{finding Him}

Sometimes it seems like we spend our whole lives chasing things.  We chase after relationships, good grades, partying, or something else... it's different for everyone.  There is this void in our lives that we try to fill with things that will never be able to do the job, things that will never make you feel satisfied.  I'm guilty of this.  Lately, I've been chasing relationships... trying to find a guy that is interested in me, who wants to pursue me and take the time to invest in me. Now, don't get me wrong- I've gone out with some really great guys in the last few months, it's just that none of them were right at the time.

In the last few days I've realized something though.  A guy is never going to fill this void in my life, no matter how perfect he is.  Why are we so focused on finding "the one" when the only one we truly need is already in love with us?  And, He loves us more than anyone in this world ever could.  What more do we need?  Why don't we use this time of singleness to share & show God's love?  We, as humans, crave love and community and attention... Why don't we satisfy those cravings with a community of believers who can love & encourage us instead of searching for satisfaction in a guy.  This time is an opportunity to make friends, to love people, and to trust that God will bring a guy in His timing.  Until then, take time to pray for him, to pray that God will prepare you & mold you into the person you need to be.

This song came on Spotify the other day and I've heard this song and similar ones multiple times since...  I think that Lecrae says something we all probably need to hear. 

"Like That" by Lecrae

"Ladies, if Song of Solomon had never been written
And you never saw how men were supposed to cherish their women
And look at Ephesians 5 where they nourish their wives
Is he really that type of guy or are you rationalizing?
Our God deserves glory, greatest of love stories
He's more than movies and TV, believe me He knows your needs.
He provided His only Son when we ain't deserve it
He loves you on your worst days, you know He perfect.
So hold on, and be content, you got the greatest. You single?
Don't give it away 'cause your life was made for the maker.

What you got is a gift, don't waste it
Temptation be lookin' good, don't taste it
I told you back in '05 you should've waited, waited, waited
Haha, you remember wait? Hey, if you lookin' for love, you need to find God."

 

So in conclusion, I challenge you to be content in your singleness.  Be confident that God will bring a guy into your life at the right time.  Don't be so focused on finding someone that you miss everything else that is going on around you.  Pray for the guy God is preparing for you. And most importantly, invest your time & energy in loving God & loving people.

{shine bright}

xoxo

Michelle

{happy valentines day}

 {I know this is a little late- sorry!}

Happy Singles Awareness Day everyone!!!

For a single person (or even a not single person), it can be a bit overwhelming when it seems like everywhere you look there are things somehow related to love and valentines day.  Kelsey and I walked into Walmart a couple weeks ago and the store was covered with balloons, giant teddy bears, candy, cards, flowers, and anything else you could imagine.  We looked at each other and laughed because it was like we were being taunted for being single.  Today my social media is filled with sweet messages to loved ones, cute photos of couples, and of course my single friends complaining about the former.  I turned on the TV this morning to see all of the morning talk shows talking about valentines day- the perfect dates, the most popular love songs, the hottest celeb couples.  I just graduated from college last May and moved back to my home town, so every time I see friends I haven't seen in a while, the age old question comes up- "are you dating anyone?"  I usually answer this with a laugh and a "no, not right now."  What follows is usually one of three things- 1. Oh, it's ok, you'll find someone  2. I have someone you HAVE to meet!  You would be perfect together. (Now, don't get me wrong, I'll take all the help I can get, but my record with these types of set ups is not too good)   or 3. What happened to so-and-so?

What I'm trying to say is that sometimes it seems like the world is pressuring us to be in a relationship.  The world tells us that we need a "prince charming" to come rescue us from distress, when in reality, there is only one person who can save us from our distress. Let me tell you about him- he loves you unconditionally, will always forgive you if you ask him to, he is sinless and has no flaws... sounds amazing, right?  Well, I left something out.  He was willing to die for you.  Can you wrap your head around that? Someone who would give up his life for you? 

 His name is Jesus and He is the best valentine you could ever ask for!

 { Romans 8:38-39}

^{"38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."}

^^ did you get that? {nothing can ever separate us from God's love}

This year, I don't have a valentine in the traditional sense of the word, but I do have people who love me!  I have some really great friends (near & far), an awesome family, and most importantly, I have a valentine who is the only one who will always love me, take care of me, comfort me, and will never disappoint. 

So, even if you're single on this Valentines Day, don't be bitter... I hope you enjoyed time with your friends and family.

{shine bright}
xoxo
Michelle

{forgive yourself}

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart
 in full assurance of faith, having our hearts 
sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience
 and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we
 profess for he who promised is faithful. 
{Hebrews 10:22-23}

The other day I was watching The 700 Club (mostly because I didn't know where the remote was to change it).  At the end of the show they have a section where viewers can send in questions and Pat Robertson, the host, will answer them. One lady's question really stuck out to me. She had been a virgin and thought she would stay that way until she was married. She then met a guy at church and within weeks they were pregnant. They got married and were now leading a Christ-centered home as best they could. However, she had this guilt from getting pregnant out of wedlock. She wanted to know if Pat thought that she should get a divorce since their relationship started in Sin. Of course his answer was no. Followed then by, "You need to forgive yourself.".

This is such a real struggle for every single Christian I know. In college I talked to so many girls about this. Girls who were trapped in a sin from the past. In fact, the last time I met one-on-one with a girl it was to discuss this very issue. She was hurt and she was broken all because she couldn't forgive herself. But why?

{Why is it so much easier for us to forgive others before we will forgive ourselves? }

We mess up. It's okay! God never expected you to go through this life without sinning. If He did, He wouldn't have had to send his Son. Jesus set the absolute perfect example of how we are supposed to live the Christian life, but He knew that we couldn't. He laid down his live to forgive your sins. They're done. They're forgotten. Hebrews 10:18 says, "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." He's forgotten them. He has given you a clean slate.

But lets just be real (and maybe a little harsh, sorry) here for a minute, who are you to say that you can't forgive something that God has already forgiven. It's easy when someone wrongs you to say, "Well God has forgiven her so I have to as well." So why doesn't that work when it's your own sin? Not forgiving yourself is like saying, "Hey God, I see what you did. I see that you sent your Son to die for me. But that's not good enough. This sin is mine and I can't let go of it. I can't be forgiven for it." Harsh, right? How do you think God feels?

Trust me, I've been there. I've held onto sin. And all that did was put a wall between me and God. I tried to hide from him. And let me just tell you, that is pointless. Why do we think we can hide from the God who rules the universe? (Sometimes, we're just not very smart.) The more I tried to hide my sin from God, the more it controlled me and the harder my heart became. It's not a fun place to be. But so many people are there.

That sin that you're holding onto is heavy. Maybe not to the world, but to you. It may be sexual sin, a lie you told your parents, cheating, turning your back on a friend, something the world thinks is a "small sin", or the worst thing you could possibly think of. But God wants to take that weight from you. All you have to do is give it to Him.

Does this mean that we can sin, ask forgiveness and go and do the same thing again, guilt free? Of course not. True repentance comes with a heart of change. Does this mean we aren't going to slip up every now and then? Definitely not. It may be a habit that is hard to quit. But find someone to hold you accountable. Don't let this sin hold you back from living the life that God has planned for you and having a beautiful relationship with him.

Sweet friend, get rid of the guilt and let yourself be free. 

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
 so great is his love for those who fear him;
 as far as the east is from the west, so far
 has he removed our transgressions from us. 
{Psalm 103:11-12}

You  are  loved.   You  are  forgiven.   You  are  His.

{ sparkle }

About Us

about us

We’re just two best friends who love Jesus and fashion. We started {sparkle & shine} to share that love and little glimpses of our {every so sparkly} lives. We’ll share what we learn about life and the Lord and everything in between.

about michelle

{shine}

I'm the creative fashionista.  I LOVE 

clothes and shopping.  I'm a designer,

an artist, and a photographer.  I have a

degree in fashion design & merchandising

and studio art from Meredith College. I 

believe that beauty can be found everywhere

and in everything, you just have to be 

looking for it.  I have a heart for missions 

and people (specifically Guatemala) and 

I love sharing the life changing message 

of Christ.  I believe that we were created

to {shine} the light of God's love and

 hope into this dark and dreary world.

about kelsey

{sparkle}

I’m the Southern girly girl. I love pink
and glitter. I believe in spoiling myself
with manicures and pink lipstick. I’m
probably a little too obsessed with my
nieces. I’m a nanny for two sweet girls
and run a food truck with my dad. Oh,
and I have a degree in Human Biology
from NCSU. I have a passion for people
and sharing Christ’s love. I think the most 
beautiful girls are the ones who find their
 worth in Christ. Seeing my Bible study babies
 grow and love the Lord warms my heart.