Read Em.

I read two fabolous books this weekened, "Sacred Singleness" and "Redefining Beautiful."

"Sacred Singleness" offers a Godly and very refreshing way to live as a single female. My favorite line from this fantastic book: "A heart centered upon Christ is the most glorious romance you could ever imagine." How true! With all the traits God has, who could imagine a better romantic!? Certainly, not even Edward Cullen is more smooth than our G-MAN <3 Much thanks to the author, Leslie Ludy!

"Redefining Beautiful" reminds us of our perfect father's love and how it can mold us into beautiful women. Jenna Lucado delves deep into her eight life accessories; security, identity, value, love, self-control, peace, joy and contentment. A point that stuck out to me the most: "I really started to feel secure when I started to focus on God." You've gotta love that crazy G-MAN and how much he loves us!

I want every female to cover these books with their fingerprints : )

ESCAPE -High school retreat

Dreams DO Become Realities...!

Bzzzzz.

Last week as I was leaving for work, I had a pleasant surprise waiting for me in my car. Little did I know that when I opened my car door- there would be a YELLOW JACKET and it's NEST just chillin in the crack my car door. Some nerve that yellow jacket had thinking that Snow White (my car) was his home sweet home! NO WAY is that acceptable. But it was too late, this yellow jacket made himself comfortable. SO, what's a girl to do?!

I stood there debating for a couple minutes AND because I was too AFRAID to attack the yellow jacket myself- I DROVE ALL THE WAY TO WORK WITH A YELLOW JACKET 6 INCHES AWAY FROM ME! Ahh, knowing that this beastly thing was super close to me freaked me out the whole way to work!

I had something I was very scared of right behind me and I did not do anything to face the fear. I could have easily attacked the yellow jacket with my bag, some antifreeze or my banana peel : ) - but I chose to let the fear overcome me.

How often do we let fear stop us from doing what we know is right?

A great quote from Joyce Meyer states: "DO IT AFRAID!" I love this quote because it reminds us that fear can be overcome by simply facing whatever we are afraid of. This quote also implies that fear is not a valid reason to justify our actions or lack thereof.

DO IT AFRAID.

Go get all those YELLOW JACKETS in your life :)

We Lack + God Loves = True. REALLY?

Even though I lack so incredibly much and mess up so incredibly often- God is still CRAZY about me.

This is UNBELIEVABLE to me!

I so often wonder how He could LOVE someone as crazy/messed up/lame as me!
But for some odd reason- God Loves all of us.. unconditionally.

I recently had a very COMFORTING experience with God. I was reading Mark 10 and specifically, "The Rich Young Man."

READ IT. Mark 10:17-32

Take note of verse 10. "Jesus looked at him and loved him."

The moment after Jesus was admiring the rich young man, after Jesus knew he loved the fellow, after Jesus acknowledged his care for the rich guy..

Immediately afterward, in the same verse as quoted in Mark, Jesus told the man what he lacked. Jesus always knew He loved the rich young man- but also always knew the rich young man was not perfect.

Even though we lack, God loves us.
Oh man. what a beautiful reminder of TRUE love. The only love that comes from only one.

180.

I recently had one of the COOLEST moments during speaking. This past Sunday I gave a talk to teens in a new series we just started called "180." The series is all about allowing God to completely transform you, your crew and the way you treat outcasts. I kicked the series off by talking about allowing God to do a 180 in our individual lives - so this message was a great opportunity to go a bit deeper in my testimony.

Except this testimony had a CLEVER spin to it. (copyright*Dan Reischel) Okay so check this out. I gave my testimony in third person. I told them the dirt- my past -and then explained the 180 that occurred in this girl's life. This girl that COMPLETELY transformed because of her relationship with God. I mean this girl went from a frog to a prince, from a 1974 cell phone to a 2009 cell phone, from a rotten banana to a fresh banana.

When I spoke to the middle school students, the moment I revealed the girl I had been talking about was myself.. I saw jaws drop ..I heard gasps in the room.. I saw startled eyes.

IT WAS THE COOLEST SPEAKING MOMENT EVER!!

These teens know the present April Tatta. The April Tatta that is serious about GOD and getting others connected to GOD.

BUT- These teens do not know the past April Tatta. The April Tatta that made many very DUMB decisions because she did not care about anything, except acceptance from peers.

And this Sunday gave them an oppurtunity to experience the past April Tatta. Hopefully to realize that NO MATTER what they have done- God wants to help them make a 180!

Girly Girl Time!

Easter weekend ROCKED for many reasons- but one of my absolute favorite reasons was all the girly papmering I treated myself to!

On Good Friday, (Friday before Easter) a couple of my girlfriends and I went out to lunch at California Tortilla. Oh boy was it delish and such a FUN start to the rest of our time together!

We went shopping, this included Target, Ross, and a shoe store. I bought three adorable shirts at Ross - all short sleeve/button down. Two of them are plaid so I look like a lil farmer girl, I just need the pigtail braids!

Following the shopping was the true girly time- a manicure and pedicure. Oh yesss. I got a neon yellow paint on my toes and a french manicure, oh GIRL TIME IS THE BEST!

The next day I actually trusted one of girlfriends to cut my hair. She did a FABOLOUS job, if I do say so myself ; ) She was very precise with the angles in front and cut the side bangs just right, gotta love a girlfriend that knows how to cut hair! Also- a friend gave me a brand NEW perfume and oh is it to die for!

There was only one pampering part missing- and that is a relaxing MASSAGE!