I did a short video yesterday while spending some time at Sunny Isles beach here in Florida before speaking at the Pink Lid conference this weekend. Just wanted to say hello and send a word of encouragement your way!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ls8zvSqGg]
Emonne Markland Leave Your Beauty Mark
A little over a year ago, I made the choice to press in & spend some quality time with God and really delight myself in Him. I read though the Word, prayed and made it a point to seek Him more than usual. I was pregnant at the time, and my husband had to work that Saturday, so I decided to spend some time with my mom and grandmother. We met up at a local mall around 10 am, not long after I had spent my time in prayer. We weren't really shopping, we just walked around and enjoyed each other’s company. Well, as we were leaving, I felt an urge to stop by the Nine West store. It was out of the way from where we parked, but my mom and grandmother agreed to press on with me anyways. As I walked into the store and looked toward the sale section (of course), I couldn’t believe my eyes. A very prominent speaker and Bible teacher that I admire greatly and had always wanted to meet was shopping in the store with her young children and assistant. I was so excited that I seemed to be drawn to her like a magnet! I joyfully approached her and with a large, and probably silly-looking, smile I asked, “Mrs. So-and-so, can I have a hug?!” She graciously smiled back and gave me a warm hug. I went on to tell her how much I admired her ministry and had just read about her in the NY Times the night before. After kindly juggling the task of watching her children and listening to me, she said a few words to me and exited the store. Now honestly, I could care less what shoes were on sale after that! I know without a shadow of a doubt that God led me to that store not only to give me a desire of my heart (Ps. 37:4), but to reveal to me that when I press in, despite the inconvenience it may seem to cause, there is a blessing on the other side. This week, let's keep this simple principle in mind: When you press, you get blessed.
Press on, beautiful ladies!
Emonne Markland
Leave Your Beauty Mark
Good afternoon, lovely ladies! I hope you had a chance to read the guest post that I did at Kathy's Prayer Life Lessons. If not, you can do so here. I really believe it was the best blog post I've done to date! So, I realized that I haven't done a fun fashion post in a while and wanted to show you a few of the outfits that I've been wearing lately. These pictures are from my Instagram account where I post outfit ideas and pictures of every day beauty. (If you're a part of the Instagram community you can follow me at Beautymarkedmom.) I've had a lot of fun incorporating all of the bright colors that are in this season into my wardrobe. Years ago, I had to wear all black every day for my retail job and promised myself that I would intentionally wear lots of color when I got another job. Thankfully, I work from home now and can wear fun outfits like these!
So tell me, what colors have you enjoyed wearing this season? My favorite is Tangerine Tango. I'll be doing a post on that soon. ;) Have a great day and don't forget to leave a beauty mark on someone's day today!
Emonne Markland Leave Your Beauty Mark.
Good evening, ladies. I couldn't pass up this day without sharing with you how meaningful this date is to me. Today is the 5 year anniversary of my surgery. I cannot even explain how thankful I am to be alive. God gave me a second chance on life and today I remember His faithfulness to see me through the darkest day of my life. Not only did I survive cancer, but I was able to get married, reproduce and give birth to my daughter Grace. A few weeks ago, I had an extensive physical exam and received a great report from my doctor from all the test results. "Thank you" just can't seem to express all of my gratitude. I pray that my life will bring Him glory and that when it is my time to go, I will have emptied out all that He's placed inside of me, leaving my beauty mark on the world.
Emonne Markland Leave Your Beauty Mark
Hello, beautiful ladies! I hope your Monday is going great so far. I wanted to let you know that I just completed a new guest blog post at Kathy's Prayer Life Lessons and would love for you to check it out and let me know what you think! In the post, I give insight on the two most important questions we can ask God in prayer. I'm really excited about this post and I know that it will bless you. Interest to know what the questions are? Go take a look here!
Thank you for stopping by and be on the look out for some fresh new post here at BeautyMarkedMom!
Emonne Markland Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
Bloom: a state or time of beauty, freshness and vigor; a state of high development or achievement; to mature into achievement of one's potential; to flourish in youthful beauty, freshness or excellence; to shine out; glow
A number of weeks ago, the word “bloom” sprang up in my heart. Given the fact that I absolutely love doing word studies, I immediately began to search high and low for the various definitions of bloom and the scriptures associated with it. I even preached a message on it at my church! Over the last few weeks, a new joy and hope for this Spring began to rise up in my heart. As you know from my previous post, I absolutely love Spring. But this study of the word "bloom" and what the Bible has to say about Spring has given me a new-found love for the season. There is so much goodness packed into this five-letter word that is rarely used outside of Springtime and often overlooked. I truly believe that our Heavenly Father is speaking in the midst of this season, and through this simple yet profound word. My sisters, my friends, it is officially time to bloom. It’s time to arise from our sleep, as a seed rests in the darkness of winter below the ground, and spring forth into the newness that God has for us.
“For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.” Is. 61:11 MSG
This past weekend, we celebrated the beautiful sacrifice of Jesus' death on the cross and His glorious resurrection. As a result of His life, death and resurrection, righteousness and praise have sprung forth throughout the world as people of all nations have received Him by faith. In other words, because He rose, we can arise! Because He bloomed, we can bloom!
This Spring, I am full of expectation for God to move in a great way in our lives and resurrect some things that have lay dormant. As my mom says in her book, Pray-ers Bear Fruit, "without a death, there can be no resurrection". Maybe you have been in a dry season for a while and it seems like God's voice has been a faint whisper, or maybe even silent. Maybe you've experienced the death of a dream and feel like there is no hope for a new beginning. Maybe you're in a relationship that is struggling to survive and you feel like the love is long gone. Oh, my sister, Jesus is about to resurrect your situation. He is fully aware of and well able to raise up that dead situation in your life and breathe a new life into it this season. Encourage yourself in the Lord. Build your faith through the Word. Don't believe the enemy's report. Believe the report of the Lord! He has positioned you for a miracle this season! We are about to see things that we've never seen before, do things we've never done before and go places we've never gone before.
Get ready to shine. Get ready to spring forth. Get ready to glow. Get ready to bloom.
[slideshow]
Emonne Markland
Leave Your Beauty Mark
For a number of years now, Spring has been a season of new beginnings in my life. As many of you know, I had a health trial in April 2007 where I had to undergo and recover from major lung surgery to remove a malignant mass. It was quite a storm, but looking back I know that it was the catalyst to many of the blessings that were to come in my life. Then, fast forward two years later, I married my husband in April of 2009, a special sign of redemption and love from the Lord that brought and still brings me great joy. Now, fast forward another two years to April 2011, the month that I gave birth to my gorgeous daughter Grace, once again showing the great victory that we have in Jesus and His ability to give us double for our trouble. So, as you can see, Spring has a great connotation to me personally and brings me great joy. The following scripture passage was in my wedding program and beautifully expresses the joy and abundance of this lovely season:
Song of Solomon 2:10-13
“My beloved spoke and said to me:
‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes
Give a good smell.
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.’ ”
As the Spring blossoms appear all throughout the country, I believe that there is a whisper of change being proclaimed to those that have ears to hear and eyes to see. Not just in the physical, but in the spiritual as well. Seeds that were sown in times of darkness, quietness and uncertainty that once were dead are springing forth in our lives, giving evidence to the faithfulness of our God and His ability to make all things new. The season of cold, difficult, laboring, toiling winter is coming to an end and a new season of joy, peace and rest is arising. God is calling us to rise up, shaking off the guilt of the past and forgetting the things which are behind. Come out from the shadows and chains of sins and grab hold of our freedom in Christ. He is calling us to shine forth in our God-given beauty, referring to us as His “fair ones”, fair meaning beautiful, lovely, clean, pure, fine, pleasing to the eye or mind especially because of fresh, charming or flawless quality. It’s time to embrace who we are in Christ, not necessarily because we deserve to be called fair or even feel fair, but because that is how our Father sees us. Lastly, He is calling us to come away with Him. Come to Him and away from the world. Draw near to Him and allow Him to draw near to us. Get lost in His presence. Make time for Him and go deeper in intimacy with Him, silencing the noise of our busy schedules and tuning our ears to the voice of heaven. As we surrender our plans and our agendas to set aside this special time with Him, we will begin to bloom.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you so much for your Word, that beautifully restores my soul and uplifts me in my time of need. I thank you for the season of Spring, as buds form and bloom throughout the earth as a sign to your children of the new things ahead. As we take time to come away in your presence and meditate on your Word, I ask that you reveal Yourself to us in a new way. Open our spiritual eyes to see and our spiritual ears to hear your voice through this season. Enlighten us by your Word. Captivate us in your presence. Illuminate us with your glory. I pray right now, Father, in Jesus’ Name, that you will help us to keep our focus on you. That we will begin a new season of devotion and commitment to you as we prepare to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Just like a seed, He died, was planted in the earth and rose again on the third day, springing forth as a majestic, eternal bloom, bearing the seeds of generational salvation for many to come. We thank you and praise you for your mighty works, God. To you be all the glory and honor and praise, both now and forever. Amen.
Emonne Markland
Leave Your Beauty Mark
P.S. I encourage you to study and meditate on Song of Solomon 2:10-13 this week. Allow this passage to get into your spirit and spring forth new revelation. I personally have found profound revelation on these scriptures from the commentaries of Matthew Henry, Scofield’s reference notes (1917 edition), Wesley’s explanatory notes and Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, all of which can be found within the free Bible Study Tools app. In these references, Song of Solomon 2:10-13 is explained as a metaphor of turning away from sin and the law and the beauty and newness of Christ’s coming, bringing a wonderful season of joy to those that receive Him. I highly recommend reviewing those commentaries, as they are rich with truth. As you study, please feel free to come back to this post and share your thoughts on what the Lord is revealing to you through this passage.
As a new mom, my style has evolved immensely over the last 9 months. Before I became a mother, I always seemed baffled at the fact that some women let themselves go after having kids. Now that I’m a mom, I can completely understand why. After taking care of every need your child has all day, who has time to take care of themselves? Well, one thing that I’ve learned is that if I want to be productive during my day, I do a lot better when I’m dressed well.
The door that never opened. The job offer that fell through. The relationship that you've been forcing to work even though it's not. The house deal that flopped. Whatever the situation may be in your life. Maybe, just maybe, God has it sealed for your protection. Don't force it open. You may find yourself opening a can of worms.
Friends, I really believe this to be true. So many doors have closed in my face over the years, some even opened, allowed me in, and then pushed me back out! I used to get mad, disappointed and even a little depressed a few times. Now, I know that I don't even have to worry about it. If something doesn't work out my way, I trust that God has something even better on the way.
This year, we are all expecting great things and I believe that great things are coming! That being said, we must keep in mind that things may happen much differently than we expect them to. You may be focusing on and preparing for door A and God's will for you in 2012 may be door Y. Trust Him no matter what. He's in control. And His plan is always better than ours. Be blessed and have a joy-filled weekend.
Emonne Markland Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
Abuse: improper or excessive use or treatment; misuse.
Every day, products and goods are created all over the world for a specific purpose. Forks are made to eat with. Chairs are made to sit on. Computers are made to type on and create documents and images. But what if you took your laptop and tried to cook your lunch on it? Imagine becoming angry when your chicken and vegetables don't sauté. That would be completely ridiculous right? Well, often times, that's what we do with our own lives. Each of us has been created for a specific purpose. And yet, we spend year after year in abuse, misusing the gifts and talents that God has given us by seeking after whatever we want to do and be. Sure, a fish may want to be a roaring lion, but outside of the water it won't survive!
This year, we MUST discover and devote our lives to God's purpose for our existence. There is no more time to be a fish out of water. If people around you have been holding you back and forcing you into a box that your "circle" doesn't fit in, let them go! God is doing a new thing in our lives! It's not going to be a bed of roses, and along the journey to purpose there will be many inconveniences and pressure, but we will come out of the fire like gleaming, pure gold. Today, make the decision to seek God like never before and allow Him to reveal to you your true purpose. Not your plans. Not what your parents, husband, friends or professors always said that you would be. God's divine purpose for your existence! He has such great things in store for us! You won't even recognize yourself by this time next year! You are equipped with God's power to do great and mighty things! I have prayed for you this morning and called many of you out by name. I pray that you will be all that God has created you to be, and never misuse the gifts that are inside of you.
That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you...(2 Timothy 1:6 AMP)
God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. (2 Timothy 1:7 MSG)
Emonne Markland Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
*This post is inspired by the Sunday morning sermon by Bishop T.D. Jakes from today. Every Sunday on my Instagram account (beautymarkedmom), I write a "Sunday Recap" post from what I learned in church that morning. I have encouraged others to do so, and a number of IGers have joined in and shared what God spoke to their hearts in their Sunday morning church service. It's a great way to review your notes and share what God has spoken to you. If you are on IG, join in and add hashtag #SundayRecap to your post! If you're on Twitter, you can do the same there too! It is great to see what God is speaking to His people around the world.
Today, as I took some time to quiet myself before God, I asked Him to search my heart and show me what I need to do and where to improve. As I read though the scriptures and sat in reflection, I heard my Father speak two simple words to my heart: Be still. I then saw a vision of a situation that I have faced numerous times over the last few weeks: me trying to clean my daughter's nose. I know this may sound strange, but if you're a mom you've experienced the struggle of trying to clean out your child's nose with a nasal aspirator. Not fun at all. My daughter screams, kicks, whips her hair back and forth and basically freaks out. Over and over again, I look her in the eyes and calmly tell her, "Grace, be still." Frantically, she disregards my instruction for a few more minutes and finally stays still long enough for me to help her by cleaning out her nose. You see, she'd been sick for about two weeks or so and as her mother, I knew that she couldn't blow her nose on her own & needed a clear nasal passage to help her breathe better and get well. I didn't want to take much of her time, but the more that she resisted me, the longer it took for me to help her.
Friends, God wants to help us. He wants to heal our hearts. He wants to bless us. He wants us to breathe easy. But the more that we resist Him, and the temporary discomfort of the process, the longer it will take for us to get well. Be still. Relax. Allow Him to do what He needs to do. Trust that He has your best interest at heart and doesn't mean you any harm. I know the situation that you're facing is very uncomfortable, but it's being used for your benefit. Let go. Be still. Take a chill pill, if you will. ;)
I believe that God showed me this scenario to reveal to me my own situation but I feel that this is for you too. I was watching the First Conference live from Gateway Church on Daystar tonight and the associate pastor gave the same word: Be Still. It was a confirmation to my heart and I know that God is speaking to you and me in this moment with this word.
"Be still, and know that I am God..."(Psalm 46:10 NKJV)
Emonne Markland Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
This morning, I was getting my husband a breakfast burrito and smoothie from the grocery store and at the checkout I realized that I didn't have my debit card in my hand or pocket. I searched frantically as the 5 million people in line behind me that were probably in a rush to get to work on time waited patiently for this young mom to find her money to pay for her order. I couldn't find the card anywhere so I hurried and just payed with cash. After getting my order, I sat off to the side and continued to search for the card. Still, nothing. I went back to the line that I ordered from and asked if the clerk had found my card by chance. The lady behind me in line said that someone in the bakery department found a card and was asking everyone if it was theirs and was headed to customer service to drop it off. I thanked the lady & zoomed to the customer service desk. While I waited to be helped, another woman was coming to clock in for work and stopped to talk to Grace, my 7 month old daughter, and me. We got to talking about kids and she began to share with me the importance of praying for your children. She told me that she is standing in faith for her adult children that are away from the Lord right now, but that she knows they will come back into relationship with Him. I shared with her that my mom just wrote a book on prayer and handed her a business card to get more information on the book. She seemed very excited, and we said goodbye, shook hands and exchanged smiles. She said that God sent us her way this morning & that she really needed a smile. She told me that her name is Patty & that she works in the floral department and would love for me to visit her sometime. I assured her that I would as I walked away with a smile, thankful that what seemed to be an inconvenience and set back of my time was really a set up for me to be a blessing and blessed in return! I dropped off my husband's breakfast & smoothie, went back to the store for another burrito (they just looked too good to pass up!) and then headed home on my usual route. As I approached the stop light near my home, my heart sank as I saw a number of emergency lights flickering in the distance. When I got closer, I saw that two cars had crashed and two others had gone into the ditch and it didn't look good at all. Fire trucks were everywhere, one of which I captured quickly on my phone as you can see above. As I drove past the scene and headed home, I realized that my inconvenience was even more than a blessing, it was a means of protection. My baby girl & I could have very well been involved in that accident as we were headed home today. Thank you, Jesus, for your hand at work in my life, keeping my daughter and me safe from hurt, harm and danger. Thank you for intervening in my day, even though I thought I was being held up by losing my card. I know that it wasn't just a coincidence. I also thank you for protecting and caring for those that were in the accident. Be with them and give them peace. Allow them to see your hand in the midst of this situation. And bless Patti, Lord. May her children come to know You in a real and powerful way this week. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
Today, allow God to arrange (and rearrange) your schedule. He may be setting you up for a blessing, and protecting you from harm.
Emonne Markland Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
If you're reading this post right now, you have a testimony. God has brought you through the storms of life time and time again. He was with you on the operating table. He was with you at the isle. He was with you in the wilderness. He was with you at the highest mountain. And in all that you've been through, God wants you to know that HE is the one that brought you to where you are today and that all of the things that you've been through have built the tools and weapons that you need to withstand through the trials and tests of life. When the enemy comes to accuse you and condemn you, bringing up your past and telling you that God is not going to come through for you this time, you can stretch back your faith to all of the times that God WAS there and when He DID bring you through. You can stand strong with your head held high, look your accuser square in the face and say, "There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! I am more than a conqueror through Christ. NO WEAPON formed against me shall prosper!" This week, stand strong in your testimony. Know that you are redeemed through the Blood of Jesus. That you are justified, "just-as-if-I'd" never done it. Don't allow the enemy to keep beating you up and oppressing you with your circumstances, past mistakes & failures. Enough is enough! The enemy is under your feet! Speak the Word and hold fast to your freedom in Christ! And remember this: Your greatest test gave birth to your greatest testimony. You. Have. The. Victory.
Often times, when we take our eyes off of God and focus on our situation, we begin to experience fear. We freeze up at the thought of what "could" happen. We stop progressing in our walk with God as we place matters into our own hands instead of looking to God for help in our time of need. I know that things get rough. I know the problem is big. But God is bigger. He is greater than your circumstance. And He is in control, even when it doesn't seem like it. Consider Job. He went through some major let downs. All of his children died, all that he owned was destroyed and even his health was attacked! His wife told him to curse God and die and his friends all came up with judgements on why he was suffering so badly. But did you know that Bible scholars believe that his trial was only about 9 months long? It was temporary! A short season, considering the fact that he lived to see his children's children all the way to the 4th generation! (God blessed him with more children after the season of trouble subsided. See Job 42:10-16). Be encouraged and know that God is in control! Release your desire to be the potter in your life and let Him get back to work on your behalf. Know that He is the Potter and you are the clay. Trust Him. Walk on the water. Remember this as you go: Fear paralyzes. Faith mobilizes. Don't be afraid to walk by faith.
Emonne Markland Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
Steve Jobs was a visionary and innovator that changed the way that we live. Apple products have not only become a vital part of our every day lives, but they have been used to further the Gospel message of Jesus Christ in a dynamic way. As I watch the news coverage and remember the life of Steve Jobs, I cannot help but think of all of the millions of people around the world that have been affected as a result of his passion for technology and determination to make the impossible possible. Even when things seemed to be going down hill for Apple, he fought to bring the company back to life and never gave up on his dreams. Regardless of how amazing each product was, he was always reaching higher and demanding more excellence for the next version. He not only dreamed of great products and user-friendly technology, but he made them a reality that all of the world would benefit from. As I write this post on my MacBook Pro and periodically check my iPhone, I am reminded of how much his products have affected my life. He truly left his "beauty mark" on our world and has been deemed the Thomas Edison of our time.
What dream is stirring in your heart that could potentially affect our world for generations to come? What could you create if you silenced the loud distractions in your life and allowed your creative juices to flow freely from your heart and into the hands of others? How will you be remembered? How can you leave your beauty mark on the world? These are the questions that I challenge you to ponder as you remember the life of Steve Jobs.
We are all created with a seed of destiny waiting to spring forth and bear fruit that will leave a beautiful mark on the hearts and lives of others. May we all be encouraged to discover our potential and use all of our might to passionately pursue the purpose in which we were created for.
Emonne Markland: Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE
P.S. Thanks to Steve Jobs, the following apps are a part of my every day life and are used to enhance my reading & hearing of the Word and my ability to connect with other like-minded people around the world:
As a new mom, I have found myself learning countless life lessons every day. Periodically, I will be posting my experiences as a mother and sharing the lessons that I am learning along my journey of motherhood. Thank you in advance for reading my post today and I hope that it encourages you and blesses you in a special way.
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned now that I am a mom, it can be summed up in these two sentences:
Stretching doesn’t end just because the pregnancy is over and the baby has been born. True stretching, of the whole person: spirit, mind and body, begins in the hours, days, weeks and months to follow the delivery.
As a first time mom, I could not wait to feel my baby move for the first time during my pregnancy. I can remember telling my mom that every nudge, kick and stretch would bring me the utmost joy and happiness. My mom, however, being the sweet and honest person that she is, told me that it would be pleasant in the beginning but may become very uncomfortable as the baby grew and had less room to move around in my womb. Sure enough, those little flutters that I found so sweet turned into karate chops, kicks and punches. What in the world is she doing in there? I asked myself. Is this normal? I feel like I have the karate kid in training in my belly! My OBGYN kindly assured me that everything was fine and normal and that I had nothing to worry about.
During the final days and weeks of my pregnancy, contrary to what I’d been told, the kicks and punches got even more strong and even painful at times! I was so ready to have my baby. Well, on April 25th at 3:47am, after hours of home labor and hospital labor, I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl. And as you know, especially if you are a mom, giving birth to my daughter required major stretching. Let me repeat, major stretching.
In the hours, weeks and now months to follow my daughter’s birth, my whole person, spirit, mind and body, has been stretched. My body has stretched as it has slowly but surely gone back to my pre-pregnancy weight. My mind has stretched as I continue to learn all that my baby needs and develop wisdom on how to be the wife and mother that my family needs. My spirit has grown as my inner strength and dependence on God has increased and enlarged in this new season of life.
The word of God says in Isaiah 54:2, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.”
If you are reading this post today and can relate to what I am saying, I want to encourage you to know that all of the discomfort and stretching that you’ve been experiencing lately is being used to build you into the woman, wife and mother that God has created you to be. He is stretching you in order to make room for you to handle the next level of victory and destiny that is coming to past in your life.
This week, join me in praying the prayer of Jabez, a prayer for God to enlarge your capacity for the days to come. Also, as you go about your day this week, ask God to open your eyes to the needs of those around you so that you can leave your beauty mark on someone’s life by being a blessing to them in a time of need. Have a powerful week and feel free to come back & share what God is doing in your life!
Emonne Markland: Leave YOUR Beauty Mark!
The Prayer of Jabez:
“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying “Oh, that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted what he requested.” (1 Chronicles 4:10 ESV)
Last night, I was captivated by the 9/11 documentaries that flooded the TV stations. Stories of sorrow, heroism, bravery and hope played over and over again. The images of that horrific day pierced my heart to the core. Like many other Americans, I can remember exactly where I was when I heard the news of the attacks. On September 11th, 2001, I was a freshman in high school sitting in my first period class when an announcement was made over the PA system from our principal stating that something bad happened in New York City. When that class concluded, I went to my next period and watched the TV with my teacher and classmates in disbelief. The images of people running through the streets of New York City covered in white ash seemed like something out of a movie. Watching an airplane go through the second building and seeing both buildings fall to the ground was utterly unimaginable. What began as a normal school day turned into a day of mourning and desperation, and an attempt to have class as usual was completely out of the question as we all tried to wrap our minds around what was happening.
How can people be so evil? Why did this horrible event happen to so many good people? What is going on in the world? These were all of the questions that ran through my mind all throughout the rest of my school day as I longed to be at home with my family that I love so dear. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally finished out my school day and watched more coverage of the attack at home with my parents and brother. I believe that these questions, and many others like them, have gone through all of our minds in the wake of the terrorist attack on 9/11, and only God truly knows the answers.
If you are reading this today, there’s a great chance that you or someone you know was directly affected by this horrible act of terrorism. If you personally lost a friend or loved one on 9/11, I cannot begin to imagine how you feel and I am so sorry for your loss. The thought of losing a loved one in such an evil way is inconceivable to me. It’s been said that time heals all wounds, but I don’t believe that to be true. Even though it has been 10 years since 9/11, I’m sure that the hurt still remains in many hearts. Although there are many things that I don’t know or understand about this tragedy, I do know this without a shadow of a doubt: that there is hope in Jesus Christ and that God specializes in bringing good things out of hopeless situations. In Isaiah 61, the Word of God tells us that Jesus came to “console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3-4 NKJV)
As we take time today to reflect on the events of 9/11, I believe that we must make a conscious effort to see the beauty in the ashes. To remember all of the brave fireman, policeman and every day Americans that risked their lives for their fellow Americans as they exemplified the greatest commandment in loving their neighbor as themselves. May we be thankful for the lives that were spared and rejoice in the great stories of triumph and the will to survive in the face of death. May we give to God our questions, concerns, sorrow, mourning and ashes from this tragic event and receive joy, beauty and praise instead.
God Bless America.
Emonne Markland: Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
1 Peter 3:3-4
Fashion's Night Out 2011 here in the DFW area was a great success. From Northpark Center to Galleria Dallas, fashion enthusiasts across the city united for a fun night of shopping and entertainment. Here's a recap of how I spent my night! What I wore:
Honestly, I had the hardest time deciding what to wear for the night. Fun tee and feather skirt? All black? Color blocks? Dress? Pants? Skinny jeans? I looked at pictures of what people wore last year and even checked out a few blog posts on what to wear. Finally, with the help of my husband and mom, I decided on this simple, classy outfit. Stylish and modest are always my style goals.
The venue:
I did some research on each venue and chose to attend the FNO festivities at the Southlake Town Square, an outdoor shopping center in Southlake, TX. The location was close to home and my mom and I wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather, so we knew it would be a great place to spend our night. Upon our arrival, I must admit that I was slightly surprised by the small crowd and lack of "hype". As we drove farther into the center, we saw that a crowd had gathered to see a fashion show that was going on. We parked and watched the show and then I took a picture on the FNO red carpet. Loved that.
What we did:
We started at Sephora where they were doing some makeup tutorials and offered refreshments from a local restaurant. We spent some time talking to the makeup artists and I was able to snag a pic with the lovely Stila cosmetics ladies. (Hello, Dani, if you're reading this!) I love Stila's Brown Sugar Lip Glaze, by the way. It's a little pricey for my taste but it's the perfect nude color for my skin tone. I usually request a new tube on my Christmas list each year.
After Sephora, we walked to Lemongrass Salon & Spa. On the way there, since they laid out the red carpet all throughout the shopping center, I snagged a fun photo of mom!
Now, I must say, my experience at Lemongrass Salon & Spa was the best part of our night. We both received a complimentary neck & back massage and were treated like queens. The staff was incredibly friendly and Nikki (our massage therapist) did a fabulous job. I had no idea how bad I needed that! They also had great refreshments including chocolate-covered strawberries, grapes, cheese and crackers and water with fruit floating in the jar. It was delicious. They also had hair care demonstrations and gave a goody bag of makeup and beauty product samples to each shopper. Well done, Lemongrass.
Our final stop for the evening was at Vera Bradley, and man is that place decorated to a T! I could live in there! Anyways, we saw some shoppers throughout the event carrying Very Bradley eco-friendly shopping bags and they told us that they were giving them away for free at the Vera Bradley store after you complete a handbag design sheet. So, like any free-stuff-loving shopper, we headed over fast. We sat down at the style workshop center in the store and spent at least 30 minutes working on our handbag designs using the colored pencils and rulers that they provided. After our designs were complete, we admired each other's creativity and went to the register to hand in our designs and get our free bags. Sadly, the associate notified us that they had just ran out and gave us some compact mirrors instead. We were disappointed to say the least, but the compacts were cute and featured patterns from this season's new designs. Here's a look at the handbags we designed.
My final verdict on FNO:
All in all, we had a great time together and were able to mingle with other ladies throughout the night. This was the first time that we had a mother/daughter night out as just the two of us since the baby was born! We got massages, free goodies, ideas on what to wear this fall from the fashion show and walked the red carpet. I would definitely suggest marking your calendar for next year and planning to go out with the special ladies in your life for FNO. It's a great opportunity to get dressed up and have some fun! Although there are some exclusive offers in the stores, you don't have to spend money. You can just browse around, get ideas for your fall wardrobe and make it a fun girl's night out with your Bible study group! My mother and I look forward to making this an annual mother and daughter tradition, and one day take Grace along with us!
Ideas/ Suggestions for next year:
Here are 7 tips that I formulated based on my experience at FNO and what I plan to incorporate into and consider for next year's plans:
1. Go out to eat before or after the event
Make a night of it! This year, I cooked and ate at home. Eating out would cost money, but if planned ahead of time it would really make the night fun. It would also keep you from devouring the refreshment platters!
2. Plan your outfit ahead of time
Try on various outfits and consider the following:
a. It's an evening event so incorporate colors/fabrics/patterns that are appropriate for night
b. What will the weather be like?
c. What styles are in for fall?
d. What do I feel most stylish & comfortable in?
3. Wear comfy shoes (I suggest wedge heels) or pack a pair of flats in your purse.
Keep in mind that no matter where you're spending your night, you are guaranteed to be doing a lot of walking.
4. Review the event calendar of the venue that you will be going to.
Select the top stores/ events that you want to attend and find out where they are located. This will save you a lot of time during the evening and ensure that you do the things that you really want to do.
5. Carpool!
Depending on where you're going, there may be a lot of traffic and difficulty parking, not to mention the possible parking fees! You're not always guaranteed parking spots near each other so this will make things so much easier, plus it's good for the environment! Turn up your favorite car tunes, sing and dance, and make the car ride one of the funnest parts of your night!
6. Arrive at your venue early.
Consider the fact that you may need to park far away and walk to the events. Give yourself time to attend the events at ease without rushing.
7. Have fun!
Take pictures! Get your makeup done! Buy a cute top if you see one! Just have fun.
So, how did you participate in FNO in your area? Do you have any suggestions for next year's Fashion's Night Out? I'd love to know! Share your thoughts below!
Emonne Markland: Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
1 Peter 3:3-4
Tomorrow evening, from 6pm to 11pm, fashionistas all over the world will be participating in the 3rd annual Fashion's Night Out: an extravagant night of all-things fashion and shopping. Celebrities, models, designers, fashion editors, style bloggers and shoppers (of course) will all join together and celebrate their love of fashion at the exclusive FNO events.
In 2009, American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company and the City of New York created Fashion's Night Out to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy and put the fun back in shopping. Three years later, FNO is bigger and better than ever, and has now spread to cities small and large all over the world! Here in Dallas, events include fall fashion shows, special discount & promotions, stylist contests, free food, free manicures and much more. This will be my first year participating in FNO, and I am SO looking forward to it! I plan to spend the evening with the woman who has taught me how to shop and inspired my love for style & fashion, my mother. I can't wait to hit the town with her tomorrow, dressed in something fierce and ready for some fun. (Special thanks to my hubby for watching the baby!) I'll be sure to post some pictures soon! For real-time coverage and photos from FNO here in Dallas, follow me on twitter.
Want to get dressed up with your friends and participate in the fun? Find a FNO event in your area here. And while you're out tomorrow night, don't forget to allow your light to shine and let your beauty draw people to Christ. You never know how God may use you to bring healing and restoration to someone's life as you leave your beauty mark on the hearts and lives of those around you!
Emonne Markland: Leave YOUR Beauty Mark
1 Peter 3:3-4
