Friday Favorites

It's Friday. The first day of February, the beginning of the 100-day countdown to graduation, and the start of a crazy, hectic month. (All of my weekends are already booked. What?!)

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Here are some Friday Favorites - a collection of blog posts, articles, Pinterest finds, and who knows what else that I have come across throughout the week. Enjoy!

+ The End It Movement officially launched today! (You can find more information here.) Join the movement and sign the pledge to help end modern-day slavery. And watch this video:

+ Four US states considering laws that challenge teaching evolution: As a soon-to-be science teacher, I just thought this was something interesting to think on and be in the loop about.
+ Your worth is not in your to-do list: I've learned a lot about this over the years and still need the reminder.
+ Grace for Monotonous Work: "God can and will give us joy and strength for the work he's called us to do. Even the non-creative stuff."
+ Ran across these super cute coffee mugs and thought they were especially appropriate since it's February. (I may have a slight mug obsession.)



Happy Friday!

A Thankful Heart

I have learned a lot about God's character over the years. I have read the Psalms, which proclaim praise for who God is. I have witnessed God's character at work countless times. I have personally seen and experienced God's character being put on display in my life. And for all of these things, I am thankful.

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But in the moment, when life is stressful, haphazard, and unpredictable, I often have a hard time looking at my circumstances and saying "Yes - God is obviously teaching me _____."

I seem only able to look back on things that have already happened in my life and point out where I can now see that God has worked and how that has impacted me.

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So, I'm thankful for what I have learned about God and the way he has woven together my life to continually reveal himself to me.

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But, I am also thankful for those times (good and bad) when what I am experiencing points so clearly back to the One who has created those experiences - even as I am still in the midst of the chaos.

My life - at this moment - is one of those times when God is continually making himself known to me. I can clearly see his faithfulness and goodness being proclaimed into my life and through my current circumstances. I am enabled to praise him in the good times, and praise him in the bad.

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The Lord always seems to make his faithfulness and goodness known to me, despite my stubborn nature and unwillingness to see him in my circumstances.

And I am always left with a thankful heart.

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They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall be like a watered garden,
and they shall languish no more.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the LORD.”
Jeremiah 31:12-14

A New Resolution

New Year's resolutions scare me. I honestly don't know if I have ever followed through on goals that I have set at the beginning of a year. As a lover of lists, it is overwhelming when I am unable to cross things off, and my list of resolutions always ends up feeling like a list that I'm never able to complete.

If I were to make a list of goals for 2013 it would be full of things for me to do: read my Bible daily, be truly present where I am, joyfully go where God is leading me, invest in relationships, be a better daughter/sister/friend/roommate/girlfriend, etc. This, to me, is an intimidating list. How do I tangibly complete these things that I so desire to be a part of my life?

The only way that I will outwardly display these characteristics and complete these goals is if the Lord changes my heart. 

Refine (v):

• To free from impurities or unwanted material.
• To free from moral imperfection.
• To improve or perfect by pruning or polishing.
• To become pure or perfected.

My resolution for the new year is to allow the Lord to refine my heart; purify and cleanse it; give me a heart that allows me to love others well, be present in all circumstances, and joyfully enter into the unknown, all in response to what God has already done for me. I'm excited to begin this journey of scripture reading/memorization and prayer as I trust the Lord to continue changing my heart as he has faithfully been doing.

"...I will put this third into the fire,

and refine them as one refines silver,

and test them as gold is tested.

They will call upon my name,

and I will answer them.

I will say, 'They are my people';

and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'"

Zechariah 13:9

"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." Psalm 86:11

Psalm 86:11

My prayer for the end of 2012, the start of 2013, & forever:

Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

Life Lately

[snippets of life & a few favorite finds]

1. My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers | "Our lives should be an absolute hymn of praise resulting from perfect, irrepressible, triumphant belief."

2. Forever Like That | Ben Rector



3. Beautiful old & new friends. Who introduced me to the above song when we (unashamedly) went to see Breaking Dawn Part 2 on opening night.

4. DC visit with these girls...

...and this guy.





















5. Family time.

6. Thanksgiving at The Slant with the roomies + friends (aka "Slantsgiving")

7. A new city post graduation: Indianapolis, IN



8. Next on the list to read: Counsel from the Cross | Elyse Fitzpatrick | (psychology AND the gospel!)

9. Favorite drink of the season. (probs shouldn't actually read the nutrition facts)

10. Only 3 more days!

summertime catch-up

I admit, I am the worst blogger ever (if you could even call me that). If you have read any of my other posts, you know that I like to play catch-up; I'll write a post once every few months and share what I've been doing since the last time I blogged, usually in list form. Well, not much has changed and I still tend to keep my thoughts contained in lists, so here is a glimpse into my summer so far:

#senior
Exams came to a close at the beginning of May and I am now officially a college senior. What?! I still can't believe I only have one year left at UNC. The bucket list for senior year has become more concrete, and I cannot wait to tackle it with my best friends in a few short months.

#beach
I spent a week at home after exams before making the trip back to Chapel Hill for the summer. My days in Wilmington consisted of some much-needed family and beach time, and other than catching up with a dear friend, I did little other than hang out with my mom and sit on the beach with a book in my hand.

#books
Speaking of books, I finally got around to completing the Hunger Games series (I have also seen the movie twice now). I'm hooked and am probably a little too excited about the 2nd movie that is not going to be released soon enough. I have also read The Lucky One (yep, Nicholas Sparks), am finishing As Sure as the Dawn (Francine Rivers) and The Weight of Glory (C.S. Lewis), and have started a few other ones. Any suggestions to my summer reading list are welcomed!

#graduation
Soon after my arrival in Wilmington, I turned around and came back to Chapel Hill to watch the Class of 2012 graduate. It was a bittersweet day that just made me all the more happy that I have another year to spend at UNC. I am anxious and excited for all of the new alumni who are starting the next stages of their lives, and am actually kind of looking forward to the day when I can join them in the "real world" as a Carolina Alumnus.

#bub
I'm living in Chapel Hill this summer with some wonderful ladies at "The Bub". I'm absolutely loving it - being around friends 24/7 is so fun and I'm looking forward to another month as their roommates!

#Route56
I'm still hanging out with my sweet 5th and 6th graders every week! We are currently in a study called "Live it Out," where we're learning about how to practically live out our faith everyday. We've talked about things like Baptism and spending time with God, and as always, we're rolling in giggles by the time the service is over.

#babysitting
I'm spending my days hanging out with 3 sweet kids (and 2 other equally sweet kids in the mornings). I have learned that while playing "mom" is fun, it is also exhausting. I'm sure I'll be able to use what I learn from this experience in the future -- you know, when I start having kids in 20 years or so. :)

#Romans
I finished reading Romans the other day! I could go on and on about how great this book is - every time I read it the Gospel becomes more real to me, as Paul explains how as Christians we are free from the law and can experience full life because of Jesus Christ. My current Bible-reading endeavor is to read it chronologically. I'm still in the first few chapters of Genesis, and as much as I really would like to stick to this summer reading plan, I'll let you know how successful I actually am.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11


Happy summer!
Love, Kayla

the most beautiful story ever told | part 5

It's the morning of my second-to-last exam. Why wouldn't I take a study break while the clock keeps ticking on towards noon?


Before I share more of the (serious) Christmas story, allow me to share with y'all something that makes the Hill sisters laugh hysterically. especially when it's late and we're delirious. (a special thank-you to Emily for reminding me about this video and making my studying a little less miserable last night).

And now let's hear from the Wise Men:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: "And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Matthew 2:1-12, ESV

 May we all know what it means to rejoice exceedingly with great joy this Christmas season!


Merry Christmas!
love, Kayla


and one more thing...you should listen to this song. right. now. and then put it on repeat. 

the most beautiful story ever told | part 4

Ever wondered what questions 5th and 6th graders have about God? Well, here ya go...


- Why are there different religions?
- Where was God before creation?
- Did God create the angels?
- Why did God create the tree that made Adam & Eve powerful?
- Why didn't God take away their sin right away?
- If God can see the future, couldn't he change Adam & Eve sinning?
- Are humans going to become angels or are they a completely different species?
- Where is Heaven?
- Have angels sinned?
(and many, many more)


What a blessing it is to be able to (attempt to) answer some of their very practical, and often neglected, questions! (props to Miles who was on the hot seat and actually did the answering). These kids blow my mind a little more every week, and teach me a lot more than you think 11-year-olds would.


And now back to the Christmas story....

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is please!" When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over the Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2: 8-21, ESV

Merry Christmas from the Trip!

Happy studying! The end is near!
LOVE, Kayla

the most beautiful story ever told | part 3

It is blowing my mind that Christmas Eve is only FOURTEEN days away! It is also blowing my mind that I can spend so much time on Pinterest looking at only coffee mugs. What a strange thing to obsess over, right? Here are a few of my finds so far:

And now to continue the Christmas story: The Birth of Jesus Christ

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2: 1-7, ESV

love love love,

Kayla

the most beautiful story ever told | part 2

The story continues with Mary's Song of Praise:

And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty form their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

Luke 1: 46-55, ESV

 love, Kayla

the most beautiful story ever told

Despite the high 60s North Carolina has been experiencing this week, I have found myself in such a Christmas mood. Christmas carols, gifts, decorations, and yummy treats have filled my mind and I am loving the fact that it's almost that time of the year! In light of this advent season, here is the beginning of the most beautiful story ever told [but let us not forget that the real beginning of the story is Genesis 1:1 - just a little shout-out for what we've been teaching our Route 56ers all year...you can ask me about that later :)]

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 

      And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

      And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38, ESV

Merry 18 days until Christmas!

Love, Kayla

excited to make these for my freshmen girls Christmas party!! they count as festive, right?