Inspiration

Since I left my job with Amazon I've had this abundance of inspiration and insane thankfulness. Even during the temper tantrums and poopy diapers I can't help but be overcome with this incredible sense of having made the right choice. 

I left my job for something that will be part time come August/September, but I fully trust God in this situation. 

Now with my inspiration I've been dragging friends out to do little sessions here and there, but when people aren't available I actually have to get this stuff out either writing -ha- or doing art. Thankfully I have a plethora of art supplies and this past weekend was a creative weekend. It all started with needing to get Red's (the little girl I nanny, post coming soon) second birthday gift together and nothing at Target really screamed "RED!" aside from a super cute jumper and some crayons, cause who doesn't love mermaid inspired crayola crayons?! But this little girl is a spit fire. She seriously has this look that absolutely kills me, you know the wheels are turning, but you don't know why. It's killer. 

So I figured something that was a little more personalized would be a better alternative than the Melissa & Doug toys or the crazy amount of princess themed toys -she's never seen/read anything princess and I love it! So I free handed a pin-spired board. 

All the pictures below are free-hand. 

Red's little painting. She definitely lived up to this on Saturday when she gave mom and dad a run for  their money. Little girls are the bee's knees.  Since her brother Dubya's birthday is coming up shortly I figured to make him something that really makes me smile. He's the coolest kiddo I've met in a long time, as far as 5-year olds go, and definitely a leader in the making. 

After that I was sitting at the table that I've taken over and thought to try my hand at drawing "people" I'm terrible at faces, so I made the images below... definitely inspired by God and His unfailing love.

This one was inspired by Kari Jobe's song "I am not alone" one of my friends said it looks like a pregnant ladies stomach, which is so cool to see someone else's view! I'm still working as I'm not sure exactly how to put the words from her song on there. 

Above is a little something that I love. I saw it on pinterest, and I've wanted to paint it for my own kid's nursery, but that's a few more years out, so I have decided to gift this locally. 

It's a little crazy how one thing so totally changed my heart for the better. I was never a "painter" and most of my drawings were mostly stick figures/dinosaurs. I hope you all find some inspiration for your week, I know I sure will! 

Verse of the Week

I wanted to start a little area where I shared a verse with you all that I currently love and am either writing, praying, singing or just living in general. I have had such a year growing in and out of Christ. I say growing in and out because I sometimes have moments where I feel so distant from God that I can't believe He would ever forgive me or accept me back.. and then I am encompassed by His love and unfailing forgiveness. It's insane, humbling and so very amazing to feel. 

So I wanted to share this verse that I've had on my heart for the last few months, especially since moving into my own place and separating myself from a relationship gone bad. 

found on Pinterest 

Psalm 46:5 

God is within her, she will not fall. 

God will help her at daybreak. 

It's a good reminder of God being there with me, that at the beginning of my day He is there. I really would like to take my mornings and spend time with Christ, but I find myself getting up at 615 and barely having time for work. I do read She Reads Truth while at work and that's actually a really good read, study and all over awesome! It doesn't give me a lot of time to reflect, but I enjoy it. 

What's a verse that you'd like to currently share? I am always a fan of people sharing these types of things, so comment away! 

PS, if you have something you need to have prayed over please let me know! You can either comment me or email me at hellolovelyblogATgmailDOTcom. 

-I should probably add a contact button or tab-

Have a great day! 

Testify .. kind of..

I promised to be a little more transparent on here, in general, and that's why I wanted to share this with you all.. When you go to a church, or a small group.. or meet a friend in Christ a lot of them want to know how you came to Christ, when did you go "AHA!" and then you were a Christian. 
I had many moments of "AHA!"  When did I really begin to believe, when did my heart truly change and my life became new... Was it when I laid in bed crying, begging and pleading that my mom be okay. Was it when she told me she didn't want me.. that I was a mistake and should've been aborted.. Was it when I felt Christ moving in my heart, making me stir and reclaim Him in my life... Or has it been my whole life?
I was 15 when mom was in the ICU. 15 when she first told me I should've been aborted.  15 when I felt like I really should be gone.. no one would miss me.  I was 18 when I was baptized. 23 when I really started reading the Bible. 24 when I clung to God after she reconfirmed my existence being a mistake. 25 when I wasn't able to ignore the Holy Spirit in my heart. 
I've been sitting here for almost an hour trying to finish this post.. my moment was when God made me. He set me apart from the beginning and it just took me forever to find Him... I doubted Him, I doubted His creation and love, thought myself a mistake.
I was 15 when I came to Christ, but 25 when I truly understood His love for me..  The biggest thing I want to share is that He never left me.. He never let go and never will. 

North Dakota Living

In case you didn't know I live in North Dakota now... its a very cold place, where the buffalo roam.. more like where the oil workers roam! Seriously this was never on the "top 10 for Acacia to live" in fact when I thought of the Dakota's I thought of Mt. Rushmore, cows, cowboys and cold. 

But here I am two months in and I kind of like it here... 

I know, slap me! 

I am the girl from Arizona, the one who hates cold and wants to permanently never wear shoes, likes North Dakota.. #smh -I like to use hashtags.. it makes me sound ridiculous- 

Now before we all get bent out of shape I can easily list the reasons I like this place: 

1. Its small! I was not meant for HUGE cities and I kind of like that it only takes me 10-15 minutes to get anywhere.. including another state. 

2. We live right next door to Minnesota, over the river -literally- to cabellas we go. 

3. My dog likes it. He is a fan of cold weather. 

4. Like minded people. I am conservative, but in a weirdly liberal way.. I like my Jesus to be talked about and not looked down on for it, but I also support marriage equality... nothing wrong with love in my book. 

5. I finally feel less judged for wearing leggings as pants. Stupid reason? NOT! You know how much it blows being looked at like a common whore -I said it- because Acacia was too lazy to put on pants? NO because here, people don't care, they are like "I like wearing leggings as pants, because they are pants" YAY! 

Do I fit in? Probably not.

Is my redneck showing? YES... incredible amounts of real tree and duck/deer meat have been blessing my home. 

Does A like it? I think so.. we both miss small things about "city living" but in all.. this would be a place to raise any sort of family.

How does my family feel? They laugh uncontrolably when I tell them about the weather. In fact my dad said he could never again tell me I'd never experienced a "real" winter. Win. 

So here it is.. my redneck, starbucks loving, boot wearing, leggings are pants declaration to my love of North Dakota... but I am extremely excited about going to Washington in Feb!
-Acacia

Unsteady Ground

Our church is doing an area on Journey's which we're going through the book of John..

Credit 

This series couldn't have come at a better time. I'm going through a new season, I'm feeling my heart torn into multiple different ways.. and as much as I want to be with Jesus I see myself clinging to what is here, what I can physically grasp to. 

I am working towards letting go. 

I'm working on having nothing: Jesus+Nothing=Everything 

I am scared of moving, to be completely honest I'm scared of how A and I will turn out. I find myself praying for us daily, I find myself thrown into a state of depression which becomes scarily clear to those around me before myself. 

Credit

I'm on unsteady ground. I am not sure where my future will lead, but I am sure that I'm starting to cling more to my Father than to anything else.. which in itself is scary. 

I am looking at getting that tattoo, I was thinking about how my pastors wife said "YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE!" and that verse makes me feel like I'm not, I was not and HE LOVES ME! 

I have a torn life right now, and I'd appreciate prayers for it..