Chimere Nicole, Author at Chimere Nicole ⋆ Page 18 of 34

10 Reasons Why Having A Prayer Journal So Important

August 30, 2021 lifestyle

Importance of Having a Prayer Journal

If you’re like me, you know how important prayer is to your daily life. In the past I’ve struggled with being consistent in my prayer and often lost track of the things I needed to pray for. Wether it was a prayer request for other people or even just expressing daily gratitude I wanted to remain faithful in my daily prayer. I decided that creating a prayer journal for myself would be the best option. A prayer journal will allow you to remain consistent, hold me accountable, and continue to grow closer to God. Does this sound like something you need?

How is your prayer life going?

In Luke 18:1, Jesus tells the people a parable “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.“

He then went on to discuss the persistent widow, the Pharisee, and the sinner. In each, He emphasizes the importance of prayer and the way with which we should approach Him.

The Lord places a high value on prayer. We repent, plead for help, thank Him, and praise Him in prayer. It’s a means of communication for us. Of immediate access to God’s “throne of grace.“

Some of you thrive when you can write things down, organize them, and keep them all in one spot. I know I pray more effectively when I have a list of prayers written down and visible.

brown book page — Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com

So, today, I’m going to share ten benefits of keeping a prayer journal with you:

A place to remember it all: We may get so busy with our daily lives that we forget to pray for the things we know we ought to pray for. This is the one place where we can see everything, which is particularly beneficial to visual people.

Personal Accountability: If you find it difficult to pray on a daily basis, a prayer journal may be very helpful. You can check how long it has been since you last prayed by putting the date at the top of each new entry.

If you notice that you haven’t prayed in a while, it may greatly encourage you to do so.

If it is written down you will actually pray: How many times have you agreed to pray for someone and then completely forgotten about it? Everyone experiences it, but keeping a prayer journal may help you remember.

You can remember to continue to pray: Because life becomes busy, it’s helpful to have a place where you can keep track of your prayers so you can keep praying for situations and people who need them.

Silent Soul-Baring: There’s a difference between writing down your prayers and saying them quietly in your mind. Writing down your prayers, like writing a letter to a loved one, allows you to communicate a deeper level of closeness with the Lord.

A prayer journal provides a private space for you to express all of your thoughts, emotions, and heartfelt prayers, as well as a place to record whatever the Lord comes to mind while you pray.

You can see results and record them: Many people like keeping track of how their prayers were answered. With a prayer journal, you can write down if any of your prayers were effectively answered, which will later motivate you to pray more often.

You can give thanks to God for how He answers your prayer: Whatever God’s answer to your prayers is, we can be grateful that He is in charge, that He is a sovereign God, and that we can bring everything to Him.

A place to be still and know he is God: Sometimes, all we need to do is sit still and connect with God on a more personal level.

A catalog of answers: It will be easier for you to see how God has answered different prayers you’ve previously written in your prayer journal if you go back and look at them.

After each prayer, you may even leave a place to write out a future praise report. You’ll be astounded by the record of God’s faithfulness that unfolds before your eyes over time!

We grow closer to God in prayer: God desires for us to come to Him, and in doing so, we become closer to Him.

My Favorite Journals

I wanted a journal that would be personal to my needs and specifications. So I created my own and now I’m sharing it with you. It has space for everything I need to grow in God and to always focus on the positive things in my life. There is so much for us to be thankful for and expressing that gratitude in prayer is very important to me. I wish the same things for you as well. This prayer journal has space for your to write daily scriptures, praise, inspirations, and daily reflections. It has everything you need to be successful in life and I owe prayer to my own success. You can read more about that here. I listed a few options below for you to review.

www.youtube.com/glam4glam

Here are a few of my favorites, HERE & HERE

What Does The World’s Largest Beach Hat Look Like

August 10, 2021 fashion

I purchased the world’s largest beach hat. Why you may ask, I though it was funny actually. Turns out, I was right!

What happens when you purchase the world’s largest beach hat? Well I would definitely say you will get tons and tons of looks and stares in public. Inquiring minds want to know, what’s up with this hat. Over the weekend I took a short trip to Miami Florida just to unwind and relax for a bit. Knowing I wanted to spend most of my time on the beach so I decided I needed a new beach hat. I recently did a post featuring some inexpensive food options on the beach here, so check that out if your looking for a beach vibe on a budget. I went online and I didn’t really see anything that I liked. I thought about getting a beach umbrella instead. When I looked at the prices and compared it to the hats I previously looked up in I realized that I can have the best of both worlds. This is when I decided I wanted the world’s largest beach hat that would also pair as an umbrella.

It wasn’t as hard to find as I initially thought. I started my search on Etsy and was amazed to find such a large selection of beach hats that were the size I was looking for. I knew it would take a few weeks to arrive because it would be shipped from outside of the country, so I decided to order a month before my trip. When my hat arrived three weeks later at my house I was astounded by the size. I could not believe that this hat was as large as it was. It was definitely the world’s largest beach hat. It came wrapped like a mini burrito and all I could do was laugh. As extra and over the top as I am, I was still shocked at how large this hat is.

This is when I decided to record my experience. Seriously, I just could not stop laughing. I thought this was the funniest thing that has ever happened to me. I shared this experience on my Tick Tock account and as many of you have seen that video has now gone viral. At the time of this blog post that video has now received 2.4 million views and I am happy to say that I have millions of people laughing alongside with me at how large my beach hat is. Social media is just the best.

If there is one thing that I have always set out to do, it would be to put a smile on other people’s faces and to laugh a bit. So, this entire experience has brought me so much joy.

Packing

One of the many questions that I received from this experience has been how did I pack such a large hat to prepare it for the airplane. Since this hat is so large I decided to package it the same way it arrived to me, which is like a burrito. Using a bit of creative licensing by packaging my hat like a chipotle burrito. I folded it in four places and rolled it up to place it in my carry-on luggage tote. I also made a Tick Tock video showing you how the tote was placed inside of my bag. There was also a bit of a compare and contrast as a young lady who was also in the TSA line had a straw hat on her luggage as well. You were able to compare the size of traditional hair with the size of my hat. It is extremely huge in comparison. So funny to see.

Once on the plane I was able to lay my carry-on tote in the overhead bin compartment horizontally so that my luggage would not get smashed and my hat and would not have too many creases in it.

Preparing for The Beach

Since I did have my hat folded in luggage for a few hours I knew that I would have a few creases in the head. So, in another Tick Tock video shown here, I show the process of me steaming the hat and preparing it for the beach. I wanted to take as many pictures as I could wearing the hat so that you can get an idea of the amount of coverage and sun protection I would receive on the beach.

The process of steaming the hat was pretty simple. All you will need to do is place your iron on medium to high heat. Then place a cotton towel over your straw hat and use the steaming tool on your iron to remove the wrinkles and creases. It took me about 10 minutes to

Thoroughly iron the entire hat due to the size. Once I was done I simply laid it on the bed to cool down.

On to the beach

Here is when the magic happens. While I was walking onto the beach the amount of people who stopped me to inquire about this hat was astounding. I had absolutely no idea people would take such an interest in a large hat. To my surprise people wanted to order this hat and were asking me if it came in other colors. Who would have thought? Due to the size of the hat and the weather it was a bit cumbersome for me to wear it and take pictures. Since I was seated close to the shoreline and the amount of wind was forcing the head to flop around aimlessly. I did manage to take a few photos wearing the hat. However I still don’t believe I was able to thoroughly show you how large this hat is. So, once I got back to my room I took a photo of me standing up while the hat was fully extending it. For size reference I am 5’9 and as you can see this hat is as large as me.

Sun Protection and Social Distancing

Let’s just say I took social distancing to a new level. Because this hat is such a conversation piece, so many people wanted to talk. However due to the massive size of the hat they were not able to come any closer than 6 feet away from me. LOL.

This is so funny.

If you are looking for a full proof way to social distance this hat needs to be your number one purchase. Additionally, being able to place my entire body underneath this hat and be fully covered from the sun was a plus. Although I still wore sunscreen on the beach this hat gave me 100% protection from the sun’s UV rays. Even though the wind tried to fly my hat away I was able to steady the hat so that it would cover me as I relaxed on the beach for the duration of the day.

I’m going to place a link below to the seller in which I purchased my hair as well as some other options available to you.

If you decide to purchase this hat please make sure you tag me on social media or use my #ChimereNicole so that I am able to see you rocking your hat.

Hat/HERE,

Blazing It Up In Blue

July 20, 2021 fashion

Taking a different approach to the traditional suit. I don’t own too many suits in my wardrobe. In fact, I can count on one hand how many pieces I can turn into complete suits in my closet. I do however have tons of dresses. This, lead me to start adding pieces in my collection that were the best of both worlds. The blazer dress, perfect for me. I can mix business casual with a touch of femininity. I am totally in love with this piece.

Mrs. New Jersey America 2020 wearing blue blazer dress from prettylittlething

I can wear it in business and professional settings and add a few accessories and make it a night out in the town. I actually wore this piece to a speaking engagement for my foundation #GirlYes. It was comfortable and the color is beautiful. I received tons of compliments on this piece. The blue looks amazing with my crown and sash. Something about the blue and red combo just makes me happy.

Chimere Nicole wearing Navy gold blazer dress from prettylittlething

I purchased this and a few more items from PrettyLittleThing.com. They are having an amazing sale and I was able to snag this dress for only $40. It’s an amazing steal. The site has tons of other options to choose from, I did a little bit of damage but the sale was too good to pass up.

Why I Volunteer, Mrs. New Jersey America

July 18, 2021 lifestyle

I sat down one day and thought, what can I do to help others that’s also not self-serving? Meaning, I’m not doing it to gain any business or reward other than the feeling of blessing someone else. At the time I had already started this blog to be able to share moments of my life but I didn’t feel that was enough. I needed more, I wasn’t able to give financially so I decided to give the biggest commodity I have, my time. I choose to volunteer my time because it’s something I value, it can make the biggest impact on the lives of others, and it’s fun.

One of the tasks I wanted to complete in my role as Mrs. New Jersey America 2020 was to bring awareness to organizations within the state of New Jersey. Food banks in particular due to the high numbers of children not receiving adequate amounts of food during the summer months. Since schools are not open, there is a high percentage of children receiving less than one meal per day. These statistics are alarming, to say the least, and my goal is to change that. This summer I have embarked on a 21 county tour to volunteer at local food banks and distribution centers. My hope is that my sash and crown will become a megaphone to the issue of hunger here in the state. No family should have to go to bed hungry.

Mrs. New Jersey America 2020 volunteering with TASK and RISE

It will be a huge undertaking however if you know me you are aware that ambitious is my middle name. I will get it done. You will be surprised at the impact you make when you volunteer an hour or more of your time per week. It can help hundreds of people and need. Just think of the amount of time you spent scrolling on social media or watching reruns on tv.

Yeah, exactly.

Once I realized the amount of time I was wasting during the day, I knew I could not only be more productive. I could continue to do all of the things I commissioned myself to do as Mrs. New Jersey.

Mrs. New Jersey America 2020 volunteering at Arm in Arm in Trenton, NJ

How can you help? It’s easy, go to google and type in local food banks in my area. Then you can visit the website and sign up as a volunteer or you can call and ask how you can help. Very simple. I charge you to thinks of ways you can help others within your own community. It’s not always pretty and profitable but the blessings you give to others can’t be measured by monetary gain. I’ve learned so much in this process and it has changed my perspective on many things. I’m sure it will do the same for you. Follow my journey on my pageant Facebook page and Instagram page.

Charcuterie Board On A Budget: Under $20

July 5, 2021 lifestyle

I am by no means a food blogger. In fact, I’m the last person to give out food advice since I am as picky as can be. However, I have become fascinated with luxurious brunches, fabulous charcuterie spreads, and staying on a budget. One night I spent hours on Pinterest trying to learn how to create the perfect presentation that was not only picture worthy but good enough to eat. I didn’t want to invest in foods that I knew I would not eat just because they look aesthetically pleasing. Honestly, I was not in the mood to waste my money just for pictures. I don’t waste food, EVER. So creating a charcuterie board on a budget was my goal.

Wanting to spend the day by the water alone, just to relax and refocus for the week ahead a solo picnic was the best option. I could be as extra and boogie as I liked and relax at the same time. This is the recipe for a perfect afternoon. Deciding this would be the perfect opportunity to create my first charcuterie board and keep my budget as low as possible. I decided to stick to a budget of no more than $20, that would include everything I needed for my picnic.

I took a trip to my local Aldi grocery store and picked up everything I needed. Aldi has some great options for an affordable price and amazing quality. I kept my list pretty simple since quite frankly I didn’t have a clue what to buy and what I was doing. Here are the items I choose to include for my picnic.

Water
Wine
Bread
Cheese
Nuts
Fruits
Deli meats
Crackers

Once I created a shopping list, it was easy shopping. If I would have done this beforehand instead of in the store it would have been a lot faster. I spent way too much time trying to decide what cheese I wanted to use. Aldi had tons of options to choose from and since I’m not much of a cheese connoisseur I kept is basic. Cheddar cheese has always worked for me so that’s what I grabbed. Although I love to eat, I can be very picky at times, so it’s best for me to stick to the safest options available. But I was so tempted to try the spreadable cheese options they had available.

Aldi’s has the cutest variety pack of crackers to try near the bread aisle and picked that up for only $3.99 and I love them. It features 6 different types of crackers and was great to pair with the cheese. I will definitely purchase this again and a few more cheeses to try. In fact I grabbed some just last night with some wine and cheese. So good for a late night snack and the wine didn’t hurt either.

Now onto the aesthetics. This was by far the most tedious part of this whole process. Again, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. My goal was for my board to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible using minimum items. If you searched Pinterest before you have seen the amazing options and tons of exotic fruits and jam people use. I’m not that advanced yet so until then I keep it basic.

I found a way to make the deli meat the star of the show. I went onto YouTube and found a video tutorial of different ways to display the meat. One video showed me how to make flowers using salami so that’s what I decided to do. Starting by placing the salami in multiple sections on top of a glass cup. Once you’ve created multiple layers you then turn the cup upside down and remove the meat from the cup. You are then left with a perfectly flower.

This was so easy to make and it was a beautiful addition to my display. Definitely will be trying this technique again using different types of deli meats. I had tons of leftover fruit since I purchased it in bulk so my children were extremely happy to have tons of strawberries and grapes in the house. I even decided to get fancy with the cheddar cheese and use my cookie cutter to make a Mickey Mouse cheese slice. It was so cute and made me extremely happy.

Once I finished prepping I then packaged everything up in small Ziploc bags to transport. Once I found a nice location near the water, I laid out my blanket and pillows and decided to get to work. It was actually quite soothing to do near the water. I think it was the waves that calmed my nerves and was overall very soothing. Next time I’ll take a bit more photos however this was my first time trying this and I didn’t want to document the bloopers lol.