Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Desperately Looking For A Hero

As a Christian teenager, I was always on the lookout for spiritual role models that could help me on my walk as a Christian.  Someone that I could even silently watch and see what it was like to walk the walk as a faith filled woman.  I would follow them on social media and reach read their feed on Facebook or even reach out to them for advice and not only did I get my hand proverbially slapped for trying to hash out the Christian lifestyle by some of those women, but was completely shut out of their lives. Thankfully I had the opportunity and blessing to have a godly mother and grandmother but honestly, it made me see what a rare jewel the woman that walks with the Lord is.

I know that we are all in different places spiritually- some more mature in their walk than others, but just as children look up to adults and even older children, so are baby Christians and children that are beginning their walk looking for a role model in fleshing out this thing called faith. We need to be aware that there are others around us that are watching us in our walk… hopefully when they do they see someone shining the light of Christ from their lives.  Perfect? No,  but walking out your life for Christ.

“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women . . . (Titus 2:3-4a)”

This is the way it was supposed to be from the beginning.  Older women teach the younger women how to live.  We need to be busy about our walk.  Study, so that we can be that older person in someone’s life.

My brother Christopher loved to copy us.  We would do something, and he would copy it because he wanted to be like us. He thought we had things figured out and so he wanted a part of it.  It didn’t matter if it was washing dishes or trying to snowboard down the hill in our front yard.  We were placed in his life to be a bearer of light, a bearer of Christ (Funny, that is what his name means.) and we realized then the awesome responsibility that we had in our family and before God of being a good influence on him and others... because, for better or worse, he was watching us.
“Then they (older women) can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (Titus 2:4-5)”
Young married women need a role model as well.  I learned from my mother the importance of this. She taught me that you were supposed to have people as your bridesmaids that were the people that you would walk through life with, the ones that will help you keep your marriage vows.  These are the people that would encourage you in your walk and in your marriage in the long run.  It seems like that idea has been lost somewhere and it is sad because the divorce rate is huge and we live in an “if it feels good do it” society today that is desperate for those kinds of people. The light bearers.
As Iron Sharpens Iron - One Man Sharpens Another Proverbs 27:17
Even if we don’t think we are good enough, we need to get out there and be a light in the life of another.  Don’t let the enemy tell you that you are too anything or not enough anything. There are girls that could be thriving if you would just understand that you were made for this – you were born for this.  God has placed you right in this exact place for you to be a lighthouse in someone else’s life.  So take a deep breath and step out. Shine on!

Monday, September 12, 2016

On Being A Lady - Staying With Friends



You find yourself staying with friends? Whether spending the night or an extended period of time, there are always ways to make them enjoy your company while you are with them.

1. If you your stay is extended at the friend's house and you are sleeping there, clean the room that you slept in. Strip the bed and make it with fresh sheets and leave it as clean or better than you found it. If you are there more than a week you should sweep the room or vacuum the floor. This will bless your friend.

2. Do you own dishes, or stick them in the dishwasher. NEVER leave them all over the counters.

3. Ask before you leave the table with food or drinks.

4. If you are staying a long period of time, offer to pitch in around the house.

5. Also, if you are staying a long period of time do your own laundry. Don't expect to be waited on.

6. If you mess with it, put it back.

7. Keep your things neat, don't spread them all over your host's house, or the room you are staying in.

8. Never leave your host to clean up a huge mess, that you helped create. When my friends that I pretty much grew up with come over after long stints in another country we always have sleepovers and I hate to say it but my room looks like and F5 tornado just tore through it. We dress up, act out book characters, do each other's makeup (usually with my crazy theatrical makeup), do each others hair etc. That's all fine and fun! Just help clean it all up.

9. Please don't announce that you hate some type of food at the dinner table, just leave it where it sits.

10. When you leave thank your host. If you stayed for a long period of time it would also be appropriate to give your host a small gift or a thank you card.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Styles By Bri-Pretty Braided Ponytail Twist Tutorial



Welcome to Styles By Bri. Where I give tutorials for hairstyles, crafts, jewelry making, fashion design & thrift store makeovers. 



1. Take a small section of hair (on whatever side you want).

2. French braid the section of hair.

3. When you are done with that you can leave your hair down or go with the ponytail twist.

4. For the ponytail pull your hair back (including the braid) and secure with a hair tie.

5. Then wind the braid around the "tail" of your ponytail and secure at the end with another hair tie.