Confession #19: I've always wondered, what would happen if...

I have to say I love the "On this day" feature on Facebook. It's fun to see what I was doing or what was on my mind last year or six years ago. Some days I'm surprised by how much I've grown in my faith. Other days I long for the days where I heard so clearly from the Lord. Sometimes I see God's grace and His hand over my life and other times I just laugh at the silliness of my friends and myself. It can also be a not so fun feature, like when I see how much thinner I was five years ago or when I see reference of a friend that no longer is. But no matter what memories or feelings the trip down Facebook memory lane, it serves as a virtual scrapbook and let's be honest, ain't nobody got time to scrapbook (well, at least I don't).

One year ago today I posted a series of questions. Questions that were birthed out of a place of anger and frustration, a place of disappointment in how we treat each other as women. It was birthed out of love. These questions weren't hypothetical but more like a challenge for us to step up as women. We are failing each other and I believe these questions are still worth asking. We need to explore all these "What would happen if" scenarios. So as you read my Facebook post from a year ago I invite you to ask yourself "What if?" but more importantly ask yourself "What now?"

What would happen?

What would happen if women came together and supported each other? If they would encourage and uplift each other? If they would celebrate each others gifts and celebrated each other talents? What if they didn't feel threatened by each others successes and mentored other women so they could also succeed? What if they pulled their resources together and worked along side of each other? What would their ministries, businesses, legacies, and families look like if they did?

What if WE as women committed to try to do some things? If we were intentional on liking, sharing, and supporting the ventures, businesses, and ministries of the women in our sphere of influence? What if we were intentional to include people in our tribe and make them feel significant loved and included? What if we stopped idolizing celebrities and leaders and we celebrated the stay at home mom doing everything to keep it together,the homeless women just trying to make it another day, the teacher that loves and instructs your kids everyday, the beautiful lady that greets you at church, or that one that posts exactly what you needed to read on FB or Instagram? What if???

#womenneedwomen #celebrateeachother

Much Love, 

Cristina

**This is part of the 31 day series: Confessions of a Faithonista**

Confession #11: I drive 4 hours to get my hair done...

Call it craziness, call it blonde ambition but every 3 to 4 weeks I travel about 4 hours to get my hair done. There's no logical explanation for this other than I haven't found anyone in my town or nearby San Antonio to do my hair the way I like it.

It hasn't always been this way. I actually stumbled upon the colorist hair genius that is Ana, very randomly. A trip to visit family and a casual conversation in a mall led me to elements salon. The rest is history. Well, maybe not history but certainly the most perfect platinum blonde hair to ever grace my head. 

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This was a few years ago, before my wedding or having a baby. I continued to see Ana for a while, but as the wedding grew near, I had to find a closer option for my beauty ritual. After the wedding life got busy as a newlywed and soon to be mother, and platinum wasn't practical. My blonde ambition got shelved as I delved into motherhood.

Then one day, I awoke from the slumber and my soul cried out summoning the blonde that lived inside of me. I actually found another angel/hair stylist. Her name was Kim. She is  a pastor's wife I met during a conference. A woman who loved women and I was blessed to have known her. As she dyed and cut and styled my hair each month, we would share stories of our toddlers and the messiness of ministry. Until one day, the Lord called them back home...to Virginia!!! Ugh!!! I had finally found some one local I loved and the Lord sent her away. What was a girl to do?

It took me a while, but for some reason I felt like I was supposed to find Ana again. Go back to Houston. Crazy as it sounds, I knew that whatever it was that the Lord had for me at that salon, it was way more than my hair. See, I'm sure it might come across as high maintenance and pretentious to drive 4 hours because there's no one good enough here. I would think the same thing. 

But God. God had a plan.

I slowly got back into the rhythm. Ana got my hair on track and I got to know her more and more with each visit. Hopefully one day I'll be able to share a little bit of Ana's story and how it's blown me away and blessed me in so many ways. But it's not my story to tell. And since I'm the ultimate procrastinator, none of these posts are planned until I sit down each night to type them. In other words, no time for me to ask Ana permission to share a glimpse into her life.

I will tell you this...I drive 4 hours to get my hair done...I drive 4 hours because my soul gets filled with life, love, and laughter with every visit. It's not about the hair...it's not about my appearance...it's about the beauty that's created between the women that sit around Ana's table each time I visit.

Much love,

Cristina

**This is part of the 31 day series: Confessions of a Faithonista**