He's in the Waiting

For the past year and half, or maybe even closer to two years I feel like I have been in a season of waiting.  There have been a few things on my heart that I am believing the Lord for.  Some have been there for about those two years and some are more recent but nonetheless I am still waiting.

I've been through the process with the Lord over and over again, the process of the "your will, my will" thing and though I have had to let some dreams go He has returned a portion to me in which, I believe He will cultivate further in His timing.  But this morning I woke up completely frustrated.  I was really hopeful about something that I had done the night before to further step out into this calling and it didn't really pan out the way that I thought.  In fact, I feel like I have been stepping out of my comfort zone a lot lately and yet I am still seeing no return.

Gosh, I was so upset that when I put down my littlest for her nap I went into the other room to just cry.  And then I started asking God these things:

If you have called me to this then why am I not seeing the fruits of it?

If you have called me to this then why is it so incredibly hard?

If you have called me to this then why do I still feel so alone in it?

If you have called me to this then why do I feel so ill equipped?

If you have called me to this then why. am. I. still. waiting?

God, I am believing you!  I have the faith in you!  I am trusting you!  I am doing hard things for you!

And then He paused me and gently drew me out of my wallowing.  His voice in that moment, was as clear as anything and He said to me, "Gabbie, I know the plans that I have for you and I fully intend to bring them to fruition but there is something in your heart that is not in line with your calling and we have to work through that first so that you can be prepared for what is about to come."

I instantly knew exactly what it was and realized that I had been holding on to something that I thought I could hide from Him.  This lead me to Psalms 139:23-24 where it says this:

"Search me God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.  See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way."

It really got me thinking that in our callings God multiplies our efforts but it the midst of it all He also expects much of our hearts.  Think of it this way:  If you have said yes to something that the Lord has called you to do and you are still waiting, where is your heart in it?  Are you actively preparing your heart or are you just putting the work in by merely going through the motions?

I really believe that in order to fulfill God's calling on our lives we have to be willing to put in not just the physical work but the heart work as well.  We need to be willing to grow spiritually through the process of waiting.

and here's the thing, He is in the waiting.

He is right there refining you, preparing you to walk into the fullness of His plan for you.  I think the reason we can feel so alone in the waiting process is because we simply forget to communicate with God.  As if we kind of just expect Him to hand over whatever is on our hearts without even being fully present in the process.

So instead of feeling alone or defeated in the waiting let's just remember that the Lord is right beside us conditioning our spirits and that we are called to participate in that conditioning.

Whether you are waiting on healing in your marriage, a promotion, a new job, or some other dream and it's not coming, sit with the Lord daily and ask Him to search your heart for the parts that are holding you back and in partnership with Him you will see each hindering layer begin to slowly peel back to reveal a ready heart.  After all the waiting process is the lead up, once you enter into the next season there will still be a whole lot more work left to be done.

I also think that it's worth noting, especially in our day and age, that it is our tendency to give up when we don't see results right at the beginning (what's that saying I am looking for..oh yeah! instant gratification, we love that phrase don't we?).  But when the Lord has asked us to do something for the better of His kingdom, we don't really have this option.  Sometimes the journey is long and hard but you keep on showing up, you keep on believing, you keep on seeking growth and refinement and watch Him multiply your efforts in every bit of it.

He's in the waiting, meet Him in the waiting. 







SaveSave

Love Your Skin: My Current Night and Day Skincare Routine!

It's the month of love so why not give your skin some love too?  I recently talked about our move to Coeur d'Alene and we absolutely love it here but man it is cold!  I haven't lived in such a dry winter area in a long time and naturally my skin needed some extra love so I had to change a few things up.  Since making these changes I have seen such an improvement so I thought I would share with you guys too!

I don't wear makeup everyday but I still really love it and when I do wear it I want it to apply smoothly and the best way to achieve smooth, long lasting makeup (at least in my opinion) starts the night before so that's where we are going to start now.  My night routine is also a lot more in depth than my morning routine because I find that at night I have more time to dedicate time that I don't really have in the mornings with two kids.  Plus, when the kids go to bed it really just helps me to unwind and just have some me time! 

*like always, everything will be linked just in case you are interested in any of these products! 

Nighttime 

makeup remover // to remove my makeup I love to use a micellar water.  My favorite is from Garnier.  I just find it to be super gentle but effective at the same time.  It's a great way to free my face from any makeup and dirt in preparation for cleansing!

cleanser // next I'll go in with an actual cleanser to target any left over dirt and guys let me tell you how obsessed I am with the Garnier Cleansing Milk!  Normally I don't go for cleaners that don't lather because I just think there is something mentally satisfying about a foaming cleanser but with this one I don't even care.  This cleanser just does the job without stripping my skin of all it's moisture.  My skin always feels so fresh and hydrated after using it!  I cannot recommend it enough for dryer skin types, especially since it is so affordable too!

toner //  to rid my skin of any further impurities I use a toner.  In the past I have found that certain toners can be a little bit drying so I love this one from Fresh because it's alcohol free and it's infused with rose.  I love how bright and nourished this makes my skin feel!  I use this toner in the morning before makeup as well.

face oil // after cleanser and toner I go in with a face oil and currently I am using the Rose Oil Blend from Pixi Beauty.  Not only is this extremely hydrating but it just adds this luminosity to the skin, which I absolutely love, I love when my skin looks and feels dewy and fresh!  Somedays I will also add a drop to my moisturizer in the morning because it just helps my makeup go on a lot smoother.  Also, in the way of face oils this is an extremely affordable and effective option!

eye treatment // also from Pixi Beauty I have been using the 24K Eye Elixir.  This is an anti-aging treatment (can never start to early..30 in creeping up on me quickly!) but it also helps reduce puffiness and signs of fatigue, which with two young kids, I will take all I can get!

mask // okay, now we have come to my favorite part!  I discovered the Caudalie Moisturizing Mask and fell in love!  I only use it two or three times a week but it is seriously the best.  The consistency is so thick and luscious and my skin just drinks it right up.  It's especially helpful in restoring moisture in this dry winter weather.  Out of all the products I could recommend this would hands down be number one!

lip balm // to keep my lips from getting dry and cracked I love using the Sugar Lip Caramel Hydrating Balm from Fresh.  This balm is rich in moisture, smooth like butter, and it smells delicious!


Daytime

Like I said earlier my daytime routine is far simpler than my nighttime routine.  It's just easier for me since I have to get going with the kids every morning but it's still effective and works great for me! 

facial scrub // on the days that I wear makeup I like to exfoliate my skin and my go-to that I have been using for years and years is the St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub I just find that it leaves a really smooth canvas for applying makeup.  When I don't wear makeup I just go in with the milk cleanser that I mentioned earlier.  

moisturizer // I have been using the Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer for probably over two years now and it has just now become a staple.  It's light yet super hydrating and provides the perfect base for makeup or just helps create a dewy complexion for the days that I am not wearing any.  I love that it contains SPF too! 

eye cream // last but certainly not least is the ever loved Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream.  This cream is infused with coffee beans, which is not only a natural antioxidant but it helps fight puffiness in the morning (which we can all use from time to time!) it also has brightening effects and helps draw light to the under eyes.  It's just a great way to look and feel a little more fresh everyday!  


So there you have it, my entire skincare routine!  Let me know in the comments what skincare products you swear by! I love testing out new skincare stuff so I would love to know!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, see you back next time! 


SaveSave
SaveSave
SaveSaveSaveSave

Kid Friendly Valentine's Day Brunch: Waffles with Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce!

Hi everyone! We are quickly approaching Valentine's Day so I thought I would come up with a Valentine's Day brunch that was kid friendly.  One of my favorite brunch places serves Belgian waffles with a salted caramel sauce so I decided to come up with my own version.  For a kid friendly twist I made miniature waffles complete sprinkles and of course I had to make strawberry milk to go along.

The homemade salted caramel sauce is listed below and you don't want to miss it because it is super easy and quick and seriously...to die for!


Salted Caramel Sauce // What You'll Need: 

1/2 cup  Light brown sugar (packed) 

1/4 tsp  Kosher salt    

2 tbs  Salted butter 

1/4 cup  Heavy cream 

1/2 tsp  Vanilla extract 

Directions:

Place all of your ingredients (leave the vanilla aside for now) into a medium sauce pan and stir together on medium heat.  Once you have brought your mixture to a boil turn down heat to low and simmer for five minutes.  You will want to make sure you continue to stir regularly during those five minutes.  

After five minutes is up, take your pan off the heat and stir in vanilla. 

Transfer your caramel sauce into a heat safe glass container to cool.  

Once your caramel has cooled a bit it will be ready to pour over your fluffy waffles, or you can just eat it by the spoonful (which I totally support)!  To store your sauce just seal it with a lid.  Your sauce will thicken with time so you can always pop it back in the microwave to loosen the consistency a bit.  

Guys!  I am not even kidding, this caramel sauce is so incredibly delicious and highly recommend you try!  It goes so well over waffles but you could of course always put it on pancakes or ice-cream or whatever, the possibilities are endless!  

I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating Valentine's Day with your kiddos...or whoever else! See you back here next time! 

Galentine's Day: What I Love Most About Being a Girl Mom!


I am going to be completely honest, I wasn't always into Valentine's Day.  I don't really know why I just thought it was kind of lame but I have to say over the past couple of years I have grown to LOVE it!  I just think it is so fun to dedicate a full month to all different kinds of love.  Plus, I think a lot of us get tired of winter after Christmas so I think that Valentine's Day is the perfect holiday to lift the winter mood a little bit before Spring makes it's way around! 

So I decided to dedicate the month of February to Valentine's Day and the celebration of love but today, more specifically, we are going to celebrate Galentine's Day as I share all of the things I love about being a girl mom.  

I love being a mother and I know that if the Lord has a little boy somewhere in our future that I will love him unconditionally the way I love our daughters but there is just something about being the mamma of girls that makes my heart sing.  The Lord is just SO good.  I always imagined having a daughter but TWO?  Be still my soul, we are just so blessed.  

So, here are just some of the things I love about being a girl mom

1. I love that my girls are sisters.  I grew up with two brothers, which I honestly wouldn't change, I love them so much!  But I love that my girls are going to have each other as sisters to do life with, I think there is something extra special about girl bonding.  Our girls are still young (four and 13 months) but we really sought the Lord during my pregnancy with Hadessah, asking that He would prepare Ezrah's heart to become a big sister and we have already seen the answers to that prayer.  Our girls really adore one another.  They love to play together and just be in each others company (Sometimes Ezrah even gets upset when her sister has to go down for her naps) it's something that has given me so much joy to watch as their mother and I can't wait to see their relationship bloom even more as they grow older together.  

2. Dress up!  Okay, so maybe this is a given but I still had to mention it.  I love dressing them up in all of the girly things.  Ruffles, bows, lace, you name it.  I have always loved fashion and just graduated with a fashion degree so naturally, with two girls, I can't help it!  Don't worry, I am not going to push it on them if they aren't into it when they are older but for now I am all about it! 

3. I can see in Ezrah increasingly as she gets older that she wants to be like me.  She wants to do her hair like mommy, if I am doing my makeup she wants me to put makeup on her too, she just kind of remains over my shoulder watching everything that I am doing.  Its special for me to be able to relate to them in ways that only a woman can and knowing that they are constantly watching me pushes me to grow.  Like being a better wife so that they have a firm example when it comes time for them to get married or to have a healthy relationship with my body so they look to the Lord and His standard for beauty, not the worlds.  I know that I will never be perfect at it but their little lives continuously remind me that I have a responsibility to aid in raising them up to be godly women and what an honor that is! 

4.  I love the special bond that they have with their dad.  They may look up to me in a lot of ways but their daddy is something special in his own way.  In fact I think that Bryan is Hadessah's favorite person on the planet.  I love watching him carry them on his shoulders and dry their tears and rock them to sleep (I have NEVER been able to rock them to sleep but Bryan?  They are out in two seconds in his arms) those girls put a sparkle in his eye like nobody else can!  

5.  Last but not least one of the things I love most about being a mom, in general, is discovering what each of our children brings to our family.  Ezrah is soft and gentle and whereas Hadessah is bold and confident.  Each time we have welcomed one of our little girls we suddenly realize the void that was there prior to their arrival.  They have each completed our family in their own special and unique way.  I just love seeing the Lord grow our family and whoever we welcome next in the future (this is not a pregnancy announcement lol) whether we welcome another girl or a little boy, I can't wait to see what see what's in store! 


So here is to celebrating the love we share with our children!  Are you a girl mom, a boy mom, or both?  What do you love most about being a mother?  I would love to hear!

Wishing you all the best February ever!