The Voice.

I don't know if any of you watched NBC The Voice, but it was awesome! I loved that it was about the voice of the artist rather than their looks. And the talent on the show was unbelievable.

I have always been a fan of unique voice--this show was full of them.

My top two favorite on the entire show were Dia Frampton (runner up) and Xenia.

Both of the girls were a part of the same team, and only one artist from each team can make it to the final, so sadly Xenia left after the semi-finals.

Watching the show and getting the opportunity of listening to the beautiful and unique voices sparked my artsy musical side into looking for new unique voices I don't know about.

So far I've found Dia's band, Meg and Dia, Adele, newer Augustana, Classic Crime, Lydia... I downloaded over 40 songs! Yet, I'm not quite satisfied.

I want to know about these amazing underground bands.

I guess I just need to do some more research.

Who are your favorite unknown artists?

xo/Austin

Second|Corinthians 4:18.

This morning during my quiet time reading my bible, I was reading in 2Corinthians..

This was the verse what really stood out to me today--

"...because we look not at what can be seen but what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal."

This really got me thinking. This specific verse is referring to heaven. This chapter of Second Corinthians is a lot about looking toward eternal life with God. But beside that, how many things can you think of that are everlasting that we cannot see?

1. The Lord.
2. Heaven.
3. Love.
4. Memories.
5. Hope.
6. Faith.
7. Integrity.
8. Compassion.
9. Joy.
10. Trust.

These are only ten of the hundreds of unseen treasures we are blessed with, but I don't think anyone would arugue with me when I say these are some of life's biggest blessings.

They say "The best things in life are free.." In a way, yes, I agree. The best things in life don't cost you money a lot of the time.

God loves you for free, but it's hard to give love freely--unconditionally.

God promises to be faithful--but its hard to have faith in someone other than yourself.

God provides you with compassion--but you must learn how to have compassion on others.

I could go on forever. The thing is, life itself and the afterlife--aren't completely free

They are offered to us freely, but like anything in life, we have to act to recieve these free gifts.

You aren't going to take a beautifully wrapped present from someone and then set it in your closet and never open it, are you?

Life is never a stand-still. With any of God's greatest gifts, you don't have to do anything to deserve it. But you do have to act on it.

You have to take the gift, and open the gift.

"...because we look not at what can be seen but what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal."

Open the gift.

xo/Austin

A Case of the Mondays.

This girl has got a case of the Mondays.. and I didn't even have to work today!

It feels like everyone in my life is gone this week.

1. My family is at a family reunion.
2. Matt and his family is camping at Moses Lake.
3. My Younglife crew is at Malibu.

so basically... I AM BORED.

Since I am so bored, I have spent some quality online browsing/shopping time!
(P.S. me being bored is not a good thing for my bank account!)

I have got a chance to finally catch back up with some of my favorite blogs!

Including: La La Lovely, It's a Love Story, my good friend, Vicki's blog, my favorite Paleo blog, and a fun friend's blog!

Something else I have run into recently, is Pinterest!!
I just learned about this website a week ago, and I am currently obsessed. You can follow me here!
Love, love, love.

Also, like I said I have made some purchases...
In light of summer (though we have not seen it yet here in good ol' Enumclaw, they promise it's coming!)

1. I bought myself a Victoria's Secret bathing suit.. oops. But it was on sale... Does that make it more forgivable..? It's adorable, and zebra (because i LOVE zebra), and I cant wait to get it!
2. I bought these Athleta capris. They are super cute. And I will be able to wear them for hiking, work, and just to look cute.. cute but logical. Necessary.

Now if only the sun would come out I could use these newly found treasures...

Until next time, loves.

xo/Austin.

Bitter Sweet.

Yesterday our Rainier Hills Younglife crew headed out at 2am for their 14 hour trip to Malibu!

So exciting that camp season is finally here, but so bitter sweet to be done with Younglife in Enumclaw.

When I first started getting involved with Younglife, I was going into my Junior year of high school.

Malibu was where my Younglife journey started.

\

At that point I was just a baby Christian. I had known the Lord for less than a year, and Malibu was important to me for my walk with God. It was one of the best weeks of my life!

Once the school year started, I applied to be a "Student Representative" for the Enumclaw team. When I started, I applied for a few reasons..

1. My boyfriend of the time was doing it.
2. My best friend was doing it.
3. I was asked to do it, and I was flattered.
4. To strengthen my walk with God.
5. To be used by God to strengthen other kid's walks with the Lord.

by the end of that school year, my boyfriend and I had split and he had ended his reign with Younglife. And with his resignation, left one of my few reasons to be a Younglife leader.

That summer, I went to Malibu for the second time. This trip was used by for pain, fellowship, peace, and healing.

Malibu is a sacred piece of land. It is prayed over daily by people all over the world. Nothing that happens at Malibu is ever accidental. That is what I learned that summer.. Along with other things.

My senior year of high school I started as a leader with my best friend like the year before. But when she decided her walk with YL was over, I was forced to reevaluate my decision of leading. After weeks of questioning, I decided with lots of prayer that I was apart of RHYL for a reason and that I would stick it out until the end of the year.

That summer I got the opportunity to go to Malibu as a leader. Not a student rep, but like a leader leader. It was amazing. On that trip I realized that my reason for being a part of Younglife was more important than me. Or a boyfriend. Or a friend. Or pride. It was about being used by the Lord to bring lives to Christ.

This year was the best of my YL experience yet. I finally had the mindset God wanted for me, and helping others is so much better than focusing on "me, me, me" all the time.

This year I began and grew friendships that I now cant imagine my life without. Friendships that I know will last a life time.

My experience with Younglife has been vastly different at any given date. I have grown in my walk with God. I have grown in my ability to love. I have learned about myself, others, life, and God. I have seen change in every single life that YL has touched. I have seen lives flip 180 degrees. I have seen hearts changed, grown, and healed.

Being a Younglife leader is about making relationships, being real, and living life together. Not about a camp, a service, or a dodgeball game.

Younglife changes lives. I know, because it changed mine.

xo/Austin

Moving.

It's been an entire week! Whoops.

I have been so busy moving out of my apartment! YAY! We're finally out though.

If it were up to me.. this would be the time I would post pictures of me and my roomates.. Unfortunately, we didn't take ONE for the entire ten months we lived together.

NOT ONE.

You are probably thinking, "Oh, they must have not gotten along well."

You're wrong.

Shelby and I are extremely good friends. I promise.

We have known eachother for 3 years now. And have a total of about 2 pictures together.

Weird.

Needless to say, I don't take enough pictures. So fair warning to all of you who I will be around at all in the next 2 months before I head off to school, I WILL be one of those annoying people who takes pictures of and with everything until I leave.

You have been warned.

So now I'm back to livin' with the family.

Best part of this: I don't have to pay for rent.

Worst part of this: I have acquired SO much in the past few months, and have NO ROOM for any of it.

This picture doesn't do my room justice right now, it's out of control.

Pinky Promise I will post more this week. So, until then <3

xo/Austin