Take a Moment

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson 

Jacket: Madewell || Simliar jacket here & here || Top: H&M || Jeans: Madewell || Similar jeans Here || Watch: Nixon || Boots: BP

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate a good jacket. I mean, a good jacket keeps us warm on those cold days. A good jacket protects us from the elements. A good jacket holds our cell phone and keys without weighing us down. Yes, there is nothing better than a good jacket. This jacket from Madewell is cute enough to wear through the winter and spring. So, do not be surprised if you see me wearing it ALL the time these next few months.  

Sometimes, we just need to take a moment in our busy lives to figure things out. And, friends, I am currently in that season. If I am being totally honest, I have felt a little overwhelmed and even unmotivated on the blog front. Normally, ideas for posts flow through me like crazy; but, lately, I have really been struggling to even sit down to write. This is crazy to me because I usually want nothing more than to sit down and pour out my feelings on the keyboard of my Macbook. It has baffled me so much that I am now asking the question, “What’s my purpose?”
 
From past experiences, I have found that it is in these moments that God usually tries to tell me something… Something big that I might not expect.  Sometimes, the answer comes right away, and I can press forward with a new plan. Other times, the answer is to just keep doing what I am doing, but maybe a little differently. Either way, I know that I can’t find the answer by fighting the question. It is only through prayer and conversation with Him (and a whole lot of Trust with a capital T) that I am able to answer this crazy question.
 
I don’t know what the next step is for you; but, for me, I know that I need to spend some quality time with Jesus to figure out my next move. This doesn’t mean that I am going anywhere. I’ll still be right here blogging away! But I will also be figuring out OUR (meaning me and Jesus because we are a team) next move. If you are in a similar spot, I want you to know that it is okay to take some time to process, think, and pray about the next step in your life. We don’t have to have it all figured out! That is the beauty of this relationship with Christ. No matter where the path turns or how our desires shift, He will always be there to guide us in the right direction, which always leads to His heart.

I will put breath in you and you will come to life then you will know that I am the Lord. - Ezekiel 37:6

The Difference

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson || Dress: Hinge || Shoes: BP

My perspective on all things velvet has completely changed. A year ago, it wasn’t a trend I was crazy about. But, NOW, give me all the velvet dresses, shirts, and jumpsuits that you can find. I can’t get enough. The velvet in this otherwise simple black dress makes all the difference. I love how velvet can do that for any look.
 
While this season is a time for celebration, it is also a time for reflection, as yet another year comes to a close. Well, at least for me anyway. It is crazy to think about how my life is different from where it was this time last year. Some things have really changed while others have stayed the same. Isn’t that how it always seems to be?

Sometimes it is difficult to think about how our lives have changed over the course of a year. I know that for all the good that happened in my life, there are painful memories, too. But in looking back on those memories, I realize where they have brought me and what I have learned through each one. Yes, some are still hard to understand; but, in my opinion, this is because God isn’t finished with those lessons yet. I still have more to learn, understand, and trust with Him through those memories that—at least for now—don’t seem to make a lot of sense.
 
Based on how things have gone for me in the last 12 months, good or bad, I fully expect that come December 2017, I will be in a completely different place. Like always, some things will stay the same and some will totally change. But, I am holding onto the hope and letting go of the fear for what God has in store for me.
 
While a lot of things can change over the course of a year, there is one thing that will remain the same. He loves me. He loves you. He is ready to guide us through each and every mountain that we will inevitably face in the months ahead. And He doesn’t want us to go at it alone. Trusting God in your “pace and your place” can make all the difference in how you view the new year. So, I hope that in those moments of worry and doubt about what lies ahead, you will look back and see how far you have already come. In doing so, you will be able to let the words, “I trust you Lord with my pace and my place” ring through your heart and enable you to take on this world with Him.
 
“With His love, He will calm all your fears, He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” – Zephaniah 3:17

Lord I Need You

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson || Dress: Fab'rik

One thing I need for this holiday season is more suede dresses. Normally, I wouldn’t pick out a dress like this. I have to keep my everyday style simple in order to do my job. Simply put, this dress would not work for teaching third graders. With that said, this dress is absolutely perfect for the upcoming holiday events. The suede… the lace-up. Not only is it all on trend, but it’s also from one of my favorite boutiques, Fab’rik. 

You know that song, “Lord I need you?” The song basically repeats those four words over and over again. There’s nothing fancy or mind blowing about the lyrics. Just a simple and easy to understand, “Lord I need you.” But, oh, how powerful are those words. This song has been stuck in my head the past couple of days, and I honestly don’t know how it got there. But I’m glad it did.

Sometimes, we receive gifts in life but forget where they came from. We get confident in ourselves and what we accomplished. We stop talking to Him as much because that one thing we yearned for finally arrived.

Other times, we encounter rough patches and focus so hard on the bad that we forget to lean on the one person that can see us through. Our anger and confusion entangles our mind and causes us to think we are in control.

I am in a season where I need to be remember how much I need Jesus. I need Him to tell me it’s all going to be ok. I need Him to remind me that He will provide. I need Him to show me the path to what is next. I need Him to celebrate the good things that are coming.

So, I hope that the lyrics, “Lord, I need you, oh I need you” continue to stick in my head. Because I want to need Him everyday… in everything that I do. Regardless of the season you are in, I pray that you will want to need Him, too. Whether it is a time for rejoicing or a time of frustration, you need Him to see you though.  

Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3