

Lost your mind tryin' to get it back

Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?
Always a bigger bed to crawl into

Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything?
And everybody believed in you?

It's all right, just wait and see
Your string of lights is still bright to me

Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent
You're still an innocent

There's some things you can't speak of
But tonight you'll live it all again
You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now
If only you would sing what you know now then

Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?
And everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you
Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep?
Before the monsters caught up to you?

It's all right, just wait and see

Your string of lights is still bright to me

Oh, who you are is not where you've been

You're still an innocent

It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32, and still growin' up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent

Time turns flames to embers
You'll have new Septembers
Every one of us has messed up too

Lives change like the weather
I hope you remember
Today is never to late to

Be brand new

It's all right, just wait and see

Your string of lights are still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent

It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32, and still growin' up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent

You Light Up The Sky

H- His everlasting love and forgiveness frees YOU completely...it's the life.

O- One God Almighty holds you in HIS arms...it's the truth.

P- Peace in life is only found in Christ's death...it's the way.

E- Everything is for His glory....have hope.

HE. IS. COMING.

There comes a time when you have to decide between what is right and what is easy...

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”

~C.S. Lewis

Knight and Day

I try and tuck my hair behind my ear as the wind whips around my face, only making it harder to control the tears streaming down from my bloodshot eyes. Eventually, I give up knowing it's impossible to control everything. Yesterday had no fears, and it seemed like everything was beautiful. Yesterday seems like forever ago. Yesterday seems like a dream. Yesterday's beauty only existed in yesterday's imagination. Yesterday was only like today, just with more hope - turning it into color. Today is only gray. No pure whites or solid blacks. Even my own reflection in the mirror is discolored. Even songs can't describe today. No makeup or mask can cover the emotion on my face. My face showed the pain from my troubled heart. Standing still I glance down at my trembling hands. The tips of my fingers were turning a pale blue from the cold. I can't get warm. I don't understand, but at the same time it all makes sense. I closed the window to my room so the wind blowing in didn't completely destroy my only belongings. That moment the room became so silent and still if there were anyone else in the room, they could hear my heart slowly beating. Walking back to the mirror, I pick up the black eyeliner pencil laying on the dresser. In less than a minute my eyes wear the symbol of insecurity, pain, anger, and determination. It's no mask. It's a sign. Material things give me no pleasure, so I put the eye makeup back. I know that I could lose control. My mind quickly raced to the thought of shattering the mirror with the lamp on the desk. Instead, I turn and face the door. Leaving like this isn't right though. I reach over and grab the towel laying on the bed and quickly remove the makeup from around my eyes. It's a choice. I could choose to be angry and act on impulse and pain, or I could breath and put a smile on my face. A smile that brightens everyone else's day even when mine has no color. Going back to the door, I grab the handle, take a deep breath, tell myself it's not the end, and walk out into the unknown.

That You're Near With Every Breath

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for MY strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9~



"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself."
~ Matthew 6:33-34~



"You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." ~ John 13:7~



"'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" ~ Jeremiah 29:11~



"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desires." ~Psalm 37:4~



"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
~ Romans 8:24-25~



"So we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'" ~ Hebrews 13:6~



"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our LORD."
~ Romans 8:38-39~

Fix You

I want to encourage you in the fact that we are not excepted by God on the bases of our performances but on Jesus Christ. Why are we never satisfied with ourselves? The answer is not trying to find, be better, or know yourself, but to know Christ. As we grow up, we tend to feel the pressure to be more and do better, and sometimes we even feel the pressure of needing or wanting to be someone else. We are tempted to fall into the trap of wanting to follow our friends or a role model because we think that that will satisfy ourselves or others. We often look in the wrong places for satisfaction. Why do we feel like we're never perfect enough, and we just can't do anything right? It's because we're imperfect. We CAN'T do anything right. We live in a fallen world. We were once created pure and holy. But because of the fall, we are corrupt and now in need of being saved. God created us for Himself. And ONLY in Him are we truly satisfied. We can only be happy when God sees us perfectly. This society is often saying, "go be someone, follow your dreams, be yourself, trust in your heart." But Jesus says, "deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34-35) We are not perfect, but God has given us a way to be forgiven and saved through His Son. We are to follow Christ for He gives us true life.

He made me, saved me, fixes me, and is my destiny. I will be perfectly formed in Him. That is who we should long to be - perfect children in Him. Follow Christ because through Him God sees us perfectly and there is our satisfaction. He is our creator ans redeemer. No matter what this society tells you how you need to live and who you are, know and hold onto the truth that your are God's and only through His Son you are perfect. We will be satisfied when we rest completely in God. Everything God expects of me, Christ has already done for me. So that God may look at me and say, "with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11) Even though I am a sinner; I am made perfect in His sight. Jesus has given me what I don't have and need most: new life. If we go to the things of this world for help in perfecting ourselves, we will not be happy with the outcome. We will always be disappointed by the end of the day with whatever it is we are trying to accomplish; whether it's school, relationships, appearance, friendships, or religion. If you are dissatisfied with the story of your life, do not look deeper within yourself. Look to Christ. It is in Him that God sees us perfectly. St. Augustine once said, "God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until we can find rest in you." We don't have to serve Him out of fear but out of thanks. Look at Christ, NOT at yourself. If GOD says I'm right, then WHO can say I'm wrong?! I'm FREE.


~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 ~ Matthew 6:33-34~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~ 1 Corinthians 8:6 ~

Another Summer Day Has Come And Gone Away

If I've never told you...



How much you mean to me,

How much I care for you,

How much I thank God every day for you,

How blessed I am to have you in my life,

How I'm here for you as much as humanly possible,

How sorry I am for any pain and disappointment I've put you through,

How I enjoy every little moment spent with you, whether happy or sad,

How I'm praying that God will guide and cherish you everyday of your life,

How thankful I am that through you, my Father has and will continue to reveal Himself to me,

How I wish I could have slowed down time in order to remember every detail of the past 18 years,

How I have seen you so dutifully sacrifice your time and energy to provide the very best for me, while teaching me God's Word, love, and undeserving grace,

How much I trust in God to lead me, break me, mold me, mend me, hold me, push me, strengthen me, love me, teach me, move me, forgive me, and take care of me,

And how much I love you....



Then I am a failure as a daughter, sister, and friend. <3

You Think In Lyrics

~ What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
We need time, only time
So tell me darling, do you wish we’d fall in love?
All the time, all the time ~

~And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress - Fearless~

~If fires burned through our lives and left us nothing
Took away all we had made and had our hopes in
Whatever comes, if it be joy or sorrow
I promise you that I will love you tomorrow~

~Chances are when said and done
Who'll be the lucky ones~

Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand. And what you've been out there searching for forever is in your hands...

You sometimes think that the way things turn out is your fault. You'll sit there wondering how you can take it back and fix everything. You pick apart every detail to see where you went wrong. But not until you stop and look at the whole picture, do you realize that nothing you did or could have done would have changed things. You can't control your life, much less others. You have to learn that everything happens for a reason, whether you like it or not. You have to understand that you can't dwell on thing of the past. You have to focus on the positive, important, right things in this moment. You can't spend time worrying about the things to come either. You must focus on the truth and what is promised to come. You can't complain about what you don't have or want, but boast in your blessings and gifts. You have to want and desire what's right, holy, and everlasting, NOT what you feel you want in the moment. You can't let the world and people in it persuade you into doing what they want, need, and think is right. You must keep your mind, actions, desires, and confidence in and on what's honorable, holy, and wise. You shouldn't make promises you can't keep but make those that you fully intend on fulfilling to the very best of your abilities. You must look and see you're never alone. Even when the world starts to crumble, and hope is lost, someone will always be by your side. Hope is what keeps you moving onward without fear. Put your full faith in Christ and follow Him, because He is invincible.

Your Arms Are My Castle, Your Heart Is My Sky

Glorify God in everything - every word that crosses your lips, every thought that passes through your mind, every move your body makes. Pursue all that's holy and wise. Pray for hope and faith. Ask for forgiveness. Be kind and loving towards others, even if they don't deserve it. Guard your heart. Honor the Lord with your entire being. Choose what's right. Do only what is pure. Obey and respect the rules, laws, and commands happily. Thank God for everything you have. If help is needed, it will be found. It's never too late to ask for forgiveness. Everything happens for a reason. Surround yourself with those like you - honorable, godly, loving, caring, and respectful. Do not fear. The God who made you and loves you dearly will keep you from harm. Your works can not restore your sinfulness. Only God can sanctify you. Therefore, give yourself completely over to Him. Let Him take control of your life and you will not be disappointed.

Life Is Good

~Isaiah 61:11~





~Psalm 97:11~





~John 7:37-38~

Not What My Hands Have Done

It was the saddest thing you've ever seen. He looked so pitiful, but no one acknowledged him. His clothes were torn, old, and dirty. His face was sunken from starvation, and his legs were too weak to carry him any further. There he sat, on the side of the dusty road, watching the crowd as it past by. The sun beat down upon his bare back, making his sunburns crack and bleed when he moved. You wouldn't know he was in pain though. His once dark, gleaming, and mysterious eyes were now red and bloodshot from lack of water. He licked his lips, trying to sooth the small cuts that blistered from the dry heat. Patiently, he sat, waiting for someone to stop. His faith and hope could have driven him onward, but his body failed him. His sight went blurry, his head burned with pain, and then he collapsed. But right before it all seemed to fade away, he saw her. He couldn't decide if it was real or just a dream. And the, he lost all sight, pain, and consciousness.

She picked him up as gently as a mother would her newborn child. When she walked, carrying him in her arms, it was as if she flawlessly glided across the ground. Her eyes were captivating. They glowed with a warm loving light. Her face radiant with beauty. She ran her cool fingers across his tinder forehead, brushing his matted hair from his pitiful face. She gazed at him with a curious wonder in her eyes. Smiling slightly, she held him closer and took off. She ran with grace delicacy. Her soft feet hit the ground with a soothing pace. The world flew by in a dizzying blur. In no time at all, she began to slow down as she approached her destination. Stepping across the marble threshold of the house, she spoke. Her voice was like a sweet melody that will forever repeat itself in your head. Words poured off her tongue like water running down a riverbed. Her breath smelled of honey and peonies.

Startled, he tried to discover where the noise came from. It seemed to surround him, wrapping him in a soothing embrace. He tried to find a pattern in the noise, but it kept changing. Right when he was about to give up, it stopped. Confused, he listened harder. Louder than before, it started again. This time it was almost overwhelming. At that moment it made perfect sense. It was no song to entertain, but a command. Excitement grew quickly inside him. Wanting so badly to call out and answer, it almost drove him crazy. That's when he started to burn. This burning was like the hot, throbbing, pain one gets when thawing from the cold. It seemed like forever before the pain subsided, but when it did, he was more than grateful.

She sat silently now, waiting. Her face still showed no sign of worry. She gazed at the young boy, as if he was perfect. Her eyes gleamed with love for him. It seemed like she had known him his entire life. Her patience never wavered. Slowly, touching his hand, she spoke to him. His face, which was tense from pain, softened when she spoke.

It was then when he could understand it all. It was her voice he heard. Her voice and words soothed both his body and soul. A new energy ran through his veins. He began to realize the power she had over him. When he was fully conscious again, he had been completely healed. Not only was he cured, but he wasn't hungry or thirsty. He had no need. He couldn't find the words to express his gratitude for what she gave him – new life. He had nothing to give her in return. But when he looked her in the eyes, he knew it didn't matter. She had chosen him. All she asked for was love and respect, which was all he had. With her strength, he never again doubted that he would be alone, hurt, judged or imperfect.

April Fool's Day Prank

So on April Fool's Day, a couple of my friends and I wanted to pull a prank on some other friends of ours. This is what we texted to them:

"Please pray....bek was running and got swiped by a car crossing the road. In ER they r stitching her leg."


This is actually MY leg in the photo with fake blood on it by my friend's car. When they received the text, they all believed it and were pretty mad when I called them saying, "April Fool's!" Since then, I have had to promise never to play such a mean trick again...that is, until next year. =)

27 is my favorite number. And that's a random fact.

1. I believe laughter is the best medicine.

2. Mushrooms should not have been created.

3. Competition is fun.

4. I have a fear of deep water.

5. I love my million dollar view from my bedroom window.

6. I speak in spoonerisms all the time.

7. Children fascinate me.

8. I wish I had a time-turner like Hermione in Harry Potter.

9. My first hamster died in my hands no more than 5 minutes after I got him.

10. My favorite color is green.

11. I can't stand toothpaste tubes/bottles with a flip lid.

12. Spiders are demons.

13. I LOVE flowers.

14. Thunderstorms are refreshing.

15. I have a weakness for dark chocolate.

16. I proposed to the piano man at my Aunt's wedding. Don't worry, I was 4.

17. My favorite girl name is Lillian.

18. The Italians and Greeks know how to cook.

19. Christian Siriano rocks my world.

20. I'm a child of God.

21. I don't like crying in public.

22. I have lost count of my nicknames.

23. I love deeply.

24. Johnny Depp is a cool guy.

25. Can't stand traffic.

26. I can remember what you were wearing the day a met you.

27. I want to travel. Anywhere but here is fine with me.

I had a dream..

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night crying because of a dream you just had? I have. Normally it's because the dream had to do with the death or sickness of a family member or a friend. But not this time. I've never had a dream like this before....

There I was, sitting on top of a hill where a breeze blew the grass, making the long blades appear like flowing water. The view from where I sat was magnificent. The green rolling hills were below me, and the blue mountains towered above them, creating a beautiful horizon. There was no sun. But there was a soft, warm, buttery light cast over everything I could see. As I looked beyond the mountains, the world seemed at peace. For a while I was satisfied just sitting there admiring the splendor. But sooner than I hoped, I found myself coming back to reality. I was just a girl - an unsatisfied, incapable, sinful, hopeless, jealous, broken, burdened, confused girl. While I sat there pondering all the cons about myself and my life, the world seemed to darken. All of the sudden, feeling like someone was watching me, I turn around. There He was, walking up the hill towards me. He didn't stop. He continued climbing the hill until He stood right in front of me. Confused as to why He hasn't said a word, I look up at Him. Still not speaking, He looks down at me, making eye contact. As I look into His eyes, I become overwhelmed. I instantly knew why He didn't speak. His eyes spoke louder than thunder in a storm. They were filled with love, pity, comfort, assurance, blessings, promises, truth, wisdom, forgiveness, acceptance, strength, satisfaction, healing, gentleness, perfection, and breathtaking beauty. They drew me to tears. As my vision blurred, I buried my head in my hands and broke. At once, He reached down and picked me up, gently standing me on my feet. He brushed my hair out of my face before carefully wiping away the tears from my eyes. When I could see again, I realized who He was - my Savior. Overwhelmed with joy, love, and awe, I fall to my knees crying. This time He took my hand. I glanced up at Him to find Him smiling down at me. My mind seemed to be washed clear of all the things, I had no longer than a few moments ago, thought about. In His eyes I was perfect. He was completely satisfied with me.....

It's been a while hasn't it?

Wow! I haven't blogged in months. Sorry. This semester has been pretty hard. I'm getting ready to graduate and go to college, and the fact that my family is moving to Georgia has been hard to wrap my mind around.
There are so many thoughts and emotions running through me right now, it's sometimes hard to focus on the tasks at hand. Because of this, I'm learning to cast my burdens, anxieties, and pains on Christ. He came to save me from them, and to carry them all myself is saying I don't need Christ. Without Him I would have no hope in this life or the next. Because of what he has done for me, I can live with hope of what is to come.
I have also been learning to be free. By this I mean, not take on burdens, tasks, and responsibilities that are not mine to take. This has been very hard for me, but with strength from my savior, I will overcome it! Not to long ago I tasted that sense of freedom - no worries, no burdens,and no pain. Now you could say I'm addicted. I've got the love of my creator, and that's all I need in this life. I don't have to be afraid of letting go, being myself, and having fun. Life isn't always serious. I don't have to worry myself crazy over what other people think of me, or how and why they judge me. In God's sight, I'm perfect and holy because of His son, and that's what should truly matter.