Spiritual experience is a gift, not something to m Spiritual experience is a gift, not something to muster or manufacture. 

If I ever find the guts to get a tattoo, it would be this. A constant reminder of true reality:

I am saved, kept and loved based on objective facts and grounded in a perfect person, Christ, never my subjective feelings and circumstances and abilities. 

Tim Keller says, “what makes you a Christian is Jesus’ work, not what goes on inside you.”

Experiencing God is not a requirement to live life with Him, but it is a sweet gift and worthy of hungering for. 

Grace through faith. Everything. Always.
✨ Her — only wants to eat cheese, most of the ✨

Her — only wants to eat cheese, most of the time walks on her tiptoes, loves playing with the car seat straps, chews on her finger constantly, has the best smile, learning more words and pushing boundaries something serious

Me — not sure what to do with her wild hair, getting creative with God on recharging in moments that aren’t so relaxing, using every minute of nap time for design work and loving it and becoming a bit obsessive with walking our quiet driveway
Some days you wonder how it could be this awesome Some days you wonder how it could be this awesome and other days she keeps trying to eat rocks and you don’t brush your teeth until 3 o’clock. 

Solidarity, parents.
@themasters weekend @themasters weekend
#Repost @allthecounterthings
・・・
(cue ‘I’m So Excited’ by The Pointer Sisters)

One of my biggest giveaways to date!

I believe in @beautycounter, even to gift some GREAT things so that you’ll try them for yourself that they may serve you. 

It’s @themasters Friday, and in my city that means an exciting few days is ahead. 

May it be so with your clean beauty swapping!
(Until April 17th. 😊)

Need suggestions or a guide around the website? Message me or click the link in my bio to take a skincare quiz or to find your right foundation shade or to request samples. 

I’m here to help! And I can’t WAIT to gift someone this box of goodness. 

peep @emeraldoxco amazing coffee
What a joy to spend the morning with the beautiful What a joy to spend the morning with the beautiful @ashtonquattlebaum. 

We knew each other in middle/high school, now we’re adults and because of Beautycounter, reconnecting and working and dreaming together.

HOW. COOL. 

This is my ‘why’ with Beautycounter — the opportunity to cultivate friendships and help and love women where God has them, connected by clean beauty products.
spotting airplanes and sharing goldfish spotting airplanes and sharing goldfish
#Repost @allthecounterthings ・・・ #preachingt #Repost @allthecounterthings
・・・
#preachingtomyself

When you abide in Christ, when you open yourself to His Spirit’s leading and changing, when you trust and obey Him, your whole being can become ministry.

Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God, do it with God, do it and see people as Jesus saw them, with needs and dreams, and love them. 

I have started more endeavors and realized more dreams in the last year then I think in my entire life. Joining @beautycounter was one of them. 

So I encourage you also — 

Take yourself seriously and not too seriously. Work diligently. Dream big. Be faithful. Have fun. Rest on Jesus. Hold it all with open hands. And enjoy it.
Anna when asked if she wants blueberries or to go Anna when asked if she wants blueberries or to go outside. #Easter2021
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lifestyle · 08/24/2015

A New Vision For Instagram

I think I’m going dark on all platforms except Instagram. Photography is something I am genuinely passionate about. I love capturing candid interactions; I love documenting moments. I also deeply enjoy reading, learning, sharing, expressing myself, and encouraging other people. I like meeting other women who love Jesus and life. And Instagram has the potential to be a means for all of these things!

There are many opinions about social media floating around today.

“You idolize it. Only using it for your own self-validation.”

“It discourages you because you are constantly comparing yourself to others.”

“Do you only stare at your phone? You document every single moment. Get off, go outside.”

“You are finding far too much worth in how many followers you have or likes you get. It’s dangerous to your relationship with Jesus and others.”

There are plenty more stances on social media but these are ones I hear about most often. And the ones I have probably related to at one point or another.

I used to wrestle with my activity on social media platforms. I am at my core a creative, passionate, expressive, people-loving person. Social media is a fun means for this type of person! Right? Doesn’t that make sense? But I wrestled because I never wanted it to become an idol. I never wanted to give someone the impression that I needed the world’s validation to feel good or confident.

I was paralyzed in a sense. Paralyzed by all the rants against social media in the Christian world. It’s like I wrestled with posting because I didn’t want people assuming that I had fallen into the pit of: “I’m posting this photo because I want people to like it, I want people to compliment me, I want people to know that I love Jesus, or that I work out, or eat healthy, etc etc.” Even though I knew deep down inside that wasn’t my true heart.

After fleshing out my thoughts with John, he says, “You know, if people assume something false about you because of something you share, that person probably doesn’t you well enough, so you shouldn’t give them any thought.” Simple…. and brilliant. (Thank you, God, for my husband.)

After that, I let go. If I wanted to post a picture of my morning coffee and share a quote from the book I was reading, I did. If I wanted to post 5 times a day because I was in a cool new city exploring, I would. If I wanted to share something cool I was learning, I’d snap a photo of my current situation and share it. I felt free.

Instagram is not an enemy of mine. The way I desire to use this tool is okay. In fact, it can be great! (I’m now coming to realize.) That day I also started praying —

God, I genuinely want my IG account to encourage and uplift people. I want what I share to make someone smile, or to help them feel like they aren’t alone. I want to glorify you with this platform. I want my IG account to be a place that refreshes people. I want to meet other women who love the Lord, who are actively seeking life and joy, who love other people well. I want this account to be a means of grace, a Light for a dark day. I want it to be a creative outlet for me, and a way for I myself to be inspired.

After that I felt true freedom. Instagram — the world’s view of it, and what other people think of me — is no longer a chain, but a simple, fun, interactive, enjoyable, creative tool for me to use to be salt and light, and to express the curly-haired woman God desires for me to be.

And He has transformed it into just that I think. I have had a handful of people say that my account encourages them. Praise God! Super cool.

All of that to say, my desire is simplicity, and to withdraw my energies on the other platforms to decrease my screen time, while satisfying my expressive, creative, communicating side without getting over-stimulated. I don’t want to live my life staring at a screen. I never want to sacrifice people for technology. Life is full, and I want to experience every minute of it, the depth and richness of moments…..

…with my camera ready. :)

I’ll love to meet you/invite you into the fun: @eubankchels

In: lifestyle · Tagged: social media

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Comments

  1. Rachel Greiman says

    08/24/2015 at 3:58 pm

    This is such an important things … I love your new philosophy. It’s SO hard to leave out strategy of social media. It’s so easy to become obsessed with it and to try to control it. But I think I’m learning too, that just like other things in life, we can’t control it and the more we try, the more we will feel disappointment.

    Thank you so much for sharing … I’m sure others will find freedom too after reading this!

  2. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished says

    08/24/2015 at 4:30 pm

    THANK YOU for this, Chelsea! It can be pretty easy to think that if our Instagram (or other social media accounts) are perfect, then our lives must be. However, I love your vision for simplicity, and experiencing life to the fullest, with or without constant documentation. Thanks for saying it!

  3. Ashley says

    08/24/2015 at 6:50 pm

    YES YES YES! I love everything you said here. And so thankful for husbands that can speak such simple truths straight to our hearts.

    And totally followed you on Instagram. ?

  4. Adriana Renee says

    08/24/2015 at 7:27 pm

    This hit me right where I needed! I definitely feel I need to step away from Instagram sometimes because I get so consumed over nothing!

  5. Chelsea B.E. says

    08/24/2015 at 8:24 pm

    “But I think I’m learning too, that just like other things in life, we can’t control it and the more we try, the more we will feel disappointment.”
    Amen, Rachel. I hear you.

  6. Chelsea B.E. says

    08/24/2015 at 8:25 pm

    Thank YOU, Daisy! It’s a slippery slope, sometimes, but I’m thankful for the grace that God gives for a new perspective. Inspired by your desire for simplicity in all of life.

  7. Chelsea B.E. says

    08/24/2015 at 8:26 pm

    Ashley! I’m glad you did :)
    And amen to the “thankful for husbands” part. Haha

  8. Alex Guglielmo says

    08/25/2015 at 5:24 pm

    Wow, I appreciate you stepping out and going against the grain! I look up on so many bloggers’ profiles and see a bajillion social media icons that I haven’t even heard of and I wonder how they have the time to manage all of them and also live life! So it is encouraging to me to hear of another blogger who isn’t trying to do it all, but just the things the Lord has led her to. Way to go!

  9. Chelsea B.E. says

    08/25/2015 at 6:02 pm

    I’m so glad you commented, Alex. I appreciate and admire your desires as well! I like meeting kindred hearts.

  10. Tayler Morrell says

    08/25/2015 at 11:04 pm

    I love this alot. I’m still learning to balance social media with being a SAHM to a 1 year old.

  11. Gennean says

    01/06/2016 at 7:53 pm

    THIS IS GOLD! Thanks for putting words to how so many feel, like myself!

  12. Chelsea B.E. says

    01/06/2016 at 7:58 pm

    That makes me smile, Gennean! Sometimes I go back and read this post, and I find fresh fuel and inspiration each time.

  13. Rachel Dawson says

    04/29/2016 at 2:55 pm

    This is so good! I’m really glad you shared this in the comments of my own Internet posts. And you’re so right, Instagram is not the enemy, the voices in our head that try to tell us what to do are :) Props on sharing so honestly abou this!

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I'm Chelsea... a wife, mom and friend who enjoys all things peanut butter, clean beauty, the written word, and a good sports movie. This is my place to share real life and Biblical encouragement to draw us all to deeper joy in God. Pull up your favorite internet browser and stay awhile!

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Spiritual experience is a gift, not something to m Spiritual experience is a gift, not something to muster or manufacture. 

If I ever find the guts to get a tattoo, it would be this. A constant reminder of true reality:

I am saved, kept and loved based on objective facts and grounded in a perfect person, Christ, never my subjective feelings and circumstances and abilities. 

Tim Keller says, “what makes you a Christian is Jesus’ work, not what goes on inside you.”

Experiencing God is not a requirement to live life with Him, but it is a sweet gift and worthy of hungering for. 

Grace through faith. Everything. Always.
✨ Her — only wants to eat cheese, most of the ✨

Her — only wants to eat cheese, most of the time walks on her tiptoes, loves playing with the car seat straps, chews on her finger constantly, has the best smile, learning more words and pushing boundaries something serious

Me — not sure what to do with her wild hair, getting creative with God on recharging in moments that aren’t so relaxing, using every minute of nap time for design work and loving it and becoming a bit obsessive with walking our quiet driveway
Some days you wonder how it could be this awesome Some days you wonder how it could be this awesome and other days she keeps trying to eat rocks and you don’t brush your teeth until 3 o’clock. 

Solidarity, parents.
@themasters weekend @themasters weekend
#Repost @allthecounterthings
・・・
(cue ‘I’m So Excited’ by The Pointer Sisters)

One of my biggest giveaways to date!

I believe in @beautycounter, even to gift some GREAT things so that you’ll try them for yourself that they may serve you. 

It’s @themasters Friday, and in my city that means an exciting few days is ahead. 

May it be so with your clean beauty swapping!
(Until April 17th. 😊)

Need suggestions or a guide around the website? Message me or click the link in my bio to take a skincare quiz or to find your right foundation shade or to request samples. 

I’m here to help! And I can’t WAIT to gift someone this box of goodness. 

peep @emeraldoxco amazing coffee
What a joy to spend the morning with the beautiful What a joy to spend the morning with the beautiful @ashtonquattlebaum. 

We knew each other in middle/high school, now we’re adults and because of Beautycounter, reconnecting and working and dreaming together.

HOW. COOL. 

This is my ‘why’ with Beautycounter — the opportunity to cultivate friendships and help and love women where God has them, connected by clean beauty products.
spotting airplanes and sharing goldfish spotting airplanes and sharing goldfish
#Repost @allthecounterthings ・・・ #preachingt #Repost @allthecounterthings
・・・
#preachingtomyself

When you abide in Christ, when you open yourself to His Spirit’s leading and changing, when you trust and obey Him, your whole being can become ministry.

Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God, do it with God, do it and see people as Jesus saw them, with needs and dreams, and love them. 

I have started more endeavors and realized more dreams in the last year then I think in my entire life. Joining @beautycounter was one of them. 

So I encourage you also — 

Take yourself seriously and not too seriously. Work diligently. Dream big. Be faithful. Have fun. Rest on Jesus. Hold it all with open hands. And enjoy it.
Anna when asked if she wants blueberries or to go Anna when asked if she wants blueberries or to go outside. #Easter2021
I love what our pastor said this morning — If it I love what our pastor said this morning — If it was just the cross, we’d be a bunch of forgiven corpses. We have been saved TO something, the richest and fullest of life, in Christ, forever. 

May we be courageous people who know real hope and endurance in the sorrow of life and real gratitude and wonder in the good of it.

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