• I’ve been MIA (again, I know) due to a combination of being legitimately busy with everything that comes with deciding to sell your house before it was ever even listed & packing & moving & harvesting/preserving 3000ish sq ft of the garden you planted & school starting, all within a few weeks’ time *and* needing a break from social media & the constant reminder of the state of our culture right now. It’s all been pretty heavy, if I’m being honest. And the devil was/is trying real hard to steal my joy. ✨ Thankfully, though, I serve the God who goes before me, walks with me, & always has my back, being such a gentleman to help carry the burdens - reminding me it’s ok to lay it at his feet and find rest in His care. So I’ve been trying to do that. ✨ The other morning I woke up convicted that I needed to cover my home in scripture... like, literally I felt like I was told to “write them on the walls”. I wasn’t sure which ones, but then God showed up, as He always does. I happened to receive a gift in the mail that day that had a pen & a booklet full of scriptures all throughout it. A God wink 💕 So I took it & walked all around the house, stopping wherever I felt led to, and used the pen to ink God’s word forever into this home. If we end up painting (like I did with my office if you swipe through the photos), I love that they’ll literally be sealed in. If we don’t paint, well then we will have the reminders all day every day as we walk around our home. Win-win. ✨ I guess all that to say 1) not today, Satan, and 2) if you’re feeling the weight or weirdness of the world right now you’re not alone & surrounding yourself in some way with God’s words & leaning into Jesus is probably the best/most important thing you can do right now (and always). There’s a whole lot of spiritual warfare happening... who else feels it? ✨ What’s a bible verse that brings you peace and hope? I’d love to know! Swipe the photos to see some of the verses I penned on the walls...sloppy & imperfect, but needed & encouraging. Share yours in the comments 💕👇🏼
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    I’ve been MIA (again, I know) due to a combination of being legitimately busy with everything that comes with deciding to sell your house before it was ever even listed & packing & moving & harvesting/preserving 3000ish sq ft of the garden you planted & school starting, all within a few weeks’ time *and* needing a break from social media & the constant reminder of the state of our culture right now. It’s all been pretty heavy, if I’m being honest. And the devil was/is trying real hard to steal my joy. ✨ Thankfully, though, I serve the God who goes before me, walks with me, & always has my back, being such a gentleman to help carry the burdens - reminding me it’s ok to lay it at his feet and find rest in His care. So I’ve been trying to do that. ✨ The other morning I woke up convicted that I needed to cover my home in scripture... like, literally I felt like I was told to “write them on the walls”. I wasn’t sure which ones, but then God showed up, as He always does. I happened to receive a gift in the mail that day that had a pen & a booklet full of scriptures all throughout it. A God wink 💕 So I took it & walked all around the house, stopping wherever I felt led to, and used the pen to ink God’s word forever into this home. If we end up painting (like I did with my office if you swipe through the photos), I love that they’ll literally be sealed in. If we don’t paint, well then we will have the reminders all day every day as we walk around our home. Win-win. ✨ I guess all that to say 1) not today, Satan, and 2) if you’re feeling the weight or weirdness of the world right now you’re not alone & surrounding yourself in some way with God’s words & leaning into Jesus is probably the best/most important thing you can do right now (and always). There’s a whole lot of spiritual warfare happening... who else feels it? ✨ What’s a bible verse that brings you peace and hope? I’d love to know! Swipe the photos to see some of the verses I penned on the walls...sloppy & imperfect, but needed & encouraging. Share yours in the comments 💕👇🏼
  • Just some friendly reminders that: •Jesus touched the lepers, he didn’t cower away in fear and rejection •That we are not given the *spirit* of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). •The spirit of fear is evil & deceptive & corrupt. (John 4:1) •That when you truly accept Christ and are a born again Christian you have the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, Ephesians 1:13-14) & can use it. •That we are to walk by faith, not merely by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). •That literally nothing the devil does will be as it seems. He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), so we need to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) •That the virus still has a 99+% survival rate, legitimate effective cures without a V, and your chances of getting hit by an asteroid the day before the election is almost double than your chance of dying from the virus, which is less than half a percent. Oh, and you can be in control of your health & build a strong, robust immune system that is capable of fighting things off by doing simple things, like not treating your body like a dumpster & not outsourcing your thinking to the fear-mongering industry that profits off of sickness to tell you how to be healthy. •And it’s ok to ask questions & be counter-cultural, since “...the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14). •And Jesus is the way, the *truth*, and the life & the best, most faithful friend you could ever have. (John 14:6) His love for you is immense & you are not here by chance, but on purpose for purpose. 💕 • Don’t live this one life cowering & bowing down to the spirit of fear. Use your power, church. Resist the devil & he will flee (James 4:7). Take a stand & push back the darkness so that those struggling to see can experience God’s light through you. We are, after all, called to be the salt & light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). • 💕Share this post for those that could use the encouragement.
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    Just some friendly reminders that: •Jesus touched the lepers, he didn’t cower away in fear and rejection •That we are not given the *spirit* of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). •The spirit of fear is evil & deceptive & corrupt. (John 4:1) •That when you truly accept Christ and are a born again Christian you have the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, Ephesians 1:13-14) & can use it. •That we are to walk by faith, not merely by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). •That literally nothing the devil does will be as it seems. He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), so we need to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) •That the virus still has a 99+% survival rate, legitimate effective cures without a V, and your chances of getting hit by an asteroid the day before the election is almost double than your chance of dying from the virus, which is less than half a percent. Oh, and you can be in control of your health & build a strong, robust immune system that is capable of fighting things off by doing simple things, like not treating your body like a dumpster & not outsourcing your thinking to the fear-mongering industry that profits off of sickness to tell you how to be healthy. •And it’s ok to ask questions & be counter-cultural, since “...the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14). •And Jesus is the way, the *truth*, and the life & the best, most faithful friend you could ever have. (John 14:6) His love for you is immense & you are not here by chance, but on purpose for purpose. 💕 • Don’t live this one life cowering & bowing down to the spirit of fear. Use your power, church. Resist the devil & he will flee (James 4:7). Take a stand & push back the darkness so that those struggling to see can experience God’s light through you. We are, after all, called to be the salt & light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). • 💕Share this post for those that could use the encouragement.
  • We expanded our chicken flock by 30+ that we hatched ourselves this year, and so we have been having some issues with some of them picking on the others. One of the problems is that the silkies (so, the majority of them) can’t see with the giant feather poofs they get on their heads, so they have a harder time seeing the bullies getting close. • To try and help, my 8-year-old and I went out & put pony tails on the Silkies today and hahaha IT.IS.ADORABLE. (Also, please don’t @ me if you disagree with doing this✌🏼) • The only sad part is since they’re so used to not being able to see, putting the pony tails on to uncover their eyes throws their perception off (and sometimes their balance) a bit for a while once they are able to actually see allthethings. So we’re keeping an eye on them and will take them off if they seem to be too bothered by it. I think they’ll be just fine, though. Now they can see more bugs plus fend for themselves against the Rhode Island White/Leghorn cross chickens we have... some of those stinkers might have to go to freezer camp, soon, honestly. It is what it is, but at least I’d know where that food comes from & that it was holistically & organically raised 🤷🏼‍♀️
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    We expanded our chicken flock by 30+ that we hatched ourselves this year, and so we have been having some issues with some of them picking on the others. One of the problems is that the silkies (so, the majority of them) can’t see with the giant feather poofs they get on their heads, so they have a harder time seeing the bullies getting close. • To try and help, my 8-year-old and I went out & put pony tails on the Silkies today and hahaha IT.IS.ADORABLE. (Also, please don’t @ me if you disagree with doing this✌🏼) • The only sad part is since they’re so used to not being able to see, putting the pony tails on to uncover their eyes throws their perception off (and sometimes their balance) a bit for a while once they are able to actually see allthethings. So we’re keeping an eye on them and will take them off if they seem to be too bothered by it. I think they’ll be just fine, though. Now they can see more bugs plus fend for themselves against the Rhode Island White/Leghorn cross chickens we have... some of those stinkers might have to go to freezer camp, soon, honestly. It is what it is, but at least I’d know where that food comes from & that it was holistically & organically raised 🤷🏼‍♀️
  • This is just the beginning of the food we’re harvesting before we move in 10 days! We expanded our garden by about 2000 sq feet this year, and the abundance is overwhelming in the best way! God never ceases to amaze me in how he provides exceedingly, abundantly, beyond what we can ask for or imagine.🙌🏼 • Nothing from our garden really goes to waste - we feed the leaves & even much of the ripe pick’ens to the chickens to save some money on feed, which is then returned to us in yummy, nutrient-rich eggs 🙌🏼 • Investing time & resources into learning to grow your own food is incredibly empowering, friend. It’s all fine and dandy to buy it at stores if you want, but taking the time to learn how to grow God’s way and know exactly where your food came from & how it was processed is truly priceless - and seriously so satisfying when you see the fruits of your labor! Self-sufficiency is a worthy goal to work toward. • Every year that we’ve had a garden we expand or adjust a little, learning from the prior year. Baby steps are better than none at all, in my book. Gardening is also an integrated part of our homeschool, because we believe learning real life skills is so important for tiny humans that one day will be on their own to feed themselves. We have the power to equip & empower our kiddos! And it’s beautiful to show them how to learn & grow in a skill as they watch you do it, or even do it right along with you. • All that to say: gardening is great & food God’s way is always best! It gives me great joy to know that my hard work & perseverance is turning in to wholesome, nutrient-dense food to feed my family & others. It makes it all worth it. • 💕Do you garden? If not, what’s holding you back?
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    This is just the beginning of the food we’re harvesting before we move in 10 days! We expanded our garden by about 2000 sq feet this year, and the abundance is overwhelming in the best way! God never ceases to amaze me in how he provides exceedingly, abundantly, beyond what we can ask for or imagine.🙌🏼 • Nothing from our garden really goes to waste - we feed the leaves & even much of the ripe pick’ens to the chickens to save some money on feed, which is then returned to us in yummy, nutrient-rich eggs 🙌🏼 • Investing time & resources into learning to grow your own food is incredibly empowering, friend. It’s all fine and dandy to buy it at stores if you want, but taking the time to learn how to grow God’s way and know exactly where your food came from & how it was processed is truly priceless - and seriously so satisfying when you see the fruits of your labor! Self-sufficiency is a worthy goal to work toward. • Every year that we’ve had a garden we expand or adjust a little, learning from the prior year. Baby steps are better than none at all, in my book. Gardening is also an integrated part of our homeschool, because we believe learning real life skills is so important for tiny humans that one day will be on their own to feed themselves. We have the power to equip & empower our kiddos! And it’s beautiful to show them how to learn & grow in a skill as they watch you do it, or even do it right along with you. • All that to say: gardening is great & food God’s way is always best! It gives me great joy to know that my hard work & perseverance is turning in to wholesome, nutrient-dense food to feed my family & others. It makes it all worth it. • 💕Do you garden? If not, what’s holding you back?
  • Less than two weeks before we move! There are so many bittersweet memories I’m trying to process and soak in while we’re still here. I sure will miss sitting in my hammock chair & watching these two play in our big gloriously-full-of-natural-light sunroom! There are so many things I will miss about our current home, but so many things about the new place that I’m looking forward to making new memories with, too. An adventure always awaits and they sure are fun with these two goofy, spunky girls by my side. 💕 • Also, shifting gears quick - this image shows one of my fave things about homeschool: freedom to be together & silly every day, any place we want, whatever time we want, for however long we want. I wasn’t sure how we’d like the homeschool life when I first made the decision to do it & I was so nervous I’d do it “wrong,” but man, it has been the opposite of “wrong” and I can’t imagine ever going back to any other way. 💕 Kids learn SO much & SO well through play. I’m so glad we chose homeschooling. • Do you homeschool? Are you just jumping in this year? What are you most excited for? What do you feel most nervous about? Chat with me, friends!
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    Less than two weeks before we move! There are so many bittersweet memories I’m trying to process and soak in while we’re still here. I sure will miss sitting in my hammock chair & watching these two play in our big gloriously-full-of-natural-light sunroom! There are so many things I will miss about our current home, but so many things about the new place that I’m looking forward to making new memories with, too. An adventure always awaits and they sure are fun with these two goofy, spunky girls by my side. 💕 • Also, shifting gears quick - this image shows one of my fave things about homeschool: freedom to be together & silly every day, any place we want, whatever time we want, for however long we want. I wasn’t sure how we’d like the homeschool life when I first made the decision to do it & I was so nervous I’d do it “wrong,” but man, it has been the opposite of “wrong” and I can’t imagine ever going back to any other way. 💕 Kids learn SO much & SO well through play. I’m so glad we chose homeschooling. • Do you homeschool? Are you just jumping in this year? What are you most excited for? What do you feel most nervous about? Chat with me, friends!
  • Everything going on in the world right now feels so, so heavy, especially when you’re a free thinker or “dare” to question, & if I’m being honest, I’ve been riding waves between really high hopes and pits of despair that I have to claw my way out of some days. I’m finding some rest and rejuvenation, though, in knowing that none of it surprises God nor is it too big for him to handle. I’m clinging to my confidence in knowing how the story ends (spoiler alert: God wins). • I will continue to boldly ask questions and seek truth, even when - no, ESPECIALLY when - it’s counter-cultural, knowing most people aren’t and won’t. This reality & the absolute twilight zone we’re living in right now really proves Matthew 7:13-14 for me: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” It’s not an easy journey, but it’s a worthwhile one. • My prayer for you and I, friend, is that we would be people that continue to focus in on & amplify God’s voice over the world’s...that, even when it’s hard or when others scoff at us, we seek out & listen only to sound & wholesome teaching. I pray we die to our sinful desires daily and have discernment to recognize teaching that isn’t truly aligned with God’s Word. Let us boldly dig for truth and chase after God’s heart, and let our lives be poured out as an offering to God as we let his love shine brightly through *whatever* we do. Let’s fight the good fight, finish the race, and remain faithful, knowing “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Tim3:12). The reward will be worth it. The lives that might never get saved unless we do our part will be worth it. You, my friend, are here on purpose for such a time as this, and you certainly are not alone. 💕
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    Everything going on in the world right now feels so, so heavy, especially when you’re a free thinker or “dare” to question, & if I’m being honest, I’ve been riding waves between really high hopes and pits of despair that I have to claw my way out of some days. I’m finding some rest and rejuvenation, though, in knowing that none of it surprises God nor is it too big for him to handle. I’m clinging to my confidence in knowing how the story ends (spoiler alert: God wins). • I will continue to boldly ask questions and seek truth, even when - no, ESPECIALLY when - it’s counter-cultural, knowing most people aren’t and won’t. This reality & the absolute twilight zone we’re living in right now really proves Matthew 7:13-14 for me: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” It’s not an easy journey, but it’s a worthwhile one. • My prayer for you and I, friend, is that we would be people that continue to focus in on & amplify God’s voice over the world’s...that, even when it’s hard or when others scoff at us, we seek out & listen only to sound & wholesome teaching. I pray we die to our sinful desires daily and have discernment to recognize teaching that isn’t truly aligned with God’s Word. Let us boldly dig for truth and chase after God’s heart, and let our lives be poured out as an offering to God as we let his love shine brightly through *whatever* we do. Let’s fight the good fight, finish the race, and remain faithful, knowing “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Tim3:12). The reward will be worth it. The lives that might never get saved unless we do our part will be worth it. You, my friend, are here on purpose for such a time as this, and you certainly are not alone. 💕
  • Filling the spaces of my home with worship music (it’s @steffanydawn’s “The Undoing” album today) & diffusing this combo while I clean & silently reflect re-centers me. It fills me up. It helps me release emotions and it draws me closer to my Father (not the oils, friends, the action - the quiet, the calm, the worship in doing the mundane). Honestly, I truly don’t know how people do life and stay sane without the one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ - not religion. Just Jesus. His pursuit, his comfort, his steadfastness. Jesus is enough today in this moment, yesterday in all the failures and the successes and the chaos, and forevermore (repeats to self). 💕 “Steady heart that keeps on going, steady love that keeps on hoping, lead me on. Steady grace that keeps forgiving, steady faith that keeps believing, lead me on.”
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    Filling the spaces of my home with worship music (it’s @steffanydawn’s “The Undoing” album today) & diffusing this combo while I clean & silently reflect re-centers me. It fills me up. It helps me release emotions and it draws me closer to my Father (not the oils, friends, the action - the quiet, the calm, the worship in doing the mundane). Honestly, I truly don’t know how people do life and stay sane without the one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ - not religion. Just Jesus. His pursuit, his comfort, his steadfastness. Jesus is enough today in this moment, yesterday in all the failures and the successes and the chaos, and forevermore (repeats to self). 💕 “Steady heart that keeps on going, steady love that keeps on hoping, lead me on. Steady grace that keeps forgiving, steady faith that keeps believing, lead me on.”
  • 7.14.2020// “Mama, ya wanna know what I thought of? You would think that Heaven would have video games and everything fun you could dream of, but really, it has the greatest thing of all: peace.” ~Adalyn, age 8 💕 • You’re wise beyond your years, sweet girl.
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    7.14.2020// “Mama, ya wanna know what I thought of? You would think that Heaven would have video games and everything fun you could dream of, but really, it has the greatest thing of all: peace.” ~Adalyn, age 8 💕 • You’re wise beyond your years, sweet girl.
  • I miss the way things were. I hate that the world has lost its ever-loving marbles for a virus with a 99.7+% survival rate. I hate that so many are choosing to remain blind to the agendas hiding in plain site. I hate that not enough people have been paying attention over the years to even be able to recognize corruption when it’s happening...evil disguised as good. It’s hard to imagine things likely never being the same and what kind of brainwashed world my kids will grow up in. • But the truth is, the world has always been brainwashed, all throughout history. That’s why God tells us to be IN the world but not OF it. So that’s the goal. • That’s what I’ll teach these sweet arrows - to be strong enough to stand and walk the other way when the herd is walking off a cliff. • You, WE all, were created for such a time as this, (as scary, uncertain, and frustrating as this time in history is). We need to remember the importance of seeking & standing up for what is right & true in God’s eyes, despite the critics. The only one whose judgement of you should matter is God’s, anyway. • This world might never be the same, but God remains steadfast yesterday, today, and forever. • What keeps me sane is holding tight to the peace & freedom we have through Christ, knowing that no one can take that away & that one day the world won’t be crazy because God wins. • So, in the midst of the craziness, I’ll hold memories in my heart, advocate for freedom, recognize and reject lies and corruption, speak the truth for the few that will listen & choose the narrow path, seek God’s wisdom and discernment first & foremost, refuse to conform to the world and its ideologies, and press on. I’ll keep my gaze on Heaven, because this place isn’t our home. • I want no part of this “new normal,” but ultimately the Bible warns that the world will get worse before it can get better. It’s important to know what and who you stand for so that “...we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14).”
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    I miss the way things were. I hate that the world has lost its ever-loving marbles for a virus with a 99.7+% survival rate. I hate that so many are choosing to remain blind to the agendas hiding in plain site. I hate that not enough people have been paying attention over the years to even be able to recognize corruption when it’s happening...evil disguised as good. It’s hard to imagine things likely never being the same and what kind of brainwashed world my kids will grow up in. • But the truth is, the world has always been brainwashed, all throughout history. That’s why God tells us to be IN the world but not OF it. So that’s the goal. • That’s what I’ll teach these sweet arrows - to be strong enough to stand and walk the other way when the herd is walking off a cliff. • You, WE all, were created for such a time as this, (as scary, uncertain, and frustrating as this time in history is). We need to remember the importance of seeking & standing up for what is right & true in God’s eyes, despite the critics. The only one whose judgement of you should matter is God’s, anyway. • This world might never be the same, but God remains steadfast yesterday, today, and forever. • What keeps me sane is holding tight to the peace & freedom we have through Christ, knowing that no one can take that away & that one day the world won’t be crazy because God wins. • So, in the midst of the craziness, I’ll hold memories in my heart, advocate for freedom, recognize and reject lies and corruption, speak the truth for the few that will listen & choose the narrow path, seek God’s wisdom and discernment first & foremost, refuse to conform to the world and its ideologies, and press on. I’ll keep my gaze on Heaven, because this place isn’t our home. • I want no part of this “new normal,” but ultimately the Bible warns that the world will get worse before it can get better. It’s important to know what and who you stand for so that “...we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14).”