I’ve always thought that because I read so many books about relationships that maybe that’s why I can’t seem to find a boyfriend.I’ve read Undateable, all books written by Chad Eastham, and even When God Writes Your Love Story. If it’s a book about dating as a Christian, chances are I’ve read it.
I’m 24 years old (I’ll be 25 in August and I’ve never had a boyfriend). I’ll spare you the details since I can already tell you are giving the computer screen that look.
This look
One thing you should never do is assume you know why I’ve never had a boyfriend. I’ve never had a boyfriend because I was in love once and the guy completely did not treat me like the diamond I am, a daughter of the one true King. He treated me like a leftover chocolate chip at the bottom of an empty cookie jar. Yet, I’m not here to tell you that story.
That’s what I wrote a memoir for.
You can see now why I asked my mom to give me The Chase by Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky for Christmas.
The Chase is written by Kyle Kupecky (former member of Christian pop band, Anthem Lights) and Kelsey Kupecky whose maiden name is Kingsbury aka daughter of Christian fiction legend, Karen Kingsbury.
Being that I am a huge Karen Kingsbury fan, I knew that Kelsey got married and was interested in reading her and Kyle’s story. What I wasn’t prepared for was how great this book really is.
This book is written by two regular young people who are of the Christian faith and who trusted God to handle their love life, and boy did he write them one romantic story. Without spoilers, the book features alternate perspectives on their story and their history as young people in the Christian faith, touching on subjects like putting God first, quieting the noise of the world and the opinions of others, traits you’d like in a future mate, and letting the guy lead. Written in nine easy to read chapters, it’s the perfect book for any young girl twelve and up.
Overall, The Chase can be likened to the perfect catch in terms of a future mate, and reading it will ease the heart of any young woman still waiting for God’s best to enter stage right.
P.S. Aren’t they the most beautiful family you’ve ever seen? Pictured with Kyle and Kelsey is four month old Hudson Kupecky.
Lastly, Congrats to the winner of my #BeautifulUncertainty giveaway:
Being a girl can be hard but it doesn’t have to be. That time of the month can be stressful but you don’t have to let it get you down or frustrate you. How? You ask. By following these simple ten tips for a happy, comfortable, and all-around Sweet period.
1. Get plenty of rest
Before your period, you seem to start to witness that things get fuzzy and the world almost seems as if it’s literally caving in on you. Never fear. That’s just Mother Nature trying to take you out of the game. Take back your #periodpower by going to bed at a reasonable set time or an hour earlier than normal. Turn off the tv and your phone an hour before bed because electronics emit a blue light that ends up keeping you alert and awake instead of signaling to your body to start pumping out some good old fashioned melatonin, a hormone your body uses to induce sleep and put you further into REM sleep. A good night’s sleep is #1 when it comes to coping with exhaustion and crankiness.
2. Exercise
Even though most studies have shown that exercise alleviates cramps during your period, you will want to start exercising before because studies have also shown that exercise done before your period arrives actually loosens the muscles that usually cramp up during your period and you end up having very little to no cramps at all. So go for a walk, ride your bike, hit the gym, go on a hike at the local park. You’ll feel better and keep your heart healthy too. Plus, exercise releases endorphins which is the body’s natural pain reliever. #ItsAllAboutU
3. Take your herbs
When you round the corner near to when your period is about to arrive, I’m sure every girl can agree that it can seem like an angrier than usual, emotional time. Fight the hormonal rage by taking Dong Quai, an herbal supplement similar to St. John’s Wort. Typically, you can find them in most drugstores and supermarkets. Take one 530 mg capsule once daily to relieve you of all your mean thoughts and find some peace and serenity again. I have been taking Dong Quai for about three years now and I can tell you it not only works but it’s such a natural remedy. #SweetSpotandU
4. Don’t be surprised. Get a period tracking app
There’s nothing worse than being out and about, most likely, wearing white shorts or pants, and all of a sudden, you head to the restroom and BAM! you got your period. Knowing when you are going to get your period before it comes allow you to prepare for it by stocking up on products ( like Sweet Spot Labs and U by Kotex), allows you to wear or not wear the white shorts, and get more rest and be more sensitive and caring with yourself. I use the Eve app for tracking my cycle but there are a ton of them out there. One thing I love about using an app to track my period is that it will give you a detail description of how you may be feeling because you are whatever number day in your cycle and sometimes it suggests making plans with your friends or enjoying some dark chocolate.
5. Even though you want a taco inside of a Publix sub dipped in chocolate, don’t overindulge
Before your period, your brain dips in it’s serotonin levels so you naturally crave foods that create an instant happiness feeling. Instead go for whole grains and complex carbs. Some ideas: Choose baked sweet potato fries over the regular kind, or spread some Nutella on a slice of whole-grain bread. My personal favorite healthy but indulgent pre-period indulgence is a Nonni’s Triple Chocolate Biscotti with a cup of coffee but I could make that even healthier by swapping the biscotti for a pack of Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits and coffee.
6. Enjoy caffeine but don’t over-sweeten it
Whenever I’m on my period, it feels like I just need caffeine placed in an intravenous and inserted into my arm but beware, not all caffeinated beverages are created equal. For best results, avoid sugary energy drinks like Monster and Redbull and stick to lightly sweetened green tea (two glasses a day benefit your skin and fight hormonal based acne) or lightly sweetened coffee (coffee has anti-inflammatory properties which will make your flow lighten up). Also make sure to not drink only caffeine as too much does cause cramps. Instead, stay hydrated and keep sipping iced water or sparkling water with flavor. A great period hack is Bethanny Frankel’s SkinnyGirl Grapefruit or Tangerine Mango Sparkling Water. It contains green tea extract for an extra boost and it tastes great! Plus, it’s affordable running at less than a dollar per bottle.
7. Be Good To You
With our busy schedules, sometimes it can seem like we are paying for Netflix every month and never even get to watch it. So go ahead. Take a day or two to be good to you. Get a frappuccino. Go for ice cream. Go get a mani-pedi. Buy that album, dress, or outfit you’ve had your eye on. Visit a bookstore or library. Whatever makes you feel completely serene, go and do it and enjoy every minute of it. Then, come home and binge watch all of Season 1 of Fuller House. You’ve been going, going, going. Feel guilt-free about a little rest and relaxation.
8. Feel the love
Since you are a bit more sensitive than usual, it’s totally okay to spend some QT with the ones you love most: your pets. Or your friends. Your boyfriend, or your family. Whoever loves and supports you most of the time, makes you feel good about the person you are, and helps you become better, spend some quality time with those people and go ahead, and feel the love.
9. Dress cute and snap some selfies
Taking pictures is actually a source of comfort to the youth of this generation and they may be onto something without realizing it. Dress up. Try that new eyeshadow or lipstick you bought and have your own little photoshoot. Is it a silly idea? Of course. Will it help you feel better? Yes. Save those cute pictures for the days during your period when you feel like you are the ugliest, fattest, most bloated girl on the planet and look at the pictures. Seeing yourself all dolled-up will stop the negative voices that lie to you and make you realize that you are beautiful, have value, and matter in this life. No matter whether or not your selfies got ten or one hundred likes.
10. Stock up on products that make you get in formation and slay like Beyonce
There are a lot of products out there to help girls with their period. One thing I wish somebody would work on is a pill or drink you can take that gets rid of nauseousness from your period. I suffer pretty badly every month and sometimes feel like have morning sickness without the pregnancy. So if anybody could get a head start on that, you would be my hero. Not all period products are created equal because not all periods are equal. Every girl deals with different variations of the same symptoms. Two products I love when I have my period are SweetSpot Labs Grapefruit scented feminine wash and U by Kotex Regular Ultra Thin pads. The Grapefruit scented wash makes you smell delicious from head to toe, refreshes you, and balances your PH. The Ultra Thin pads come in colorful wrapping but they are packed with the secure protection you need but don’t way you down like other pads because the ultra thin design comes complete with dri core technology to leave you fresh and comfortable for up to six hours at a time.
Right now at Target you can get a Sweet Deal on both these brands products and claim back your #periodpower! Periods can be a bummer but @ubykotex and @SweetSpotLabs are changing the game! http://ctt.ec/8LzMb+ #Sponsored #PeriodPower Click To Tweet This
As mentioned in a previous post on this site, I’ve been a loyal reader and follower of Mandy Hale since 2010, the same year I believe The Single Woman movement truly began. One thing I loved about Mandy’s first book, Dash of Sass is that it was a compilation of her blogs and tweets as The Single Woman.
Her second book, Never Been To Vegas, was a memoir of sorts where Mandy told her entire life story and as readers we discover her entire back story, as well as her launch of The Single Woman brand, Twitter, and blog site, and following her on-again off again relationship with Mr. E, who Mandy loved. I happened to be a member of Thomas Nelson’s book launch effort for this book as part of The Single Woman Crew and blogged a review of Never Been To Vegas on my personal blog. All in all, as someone who was still in college finishing up my marketing degree at the time, dreaming of becoming a publicist for an up and coming musician or author, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to be a part of #SWCrew and also happened to make a few friends that way that I still talk to now and then.
#BeautifulUncertainty is Mandy’s third book released through Thomas Nelson and is a combination effort of both of her first two books. As a loyal reader of her blog, I found the book to be a bit familiar as the book is a compilation of multiple blog posts that first appeared on The Single Woman site. Yet, there also was a heartfelt honesty in Mandy’s writing throughout (which is what we all love most about her) that gripped me from the first page all the way through to the acknowledgements.
Maybe it was the sense of familiarity that hugged me from the first page to the last but it was almost as if I was sitting at a table in a coffee shop with Mandy herself, talking about life, and having her share her faith with me. There were times the book made me smile, there were times the book made me cry, but the best part of reading this book, is it brings you right to the feet of Jesus, where you find him kneeling down with his hand on your shoulder, ready to comfort you and guide you through the beautiful uncertainties of life.
I would now ask that you share this post with everyone you know not to help me or Mandy out but because you have the chance to win a copy of Beautiful Uncertainty by doing so:
When I listen to music, I’m sometimes looking for a beat that makes me dance. Yet, most of the time, music for me is about the lyrics (unless of course, I’m listening to classical music, then the instruments tell the story). Every song has a story and I’m a huge fan of how Ellie Goulding crafts a story.
Ellie Goulding is an English singer-songwriter who was raised by her father, an undertaker, and her mother who worked at a grocery store until her parents separated at age five. Her stepfather was a truck driver and Goulding has said he was “horrible.” Although she was one of four children, her music career started early. She started playing clarinet at age nine and at age fourteen, she taught herself how to play guitar. At 15, she began songwriting and won a songwriting competition while attending Hereford Sixth Form College.
While attending University of Kent, she was exposed to electronic music and won a university talent competition and won. After winning, Jamie Lillywhite became her manager and she began working with her chief producer Starsmith, who primarily produced her album Lights.
Although Lights wasn’t released until March 2010, Ellie had early releases before that and was a rising star and started to accrue a fanbase long before her first album was released. She released “Under The Sheets” and “Guns and Horses” through an independent label despite being signed to Polydor Records. She also wrote various songs for multiple artists before her own success began to take off including Tinie Tempah. Ellie Goulding is a keen runner and a vegan. She’s also close friends with Lorde, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry.
Her debut album Lights experimented with subgenres synthypop, indiepop, indietronica, and folktronica. It debuted at number one in the UK but at number 21 in the U.S before being certified double platinum. Her follow-up album Halycon Days stepped away from her signature electronic sound with more tribal and anthemic in sound with more piano and vocals. It debuted at number 1 in the UK and number 9 in the U.S. before being certified triple platinum.
Song by Song Review
“Introduction”: This track starts out the album with just a chorus of voices almost like a siren song that you want to listen to.
“Aftertaste:” The song begins with the backtrack heard in the introduction. It touches about two lovers who come in and out of each other’s lives and who leave each other with the memory of their time together only found in the aftertaste.
“Something in the Way you Move”: With the musicality and pop music impact of a Michael Jackson song, it was the third single off the album. It’s a dance track for sure.
“Keep On Dancin'”: This is my favorite off the album and I refer to it as the EDM version of Just Keep Swimming from the hit Disney movie Finding Nemo. It’s about not letting anything take you down and just keep moving no matter who approves or not.
“On My Mind”: The album’s lead single, it’s one of the reasons I love the way Goulding crafts a story. It’s about moving on from someone who you thought you knew, may have loved, but after the relationship has ended, you find that person is still on your mind. It returns to Goulding’s roots of synthopop.
“Around U”: Creating a new pop path in her music career, it features co-writing from Frank Gibson, and is positive in its musicality and lyrical content.
“Codes”: Co-written with pop song slayer Max Martin, it sounds like a Goulding song but has pop musicality. Lyrically it follows the frustration of when a lover talks in code and you can’t figure out what they mean and whether they are being true to you.
“Holding On For Life”: This track has folk musicality and has an infectious pop musicality as well.
“Love Me Like You Do”: Famed song off the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack, it features co-writing from Max Martin and blew up the pop charts.
“Don’t Need Nobody”: Goulding returns to her synthopop signature sound in this track about an independent chick that finds a guy she can’t live without.
“Don’t Panic”: This track has the musicality of a Paula Abdul song with it’s eighties pop musicality and lyrical content.
“We Can’t Move To This”: Again reminds me of a mix of Bjork and Lauryn Hill, both of which Goulding has cited as musical influences. It’s another favorite off the album strictly because of it’s dancy musicality.
“Army”: A song Goulding penned for her best friend Hannah, it’s a song about friendship that strengthens you in dark times and good times. It was the second single off the album.
“Lost and Found”: This song has the tribal musicality to remind me of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. It was released as a promotional single off the album.
“Devotion”: This track reminds me of a mix of sounds from Lights and Halycon Days
“Scream It Out”: I love this track because it starts out with just Goulding and the piano but becomes more synthopop as the track goes along. It ends the album on a high note musically.
Since it’s November 6, 2015 release, Delirium debuted at #3 in the U.S. and has sold over 117,000 copies in the U.S. alone. One thing is certain, Goulding’s talent isn’t a case of delirium but more a natural phenomenon, similar to that of a shooting star in it’s rarity.
As a writer myself, I’m always looking for books to read on craft. In some ways, I find it cheaper and less time consuming than going for my MFA in writing. And my writing has improved according to my beta readers of various projects since I’ve started reading books on tips for the craft.
The first book I read on craft that helped me feel like I was actually learning what it means to call myself a writer was Stephen King’s On Writing. Changed my life. I quoted it for months after reading it, just ask my mom.
I came upon this book by DM offer from Danielle when she followed me on Twitter. Usually I roll my eyes when I get a DM from all the authors on Twitter but this one was the first one where instead of being asked to follow their Facebook page or Instagram account, I was being offered a free book that may or may not help me with my writing. Now that’s quite a loaded DM if you ask me. 🙂
Overall, this review will be short because I have nothing but good things to say about the book.
The book is eight chapters long and is split between the author’s actual journal entries and explanations of how the entry shows a tip toward making your craft better. One thing I loved is that after months of being told by beta readers to show, don’t tell, Hanna finally got me to understand it in a way that stuck. I’m not saying I’m an expert on it yet but I suddenly get the difference. The author’s journal entries read so much like fiction I was blown away. Her writing talent mirrors that of another favorite of mine, Cassandra Clare. I hope that after reading this book I can write as succinctly and flowing as Danielle does. Conclusively, if you want to become a writer or become a better writer, or struggling to sell books and wondering why, please consider getting this book at any bookseller. You won’t be sorry you did.
The Smart Cookie Philes 