heaven & co

December Goals:

1. Get through my list of books.
2. Cook one Korean dish! I've been craving something savory.
3. Do a clean-through of the house.
4. Create a new workout plan (currently in the middle of this one).
5. Find a seasonal job.

After a children's literature class that I recently took this past semester, I can genuinely say that I have a new found love for children's books ... but these books are for children. ha ha. I can't say that I'm an avid reader, however, I do like engaging in self-help/advice/inspirational books during my free time. I'm working on branching out to new and different genres! :) These books here are a few that I've been loving, started and trying to finish up, and/or working through.

1. Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst: This book has convicted me many times about the choices I make when it comes to eating habits. To simply put it, I have a choice and either I can choose to use every opportunity to glorify God with what I put in my body or instead, choose whatever I want, whenever I want for my own benefit. (Currently borrowing this from Vic!)

2. What Every Woman Wishes Her Father Had Told Her by Bryon and Robin Yawn: My brother picked this up for me when he attended a conference about two or so months ago. I still have yet to get into the core of this thing!

3. Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider: I haven't always cared for an organized home; that's until I grew up a little and realized how much a home meant to a family and also how it can foster beautiful relationships with those who come in and out. It's become a passion of mine to create an hospitable atmosphere to those around me wherever we are. (Admittedly, I need to keep working on this area of my life).

4. Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George: This book has always been on my list of books to read! I was so excited when I saw that my sister owned a copy of it.

5. Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success - Online and Off by Michelle Phan: Yes, I'm actually reading this one. Lots of good tips!

6. Born is The King Advent by She Reads Truth: I genuinely love everything about this one. It contains lots of pretty pictures, tons of scriptures for each day up to Christmas, and a place for responses. This year's advent focuses on finding Jesus in the Old Testament and how he is the truer and better of all the characters that we know of in the Old Testament.

Growing up, I've learned to appreciate the people in my life. I'm especially thankful for these girls and the times we've shared together. It's crazy for me to think that this is life...getting married or moving on or ... maybe more schooling elsewhere or simply being done and just knowing that it's time to go. Yes, I'm so glad that we're not "here" forever, but a part of me can't begin to imagine what life will look like apart from here. I'm feeling a whirlwind of emotions, but all good ones. Excited for the directions that we'll move in & ecstatic for where the Lord will continue to lead.

Reading... Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. Y'all, I'm still working on this book. I'm loving it but just haven't had quality time to really sit a read a book. 
Playing... Beiber's new album Purpose. Not bad, JB.
Watching... A Christmas movie soon! 
Trying... to make a list of things that I want to do over Christmas break. It's coming soon!
Cooking... different meals this holiday season ... I hope. I want to try new things in life. ;)
Eating... healthy things starting soon. 
Drinking... so much coffee. I used to drink none, but now I drink tons!
Calling... it a night soon. I still have quite a bit of things to do and grinding it all out through the night always sounds like a good idea until I fall asleep and don't make it through the night and never get anything done. Story of my life.
Texting... all the time! I've caught myself on my phone too many times today. 
Pinning... lots of outfit ideas ... for both the holidays and a girl's photoshoot coming up! 
Tweeting... nothing. I have twitter, but don't use it. It's just one of those things that I'm never gonna care for. 
Going... with the flow until Thanksgiving break. I can't wait.
Loving... the fact that the weekend is here. It's been a tough week, but so thankful for weekends. 
Hating... the fact that this is the most stressful time of the semester for me and many others.  
Discovering... a lot about myself. Like that fact that I have such a hard time telling others my feelings when I want to so badly. :/
Thinking... about some sleep after a much needed face mask and shower!
Feeling... incredibly out of shape. It's been three weeks since I've exercised. :( 
Hoping (for)... time to hang out with my boyfriend soon! He's visiting and I'm so excited!
Listening (to)... some Joseph Vincent on youtube. He's got a voice!
Celebrating... small victories little at a time. Sometimes, I get caught up in the failure, but there are many victories worth celebrating amid the unsuccessful times. 
Smelling... nothing at the moment! However, I'm excited to purchase candles soon for the holiday season. I think scents are able to do so much for a home. 
Ordering... something from bath and body works. Maybe not, but I'm tempted to because of all of their great sales!
Thanking... Christ for His abundant grace!
Considering... a hike soon with my roommate. I have this urge to hike ... or try something new. 
Starting... to think about the holidays and different ideas that I can use to decorate the house with. 
Finishing... the semester soon. My heart has been in this season of readiness and wanting to move forward but I'm learning that I need to embrace these times. It's been a challenge, but a good one. 

As I take a look into the busyness of my schedule, I'm realizing that there's only a couple more weeks until Fall semester is over ... and then I think to myself, "where the heck did the time go?!" Maybe much of that time was spent trying to figure out where it went, but to be very truthful, I've been overbooked. For some reason, being able to control and handle the busyness of life appealed to me and I wanted to be known as a person that was able to handle all of that. It's so silly, but I wanted people to look at me and see that I was a hard-worker because I've always felt less than that. (That's a different story for another time).

But now, there's nothing to see other than an overbooked Heaven ... just trying to make the meetings, get through them, and then onto the next task. That's been my life these days ... literally a routine.

Nonetheless, I want to embrace these times, though it isn't easy, and quite frankly, something I've learning over and over again.

As the week quickly comes to an end (halfway there), I excitedly anticipate the little fall break at home and away from school. Some things on my wishlist this fall-y season:

1. Tunic dresses - I feel like I'm in a transitioning phase with my sense of style. Hoping to add different pieces to the wardrobe. 2. The plaid scarf - I've seen it everywhere and I want it! 3. Hunter Boots - these would look so classy even on a rainy day. 4. Alex & Ani bracelet - these are dainty and perfect for stacking bracelets. Love. 5. Wool socks - I love anything socks during the cold seasons. 6. Brown tote - It would be perfect for the teacher in me. 7. Winter Jacket - I'm especially loving the tweed.

These past couple weeks have been crazily exciting. First of all, I'm going to be an RA (resident assistant) and that in and of itself is all very new to me. To think that I'm going to be/get to be serving twenty or so girls my age or older frightens me, while at the same time, makes me ecstatic to see what the Lord is going to do within us as a whole and as individuals. I am so humbled that the Lord would allow me to be a part of this community and use me as a means for His purposes in serving those around me.

It's all been challenging for me in the sense that I felt unprepared and not ready; no vision, really, for this community of unique girls and this living place in which we all share. That was something I really struggled with and often, I used the excuse of having less than two weeks to prepare for a years worth of stuff. So yes, I'm pretty nervous about the year; about how everything will play out; about how these girls will be ...


However, I've found much comfort in the Lord when I'm reminded that this doing is not for myself or solely for these girls that I get to serve and it's also encouraging to know that I'm not alone in this. I'm thankful that the Lord is always faithful and continues to provide for me in strength, comfort, and assurance.

+ Sundays are my favorite.

+ I'm going to be traveling soon, therefore, this day will be used to organize and pack my necessities for my one-week trip. This is kind of my favorite, too.

+ I'm trying out coffee. This is kind of a silly thing, but I went out and bought the cheapest coffee maker and some coffee to upstart this coffee adventure. I guess I just find a lot of comfort in the whole coffee thing in the sense that it can bring a lot of people together and many wonderful conversations can stem from a cup of coffee. So yeah, I bought a coffee maker.



I remember the other day, as I was waking to get the mail, I looked around campus as I often do and thought to myself, "Man, this is where I am. And if this is where I am, then I have no doubt that this is where the Lord wants me." And sometimes, when I'm here, I catch myself ungrateful for this season and desiring to leave as soon as possible as if I have the ability to rush this process. I'm always reminded to trust the process in which the Lord is still at work. 

Yesterday, I had a wonderful conversation that lead deep into the night with a couple friends and it was one of the best conversations I've had in a long time. Literally, talked about anything and everything from learning to cook all the way to learning to be faithful. And as I'm currently in the middle of learning about the fruit of the Spirit, today's devotion was on faithfulness.

Faith given to us is a gift from God Himself as it says in Ephesians 2:8.

"Faith is the conviction that Jesus Christ is our only salvation.
Faithfulness is remaining in that truth and holding fast to the faith.
The issue is not "how much faith," it's who I put my faith in.

The fullness of God's purpose for each of us comes when our faith
propels us to offer up our lives for the glory of the Kingdom! Not
later, when we feel more qualified or can see just where He's leading
us - but right now just as we are! " - She Reads Truth

All this to say, I'm very encouraged to keep going in spite of the different circumstances in my life without measuring the amount of my faith, rather placing my faith in Christ, who is the perfecter of our faith and looking towards the reward. Let us live lives of faithfulness, acting on the faith we've been given.

Summer has been relaxin'. Trying to make the most out of these hot days by spending some time tanning out by the pool/pond, creating lots of diy's, spending time with family on the weekends, going for runs when the weather is cool, driving - yes, driving, and ending my nights with soft music and a little bit of reading.

1. Roommate and I sharing a bowl of noodles. Tasted great. No regrets.
2. What my bed looked like in the early morning as I studied for my Theology exam.
3. My little brother and I as we watched Kingsman. Still not sure how I feel about the movie.
4. Reading on a fine day! It felt like the first day of Spring ... but then it snowed again today!
5. Jeffrey and I on Valentine's Day!
6. My new journaling bible - so in love with it!

Life has been busy, as usual, but here's what's happened/happening.

+ We've been getting so much snow and on random days, too. I am so thankful for them. They allow me to catch up on homework and to simply rest.

+ Although the snow days are great, they prevent me from getting in to do my observations for my field experience. I am excitedly anticipating the day that I will finally get to meet my teacher mentor.

1. How to not be so curious. The curiosity takes away from the importance of every situation ... especially when one is in need of prayer. It becomes a problem when you're more concerned curious as to what happened rather than how you can begin to pray for the person. 
2. Believing in other people. When did people stop believing in others? I want people to believe in me and in what I do. I want to do that for others and believe in them, too. What an encouragement it would be to simply believe in others. 
3. Christlikeness. We continually take a look at Jesus as the Master Teacher in my major classes and they have been so good to look over and reflect on.  He is such Good News. 

This may have been the first year that I spent New Years Eve in my living room, lounging in my pajamas and my super cozy fluffy socks, but I do not mind it one bit.


I want to begin by being more intentional about my bible reading and my devotional life. Oh how easy it is for people to make excuse after excuse instead of just doing it, you know what I mean? I'm certainly guilty of this. And while I know it's a personal thing, I certainly don't want it to be a private thing.

So for this new year, my hope and prayer is that I find myself more caught up in the word of God more so than on social media sites. I want to be saturated and filled to the brim with the word of Truth and in turn, grow into a woman who meditates on it day and night.

It's so easy to start the new year thinking that all of this is going to be easy, but I place my faith in the Lord. I'm super excited for what the Lord will unfold in this season of life.