Blending

Today I want to spend some time talking about a very important concept in beauty technique both in makeup and in hair cutting it is called blending. This is something that we do so that there is no line in whatever we are doing. So the body in your hair looks as though it is natural and not put in there with how you cut your hair. So that the porceline skin look that your foundation has acheived looks as though it is natural and there is no line.

The first hair cut that I gave in Thailand was quite an expirience. The women there do not want any trace of a line left in their hair, they do not want in known that the volume sleek smooth look that looks as though it is that natural beautiful Thai girl hair was achieved by a strategic hair cut and then a process of brushing and then flat ironing the crap out of their hair. I cut it and blended it but she could still see some ends so she wanted it blended even further.
So I spent another 15 min blending in all of the ends I could see, but in her eyes there were still more, so I went back a third time blended the heck out of every end I could see and some that I couldn't but she said were there. I then Had her look in the mirror thinking yes it is finished. But no in this case the 4th time was the charm. Went back blended in every where because at this point I didn't even know what I was blending. She looked at it with a big smile and said it was the best hair cut she had ever had.

In contrast there was a girl I went to school with who had a hardcore makeup line along her jaw. So that her  makeup looked as though it was a mask that she painted in every morning. There was a distinct difference between her face and neck, you knew that she had put work in to get the look on her face she was going for.

Blending is something that while it is key and something that needs to be done in makeup artistry and hair design, it is something that should not be a part of our walk with the Lord. We should  not be trying to blend the world into our faith. There should be a distinct line, people should be able to see the layers in who we are that are in contrast to the rest of the world. We should know and be able to see for ourselves who we are in contrast to the rest of the world.

Far too often I find myself trying to blend. Because it is easier and it looks better and then people do not notice who I am. They do not question why I believe what I believe because they cannot see that it is different from them.
But then the question remains is what I believe different. Do I really believe those things. Is that really who I am. Do I really desire to follow Jesus with all that I am if I spend more time trying to blend and less time defending the character and the word of God.

Check us out at www.ywampittsburgh.org tell your friends Blend your makeup, blend your hair, don't blend your faith.

Do you want your Nails done?

Well seeing as how this blog is an attempt to get you to come to a dts that uses cosmetology for ministry I figure I should probably show you what I mean.

The past 11 months nail polish has been my weapon of choice.

You see I have a rather extensive nail polish collection and I have used it to get to know people to minister to people and to encourage them. This might sound crazy but I feel like most of the ideas that God gives you seem that way.

It all started with me giving practice manicures to friends and family while I was in school as well as just giving manicures to the clients that came in to the cosmetology school I attended. Giving a manicure or pedicure (mainly pedicure) is one of the most humbling things I have ever done. The interesting thing is that many people open up while you are doing this, I think because you are serving them in such a way that pampers them. Now I believe this is true of every part of cosmetology manicuring is the most portable. It is that connection and service that you know you are going to leave feeling better, more beautiful and so why not really leave feeling better and unload a little bit on this person that you find yourself now connected to.

So I would tote my nail polish collection with me all over it basically lived in my car. People knew I had it and so I was asked to help out with spa days at church and give manicures before weddings. Then I went to Thailand and once again brought my nail polish. I used it to get to know the students I was living with. To get to know the other volunteers at the base I was working with. Then to minister to Thai women in the villages that we went to.

I came on staff in Pittsburgh and we did free manicures at a coffee shop and got to talk to a couple of girls and their mom about what we do. We also brought the nail polish to a neighborhood where we were going to do outreach and used it to get some girls to stick around to hear watch the drama and hear the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

In the story of how Moses was called he is asked what is in your hand?
A staff is what he had because he was a Shepard at the time.
God asked me the same thing while I was in Thailand
What is in your Hand?
At the time I was painting my nails and I tend to answer literally even when people are not expecting literal answers from me. So I looked at my hand chuckled and answered Nail polish.
As I responded in my head that way I felt as though God was saying exactly. Just as God transformed that staff and used it to do miracles. God has transformed nail polish into my weapon of choice that opens the doors and makes away for his people to be free from sin.

So What is in Your Hands?

Once again Come to the Refined Beauty DTS check us out at www.ywampittsburgh.org send an email.

Come away with me

"Come Away with Me"

One of the most romantic songs and just phrases ever. In my humble opinion.
Just think about it for a minute.
Who doesn't want to be alone with the person that they love. To go away with them somewhere that there is no distraction or temptation of distraction. For you or the one you love.

Jesus calls to us come away with me. He is jealous for us. He desires to spend time with us. He desires us.

When I listen to that song and think of the jealousy, desire and true I chose you kind of love Jesus has for me. I get dreamy, and I am reminded that I am a woman in love.

I am not trying to be weird here or make anyone uncomfortable I just think that sometimes and I am as guilty of this as anyone we keep Jesus to that coffee date level in our lives. You know the lets get to know you I enjoy my time with you for the hour or so I spend at starbucks but then I go about my life. We think we are doing good and loving him. When in reality we just kind of like him but are unsure if we want to go that next step.

Unsure if we want him to consume our thoughts, if we want to feel as though we are going insane because he consumes our thoughts. Unsure if we want to be in that place where when our sin separates us from even a part of who he is we feel his pain, we feel that separation because we are in love. Unsure if we really want to know every part of him because we don't want him to know every part of us, even though he already does. And yet despite our trepidation in this relationship he continues to choose to love us. He continues to desire us. He continues to say
"Come Away with Me."



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