I type this on my newly cracked phone on the bottom bunk in a cabin full of full suitcase and tired girls. Yes, I'm at church camp. And I'm having a great time! But right now I want to communicate to you my unexpected adventure yesterday,

My favorite two words... These two words made themselves known to me during middle school and kept popping up since. When I find these words. I always underline and circle and highlight them. They changed my life, and right now, I will share them with you. Are you ready?

But God. 



What? Two three-letter words changed my life? And these words seem so unsuspecting, so ordinary. But listen as I pour out to you the power of these two words.

The words "but God," "but the Lord," or "but Jesus" appear, in that order, 231 times in the NLT translation of the Bible and I didn't even count all of the times that God say "but I." From Genesis to Revelation, these two word provide a transition that almost always points to Jesus and His grace, and that, my friends, prompts me to fall in love with them! They hold power in our everyday lives because they hold power in Jesus. Let me explain by unpacking the first "but God" moment in scripture, found in Genesis 2 and 3.

God created the world. He, out of His power and imagination, made countless types of creatures and plants. He invented the idea of time, and He made a world much larger than we can even know. And then He created something special, something in His own image, man. He created a worshiper, a fellow creator, and an emotional, rational, being like Himself, only on a much, much smaller scale.

And it was good. No, it was very good.

God could have left it there. He could have called it a day, and we would have worshipped Him in perfection forever, BUT GOD, chose to give us a choice. He chose to let us choose Him, which also meant that He chose to let us not choose Him. He gave us freedom and responsibility that He did not have to give us, for we could have lived like the angels, who always worship God but also don't have much of a choice. But God decided that He wanted us. He wanted a relationship with us; He wanted to love us, and He wanted us to love Him back, so He gave us a choice.

"But the Lord God warned him, 'You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you are sure to die." (Genesis 2:16, NLT)

And we, like the small creations that we are, chose wrong.

"The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too." (Genesis 3:6, NLT) 

We chose a life apart from God, our Creator. We thought that we knew better, but how could the creation know better than the Creator? And right here, things got messy. Adam and Eve hid away and tried to cover themselves, but they couldn't hide from their own sins. They couldn't fix themselves. But just wait, for beauty comes out of this mess. 

"But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'" (Genesis 3:9, NIV) 


Where are you? 

Obviously, God knew where Adam hid. He knew what mankind did, so He didn't ask this question for His own sake. So then, I must ask, for whose sake did He ask the question? 

Man. 

Man sinned. Man dishonored God, rebelled, rolled in the mire of sin, and looked despicable and ugly. Man certainly didn't deserve any grace from God; for, after all, God warned us about this sin. So man hid in shame of sin, afraid of what God would do. 

But God came. 

But God sought. 

But God invited. 

I believe that God asked this question in order to invite mankind back into a relationship with Him. He sought us out and made a way for us to come to Him in confession because, incomprehensible to my mind, God loved us. He loves us. 

Now Adam and Eve didn't respond very well to this invitation In fact, mankind rebuked God's invitation to a relationship with Himself again and again (just read pretty much the whole Old Testament). But God pursued. 

And God also knew that one day, He would come in the form of a man, that He would seek from the height of the cross, and that He would invite in front of an empty tomb. God knew from the beginning what path He started, that it would lead to His death. He had already planned out the story, but God chose and pursued us. But God went beyond what we can comprehend to bring grace to the ugly and beauty to the mess. But God. 

Please live in the "But God" moments. Let the grace of God transform your mess into beauty by His power. Let Him chose you and pursue you. And then respond to His invitation with worship. There you will find grace; in the arms of a God full of love you will find a new life to give back over to Him. But God. Know it, believe it, live it. 

I will be studying the "but God" moments throughout scripture for the next while, and I feel so excited to understand and live in God's grace as I discover His character! Comment below if you would like to hear more "but God" moments on the blog, and also comment a "but God" moment you've discovered in the Bible or in life! I love you guys! 

Princess Hannah 

Okay, guys, I need to tell you something, something very exciting, and something that will, in a way, effect the blog this summer. You probably already skimmed to the next paragraph to find out about the surprise, therefore I don't know why I'm still writing this paragraph, so...

I am spending six weeks in New York this summer!!!!


Five of those weeks consist of training for ballet at American Academy of Ballet in Westchester, and one of those weeks consists of walking the streets of NYC with my lovely Mother! I know, pretty amazing! I will fly for the first time, by myself. I will train for hours and hours a day, six days a week, for five weeks (longer than any other ballet intensives I've attended). I will see Broadway and the Empire State building and so much more!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

But, I need your help! One, traveling tips. I pretty much pack everything except that random beanbag in the corner, so I need advice on how to cram as much stuff as possible in two suitcases. And also, flying. I don't feel scared, but just a little, how do you say it, uncertain. Yes. Uncertain. Tips? Encouragement? And then I really want any recommendations and tips for New York City itself. What are the best and cheapest restaurants, shops, museums, etc? What shoes can I wear to look both fashionable and not-in-pain? What about easy and chic purses? Lasting make-up? Other general traveling ideas and tips?

But not only do I need help with the traveling, but I want to know how to keep up the blog while far away. Do you have any tips on how to manage social media ahead of time, especially because my wifi will be iffie. How about blogging on the go? Go-to photo editing apps for an iPhone?

I know that I asked so many questions, but this is so new to me. I've dreamed of going to New York City as my senior trip for the longest time, and I want to have the best time ever! (And don't worry, I will keep all of you updated and showered with pictures!) But, even more than NYC, I am excited for God's plan for me, and how New York plays into His Story as I encounter new people from varying backgrounds. I get such a unique opportunity to spend five weeks with lots of different people, and I want to leave an everlasting impression! So my last question for you lovely people is this: how do you keep Jesus and His kingdom your focus even when you have very little time to spend strictly with God?



Thank you all in advance for any advice posted in the comments! Don't feel like you have to answer all of the questions, for I will appreciate even a little tidbit from you kindred spirits! And keep posted for a post about my favorite two words as well as a guest post!

Princess Hannah

For the second installment on glittery awesome crafts, I bring to you...




These, just like the DIY Glitter Glass Bottles, are super easy to make, not to mention fun! I made both versions for my graduation party, and they turned out so lovely!


Supplies:

~Wooden frames of any size

~Glitter paint. (I used this one)

~Colored paint

~Paintbrush or sponge

~Mod Podge

~Loose glitter

~Clear spray paint sealant

Option One (Glitter frames with pink edges)


Step One- Painting

When using the glitter paint, make sure to get a lot of paint on the brush because you will want a good first coat. You want to really cover this baby with glitter! Also, don't paint the edges of the frame because we will address that part later.




Step Two- More Painting

With the glitter paint, you will need to apply another coat of paint or maybe even two more coats if you applied thin coats. Just make sure that you let the paint dry for around an hour in-between coats.


Step Three- Add in the Color

When the paint dries, you need to paint those edges that you previously left blank. I love the contrasting edges because it gives the frames a bit of personality!

And that's it! So easy, right! Now for the second option...

Option Two (Pink frame with glitter edges)




Step One- Paint

This time, I painted the frame pink, leaving the edges blank. I only used one coat, but you could apply another coat if you're feeling ambitious.


Step Two- Mod Podge

Paint the Mod Podge on the edges of your frame. I like to do only one or two sides at a time so that the glue doesn't dry while I do the next step. But I get ahead of myself.



Step Three- GLITTER!

I poured some glitter into a plate and then dipped the glued edges into the glitter, but you could directly pour the glitter on the glue as well; just make sure that you place a plate or some newspaper under the downpour!




Step Four- Lay the Boundaries

I know some people say to color outside of the lines, but right here, I like to tell my glitter to stay inside of the lines! The glitter tended to go all over the place, so I scraped the edges to form a clean line.

Step Five (not pictured)- Entrap the Glitter

Follow the directions on your clear spray paint sealant to apply a few coats over the glitter edges. I found this easiest to do if I placed the frames over shoeboxes so that the edges of the frames lay a few inches off of the ground.

And that's it! So easy and simple! Now, all you have to do it fill the frames with something lovely! I designed pretty layouts for my favorite verses on Word Swag (an amazing app), and I displayed these influential words on every table at my party. I will leave you with this verses describing what is truly beautiful in this world:


And yes, glitter does make the cut. Because last I checked, glitter is lovely. Very lovely indeed. A creation from God. In fact, when you think about it, glitter gets its beauty from reflecting the light, and with no light to reflect, the glitter is just pieces of plastic. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't decorate my room with dull pieces of plastic. And just so, we find our true beauty when we reflect the light of Jesus Christ! Why would the world want to look like us if we don't reflect the Light? For without Jesus, we are like dull pieces of plastic.

So I encourage you to play with glitter this week, yes, but even more so I encourage you to act like glitter, gaining beauty by reflecting the Light!

Stay tuned for a guest post and a post about my favorite two words! And comment below what you think about the recent glitter posts!

Princess Hannah

P.S. Crafting for me looks much different than blog photos most of the time. Here's "real-life" look at the afternoon of crafting at my house, complete with multiple projects, newspaper, and an empty bowl which once held grapes. Just being honest about life for you guys!

This last Sunday, for my graduation, I threw the biggest party I ever planned, and it looked beautiful!

I've thrown quite a few parties in my short life. Birthday parties, for not only me but my three sisters. Halloween parties. End of the year parties. Random parties just for the fun of it. If I don't teach ballet as a living, I will consider event planning, because I really do love it! And now I will disclose to you some of the things that I learned as I planned and prepared and threw my party last Sunday!

You see, many people think that the details and work associated with throwing parties will overwhelm them. They think that they can't do it, but I want to make party-throwing easy for all reading this with nine easy steps, because I believe that ability to throw a good party allows people to minister for God even better. Jesus knew how to party (see John 2:1-12), now it's our turn!


Nine steps to a great party: 

1. Do your research

Parties start on Pinterest. No, don't laugh! Researching your party weeks in advance really helps you to feel prepared and confident in your party. I highly recommend creating a board for any upcoming events, be it a secret. public, or a group board, to help channel ideas and keep reminders of all your inspirations. My board, here, helped me figure out what I wanted to do and helped me plan out my theme. Speaking of...

2. Pick a Theme



After much pinning, narrow it down. Figure out what you want to do, what colors you want to use and how your party will feel. Will people dress up? Finger foods? Sit down meal? Family event? Vintage inspired? Try to state the theme of your party in one sentence, and then all future ideas and purchases will naturally fall into your theme. For me, my party's theme was as follows:

A pink and gold celebration of a vintage-loving ballerina who love Jesus. 

There you have it! Then, when I bought my purchases, I referred back to my theme to see if they would all coordinate.

3. Know When to Make It 



I love crafting, so I obviously wanted to make a few things for my party (tutorials will come up soon!). When it comes to the DIYs, however, you want to finish sooner rather than later. Trust me, you don't want to have to stay up late the night before making paper fans galore. (True story.) With that said, homemade decor and games add a personal flair and exciting investment to any party, so don't be afraid to tackle the DIYs! I made the centerpieces for all of my tables as well as some paper fan backdrops for my party, and those touches really made a difference.

4. Know When to Buy It


You could try and make everything yourself, from the banner to the cake, but the more you make, the more time you spend, the more time you spend, the more invested you are, and the more invested you are, the more upset you will become when something goes wrong. And trust me, something will always go wrong.

Don't overstretch yourself with trying to make everything, but make what you know that you can, and buy the rest. Also, check in the stores and online for good deals, because DIYs aren't always the cheapest option. Even if you spend less money with the DIY, sometimes not having to worry about the cake it worth a bit of money. I bought the cake, photo holders, and photo-booth accessories instead of making them, and I don't regret it!

5. Know When to Borrow It



Parties oftentimes require things that would make no sense to buy and would make even less sense to make. Really, how often will I need two drink dispensers or a projector? But I needed them for my party. So what did I do? I borrowed them. I borrowed serving ware, a projector, cake stands, dress forms and tablecloths for my party, and without generous friends to let me borrow them, my party either would have looked way plainer or would have cost much more! Find out who will lend you something, and then ask them! They won't likely say no. Just make sure to return all of the borrowed items, cleaned, in a timely manner.

6. Don't Fear Asking For Help



Big projects take more than one person to complete, so don't fool yourself into thinking that you can throw a party by yourself! Believe it or not, people actually want to help you, so ask them! A huge part of the success of my party depended upon my sisters helping me cover bottles in glitter, my mom going to endless stores for plates, fruit, sorbet, and more, my dad cooking pulled pork, and many friends to help set up, serve, and clean up. Really, their readiness to help blew me away, and it made my party even more special!

A task every leader must learn, though, is the task of delegating. You must tell the helpers what to do and assign the proper tasks to the proper people (a.k.a, don't ask your little sister to cut the cake). Then the prep goes so much faster!

And I can't forget the most important person, Jesus! I wanted to make my party center around Him, and I knew that I couldn't do that without Him, so I prayed over this celebration for weeks and also let Him give me a pep-talk before it began. Through Jesus' grace, He received the glory, and that makes me smile!

7. Remember That the Party Centers Around the Guests



Even if the party celebrates you or a close friend, good parties never just center around one person but cater to the guests. Pick activities and food that the guests will enjoy and make sure to keep them in focus throughout the event. You love the strawberry cake but don't think everyone will like it? Get chocolate cupcakes too. You think that ballroom dancing rocks but your guests would feel uncomfortable dancing?  What about a photo-booth instead? Make sure that the event feels fun and comfortable for the guests, because, really, parties celebrate all of the people there, not just the birthday girl or graduate. That being said, don't just do what you feel you have to do or what everyone else prefers. Make it you, but also make it engaging and enjoyable for all!

8. Play Some Music 



Music in the background makes everything grander. It fills any gaps in conversation and sometimes can even start conversations. I used the wonderful Amazon music to make a playlist (you could do the same on iTunes) because I wanted to handpick the songs to fit the party, something I recommend, If you don't have time to create a playlist, use Pandora or Spotify or pop in some CDs to keep the tunes flowing!

9. Don't Stay in Party-Planning Mode




When the party starts, don't keep too busy making sure that everything runs smoothly and that every person had some punch and that you photograph every moment. No, you did the work, you made the party, and now you must enjoy it! This transition between planner to party-goer took me a moment to get used to Sunday, but it was the most important step for my party, because even if the room looked amazing and everyone loved the cake and the pictures turned out perfect, if I didn't enjoy myself, the party didn't reach full potential. So for the last step, forget all of the previous steps and just have fun!

These nine steps all helped me to throw my best party yet last Sunday, and I hope that they assist you to feel confident and joyful in your future party endeavors! Comment below any party tips that you've discovered as well as your favorite tip discussed above! And stay tuned for the tutorials of the crafts that I made for the party!

Princess Hannah

Do you want to make your blog look personal yet professional? Do you want it to reflect you and appeal to others? But does coding and formatting confuse you and take up wayyy more time than it should?

I feel you, because this describes me exactly! But thankfully, I figured out this blog design thing with very little work, money, and time.

How did I do it, you ask?

I didn't.

Eve from Eve's Garden of Designs did it.


You may have noticed that the blog changed a bit over the past two weeks or so, but I didn't want to feature Eve until she finished her magic, so I could fully brag on her work. And since she completed it, this post must come out with trumpets!

"In a world this vulnerable, we need something more powerful than any of us."