Dear Sweet Friends,
I hope this note finds you in a place of rest. I know it’s not quite Valentine’s Day, but I thought I’d give you some thoughts about love and what it looks like. We’re called to love each and every day anyway, right?
Read morecalligraphy & design
Dear Sweet Friends,
I hope this note finds you in a place of rest. I know it’s not quite Valentine’s Day, but I thought I’d give you some thoughts about love and what it looks like. We’re called to love each and every day anyway, right?
Read moreBe thankful for the friends that invest in your life, even if you’re not physically around them. && be the kind of friend who takes initiative.
If you have the opportunity to light a candle, sit in a quiet space, and paint your nails, do it. (i.e. Do the things that refresh you. Take care of yourself.)
Productivity is not the point. Efficiency is not the point. Results are not the point. A giant house with a basement filled with junk is not the point. When did life shrink down to a single path?
Read moreAs January comes to a close, I remember who I was last year at around this time. I remember learning about minimalism and being enticed by the idea of a more intentional life.
"Minimalism is about simplifying in order to live with intention and passion, rather than being tied to or weighed down by material possessions and acquisition. Minimalism is a reaction to materialism and consumerism. It is a reaction against the idea that you need more and more things to make you happy, comfortable, and full. It allows you to focus on the parts of life that you value, that bring you fulfillment."
-A journal entry from 24 Jan 201
Read moreThis is what 2016 taught me.
January: Spending time in a new city can literally alter the course of your life. Spending time with people you love can permanently alter your perspective.
February: Your youth is not a limitation. Your age shouldn’t stop you from living life. No one can put you in a box unless you want to be there.
Read morea single step. a steady and consistent speed.
I try to keep moving. There’s a perception of laziness that comes with rest, with celebration, so I find that I don’t do either. And if I do have a moment where time stops, that’s all it is. A moment. For the longest time, my identity was found in how hard I worked, how well I took care of the people around me. I was determined to keep my focus, to maintain my grades, to do everything within my power to make sure nothing fell apart. Only, I began to notice that while everything around me was stable, I was the one breaking.
Read moreI need space.
I feel anxious when my space is crowded.
I feel anxious when my routine is compromised.
I feel anxious when I'm cold.
Read moreThis is me leaving my comfort zone:
I cut off all my hair. I dropped out of school. I got married. I moved away from home. I’ve learned to navigate a brand new city. I sang at a wedding with my husband. I started a business, and I’m preparing to be a vendor at a huge festival. I started writing this blog. I started vlogging on YouTube. I created my first lettering video.
And I noticed all these actions revolved around pushing past a single barrier: the approval of people.
Read moreThis is what November taught me.
wait: v., to remain in readiness for some purpose; to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
"The devil is fluent in deceit. He speaks lies as well as we speak English. He spews half-truths directly at our worth.”
Worry emerges when I’m not focused on the character of my Father. It rears its head when I falsely believe that I can do life on my own.
Read moreSometimes I’m afraid to ask for what I need.
Either pride barks, “You can do this yourself. You don’t really want help, do you? Your plan is far better anyway, and your ways, superior.” Or anxiety whispers, “You don’t want to interrupt someone else’s time. You don’t want to stop their flow. You don’t want to be a burden. You aren’t important enough.” These two manipulators are really two sides of the same coin, both deeply rooted in identity and self-worth. The first is an inflated, manic view of your value, and the second is a depleted version. But both of them lead to isolation. Both of them are paralyzing.
Read moreI've been thinking about how easily I allow trivial statements to jump under my skin. It seriously amazes me how a meaningless remark can alter my emotions. (Can anyone relate?)
Face it, we all have at least one person in our lives who holds this sort of power over us. [A parent, a sibling, a child, a friend, a complete stranger.] You know who it is for you. Maybe a name or a face came to mind. Maybe you can hear that person’s voice. Maybe you have an anecdote that emerged as you read these words.
Read moreThis is what October taught me:
My Father knows me entirely, and yet, He chooses to stick around. (Continually amazed.)
The person you argue with the most is a person with a story. Be kind.
God ordains certain hardship so we can grow and choose to seek Him, knowing full well we can just as easily choose to run. There’s risk God takes in allowing pain.
Read more6:45 am.
The dread of waking up.
I don't really feel this anymore. I've convinced my brain that it wants to be awake when the sun comes up. The quiet hours of the morning are exactly what this introverted soul requires to have a beautiful day.
Here in Nash, the sun sleeps in, which means every day this week, I could open my east-facing window and watch the sky prepare for the day. I had ample time to sip my coffee, eat some yogurt, and embrace my Savior. No more racing out the door. No more hitting snooze or setting multiple alarms.
Read moreAs a calligrapher, you see TONS of inspirational quotes; they literally flood your feed. And when I’d see “Bloom where you’re planted” or “Be here now,” I'd feel the twinge in my gut of 'am I really living in the moment?’ See, at that time, I was transitioning to a different stage of my life. I was constantly planning and dreaming and moving.
Read moreI’m 20 years old, and I’m also a wife. This past August, I willingly abandoned all semblance of a comfortable life. I’m no longer a student (in the traditional sense), and I probably won’t ever have a degree, much to my parents' chagrin.
I’m also completely at peace with the decisions I’ve made.
Read more