Blog

August 21, 2015

Haley Bower’s Testimony

Our testimony is one of a kind. It’s powerful. It can bring tears. Maybe even questions. Our testimonies give us a better understand of who God is and His relentless love for us. Today you will read about one of our writers – Haley. You’ll see how Jesus changed everything in her world and how He gave her new life – spiritually and mentally.

I grew up in the Catholic church, attending Sunday school and church camps. I hated going to the traditional church every Sunday because it was extremely boring to me. At age fifteen I came to a crucial point. Being forced to make a confirmation made me truly start to think about what I believed in. I mean, I knew there was a God, but I felt like there was something I was missing. I couldn’t pinpoint it. After I was confirmed into the Catholic faith, the required classes and camps came to a sudden halt. There was nothing for the newly confirmed to be a part of, other than the regular church service.

My best friend invited me to visit her churches youth group. Honestly, there wasn’t any notable difference between the two to me. I started going to the youth group more frequently and fell completely in love with the community of young people and the leaders with their love for Jesus and each other. I had never seen anything like it.

At the same time as this I had been going through a time of severe anxiety which had caused me to experience my life as if it were in third person. My Sweet 16 had arrived and there was a party with about 200 people in attendance. Everyone was crowded around me singing happy birthday. My mom came out carrying a big cake and I realized in the middle of the song that I was seeing everything from a third person perspective. It was as if I was watching everyone sing and celebrate a girl and I was an onlooker. This out of touch feeling went on for two years. It was the scariest and hardest thing to not know if I would ever feel present in my own life again. I would pray and not feel anything.

It wasn’t until one night when I was worshipping at my youth group that I broke down and realized that worshipping was the only time I ever felt truly present in my life. My leader pulled me aside to talk and that night I accepted Jesus into my life. I barely knew what being a Christian meant compared to being a Catholic. It took me a year or two to see what that differences were.

I can tell you now that the difference I found was true relationship with Jesus. There was a shift for me and from there my relationship has grown. There have been many trials these last few years with the worst being the death of a best friend at the hands of a drunk driver; that shook my faith around. These trials have ultimately pushed me to new areas in my faith that I had not experienced, but have helped me to grow in my relationship with the Lord.

August 20, 2015

Skincare Routine

I didn’t get serious about taking care of my skin until college. For many years I thought using moisturizer was silly because I had oily skin. I struggled with acne for years and never felt confident in my skin, until I had a skincare routine. Just as we take care of our body through eating healthy food and drinking water, it’s important (but not our ultimate focus) to take care of our skin.

I’ll share with you my favorite products that have helped with my oily, acne-prone skin. My skin isn’t perfect but I’m confident in it. I can honestly say that there are many days I go without makeup.

1. Origins Checks and Balances: I use this product twice a week. I have sensitive skin, so I enjoy using this creamy face wash because it’s calming for my face. My face feels clean after using it and I don’t feel leftover residue from the product.

2. Olay Cleansing Brush: I use this product at the end of the week when my skin feels gross. I either use Check’s and Balances or my Dr. Bronner’s soap with the brush. I try not to over exfoliate my skin, so this product is only used 1x a week.

3. LUSH Dark Angels: This is a holy grail product for me! If you have noticed, charcoal products are making their way into stores. I’ve been using Dark Angels for 3 years and it has changed my life. I ran out of it for a few months and thought I would be fine without it, but that was a mistake. My acne started to come back and my skin wasn’t as bright as it used to be. Dark Angels is an exfoliate made from black sugar and charcoal. It might sound abrasive, but it isn’t. The avocado oil in it leaves your skin feeling soft. I use this product 1-2 times a week.

4. LUSH Herbalism: Another Lush product that I’m a huge fan of! I had a roommate who thought that I was using mold to wash my face. I had to inform them that it A) wasn’t mold! & B) it was a cleanser for my face. Herbalism is for people who have oily/blemished skin. It does exfoliate but it’s very gentle (ground almonds is the exfoliator). What I really like about Herbalism is that it soaks up the oil on my face and my face feels balanced.

5. Dr. Bronner’s Castille Soap: I purchased this soap when I ran out of Dark Angels. I remember walking through Whole Foods Googling different products, as I sifted through the face soap aisle. I liked what people were saying about the soap and thought I had to give it a try. At first my skin was not reacting well to it – not sure why, but it’s all good now. Dr. Bronner’s Soap has coconut oil, olive oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil, and few other ingredients. I recommend the peppermint scent for mornings because it wakes you and your skin up! (You can use this soap for many things – read here).

6. LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner: You can see I’m a big fan of LUSH. I didn’t know much about toners until I went to a LUSH store and had them explain. Toners are another way to balance the skin on your face. The toner has tea tree oil in it which is good news for those with acne, because tea tree oil is antibacterial. It also reduces redness, which is a plus.

7. Origins GinZing Moisturizer: Another holy grail item. I’ve used different moisturizers throughout the years but didn’t see the difference of drugstore vs high-end moisturizes until I used GinZing. My face looks much brighter after I use this product (people have made comments about it!) The caffeine in the product is the main reason why it wakes your face up.

8. Murad Acne Spot Treatment: When that time of the month appears, I’ll put the treatment on those boogers and BAM! They are gone! I haven’t been disappointed with this product at all!

Do you use any products that you swear by? Comment below!

August 19, 2015

Life at 27

It’s safe to say, I’m not where I thought I would be at 27. When I graduated high school over 10 years ago, I had hopes and dreams of becoming a teacher or a writer and changing the world. None of which have panned out, none of which involved Jesus.

After finding Jesus and beginning a relationship with Him towards the end of my freshman year of college, my hopes and dreams began to shift focus. I still wanted to be a writer, but wanted to give a voice to people who had none. I was going to be a journalist and actually care for the people I was writing about. This dream looks great, sounds great, and was all about other people. The problem wasn’t that the dream was bad, the problem was that it was still MINE.

I’ve learned in these nine years of serving Jesus that good things, outside the will of God, are no longer good things. Honestly, I’m still learning this everyday.

It is in God’s Will that we find fullness of joy.

It is in His plans that we find peace.

It is in His timing that we succeed.

Not for the glory of ourselves, but for His Name.

Living in a culture where “do what you want” is the norm, it’s hard to step up and do what God is calling you to. Like, really hard. Like, maybe the hardest thing you will ever do. Sorry, no sugar-coating here. It’s going to be challenging. It’s going to take you to places you might never have thought you would go. The only rest in the chaos is the knowledge of Matthew 28:20.

“…and behold I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

So, life at 27. It may look a little different than I thought it would, but it’s ok. God is with me. Always.

August 19, 2015

Toffee Bits and Chocolate Chips

Read: Psalm 139, Genesis 1:27

Nine weeks ago television lost a great person. That’s right – Derek “McDreamy” Sheperd was killed off of the show “Grey’s Anatomy”. I don’t think I have ever been so mad at a TV series. How could they kill McDreamy? What were the writers thinking?

After about a minute, I managed to get over this tragedy. I wanted to share my sadness with others so I decided to send out a Snapchat with a picture of Patrick Dempsey. What I didn’t realize is that I had spoiled the episode for one of my coworkers. So in order to make it up to him, I baked him toffee bits and chocolate chip cookies, per his request. My coworkers were a little envious and he had requested that I make them again, so I headed to my kitchen and began baking.

Anyone who bakes knows there is a science when creating delicious food. I read the recipe and followed each task to a tea. As I was baking, I began to think about how tedious some recipes can be. Every recipe is different. Every recipe has been designed to have a specific flavor. Every recipe is created for a specific purpose. When God made us, He too created us for a specific purpose. Not one person is the same.

Isn’t that crazy to think about? There are billions of people living in this world and we are all different! We are all unique with our own characteristics and genetic material, and no one can take that away from us. However, we are never happy with how God created us.

“I am too fat.”
“I am too thin.”
“I am not that pretty.”
“I wish I was more optimistic.”
“I wish I wasn’t so cynical.”

God takes joy in His creation, yet we don’t give Him any praise. Instead, we look at what is wrong with us rather than loving ourselves for who God created us to be. When we criticize ourselves, we are criticizing what God has created. It breaks His heart to know that we are not happy with His creation. My mom told me something today that I will never forget. She said, “It is not important how you look. What’s more important is your heart and your relationship with God.”

God cares more about the intentions of your heart, rather than your hourglass figure. Take joy in what He has created. Praise Him for giving you life and the blessings He has bestowed upon you. You were created for a specific purpose. Don’t let God’s creation go to waste.

Recipe for cookies comes from Hershey’s.

Toffee Bits and Chocolate Chips

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 48 cookies

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips or Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F.
Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; blend well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in toffee bits and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

https://www.thecaptivatingwoman.com/toffee-bits-and-chocolate-chips/

August 19, 2015

Captivating Woman – Rachel Parrish

I grabbed my Americano from the counter and sat down at my favorite coffee shop in Napa (Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company). You cannot miss Rachel Parrish walking in. She carries this presence with her: warm and inviting. Plus, she just went platinum and looks AMAZING. She walks in smiling, in a killer outfit she probably just picked up at a flea market for ten cents. I have the distinct pleasure of calling Rachel friend, and am so happy to sit down and talk with her about life and about captivating women.

After a quick time of catching up (actually, let’s be honest, after two hours of catching up), we finally get down to business…

Jamie: First things first, where do you live, who do you live with and how old are you?
Rachel: I live in Napa, CA with my hubby, Nate. And I’m 29. 30 in November!

J: What three words would you use to describe yourself?
R: Outgoing. Enthusiastic, to a fault. Quirky (which is just a nice way of saying weird).

J: What is your day job?
R: Christian High School Bible Teacher. I also teach Chapel Leadership and Chapel Media Arts. We basically run Chapel for our high school and middle school. It is super fun!

J: What made you get into teaching?
R: Weirdly, becoming a teacher just happened to me. I also loved working with kids. I was a day camp counselor and worked on staff at my church with the youth group. Teaching just came very natural to me and I loved it! Also, I love shushing people.

J: That’s awesome! And, having sat next to you at church, you are very good at shushing people. But, what are you most passionate about?
R: Wow. That’s a hard question, actually. I’m a really enthusiastic person, I get really excited about lots of stuff, so I often mistake that for passion. When I think about passion, I think of Jeremiah 20:9 when he speaks of sharing the Gospel like “fire in his bones.” Whether it’s songwriting, teaching, or preaching, I have a passion for communicating the Gospel in a way that’s accessible, but not sugar-coated. Part of what makes the Gospel so sweet is knowing the gravity of sin, and the lengths that God would go through to make us His children. Grace isn’t amazing if we don’t realize what it’s actually about.

J: Have you ever had an experience or time in your life where you wanted to just throw in the towel and walk away?
R: Yeah. Heck yeah. The first nine months of Nate’s and my marriage were spent living with my parents. For the first three months it was intentional as we were saving money to buy a house. It was the next six months that we were there out of necessity. Nate was in a band called Worth Dying For at the time, and they were in the process of recording their second album with Integrity while I was working on staff as the youth ministry assistant at my home church. Within three months Nate and I both experienced unexpected unemployment. There was a lot of questioning God in that time. We were mad that He would “do that to us”. We knew that God had a plan, but we weren’t too stoked on it. It was very difficult to see any end to our situation. It was a pretty hopeless time. Now, of course, we can see that the Lord really was working it all out for His good, and ours, but our journey has been just one big surprise after another. Sometimes it’s really awesome, and other times it’s not. But those first nine months really taught us how to trust the Lord and walk with him through the fog.

J: During that time, did you receive any really great advice?
R: I can’t think of anything specific, but it probably came from my mom or dad. They are always right.

J: Speaking of advice, what advice would you give to someone who is chasing their dream?
R: Go to college and study something you love. AND…don’t read those “5 Worst College Majors” articles that come out around graduation season. My degrees (Music and Theology) top those lists every single year. There is so much more peace in obeying the Lord and living out your calling than living by the fear of man and our culture.

J: If you could travel anywhere, where would you choose and why?
R: I would really like to visit Israel. I want to see all the places I talk about with my students every year in Bible class.

J: I’m not going to, but if I came to your house tonight for dinner, what would you serve me?
R: Probably breakfast. Nate and I are big on breakfast. Like Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson.

J: Who are some Captivating Women you love and how could we find them on social media?
R: I really love the She Reads Truth gang. Those bible studies are so dynamic. Also, a friend of mine that I went to school with, her name is Gennean, you can find her at Blog.Gennean.com or Instgram @gennean. She is an adventurer in the the Lord. She is serious about seeking Christ, but in a sweet and very genuine way. I just adore her. AND last but not least, Vanessa Shepherd is another woman I hugely admire and love. She is passionate about ministering to teen girls and meeting where they are at, while digging into scripture. She runs a ministry called Living Head Over Heels, and you can find her at DearLHOH.com and her Instagram is @dearLHOH.

J: What do you think makes a Captivating Woman?
R: Finding your identity and worth in Christ. When you serve in response to the cross, it puts your soul at rest in a way that makes others want that peace for themselves.

J: What is your favorite Bible Story?
R: The woman caught in adultery. It is my favorite lesson to teach in my Bible class. It is such a clear reminder to me to check my heart. Am I being like Jesus, or am I being like the Pharisees?

As we finished our coffees, Rachel and I had an epic adventure of us both locking our keys in our cars…in the ignitions. So, if you need a reminder that we are ALL human and mess us, there you go. Seriously, check out Rachel’s blog (http://rachelparrishthethought.blogspot.com/) and her Instagram (@parrishthethoughtblog). And, don’t forget to give Parrish a listen. Rachel and her hubby, Nate, are amazing songwriters and musicians.

Subscribe to The Captivating Woman via Email