Below is actually my blog from last year, but after reading it again, I felt it was still pretty spot-on to how I feel about Good Friday! Check it out 🙂

Growing up I didn’t really understand the significance of Good Friday. It was just another day I got off of school and to be honest, as an adult it’s been another day that I get off of work and that I get to have to myself. I don’t remember a Good Friday in my entire life that I actually spent even a fraction of the day honoring Jesus for what He did for me. Usually it’s been filled with my frantically running around doing last minute things for my churches Easter Sunday Service, or a day filled with worship rehearsals. Obviously Good Friday is no less of an opportunity to spend thanking the Lord for His ultimate sacrifice for me.

So what is Good Friday? In the most basic terms possible (ya girl ain’t a pastor lol), it’s the day that historically speaking Christians use to honor the day that Jesus was actually crucified. It’s more a day of remembrance and reverence than of celebration. Nonetheless we celebrate that Jesus took on all our sin as a spotless, sinless and perfect human being and died on this day thousands of years ago so that we could have a chance at a life on Earth without the wrath of God coming down on us all. Truthfully people kind of like to ignore that part. Jesus was sent to Earth to show us how to live as people yes, but he was also sent as a sacrifice to God so that you and I didn’t have to keep living in a world where the only way to avoid God opening the earth and swallowing us whole, or sending down fire, was daily sacrifice.

I don’t know about you…but seriously thank GOD for Jesus…am I right? Like ya’ll I not only would not be able to carry a lamb or catch a bird to take to an altar, I certainly would not have the ability to KILL it just so my daily sins could be forgiven. Yes yes I know there was a high priest that sacrificed on our behalf and all that jazz (read the Bible for more information about sacrifices) but you get my point; Jesus paid our debt once and for all so that we would never again have to. So why wouldn’t we spend Good Friday celebrating His death? It may seem strange but here are a few ways I’ve decided to honor my Jesus on this Good Friday. Check them out and maybe add a few of your own.

1. Set out intentional alone time with God
   Often my Bible reading and prayer time becomes me just sitting in bed and reading or praying before bed. Very few days do I actually spend time in the quite alone with God. On this day and hopefully many more, I’m physically scheduling time to spend with God. Hopefully by now you know that I’m all about a planner and some schedules, so in order to actually stick to my date with Jesus, I’m writing it in as a meeting that I cannot miss. What you choose to do during this time is up to you, but I recommend starting with talking to God and thanking Jesus for what he did for you on this day years ago.
2. Find a local church service
   There are a few places that hold Good Friday services and my husband and I plan on attending our church. If you’re looking for one please reach out to me and I can help you find a few places you might like or are close to you. Part of the benefit of being a worship leader is you’re kind of in the know of what other churches are doing! Celebrating the sacrifice Jesus made is even more powerful when we do it with others! Even if you attend a service online, make sure you’re plugging in.
3. Write it out
   I’ve told you all before how important journaling is to me. Even though it’s not something I remember to do daily, I try to at least hit a highlight reel weekly. Today I’m making sure to spend some time writing out what I think and feel about Jesus’ amazing love for me. Sometimes writing is easier than saying things out loud, so if you find yourself struggling to speak verbally with God, I suggest writing it down.
4. Spend time with loved ones
   Ultimately it was His love for you and I that caused Jesus to die for us. He had every right and ability to walk away from what God asked of Him and to leave us on our own, still having to be accountable for our sacrifices to God, but He didn’t. He willingly chose to die an excruciatingly painful and humiliating death all because he LOVES us. I aspire to love my friends and family even a fraction of how much Jesus loves me. Spending time with them is a beautiful way to show that you care about someone. We only get this one life with limited time and sharing that time with others is a subtle way of showing them how you love them.

This list is short and sweet because I want you spend Good Friday in a way that allows you to feel the presence of Jesus and to remember what significance today holds. Good Friday isn’t just another day and I’m ashamed to say I’ve always spent it as so. Join me today as I begin a lifetime of celebrating what Jesus did for us.

Maybe you’ve come this far and you’re not actually sure what I’m talking about? Read the below story from the book of Matthew is the Bible and please reach out if you have questions. Like I said before, I’m not really qualified in all things Jesus, but I would love to chat and get you connected to a place that can answer anything you want to know about God.

Matthew 27:1-54

1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.” 11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. 15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. 19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” 25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. 32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. 45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,lemasabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

XOXO,
Camille

So tomorrow is the official start of spring! After a pretty cold winter, I am welcoming a nice beautiful and hopefully WARM spring. However, here in the south it takes a little extra time to warm up sometimes and the need for transitioning your wardrobe can be difficult but important.

Layer Everything

My favorite thing is layering pieces. I wear leggings, tights, cardigans and hats a lot during the transition periods of the year. You can dress warmer as need be and remove layers if you get hotter throughout the day. Don’t forget to lighten the load as well with different materials that are lighter.

Swap Out Shoes

This is the time of the year that a lot of my boots and heavier shoes go back into their hibernation and out come my lighter weight, and open toed shoes. Keep in mind what the morning weather will be versus the evening weather but usually here in NC it’s just cooler in the morning and nice and warm later in the day.

Change Colors

If you know me at all then you know that I love the color black. I personally wear black most of the time but the older I get the more I seem to enjoy other colors too. With that being said, spring transition is the perfect time to introduce lighter colors back into your wardrobe. It’s one of the easiest ways to bring some life back into your wardrobe.

Consider Jewelry

I don’t think many people realize the impact that jewelry can have on your wardrobe. Typically for me in the winter I wear a lot more gold and sparkly jewelry and in the spring I switch to my smaller more dainty items that liven up an outfit. Consider making slight changes to your jewelry since accessories always make a change.

These are all of my favorite ways to transition out of my winter into the warmer more light colored spring clothes. There are so many options and I hope you find a way to make it fun for yourself.

Xoxo,
Camille

On Sunday Nicholas and I will celebrate our first year of marriage. For the longest time I heard that the first year is the hardest for all the change that it brings to your life. Little did the two of us know that the day of our wedding North Carolina would shut down and we’d basically be together for the next year almost 24/7. Between several months of government suggested quarantine and both of our jobs transitioning to work from home, we’ve spent our entire first year being married without the harsh reality of “normal” on our side. So what have we learned? What (other than a pandemic) did we not expect in this first year? Allow me to enlighten you.

Faithfulness of God

If you’ve been following me for any amount of time then you’ve probably already pieced together the amount of mental health issues I’ve struggled with over the years. Truth be told I’ve only been talking opening and publicly about them since starting this blog in January of last year. That being said, being stuck in your house all day every day for months at a time isn’t really the best environment for someone who slips into depression easily.

Wow oh wow did Nicholas show up for me. Countless days he’s taken care of our dog, made me coffee, been quite as mouse while I sleep for two or three hours longer than him, prayed over me, took me outside when I didn’t want to move, held me while I cried, made me endless meals, made me laugh until my stomach hurt, built me up and encouraged me and the list goes on. The truth is, when you get married we tend to skip over that “In sickness and in Health” part thinking sickness won’t ever come. I have zero doubt that if I, God forbid, ever got an even more life altering illness that He would show up in the same way, but little did my sweet husband know on March 14th 2020 that he would be sacrificing so much so early.

Yes I’m taking a moment to share how amazing my husband is, but the truth is that it boils down to just how good God is. Friend, this lesson is about waiting on God’s perfect timing to put you together with your perfect mate. Chances are not many men in this world would do all of those things for weeks and sometimes months on end just because his wife was feeling “not herself”. That means waiting for the man that God has planned for you, means he’ll put the person in your life that WILL do these things and self-sacrifice to take care of you. God is FAITHFUL and will continue to show up over and over in your life if you just take a moment to be grateful for little things, like coffee in the morning from someone who loves you. This experience has shown me just how important it is to trust God’s timing and His plan for my life, including pairing me with my perfect match.

Communication Is Awkward But Not Hard

I said it. Communication is NOT HARD. It’s not. You do it all day long every day even when you don’t realize it. Your body language is a form of communication. You typing on instagram is communication. It’s when you have to confront someone or be honest about your feelings that it becomes “hard”. The truth is, it’s not hard in those moments either but it can be kind of awkward. If you’re like me and Nicholas at ALL then you’re a person who doesn’t want to disturb the peace. Nicholas is superrr laid back (until he isn’t but that’s another topic for another day lol) and most of the time doesn’t have his feathers rustled very easily.

Fun fact and side track for a moment. Nicholas and I dated for 8 months and got engaged, were engaged for 8 months and got married. The reason our relationship was able to escalate so quickly is communication. We’ve had soooooo many awkward conversations I’ve lost count. But what those have led to is intimacy (not that kind) which has allowed us to escalate the process of getting to know one another.

So choose your hard. Either it can be hard to be in a relationship because you don’t communicate how you feel or what you’re thinking. Option B, you can choose to speak openly, honestly and effectively and have a few “hard” conversations here and there but an amazing relationship full of joy and happiness with your needs being met. Choose your “hard”.

Pick Your Battles

Nicholas and I haven’t had very many arguments and don’t really get on each others nerves that often. But when we do, we really do LOL. Going off of what I said above however, we choose our battles wisely. I don’t go around nit-picking and nagging him about every little thing that he does that bothers me but when it’s something really big that I need him to actually address, then I bring it up. The great part is, that he does the same. No doubt living with another human being is challenging. We just naturally get on each other’s nerves. That’s just part of being human but you have to be careful about how often you’re finding yourself bugging that other person.

For example, I’m a total clean freak and constantly am cleaning and organizing. Nicholas is not. You can probably imagine how that becomes a slight issue sometimes. I choose over and over to enjoy the way God made my husband and not to bug the crap out of him about something that really is just the way God made ME.

Now to give Nicholas some credit, he knows this about me and usually does a great job at cleaning up after himself or helping me clean every week (thanks boo).

What Being A Partner Means

I don’t think I really knew what marriage would be like until now. Even the entire time up to this point I haven’t really stopped to realize that I have a partner in life and what the significance of that is. See when God created Eve for Adam, He said that Adam needed a helper (or help mate) and that Adam being alone was not a good thing. God created spouses to be one another’s helper. I am here now to help Nicholas become the best version of himself, to grow closer to God, to take care of things that he’s not able to do, to care for him whenever he’s not well or overworked. I’m here to be strength where he has weakness and vice versa. It’s not about us COMPLETING one another, we are only complete with God. Nicholas was not half a man when I met him and I wasn’t half a woman. We simply came together and now can do things that we wouldn’t have accomplished on our own.

Even though this list is short, this is a lot to unpack in one sitting I know. At the heart of this blog I can honestly say that what we’ve learned the most if just how perfect God’s plan and timing is. We would BOTH encourage you, if you’re single or dating and want to get married, PLEASE trust in God’s plan. Commit your singleness or your relationship to God and fully trust that He will take care of you.

If you’re married, let this be a chance to remind you of WHY you got married and remember what that first blissful year was like. Allow it to remind you to press on in the hard days and to love even deeper on the good ones. Marriage is a blessing that many never have, and Nicholas and I both were not sure was ever going to be for us and yet here we are. Let’s always take each day as a gift from God and trust that He’s here for us in all things.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life. I know that you read every single blog (even the girly ones about hair and fashion) and you’ll never truly know how much you mean to me. You are my everything and I could never express my gratitude for all that you’ve done for me in just one year of marriage. I love you forever babe.

Xoxo,
Camille

On March 10th my parents will have been married for 31 years. I asked them both to give me their two top secrets for making marriage last this long, which I will share below but first I want to give a little insight from my perspective as their daughter.

Childhood

Growing up the biggest thing I remember is that BOTH of my parents played with me, spoiled me, never missed a game or any activity I was in, showed up to every school event or field trip and so and so on. To make the point clear they were AMAZING parents.

Even with their full time jobs, heavy involvement in Church and a little rugrat like me running around, the biggest thing I remember is their laughter together.

My parents were always the best of friends. They shared/still share common interests and most of my childhood is full of us doing things together as a family and we actually enjoyed being together.

Take Away: Marry someone you actually LIKE being with

Adolescence

By the time I was in middle to high school, the pressures of work and Church and even me…we’re way more apparent. I could tell sometimes just how stressful things were for my parents and especially by high school I was more aware of what their real life was like.

What do I remember most? My parents hardly ever or even at all, fought around me. Now don’t get me wrong, I know they had their disagreements and their issues. I wasn’t blind (or deaf)to their disagreements, but I do know they were capable of having communication that didn’t rely on yelling and screaming or making their child upset. My parents showed respect and restraint when they were bothered. If they did fight all nasty and ugly, they sure kept it away from me.

Take Away: Marry someone you have “good” arguments and communication skills with

Young Adulthood to Now

While I like to still consider myself a young adult, I’m pretty sure those days are quickly passing. Either way by the time I reached college all the way to now I have vivid memories of a lot of different things about my parent. As an adult I’ve obviously been able to read more into their relationship and read things like body language or have more context.

From college to now what I remember about my parents in their willingness and urgency to stick with God. Christ is at the center and forefront of their marriage and in every single thing they talk about or do, you can hear Jesus all in it. My parents relationship is full of prayer for one another, attending Church, sharing wisdom with others, serving in Church and the list goes on. I can’t imagine that anyone on Earth can last for that long in a marriage without the grace of God pulling you through.

Take Away: God HAS to be your foundation

So what do my parents say is the key to being together for 31 years?

Mom
1. Always put God first before your marriage. God CREATED it in the first place so give it back to Him.
2. Treat your spouse like you would a close friend, always Christlike to them.

Dad
1. SERVE….by this I’m talking about serving each other in love, humility, and submitting to each other. If you always have your spouse’s best interest at heart, it’s difficult to be angry or fighting. When there are difficult times and disagreements, take a moment to step back and ask if you have their best interest at heart and are you serving as Christ did for us. This is all easier said than done but so very worth it.
2. AGREE ON VALUES…I’m talking about the big values like your Faith, your priorities, your financials, your ideas and approach to parenting, and your principals of life together. Each and every one of these are Major issues and I believe when you and your spouse agree on these (by communicating) that you will find that you agree on the small things. Very important to remember to not make decisions based on emotions. It’s always best to sleep on it and let reason come into play overnight than to make decisions when you’re disagreeing on an issue.

If you’re married, single, engaged or hoping to be one day I suggest giving these a little bit of thought. Even if you’re single you can apply all of this to relationships with friends and family. My prayer is that every single marriage continuously honors God, is full of Joy, happiness and laughter and lasts forever.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD. Thank you for being a beautiful example of love for Nicholas and I and for showing me exactly how special and wonderful marriage can be.

XOXO,
Camille

February has been an especially cold month this year and I made sure to bring out all of my comfiest, coziest gear to survive. Here were some of my favorite items this month.

Lined Beanie
Found these at Walmart in the men’s section and boy am I glad we did. I have a few beanies that to be totally honest are legit only for looks and do not actually provide a single bit of warmth. Thankfully, we have these that both Nick and I can wear when we need to. So cheap but high quality feeling and material and a perfect amount of warmth.

Amazon Sunglasses
These are pretty much the only sunglasses I wear now. They just look good on absolutely everyone and for the price they are worth it. I have the black but will be asking for the brown on whatever upcoming excuse I have to ask for a gift lol

Large Claw Hair Clips
I think the common theme of my buying is that i’m very skeptical of “popular” items. When everyone all over the internet is saying something is a must have, I’m always leary of it. But here we are again. THESE CLIPS!!! I have so much hair yall. It’s long, it’s thick, it’s layered and kind of annoying. No clip on earth has ever been able to hold all of it until now. Not to mention these all come in REALLY cute colors.

Cheese Board
I’m aware that Charcuterie boards have been all the rave for quite some time now, but that’s not the intention with this guy. This I wanted/got specifically for serving actual cheese and crackers and fruit. I love charcuterie boards don’t get me wrong, but I love this board since it has cut outs for the crackers to go so they’re not falling all over the place and the perfect size to place your cheeses (because obviously you have to have multiple weird cheeses that no one has heard of). The size is also great for storage.

Makeup Storage Kit
I have finally reached the age in my life that traveling without some type of organization is an actual nightmare I have. Gone are the days of just throwing every item I own messily into my suitcase and squishing it down with my body weight hoping to GOD it fits. No No, I’m a grown lady now and that means organization. This kit is also just super cute and practical and makes traveling with makeup so much easier and less confusing when I’m in the hotel bathroom trying to figure out where the heck my good moisturizer is.

Comfy Padded Bras
I have a lot of uncomfortable but necessary bras, then I have my sports bras for working out. For forever I was missing something I could just lounge around the house in. Or the type of bra you wear when you don’t feel like actually wearing a bra. Insert these amazing bras! A little lower quality than what I would have purchased for myself in store, but certainly worth the money for the comfort, colors and price!

9MM Barrel Curling Iron
Okay ladies if you’ve been dying to have those adorable ringlet, tight curls or you’re like me and HAD them all your life until you hit your 20’s, this guy is for you! Great price and works like a charm to give you absolutely gorgeous tight curls. Please set aside about an hour of your life to do your entire head, but know you won’t have to touch them for at least a week.

Rare Beauty Melting Blush
For most of the winter my skin is unbearably dry and I have to make changes to not only my skincare but also my makeup. I switch from using mostly powder products to mostly liquid products that help keep my skin looking dewy and glam. I gave this melting blush a try and I will never be able to go back to powder again. This blush is actually less liquid and more like a hybrid of powder and liquid which DUH, why didn’t I think of that. It goes on smooth and creamy like liquid but stays put for hours and looks gorgeous like most powders. This is a repeat purchase for sure.

Eyebrow Gel
This is another item that I’ve lived a long time without and had no problems until I used it for the first time and it changed my life. Even when I don’t add any other products to my brows, this gel just gives them a little extra life and helps them look better overall. This will also last you FOREVER. Absolutely love this and including this in my forever makeup routine.

That’s all for this month friend. Hope you find something you love as much as I do.

XOXO,
Camille

This is a pretty interesting topic in our family. I was raised as an only child (long story short neither of my siblings lived with me growing up) which means I was spoiled. There I said it. It’s out in the open, now we can move on. Aside from that, I’ve worked my butt off at moving up in my career and just like this blog, I have multiple side hustles. So for ME that has always meant I get to spend money whenever I want to.

Well then I got married last March and that changed a little bit. My husband is frugal to put it lightly and would much rather save money to spend on things like trips or securing a future for our family, ya know, reasonably responsible things to spend money on. So how have we made these HUGE differences work?

Communication

The all elusive communication. We actually TALK about what we spend our money on. Now let me be clear, my sweet man still finds random packages on the front porch more often than I’m sure he would like but he knows that I’m spending money when I am. There’s even sometimes that I ask him his opinion on an outfit before I buy it because why wear it if your husband thinks it’s hideous? Right ladies? lol

Long story short, we make financial decisions together and we’ve set amounts for each other that we do not spend over without discussing it with the other one. Working from home has certainly made this easier for us but all in all it’s not hard to shoot each other a text or bring it up at dinner if we have something we want. We keep each other in the know on what we have in mind and it’s never too much of a surprise when something new shows up.

We Compromise

Has anyone ever told you how much compromise goes into making a relationship work? If not, let me be the first to inform you, it’s HARD. There are things I want so bad that I can’t stand it but my husband and I are a team and we don’t make decisions without the other person on board.

Compromise isn’t about just never getting what you want OR always getting what you want; it’s about meeting another person halfway and deciding together what is going to be the BEST decision. Nick and I both compromise on financial decisions so that what’s best for both of us is the outcome. Sometimes that means we don’t go out for dinner for a week or two. Other times that means I’m not buying new clothes or shoes. Each decision is made with the end goal of being debt free & having a secure future in mind.

Give it to God

I probably should have led with this one but it’s most important and I want it fresh on your mind as we close. We reconcile our spending differences most by praying over what God wants us to do with our finances. There’s been a few times that we’ve wanted to donate money or purchase something and we prayed on it instead of trying to make a decision on our own. Each time God has shown up and given us an amount to donate or a yes or no on a purchase we wanted to make. We always want to remain fiscally responsible for the GIFT of having an income that God has given us. We make sure that God can trust us with the blessings we have. The more He can trust us with our blessings now, the larger that blessing will be and we know WE are held accountable for what we did with our blessings here on Earth.

In case you’re missing the main point here, it boils down to the fact that Nick and I make decisions to let go of what we want for what’s best for both of us. Marriage specifically will draw out every ounce of selfishness (or in my case spoiled-ness) you have and force you to confront it head on. I’ve had to let go of the notion that I get to just spend money whenever I want because I work hard and instead make the decision to put aside what I want for what our family NEEDS. Please understand that this doesn’t mean that I never get anything, because trust me I do; Or that my husband never buys anything special for himself, we simply follow these steps above and it’s always something we can BOTH feel good about. It’s hard work but I promise if I can do it, so can you.

Xoxo,
Camille

Yes let’s take a moment to collectively admit that this is going to be a heavy topic. I’ll keep it short sweet and to the point for all our sakes but first let’s do the right thing and start off with some scripture shall we?

Ephesians 4:32 : “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Matthew 6:14 : “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Matthew 18:21-22 : “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’ “

That’s just a few to make the point that forgiveness isn’t even a suggestion or a passing thought as much as a command from the Lord. But can we agree that forgiving someone is hard a HELL (yes actual hell). So if it’s so difficult for us humans then why would God make it a non-negotiable?

It’s About You Not Them

Everything that a person does flows from their heart. Quite literally speaking you can’t live if blood isn’t being pumped from your heart but in a spiritual sense, there’s absolutely nothing good that comes from a morally or spiritually corrupt heart. This concept takes a little bit of maturity and faith but stick with me. The devil attacks us humans in very few ways. He’s a creature of habit and if you study his ways long enough you’ll learn where you’re the most vulnerable.

God makes it very clear in His word that having community with other believers and relationships with one another and with Him is extremely important and vital to who we are as Christians. Well why then does the devil love to cause strife and quarrel and pain between God’s people? Well DUH, because if we continue to allow pain and hurt from other people into our hearts and minds, we will continue to isolate ourselves from community. Read that until you get it.

Not forgiving people when they’ve hurt you, only leads to you isolating yourself from the very community that you are created and designed to part of. The Bible describes the Christian community as a working body. If you cut yourself off from the body, they likely will be able to survive without you, but it’s impossible for you to survive without them.

Forgiving someone from wrong doing and hurt is ONLY about you. God will handle THEM, you handle YOU.

Write It Out

The truth is many times we’re unable to move past a situation until we feel validated in some way; Until we feel like we’ve been heard or until someone else understands our suffering. Not every single case is one that you can have a conversation with someone. In the case of domestic or sexual abuse, there’s likely not a chance that you’ll ever have to openly talk to the person that abused you, nor do you likely want to see their face. So what’s to be done?

A concept I was told about many years ago was Burn Letters. It’s a letter that you HAND write then burn. You write every single nasty, ugly and horrible thing that you can possibly think you’d ever want to say to that person, seal it up and go light it (carefully) on fire. REALLY IMPORTANT THING: Pray for God to forgive you too. Here’s one that I’ve prayed in the past over a burn letter if you need some help:

Jesus, thank you for being here for me right now. Thank you for seeing me and for hearing me and for knowing the pain I feel. Thank you for giving me the words to say to (insert their name) even if they may never hear them or read them. I ask that you would forgive me for holding on to the anger, hurt and pain that someone else caused me and for whatever sin that may have caused me to act in. I ask that you allow me to move forward from this day with no more anger, hurt or pain and that I can walk in total freedom from this moment forward. Amen.

Talk To God As Often As You Need

Truth be told there are some people I have written multiple burn letters about. There are some people that I’ve had the opportunity to speak to and I still just got mad all over again the next time I saw their name somewhere or heard someone mention them. There are some people I haven’t been able to FULLY forgive and I know that one day I will. In the meantime, I give God that hurt, anger and pain over and over again until it’s gone. God is there, 24/7 and longs to heal my heart and yours too. Even if it takes longer than you’d like, just give it to God until you know it’s gone.

Resource Yourself

Don’t be afraid to buy books, go to therapy sessions, attend skype meetings or whatever else you need in order to move forward from any pain you might have. God has placed doctors, therapists, friends and family members in our lives for a reason and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about when we need a little extra help or prayer from someone. The biggest step is to surround yourself with resources that you can trust to help you when you need it. You also have to commit to opening yourself up and not holding onto pain.

Find Humility

There’s a power in holding anger over someone. When it’s loved ones or people you interact with regularly, it can feel so good for them to treat you a certain way knowing they’ve hurt you. Unfortunately a lot of victims of abuse hold on to that power for a lifetime, others of us just rub a wrong doing in someone’s face for the rest of their lives.

Jesus is more than a perfect example of a human that deserved to be angry, to demand that people treat him a certain way after his resurrection. He could have easily shown up a the roman soldiers house and demand their apologies or anything he wanted. Instead he found compassion on them.

A saying that you may or may not have heard but is one of my motto’s, “Hurt People, Hurt People”. In essence, if you look at the life, background or personal issues that someone is going through, they’re more than likely to ALSO have gone through some pain, which caused them to act out and hurt others.

Like that prayer above, we tend to act in a sinful way when we’re trying to validate our pain. Sometimes we hurt others, sometimes we hurt ourselves and most of the time we do both. Just like WE act out when we’re hurting, others do to. If you can for a moment set aside your emotion and think rationally you’ll come to realize that the person who hurt you deserves compassion and in some cases empathy for their situation.

Again, it hurts like hell and can be harder than anything you’ve walked through in life but oh my goodness the freedom and POWER you have when you let all of that weight go.

____

My sweet friend, I pray that you can just let go. Let go of the need to be in control. Let go of the hurt in your heart that causes you to close off from others around you or to act harshly towards others. See the people who have hurt you for just a moment as God sees them and talk to Him about dealing with his child and YOU.

Don’t let UN-forgiveness keep you from a life full of joy and hope and most of all don’t let it keep you from Jesus.

XOXO,
Camille.

Even before COVID, Nick and I have liked spending most date nights or Holiday’s in and the last couple of years have spent Valentine’s Day in on purpose. There’s less cost, less people and in general easier to relax and enjoy this precious holiday. So if COVID has got your valentines day plans all messed up, here’s some advice on how to make the evening a fun one.

Decide on the Mood

First you have to decide what atmosphere you’re setting. Is it you and the girls and you want to have a playful, fun girls night? Are you and the girls in the mood to dress up and have a fancy night in with a three-course meal and champagne? Maybe you just want to wear your comfies and watch romantic comedies for the evening? Once you establish the vibe you’re going for, the rest of the plans fall in order much easier.

Yummy Food

Instead of buying all those heart shaped candies and cakes or molds for pancakes or waffles, spend the time to get things that your loved ones, well… love! That still might include grabbing their favorite candy bar or sweets but make it fun and delicious. Having a bunch of snacks or a three-course meal (whatever mood you’re trying to go for), make sure you include things that they will love too. Nick and I like to get things for another that we both enjoy.

Decorations

This is a pretty subjective one for me since everyone has their opinion on if decor is needed for valentines day or not. Alas there’s always balloons at the dollar store, that make a cheap but super cute and easy way to make any room feel festive. I’ve always wanted to fill my entire living room with balloons for valentines day but just haven’t gotten around to it. Either way, my advice here, is the less you have to clean up afterwards the better. Go for something that fits your plans for the night.

Gifts

This is another tricky one but let me be totally honest. MEN LISTEN UP, every single woman on the face of the planet if lying if she says to you that she doesn’t want anything for valentines day. There I said it. Sorry I gave up our secret girls. If it’s your very first valentines day together, no harm in getting a teddy bear, if it’s year 5 or beyond please don’t keep getting her stuffed animals that she’s likely never going to use. Flowers always good, candy (even a healthier version) always good, candles are always good…I can keep going if you need more help but all-in-all this is a special, sweet and fun night just to shower someone with your love and affection. That could be a sweet card or something more lavish, but make it meaningful.

Entertainment

You really can’t have a fun night in without some form of entertainment. That could be games, music or movies. No matter what you decide, make sure that you’re doing something for you to spend time together with the people you’re celebrating with. For example one year my three girlfriends and I got together for valentines day. We were all single at the time. We made dinner together, hung up the decorations, ate, watched a movie and then spent some quality time just chatting. Nothing too lavish but everything we did was us doing it together. We made it entirely about us spending time together and it was so fun and memorable.

Pre-Plan

A big part of all of this it to PLAN. This is one of those holidays that I hate to see someone rushing to the store last minute trying to find something and everything is picked over or way too expensive. If nothing else, being stuck at home with our loved one’s allows us the opportunity to get to know one another better. If you want to make the night special for someone, you should be able to sit down and plan a fun night for you both or all 🙂

Friend please keep in mind that this is just another chance for you to love on someone. Hopefully it’s not the ONLY night or day of the year that you make special for your loved one’s but it doesn’t hurt to give someone a little extra love and affection.

Ladies I also want to end with this. If you have something specific that you want, ASK FOR IT!! Do not fall victim to thinking he knows what you want. My husband would be perfectly fine if this was just another day of the year, and had I not set the precedent of what my expectations are, he would never have know. Then I would have been left hurt and disappointed. It’s perfectly fine for you to make it clear that you desire certain things.

Fellas that goes for you to. For example my husband let me know what the budget was for this holiday (lol) and that he wanted to take care of planning dinner. You have just as much say as the ladies.

Hope you all have a wonderful, adorable and FUN Valentines Day and just LOVE on one another. Make it a chance to simply enjoy being with one another.

XOXO,
Camille

Setting goals is the most common theme in the first month of a new year. Most of which are focused around your weight, your finances, your career or entertainment (like traveling). Very few people think about setting goals to have better mental health, mostly because very few people think they need to focus on their mental health in general.

Unless you’ve dealt with any type of mental health issue like depression, anxiety or other common issues, then you probably don’t think very much about it. Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps focusing on your own mental health could actually assist you in obtaining some of those other goals too?

Mental Health Culprits

Everyone is familiar with depression and anxiety and we’ve all heard of stress but do we actually know what to do to combat these? Did you know that statistically 100% of the population will experience at least one of these three common mental health issues at some stage of their lives? We are lead to believe that depression and anxiety are much less common than they are but the truth is you’ve probably experienced them before without even noticing. Depression can look like many things, anxiety effects everyone in a different way and stress can show up in the most unlikely of areas in our lives.

What Can Be Done?

Aside from something more serious and seeing a mental health professional, the obvious answer here is to turn to the Bible. So what does the Bible say about these conditions?

Stress

Proverbs 3:4-6

“So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Anxiety

Philippians 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Depression

Psalm 30:5

“…For sorrow may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning…”

These are just a few examples of what the Bible says about these more common mental health issues, but my suggestion here is to google verses, write them down and repeat them every single day. Nothing makes you feel better than to hear the word of God. Luckily for us, God’s living word is so full of real life examples, stories and scriptures for us to read that help us navigate through anything in life.

Goals To Set

1. Get 30 minutes or more a day of moderate exercise (preferably outdoors)
2. Get plenty of rest but not too much (too much sleep is just as bad as not enough)
3. Spend the first 10 minutes of the day doing something you enjoy instead of getting straight into something you don’t.
4. Spend the last 10 minutes of the day doing something you enjoy
5. Spend less than 3 hours per day on your phone
6. Take part in meditation or other relaxation techniques

Pray & Worship

The answer to all of the above is to PRAY! Prayer is one of the few things in my life that I can always depend on. Prayer truly shifts things in the atmosphere and no matter how I am feeling or what I’m going through I always feel better afterwards.

Worship music just hits different. The key for me is to listen to certain types of worship for different things. When I’m depressed I put on the fun, upbeat, gospel filled music that just lifts my spirit right up. When I’m anxious or worried I typically listen to more congregational worship or ballets that help me focus on truly worshiping God and focusing less on my problems around me.

That’s all the tips and tricks I have for you today friend. Please keep in mind that this is not professional advice, rather advice from a friend who’s been there. A friend who has experienced all types of mental health “issues” and who God has healed over and over again and who is here for YOU. As we all spend this first month of a new year realigning our goals and shifting our focus on the year to come, know with confidence that someone is here for you and is in your corner.

Xoxo,
Camille

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Can you believe we made it through the craziness of 2020? Going into 2020 I was so full of excitement and expectation. I got married, most of the major holidays were celebrated on the weekends which is awesome, it was a leap year, we had a major election, and so many other cool things were happening; What was there to NOT be excited about?

But now? Now we made it into another new year, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that most of my goals for 2020 were majorly halted because of the pandemic. Trips I wanted to take were cancelled, events were cancelled and in general my entire life was flipped upside down. So how do we refocus those goals and make a giant step into 2021?

Write Lists

Hi, I’m Camille and I am utterly obsessed with list making. I don’t even really know what my life would be without all of my lists. I will say with full confidence that making lists is a great habit to get yourself into. Write down anything that you didn’t get to accomplish in 2020 and rededicate it to 2021. I think everyone gets a free pass for last year anyway.

Pray and then Pray again

Obviously it’s incredibly important to commit plans over to the Lord. The Bible teaches us that God doesn’t operate based on OUR plans but His own, or OUR timing but His timing. It is clear that God knows the desires of our heart and if what we want is in His will He has promised that it will happen. So write those dreams, goals and desires down then repeatedly give them over to God. There is absolutely no better way to start this year off on the right foot than to be committing every part of yourself to God. He is and always will be in total control and all we have to do is submit to His plans.

Focus on You, not on Them

I talk a lot about focusing on yourself and staying in your own lane. This is huge when we’re writing out goals and dreams. I have often been left disappointment and hurt when I “dreamed” something that was really just me focusing on what someone else had and thinking it’s what I needed to. When you’re making that 2021 goals list, stay off social media and keep focused on what YOU really want and need to accomplish. Allow yourself some time to dig deep and reflect on what you want at the end of the year to have manifested for your life. Don’t waste even a second looking at someone else’s life and comparing your own. God has a plan for YOU and for THEM and it’s unlikely that it will ever look the same.

Dream Big

One of the few times that God allows us to test Him is in His faithfulness to us. The caveat here is that not everything that we dream or want is how God will answer us. What I mean is, you may pray for years about getting your dream job and when you finally land a job, it’s not what you expected or what you thought it would be but when you take a moment you’ll realize it’s exactly what you NEEDED but maybe not what you WANTED.

It’s that age ole lesson of parents knowing what’s better for their kids than the kid does. God is the same way and knows our heart more than we do. That being said, DREAM BIG! Lay it all on the line for God and tell Him everything you want in life. Tell God all of the accomplishments you’re dreaming of or life that you see for yourself. I promise He can handle it. Just remember it may not look like you thought but God in all His love and wisdom will surely answer you.

Prepare for setbacks

I think it’s clear that almost all of 2020 was a setback for most of us. I love the saying ” A set back is a set up for a comeback”. It’s so true!! Sometimes we have to fail, or not get what we wanted in order to get something greater. I by no means wanted to NOT have my album out last year but God had bigger and better in mind and this year I’m fully ready for a comeback story! That may not be what I have planned, but I know that God is faithful and every set back is already calculated in HIS plan for me. You have to learn to go with the flow when it comes to operating under the Holy Spirit and following God. Get yourself in the right mindset for the year and know that setbacks are OKAY!!

Keep Goals Fresh in Your Mind

One of the biggest downfalls we all make is that we set these awesome goals at the beginning of the year and then two weeks later we don’t even know what they are. Insert, making a vision board. I have a post about this from last year and it’s a really great tool at keeping you focused and reminding you daily of what goals you have. Most importantly this keeps your mindset right and keeps you from making decisions that go against your goal. What that means is if my goal is to lose 20 pounds by summer and I have that on my vision board that I see every day, it’s unlikely that I’ll then go eat a half dozen donuts at dinner time because it’s fresh in my mind what my goal is. Positive reinforcement here people!!

That’s all I have for you on this first day of a fresh new year. Just remember that the goal here is really to draw closer to Jesus so spend some time today with Him and allow Him to speak some dreams, goals and vision into your heart. HAPPY 2021 FRIENDS! Let’s pray is turns out a little more productive than last year 😉

Xoxo,
Camille

Typically I do favorites for the month on the last Friday of the month. Obviously today is a super special day and instead of making it a post about products, I wanted to share the significance of today and how to make the story of the birth of Jesus, easier to apply in 2020.

We focus on gifts and products and shopping for basically a month, and then Christmas Day arrives and we tear into the gifts we’ve bought each other and then what? Most of us spend the day sleeping, watching TV, snacking, playing with new gifts, posting pictures of our new items and everything but thinking about why we celebrate this day in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong, Jesus received gifts too and I truly believe that God loves to see us share gifts with one another, as a way to show our love for each other. This day can be especially exciting if gifts is one of your top love languages. But what exactly are we celebrating? What is the significance of us giving gifts to one another? Allow me the next couple of minutes to explain the importance of this day.

What is the significance of the birth of Jesus?

Without getting too complex and digging all the way into Jewish culture and history, Jesus was at the time a sign from God that the Israelite’s had long waited for. They were promised a savior that would free them from their slavery, from their ridicule, from their misery. Jesus was the answer to everything they had been hoping for.

For us today, over two thousand years later, it’s still a sign of freedom. We don’t often think of ourselves in Western Culture especially, as enslaved. The modern terminology has given us a complex that forces us to believe that because we have no “owner” that we’re free. The jokes on us. The Bible teaches us that the moment we enter the world, we’re a slave to sin (Romans 6:20-22). Sin is the ultimate slave and without Jesus we’d be enslaved forever with no hope of ever being free.

The old testament teaches us that the only way that Jews could experience forgiveness for their sin at one time, was to offer sacrifices (living ones at that). That is until Jesus stepped on the scene. Without the birth of Jesus, we wouldn’t have had the death and resurrection of Jesus, which means that to this day the only way to satisfy to wrath of God would be to offer sacrifices. How grateful I am that Jesus sacrifices himself so I don’t have to sacrifice anything else. Just pause for a moment and take in the realization of what this means. Jesus coming down to Earth, allows us FREEDOM. Freedom to do anything we want, receive grace from God and keep living our lives. So much goodness of God is in that truth.

What should we take away from the story?

The story about Mary and Joseph and the long trail they took and all that they endured just to have Jesus is nothing short of a miracle itself. The story (Luke 2:1-20) is one that I recommend you spend today reading, but also is a beautiful gift to us about the goodness and faithfulness of God. See without Jesus being born on this special day, we would never have really seen the full grace of God. Don’t get me wrong, the old testament is still FULL of examples of God’s grace for His people, but there’s an intimacy and a tangible nature that Jesus brought to us.

The day Jesus was born, was the day that we were allowed to see the face of God. The day Jesus was born was the day that God Himself put on human flesh and allowed us to feel Him, to see Him, to talk with Him, to cry and laugh with Him. The day Jesus was born is the day that God allowed us to fully experience Him. The story of Jesus’ birth is OUR story, is the perfect example of the strife and pain that we experience in life only to be met with our salvation and freedom in Christ.

How to spend time on Christmas honoring Jesus

Other than the obvious, which is literally spending time alone with God today I would implore you to take a moment to evaluate your life. Are you sitting on a comfy couch reading this blog with gifts and family all around? Are you reading this on your new phone or laptop? Are you at work reading this blog? Are you surrounded by blessings and joy and happiness? Take a moment to thank God today. Remember for just a moment that without Jesus, you wouldn’t even be celebrating this beautiful day. Remember that without Jesus, Christmas wouldn’t be one of the only Holiday’s that is universally celebrated, which is itself totally crazy.

Love People

It’s one of the easiest times of the year to love people. One of my favorite things about Christmas is the tangible shift in the air and the way that everyone treats one another. I’m usually an emotional wreck around Christmas because everyone is just so kind and loving. To me, that says something about just how special this Holiday is. Jesus was and is the perfect example and fulfillment of God’s love for us and there’s something totally second nature and involuntary about how much we love other’s on this day. I can’t think of any better way to show Jesus how much you love Him, than by intentionally loving the people in your life. I know that it’s much easier said than done, but spend some time today just spreading love. I know that God’s heart is filled with joy when He see’s His children loving one another.

Merry Christmas my friend. May you spend today taking in every moment of goodness, laughter, joy and splendor that today brings each of us. I pray that everyone who reads this is reminded of the beautiful story of Jesus and His love for you.

XOXO,
Camille