She Prospers: 2014

"The Weary World Rejoices"

This Christmas I'm thankful for a place to call home with my husband. I'm thankful that this year has been full of twists and turns because I feel stronger than I did this time last Christmas. I'm thankful for the traditions that we have started and for times to gather with friends and family.

This year I've chosen to make room for Advent. To take the time to soak in the truth that Christmas means as God put on skin and came to rescue and redeem us. It feels different in the best possible way. Minimal rushing, less time writing and more time reading (books and not my Instagram feed), lots of quality time spent with my husband and our pups with lots of resting.

I've come to see that Chrismas is more exciting because I've spent more time waiting in anticipation, not only for a day of celebrating but in waiting to hear from the Lord. He came to save us and restore us. He came to free us from ourselves. He came to breathe life into our bones and grant us grace.

Merry Christmas friends and I hope that you have a very Happy New Year!

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Memories are Worth Making

During this busy season of the year, full of special traditions, gift buying and my new sales position at the Refugee Sewing Society, I'm trying to let go of my own expectations and be content with the memories that I'm making instead. Here are a few things that I'm looking forward to enjoying

during this Advent season.

Spending time decorating our new home for Christmas.

I can't wait to hang up this precious free printable from the Jones Design Company

(Join her email list and get printables for free!)

Continuing to study the Advent Plan from She Reads Truth

Watching classic Christmas movies... I've always been a sucker for It's a Wonderful Life.

And of course spending time with with wonderful man.

Enjoy the one and only picture I snapped over Thanksgiving

P.S. How was your Thanksgiving?

She Prospers Photography: Juliet's Three Month Pictures

Sweet friends, a gorgeous setting and a calm baby creates pretty pictures. I have loved capturing moments for Tyler and Jordan and Juliet's three month pictures were no exception. This big blue eyed beauty is as easy going as they come and is a joy to spend time with. I can't wait to see her little personality continue to change in the months to come. Happy three months Juliet!

There is ALWAYS something to be Thankful for.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Growing up my family always chose this holiday to travel and visit our extended family. When Drew and I got married, we decided to try our best to balance our time between family and establishing our own traditions. I love the traditions that we have embraced and look forward to making new ones in the years to come. This time last year we celebrated with people from all over the world with the best friendsgiving you ever did see.

I remember feeling so thankful to have people who loved me scattered around the house and the joy that they brought me. Being home this year there is a shift in the way I feel about this holiday. As excited as I am to celebrate with family, there's an awareness that has also come as we we have returned back to the States. Even if we didn't have an elaborate meal planned, It's so much more than the food and I think I've realized why I cherish this holiday above the rest. It's about the people. It's choosing to praise the Lord in plenty and in want. It's making an active choice to recognize His goodness and how he lavishes His love upon us even in our most undeserving moments.

We have been given the opportunity daily to praise Him for his grace and I want my life to have more thankfulness in it. Even when we face difficult circumstances, we have the hope of our salvation and the anchor of the gospel to cling to. This is where true joy springs from. This is the source of life-giving hope. Friends, there truly is always something to be thankful for and my prayer is that this continues to grow in the hearts of my family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read my words and invest a moment of your day in this little blog. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
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Do Less With More Focus

I recently ran across this great quote from the brilliant gals over at Small Fry. This past year of my life has been filled with more change than I have thought I would have the strength to muster but the Lord has been gracious to provide peace. When we moved back to Atlanta, I didn't know what specific direction He was leading me in but the one thing that I heard from Him clearly was this, "be patient and watch me work".

I'm a jump-in-with-both-feet kind of person and it's both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that I totally and completely commit to whatever it is that I am involved in. The curse is that there are so many great things to get involved in, that I often want to commit to multiple things at once. Trial and error has proved that this is an exhausting and unsuccessful cycle in my life.

Drew and I's time living overseas allowed us to see that the hustle and bustle of constantly living with a full plate for years at a time is not a life-giving way to live, it's a life-taking one. Choosing to put something on my calendar should not reflect a need to feel accepted. Instead it should be a purposeful choice to choose community and life giving structure to my life. I'm actively seeking to measure the amount of rest in our lives versus the busyness. So here I am, pursuing to live a life that is honoring to the Lord, use my gifts wisely, work in a way that is edifying and not over commit. I love the ministry that I have the privilege of working for and I truly want to give my energy and focus to them so that I will have more emotional, physical and spiritual energy to pour into my marriage, my relationships and my faith.

The Lord's word of warning to watch and wait to see Him network was the truth that I needed to hold onto when facing a mountain of unknowns. The beauty of not rushing to commit is that you are able to fully know that He brought the opportunity to you. It wasn't birthed out of striving or frustration, it is graciously given as a gift. I feel more peace about my decision to focus on fewer things in my life and know that I'm hearing the Lord more clearly without the other distractions. I know that the most difficult thing now will be to stay on this course for the long haul but I know deep down that it will be worth it.

Pumpkins, Apple Picking and Dahlonega Goodness

A few weekends ago, Drew and I drove up to Dahlonega to attend a wedding and decided to spend the morning and afternoon soaking up all things Fall. If you've never been to this quaint little mountain town, you are missing out. Envision the picturesque set of Gilmore Girls but with the North Georgia mountains as a back drop. Glory. Now I'm a bit partial because Dahlonega is also home to my alma mater, North Georgia College and State University (yes, I know that they've changed the name to University of North Georgia, but I can't help but hold onto the unusually long college name that I'm so fond of).

We started our adventure up in Elijay, home to the world's finest apple pies, and meandered our way through the many apple orchards that line Highway 52. We try and visit our two favorites whenever we are making a visit, Hillcrest Orchards and B.J. Reece Orchards. Both of these orchards offer the option to "Pick Your Own" apples and also sell freshly baked apple treats. Drew and I love the hand apple pies at B.J. Reece and the apple cider from Hillcrest.

Our next stop was Burt's Pumpkin Farm, where most of my pumpkin picking memories stem from. This family owned pumpkin farm offers hay rides through the pumpkin fields, has a precious country store filled with local produce and canned goods and makes the best pumpkin roll (this year they put a twist on their traditional roll by dunking it in funnel cake batter and deep frying it...craziness). We picked our pumpkins and headed down the mountain to grab a bite to eat.

One of my personal favorite things about going to college in a small town was the ability to walk to our town square to eat and shop. It's been three years since I've made a visit and a few restaurants have come and gone but thankfully The Picnic Cafe is still up and running. Fondly called the dessertery, this tiny cafe, bakes their own bread, creates delicious sweet treats and has the best tomato basil soup! It's the perfect place for a light bite and an afternoon cup of tea or coffee.

To top off our day, we strolled around North Georgia's campus that was ablaze with gorgeous hues of red and gold. The drill field and my old dorm (Get it Lewis Hall) are about the only things on campus that looked the same to me but all of the new buildings are beautiful too. College held so many precious memories for me and I'm so thankful for the core group of friendships that have remained long since graduation.

Today is our three year wedding anniversary and I'm so thankful for the incredible man who stands by my side and loves me with his whole heart. Drew, you are the love of my life, my biggest fan, my quiet, strong leader and my very best friend. I'm so very glad that you asked me to walk through life beside you! Love You Same!

Moving Glory

It's official. Drew and I moved into our first home on Monday! I want to scream it from the rooftops! We are renting a beautiful little home right outside of Atlanta and are so thankful that the Lord led us to this place. There is plenty of space for the two of us and a huge backyard for the pups. I don't think that I've ever been this excited about packing and unpacking boxes in my life. It's going to be like the best Christmas morning there ever was as we unwrap our boxes that have been awaiting us in storage. This is the first time in a year and a half that we will have a space of our own and grateful doesn't begin to describe the provision that the Lord has made for us.

Home has always been a place I treasure, a place of comfort and refuge, a place to build community and also to rest. Home has been where my husband is, whether it is in a one bedroom apartment in the suburbs, a rural village in a foreign country or right outside a bustling city. But we have never lived where we've had our house completely to ourselves until now.

My idea of what home means has changed drastically from when Drew and I were first married. Nearly three years ago (we can still say we are newlyweds right?), I wanted everything to be perfect in our home. As much as I desired for our home to radiate the things I've listed above, I also wanted it to be pretty (let's be honest, who doesn't?). But there were also times when I realized that I was allowing my identity to be wrapped up in my home and how others perceived it. Living in China, I still fought these urges to keep a clean, cute home and didn't decorate as we were living on support, but felt the urge to "nest" more than ever.

I don't think that we are called to live this way. Just a quick glance at the story of Mary and Martha is enough to convince me that my purpose is not to become a slave to my house. I don't think that my house will look like the cover in a magazine or as perfect as a photo from one of my Pinterest boards because I want my husband, my pups and my future children to live life in our home. I'm not saying that I'm not going to decorate the heck out of it and enjoy the process immensely but I am saying that I don't want to fall victim to the lie that my home has to look picture perfect all of the time. As much as I will enjoy making our house a home, I don't want to lose the perspective that I have gained. I think that Myquillyn, over at The Nester, has incredible insight and truly sums my feelings perfectly:

I cannot wait breathe life into this home. I cannot wait to host dinners with friends, spend lazy Saturday mornings making breakfast and lounging around with Drew, curl up and read on the couch and enjoy having my pups at my heels. I'm so excited to be eight minutes away from our church, and just a few minutes further away to my office. I desire so many things for this house and I'm so thankful to be in this place and soak up this moment. Any of you feel the same? Any renters have advice to share?

Favorite Places to Shop Handmade

Last week I shared the Top Ten Reasons to Shop Handmade for Christmas. This week I've rounded up a few of my favorite shops to share with you all. I have such a big heart for small business owners and when I invest in something for our home or for a gift I want the item to have meaning as well. I'm slightly partial to these shops because I know the women behind the scenes and today I wanted to feature them and let you see the goodies that they create for yourself.

East West Design Co | I have the incredible privilege of knowing one of the lovely ladies who runs this fabulous shop. Lindsey and I are sorority sisters (Hint: Red, Buff & Green), bible study buddies, lovers of The Office show and we could probably both eat our weight in sweet potato biscuits. She and her soon to be sister in law have been up and running for a few months and I've been so impressed by what they have created. I've already raved about the logo design and "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" print that they made me and I've got my eyes set on several things to order for Christmas gifts. They also offer custom work that is affordable and breathtaking.

Refugee Sewing Society | In case you missed my introduction to these ladies a few weeks ago, check out how I got connected with these women here. The Refugee Sewing Society is a safe haven where refugee women from all over the world meet weekly in Clarkston, Georgia to create lovingly handmade items. I have the amazing ability to witness the love that is poured out on these women by staff and volunteers because I'm now working with them myself. We are currently working on new product designs that I cannot wait to share, but one of my favorite items is this Bhutanese Wedding Necklace that is pictured above. Traditionally Bhutanese women receive a necklace during their wedding ceremony instead of exchanging rings. If you desire to live intentionally to impact the nations daily, this is one amazing organization to show your support.

When It Rains Paper Co | Katherine is also a fellow sorority sister (Hint: we have a thing for squirrels), has impeccable taste, an infectious laugh and is an amazing teacher. She and her sister design gorgeous stationary, cards, party supply items and monogrammed goodies. They also blog with a few of their talented friends at You Can Sit With Us, a lifestyle blog following four friends in the Atlanta area.

How about you? Where are some of your favorite places to shop handmade? I'd love to hear a few of your favorites!

Book Review | Tacolicious

Cookbooks are the perfect combination of goodness: excellent photography, pages filled with new tasty ideas to cook and of course reading the stories of the talented chefs. I enjoy cooking and find that when I take the time to prepare a meal, I'm able to relax and allow my mind to focus on chopping and stirring instead of my busy schedule.

As far as I know, I don't have Hispanic blood running through my veins, but fixing Mexican and Spanish cuisine is my food love language. Mexico was the first country that I traveled to and it's fiery personality has truly won me over. I was so excited to discover this fantastic cookbook, Tacolicious. In the first section of the book, the chefs and restaurant owners share their hearts behind their food, their adventurous journeys that led them to find unique dishes in Mexico and a peek inside their kitchens.

One of my favorite aspects of the way that the cookbook was written is it's ability to describe the reason behind the cooking methods. I love knowing that if you follow their detailed instructions, you should be able to recreate authentic Mexican dishes for your friends and family. And just so you know, there is so much more than tacos packed into the pages of this cookbook.

The cookbook also includes snacks, appetizers and delicious drinks. Reading it just makes me want to run to the nearest market, purchase some avocados and gorge myself on creamy guacamole. I cannot wait to throw a fiesta of my own!!

*I received this book through my Blogging for Books membership but all opinions expressed are my own.

You may enjoy these posts:

Nothing is Wasted
10 Reasons to Shop Homemade for Christmas
For Your Reading Pleasure

Nothing is Wasted

I love how God designed the Bible to meet us right where we are. His words are active, alive and appropriate for any time period. I'm a bit behind in the 1st and 2nd Peter study but I don't mind because sometimes I need time to sit with what the Lord is showing me before I just jump into the next study.

I refer to Drew and I's time living in China frequently but I know that I'm still processing what we learned there. I think that I will be gleaning what the Lord did in our hearts for years to come. When we were debating whether or not to move back to America, we shared our torn hearts with our directors. I will never forget sitting in their car, about to head into the office, tears streaming down my face and the director's wife sharing this truth with me. She simply said, "Nothing is wasted with the Lord". Tears continued to flow as I realized the truth behind what she was saying to me. Even when your life feels like it's in a tailspin, the Lord will use it. Even when you don't feel His presence, the Lord will use it. Even when your joy has been taken from you, the Lord will use it. Because the Lord is gracious and compassionate, he desires to draw us into himself, even when we try to push him away.

I love that the Lord desires to use our weaknesses and shapes them into strengths. He makes the impossible seem possible because Jesus lived that way himself. Fully God and fully man. When I have felt the most confused, frustrated and lost, that is when I have encountered the Lord's provision, peace and purpose for my life. He longs to meet us in those places and use them to show us that he was there all along and He is in control. I had to choose to let him in though and now I am able to look and see that it's so true: Nothing is wasted in God's economy.

*Looking for challenging and encouraging plans to study the Bible? Check out shereadstruth.com

Pinspiration

You made it through another week! Enjoy looking at these beautiful ideas and I hope that they inspire you to create something new for your home, cook something tasty for your friends and family and find a new idea for your wardrobe!