IF WE'RE HONEST

I hope I am never the blogger that everyone thinks I have it all together, and the advice or encouragement I give, I always follow. 
Untrue.
Most times I am writing for myself!
Now, let me rephrase that: I do try to follow my own advice, but sometimes it doesn't happen. 
For instance, my post "be you." 
I love that post and agree with it wholeheartedly, but I don't always try to be myself, I worry (too much actually) about what others think of me, and I am often self-conscious. 
Now you say, "Well, don't we all do that?"
YES! Yes we do. 

But I don't want anyone to think that I am perfect in any way shape or form in the things I write about. 

via
I am a mess of a person. 
I am a jigsaw puzzle that God is slowly putting together to create the masterpiece that is far from finished. 
I am imperfect, and quite perfect at being so. 
I am not always joyful. 
I have a bad attitude more than I should. 
I don't pray as much as I should. 
And I really need to spend more time in the Word. 
I'm always working on something.
And more times than not I'm working on more than one thing.
Life isn't always rosy. 
Just because I write about how much I love finding beauty in simplistic things, doesn't mean that I always want to find it. 
I don't always want to live every moment to it's fullest. 
And sometimes I just can't wait for the day to end so I can go to bed and chill out and then start fresh.
I am striving to be a better person, and to please my God so much that he can say, "I delight in you."
But sometimes, it's really hard and I feel like I can't ever achieve that. 
I have plenty of bad days. 
I get in trouble. (wow are you shocked?!)
There are times where I don't even want to get out of bed and like, try life. Yep.
I'm not always productive with my days. 
Some days I just sit around and watch HGTV all day with my family. 
I'm behind in math. 
I get my feelings hurt easily. 
When my friends come over we hardly ever do "Instagram worthy" things. 
And even if we do, ha you weren't there and it's totally not as cool as you think. 
I don't look cute everyday.
Ultimately, I'm just a flawed human being just like everyone else.

So don't think for one single second that I have it all together. 
Big. Fat. Lie.
But that's okay...
It's okay to be honest with each other and say, "Look. I'm messed up sometimes. But let's encourage each other and pray for God to help us be better k?"
I just felt like I should be straight up honest with you all today.

much love, 
aaliyah xx




BLOG PARTY DAY 6 // BECCA

Hey! This is the last post I think! This blog party has been a blast (for me at least!) and I am definitely going to do this again! Thank you all for reading the guest posts! I enjoyed reading them all myself!

My rad Californian friend, Becca will be sharing a little backstory about our relationship, and also three ways to keep in touch with the people in your life who are far in distance, but close at heart! :) Her post is so great and really sweet, and I agree with every tip she gave. What's weird is that I have actually been thinking of giving some of these tips, and then I read her post and thought, "Wow, twinning once again I guess. " Haha, I love this girl to death. Long distance is hard, but it's such a blessing! I'm so glad I have a person like her in my life who will pray for me, encourage me, and to have someone to share the same passions with! We even share an extreme passion for the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice. We will watch that together one day. I speak by faith. Haha! Anyways, 
Make sure to check out her blog and give her a follow!

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Hey there I’m Becca from In Every Season! My friendship with Aaliyah began a few years ago- ironically through our blogs!  As soon as I found Growing In His Image, I followed it immediately (like you should!), and emailed Aaliyah if she would help with my own blog.  Since our first email conversation, Aaliyah and I have grown in our friendship and have found out how much we have in common!  Although Aaliyah have never met in person, I would consider her one of my closest friends.  Through texting, FaceTiming, sending letters, sharing pins on Pinterest and other fun and silly ways of communicating, my special friend and I have learned so much about each other and have grown closer.  I love being able to have a friend that I have so many interests in common with and that I can share my dreams and passions with.  I will be honest, it is hard sometimes since we live so far away (I’m in California- she is in Kentucky) but it makes the times we get to talk to each other that much more special.  If you have a friend (or friends) that have moved or live far away from you, let me be an encouragement to you: Even though saying goodbye may be so difficult, the next hello will be all the more sweeter!  I have hope that one day I will be able to meet my dear friend, Aaliyah, in person:)

3 ways to keep in touch with a long distance friend:


  1. Have items or pictures around your room or on your phone that remind you to think of your friend, to be praying for them, and to call/ text them.
  1. Text, email, FaceTime, Skype, call, DM, etc. often!!
  1. As old fashion as this may seem, send them handwritten letters and other goodies IN THE MAIL.  How excited would you be if you received something through the mail?

This is a picture I (Aaliyah) drew to remind me of Becca! 


These are the letters I've received from her :) So special to me!




“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.” Proverbs 27:9 

BLOG PARTY DAY 5 // KIANNA ROSE

Hey you guys!! The blog party is continuing for today, tomorrow, and possibly the next depending on if the poster decides too!!!
I had this all planned out strategically, but apparently not as strategically as I thought.
It was going to go for a week exactly, ending yesterday--the blog party, but my internet was out yesterday, so I couldn't post, and then we still somehow have two more posts!
But I don't consider this a bad thing though. We get to party for even longer. Totally not bad at all.
Anyways, let's get into the post for today!

I invited Kianna from kianna rose etc. to post for us! 
She is such a sweet person and I think I met Kianna when we both contributed to Kathryn's (previous guest poster) story-writing blog, Breathings of Your Heart.
Her love for Jesus is undeniable and do we even have to mention her incredible writing and photography skills?!?!
Her blog is definitely one of my absolute favorites. 
You'll love her, and her post! This post is so helpful. BELIEVE me. 

Aaliyah xx

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Hello! Hello! For those of you who don't know, my name is Kianna Rose and I blog over at kianna rose etc.. I love life and here, you'll get a peak into what makes mine special, both the ordinary + the extraordinary. New York City is my home, pink is always a good idea and Jesus is my first love. I’m the girl who loves to laugh (maybe because I don't have braces on anymore?!), likes to indulge in decadent chocolates (umm.. have you tasted sea salt chocolate, of any kind?) and dabbles in lots of different things (baking, watching documentaries, eating, sleeping... you know, the usual.) I read, write and take pictures too. Pretty much, I think British accents are the best (Irish and Australian ones too), pasta dishes are so fancy (Ramen noodles included!)

I'm so glad to take part in Aaliyah + Growing In His Image's blog birthday! You rock girl! And since Aaliyah is celebrating her 4 year blogging anniversary, I thought a blogging related post would be best suited! So, here's 3 WAYS TO BE A BETTER BLOGGER

1. BE YOURSELF- Blogging is usually an impersonal experience. You sit on your side of the computer screen and type while another person is on the other side, reading your posts. I think that being yourself is the best way to let your readers know just who you are. Maybe do a "Random Facts About Me" post or maybe even a vlog? I think that these unexpected post ideas will help your readers feel a connection to you as a person and not just as a blogger.

2. CONNECT- I LOVE connecting with other bloggers. This doesn't mean collaborating cross country. It can simply be commenting on their posts, sending them an email, or sharing the love on your own blog. It's important to connect with other readers and bloggers because then your online community grows into a place for encouragement and friendship.

3. DON'T GIVE UP- Oftentimes, we become consumed with how many comments or GFC followers our blogs have and when the results aren't quite what we expected, we are tempted to give up. I say, "DON'T GIVE UP!" It's not about followers and comments and all that other stuff. Blogging is about writing for the fun of it and sharing YOUR story with others!

What are your tips for better blogging? What blogs do you read most often?
xoxo,
Kianna Rose

Don't forget to head over to Kianna's blog and give it a follow! Her posts are so enjoyable to read.
Every.Single.One. <3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO 'GROWING IN HIS IMAGE'!


*DUE TO INTERNET BEING OUT YESTERDAY, THE BLOG PARTY WILL BE EXTENDED YAYAYAYAYAYAY*

Today is the day. My blog is four.
Today marks the day of new beginnings, and for me, remembering what I was doing this day four years ago.
I was sitting at my computer bravely making a blog all by myself (haha designer since day one), and asking my mom for advice because I had no clue what to name it. I think she gave some good advice. It's stuck.
My blog name, Instagram username, and my email has all taken the same name.
I was looking on Shabby Blogs for a background.
(not sure if Shabby Blogs is still the thing, but when I made mine it was THE thing to do. Everyone used it!)
I finally settled on a Paris/Eiffel Tower background and wrote my first post, which I am sharing below!
Fast forward four years later, and things have changed. I'm hoping it was for the better. *laughing emoji*
Now, you would probably think by now I would be the best blogger ever but... HA. 
*Hardly*

However, I have learned so much about blogging, and feel like I am definitely doing better than I was four years ago. Yikes. That's all I have to say. *laughing emojis*
Speaking of which, now I am going to share a couple posts that really, really, really embarrass me. Feel loved that I not only have not deleted these, but that I am actually putting them on a silver platter, so to speak, so you can see them. Feel very loved, friends. 
*breathes in deeply* here we go. 

"Bad News ;( "


So apparently, eleven-year-old Aaliyah thought she should make a world-wide announcement that her dear, dear camera has broken. I mean yeah, I was pretttyy sad about it but uh.. Does the whole world really need to know? No. The answer is no. 

"Frogs, Eggs and More!"


 HAHA! We mustn't forget this classic. 
Why.. did I..? Don't ask, because honestly I have NO clue. 
It won't let you see the pictures for some reason, but they were pictures of my siblings and I holding frog eggs we found in an old cooler at my house. No lie. I completely forgot about this post and I laughed pretty hard. Wowza. I mean, frog eggs are cool and all but uh.. yeah I'm just gonna leave this here. 

"In Memory.."


Okay so all you animal lovers out there are probably about to slay me, so let me explain myself. 
The fact that the orphaned baby rabbits that I adopted and took care of, and then died in my arms, is not funny or embarrassing, but the post itself is. 
"In Loving Memory... 
If you want to know the story email me at meeceaaliyah@yahoo.com" (email is now different by the way)
But like... what? Why did every individual have to email me to hear the story of how my bunnies died?
And trust me, they did email me. I had been updating everyone about the bunnies for days and then I don't even tell them what happened to them. "email me if you want to know the story" LOL!

"Welcome!!!"


This day, four years ago. I still laugh at this post. 
Notice how I spelled "encourage"
wow. 

Okay so now, moving away from the embarrassing moments, here's some of my favorite posts. 

I love this post because honestly I wrote it not only as an encouragement to other people, but for myself. A lot of times I give advice when actually, I need the uplifting just as much as they do. The other two for the same reason :)

This reminds me to live life as fully as I can.
I realize it probably sounds really strange that I can be encouraged to do something by my own writings, but hopefully someone understands what I mean haha! 


And lastly, one of my posts I got the most comments on:

I almost didn't post this one, and honestly felt like it wasn't that great but felt really compelled to share it, so I did (though very un-confidentially) but apparently everyone loved it so I consider this a successful post :)

GOALS FOR THIS YEAR:

1. Continue to write from my heart. Posts are posts, but when wrote from your heart it changes the whole thing. Write about something you have passion about. If I write just to have a new post up, I'm missing the point, and it will be evident through my posts that I'm not *in to it*. Ya feel?

2. Learn more about HTML/CSS coding and improve my designing skills not only for myself, but for others as well. 

3. Take more pictures and share them. I feel like with having my iPod I don't pull out my camera as much. I used to take and share pictures on here all the time. I need to get back to that.. Moments aren't forever and can't be relived, but pictures help :)

4. Get back to tags/giveaways/things that involve my readers. When I first started blogging, it seemed everyone was always doing some sort of tag or giveaway, and it was loads of fun for me as a reader to participate. I want to start the new circle of tags. May seem kinda an old thing, but I really liked it, and everyone else seemed to too!

5. Continue to be consistent in my posting. Since I now have a laptop of my own it is so easy for me to post more, edit pictures, design, etc. My hope is I will stay in the routine of posting *at least* twice a week!


So those are my goals. My prayer and hope is that this blog will encourage and uplift, but ultimately draw you and I closer to the Lord. I will very quickly admit that I am not the best blogger. In any way shape or form. But hopefully these words that spill from my fingertips will encourage someone out there :)

So here we go into a new year for Growing in His Image.
I'm grateful for every single follower, and every view or comment you leave.
It's been a wonderful journey and learning experience.
I am so glad 11-year-old me decided to just make a blog despite my thoughts of it being weird for me to do so, or thinking I was too young. So glad.

So, without further ado, I welcome you all to my fourth year.
Let's grow in His image together. :)

BLOG PARTY DAY 4 // ALIVIA

Hey hey hey! Welcome to day four of the blog partayyy! 
So today Alivia from LivLoveWrite will be posting for us! 
I just recently met Alivia this September, but it feels like it's been way longer than that! 
She's so great :) Hilarious, shares my same love of sarcasm haha, gorgeous, amazing writer, and she got Jesus. She's basically got everything going for her. LOL
I know you'll enjoy her post. It's great
Remember to check her blog out and give it a follow, like, and comment!
Aaliyah xx

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BLOG PARTY DAY 3 // KATHRYN

Hey you guys! It's blog party day three! WOOO! 
Today, I asked Kathryn from Chatty Kathy, to share a guest post! I think I've known Kat since just about the beginning of my blogging journey. We've followed each others blogs, been pen-pals, emailed for a bit, then finally started texting haha! It's been a wonderful long distance friendship :) She told me recently when discussing her post, that she thought it was amazing that a group of 10, 11, and 12-year-old girls from all over, all started blogs at the same time.  And I quite agree. It's amazing how many friends I have from literally all over the world, just from blogging! And we really all know each other, which is even cooler! 
Anyways, you can learn all about Kathryn in the 'about me' page on her blog! 
And just for fun, I found an old guest post from Kathryn circa 2012, that I didn't even know existed. So I'll insert the link HERE! I think Kathryn will enjoy reading that as well haha!
(p.s. I know Kathryn will claim to be a not-so-good writer but she lies. LOL She is literally incredible.)
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I’m a writer. I don't claim to be a fantastic one, or frankly, even a good one. But I'm a writer.

I love creating my own worlds. My own people. My very own little people that I can love, mold, mother... And then put them through the worst agony possible without killing them (well, most of the time), only to have them emerge stronger than before. Being a writer is having power. You see it in your head: the epic scene in which your character defeats the antagonist, or is reunited with her lover, or suffers a horrible accident, one that will change her life forever...
But then it happens. You start typing. It looks like a 5th grader wrote it (with those spelling errors and run-ons), the characters feel about as warm and fuzzy as a robot and the dialogue sounds like it's from a B movie. What on earth happened to that scene in your head?
If this has happened to you, don't worry. It happens to every writer. It's called... Never mind, I don't know what it's called. But we all know what it's like.
So I'm going to humbly attempt to give a few Dos and Don'ts on how to make your scene turn out more like the one that was in your head.

1.     1. Don’t be too anxious to get to your climax

I know, I know. You’re dying to get to that part where the good guy kills the bad guy and the day is saved. But it means so much more if you slowly build up to it. Make your reader sit on the edge of his couch in anxiety.

Don’t: I headed down the dark alley, holding tight to my gun. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded and I jumped around the corner, meeting Hal Barkley, the murderer, face to face. In an instant I pulled the trigger, and the man fell to the ground, dead.

Do: My hand rubbed against the rough brick of Jenny’s Bakery as I crept down the dim alley. In my right hand I gripped my ever-faithful partner, my .38. She had gotten me out of countless jams. The smell of rotten garbage and sewer overtook me and I had to pause to breathe into my handkerchief. If Officer O’Hara ever teased me again about working the easy beats, I was going to brain him. It was when I was using the same handkerchief to wipe the sweat off my brow that a loud, crashing sound echoed through the alley. Trash cans. Someone was here; it was either a maid emptying her sweeper or it was my Hal Barkley. I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling I was going to find out soon. 

2.     2. Avoid awkward and cheesy dialogue

Don’t: “This is it, Hal. Your days of murdering are over.”
“That’s what you think.”
Do: “Move a muscle and welcome hot lead to your mangy carcass.”
“You, the rookie cop? Get off your high pedestal. You’re more scared than I am.”

3.     3. Show don’t tell

Don’t: Dirt and garbage were all over the ground. Laundry hung from the windows. A rat scurried past.

Do: I stepped closer to the murderer, my shoes crunching broken glass. Barkley backed up. With my right hand I held fast to my revolver, and with the other I pushed away a floral dress out to dry. A whiff of soap floated past me, a welcome smell. Rotten food was sickening.

4. Vary your sentence lengths

Don’t: Hal’s eyes bulged. His lips were cracked. Sweat was on his palms. What would he do? He was trapped.

Do: It was the only way out of the cavernous alley. Hal breathed deeply, a combination of bad odors filling his lungs. He fingered the knife in his pocket. He would do it. He had to.

5.     5. Avoid unnecessary words or conversations

Don’t: “Hey Parker, how are you?” Officer O’Hara greeted.
“Great, thanks. How are you?”
“Just fine, just fine.”
Do: “Parker!” Officer O’Hara greeted. He slapped Parker on the back and laughed. “Heard you had a little trouble on your beat today.”

These are just five small ways that you can improve your scenes. As writers, we should always be on the lookout for ways to become even better writers. We should never stop learning. :) I hope this helped or inspired you in some way.
Thank you so much for letting me guest post, Aaliyah! Happy four years! 





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Please remember to give her blog a look, follow, and comment! 

Aaliyah xx

BLOG PARTY DAY 2 // JACYRAYN

Today JacyRayn from Loud and Clear will be sharing with us! She is one of my dearest and closest friends, and I am so grateful for her in my life. We hardly ever get to see each other because of our hour-and-a-half away situation, but that doesn't change a thing! She ever so graciously let me have this amazing post instead of using it for her own blog. I've obviously already read this post and advise you strongly to read it all the way through! 
One more thing! We are in the middle of a major snow storm! So I may or may not have electricity to post. 
If not, we will just make up the days when we can! Our electric has already flickered and it's not even at the starting of what it's supposed to do later. 17 inches of snow guys, 17 inches. 
I guess God is finally giving us all the snow us Kentuckians were wanting in December, but.... I'd prefer not to have it all at once haha! So we'll just see what happens!

much love,
Aaliyah
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Hello friends! My name is JacyRayn! A little background about me before I jump in: I will be fifteen in exactly one month, I'm a musician who aspires to impact people through music, and I have three wonderful brothers and a baby sister! When I first started my blog, I didn't believe in myself. Through it, I'm believing in me for who I am through Christ and I'm teaching other people to believe in them and the spectacular now! I'm so glad to have this opportunity! I have learned so much through my friendship with Aaliyah and her amazing blog! Happy Birthday, GrowingInHisImage! I hope you guys enjoy this post!

This is something new. Something bold. Something even dangerous. Over the course of 2014 and 2015 I have suffered from losing friendships and relationship, some which I wish I still had and some which I'm glad broke away. After the harsh endings of these and a couple months passing by, I decided to challenge myself.
I wanted to know what real love felt like. Not just romantic love, not just family love. I want real hardcore Jesus love. The kind that makes your heart ache for more. That love. A love so strong it could move mountain and change people and change hearts.
So I made a vow. Through my Instagram and Twitter and through face to face conversations with people (and God!!) I would seek out and share my findings of the real love. This project is something that I hope people can look back on someday and see my  findings.
The thing about this real love that you should know:
1.) it's a real thing. There's so many people who suffer the backlash of un-realistic love and love that was never really love at all. I don't want this. I want to experience love that lasts. I want a love like Jesus had on the people, when all He wanted was silence and people followed him, His disciples shooed them away, Jesus rebuked them and said bring them unto me and showed them love.
2.) Sometimes this love hurts. Love can hurt sometimes, in both good and bad ways. But a love so deep that you hurt and long for more, is worth more than any riches or gold. It can't be found in any one thing, but it can shine through God's creations in more ways than you can count.
3.) The last, but not least, thing you should know about this love is that it's obtainable to everyone. All you have to do is accept it and seek it out. Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." It's as simple as accepting Jesus and asking for His love. That's all it takes. And when you run away and you feel like you feel alone, desperate, and empty, that never-changing love will ALWAYS be there for you. It never leaves, never changes, never fades, never turns its back, and most importantly will never fail.
"If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 Love never fails..."
1st Corinthians 13:3-8
So have I found this love? I'm still looking. But it's changing my life in so many ways and it opens huge doors unspeakable and it shows up everywhere, just when I need it. You can find it to. Keep on searching.
You can help me do this and help me keep up with this by tagging your appropriate photos on Instagram and Twitter with '#therealloveproject'!
Keep it real and love one another-
JacyRayn

Go visit Jacy's blog and give a follow and read her posts! They are just incredible. You won't regret it. <3 www.jacyraynunbroken.wordpress.com

4TH BLOG ANNIVERSARY // BLOG PARTY

     January 27th, 2012, I started my blogging journey. I was scared, but it has been such an awesome  experience and I am so grateful I started this blog for many reasons, but one of them is because of all the amazing people I met who I now call friends. And now, you are going to get to meet them too! I have asked five of my close blogging friends to help me celebrate and guest post for me! Each of these wonderful people have invested in my blogging journey in different ways. I am beyond excited for this.
                                 So I am having a week-long blog party starting right now!

SCHEDULE:

The schedule is kinda all over the place. 
People are giving me their posts at different times and it's just not possible to have a set schedule. 
So, I may have one later but if not, just come back everyday, or check your post notifications in your dashboard! So think of it as a.... mystery (..?) of sorts to guess who will post on what day haha! 
Our guest posters will be:

Becca from In Every Season
JacyRayn from Loud and Clear
Kathryn from Chatty Kathy
Alivia from LivLoveWrite
Kianna from kianna rose etc.

I am so excited to see what everyone writes about!
I love all these people so much :)

But I do, of course, have a timed post for the 27th! 

Jan. 27: The anniversary. I will be discussing some goals, and sharing some of my posts from the past, good and embarrassing! This will be fun. 

So I hope this excites you and brings you back everyday! I'm super excited. This is a first for me. 
Alright, that's all for now! Look forward to our first guest poster tomorrow!

Aaliyah
xoxo


HE LOVES YOU MORE

 Acceptance. 
I think everyone wants and strives to be accepted.. Including myself. 
I want to be accepted just like everyone else. I want to feel important to people, and it makes me happy when people say they enjoy spending time with me. Like, that makes me extremely happy. 
Whether that be from friends, family, even God. 
I sometimes struggle with knowing just how much God loves me and wants me, because I just don't understand why He would. I don't love Him as much as He loves me (and I probably never will. I mean.. You can't top God's love), I fail Him, time and time again. So why would he? Why would He want me so bad knowing all this? I just can't grasp that. 
Doesn't it make you feel SO special when someone says, "You're my best friend." and it's truly sincere?
When I hear one of my friends say that I melt. That statement means so much to me. Really. 
It means that this person trusts you with anything, they go to you first with anything they need, they come to you for prayer or advice, and they prefer to spend time with you above any other friends. 
And to know that I am that person, makes me really happy. 
Call me crazy, but it really does.  
Maybe I'm just weird and think too much (which are actually both proven facts haha). 
But here's a not-so-secret:
That's what God is saying. 
He wants to be best friends with you. 
He wants you to trust Him with everything, 
He wants you to go to Him first with anything you need,
come to Him in prayer and seek His advice,
and He wants to spend as much time with you as you will let Him. 
Even if you're like me and don't really understand this, believe it. Cause it's true. 
God has already accepted you, you just have to accept Him, and His love. 

I found one of my brothers belting (and I mean belting) a song this morning and it got me thinking.. 
So here's the words and song :)

Take a look at the mountain
Stretching a mile high
Take a look at the ocean
Far as your eye can see
And think of me

Take a look at the desert
Do you feel like a grain of sand?
I am with you wherever
Where you go is where I am

And I'm always thinking of you
Take a look round you 
I'm spelling it out one by one

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for me too
I love you yesterday and today and tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more

Just a face in the city
Just a tear on a crowded street
But you are one in a million
And you belong to me

And I want you to know
That I'm not letting go
Even when you come undone

I love you more, yeah
Shine for me
Shine for me
Shine, you shine, you shine for me

I see you, and I made you
And I love you more than you can imagine
More than you can fathom
I love you more than the sun
And you shine for me


Know and believe you are not only loved, but that God CRAVES you. 
<< Aaliyah >>

MUSIC MONDAY

                       Hey hey hey! I'm here to brighten your Monday with some musssiiccccc!!!



"Brother" by NEEDTOBREATHE

Okay so, honestly I could listen to this song on repeat and never get tired of it. 
It is constantly playing whether on my iPod, record player, or CD! 
I love it. All three versions are so fabulous I can't pick a favorite. This one features Gavin DeGraw and it's just... yes. *hand on heart* BUTTTT... the acoustic version (link here), and the radio version are also supa good. I have the Gavin DeGraw version and the acoustic on vinyl and I wish you could have an automatic "flip" button and a "repeat" button with this one haha. Also, bless whoever made this one hour loop. Like seriously. You the real MVP.


"Finally Free" by Rend Collective

I feel like I post the same artists.. I just have a couple artists that I love SO much and constantly listen to them lol! But really, if you haven't heard this, you should listen to it right now. The words are just... wow. So, so good. 


"Sinking Deep" by Hillsong Y&F

I had actually forgotten about this song until just now. 
I listened to this on repeat for months and months. 
SOOO GOOD. 

Well, I had a lunch break, but now I have to get back to my lovely school. haha sarcasm intended. 
aaliyah
xoxo

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Hey! I hope your beloved Saturday finds you well. THE WEEKEND IS HERE GUYS!
Anywho, today I thought I'd share four YouTube channels I really enjoy!
I honestly don't watch YouTube NEAR as much as I used too, but most of these channels have always been favorites of mine :)


BLIMEY COW:


You can't go wrong with Blimey Cow. Probably the one I watch the most frequently, and love the best. So hilariously sarcastic, and really hits home on a lot of topics and is so accurate, it hurts. *laughing emojis*
There have been times (more than I'd care to mention) that my friend and I have had to stop the video for five minutes because we were laughing so hard and couldn't breathe. That funny, my friends. Also Jordan has his own channel that I love to watch as well, and could probably count as a fourth, but I didn't want to seem too obsessed with Blimey Cow... Although... Kinda a true statement. ;) link here

A BEAUTIFUL HEART:

I have followed and loved the blog for years, so naturally I love the channel as well! Jenna is such a sweet-natured person it seems, and I just really enjoy her videos! Her vlog channel is great too ;) 

ANNEORSHINE:

The DIY's. Impeccable. Awesome. She's like the DIY queen. Love 'em.

THE UKULELE TEACHER:
link here

For my recent picking-up-of-ukulele this helps a lot!
The tutorials are super easy, and he has a ton of songs/tips to learn! 


I hope you enjoyed this little post! 
Aaliyah
xoxo



JAN. 15TH, 2016 // NO MORE BRACES!

The glorious day came. 
After five-and-a-half long years of braces, they finally took the top ones off today. 
So happy. 
I wasn't expecting it at all. 
"Your top teeth look great! Wanna take the braces off on top today?"
"UH.. YEAH SURE!!!!"
I was singing the 'hallelujah chorus' in my head, I think.
I don't really consider this "blog worthy", but I am currently on break from social media/texting, so I thought my friends and family might want to see! 


They said they would take the bottoms off in about 4 weeks, and I get my retainer Wednesday! 
I'm overjoyed even though I feel like I have horse teeth cause I'm totally not used to not having a mouth full of metal! 
I feel like I look way weird, but I keep reminding myself that this is the first time I haven't had braces in almost six years, so I proabably should feel like I look weird haha! 
My family can't get used to it either. 
So anyways, here's an update of the most exciting part of my day. 

Aaliyah
xoxo

AWKWARD + AWESOME THURSDAY

I thought I'd pick this back up. It's fun. And there's plenty of awkward situations I somehow get myself into.

TOTES AWKIES:

- Meeting an El Salvadorian woman at a good friends house, and while making pupusas, she is talking to me. Most of what she is saying I can easily understand, but this time I didn't catch anything. So I just slowly shake my head and say, "oh yeah?!" and then one of my friends (who is around her a lot) translates, seeing I didn't get it.

- Telling your little brother I don't know how many times, "No, you cannot have my Starbucks iced coffee. Please don't drink it." and then going to town with your grandma, coming back, and he is standing there drinking it and says, "Mom said I could have your coffee." with a mischievous grin.

- Getting your tongue tied and having to say the same sentence you're trying to get out five times, and still saying it wrong.

- Trying to say, "no I don't want a rewards card" to the lady at Big Lots and then her still trying to convince you and then thinking you're older than you are. (that happens a lot)
"Haha, I don't think I'm old enough."
*shaking head* "Oh no, you are."

- Expeirimenting with blog desings and messing up your blog so bad that when you go to it online it's just a page full of coding. Praise the Lord I listened to others advice and saved my blog template so it was an easy fix.

- Reaching into the cheese bag to get some out for quesadillas and then this happening:
Me: "This cheese... why is it all cold.."
Friend: "AALIYAH OH MY GOODNESS ITS CHEESE ITS SUPPOSED TO BE LOLOLOLOL"
*friend continues to die laughing until neither of us can breathe*
I was trying to get out that the cheese had been frozen and it felt really weird, and still frozen a bit, but it came out completely wrong.

- Literally not being able to breathe over a meme on Instagram, and then showing your mom and she just sits there and says, "I don't get it, like why is that funny" and then looking at me like I'm an idiot. (which actually, I probably am LOL)

- Swing dancing in a Walmart aisle thinking no one is around and then you look and someone is staring at you. Yep. Happened wayyy too many times than I'd care to mention.

- Trying to secretly take a picture of a guy who looks IDENTICAL to Peter Parker in a public restaurant. I just really hope he didn't see us take the picture, orrrr seeing us freaking out because he could literally be the actors twin.

- Taking a mirror selfie of you making a funny face to send to your friends and then someone coming through the door RIGHT as you're taking it, and then trying to act like you were just texting. ugh, I'm such an awkward person.

                           AWESOME OPOSSUM:

- Learning that you can apparently do pretty much *perfect* overhand serves when you never even learned how. When.. did that.. happen..?

- Buffalo dip. K, I'll hush now.

- Hearing Rachmaninoff for the first time. I was swooning.

- Being unexpectedly really excited for your new Literature.

- Picking up the ukulele and being able to play several songs the first day I got it *laughing emojis*. This now makes three instruments I can play, and I am satisfied, but ready to learn as many as possible!

- Your little brothers losing your favorite History Channel series (America: The Story of Us), but then realizing it's on Netflix and then jumping for joy. (I'm kinda a history fanatic and yes, I watch history documentaries for pure enjoyment. Watch that series. It's good.)

- Only having two years of school left. That's the only thing that pulls me through high school at this point.

- Pumpkin pie. Just because it isn't fall anymore doesn't mean I can't make it right?!

- Pride and Prejudice (2005 version, which is totally better. Your argument is invalid. The old one does not compare. Sorry, not sorry) finally getting put on Netflix. Yas. Now I just have to force all my deprived friends to watch it. *cough* Jacy *cough* Alivia *cough*

- Group chats. Pretty hilarious stuff found there. But also, you can find an awesome support group there too. ;) #jayliviyah #DorksRUs #neaturewalk #TheThreeMusketeers (think I got 'em all)

- Trying tamales (made by the El Salvadorian woman) for the first time, and THEN being able to say, "hot tamale" and it actually being relevant.

                  That's some funny, awkward, and awesome stuff about my life right now.
I hope you enjoyed that :)

A.M
xoxo