Becoming Beautiful

Keep Believing, Keep Praying It is done! Yes, I actually began...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:27:00 -0500

Keep Believing, Keep Praying

It is done! Yes, I actually began sponsoring a Compassion Child this week! It was such a difficult thing to pick one girl out of over 2,000 kids in need. However, after praying about it, I committed to sponsor a little girl from Ghana, Africa. Felicia is 8 years old and has been waiting for a sponsor for over 200 days. They say I will get my Compassion Packet within the next 15 days, and I early check the mail hoping it miraculously showed up already. I am so excited to get to know her, and also get to encourage her!

It brings me great joy to be able to provide some hope for Felicia. However I am still so overwhelmed by the amount of children all over the world that are in great need.

There are children right here in Detroit who, similarly to Felicia, are in great need. 67% of Detroit Kids live in high poverty areas. Yes, you read that correctly… OVER HALF of the kids in Detroit live in or near poverty. There are definitely great needs in countries like Ghana, I’m not trying to down play that. All I’m saying, is there is great need right here in America, that so often gets overlooked or downplayed.

There is such need in this City that I love, and I have great dreams to meet the needs of the people. Not only do they need proper shelter, clothing, and food- they need to know Jesus! Sometimes big dreams like getting more people/churches to sponsor Real Church/Hope Works so we can get the things we need to reach more people and more Bibles to pass out. I also dream of starting a dream center here in Detroit that can provide things like financial classes, assistance in finding jobs, cooking classes, counseling, and medical attention.

It will certainly take HUGE miracles to make see these things happen, but Jesus is WAY BIGGER! And He wants me to dream big, pray bigger, and never give up. I absolutely believe I will get to witness and be apart of some super amazing things happening here in Detroit in the years to come. Until these big things happen, I will remain faithful in the not-as-big things (there is still so much we can do now!) and hopeful for what’s next. I love this city so much, and God loves it even more!

What big dreams do you have? Don’t ever give up! Keep praying and believing!

"God created the world out of nothing; so as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us."

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:47:03 -0500

“God created the world out of nothing; so as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us.”

- Martin Luther (via ichilly)

Compassion

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:00:06 -0500

Compassion:

I just committed to sponsor a Compassion Child from Ghana! !

It was so difficult to only be able to sponsor one out of over 2,000 children in need. We are fortunate to have so much, surely we can set aside time and money to bless a Child (and family) in need. For $38 a month, you could make a HUGE difference in a child’s life and their family’s! “Children in poverty are susceptible to believing poverty’s darkest message: “You don’t matter.” Your prayers and letters (and financial support) help your child know that they matter to at least one adult — you.”

Who will join me in sponsoring a child?

Taken with Moquu. My sister…

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:05:00 -0500

Taken with Moquu. My sister…

Got Courage?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:30:00 -0500

“KEEP YOUR COURAGE”

This phrase is written in big letters in my notes from this week’s Love to Live it sermon series. But it has become so much more than something I just wrote in my Journal.

It seems that God keeps trusting me with more and more things, it’s crazy but really cool! However, there have already been a few times this week where I have started to get overwhelmed by what God is asking me to do, and God just keeps saying to me: “Keep Your Courage.” Now mind you, God isn’t telling me to find what I need inside of myself, He is telling me to find what I need in Him- who is my strength and courage. He is saying: “Be strong and COURAGEOUS. Don’t be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9)

Not only do I need to keep my courage in the big tasks that God has assigned me, I have to practice courage in daily life- wherever I go! Courage has to be a part of my DNA- when I keep Jesus’ courage everyday, I won’t be afraid to talk to strangers or take risks to share Jesus with anyone! Then the possibilites of what God can do in and through me are endless!

Courage isn’t just something I have to keep in order to do well with the “big things” God has trusted me with; it is something I need to have EVERYDAY (say in nacho voice, if you know what I’m talking about ha). I am clinging to Jesus- my COURAGE- through Him all things are possible!

Can't Test These Besties

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:29:30 -0500

I’ve got to start this blog by saying how much I love my Accountability Partner. We were friends before Xmin, and being AP’s has only strengthened our friendship. Our biggest struggle is having an AP time that doesn’t go on for a million years. – During these times we talk about life, the good, the GREAT, the bad, and the ugly. And through it all Katy remains so positive and encouraging. She sees the glass “half-full” and whether she realizes it or not, she is always challenging me to see things the same way.

Just from being around Katy, I am challenged to always be positive and hope for the best. I know she will hold me to this (along with many other things I am working on in my life).

Also, I’m pretty sure that I laugh so much more when I’m with Katy- and laughter is the best medicine (:

Hands Up and Ready to Ride!

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:15:18 -0500

I am on the biggest adventure of my life, and I know things are only going to get more exciting as the opening of Courage Coffee and Community is fast approaching!

It reminds me of the first time I rode Millennium Force. I was 8 years old, and the longer I stood in line for the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world (at the time) the more nervous I became. I didn’t think I was brave enough to ride it, but fortunately for me, my Dad didn’t let me chicken out when it was our turn to ride, but made me sit down and buckle up. He put his arm across me, like a human seat belt, to help me feel brave. On the way up the first and tallest hill, he pointed out the beautiful view and reminded me to breathe and keep my eyes open. (:

My dad made me brave enough to ride the scary coaster. And it is to this day my favorite ride.

Jesus is right with me doing the same thing my Dad did for me, not in a literal way (I am not writing this blog on a roller coaster). As long as He is here, and the Bible says He will never leave me, I will be brave enough to enjoy this new ride I am on.

My hands are up! I’m excited for whatever comes next! This is the ride of a lifetime!

What ride are you on right now?

Are you trusting Jesus to give you what you need to survive and enjoy it?

It Would Be, It Would Be So Nice

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:30:49 -0500

Thanks to the Wii game “Just Dance,” every time I hear the word “Holiday” I break into song, and sometimes dance. And as the “Holiday Season” approaches, I frequently have the song “Holiday” by Madonna stuck in my head… it’s stuck in my head right now, if you were wondering.
HOLIDAY, CELEBRATE
HOLIDAY, CELEBRATE
ok anyways…
I will be spending the Holidays with my family and with many others from my church/xmin family. I love having a full house, lots of food, and lots of love. It’s a great combination (: I’m really looking forward to being back at home for a few weeks and spending extra time with my family and friends. It is going to be so much fun.
In the past, having time off school for the Holidays, usually resulted in me being a slacker. And I know that being lazy is going to be one of my biggest temptations. I will want to relax and do nothing. Now, there is nothing wrong with relaxing, but I refuse to end 2011 with laziness!
There is so much that needs to be done in and through me during the next month- and I don’t have time to waste! I am going to make the most of every moment this holiday season!

What are your holiday plans?

Happy Movember!

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:24:58 -0500

Happy Movember!

No More Routine

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:13:30 -0500

Well, we are now a little over a month into Xmin, and I can say that I am finally starting to get in a groove (I was initially having trouble juggling ministry, school, and work). I am beginning to develop a little routine that helps me get everything done, and hopefully done well. Look out consistency, here I come!
I was recently talking to God about these things, saying something along the lines of, “These are the things I do, I am trying to do well. This is the time I set aside for you. Here is where I accomplish other things. Isn’t this good? I’m diligent, right?” And God’s response to me was this: “Diligence isn’t routine.” Ouch. There you have it, this routine that I was so proudly telling God about, isn’t what He’s looking for. Sure, He wants me to be productive and have a groove- but He doesn’t want me to have a routine. See, routines are so very dangerous. When you are doing things the same way all the time, you are at great risk of becoming lazy. “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically (Romans 12:11).” Laziness is a sin, and I must avoid it.
I escape laziness by moving away from consistent routine; and towards, consistent improvement. I must turn the “auto pilot” off, and focus on obeying God and serving Him with everything I have. Everyday should hold more growth, challenges, and love for Jesus.

As comfortable as routine can be, it can be in my life no more.

Beautiful Change

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 01:05:42 -0400

Are the leaves changing? Is the air crisp? Are you currently wearing a hoodie or jacket? Are you craving cider doughnuts? If you answered “yes” to 2 or more of these questions…chances are IT’S FALL!…unless you live in a warm climate (oh wait, you probably didn’t need a quiz to figure out it it’s fall).
I know it’s fall because I answered “yes” to all the questions above, and I am very excited that fall is here. Summer is wonderful, but I am definitely ready for a change. I came into this school year anticipating change, just like I’ve been anticipating fall. I am ready to transition out of my childish teenage season, into bigger, better, and more beautiful season. And in just a few weeks, I can already see the evidence of change. My “leaves” are changing colors, God is helping me mature into the person He has made me to be. Yeah, I’m experiencing some “growing pains,” but it’s the good kind of hurt. This is a beautiful season in my life, and I want to enjoy it, not just survive it.
I am grateful for the changing seasons. Whenever I see colorful trees, put on a hoodie, and/or eat a cider doughnut, I will be reminded to thank God for the change He is doing inside of me and all around me.

This is a picture of me “planking” at Comerica...

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

This is a picture of me “planking” at Comerica Park. What is planking? Well, Urban Dictionary described planking as: “a great pastime for people who get bored easily and have friends willing to take pictures of them looking ridiculous.” This is pretty accurate, but what the definition fails to mention is that it’s FUN.

The other day, Xmin had a Downtown Detroit Planking Adventure. It was a blast to come up with different funny, creative, adventurous, and/or straight up awesome planks (like mine). I think my planking picture is super awesome, but when it comes right down to it… its just documentation of me looking stupid in a public place.

Look what Jesus has to say about planking… “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that speak out of your eye,; when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speak from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:4-5).

I realize that, like planking, I often call the plank in my eye other things. Sometimes I call it, “no big deal,” “accidental,” “just the way that I am,” ETC. But no matter what I like to call it, it is actually SIN. I’ve been really convicted to call the plank in my eye what it actually is, gossip. Yep, that’s my plank, and it’s a sin. I tend to have no problem noticing it in other people’s lives, but then I justify it’s existence in my life.

Having planks in my eye hurts my vision and can keep me from seeing God’s plans. If I keep walking around with sin in my eyes, I’m gonna get off the path He has placed me on (because I can’t see it). God wants me to call the plank what it really is, repent of it, and let Him fix my vision. No more sugar-coating or justifying.

My name is Mariah, and gossip is my (current) plank. I’m so sorry if I have done it with you, around you, or (as much as I hate to say it) about you. “This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue” (James 3:7-8). I cannot tame my tongue and get rid of the plank, but Jesus can.

I’m off to let Jesus tame my tongue and fix my vision, but I will leave you with these questions…

Have you been sugar-coating your plank?

What have you been calling it?

What is it really?

You don’t have to comment the answers to these questions, but I encourage you to take some time and answer them with Jesus.

GO TIGERS

FACT: you need this scarf for...

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:24:28 -0400

FACT: you need this scarf for fall

http://www.etsy.com/shop/knother

11 pairs of jeans… I think I have a problem (Taken with...

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:56:00 -0400

11 pairs of jeans… I think I have a problem (Taken with instagram)

Raybans for my bday! Ohhh yeahhh

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:53:00 -0400

Raybans for my bday! Ohhh yeahhh

New bracelet for my birthday (: (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:16:41 -0400

New bracelet for my birthday (: (Taken with instagram)

Packing the final things for FLORIDA (: (Taken with instagram)

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:17:53 -0400

Packing the final things for FLORIDA (: (Taken with instagram)

Pretty Wrists all of these bracelets (except one) are handmade...

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:20:00 -0400

*not recycled fabrics

Pretty Wrists

all of these bracelets (except one) are handmade from recycled fabrics and vintage/recycled buttons

A Summer Time Story

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:50:00 -0400

Wow, my summer is about halfway over. I can hardly believe it! I thought I would give you all a not-so-brief update!

I started this summer off with a few ideas of how I was going to spend it. I was (1) going to spend quality time with my friends, (2) Get the best job ever! and (3) work work work- to earn money for missions and other expenses (like car insurance and gas).

When I got home, my neighbor gave me a job with her families company (I edit and update school curriculum). This is an awesome opportunity, but it isn’t providing as enough to be my only job. So, I started turning in applications all over the place- expecting to get a job in no time. But things haven’t gone exactly how I planned. At first, I was discouraged. I NEEDED a job… why couldn’t I get one??! After some initial worrying, I came to the conclusion that I just had to keep trusting God. He was going to provide me with exactly what I needed at just the right time. So I kept trusting and kept hunting.

Eventually I had a promising interview at Applebees, in a suburb near Detroit, and scheduled a 2nd interview. Surely, this was God providing me with the long-awaited job! After talking to God about it, I knew what I had to do. I called up Applebees, canceled my 2nd interview, and withdrew my application. To some, this would be a dumb decision… it was a job… I needed one! Why on earth would I turn it down??! Simple, because God told me to, and I’ve got to trust and obey Him.

I do not have an ending to this story just yet. I am trusting God, I know that He will provide me with the right job at the right time- and until then He will take care of my needs.

There is yet another twist to this story. Just this past weekend my Dodge Grand Caravan Sport, whom I lovingly call Moby, was stolen… right out of my driveway. Talk about another BIG opportunity to trust God. Moby was given to me and was very nice to have. I don’t really know why I no longer have him, but its ok. I know everything is going to work out. We have notified the police and are looking into what the insurance is going to do to help. I will keep you posted on this!

All of this to say that this summer has been a lot different than I expected it would be. Things haven’t been going according to my plans, but it’s God’s plans that really matter. “We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer” (Proverbs 16:1).

Trusting in God and His plans is so freeing! Even in unideal situations, I have joy because I have Jesus!

Do you have Jesus? Are you trusting in Him?

Conversation

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:32:00 -0400

Get ready to add me to your history books… The other day I made a major discovery. It’s a life-changing discovery. Are you ready for this? Prayer is talking WITH God, not talking TO God.

Okay, so perhaps some of you already knew this… in fact I’m sure I’ve heard it before, but I just hadn’t put it into practice very much. We can come to God with the good, the bad, and the ugly… with every need and desire. Since I consider Jesus my very best friend, I try to do just that- tell Him everything. But it hadn’t really crossed my mind that I should not only tell I’m everything, I should listen to what He has to say about it.

This need is talked about pretty often… we should talk to Jesus and then shut up and listen. And this is very true. There is definitely a need for extended times of silence so you can really listen to God. There should be separate times of silence to hear God speak, but there should also be pauses during my own talking, so God can say stuff.

God wants to have a conversation with me (WITH YOU). And I can’t say I’ve had many conversations where I talk 10+ minutes, stop, and then let the other person talk for 10+ minutes. I wouldn’t really call that conversation… so why do I do that to God??

So, my prayer time is getting a “make-over.” I’m not just going to talk His ear off, I’m going to have a conversation with Jesus! You should do it too- It could change your life!

What is your prayer time like?