Unwanted to wanted again

I love what this man says in his testimony: "It doesn't matter where you've been, it doesn't matter what you've done." and "I'm living proof that the worst of the worst can become the best of the best." This is a man who was left to take care of himself from when he was 10 years old. He experienced abandonment, street life, crime, drugs, addiction and prison but when he got to experience God's love and presence in his life he was able to find hope, healing and a restored life. God has the power to change anyone, no matter how broken we are. God can restore anyone who is willing to call on His name and surrender to him.

Self-love, body shaming&healthy ideals

I absolutely love this very positive and smart video about body-shaming by Jenny Mustard. Jenny has decided to make her own "body image pledge", where she promises to never again make negative comments about somebody else's body, to stop supporting media that engages in body-shaming and to shift her own focus from wanting to be pretty&skinny to wanting to be healthy&kind.

I'm happy to witness the wave of positive change that is happening within the millennial generation right now when it comes to body image. This positive movement gives me hope that our daughters and grand-daughters won't have to grow up in a culture that puts a lot of pressure on young girls to look a certain way.

Natural Beauty

This is a picture of me in the process of getting ready before Church on Sunday morning. Sometimes I hate that it takes 10 times longer for me to get ready than it takes for my hubby to get ready in the morning. It annoys me that us women are taught from an early age that we need all these beauty products that men apparently don't need to look good. Okay, I admit, I do need a hairbrush as you can see from the picture. My husband clearly does not need a hairbrush.

On the other hand there are so many beauty products that women are taught that we must use to look presentable. I guess in the end it all comes down to keeping the beauty industry fed, we need to keep shopping. It annoys me that natural beauty is accepted when it comes to men, but women are constantly encouraged to change the way they look to be considered beautiful.

My beauty routine got much more simplified after I went on my minimalism journey so nowadays I probably shop about 50% less beauty products than I used to buy four years ago. I save time in the morning by wearing a minimal amount of make up during the week, usually only lip-gloss, concealer and blush. On weekends I like to dress up a bit more and use eye shadow, mascara and an eyebrow pen. I have never gotten used to using a blow dryer, I always let my hair dry naturally after I wash it.

Contentment in a Driven World

In a culture that emphasizes achievement and success, seeking the approval of others can be an endless and exhausting pursuit. Erin Fonner reflects on how true contentment and fulfillment come from being connected to the source of life.

Jessica's Story

Jessica was over-weight as a teenager and struggled with depression, insecurity and low self-esteem. Jessica ended up basing her self-worth on what her friends thought about her. When she lost contact with a couple of her best friends a few years later her self-esteem got really bad. When Jessica started college she started looking for validation and acceptance in guys instead, but this strategy did not work out very well either and her depression continued to get worse.

Two years ago everything changed when Jessica went for coffee with a friend who asked her what she thought about God. Once Jessica switched her focus from being on herself to being about getting to know Jesus her depression started getting better and better. Today all of Jessica's depression and anxiety is gone. Life is neither perfect nor easy but Jessica has found a new way to live that makes her happy.

Hearing God's Voice

Pastor Holly Wagner from Oasis Church in Los Angeles gives a sermon about hearing God's voice. It's easy to get so busy in life that we never stop and take a moment to just be still. If we want to hear God's voice we have to practice being still. We might need to do some preparation beforehand so that there will be a higher likelihood that we will hear from God. A morning person can set aside a time to hear from God in the morning while an evening person will be better off taking time for stillness at the end of the day. Find what works for you personally.


When we are still and worship God, maybe through singing and listening to some worship music or by praying to God, we have put ourselves in a position where if God speaks to us we will hear him. God will often speak to us when we read his word in the Bible. Sometimes you can have an experience when a sentence in the Bible just "pops" out of the page and speaks straight to the situation you currently struggle with. Other times you might be listening to a song, singing and worshiping God when you suddenly know the answer to a question that you have been thinking about for a while. God doesn't want us to wander through life being confused and hopeless. God has an answer to all of our questions but sometimes we won't hear His voice simply because we don't prioritize stillness, time of prayer or spending time reading his word.

Find You On My Knees

Troubles chasing me again,

Breaking down my best defence,

I'm looking, God, I'm looking for you

Weary just won't lest me rest

And fear is filling up my head.

I'm longing, God I'm longing for you

But I will find you in the place I'm in,

Find you when I'm at my end,

Find you when there's nothing left of me to offer you except for brokenness,

You lift me up, you'll never leave me thirsty,

When I am weak, when I am lost and searching

I'll find you on my knees.