ADVENT: He's in the waiting

22 Dec 2017

Everything around me lately has been crying out about waiting, waiting for new episodes to drop, waiting for grades to be posted and most importantly waiting for Christmas. We're currently, albeit not for much longer, in the season of Advent, commercially known as, the period leading up to Christmas when we get to eat a tiny little chocolate every day for a month, waiting in anticipation for that one day that comes round every year that gives us an excuse to eat too much food and open our own presents as we celebrate someone else's birthday. However, Advent was never supposed to be about just awaiting Christmas but about being in constant expectation for the second coming of Jesus. 


We live in a world of fast food and next day delivery where if we have to wait even slightly longer than normal it's a waste of valuable time but what is waiting an extra ten minutes for some food that has clearly been freshly prepared and tastes a lot better. Yet still, we (me included) are so reluctant to wait on God. We want things instantly but fail to notice that God is in the waiting. The 'not yet' answer to prayer is often the most frustrating because of society telling us we need things right now and we're not willing to wait for God's abundant blessings that He has prepared for us we just need to be willing to wait and put our trust in Him.

In my church during this season, we're looking at the parable of the ten virgins.written in Matthew 23 verses 1-13 (as written below)
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
It tells of the importance of being prepared for Christ's second coming at all times, the foolish virgins in this parable missed out on an eternity in heaven because although they had been vigilant and ready at one point, when the bridegroom (or Jesus) finally arrived they weren't prepared. It's all well and good giving your life to Christ but if you're not prepared to be fully with him and prepared for him during the waiting, you're not really following Him.

This advent season I've been constantly coming back to the song 'Take Courage" by Kristene Di Marco which proudly proclaims that God is God in the waiting. The bridge of the song cries
And You who hold the stars 
Who call them each by name 
Will surely keep, Your promise to me 
That I will rise, in Your victory
Proclaiming that God will keep his promises, He's promised to prosper us so He will prosper us we just have to be willing to wait for Him to do so. But with the immense blessing that He has for us, more than we are even capable of fathoming, why the heck would we not want to wait!


 Although Advent is the season of waiting, our attitude to waiting in expectation shouldn't be left behind after the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season has died down. No-one knows the day or the hour of Christ's return so we should live our entire lives in expectation, waiting on Him, and being prayerful and expectant of everything that He is going to do in the build-up to His inevitable return.

REBRAND

14 Nov 2017

For a little over a year, I've been grappling with ideas on what to do with this blog, I wanted it to be everything it possibly could be all rolled into one, I was trying to write about what I thought people wanted to hear, rather than what I wanted to say. And while I'm super thankful for that year and the chance to grow it is time to truly decide once and for all what this platform is for and why I should keep it open after all of my attempts at blogging in the past had fizzled out.

Introducing: 
MOM JEANS AND JESUS


Combining my two main loves of fashion (probably some beauty too let's be real) and my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I don't claim to be an expert in either area but is anyone? I want this to be a space where I can share my ideas, thoughts and general advice, whether anyone wants to listen or not. I want this place to be authentic and to truly express me as a person. Currently, I still don't know exactly what that looks like but hopefully, you'll continue to join me on this next chapter. Wherever it leads.


Childlike Faith.

30 Jul 2017

PSA: this is a very belated post about New Wine for various reasons, please try to pretend that I posted this weeks ago!!!!

"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."

The New Wine Ireland annual summer conference has been and gone for another year and yet again I've come home feeling more full and more challenged than before and this year it was all down to the amazing kids that we have the privilege of leading.

This was my first year volunteering on the children's ministry team, people tend to attend conferences to further their relationship with God and when volunteering you are responsible for assisting the children in doing so but it doesn't always work that way. In fact, I'd say I learnt just as much from the children as the children learned from me. Leading children is a symbiotic relationship, you feed off of each other, each one planting seeds in the others life and watching them grow.

Children aren't born knowing the gospel, they aren't brought into the world knowing that Jesus died for them, it's our responsibility, as their elders, to bring them that truth in order that they may prosper in it. Children are the easiest to evangelise to because they're so open and accepting of the gospel, they want to learn more. When you tell them that Jesus died for their sins they don't think anything else other than to believe it. This is what Jesus meant when he said we have to have a childlike faith. We should be totally fixed on Jesus, and not care about any other fulfillments in life. Children pray so freely and so often I stumble in prayers worrying about what others will think of what I'm saying, that they're going to think I'm not reverent enough because I don't use big enough words or because of the things that I don't say, Children don't have that fear, they just pray, knowing that it doesn't matter what other people think. That all that matters is what you say to God even if it's only something simple like "please don't make them be afraid".

When Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them" we need to reflect on whether w took it to heart. Children's prayers are even more powerful than we could imagine yet some people are so concerned about getting children to pray. At our family celebration on Friday afternoon, we had children pray with their parents and other adults and we saw results.

So live out that childlike faith that your adult-self forgot, approach the King of Glory as the King of Glory, praise him and don't question it. If each of us could learn to be more like a child, completely unafraid for God didn't place a spirit of fear in us, but a spirit of freedom, we need to live freely and glorify him with our entire beings. Children are so hungry to learn more and to grow even more in their faith. Are you?


Flying Solo: My London Adventure

30 Jun 2017

I've been pretty MIA lately and it's mainly because it's darn near impossible to blog on a laptop of which 8 of the keys don't work, but nevertheless, here I am wita life update. 

Travelling solo can be a daunting experience especially if, like me, you're not used to it and are unfamiliar with the place you are travelling to. So these are just a few tips of things that I found useful, when I was travelling. 


Have a Plan

Having a plan and being aware of the things that I wanted to do while I was there really helped to calm my mind. I didn't need to panic about getting lost and not knowing where I was going because I'd already decided what I wanted to do and how I was going to get there. Now this doesn't mean that you can't make spur of the moment decisions and deviate from your plan, but I found that on my second day, when I had no plan that I found it a lot more stressful than the first day when I had meticulously planned everything.

Eating Alone Isn't Weird

Believe it or not, nobody is going to judge you for turning up to a restaurant on or own and asking for a table for one. It happens all the time, tere are so many tourists in the city also travelling alone,. Don't let there be a stigma about it. Research local restaurants before you go as well, so you have an idea of where you'd like to eat, to take the stress out of finding somewhere last minute when you are there.


Take Your Time

It may sound obvious, but try not to rush around. You're in a new place, take some time to enjoy the place you're in. Even in cities like London, famous for the hustle and bustle, it is possible to take things slow, just because your surrounded by something doesn't mean that you have to conform.

Embrace Your Oneness 

You are on your own, use it. How many times have you been somewhere with friends or family when you've been the only person who has wanted to do something. Well, there's none of that when you're flying solo, you have free reign of activities, there's nobody to tell you that you can't go to that super obscure place that you've been dying to go to. YOU DO YOU, MY FRIEND!

Don't Worry

If you spend all of or time worrying about ever little thing about te trip, you just simply won't enjoy yourself and what's the point of going away in the first place if you're not enjoying yourself, you're there to have fun so have fun. Fully absorb the place you're in and you'll be a local in no time!


SKAM is back and here's why it's important

15 Apr 2017

If you haven't heard of SKAM, the hit Norwegian sweeping the world where have you been!?!?!



Skam, or Shame in English, is a drama series focusing on a group of teenagers at a school in Oslo in Norway, the young, diverse cast have been praised for their raw, realistic portrayal of teenage life covering important topics such as, toxic relationships, drugs, alcohol, sexual assault, sexuality, mental illness and Islamophobia. Truly unique in concept, the clips are released as they happen in real time, so if something happens at 12.42 on a Wednesday, the clip will be released at 12.42 on a Wednesday and each of the characters also has their own social media pages that you can follow to get a fully rounded story. It sounds amazing, right? and trust me, IT IS.

Along with the fact that it covers such important topics, the acting is top notch and the chemistry between all of the characters is insane, it's almost as if you're actually watching real life teenagers, in fact, Josefine Frida Pettersen who plays Noora in the show once got accused of actually being Noora while out for drinks with some friends and 17-year old Tarjei Sandvik Moe has just been awarded a Norweigan acting award for his portrayal of Isak.

Another unique aspect of Skam is that each season revolves around a different character, season one was about Eva, season two was about Noora, season three was about Isak and season four which began on Monday will focus on Sana and will also be the last season much to our disappointment.

I assure you that watching Skam will be the single greatest and worst thing you will do because it will consume you. If you can find it that is... Skam being Norweigan is only available to watch on the nrk website, in Norwegian if you live in Norway, So how has the whole world been watching it then I hear you ask, well, some people have been hard at work translating the episodes for those of us who don't understand a word of Norwegian, which you can try and search the archives for, if I've convinced you enough.

Alt er love.

Spring OOTD (feat. Glasses Direct)

12 Apr 2017

Spring as sprung, which in Northern Ireland means that it is socially acceptable to go outside without wearing a coat although you may still be slightly cold, which was precisely what I decided to do!


For this outfit, I paired my grey Topshop Leigh jeans with my denim jacket from Zara. Everything else I wore was black and white so that includes my shirt which I picked up in Cuba while on holiday yin Sweden last summer, my Happy Socks and my staple black boots from Schuh, probably not the most springy thing I could have been wearing bt girls yo can never go wrong with a good pair of black boots... trust me.

The main thing I want to talk about however is my glasses.


My glasses are Camden from the Retro London range from Glasses Direct. This was my first time using glasses direct and after getting my eyes tested last month I decided to treat myself to a new pair of glasses, or two pairs of glasses as I was delighted to find out about Glasses Direct's buy one get one free range so I was able to get both the Camden (pictured) and the Bromley for less than £60. Glasses Direct also operate a home trial system so you can try on up to four pairs of glasses at a time that will be sent to you free of charge before you decide to make any purchases. If you like what you see, give glasses direct a go and if you quote my name, "Alice Myles" at the checkout you'll get £30 off your order! I couldn't recommend them enough!

Everyday Spring Makeup Look

30 Mar 2017

Spring is almost upon us, so it's almost time to say goodbye, arrivederci, adios, au revoir to all of the deep wintery shades and hello to the bright vibrant tones that spring brings. With that in mind, I thought I'd talk about some of my favourite makeup products for the spring season.


In this look I used, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation in the shade 010 Beige Porcelaine, Maybelline The Eraser Eye concealer, Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Revolution Beyond Radiance highlighter, Barry M Get Up And Glow blush, Elizabeth Arden eyesadow, Ted Baker Brilliance of Beauty eyeshadow, Maybelline Master Precise eyeliner, Soap And Glory Thick and Fast mascara, Soap and Glory Archery eyebrow pencil, MAC Russian Red matte lipstick. (links provided for everything except discontinued products)

While I struggle to part with my beloved red lipstick when spring comes I like your brighten up my eyes with some more vibrant colours rather than the nudes and browns that I use in winter so in this case, I've used a bright rose gold shade to add a pop of colour. I also like looking fresh and glowy because it helps you look more alive and alert which is perfect for spring with the rebirth of new life it's really the rebirth of colour into my makeup using brightly coloured and we'll pigmented blushes works well also. I typically use a lot of pink shades in spring eve though this look doest show it :')

top: new look, jacket: zara




7 Eurovision 2017 Songs That You Should Hear Immediately

15 Mar 2017

If anybody knows me moderately well, you would know that I love the Eurovision Song Contest a little more than the average person, so I decided to share some songs that you should all check out! These aren't necessarily my favourite songs of the year, but the ones that should make you feel that Eurovision is more than just a mockery and that sometimes some gems can rise up out of the quagmire that is the genre of "europop". So without further ado, here are 10 songs from Eurovision 2017 that you should hear immediately.
1. Don't Come Easy, Isaiah


This is Australia's offering for the contest this year. "Why are Australia featured in a contest made to celebrate the European music scene?" I hear you ask. Well honestly we eurofans don't really know the answer to that either but when they come back year after year with jams like this we can't really complain. Unpopular Eurovision opinion alert: I didn't actually like Australia's entry last year so I'm glad that we've gone back to the Australia that I loved from 2015. This song gave me major Sam Smith vibes when I first heard it so in my head Isaiah is just Sam Smith with better hair but I'm not complaining.

2. Dance Alone, Jana Burceska
Never in all my years of watching Eurovision have I loved a song from Macedonia as much as this, they've stepped up their game so much this year and this is such a strong song. This is complete mainstream pop music and it's so refreshing it's absolutely something that you would hear on the radio and it's perfect for when you just want to dance around your room by yourself, which I guess makes the title of "dance alone" very relevant.

3. Occidentali's Karma, Francesco Gabbani

On the subject of dancing around your room, there is no song more suited for that than Italy's "Occidentali's Karma", it's not in English but that doesn't make it any less accessible for the non-Italian speaking population, there's something special about the Italian language that makes it so interesting and listenable and this song is not what I think a lot of people associate with Italian music and it's a solid jam, it's also the current favourite to win the whole competition so what better reason to give it a listen!

4. City Lights, Blanche

Although I'm not the biggest fan of this song, I do love the genre a lot and many of my favourite songs are from this genre, so say hello to Belgium's answer to deep female vocalist singing slow vibey song, if you're a  fan of Lana Del Rey, Gabrielle Aplin, Halsey, Marina and the Diamonds and the like I wold almost guarantee that you'll love this because I am definitely in the small minority that doesn't.

5. Beautiful Mess, Kristian Kostov

Bulgaria's comeback to Eurovision has been bigger than Robbie's comeback to Take That, having come in fourth position last year with the absolute tune that was "If Love Was A Crime" Bulgaria are back at it again with this solid jam sung by 16-year-old Kristian Kostov.

6. Never Give Up On You, Lucie Jones

This is the UK's best entry in years, and being from the UK this makes me super happy! (It also means that I'm allowed to slate them for being crap). I've been a fan of Lucie since her days on The X Factor where she famously lost a sing-off to Eurovision royalty Jedward and I never forgave the judges. But Lucie is back and stronger than ever and this is possibly one of my favourite ballads of the year which just so happens to be written by Eurovision 2014 winner Emmelie De Forest. 

7. Skeletons, Dihaj

Azerbaijan continuing their streak of sending good songs was always going to continue and they certainly didn't disappoint, this song is so solid and her vocals are outstanding, This song definitely appeals to the mass market and it just gives off an amazing vibe.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this is not my top 10 for the year, but I felt like these were the one's I should share with you all so you can get a bit of an idea as to how amazing the show is going to be in May and why I'm so excited! I'll probably upload my top 43 (that's right there are 43 songs!!!!) at some point in the near future but for now, just enjoy these seven. Let me know your favourites because I'm always curious to hear other peoples opinions.


Tamar: Unveiled

4 Mar 2017

I hadn't really taken much heed of this story before September 2016 when I heard a sermon preached on it and since then it's quickly become one of my favourite passages of scripture in the bible. Before then, to me, it had always been that passage in the middle of the story of Joseph, interrupting the flow of the story but now it's so much more than that.

Tamar, stolen from her family, sworn marriage to the son of one of the children of Israel, not that this would have meant anything to her, being a pagan from Canaan and all that, but little did Tamar know that she would pay such an important role in God's plan to salvage the world.

After being betrayed by the very man that took her for her family, belittled to nothing but a castout, no use to anyone she took revenge on her abuser because that's what Judah was, he was an abuser and that child was start the line of Judah, the same line of Judah that gave rise to Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world.

This passage of scripture, although dark, is full of so much hope. Judah had backslidden so much, he was aware of the covenant, he was born into it, but he had taken no heed of it, God had already punished him for it by taking away two of his sons, and he was so scared that the same thing was going to happen again that he completely disregarded everything that he heard God say to him and went off and did his own thing, But as I said this is a story of hope and here's why.

Tamar: abused, misused and cast aside. That describes how so many of us can feel sometimes, that we're totally useless and that nobody would want us for anything. Yet look at how God managed to use Tamar, in her place of complete and utter despair after she had fully hit rock-bottom, God used her, albeit not in a completely wholehearted way, but it just shows that even in our bitterness and complete abandonment of sense and self that even those times can be used for good.

Judah: he had wandered so far away from the fold of God, that he hardly knew who he was anymore, but that didn't stop God from using him, for out of Judah came the greatest miracle that God has ever performed, His own son. Even if you feel like you've wandered too far from God or even if you've never walked with him at all, the story of Judah shows us that there is nowhere that we can wander that is too far from God's reach, no sin that we can commit is unredeemable all we need to do is return to God's side and repent wholeheartedly, for our God is an all-loving God and there is NOTHING that can separate us from His love.

Chezib, the place where this story takes place, means 'City of Lies', No matter what dire situations we find ourselves in, no matter how unsalvageable they seem, God will find a way to make things work together for your good, all we need to do is trust him wholeheartedly and surrender ourselves fully to His plan for our lives.

OUTFIT SHOWN: Coat: Wallis, Jeans: Jack Wills, Socks: Topshop, Boots: Schuh