The Green Dress // From Boring to Lovely

Hello!

I have a fun outfit to share with y'all today! Recently I played piano in a friend's wedding, and needed to wear certain colors. So, Mom and I went shopping...and it was a rather discouraging event. Store after store after store. Really?! How hard should it be to find a sage green or tan dress? In September! They are fallish colors, so one would think that you'd find them just about everywhere, but no! It couldn't be that easy! :) Until.....

.....at Dillard's.....on the clearance rack { <3 } ....we found this:

...for the lovely price of $16!!! I was so excited to have found something in the right color, the right size, not too short, no plunging neckline...I would've paid good money for that dress, but $16!!! This is exciting! Relieved to have found something, I didn't stop and consider how perfectly boring the dress was until a couple of days later. Then I realized it was going to need a little help! :0 Did I mention that it wasn't too short? Obviously, you can tell that from the picture! ;) 

So, I got out my scissors and commenced to amputating a great deal of the lower portion of the dress.

 

After measuring, marking, cutting, pinning, going to great lengths to make sure it was straight, re-pinning several times, and finally sewing up a new hem, I had a dress that I was much happier with! 

Now for the fun part!

To dress it up, and eradicate any last traces of boring... 

....the belt was a definite must. It breaks up the "plainness" of the dress. 

....it needed a little brown sweater....
(also on clearance!) 

...and of course a little bit of jewelry is always fun. :)

Totally did not get a picture of the shoes....

But, anyhow, here it is: 

I was so excited to see how this outfit came together. It was a lot of fun, and even though I had to put an hour or two of work into it, I didn't have to spend much money, which is worth it to me. 

I also discovered that the big piece I cut off of the bottom could be used as a scarf!

I hope that this is encouraging to some of you. There are definitely a whole bunch of ways to spice up your wardrobe a little without having to spend lots of money or lower your standards.

// Outfit Details //

Dress: Dillard's, Jones New York, $16

Sweater: Cato Fashions, $13

Belt: Kohl's, $10 ?

Shoes: Shoe Dept., Hot Cakes, $18

Necklace: Local gift shop, $25

Bracelet: gift

Hope y'all have a lovely day!

Keri

Bold Faith // Worship at Sunset

The other night I went to Bible Study with some friends. We enjoyed a delicious meal and a wonderful time of talking and laughing together before the Bible Study began. We were gathered in a friend's barn at sunset, and the view was absolutely gorgeous. Sitting there, looking out over the field at a brilliantly pink sky with the sun peeking out from behind a few clouds. It seemed to be just perfect.

As I think back to that evening I am reminded of the persecuted church. We were 12 or so young adults all gathered together with our Bibles for a time of worship, study and fellowship. We talked freely about the passage, several people played guitar while we sang....and we didn't have to worry about being heard, getting caught, or being followed home. Not even a thought of something stopping us entered my mind. I knew that we were completely safe. There was nothing to worry about, nothing to be afraid of, and I am so grateful for the freedom that we have to do that. 

But there are believers in Christ all over the world who gathered for worship, maybe on that very same evening, whose story would be so much different than ours. They would say that maybe they walked for miles in the middle of the night....that they met in a barn, not because they wanted to watch the sunset, but because they wouldn't be found as easily there. They might tell you that in a group twice the size of ours, they had one Bible...or maybe they didn't. They would probably say that they spoke in hushed whispers and prayed earnestly, for the sake of their young children, that they would not be caught. And maybe they were found...beaten up, imprisoned, killed...and yet they count it a joy and an honor to suffer for the name of Jesus. 

Next week my brothers and I will be leaving to volunteer at The Voice of the Martyrs--a ministry to the persecuted church. In preparing to serve there, I think of the faith and courage of our brothers and sisters in Christ. And I wonder if I could have that much strength. Think about it. Could you? Yet I believe that there is persecution in our churches here too. It may be more subtle--it's not like we have to worry about someone coming into our services with a machete, or a machine gun, or an order from the government. But Satan is attacking the church with a vengeance. There is always going to be opposition to the truth, and when this opposition arises, do we stand back, pretend we're not looking and let it happen? Or do we hold firmly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and speak out? We have the opportunity to demonstrate bold faith. Let's pray for the strength and courage to do just that.

The Favorite // What I Wore

Thank you all so much for letting me know which picture you like the best! I was very excited about how many of you left a comment, sent me an email, or even told me in person. It really helped with my decision! :) If you haven't seen the pictures, check out my last post: Author Photos // Pick Your Favorite Out of 15 suggestions nine said that they like: 

#4 In the Hay Field

This will be the official author photo for the back of my book! #2 was the second favorite with 3 votes, 2 people liked #3 and there was only one vote for #1...sorry Grandma J.--at least this was your second favorite! ;)

// Outfit Details //

{ for those of you girls who were wondering :) }

Shirt: Pink Republic, Kohl's

Skirt: Made by me from a pair of jeans

Layering Shirt: So Perfect Tee, Kohl's

Scarf: Old Navy

Shoes: Faded Glory, Walmart

Hope y'all are having an awesome day!

               ~Keri Nicole

Author Photos // Pick Your Favorite

Hey y'all!!!

I'm trying to decide on an official "author photo" for the back of my book but I'm having some difficulties! :) So, I thought I'd post my favorites and let y'all give me your input! 

Please leave a comment and let me know which one is your favorite!!

#1 Down by the Creek

#2 In the Breeze

#3 By the Fence

#4 In the Hay Field

Photos taken by my awesome cousin Kelsey.

Divine Confidence // From Psalm 138:8

Good Morning!

I don't have anything to share about my book this morning, I just wanted to post the devotional that I read today. It comes from "Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon. I was very blessed by it, and I hope you all are too!

"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."

~Psalm 138:8

Most manifestly the confidence which the Psalmist here expressed was a divine confidence. He did not say, "I have grace enough to perfect that which concerneth me -- my faith is so steady that it will not stagger -- my love is so warm that it will never grow cold -- my resolution is so firm that nothing can move it"; no, his dependence was on the Lord alone. If we indulge in any confidence which is not grounded on the Rock of ages, our confidence is worse than a dream, it will fall upon us, and cover us with its ruins, to our sorrow and confusion. All that Nature spins time will unravel, to the eternal confusion of all who are clothed therein. The Psalmist was wise, he rested upon nothing short of the Lord's work. It is the Lord who has begun the good work within us; it is He who has carried it on; and if He does not finish it, it never will be complete. If there be one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost; but this is our confidence, the Lord who began will perfect. He has done it all, must do it all, and will do it all. Our confidence must not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but entirely in what the Lord will do. Unbelief insinuates -- "You will never be able to stand. Look at the evil of your heart, you can never conquer sin; remember the sinful pleasures and temptations of the world that beset you, you will be certainly allured by them and led astray." Ah! yes, we should indeed perish if left to our own strength. If we had alone to navigate our frail vessels over so rough a sea, we might well give up the voyage in despair; but, thanks be to God, He will perfect that which concerneth us, and bring us to the desired haven. We can never be too confident when we confide in Him alone, and never too much concerned to have such a trust.

God bless,

     Keri Nicole

Meet the Characters // Jill

Hello!

The second character in my book that I'd like y'all to meet is:

Jilleen ("Jill") Williams

Excerpt from Chapter 5~

 Jill, who hadn’t said a word yet, could hardly contain herself now. She quickly clamped a hand over her mouth and turned her head away in an attempt to keep from giggling, but her shoulders shook in suppressed laughter.

         David noticed Jill’s struggle and grinned, cocking his head slightly. “Gonna make it?” he asked. A look of amusement spreading across his face.

         Jill forced herself to look at him. “Sorry.” She said, trying so hard not to laugh.

         “Don’t apologize to me!” he paused. “Or were you laughing at me?”

         Jill didn’t answer but just shrugged her shoulders and smiled, despite the fact that she knew she was blushing.

The elegant young Jill is a good friend of David's. She has a fun-loving, bubbly and outgoing sort of personality, and talks in really long sentences when she's nervous. She's very much a peacemaker and doesn't like conflict, though she does have a bit of an independent streak that shines through from time to time. In the first book, Jill gets caught up in an "adventure" with David as they try to uncover the mystery of the Old Man's Path. But when David has a change of heart and dares to stand up against false and deadly teaching, she finds herself caught between wanting to avoid conflict and what she knows is right. 

Jill will become more of a main character in the second book. I have not titled it yet, but God really helped me bring the outline for it together in the last week or so, and I'm excited to see how it will turn out! Look for more info about it in the near future!

Meet the Characters // David

Hello!

I would like to introduce you to some of the people in my book, so over the next few weeks you will be getting acquainted with a couple of the main characters. Today I would like you to meet...

David Joseph Riley

"David had thick brown hair and green eyes that twinkled with his every smile."  

"He was a lively young man of sixteen with a kind heart, a strong character, and a broad smile just like his Pa." 

In Paths of Righteousness follows the life and struggles of this adventuresome farm boy whose delightful personality will be sure to capture your heart. The story finds him growing up in the midst of a culture where the Christian faith had become dead, empty and devoid of hope. He tries so hard to be a good person, but watches with horror as all of his efforts fail and God shows him the depth of sin in his heart. Believing that if he can just obey everything that the Bible commands him to do he will be righteous enough to gain eternal life, David is devastated when he discovers that "There is none righteous, no, not one:" (Romans 3:10). Meanwhile, a local wives tale demands his attention when David sees with his own eyes the mad man who had supposedly died many years before. As he seeks to uncover the mysteries that continually play over in his mind, God works a miracle in David's heart and life. But it doesn't come with out a cost. 

I loved creating the character of David because I was able to express what Christ has done for me and some of the ways that God has worked in my life through the events in David's life and the struggles of his heart. I love his smile, and his sense of humor; and sometimes I can even hear him whistling a cheery tune.