How "Becoming" Shaped Me

         As I stood on the shiny black stage with arms raised high and a voice that was overshadowed by the passion in front of me, I couldn't help the silent tears that trickled down my face as I listened to the unity of voices of hundreds of girls and moms who sang at the top of their lungs because they were just now getting to experience the freedom that this culture has hidden so well. All the hours spent decorating, painting, planning, glittering, and praying was worth it. To see how a generation of girls who have been poisoned with the pressure of being something they could never achieve, present at a conference where the subjects of beauty, boys, media, and who they are becoming, was addressed in a way that was honest and real, was freeing.

Being able to use my skills as a photographer intern and worship leader for the conference for three years now, was even more of an eye opener for me because it changed my perspective. By being apart of something that challenges teenage girls to fight against the lies that are being poured out upon them in today’s society in a practical yet compassionate way, has molded me into becoming a woman who strives for being more than what this world wants me to be. I will not cave into being a size 2, perfect model when I can become a woman of integrity, character, ambition, and intelligence.

My fulfillment in life no longer comes from being the best, or only caring about myself, but understanding the ultimate fulfillment that comes from continually striving to put the needs of others before mine. When I get to experience firsthand the change in a young girl’s heart because she realizes she is beautiful just the way she is, or when a mother and daughter reconnect on a level that only comes from being made aware of the joy they can have by being honest with each other, my heart begins to grow.

I begin to long for opportunities to serve and outlets where my passions are beneficial for others. Even as I labor under the hot sun in Mexico for a week every summer, every day, I am reminded of the impact one small act of service can do for a person or family. The joy that comes from being able to see a mother sob over her brand new house that only took us eight hours to construct, because she no longer has to worry about protecting her children, is what I want my life to be about.

No longer will I be okay with the artificial standard our society has set on our culture. It is time for 

me to achieve, not just get by, to be confident, not focused on my self image, to serve, and not to be 

served, because I have seen the results of what happens when people ignore the social norm of this 

world, and I want in. So, I will continue to love on the unloved orphan, give food to the broken and 

weary, minister and reshape the hearts of  insecure young girls, construct shelters with all the love of 

a home being poured out through every nail hammered in, and to begin to write on the pages of my 

story, my journey, and someday, my legacy.

Surf Sesh

Over thanksgiving break I got to tag along on an early morning surf session and take pictures!

It was a beautiful morning as I drank my salted caramel hot chocolate, cranked up that christmas music, and took pictures of some of the coolest guys I know.

Sand in my toes and the feeling of fresh air blowing in my hair was a perfect way to start off my break.

His Love is Enough

*Meet my friend Brooke. She has one of the biggest hearts I know and her passion for missions is contagious. I recently found out she has a blog so of course I had to share some of her inspiring words on my own! If you're a girl who has ever doubted the beauty that you possess (aka every girl) this post is for you. Enjoy! 


"I’m not beautiful”  A reoccurring thought in almost every adolescent girl’s mind.

How can a generation that is constantly being told that they are not accepted, that they are not adequate, and that they are not sufficient, ever believe that they are beautiful?

How can young people who are under constant attack by the enemy ever truly believe that they are loved, when the media’s twisted definition of love is being hurled at them from every direction?

The love that the world displays is not love at all. It is far from love. 

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 We’ve all heard this verse more times than we can be count, but have you ever truly looked at it? Have you ever thought about what it truly means to love with patience and with kindness?

 Love displays selflessness. 

 This is something that is so absent from the world’s version of love. The world presents love as being beneficial to the giver and not the receiver. But the love that the Lord shows to us is a beautiful example of what it means to love out of selfless ambition. 

 It’s so easy to feel unloved by the world. It’s so easy to feel like we are not beautiful. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

 God’s love for us surpasses the love that any member of the world could ever show to us. It is so much greater and so much vaster than that of the world. 

 But the greatest thing about His love and the thing that separates God’s love from the love of the world is that we don’t have to work to earn this love. It is given to us freely as a gift. All that we have to do is open our hearts to receive it. 

 So stop worrying about what the world’s vision of you is and start reveling in the love the Lord has for you. Because His love is more than sufficient.

Ps. Make sure you go check out her website!

God is so good guys. And sometimes I forget that.

Sometimes I think I'm entitled to living a life full of clothes and money and no problems.

And then there are days like today where the Lord is so real, so close, and so precious to me.

He saved me; a wretched, broken, insecure, 17 year old.

He chose me and loves me with a love that binds all joy and peace and grace into one.

And he didn't have to do that at all you guys. He CHOSE us with a boldness and a passion that we can't even fathom because He wanted to make sure that not a day went by that we wouldn't feel his love.

When I sit on the floor sobbing about my problems that seem to drown me in self doubt and anxiety, he calls me out saying,

"Not today Amanda. Today you are my child, my gift, my joy;

today I will walk with you through this and the next day

and the next day after that until eternity.

Until you precious child realize your worth in my eyes.

Until you sing to the world of your wholeness in me.

And until you never let go of my forever love.

Pumpkins, Pizza, and the Purge

Last year we decided to have a pumpkin party for all the juniors and it was such a success 

that we decided to do it again for all the seniors!! We ate tons of yummy food, carved 

some pumpkins, watched the Purge II and had a blast. Oh, how I love senior year and the 

people who are sharing it with me. 

A Heart for Missions

This year, I felt my heart long for a word that had rarely crossed my mind: missions. The prospect of my little self becoming a missionary or even having a small impact on this huge scary world drove me to always say, "No, someone else will do it." And yet, I was tugged and pulled and pushed into the direction of missions every time I visited Mexico and saw the hurt, the brokeness, and the poverty. When I looked into the awe-stricken eyes of a mother whose new house we had just built for her and her children the call to do something was overwhelming.

The idea of starting a mission's club came to a few of us girls as we processed through the emotions that hit us smack dab in the face. Knowing that tribes were longing, begging, and dying for a missionary to come and teach them about Jesus ripped at our hearts. Realizing that the American dream would always be the easy way out and that it was ultimately our choice to say enough is enough, urged me to make sure we had a mission's club at our school.

Not knowing how in the world us girls were supposed to lead a mission's club, our mentor, Bones, came to our rescue. With a heart for missions more powerful than anyone I have ever met, she continually inspires us to move in the direction of being mission-minded. She challenges us to live for Jesus in every single moment of the day and to never underestimate the faithfulness of our Savior.

With her encouragement, we are now planning, praying, and fundraising for our trip to Ethiopia!!! With a need far greater than the poorest American, Ethiopia is the eighth most impoverished country in the world. Our trip is focused around informing the people of Ethiopia of the horrors of sex trafficking as almost all of the homes we will go into too have already sold their child with the misconception of them gaining a better life.

As we continue to move in the direction of preparing for this trip, I ask that you pray. I ask that you pray for the families who have been mislead into thinking they are helping their child. I ask that you pray for the children enslaved. Pray for the team, the travels, and trip. And lastly, pray that the girls of the mission's club will be open, aware, and long for the same heart that Christ had for missions.

A Season of Flurry

This is a season where my body never seems to get enough sleep.

Where the world seems as if it has never spun so fast and where I'm lucky to finish my homework ten minutes before class starts.

And yet, it is a season filled with an endless amount of peace as well.

My heart has never been so full, so joyful, so happy as it is now.

Through every sixteen hour day filled with ASB, volleyball, homework, family, and friends, I always crawl into bed with a smile knowing someday I will look back onto this season of life and see how blessed beyond measure I am.

The Lord is shifting my mindset into resting in this busyness and using it to enjoy every. single. moment.

And I am so grateful for that.

Someone Hand Me a Tissue

Okay senior year, I see how you work. 

You wiggle your way into my heart and all the sudden every "last" thing my friends and I do together is almost a total cry sesh. 

With every moment that goes by, the excitement grows and yet so does the reality of what is happening. The girls I have known since before I could even walk are moving on to pursue their dreams in different directions then I may go. And that is cry-worthy in itself. 

My girlies are my world. Through every breakup,  every dance party, every struggle, and every joy, my friends have been by my side. They are the people I share my everything with and they know me inside and out. They are the light at the end of the day when life seems overwhelming and I sure am gonna miss them.

They are the first people I share something with, the girls I laugh with when a hot guy walks by, the ones who make silly jokes in the middle of an important lecture, and the ones who have a big chunk of my heart. 

So this is for you my friends. Thank you for the endless joy, giggles, photo shoots, and gifts you have been in my life. I could not have asked for better friends and I love you more then you will ever know. 

So lets make senior year a year we will never forget. Full of many more countless memories, thousands of photos, and enough love to get us by for a lifetime. 

A Carefree Freedom

I went to the beach on Thursday and I am now having withdrawals. With my toes buried in the sand and a Ruby's milkshake in hand, the day could not have been more perfect.

My heart soars and dances a little inside when I think of the endless smiles, the perfect sandcastles we passed, and the continuous laughs that couldn't be contained that day because it reminds me of my God who created this for our enjoyment. To think He knew that we would need a place where we could be silly little kids again and not care about a thing in the world is incredible.

To see his creation sprawled out in an endless mirage of blues with surfers, children, and crazy teenagers all enjoying the beauty of it in a different way, is what put a smile on my face that day.

And as I walked to the car that night, after eating carne asado tacos with people I love, a thought dawned on me. "I can live like this all the time," I thought to myself.

God has not put a limit on my freedom or enjoyment that only exists on the sandy coast of California. Instead, He has blessed me with a freedom that exists in every circumstance, every environment, and every culture:and I get to live into that. I don't have to be free from stress or worry only at the beach because I can rest in the fact that my God is victorious.

His promises are true and real and raw and all I have to do is trust. So now as I sit at home, longing to be at the beach without a care in the world, I am gently being reminded to live in that freedom: every second, every minute, and every hour of the day.

RockStars.