hello promised land

Book Review: "The Ebb Tide" by Beverly Lewis

Libby W. — Mon, 15 May 2017 20:58:00 +0000

Read in less than 48 hours, I would consider this book a new favorite. To be fair, Beverly Lewis’s books nearly always have me neglecting dishes, cooking, and laundry. Most of her books have been read in under a week, a few in less than a day. This book did not disappoint.

The story is centered around a young Amish woman, 20-year-old Sallie Riehl. Wanting to travel, she puts off her baptismal classes until she can satiate her wanderlust. Perhaps by providence, she accepts a job as a nanny in Cape May for the Summer. It is in Cape May that she wrestles with her Amish heritage. As she finds her heart is torn between the outside world and her family, she knows she must come to a decision about the faith she holds dear.

I think this book is among my favorites from Beverly Lewis. Although the “Abram’s Daughters” series is my all time favorite, “The Ebb Tide” comes in as a close second. Though this book is not set in the idyllic Lancaster county, it’s location is equally captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Cape May, New Jersey. I so appreciated the vivid detail, and I felt as if I was actually there.

One of the most interesting parts of this novel is that it is one of the first I’ve read where I saw the beauty of being an “Englischer” as opposed to being Amish. I was gently encouraged in my faith, seeing some of the negatives of being Amish for the first time. Though there are certainly several advantages to being Amish, this book showed me that there are also disadvantages (and not just being unable to use air conditioning!)

Overall, I thought this was an incredibly beautiful book. With an enjoyable storyline, relatable characters, and a God-glorifying storyline, this is one of my top books so far this year.

On Mother’s Day…

Libby W. — Sun, 14 May 2017 19:48:00 +0000

“Never could it be possible for any man to estimate what he owes to a godly mother.” -Charles Spurgeon

I have had the great honor of being surrounded by godly mothers. As I grow older, I realize it is a wonder and a rarity to never question the support you’ll receive from your family. I can’t imagine how different my life would have been if even one of these women had not been a believer.

I am grateful for my mom, who always taught me to finish what I started, and to give without condition.
I am grateful for my mom-in-law Shannon, for welcoming me into the family so easily, and for serving her family so well.
I am grateful for my grandma Cheryl, for teaching me to give my best to people and to do all things well.
I am grateful to my great-grandma Irene, for showing me how to be hospitable, and the joy of a handwritten letter.
I am grateful to my grandma Marcia, great grandma Pearl, and great-great grandma Haws who gave me an example of a life well lived, of seeking the Lord until the day you see Him face to face, and living your entire life loving God and people.

I am in disbelief that I have not one, but several mothers in my life, pointing me to Christ, and teaching me about His beauty.

Happy Mother’s Day to every Mom out there, serving God by raising up your children to love Him. What you do has lasting impact, for generations your children will reap the blessing you’ve sown. The hours and days you’ve poured out will receive the harvest you’re due.

May you be reminded of the faithfulness of God on this beautiful spring day, and if you have a mother who has blessed you, don’t just buy her a card. Buy her three and make sure that they are funnier than the ones your siblings buy.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Our Story: A Tale of God’s Faithfulness

Libby W. — Thu, 11 May 2017 23:23:00 +0000

Where to begin. Kris and I have been so blessed, looking back at the story God has written for us. I know from the outside, it seems like we dated and were married in a matter of months. Actually, that is what it seems like from the inside too. So, for those of you wondering what the heck just happened, I wanted to share bits of our story here.

Coffee for Days

“Would you be able to meet for coffee?” It seemed like such a simple text. Kris and I, though friends since the first day of school, had become great friends on the New York ministry trip. I replied that I could meet, we set a date, and I anxiously awaited the day. On that fateful coffee meeting, Kris kindly encouraged me in my pursuit of the Lord, and gently let me know that he was consecrated. Though we had both been asked numerous times on the trip if we were a couple, we continued to deny, deny, deny. After completely reassuring Kris that I had “no feelings for him besides friendship,” we parted ways, promising to text often.

Later that day, my conscience reminded me that honesty was the best. So I texted Kris saying that I “may” have feelings for him besides just friendship, but knowing that he wasn’t ready for a relationship, I was totally ~~not~~ fine just being friends. Kris touched my heart by saying, “Libby, I so enjoy your friendship, but your heart is more important to me. If it is too difficult for you to remain friends without me crushing you, then we don’t have to be friends.”

So, I just enjoyed texting him as a friend, until two days later when he called *another* coffee meeting. I was so confused. I thought, “He already says he only wants to be friends, what more could he possibly want?” I would later find out that he didn’t know the reason he called the meeting either. During the meeting, he said a swirl of different things: he was moving to Minnesota, he thought we were compatible, he didn’t want to curse us with long distance, he wasn’t consecrated anymore. I was so confused at the end, I went home and sent him a book-like text.

I, in honesty, told him it seemed like he was gathering my opinion on long-distance relationships. He responded that though the idea had “crossed his mind” he never thought that long distance relationships worked out. I, in a moment of unbridled confidence spoke of the several long distance relationships that I had seen work out well. We agreed to meet for coffee in a couple days to discuss it. Then after that coffee meeting, we decided we wanted to meet in another couple of days to talk some more. One hour coffee meetings turned into three hours, and three hours turned into six. We met almost every three days for about a month, before I had to go back home to Colorado for the Summer. When I left, I had the hope of a relationship at Summer’s end; we had decided to “test out” long distance over the Summer, and make our decision before he moved up to Minnesota.

A Facetime Summer and a Stud Boyfriend

We agreed to call each other once a week, and text each other at least twice week. (We wanted to start out with achievable goals. ) The first phone call lasted three hours, which was an incredibly long amount of time for two people who disdain telephones. We texted each other every second of the day, and we decided to read a book together so that we could talk twice a week instead of once. The first month was filled with discussion of theology, love languages, boundaries, and every other logistical thought possible. We grew so much in friendship, talking for 5-8 hours on the phone twice a week. We decided we wanted to “officially” start our relationship as quickly as possible after we started school.

He came down to visit one time in the Summer, and guys, he was so incredibly sweet, he was so fun to hang around, so gentle to my siblings. Plus he is a studmuffin. At the end of the Summer, he took me on our first official date (We later decided all of our coffee “meetings” were indeed dates, but you know, “intentional friendship”) He surprised me by taking me to a murder mystery dinner theater in downtown KC. We both lost the competition because we were cheesily staring into each other’s eyes the whole time. I’m dead serious SO MUCH CHEESE. We had to say goodbye later that week, as he started his journey up to Minneapolis to attend Bethlehem Bible College and Seminary. I missed him so bad. We both despised the fact that we had lived less than a mile from each other for 2 years, yet had never realized that we liked each other. Now we were going to be hundreds of miles apart. Two weeks later, after a beautiful video of each of our family members encouraging our relationship, he surprised me at my house in KC. After asking me to officially be his girlfriend, we both went out for a lovely day of coffee and Houlihans chicken.

A side note: I fully believe that Houlihans’ stuffed chicken breast is a vital part of any romantic relationship.

Every other week it seemed, we were each driving four hours to see each other in Des Moines, Iowa: The midpoint of our locations. Now, we wanted to be together all the time, so we made this drive a lot, and when we weren’t driving, we were facetiming for hours a day, to the point neither of us were sleeping (you know, since we still had “homework” and “classes” and “jobs”) After a couple months of this, we made a decision that would change all of our plans. We decided to get married before the next semester of school. GASP. Although neither of us wanted to elope, we decided to have a very small wedding, have receptions later, and not have to spend any more time apart.

The Engagement

Guys, I had suspected it was coming. But not on the day it came.

I woke up on November 22, 2016, and I knew it was my girls day with Kris’s sister Katie. I was excited to spend the day doing girly things, albeit disappointed to not get any time with Kris. We get into Sedalia (a town near Kris’s house) and Katie tells me she has something for me, and then hands me an envelope from her purse. On the envelope is written, “Clue 1” SQUEAL.

Inside was an adorable poem Kris wrote for me, leading me to a salon to get my hair done. Then, I received a clue to get a massage, and get my makeup done. (All of this is prepaid, because Kris saved forever. Oh my gosh guys) Then, after lunch, I got a mani/pedi, and journeyed the 1.5 hours from Sedalia to KC. There, after changing into my favorite dress, I was shocked to see a limo pull up.

OH MY GOSH.

So, me and Katie get in the limo. At this point, I’m completely ecstatic. When the limo pulls up to IHOPU, I knew exactly the classroom to go to. Walking in, I go straight to room 110, the classroom where Kris and I took a class together on the book of Daniel. When I enter, the lights are dimmed, Kris comes and hugs me, and says he has a story to tell me.

He tells me the sweetest story you’ve ever heard, and you should ask me about it in person, because it is too special to just type out.

Then, he gets down on one knee, says, “I love you, will you marry me.” I said yes.

Now, circling around to one year of being best friends, I can’t even contain the joy I have. God is SO faithful to us. He really cares. He saw me and Kris, friendzoning each other freshman year. He planned out our coffee “meetings” He knew when we’d get married. He is so kind.

It’s so interesting, looking back on this past year. At the time, everything seemed to go at half speed, yet here we are, married, and the waiting is no longer remembered. My brother-in-law Keegan, in his toast to us said that we’ve now seen where “the waiting meets the promise.” I am so profoundly aware of the promises fulfilled in my marriage to Kris. All the waiting, saving, trusting met the promise of His faithfulness. God is so good.

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU LIBBY

Libby W. — Thu, 11 May 2017 22:42:00 +0000

Wow. That’s all I have to say about the past 3 years. Are you wondering where I’ve been? I’m not nearly conceited enough to think that my absence been thought about. Nonetheless, I’m back, and thrilled to be here on the old blog once again.
I bet you are wondering why on earth I stopped blogging. I bet you have just been treading water for month, hoping I will start writing book reviews again. Therefore, I shall give you what you are longing for, a full explanation on my whereabouts this past couple of years.
First things first, I went to a Bible college. For 2 1/2 incredible years, I studied theology, took voice lesson, furthered my piano playing abilities, and met many incredible people at the International House of Prayer University. Between reading school books, taking tests,
hanging out with friends, and going to classes, I rapidly abandoned all hobbies. Blogging was the first activity to be cut out: when you’re writing so many papers, extra-curricular writing is no longer fun.
You may be wondering, “Gee Libby, why the heck did you do 2 1/2 years? That’s a really weird number!” My dear friend, you are correct. No one does just 2 1/2 years. Except me. For I am unique, and something more important came up… I’m MARRIED!

I am celebrating 5 months in June of being married to this fantastic man! Now, I am here in Minnesota for him to attend college and seminary. I am so blessed. God has been so faithful to me, and I can’t wait to see what He has planned!

Ruth the Moabitess: A Heritage of Grace

Libby W. — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 23:55:00 +0000

(Source:pinterest.com)

The book of Ruth is the tale of a Moabitess widow, leaving everything she knows, and traveling with her mother-in-law Naomi to an unknown land. While gathering food for her and Naomi, she happens upon the field of a man named Boaz. Through the prompting of Naomi, Ruth offers herself as bride for Boaz, so that he might be her “kinsman redeemer*.” After convincing Ruth’s nearest relative to renounce his duty to her, Boaz marries Ruth, and they become the great-great grandparents of King David, from whose bloodline Jesus came. The question is, why would God allow a gentile woman to become part of the lineage of Jesus?

Throughout Biblical history, we often see the Lord commanding Israel to set themselves apart from the pagan nations surrounding them. From the moment when God first prophesied of the coming Messiah (Genesis 3:15), we see generations of genealogies, and the anticipation of the “seed” that would crush Satan’s head. This Redeemer is the only hope for humankind; if Satan can exterminate the seed, he will win. This is why God was adamant about keeping the Israelites set apart from the world. Often, when Israelites would intermarry with people who were not Jewish, the false gods from other spheres of the world would be accepted by the Israelites as well. Many times in the Bible, we see God order the complete decimation of pagan people groups (Joshua 6:24-25, 8:24-29, as well as many other times) Why then, after fervently protecting the Israelite’s purity, would God allow Ruth, a Moabitess, to not only marry an Israelite, but to become part of the lineage of Jesus?

The very beginning of the book of Ruth holds what I believe is the key to understanding why Ruth was allowed to be in Christ’s bloodline. Ruth 1:16-17 says,

“…For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die,

And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

In this verse, Ruth is not simply insinuating that she is willing to serve Naomi’s God, she is claiming that He will be her God as well. This is significant. To be willing to leave everything you have ever known, to go to an unknown land, to an uncertain destiny, and to love, serve and obey a God that your mother-in-law just claimed has been unkind to her (1:13) is the type of devotion that ravishes God’s heart.

I believe that when God sees a heart so willing to disavow its former life, goals, and dreams to pursue His heart, it mesmerizes Him. He not only accepted her into His family, He grafted her into the very bloodline of His only Son. Only He could have orchestrated the resplendent love story of Ruth and Boaz. For Ruth to, by “chance” find Boaz’s field, for Boaz to desire to be her kinsman redeemer, and for her to have the obedience to her Mother in Law to go to the threshing floor is proof to me of a God who is moved by our obedience.

So where does this leave us? As gentiles, we are always grateful that Jesus died to save all humankind (John 3:16), but have we ever considered that God placed a gentile woman in the ancestry of Christ? The truth we ought to take from the story of Ruth is this: God’s love for us is not based on anything we are. Christ died for us while we were dead in our sin. He was the ultimate kinsman redeemer. His heart is moved when we surrender all in obedience to Him. When we abdicate the throne of our heart, and relinquish the tight hold we have on our dreams, our plans, and our future, then He grafts us into a family with a far superior future, reigning with Him for eternity!

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” –Galatians 3:28

*If a woman’s husband died without her having a son to carry on the father’s name, the dead husband’s next-of-kin (usually a brother) would be the kinsman redeemer. The duties of a kinsman redeemer are to marry the widow, and when she bore a son, the child was to carry on the name of the deceased, as well as receive an inheritance. This practice is described in detail in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. As is witnessed in the book of Ruth, one could reject the widow’s request.

Sabotaged: 10 Questions I Would Ask Reef McKenna

Libby W. — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 20:37:00 +0000

In Dani Pettrey’s newest book Sabotaged, the final installment of the Alaskan Courage series, Reef McKenna and Kirra Jacobs are in a race against time to find a kidnapper. This book has such well-developed characters, and a fantastically thrilling storyline. This book was absolutely incredible, and the only thing I disliked about this book is that it is the last book of the Alaskan Courage Series!

At one point in the book, Kirra and Reef have to make an eight hour drive to Seward. Now, if you have ever been in a car with someone for an extended amount of time, you know that awkward silences are inevitable. Now, if I were Kirra, I would have spent some of that time getting to know Reef a little better. Here are 10 questions I would have asked Reef on an eight-hour drive, and what I imagine his answers would’ve been.

1. What is your favorite breakfast cereal?

Reef: Well, I am more of a sausage and pancakes kind of guy, but I do remember this one cereal I used to eat when I was little, Captain Munch? No, Captain Crunch. The one with the little berries in it. That was definitely my favorite.

2. If you could talk to one person, living or dead, for one hour, who would it be?
Reef: I have always thought it would be cool to talk to Gunnar Kassen. I always thought it would be so incredibly stressful to have to deliver a life-saving serum through Alaska!

3. What is your favorite board game?
Reef: Definitely Risk. My siblings don’t even like to play with me anymore, since I can get so competitive

4. Is there any worship song you can’t get enough of?

Reef: There are so many great ones, but honestly, one of my favorites is “In Christ Alone.” It is a constant reminder of Christ’s faithfulness to me.

5. If you could only read one book, eat one food, and watch one movie for a year, what would you choose?
Reef: As far as a book, I would choose the Bible. What other book can you read again and again and still find new revelation? Obviously, I would choose Lasagna for my food. There is nothing better in the middle of a cold winter snowstorm than to come home to a hot plate of lasagna. As far as a movie, I would have to say Vertical Limit. No movie keeps me quite as close to the edge of my seat!

6. Favorite restauraunt?
Reef: Near Denali, there is a small town called Talkeetna. There is this fantastic restauraunt called the Denali Brewery. Everything is delicious, but the absolute best thing on the menu is their sweet potato wedges. Crunchy on the outside, and soft, but not mushy on the inside, and it is served with this spicy mayonnaise sauce. One of the most delicious things I have ever put into my mouth

7. Who do you look up to the most?
Reef: My brother Cole. He has remained so strong in the Lord, even after our parents died, and he is such a good husband and father.

8. Do you have any irrational fears?
Reef: I can’t stand frozen chimichangas. I know it’s weird, but I got sick off of one once. Threw up all night. Frozen is fine. Chimichangas are fine. Frozen chimichangas are terrible.

9. Favorite animal?
Reef: I have always loved eagles. To be able to soar above storms, above what other people think, that would be incredible.

10. What is your favorite scripture?
Reef: Hmmm, there have been so many that have impacted my heart this past year, but I would have to say that my favorite one is Psalms 25:6-7,
“Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to your mercy remember me, For Your goodness sake, O Lord.”
This scripture has been such an encouragement to me, that the Lord sees me through the lens of His mercy, all my past transgressions, all my future, everything is seen through His lovingkindness!

Who else woudn’t mind getting stuck with Reef on an eight hour drive? I am sure he would be an incredibly interesting person to talk to!

Dani Pettrey is an amazing author, I was so blessed to be able to work with her through all five books in this series. Although I was heartbroken to finish this series, I know that Dani’s next books will surely be just as good as this series. If you have never read any of these books, I urge you to pick up a copy next time you are at a bookstore, or you can even order one online!

Book Review: Take This Cup by Bodie and Brock Thoene

Libby W. — Sun, 25 May 2014 03:37:00 +0000

A young boy, named Nehemiah, has been prepared for a glorious purpose. Trained by his Rabbi from a young age, he know that someday he has been called to be cupbearer to the one true King. Will the day come sooner than anyone can imagine?

I loved this book. I read the entire thing in two days. Again and again, Bodie and Brock Thoene have constructed a gorgeous story, based on threads of tales in the Bible. I do not know how they manage to weave together these beautiful tapestries they call books. Using bits of several stories in the Bible, they create an intriguing tale based on fact. I will never stop reading their books!

This book specifically was so touching to see how Jesus reacted to a little boy, and all of the children to be precise. One of the hardest things that Bodie and Brock successfully do is to so beautifully describe Jesus.

I can’t think of a single thing I would have changed about this book. It was so beautifully described, and at the end, everything was so wonderfully resolved, I am pretty sure I cried at least twice! Bodie and Brock are SO good at not leaving loose ends in their books. I can’t wait until the next book comes out, the first two were fantastic.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants a fresh look at the Bible stories they have grown up hearing, it changes the way you read the Bible when you know the backstory. Obviously, their books should not be read the same way we read the Bible, but their books are a great tool to better understand the time and context of the Bible. If you have not read their books yet, be sure to pick this one up!

I received this book for free in exchange for this review.

Cole and Bailey’s Wedding: Wildflowers and Simplicity

Libby W. — Fri, 23 May 2014 14:00:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I look forward to every book Dani Pettrey has written since Submerged. In her most recent book (Silenced) the two main characters from the first book get married! In honor of this grand event, I decided to post both a review of the book, and what I think Bailey and Cole’s wedding would have been like.

Bailey Craig by libbiheart

1. Bailey wants to wear a very simple, stunning gown. She didn’t want to have a gown that was so big that she’d have trouble wearing it on the beach, but she also wanted a traditional wedding gown, rather than a shorter one.
2. When picking out her necklace, Bailey wanted one that meant a lot to her. This single pearl necklace reminds her of Jesus, her pearl of great price. (Matthew 13:46)
3. Bailey desired a gorgeous, braided bun for her wedding day,
4. Keeping with the simple + stunning theme, Bailey decided to wear a lovely, but understated bracelet.
5. Not wanting to go completely barefoot like the groomsmen and groom, and not wanting to wear sandals like the bridesmaids, Bailey decided to wear barefoot flip-flops; they allowed her to walk barefoot with class!
6. Bailey decided to wear her favorite earrings to her wedding. They always reminded her that no matter what other people thought about her, God thought she was a precious gem.

Bridesmaid’s C+B by libbiheart

1. Bailey wanted a dress that would be simultaneously flattering on all her bridesmaids, and one that reminded her of the Alaskan ocean in the summer.
2. Beach waves for all the bridesmaids, duh!
3. Bailey gave each of her bridesmaids a single pearl necklace to remind them to chase after the pearl of great price.
4. Bailey asked the bridesmaids to pick a simple, classy shoe. Obviously the perfect choice was a pair of white flip flops!

Cole + Groomsmen by libbiheart

1. Cole and Bailey decided to have a laid back approach to their wedding, and so their groomsmen wore rolled up khakis, and white dress shirts, untucked.
2 . Bailey decided at the last minute to nix the boutonnieres, but if she had asked them to wear boutonnieres, they would have been these lovely wildflower ones!
3. After deciding that cuff links would seem too fancy for the overall theme,Cole decided to give them to his groomsmen as a gift.

Reception by libbiheart

1. Cole and Bailey, while looking for chairs at thrift shops, stumbled upon a jumble of old lights. see the opportunity as too good to pass up.
2. Because of her past, Bailey loves seeing old things being given new life, That’s why she wanted all of the dinnerware to be thrifted china.
3. Filling mason jars with wildflowers is on of the pre-wedding events that Kayden missed because of her investigation.

The Ceremony by libbiheart

1. Bailey knows that sometimes sitting through an entire wedding without anything to drink can be difficult for the children at the wedding, so she decided to have a lemonade stand before the ceremony started.
2. Bailey can’t get enough of theses wildflowers near the aisle.
3. Cole and Bailey found dozens of old chairs at thrift shops, and then Cole fixed them up so that they could have a shabby chic wedding.
4. Obviously Bailey wanted all the bridesmaids to carry wildflower arrangements!

It is not often I find a book that I read in one sitting. Or one week. It is even more unusual for me to find a series of books that I like enough to keep reading, and reading quickly at that! I love how all of Dani’s books are so well written. It is rare to find a series where the second, third, and fourth books are as good as the first. Sometimes I wish she would have made the McKenna family have 18 kids so that I could keep reading them! There is the perfect mix of suspense and resolution, and the books are perfectly timed. I always finish reading them the day (or sometimes 2 AM the day after) I start reading them. I literally have no criticism, none. I love everything about the McKenna family. They are imperfect humans trying to do what God wants, so the characters are relatable. Overall, I hope Dani keeps writing books for a VERY VERY VERY long time.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and feel free to pin any images!

Birchbox Review: February 2014

Libby W. — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 16:00:00 +0000

I have been really looking forward to receiving my Birchbox in the mail. I have heard about it so many times, I was too curious to resist trying it out. I have watched and read several reviews for Birchbox, so I couldn’t wait to get a box and try it out for myself! I have also ordered an Ipsy box, but I have not received it yet, comparison to come!

I was really excited to find my Birchbox in the mailbox, and I had to persevere throughout my family’s dinner before I opened it. For anyone unfamiliar with Birchbox, it is a beauty subscription company. You can pay $10 per month, and they will send you high quality samples of beauty products that match a beauty profile you fill out online.

I loved the packaging, it was so cute and definitely caught my eye!

Once I opened my box, I noticed something was awry. It seemed that a small bottle of hair oil had broken open. I was really sad, but still excited to see the rest of the box.

The box also contained a truffle face serum, two lovely tea bags, a cute perfume sample, and a OPI nail polish sample.

(Let’s ignore the carpet, aye?)

The truffle face serum:
So, I am definitely not a anti-aging serum sort of person, but this smell SO good. Like a baby angel. Since it says it is also to renew skin, I have just been dabbing a little bit on my neck as perfume.

The “Hello” fragrance:
I think it is the cutest bottle ever. Not that perfumes need to be cute, but it does increase my likelihood of putting it on in the morning. It smells OK. Not the worst, but I am not sure how often I’ll be wearing it.

The Teas:
I haven’t had the teas yet, but I have never disliked a tea, so I am not too worried.

The OPI Nail polish:
You can’t see it very well in the picture, but the polish is a clear purple. I am in LOVE with it. I am going to have to purchase the full size. I love how subtle the color is. On the information card, the instructions said to either paint alone or over another color. I haven’t tried the latter, but the former is my new favorite.

The Hair Oil:
As I said before, it was broken when I received it. I definitely wasn’t mad at Birchbox, they didn’t hand deliver it to me, but I thought I would email them anyways, just to let them know. I was very impressed when they emailed me back within 10 hours, and they even offered to send me a replacement box. Their customer service is top of the line.

Overall:
I loved the information card and nail polish, the customer service was great, and the only thing that Birchbox could improve on would be making more personalized boxes (i.e. not giving anti-aging serum to a 19 year old. Ha.)

I would recommend Birchbox if you want to find new beauty products, not as much makeup as hair, skin, etc.

This review was not written for compensation, I paid to have the product sent to me, and all opinions are my own. I did include my referral links in case anyone signs up.

Beginning Anew.

Libby W. — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 05:57:00 +0000

There is a season for everything. A time and place for everything. This is a new season, and I felt the need for a new blog name, if only for a time. This is a new season. I have been out of high school for almost two years, I have been at my current job for over a year and a half, and I am rapidly approaching my twenties. Woah. Feels weird to even say that. I know that this next season is going to be one that solidifies God’s faithfulness to me. The new name came from one of my favorite songs, “Explode My Soul” by Jonathan and Melissa Helser. This song is what I felt God is showing me for this next span of time.

Hello Promised Land.