District Blitz!

I am so excited for the weekend! 

I have the privilege of going to Duluth this weekend with our youth group for District-Blitz! This is a three day conference put together to challenge and inspire this generation to take a stand for Christ! 

I am so excited knowing that God is going to move in the hearts of our youth this weekend. However, this is exactly the kind of weekend the Devil wants to get in the way of. My prince and I would greatly appreciate your prayers this weekend! This is our first "big event" as leaders of the youth group. We are trusting God is in control...even in all the little details! 

I heard on the radio the other day that those who don't trust God...don't really know God. God is faithful. That is his very nature...when we put our trust in Him, we have absolutely no reason to worry or fear. Things may not always turn out the way we think they should, but God's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts our higher than our thoughts. His plans are ALWAYS perfect. 

Oh and just wait...I will be taking lots and lots of pictures this weekend :) so expect some good ones! 

smiling

Many things in life make me smile...here are just a few :)

SNEAK PEAK to our wedding invites. It makes me smile that we are getting things checked off our long list of things to do before July 29th! Also...I love the invites! 

 We are making them ourselves. They will be alot of work, but very unique! 

As you can see in the picture my prince makes me smile. I also loved decorating this frame and putting it up against the teal wall :)

 This makes me smile. A five-year-old at work drew this for me...it is me and my dog walking in the sunshine! We look so happy! 

What are you smiling about today?? :D 

Wish I was here Wednesday!

Hello friends! This Wednesday I am linking up with For Me for Wish I was here Wednesday! 


Around two years ago, my mom, my sister, and I went to Mazatlan, Mexico. It was so relaxing, fun, and beautiful!

I wish I was here.

this is me...check out my short hair!! 

simply beautiful.

The wonderful part is that I am going back to Mazatlan! This is where my prince and I are going for our honeymoon...I am beyond excited! :)

Well, there you have it for Wish I was here Wednesday! Where do you wish you were? 

The Marshmallow Test

The weekend is ending, but I am ready to take on another week! Highlights of my weekend included: 


girl time, designing wedding invites, Swedish fish, down time with my prince, Olive Garden, and...The Marshmallow Test :) 





The lady told the children...you can either eat this now, or wait and I will give you another one! What would you do? Would you be able to have self control in order to get something better? 


Hmmmm. Can this be applied to our lives? 

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." 1 John 2:15-17

We all have needs, and we all try to fill these needs in different ways. The world tries to tell us how to satisfy our needs, and it offers many different ways. However, these things (physical pleasure, cravings, pride, possessions...) are fading away! They do not last...or satisfy! They may give temporary pleasure...like eating a Marshmallow...but the Lord wants to give us so much more than momentary "happiness." He has so much more in store for those who wait and put their trust in Him.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
      and no mind has imagined
   what God has prepared
      for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

I am willing to pass up temporary pleasures of this world in order to gain so much more! Only Christ can ever truly satisfy. 

Fabulous!

Hello Friends! 

I'm linking up with Ria for this Fabulous Friday!! 

Well I am running a little late this morning, so I must keep this short and sweet! 

Tonight I am hanging out with my sweet friend Laura :) she is one of my bridesmaids! She lives in Iowa, but is home this weekend. I am so excited to have some quality girl time! I must share that my prince is attending a guys night of video games...ha. What is the deal with guys and video games? (I guess I have always compared it to girls and shopping?) 

Anywho...

Saturday morning is a trip to the Paper Depot! Invitations here we come!! 

The rest of my weekend includes homework, hopefully resting, and (crossing my fingers) some exercise? ;) 

Hope your weekend is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!

WILW

This is my first ever WILW (What I'm Loving Wednesday!) I'm linking up with Jamie at This Kind of Love! Woot Woot! 

So here's what I'm Loving lately...

I'm Loving... garden vegetable soup at Panera with a french baguette. Delish and Nutrish! 

I'm Loving... the website stumbleUpon.com ! Seriously it is addicting! You can choose your interests and it finds a billion different websites/blogs about things you like...my interests have been wedding and home decorating :) 

I'm Loving...

This plate from Pier 1 Imports. I'm thinking yellow and teal for my kitchen! 

I'm Loving... 

This picture of my handsome prince and my adorable niece! Also...the hat my niece is wearing is handmade from my talented, creative Grandma! (Gigi we call her :)) We are trying to convince her to start an etsy shop! 

I'm Loving... that Christ's love is bigger than my failures! 

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8

Lastly, I'm Loving... All of you! I hope you are having a blessed day filled with things you love :) 

It's me again!

Here we are again...about to take on another week! It amazes me how quickly time is flying. However, Summer couldn't come soon enough :)

Friday my prince and I went and saw the movie Unknown. It was pretty intense! I must confess we shared a medium popcorn and a large slushie. We usually do not eat movie theater concessions, but it just seemed like one of those nights! 

Saturday morning we met with our videographers for our wedding! We met at Dunn Bros (love), and chit-chatted with this fun couple! I am so excited for them to capture our day!

Saturday night we went bowling with a cute couple from church! Let's just say...bowling is not my talent . haha seriously. It was still fun though! I even played some arcade games with my prince :)

Sunday my prince and I went to a wonderful church service! Then, we went with our Realtor (my dad) and began our house search! We looked at about seven different townhouses, and actually really liked a few. However, there is one that we absolutely love! We are putting an offer on it, and praying! It is a short sale so we are dependent on the bank....but we are trusting God and His perfect plan for our lives...He alone knows our future :) and this gives me peace no matter what!

Cupcake Song

This is so adorable :)

I can't help but share it with you!!




Happy Saturday!!!

center

First of all, I would like to say that I officially have put away my winter coat!! Woot Woot!!

Secondly, I would like to wish you all a wonderful Friday!

Lastly, I would like to share a song with you. My prince and I are going to have this song at our wedding...it is really what we want our lives and marriage to be all about!

shoes and such :)

135 days till I marry my best friend! 

As wedding plans come together, I am getting more and more excited. Here are some updates :)

shoes

These are the shoes I will be wearing, but they are way to plain for me! I will be getting them dyed (either teal or a darker purple)...and I will be adding something to the front. I have been looking on etsy at different shoe clips that could be promising! 

rings

My wedding band is in the process of being designed and made...I am so excited!! Next week I will be able to see a wax mold of what it will look like. I will also be getting my prince's ring! 

house

Today my prince and I met with a loan officer, and signed lots of papers! My dad is a realitor, and we are going to begin our house search!! 

next on our list...

invitations

Sometime soon I am planning to go to the Paper Depot! I am so excited to put together our invitations! 

cake

We are thinking cupcakes? :)

Checking out different bakeries and ideas! 

I love advice (small or big) on planning for this big day! What do you wish you would have known while planning? 

disconnected

I left my house this morning around 10:00 a.m., and got back around 9:00 p.m. At about 11:00 I realized I had left my phone plugged into the wall in my bedroom! Gasp! I was on my way to classes in St. Paul, and there was no turning back.

All day long I felt totally disconnected. 

I hate this feeling. I never realize how much I depend on my phone until I don't have it. One of the most annoying things was not being able to easily check the time...or my e-mail...or use the GPS...hmmmm

What if...

I relied on God's word (the bible) as much as I relied on my phone? 

The bible is one of the ways to stay connected with God. In fact, the bible is our guide on how to live life. It is God's love letter to us. It is our source of truth. 

Yet too often the thing we need with us the most is the thing we leave sitting in our homes. 

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." ~Psalm 119:105

When I am not actively pursuing Christ and His truths, I feel disconnected. This doesn't mean you have to bring your bible with you everywhere you go...but it is important to check our values. Where we put our time, money, and trust shows a lot about what we value. If we do not value God's word...how much do we value our relationship with Him? 

So...

What if I relied on God's word as much as I relied on my phone? 

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch

My weekend has been filled with lots of sugar. 

My prince and I decided we are not going to have sugar (aka "sweets") during the week, but only on the weekends. I made it through my first week, and it went pretty well! However, I must have felt deprived of sugar because this weekend has definitely been an overload of sweets! 

Friday night my prince and I went out to dinner in Uptown, and then got dessert at (one of my favorite coffee shops) Uncommon Grounds! 

this picture is from summertime!

We got yummmmmy mochas and talked about wedding plans :)

Saturday I got my wedding shoes! (pictures to come) ...and brought my dress in to get fitted! I also went to Dunn Brothers and got a caramel macchiato! mmmmmmm my fav...

Sunday I went to Dunn Brothers again (I know, I know...) and got a Hazelnut Latte! Delish! 

In between all these coffee trips were a few cookies, fruit snacks, and of course some chocolate :) 

So I think this weekend I had my share of sugar to last me the week...yeah? 

How do you get rid of sugar cravings? Advice please! :) 

laughter

Laughter is the best medicine. If only we all got so much joy out of the simple things in life...like ripping paper? :)

Enjoy your Thursday!

I'm excited to go to Olive garden tonight with some sweet blogger-friends!

...and hello! Tomorrow is Friday!!!

wholeheartedly

I have not been feeling the greatest. I can tell my body is fighting getting sick, but it has been slowly creeping in. I do not work today...Wednesdays are my "get things done" days (AKA mostly homework). My plan was to get an early start today, run some errands, and then spend time doing homework. However, this morning I felt a need to simply rest...and spend time with the Lord. As much as I need to get many many things done today, my greater need is to draw close to God.

If God is not the focus of my day...it is a wasted day. God is the source of life and meaning. 

This morning I read a couple chapters from the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I have read this book before, but it continues to convict and challenge me every time. 

I am challenged to examine my life. Am I living a lukewarm, halfhearted "Christian" life...with my own well-being in mind. Or am I truly in love with Christ? Do I obey His word? Am I radical, or do I blend in? Is my focus on earthly things, or on eternity? 

"Following Christ isn't something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label we display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are." ~Francis Chan

Too often people think that we can live for Christ and ourselves...but this is simply not possible. This is called being lukewarm, and Jesus says, 

"because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." ~Revelation 3:15-18

"Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing." ~Francis Chan

"Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." ~Matthew 16:25

I want to wholeheartedly follow God's plan for my life, because only in Him will I find purpose and true Joy! Don't miss it! 

coffee is healthy!

Today's post is just a little shout out and encouragement to all you coffee lovers! 

I love coffee.

I love the smell of coffee. I love the taste of coffee. I love sound of coffee brewing. 

Now I can also say that I love the health benefits of coffee.

Check out this article! It is called "5 Health Reasons to Not Quit Coffee". Seriously, this was very exciting to read :) 

1. Coffee protects your heart

2. Coffee diverts diabetes

3. Your liver loves coffee

4. Coffee boosts your brain power

5. Coffee helps your headaches

My whole family is a little obsessed with coffee. My first job ever was at Dunn Bros, and I worked at Caribou for about 2 years. Let's just say coffee has a special place in my heart :) 

Who's with me?! 

encouraging

I had a busy but wonderful weekend! 

It began with a sister road trip to Floyd, Iowa! 

Welcome to Floyd!! 

Floyd... "Where the sun shines on kids" haha

Here are my lovely "sisters." :)

We went to a women's conference that these fun ladies put on at their church! It was such a blessing and encouragement! SO great to spend time with these girls and experience God's presence throughout the weekend! 

I want to encourage you with a verse and some truths that I was reminded of this weekend.   "Come near to God and he will come near to you." James 4:8

God longs for us to draw near to Him. He is waiting for us to spend time with Him, to put our trust in Him, to love Him. We must surrender. His plans for us are always good. He is in control of everything. We are dearly loved by Him! 

My weekend also consisted of some more wedding plans! Sunday, my prince and I registered at Target! YAY! It was a bit stressful...but mostly FUN :) 

sisters

Tonight my prince and I went and saw the movie "The Grace Card"...check out the trailer! 

This is a great movie about loving people who are hard to love by extending Grace. God's grace given to use should overflow into us showing grace to others! 

This weekend:

Sister Road trip to Iowa! 

The sisters:

Steph(my sis)

Ria(my sis-in-law)

Jonna(Ria's sis)

Joy(Jonna's almost sis-in-law)

did you follow that? :) 

I am so excited for this girl time. We are going to Iowa to see some fellow blogger friends and attend a mini-conference at their church! Stay tuned for a recap with lots of pics! 

Blessings on your weekend! 

Oh baby

Happy Wednesday Friends!

Last night I went to a surprise baby shower for a beautiful friend! She is soon going to have a baby boy named Vandis aka "Van." :) The night was filled with love, food, games, and laughter! 

Here is the mommy! I am so happy for her! 

I LOVE babies. 

I especially love shopping for baby clothes. Seriously, it could be a hobby. 

While I was thinking about babies I was reminded that Jesus came to earth as a baby. He was literally inside of Mary's tummy. 

This kinda blows my mind. 

The KING OF KINGS and CREATOR OF THE WORLD chose to come as a crying, pooping, hungry little baby because He wanted to save YOU from death. 

Wow. Do we realize how amazing this is? 

Jesus, 

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Philippians 2:6-7

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:28

I challenge you to just think about this today. Jesus (who deserves everything) gave up everything to save us (who deserve nothing). 

Are we living in response to this?