Vlog Introduction | Behind the Scenes

Photo by Gina Zeidler

http://ginazeidler.com/

http://ginazeidler.com/blog

     We are so excited to be launching our new bi-weekly vlog this week to you all! After a quite a few google chat meetings, which lead up to our Minneapolis, Minnesota meet up we all decided to jump into vloging to put a voice with a face. Our hearts heaviest desire through this magazine journey is to be real & honest with you guys. We want to grow with you & share the "ups & downs" of our entrepreneurial journey together. Honesty is just to beautiful to put into words, but we are going to try out best! Take a look at our first vlog introduction!

Summer Edition | Issue 2 : Behind the Scenes

Summer Edition | Issue 2

Behind The Scenes Video

Videography : Sarah Delanie 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE | http://youtu.be/qu7qAVd3yDo 

July 2013 // Behind the Scenes

 “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
- John Lennon

Many exciting adventures are in the works behind the scenes with the Shine & Soar team this week! Here is a little update with what we are up to!

The cover shoot for the Summer Issue is underway and we have decided to fly Sarah up this Saturday & Ciera up this Sunday to Minneapolis! Ciera will be brainstorming to no end and helping Bethany with layout and design, while Sarah will put her video skills to the test once again during the cover shoot, which will be shot by Bethany and assisted by Mackenzie! Needless to say, we are all beyond excited to all be together as a team, in person, face to face, really, we can't wait!

Our next exciting announcement is that we will be starting a biweekly vlog! Ah!! Our team video introduction will be shot while we are all together, giving you the in's and out's of what that means for the future. Not only will we be shooting video together, but we may have some kind of a photo shoot in store, with some one awesome. But, you will just have to wait to hear and see more of that!

We are wrapping things up with our outstanding contributors and are beyond excited to be launching Issue 2 in the near future! We are ready to pray & dream as a team & are oh so grateful for your prayers as well!

xoxo,
The Shine & Soar Magazine Team

Recipe // Fruit Infused Water by Dejah Lynn

Instructions:

1. Put cold water in a cup and then stir in honey if desired.

2. Cut up your fruit then add it to the water. If you want a stronger fruity taste, squeeze the juice out of the fruit. 

2. Put in refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Add ice and enjoy!

Favorite Combinations

Do you have a favorite mouth watering combination? Let us know in the comment section below!

Recipe + Images by Dejah Lynn

Transcending Culture // Relentlessly Pursuing

Sometimes you just have to step away.

Step away from the chitter-chatter that can slowly creep into your life filling your mind with meaninglessness.

Sometimes you have to stop & reencounter the greatness that is our God.

Sometimes you have to stop typing & starting writing. 

Sometimes you have to stop assuming & start listening. 

Sometimes you have to stop talking & start reading.

It's a process. A process of learning how to be "in the world, but not of it." In an ever changing culture, it's easy to lose sight of Jesus Christ's authority in our lives. He is our reality & we are propelled forward by the living & active word of God. 

You see.

Jesus Transcends Culture.

Gaining credibility in this world must never become more important that our obedience to God.

1 John 2: 15-17 >>> "Do not love the world or the things in it. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." <<<

      Jesus has been opening my eyes to the truth that He is my PERFECT teacher. His wisdom & knowledge is far greater than the deepest, selfish desire embedded into my bones. 

Greater. Better. Best. 

It's pure perfection.

It's Jesus.

Keep relentlessly pursuing Him. Know Him, let Him seek your heart. 

xoxo,

Sarah Delanie 

Equipped

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." 

- James 1:2-4 (ESV)

     This past week has been a real eye opener for me, as I watched my town lose a young man who just graduated from high school. He was a friend, brother, son, grandson, nephew, and much more. I watched as we all grieved his loss. As I was studying my bible this week and continuing a study in James I came across this verse that touched my heart and it was no coincidence, Gods timing is always perfect!  It's easy to count our blessings as joy, but to go through trials and count those as joy?! I was sitting there in awe thinking how crazy is that? Then I realized I want this steadfast faith and without the testing of my faith I would never grow my steadfast faith.

      As I prayed that day, I prayed as I went through trials I'd be equipped with steadfastness. My reminder to all of you this week, whatever you're going through and whatever various trials you're dealing with, count it joy. Grow in steadfastness, strengthen your faith, read his word to propel you forward, and simply ask Him to grow you through your trials.

In His love, 

Elleigh Ann

LAUNCHING | The Summer Edition

We are unbelievably excited to share with you all the we will be releasing issue two later this month! The summer edition is shaping up to be even better than the last. We feel so blessed to be working with so many incredible writers and contributors, and the core of this issue, we think, is right on par with what so many of us need to hear and reflect on in life. An official date will be coming your way very soon!

Road Trip Ramblings

Road Trips.

     It's been a few years since I hopped in a car for a 14 hour road trip. Don't get me wrong, the smell, atmosphere & adrenaline of an air port fires me up like no other, but there is something so simple & raw about a long drive. It's like going on a journey through different worlds. Each state, city, & town all exuding different lifestyles. Different stories.

     Each car passing by, driven by someone with utter purpose, accomplishing a divine task assigned to them from the Almighty. Life moves quickly & it is easy to forget to just BE. I myself find it simple to check out of a conversation even while seemingly present. My mind goes & my heart follows suit.

     It's finding that fine line of discernment between just being a "doer" vs. being a "doer, driven by faith." There is a difference. It calls for discernment & a perfect teacher.

 >>> Jesus <<<

xoxo,

sarah delanie

Begin again...

We're half way through 2013. YIKES. I don't know about you, but I feel I didn't push myself as hard as I should have in the last 6 months. I should've done this, this, and this... or I should've done it faster or gotten it done 2 weeks before I did... or I should've worked out 5 times a week and eaten healthier, but I didn't...

It can get despairing real quick when we focus on what we didn't do. But we get a new chance every morning to begin again, and if you're the person (like me) who needs to start new plans + resolves on Mondays or if the day got started wrong won't try to live it ideally, this is a perfect day to start again.

So just know that your past is NOT your future:

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. // Phillippians 3:13-14

Keep pressing on. God doesn't want you focusing on your past and living in it, but living and being in the now. He has called you to more. More of Him, more loving, more living, more enduring.

If you need to, forget about the first half of 2013 and focus on the opportunities and time you have today. Fully live it.

How do you want to live differently in the second half of 2013?