Tag: Christmas

Christian, Christian blog, christianity, faith, faith blogger, Uncategorized

Don’t Cry…

by SophieLeave a Comment on Don’t Cry…
Don’t Cry…

“Don’t cry… wipe your eyes! He’s not dead…”

Happy Easter folks! Quick post today! I hope today you are surrounded by friends or family and that you take a moment to reflect on the sacredness of today!

There are very few songs that can bring me to tears instantly. To name a few;  “Grace” by Tasha Cobbs, “Destiny” by Tina Campbell and the one this blog post is based on “Don’t Cry” by Kirk Franklin.

It’s not even a dramatically interesting arrangement, to be honest, but the lyrics in their simplicity really hit home. The lyrics read as follows:

Why do you cry? He has risen.
Why are you weeping? He’s not dead.

Why do you cry? he has risen.
Why are you weeping? He’s not dead.

He paid it all on that lonely highway
And his anointing I can feel.

He shed his blood
For my transgressions
And by his stripes, we are healed.

 

Why do you cry? He has risen.
Why are you weeping? He’s not dead.
So as you go through life’s journey
Don’t you worry lift up your head.
Don’t you cry  stop your weeping
He has risen He’s not dead.
Don’t cry
wipe your eyes
He’s not dead.
Don’t weep
He’s not asleep
Jehovah
He’s not dead

 

Image result for jesus risen from the dead

 

 

 

We often go through life ( even as Christians) doubting the magnitude of who Jesus Christ is and the sacrifice He made for us on the cross so many years ago. Because of the choice, He made to give HIs life for ours, we have a hope that should surpass all doubt!  Although He died and was buried, three short days later, He rose again and in that event, left us with the hope that He will one day return for us- His people.

There is hope in Jesus Christ! Maybe you’ve tried things your way for a long time, and things just don’t seem to be working out. If you haven’t already made a choice to get to know Jesus, take a few moments and pray this prayer with me:

 

Dear God,
Thank you for sending your son Jesus. I stand in awe of the sacrifice made for someone like me. I have been trying things my way for a long time, and now I want to put my life in your hands. I know that I am a sinner only saved by your grace  Please come into my heart. Guide my thoughts and point my life in a direction that is pleasing to you! Amen

 

Don’t Cry!

 

There is hope because our saviour is NOT DEAD!
He already took care of the perils of today at the cross long ago!

Rejoice in the peace that the saviour has RISEN!

 

Be Blessed!

May your Easter season be filled with love, joy and peace!

xoxo
IMG_4255

©justlovethemanyway

 

blogmas, holidays, Uncategorized

Holiday Movies I Love…

by SophieLeave a Comment on Holiday Movies I Love…
Holiday Movies I Love…

Hey loves,

One of my favourite past times of the holiday season, is spending time curled up on the couch or in bed watching movies. There are a couple of movies that I have to watch to set the mood of the holiday season, and here they are:

It’s A Wonderful Life- Classic black and white film. Classic angel film!

A Christmas Story-  Oh Ralphie….:)

Image result for watching movies during the holiday

The Muppet Christmas Carol – This is so reminiscent of my childhood. I must have watched this movie thousands of times growing up. Great songs, wonderful lessons, laughs all around!

Image result for muppet christmas carol

 

Elf- Probably my all time favourite Christmas movie. It’s so cheesy but I laugh every single time I see it! The jokes never get old to me!

Image result for elf movies

The Preacher’s Wife- Whitney Houston? Denzel Washington? Need I say more??? AMAZING soundtrack, beautiful lesson… just a wholesome, family- friendly movie.

Image result for the preachers wife

The Best Man Holiday- I love this cast! I may even like this one more than the original best man.

Image result for the best man holiday

Home Alone 1 and 2– Classic Movies. Again, another childhood favourite.

Image result for home alone 1 and 2

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation- Great family film! Very funny

Related image

The Sound of Music- Definitely not a Christmas movie, but its just a feel good movie to watch with the family!

Image result for the sound of music

 

fashion, lifestyle, Uncategorized

Holiday Nail Art Inspiration…

by Sophie2 Comments on Holiday Nail Art Inspiration…
Holiday Nail Art Inspiration…

Hey loves!

If you know me, one thing I love is fancy nail art. I go through phases where I like my neutral, plain Jane nail designs and then there are other times  where I like things a little more festive! Here are some of the nail art that has caught my eye this season, and what I chose to go with for this upcoming holiday season!

Ongles blancs
Simple with a splash of bling and sparkle.
Cute Christmas Tree Nail Art Idea
Super cute! Something I would do if I had a themed holiday event to go to.
12 Holiday Nail Designs That Are Festive AF
I absolutely love this midnight blue colour. I may try this style out with my next fill! 
See best holiday nails with star designs. Make your nails become the star at a Christmas party!
Something simple possibly for New Years Eve!
Matte Red Holiday Nails
Not a huge fan of red nails but I do like the simple gold Christmas tree accent nail.
Pretty Snowflake Holiday Nails
My inspiration for this Christmas’ holiday nails!

Finally, here’s what I chose to do : simple winter grey with some sparkle and a snowflake accent nail! Where I’ll be for Christmas this year will be grey and cold (lol) so I figure why not match the atmosphere!

IMG_2078

 

Til next time!
xoxo

IMG_1165

 

#Christian, Christmas, holidays, Uncategorized

Scriptures To Get You Through The Holiday Season…

by SophieLeave a Comment on Scriptures To Get You Through The Holiday Season…
Scriptures To Get You Through The Holiday Season…

Hey my loves!

The holidays are a particularly pleasant time for me and many others. But what about the people for whom the holidays provide the most hurt? The ones who have no family near or have experienced some kind of trauma that makes the holidays hard? Here are some of my favourite scriptures that have been an encouragement to me in tough seasons. May you find  peace in this season and remember the reason for the season is Jesus! Keep your hope in Him! Blessings!

 

Psalm 68:5-6 – God draws close to those who are lonely and provides for them. He is a “father to the fatherless”
Psalms 28:7 -The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song.

Deuteronomy 31:6-  God is with you in the midst of any and every fearful and difficult circumstance.

Isaiah 26: 3-4 – You will keep in perfect peace  all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always,  for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

 Psalm 147:3-He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 – For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Isaiah 40:31-  But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

And the greatest gift….

Luke 2:15-16 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger

xoxo
IMG_1165

Christmas, holidays, Uncategorized

8 Ways To Beat The Holiday Blues…

by SophieLeave a Comment on 8 Ways To Beat The Holiday Blues…
8 Ways To Beat The Holiday Blues…

Hey loves!

While the holiday season is quickly approaching, the holiday season is a stressful one for many. Here are a few tips to help you get through the hustle and bustle with ease!

Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until the last minute to do all your holiday shopping. Take a few moments out and make a carefully curated list of what you need and who you need to buy for. This helps you be efficient with your time and with your finances.  Start saving months in advance to help offset the holiday financial bog. Planning also means being responsible with your time. Make a calendar of your proposed events and plan to delegate your time wisely.

Don’t overspend
Be smart with your finances around the holiday. We get into the habit of wanting to be big, bold and elaborate during this season which can sometimes lead us to whip out the pesky thing called a credit card! Don’t dig yourself into a financial mess that will take you months to recover from. Spend with caution.

Be realistic in what you can and cannot do
You are not going to be able to attend every event, bake the 500 cupcakes someone asks you to do or even get every person on your Christmas list the perfect gift, and you know what?  Its okay! Be realistic in what you can do over the holidays and don’t let yourself or anyone make you feel bad about it!

Spend some time with friends and family
Often we miss the joy of the season because we are caught up in the commercialism of the holiday. Save some of your time for those who mean the most to you. Sometimes your presence is the best gift your friends and family can receive because time is precious and so very limited.

Be Social
This is for the person who may not have friends and family around them in the holiday season. Get out and meet people! Research some holiday events happening in  your area and mingle with new people. The easiest way to fall into a funk is to isolate yourself.

Make time for yourself
Don’t forget to remember yourself during this time. If means scheduling time for some self care or treating yourself to a fancy cup of coffee, do it!

Remember those in need
We are blessed with so much, but we need to remember that there are many out there who don’t have much of anything. Give back in some small way this season

Remember the true reason for the season
It’s so easy to get caught up in the season, that we forget the true meaning of CHRISTmas. It was because a saviour was born over 2,000 years ago that we are given the opportunity to celebrate the birth of SALVATION.  JESUS is the true meaning of the season ❤

Have a blessed and stress free holiday season!
Til next time,
xoxo

IMG_1165

 

 

Christmas, music, Uncategorized

My Favourite Holiday Albums and Songs for 2018….

by SophieLeave a Comment on My Favourite Holiday Albums and Songs for 2018….
My Favourite Holiday Albums and Songs for 2018….

Hey loves!

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us and one of my favourite things to do during this time, is to sit in front of my tree, candles burning and my favourite holiday jams  playing softly in the background.

Here are the five albums I have been listening to this year on repeat:

Fantasia- Christmas After Midnight
Favourite Track: In The Wee Small Hours of the Midnight
I love all things Fantasia Barrino. Her voice can do no wrong for me!

Image result for fantasia christmas after midnight

John Legend- A Legendary Christmas
Favourite Track: Wrap Me Up In Your Love and No Place Like Home
Another smooth crooner whose voice can do no wrong in my book! A great modern day Christmas collection of songs of yesterday and some surefire hits to warm your hearts for years to come.

Image result for a legendary christmas album

Hillsong Worship- Christmas: The Peace Project
Favourite Track: Seasons
What I love about this album is that the song that I love the most transcends seasons (lol)

Image result for hillsong christmas album

Jackson 5- Christmas Album
Favourite Track: Someday at Christmas
This is a classic album! Little Michael Jackson at his finest!

Image result for jackson 5 christmas album

Kirk Franklin and The Family- Christmas 
Favourite Track: I can’t choose only one! I love them all but The Night that Christ Was Born and Love Song  are two that are usually on repeat. 
My all time favourite  Christmas album. It’s not Christmas until this album is back in my daily rotation 🙂

Image result for kirk franklin christmas

  • Honorable Mentions:
    Boney M- Christmas with Boney M
    This is how I knew it was time to wake up in my house on Christmas morning. My dad would be blasting “Mary’s Boy Child” .
  • Marvin Gaye- ” I want to come home for Christmas”
  • The Temptations- “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer”
  • The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack in its entirety ( I mean come on its Whitney 🙂 )
  • The Clark Sisters – “Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel ” ( probably my favourite rendition of a Christmas song ever!) and “The Chipmunk Song”

    What are you guys listening to this Christmas season?

    xoxo
    IMG_1165

 

#Christian, Uncategorized

Merry Christmas: The Greatest Gift Is Love…

by SophieLeave a Comment on Merry Christmas: The Greatest Gift Is Love…
Merry Christmas: The Greatest Gift Is Love…

Hey guys!

Quick post here! I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas Day and is continuing to have a wonderful holiday season. As I sat wrapping Christmas presents on Christmas Eve( I did all my shopping on Christmas Eve this year because I was travelling and I suffer from procrastination…. le sigh lol) I began reflecting on this whole gift giving thing and how we ( even Christians ) sometimes  lose sight of the true meaning and reason why we annually celebrate Christmas.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love to give ( and receive lol) a good gift, however there is a song by Kirk Franklin that to me really summarizes what the true gift is!

The lyrics that stand out to me read:

[Verse 1]
The greatest gift for me
Is not under the tree
But it lays deep inside
And with hope it comes alive

[Chorus]
It’s not a holiday
Nor is it in words I say
But it comes from above
The greatest gift from
God is love
Love
The greatest gift is
Love

God is the greatest gift you could ever receive! His love is unchanging, unadulterated, unending. Love is the solution to so many issues that we face in our society today. We all need love and God is love!

So whether your tree was loaded with presents or you had none at all, take heart in knowing that God loves you and thats the greatest gift of all!!!

Have a blessed Monday!
xoxo

love-is-the-greatest-gift-that-god-has-given-us-its-free-403x403-nk5igs

Christ, Christian, Christmas, dad, daddy, faith, Jesus, Uncategorized

Merry Christmas To All!

by SophieLeave a Comment on Merry Christmas To All!
Merry Christmas To All!

Hey y’all!

Is there a specific song that reminds you of Christmas? Or a certain smell? Do you have a certain routine every year. I sure do! As I write this, I reminisce( and anxiously await) the sounds of the Boney M versions of “Mary’s Boy Child” and “Feliz Navidad “( I’m sure many other Jamaican children/ children with Jamaican parents can relate..LOL :p) . Once you heard my dad on the ones and twos ( my dad swears he’s a DJ…. he is pretty good though lol) and heard him doing his traditional mic check, you knew it was time to get up! No matter where we spent Christmas ( Jamaica, my town, Ottawa etc.. my dad found a way to “play that tape”. Oh gosh what a beautiful Christmas tradition. ❤

As you  prepare for the days ( and/or) evening festivities, I just wanted to take the time to extend a warm Merry Christmas to all my readers! Take time out today to spend with loved ones! Create memories! Try not to get caught up in the materialistic side of Christmas. Without CHRIST, there is no CHRISTmas! So keep him the centre of attention today!

Love you all and thanks for all of your support! ” May your days be merry and bright!”

xoxo

 

#Christian, Christian, Christian blog, Christmas, gospel artist, gospel lyrics, gospel music, music, Uncategorized

Monday Motivation:Oh Come Emmanuel

by Sophie1 Comment on Monday Motivation:Oh Come Emmanuel
Monday Motivation:Oh Come Emmanuel

Hey y’all,

As Christmas is fast approaching, I thought I would drop by and share one of my favorite renditions of the Christmas carol ” Oh Come Emmanuel”.

This rendition is by the incomparable Clark Sisters. I just absolutely love the acapella arrangement… simply beautiful. I love to sit by the fireplace with some hot chocolate and listen to this song ( and the entire album). What a beautiful reminder of the Savior… ❤

Lyrics: 

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Take a listen 😛 and have a wonderful Monday.

xoxo

Christmas, holidays, music, playlist

My Ultimate Christmas Holiday Playlist….

by SophieLeave a Comment on My Ultimate Christmas Holiday Playlist….
My Ultimate Christmas Holiday Playlist….

Hey y’all!

The decorations are slowly going up and what better way to get into the holiday mood than to have a bumping ,  soul soothing playlist to rock out to. So… here is a compilation that always gets in me in the holiday mood! In no particular order!

christmas-music

Enjoy!

  1. This Christmas- Donny Hathaway
  2. Let It Snow- Boyz II Men
  3. All I Want For Christmas – Mariah Carey
  4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town- Jackson 5
  5. The Christmas Song Nat King Cole (  I do enjoy the Justin Bieber/Usher rendition as well… yes Bieber… more Usher lol)
  6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas- Luther Vandross
  7. I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus- Jackson 5
  8. SIlver Bells- Elvis
  9. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- The Temptations
  10. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays- N’Sync
  11. Who Would Imagine a King- Whitney Houston
  12. 8 Days of Christmas- Destiny’s Child
  13. The Entire Kirk Franklin Christmas Album… Every single song on repeat…lol
  14. Soul Holiday- Sounds of Blackness
  15. Winter Wonderland- Emeli Sand
  16.  I Want to Come Home For Christmas- Marvin Gaye
  17. Someday At Christmas- Mario
  18. O Come Emmanuel- The Clark Sisters
  19. The Chimpmunk Song- The Clark Sisters version ( i may throw on Alvin and the Chimpmunks version)
  20. The Little Drummer Boy- Stevie Wonder
  21. My Grown Up Christmas List- Kelly Clarkson or the Monica version ( I love them both)
  22. Comin’ Home for X-mas- Usher
  23. Dear Santa Claus- Bobby Womack
  24. The King Has Come- James Hall
  25. We Sing Glory- Fred Hammond
  26. 4 Real Christmas- Commissioned ❤
  27. And finally the two songs my father( who thinks he’s a DJ.. he’s actually not bad but I won’t ever tell him that lol ) plays to wake us up every Christmas we spend at our home… Mary’s Boy Child  and Feliz Navidad by Boney M. It isn’t Christmas till my dad is on the ones and twos mixing these tracks! Christmas morning is certainly a fun experience in my family!

There you have it! I’m sure I left out many of my favorites but this is what I could remember off the top of my head ( and with a little help from my ITunes library)

Happy Holiday Jamming y’all!

xoxo