Tag: Christian blog

Thanksgiving Recap | 2022

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Hey, everyone! My name is Princess Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving, which depending on where you live, may or may not have been yesterday! It recently dawned on me that I hadn’t even posted any Thanksgiving-themed posts on my blog, this year. And since Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday (after Christmas and my birthday) that’s going to change today.

I decided to write a Thanksgiving recap by listing what I did to spend Thanksgiving of 2022. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

1. Said a Thanksgiving prayer. Like we do every night and everyday before we leave the house, me and Goodmommy said a prayer thanking God for some of the things that we are thankful for during Thanksgiving afternoon. And I just have to say that the weather was absolutely perfect.

2. Celebrated Goodmommy’s birthday. Yes. Yes Goodmommy’s birthday is on Thanksgiving, which is like one of the best birthday’s ever (after Christmas, that is.) The only place we went to yesterday was my family’s house, but the day before I bought her two pairs of tennis shoes along with some Happy Birthday balloons. Goodmommy really appreciated all of her gifts, and I was so grateful to be able to make her b-day the best one yet!

3. Caught up with family. Like every major holiday of the year, I spent Thanksgiving at my great-grandmother’s house. And while I see Bigma all the time, it had been about a year since I’d seen my little cousins. I probably could have taken so many more photos, but being around family makes your devices a lot less important. But honestly, I think that’s just how the day was supposed to go.

4. Eat some soul food (and dessert). While Goodmommy had made some chicken and veggie soup the night before Thanksgiving–which smelled and tasted SO GOOD–I didn’t end up actually eating some until Thanksgiving night. At Bigma’s house, I had a plate of mac and cheese, yellow rice, and a couple of Bigma’s meatballs (which are that one thing that I make sure to have every holiday; they’re the best.) I topped off my meal with a piece of vanilla cake, and I ended up having a second slice about an hour later. There was also some apple pie, but I loved the cake so much that I forgot to have a slice. Although I don’t usually eat that type of food (only on special occasions) I had a great time eating my favorite soul foods.

5. Watched a party game. Some of my family members enjoyed the evening with a game called The Upside Down Challenge. It’s where you have to wear these funny glasses that turn your view upside down (so peoples’ heads are facing downwards) and you have to try to do simple tasks with them on. Some examples were drawing a star or crushing a cup with your foot. As the ambivert I am, I preffered to just sit down and watch. But I enjoyed seeing my family members have a fun time.

6. Recounted my blessings. At the end of the day, Thanksgiving stays true to its name. Yesterday was a time for me to thank God for his sacrifice on the cross, and everything that He has blessed me with. And if you ask me, that was one of the highlights of the entire day.

I hope you all enjoyed seeing how I spent this year’s Thanksgiving, and I pray that you all had one that was just as wonderful! And please don’t forget to begin putting up your Christmas decorations–now that Thanksgiving Day of 2022 is over, the Christmas season has arrived. Please let me know in the comments, what was your favorite part of this Thanksgiving? I would love to hear from you!

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all, and I’ll see you next time! Peace in! And don’t forget that truly, everyday is Thanksgiving! ♡

Monthly Wrap Up | October 2022

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Hey, hey, hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. And no, we are not dreaming; it’s really already November! To be honest, October was like a fun roller coaster ride, for me. It was super fun, but it also went by crazy fast.

Either way, I really enjoyed myself, last month, and I’d like to share some of my experiences with you guys! So without further ado, let’s get into the October ’22 monthly wrap-up!

My Life

  • It’s been a while since I’ve given you all an update on my fitness journey. While I’ve been a little slow lately when it comes to walking outside three days a week, me and Goodmommy have been finding other creative ways to get some exercise. We’ve even been following along to workouts that we find on YouTube. At first, it took some adjusting but now I look forward to adding more variety to my fitness routine!
  • I officially started National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, and so far, I’ve added nearly 2,000 words. I plan to write about 50,000 words by November 30th. Is it a crazy goal? Maybe a little bit. But I’m so stoked about my new story, and I can’t wait to read the finished product.
  • Experimenting with photography is another thing that I’ve been working on. Lately, I’ve been working with capturing different angles and objects (such as trees, or the sunset) as well as looking at different perspectives to capture a shot. I think that October might be my best month this year as far as my photography goes, because I took quite a few gorgeous pictures!
This photo is definitely one of my faves :> All Rights Reserved.

Books I Read

While I’ve bought a lot of books, this month flew by so quickly that I wasn’t able to finish any of them. But, there are a few that I started, so I’ll be sharing a brief review of my first impressions of each one. However, you may look at my more in-depth opinion in my last book haul. Let’s go!

  • The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin — Basically, this novel that I found at The Dollar Tree (yes, you heard correctly) is intriguing and confusing at the same time. It’s about a small school that consists of grades 1-8. It takes place in a class of 11 students–also known as the entire 7th grade–who idolized their classmate Paulie Fink. It’s kind of at a stand-still right now. Like, I know what’s happening but I don’t know what’s happening. Either way, it seems like a pretty fun book, so I’ll likely get back into it when I’m not so busy.
  • Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Book I by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger — honestly, Goodmommy was the one who ended up picking out this book for me. I really love the originality that it includes with a variety of true stories, poems, and other types of creative writing by teenagers and adults about their teenage years. There’s so many lessons in this book that I think that any teenager could learn/benefit from!
  • Savvy by Ingrid Law — to be honest, I couldn’t have read much more than 20 pages of this one (if that many) but it’s probably because beginning took a long time to get off the ground. Everything was so slow paced that it kind of lost my interest quickly, which was suprising because its one of my new books that I was the most excited about. But considering that it’s just the beginning of the book, I’ll get back into it eventually to see if things get more exciting.
  • Better with Butter by Victoria Piontek — Out of all the books that I’ve read this month, this one has got to be the cutest! In a nutshell, it’s about a shy girl with anxiety who gains confidence when she saves a baby goat named Butter. So far, the beginning of this novel has been pretty promising, and I’m super excited to see where this story goes next!
All Rights Reserved.

Series I Watched

  • One of my favorite series ever is The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is an exclusive series on Disney+. It’s about a group of smart, yet neglected kids who make a band of do-gooders to save their city from a conundrum called the Emergency. To me, this series is the perfect mix between adventure, mystery, fantasy, and the wholesome friendships that dominate a film. And what’s even cooler is that they just released season 2!
  • It’s been a long time since I’ve binged-watched this series, but I recently took a dive back into That’s So Raven. I think most teenagers and young adults can agree that it’s probably one of the most nostalgic sitcoms of the 20th century. While Raven’s Home is a decent sequel, I don’t think it compares to the original.
  • I have a lot of Disney Channel shows that I really love, but one of my ultimate favorites is Good Luck Charlie, just because it’s such a wholesome and quirky show. No matter how much I see the episodes, they never fail to make me laugh 100 times over.
  • Occasionally, I also tend to watch the show Walk the Prank. In about the 3rd or 4th grade, I used to watch this show almost every day after school. And while I don’t watch it all that much now, it’s really nice to look back at it when I need a little laugh. There’s something about childhood shows that’s just so comforting.
All Rights Reserved.

My Favorite Posts of the Month

I wrote and published a total of 13 posts, this month! Hooray! I’m honestly not mad at the number, because I think every single post I made was super good, and that’s what matters most as a writer! While I loved all the posts that I published in October of 22′, there were a few that stood out to me:

And that was the monthly wrap-up of October of 2022! Hopefully, you all enjoyed seeing the highlights of last month for me. Please comment down below, which post of mine last month did you enjoy the most? Also, what was YOUR favorite part of last month?

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

Just Some Outdoorsy Photography

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Disclaimer: All of the photographs present within this blog post were taken by me, Q’Zion, and posted on MY personal blog. Therefore, every photograph within this post is my property. Please do not use, copy, or redistribute these photos in any way. They are for viewing purposes only. Thank you so much and enjoy the post!

Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Today, I decided to post some more of my photography that I’ve taken on my frequent trips to the park. Although I’ve already showed a few of these pictures, I’ve managed to capture so many more awesome shots, and I’m so excited to show you all the pics! Without further ado, let’s get into it!

For some reason, these plants remind me of fresh bamboo (even though I don’t know exactly what they look like.)There’s something about that eye-catching medium green that makes the photo look so crisp looking. And I love how the vertical lines look against the horizontals of the brick wall.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; flowers are truly the gem of nature. At one of the parks that I frequently visit to go on my mile walks, there are so many flower bushes in a variety of colors. And if you know me, you know that means photoshoot galore. Anyways, I’m super satisfied with how this came out.

I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about this picture that literally DEMANDS to be presented on my blog–which is why I’ve also incorporated it in the sidebar on the homepage, if you haven’t already noticed. I’ve got to admit that Goodmommy did an amazing job on this shot of me. Although I hadn’t been expecting to take any photos as gorgeous as this, I thank God that I was there to get this amazing shot! Thanks again, Goodmommy!

Look who was peaking around the corner! I don’t know about you all . . . but I am OBSESSED with this masterpiece! These ducks are so gorgeous that this has officially become one of my favorite photos of the year.

To be honest, I think the birds were a little annoyed that I was capturing them on camera lol. As you can see, they all decided to go for a swim once they saw me. But it’s all good, because I was able to get this gorgeous shot.

I also found this big guy (or girl) drying his/her wings. Is it just me or are birds so satisfying to capture on camera? From their wings, to their elegant poses–such as this one, to their overall beauty, I find them some of the most fascinating animals to take pictures of. If you also like to take nature photography, do you like to photograph birds, too? Let me know in the comments.

Of course, me and my Goodmommy are both equally obsessed with selfies. Our park dates are some of my favorite times to take pictures together. The background and lighting is always so picture perfect that it’s super hard to go wrong.

OMG, the sky is so pretty in this shot. And do you see the tree on the right turning yellow and orange? I’m definitely getting the fall vibes from this angle. And if you ask me, that’s the perfect way to bring this post to an end.

I hope you all enjoyed viewing some of my nature photography, today! Honestly, seeing it all in one place is so rewarding to see. Please tell me below in the comments, which one of these photographs was your favorite? Also, if you like to take photography, what is your favorite thing in nature to take photos of?

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless each and every one of you, and don’t forget to stay sweet! Peace in!

Mid-October Thrift Book Haul | 2022 ♡

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Hey, everyone! This is Q’Zion and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Yes, yes I am posting a second bookish post, this week. But I decided to spice things up by posting something that I’ve never done before: a book haul! This month, I’ve already got 8 new books! I don’t know about you guys, but for me, that’s a lot for only half a month!

My favorite place to buy thrift books, which are awesome if you are on a budget, is Goodwill. Before last week, it had been about 2 1/2 years since we’d last stopped by, since we didn’t want to buy any pre-used items during COVID-19. But now that the virus appears to be subsiding, me and Goodmommy (my grandmother and guardian) figured that it’s a good time to start again! So, without further ado, here’s all the books I’ve received this month!

  • Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez

I stumbled upon this one by just browsing a large bookshelf in a thrift store. And of course, the bright colors were quick to catch my attention. I had never heard of this author or book before, but when I looked at the back and saw that 1) It’s a contemporary Christian novel and 2) It had a super interesting plot; the protagonist’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, I was immediately sold.

  • Savvy by Ingrid Law

I don’t think any fan of fantasy middle grade books would reject this novel. As soon as I saw the striking cover art of Savvy, I knew that it would be a book that I would like. It’s about a girl named Mibs, short for Mississippi, who is about to turn thirteen and earn her “savvy,” which is a superpower that is earned by each member of her family on their 13th birthday. I can’t wait to get into this one; it’s seems like such a good read!

  • Better with Butter by Victoria Piontek

To be honest, by the title of this book, you’d think it’d be about food lol. But I was pleasantly surprised to see a little baby goat on the front. This cute novel is about a girl with anxiety who learns to face her fears when fate leads her to a little baby goat, whom she names Butter. There’s something about books involving cute animals that makes them so tempting to read. I hope this book is as good as it is adorable.

  • Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

Books that take place in the summer are always so refreshing…even when it’s not actually summertime. And they’re almost always the most colorful, so that’s always a plus. But from the start, this vibrant novel seemed like such a blast–and the plot about a teenage girl becoming a CIT at a summer camp to avoid being a third wheel with her best friend’s new boyfriend and some subtopics like friendship seemed pretty promising. I’m looking forward to giving this one a shot.

  • The Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin

Believe it or not, I actually found this book at Dollar Tree. There is so much going on in this cover art… but I actually kind of liked it. The art style almost reminds me of Gordon Korman’s novels–especially the cute banana peel. I actually started this one about a week ago, and while it was pretty confusing at the beginning–kind of like the cover–it’s growing on me the more I read it. So, keep looking out for my review on this book throughout the next few weeks.

  • Scat by Carl Miaasen

The first thing that caught my attention about this novel was the name. Scat. To be honest, that within itself seems like a pretty odd name for a book. Then, when I read the synopsis the first thing I could think of was the word “quirky.” It looks like this will be such a strange, yet fun book. And I can’t wait to read what this story has up its sleeve!

  • Chicken Noodle Soup for the Teenage Soul I by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kerberger

It’s very rare that I read a book that’s not fiction, but this popular classic became an exception when Goodmommy brought it to my attention. Chicken Noodle Soup is an entire, Christian based, self-help series filled with a bunch of inspirational short stories and poems sent by either teenagers and/or adults—depending on the target age group—about their personal life experiences, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. And better yet, they have a book(s) for parents, college students, Christians, kids, dog lover’s, teachers, etc. so there’s really a book in this series for everyone. But of course, I got the teenage version. I’ve already read 1 1/2 of the 8 sections, and I’m already loving it!

  • Chicken Noodle Soup for the Teenage Soul II by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kerberger

Surpise! Turns out, we were able to spot the second edition to this trilogy in the Chicken Soup series. To be honest, I could not be more thrilled–and tempted to get the third book, plus a version specifically for Christian teens, to complete my collection lol.

  • Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, and Marci Shimoff.

Double surprise! God surely provides us with what we need; and apparently Goodmommy needed a Chicken Soup book, too. It’s so awesome to see her expanding her book collection, as well. In fact, I think my bookish ways are starting to rub off on her. Whether or not Goodmommy is turning into a bookworm, I’m glad to see her buying new books. Besides, this one practically screams her name with the design!

From now on, I just might make book hauls a monthly (or half-a-monthly) tradition on my blog. This was so much fun! Also, I would love to know if YOU like shopping for thrift books in the comments. If you do, what’s your favorite place to get them? But if not, what book format do you prefer (brand new physical books, eBooks, audiobooks, etc.?)

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Bye, for now! ♡

Monthly Wrap-Up | September 2022

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Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome back to my corner of the Internet! Oof, I just realized that it’s been 5 days since I last posted. I’m so sorry, y’all: it’s been a really busy few days! But thank God I got through it with flying colors! And I’m back with my monthly wrap-up of September of 2022.

Today I’ll be discussing some of my favorite moments from this month, with some of the novels I’ve finished and films I’ve watched sprinkled in between. Okay, okay–enough of the chatter. Let’s get started!

My Life

  • My birthday was this month, and I’ve got to say that it was the best birthday ever. (But just wait until I say the same thing next year.😂) My favorite gift was probably my second ear piercing! I got my first one when I was a baby, so being able to experience getting a piercing for the first time was an experience that I’ll never forget. You can look at my 2022 birthday post here!

  • I realized that in the past few months, I’ve been reading (and actually finishing) more books! In fact, ever since I joined Book Club last year, I feel like I’ve started getting into the swing of things again when it comes to reading every month. And that’s a huge relief, because I could never imagine my life without books!
  • Goodmommy and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, this month. As part of our fitness journey, we’ve been experimenting with flourless cookie recipes, and so far we’ve made peanut butter cookies, dark chocolate oat cookies, and fudge chocolate cookies, which were made from hot chocolate mix. While the peanut butter cookies were my favorites, they were all fun to bake and taste!

  • I’ve had at least one club meeting for each of my clubs now (which are Creative Writing, Glee, and Teen Driving Club). Even though most of the clubs are way different then what I was anticipating to join, this year, I couldn’t be happier with my choices! They make school days so much more, eventful, if you know what I mean.

Books I Read

  • Guts by Raina Telgemeier (link to review) – I’ve been a fan of Raina’s books since I was eight years old, and after finally getting my hands on the triology of her Smile series, I have to say that it didn’t disapoint. From the protagonist’s quirky character to the elementary school nostalgia, this book is the perfect gift for any tween or teenager–not to mention the perfect new addition to my growing graphic novel collection.
  • Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt (link to review) – Although I love to read more than most things in this world, I’m hard to impress when it comes to giving a book five stars. But Fish in a Tree is one of the few novels to win that award. From the lessons of friendship, self-esteem, and being yourself, to the character development, iconic quotes, and heartfelt moments, this novel is officially one of my new favorites.
  • From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks – I don’t want to reveal too much about this one because my review on it isn’t out yet . . . but this was SUCH an inspiring book! Zoe reminded me so much of myself, and the pace of the story was just right to keep things moving without being hard to follow. It’s so hard to believe that this was Janae Marks’ debut novel. In fact, her second novel, A Soft Place to Land, is now on my TBR (to be read) list!

Movies That I Watched

  • An Unlikely Angel – This film was such a beautiful reminder and demonstration of how God gives us second chances. Overall, there were a lot of funny and tense moments in this movie–a bit of an emotional roller coaster for the protagonist as we follow her on her journey to learning how to be a mother. If you’re a Christian who likes sweet movies that are perfect for family movie night, I would highly recommend watching this film on Pureflix.
  • The Mystery of Her – To be honest, I was really excited to watch this movie as soon as we turned on the trailer. And for the most part I liked it . . . that’s kind of all I’ve got. This film was about a teenage girl who tries to find herself after loosing her memory in a car accident. At first, it was good, but it slowly became more and more confusing. The end was pretty open, so it kind of left it up to you to imagine how the girl’s story ended. Not my favorite kind of ending, but it was an okay movie overall.
  • Grace Unplugged – This. I absolutely LOVED this movie. The main character, Grace, is a newly-eighteen-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a pop star–like her father, who was a rock star that threw away his fame to sing at their local church. I really appreciated how this movie showed young audiences–especially Christian teens–what it means and looks like to go down the wrong path. But there were also some amazing characters in the film that helped Grace get back on track with pleasing the Lord–and finding herself in the process. This film is definitely a must-see for any Christian teen/young adult.
  • The Way Home – To be honest, I didn’t watch the first half of this movie because I was busy watching YouTube videos and playing Roblox lol, but the second half was super emotional and pretty good, overall. And considering its about a community working together to try and find a missing two-year-old I expected that from the beginning. The ending was super heartwarming, and the fact that the film is based on a true story made this movie that much sweeter.

My Favorite Posts of the Month

So, we wrote a total of 11 post this month, 12 including this wrap-up, and I’ve got to admit that although I didn’t post a lot, I’ve written some really awesome posts, this month. I think I deserve a little self-pat-on-the-back. Anyway, here are some of my favorite posts of the month.

If you’d like to check out all the posts that I’ve written, this September, please check out THIS LINK!

I hope you all enjoyed reading what I was up to for the entire month! Overall, I really enjoyed myself these past thirty days, and I pray you all have, as well. And speaking of prayer, please send your prayers for all the victims of Hurricane Ian around the world. Your kind thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

What were your favorite parts of this month? I would love to hear your responses in the comments!

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everybody! God bless you all and have a splendid weekend! ~ Q’Zion ♡

5 Things that Exercise Has Done for Me

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It’s been about a month since I started my fitness journey, and it all started when I began my ‘Physical Education with HOPE’ course. After struggling to complete the mile run for a baseline fitness assessment, me and my grandmother started walking a mile (at minimum) three days a week, while incorporating other exercises (like dancing and muscle strength training) to spice things up, in between.

Even though these awesome changes in our lifestyle are still pretty new, my life has changed for the better in so many ways (even as a teenager) and I’d like to share some of the things that exercise has done for me with you all! Let’s jump into it!

1. It’s made me stronger

Believe it or not, exercises as simple as walking engage quite a few of your muscles. And I’ve noticed that my muscular endurance–or the amount of walking that I can do without getting tired–has increased significantly within this first month. Now, we always manage to surpass our goal of 1 mile on our “park dates” and I always love the challenge.

2. It has increased my confidence

There’s something about creating an exercise routine and sticking with it that gives your self esteem a huge boost. Like you’re capable of anything that you set your mind to. For me, exercise has become a way for me to clear my mind and have a productive rest of the day. Whenever I’m done with a workout, I feel like I’m ready to take on the world!

3. I feel lighter on my feet (mentally and physically)

Even while scooting the results on the scale aside, I can see just by looking in the mirror that I am making progress. Plus, I can feel my progress with how much easier it is to engage in physical activity, both while exercising and doing everyday things. And while most people think that exercise is just for physical benefits, I think the mental aspect is what keeps me the most motivated. While getting a breath of fresh air and working off some calories, I can’t help but feel that much more at peace. And considering that that’s coming from someone who’s always had a happy personality, it means a lot!

4. I’m more productive

Remember how I said that walking has helped me prepare for a productive day? Well, something else that I’ve noticed in the last four weeks is how much more energy I have throughout the day. I’m able to focus on my school assignments even more than before, my attention span has increased, and I’m able to get more done throughout the week.

5. I have a better quality of life

In short, exercise has made me feel happier, healthier, and more productive every day. I’m able to do more and feel great while doing it. Even a little bit of exercise a few times a week has made a huge difference in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. And a healthier body, mind, and spirit make for a happier life.

As you all can see, exercise is a powerful tool that we all need a little bit of in our day to day life. I wrote this post not only to share my experiences during my fitness journey with other teenagers, but also to encourage other young people to get a few minutes of exercise every day! From dancing to playing fitness video games to playing sports, there are so many different ways to get active: we just have to be a little creative! Hopefully, this post will help you do just that!

What are some of your favorite (or most fun) ways to exercise? I would love to read your responses in the comments!

Have a healthy, happy day, everyone! May God bless you all, peace in, and never forget that God is love! Bye everybody! ♡

Beachy vibes at the park | National Beach Day ♡

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Hello, hello, beautiful people! Welcome to my little corner of the Internet, a.k.a. The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. I can’t believe that September is almost here. It genuinely feels like August just started! Anyway, today was the fourth time that me and Goodmommy visited the park to start our fitness journey, and it’s already starting to become apart of our weekly routine.

You guys already know that I’m always looking at the National Days as inspiration for new creative content for you all, and I recently discovered that August 30th is National Beach Day. Since I won’t be posting tomorrow, I thought I would tell you all the good news–and show some of the ✨ beachy ✨ pictures that I took at our go-to park to celebrate one of the most iconic staples of summer. Let’s get this party started!

Out of all of the shots that I took today, this one is probably in the top 3–and believe me when I say I took a lot of photos today. I know what you all are probably thinking: what does this have to do with National Beach Day if I didn’t take these pictures at an actual beach? Well, you’re not completely wrong, there. But I think that this shot truly gives those beachy summer vibes that we’re all craving at this time of year.

Let. Me. Tell. You. If you really want to see some cute animals, a park is probably the place to go. Over the course of today’s visit to the park–which was only about one hour–we saw a multitude of birds, butterflies, squirrels, dragonflies, and bees. And although you can’t really see it in the picture, I actually tried to capture some of the insects that were pollinating the white flowers in this photo. Either way, I think the shot is still really cute!

This is just a closer look of the water. All I have to say is it’s ✨absolutely gorgeous ✨!

And last but not least is this shot that I took of this crack in the ground. I think it’s super cool how plants can just sprout right through cracks in concrete, like this. In fact, plants are probably some of my favorite things to capture while practicing my photography. There are so many different kinds of flowers and trees that it’s hard not to take a snapshot every time I see one. What can I say? Plants are some of the jewels of nature.

It was nice to take a break after our usual workout and spend a few minutes by the water. There’s something about being in nature that’s so relaxing and energizing. For me, it’s the perfect way to start a new week after a few busy days. I encourage you all to go outside sometime this week, as well. Because, let’s face it; we all need to breathe some fresh air and feel that refreshing summer breeze, every once and a while.

Have a beautiful and blessed day, y’all! God bless you all, and I will catch you next time! Peace in! ♡

Paperback vs. Hardcover Books: Where Do I Stand? ♡

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What’s up, my fabulous followers! This is Princess Q (a.k.a. Q’Zion) and welcome to my blog! ♡

Now, to all of my fellow book fanatics, there’s really no such thing as a bad way to read a good book. From audiobooks, to hardcovers, there are so many different ways to read! And while all bookworms love a good story, we each have our own preferences for how we like to read. One of the largest debates among the bookworm community is the simple question: Are paperback or hardcover books better?

Although it may seem silly to most people, a majority of bookworms have a preference between the two. Honestly, I have both paperback and hardcover books in my collection, and as long as I have a book that I can hold, I’m a happy camper! But I thought it’d be cool if I had a little discussion about what I like about each, and whether or not I have a true preference between the two. Let’s go!

Paperbacks

I think we can all agree that paperbacks are probably the most convenient when compared to hardcovers. They’re cheaper, lighter, easier to transport while traveling, and they take up less space, which is super helpful for those of us who have hundreds of books in our collection.

I have to admit that if I put a book in my purse to take with me while I go out, it’s most likely going to be a paperback. They just have this classic “homey” feeling when holding them in my hands; and since I love to read while getting comfy in my bead or on the couch, that is a huge bonus!

Hardcovers

Whenever I get a hardcover book, the one thing that I can think is “fancy.” If you’re someone who highly values the aesthetic of your bookshelf, these are probably the way to go. Hardcover books last longer, are harder to stain due to dust jackets–or those little thick wrappers that wrap around the cover–and make for a much more luxurious reading experience.

It would be a lie for me to say that I don’t love all of my hardcover books. Not only is the cover art absolutely gorgeous, but they are also so nice to look at on a shelf. Although, when I’m reading them they are a lot heavier to hold, which isn’t the best as someone who likes to be comfortable while reading. And even though I adore dust jackets for their function and how they look, I almost always end up setting them to the side while I read. Despite these few drawbacks, I can’t deny that the fact that hardcover books are so gorgeous makes up for them.

Okay, so I know that you guys are still waiting for me to answer the question. Which type of book do I like the most: paperbacks or hardcovers? But to be honest with you, I’d have to say neither. At the end of the day, they both have their pros and cons. As long as it’s a good book–and preferably one that I can physically hold–I couldn’t be happier.

Well, I’ve already told you all where I stand in the paperback vs. hardcover debate. But what about you? Do you prefer paperbacks, hardcover, eBooks, or audiobooks? In fact, do you have a preference at all? I would love to hear from all my fellow bookworms in the comments!

Have an awesome rest of your week, everybody! God bless you all, and I will catch you later! Peace in! ♡

Run With Me // a summer day at the park

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Hey, y’all! It’s Q’Zion, here and welcome back to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the brand new school year; I know I definitely am!

Speaking of school, one of my electives that I’m taking right now is Health Opportunities Through Physical Education, also known as HOPE: in short, it’s like P.E., except it goes a bit more in depth with how we can set goals to benefit our physical, mental, social, and academic health.

This week, we have to submit this fitness assessment, where we do a variety of exercises to test our physical endurance, strength, and stamina. One of the largest parts of the assessment was the 1 mile walk/run. Me and Goodmommy decided to get the job done by visiting a local park for the first time.

I’ve got to admit that before I began taking the HOPE course, it had been a long time since I’ve actually went outside and had a good run; probably too long, in fact. But what I love about the course is it allows you to look at your overall health as is, and use the information that you gather from workouts like this to set goals for future improvement.

Our Apple Watches were a huge help in keeping track of our distance and heart rate, while we ran—and took walking breaks, in between. Seriously though; a fitness watch is truly a necessity for anyone who wants to keep track of their physical activity.

Everyone needs to get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. And while it might take a little extra effort—there’s nothing like taking a walk in the summer breeze.

Walking in nature is such a different feeling then working out in your home. Not only is there much more space to move around, but it’s pretty hard to resist not taking a photo here and there. But can you really blame me? I’ve got to give it to Goodmommy, she found a beautiful park!

And I think one of the things that I love most about this particular location is that it has a lot of statues and other structures that can help you learn about the history of our country, such as past wars and victories. The historical aspect of the park almost makes it feel like an outdoor art museum.

This eagle statue on a podium was probably my favorite of them all. It looks so realistic; I can’t imagine how long it took to make. Plus, can we just talk about how perfect the landscaping is? Now that’s what I call ✨gorgeous ✨!

Overall, me and Goodmommy had such an awesome time together. From now on, we plan on going outside to get some fresh air a lot more often. Next time I’ll be sure to take pictures of us in action. I can already see both me and Goodmommy reaching our fitness goals pretty soon! And I can’t wait to continue to document our journey!

What’s your favorite way to exercise? Also, do you prefer to work out inside or outside? I would love to hear from you all down below in the comments!

Hav a great rest of your day or night, y’all! God bless you all, and I’ll see you next time! Laters! ✨

It’s National Photography Day | Here’s what I did to celebrate ♡

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A/N~Every photograph that is present in (and on top of) this blog post, was taken by me, and therefore each of these photos are my property. Please do not redistribute or use any of my photographs for any reason. Thank you, and enjoy the post! ~ Q’Zion ✨

Guess what, y’all: today is Friday. Hallelujah! I hope you all have had an amazing week! You know, there’s something that I realized earlier today: it’s been a while since I’ve practiced my photography. And by that I mean have an entire photoshoot, like I usually do on the rare occasions that I go out of the house. But then I found out that today is both World Photo Day and National Photography Day!

And since most of you know that I have fell in love with photography ever since studying it in my Visual Art class, last year, I decided to take a few photos outside to celebrate. What can I say? It was absolutely gorgeous outside, this afternoon. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite shots that I took today. Enjoy!

What’s funny is that I took a majority of these photos whilst Goodmommy—my grandmother and guardian—was driving. So although the diagonal line in this photo wasn’t intentional, I have to admit that I don’t really mind it.

Landscapes in nature are some of my favorite things to photograph. I think that when it comes to the outdoors, there’s so much variety when it comes to lines, shape, and color. There’s literally an opportunity to take a great photo at every corner. It just takes a little patience and the speed to snap your shot at the perfect moment. I thank God that in half a year, I’m already seeing some improvement.

I’ve got to admit that I’m absolutely in love with this one! The clouds and sky have been so pretty lately. Plus, the color from the flowers are just right to add a little brightness to the photo! God definitely had everything arranged perfectly for me, today! Thank you, Jesus!

Me and Goodmommy like to change the wreath on our front door every season or upcoming holiday. I’ve got to admit that this one is one of my favorites. Although, purple, pink and blue are my favorite colors—especially when they’re all together—so I may be a little biased.

Although the shot of these bushes are probably the most simple out of all of these photos, I really like it for some reason; the way that the leaves are two colors gives a really cool effect! I guess that just goes to show that sometimes, the most simple things in life can be the most beautiful of them all.

Alrighty, so those were some of my favorite photos that I took in celebration of National Photography Day and World Photo Day of 2022, and I have to admit that I’m super happy with the results! Hopefully, you guys liked them, too!

Which one of my photographs in this post did you like the most? What’s your favorite thing to take pictures of? Also, what did you do to celebrate National Photography Day—if you knew about it before now? I would love to read your responses in the comments!

Have an amazing weekend, everyone! God bless you all and I will catch you later! Peace in! ♡