Day 24: On the Home Stretch!!

Day 14: Lessons from Audrey and Jackie

I absolutely adore Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy Onassis! These 20th century women exemplify grace, elegance, and beauty in every aspect! I especially love Jackie, because she endured so much heartache in her life, yet she was strong and held her head high through it all. I often remind myself, mostly in stressful situations, to "handle this like Jackie would," or when it comes to how I treat other people, "Treat them like Audrey would. Give them a genuine smile and talk to them like they are royalty-- make people feel like the Queen of England with all the interest you take in what they have to say!" These are some quotes from these two lovely women that have taught me a great deal about how to truly love life and to enjoy the people you are with: 

Day 13: Change Your Thoughts

Day 12: Blessings and Great News!

 Happy 11-12-13 everyone! Tomorrow I have an interview scheduled with Elizabeth Oxley, co-editor of the Warren Co. High monthly newspaper. Thank you so much for all your support and feedback!! I am also sending off my application to Brigham Young University tomorrow, so please pray for me! I love you all and hope you are having a lovely makeupless November!

Xoxo- Kat

Days 8, 9, 10, 11: Knowledge Causes Fear to Cease!

I haven't had a chance to post this weekend because I was attending a Model United Nations conference at Vanderbilt University! It was a really cool experience getting to see how the UN works, passing legislation, and figuratively holding the fate of a country in your hands! 

I met lots of different kinds of people this weekend. I've always thought that knowledge and Intelligence makes a person beautiful-- the fact that he or she values learning is an incredibly rare virtue! But I discovered this weekend that intelligence must be accompanied by love, selflessness, and humility in order to be beautiful. It doesn't matter how much knowledge you have if you can't connect and relate to other people-- if what you know doesn't benefit or inspire others, and is only used to belittle people or be advantage to no one but yourself, what is the point? I am amazed at selfless, intelligent people-- they have a desire to serve others and use what they know to raise others up. They have a passion and a love for something that they want to share with everyone! They desire for others to feel the same joy in what they know. How beautiful it is to be such a person! I know that Model UN has made me care more about the trials that my fellow brethren are experiencing around the world. Representing Ecuador and trying to come up with solutions to human and drug trafficking makes me thankful that I have not had to experience such horrors in my life! But more than anything, it helps me to see that others DO experience that, and I have the power to change that! 

Satan fears everytime our feet hit the floor in the mornings-- he is terrified when we get off our knees and go out into the world to change it for good. He is aware of our power, our strength, our faith! He tries to fight us with temptation; even when we fall, he may feel some momentary satisfaction, but I'm sure nothing terrifies him more than to see us rise up again and endure on. Remember that you are incredible, more powerful than you could ever imagine! Happy Monday!

Xoxo- Kat 

Day 7: One Week Down!!!

It's been the first official week of NMN! I'm SO proud of you all that have been participating! And for those of you who haven't, I hope you have still been having a wonderful experience growing closer to Christ this month :) I've loved keeping this blog, so thank you to all who have been reading! Please feel free to share it with anyone whom you think it will benefit :) 

This week has been very humbling in many different ways. I don't look in the mirror nearly as much as I used to; it just doesn't seem important anymore! I know what I look like, and after fussing over my hair and clothes in the morning, I try not to give them a second thought the rest of the day. After I leave my house, it is no longer about ME, but what I can do for others. It's about laughing and loving everything about life, even when it's crazy stressful. It's about talking to someone I haven't spoken to in years, smiling at strangers and loving everyone I'm so blessed to see everyday. No, it's not about my appearance and others' opinions; it's about what I can contribute to the world with the knowledge in my head and the love in my heart. I love this description of Daisy from The Great Gatsby:

I've looked at pictures of myself wearing makeup, and I still think I look better with it. More beautiful? No. Beautiful is a feeling now, a feeling that comes only when I serve others or do what my Father would have me do. I feel beautiful when I go out with the sister missionaries from my church and teach others about the gospel. When I can look in the mirror at my makeup-less face and see a young woman who has acquired courage, self-respect, knowledge, and love for her fellow men and her God, I see something more beautiful than any perfectly airbrushed face. Material beauty washes off at the end of the day, but true, inner beauty lasts for eternity! Don't ever forget that, ladies.

Xoxo-Kat

Day 4: He Was Never Gone

Today's post is short and sweet, but just know that whatever trial you're facing, no matter how busy or stressed or out of control you may feel, know that it won't last forever! God walks every step with us, letting go of our hands every now and again so we can become stronger by figuring things out for ourselves. But just because He let go for a second doesn't mean he left us; He was standing there all along. If you get the chance, listen to "Never Gone" by Colton Dixon :) I love you all! Happy Monday :)

Xoxo- Kat