Celebrate Community

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson 

Top: Target || Similar Top || Skirt: Nordstrom || Similar skirt: Forever 21 || Shoes: Nordstrom

Can you seriously believe that we are in the last week of 2016? This year has absolutely flown by. Even though I still have no clue what I will do to ring in the new year, I know that this outfit will be part of it. When I first saw my friend Brittany from Loverly Grey wearing this ADORABLE top, I knew I had to get it, too. Especially because it is from Target! Yes. Target. That in and of itself is a reason to party!

In 2016, I made some big changes to my everyday normal. Of course, one of those big changes was this blog. It’s fun to share my thoughts with this online community and even better that there are people who actually want to hear them. But what I love most about a TAD more faith is the people I have connected with along the way. 

This blogger world can feel pretty cutthroat at times. One minute you are on your way up, while the next minute you feel like you are at a stand still… People who you thought would be supportive and helpful suddenly are not. It is a business that can really mess with your inner-self if you let it.

But then there are people like Brittany, who wanted to help me grow just because she believed in what I was trying to do. And friends like Bailey, who connected with me on a spiritual level and understood that it’s all about connecting more women with Jesus. Both girls owe me nothing, but have given me something that is priceless: friendship. They made room for me in their world and welcomed me when they easily could have shut me out. For this reason, I consider them my “blogging angels.” Sometimes, it’s someone that you never expected that makes you realize that you CAN do what your heart desires.

Jesus created this world for us to have community. Whether that community is in a small group or on Instagram, when “two or more are gathered in His name, there He will also be.” (Matthew 18:20). He wants you to go for it and encourage those around you to go for it, too. If you are both meant to be famous authors, He will create an audience for both of you. If you are both meant to start your own businesses, He will bring enough customers to support both of you.

So, as you look forward to the year ahead, I pray that you will remember the importance of community. The importance of lifting each other up in fellowship rather than tearing each other down in competition. And I pray that you will be blessed to find friends like Brittany and Bailey, who want nothing more than to celebrate you along the way.