This Beautiful World

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson || Jeans & Top: Fab'rik 

I am beginning to realize that I have somewhat of an obsession with Greek-style clothing.  And this shirt couldn’t be more Grecian. The colors of this top capture the colors from the flag that we recently saw flying all over the city of Athens. There is something about the softness of this particular shade of blue and the pureness of the white that pulls me in every time. I’m so glad that Fab’rik loves the style as much as I do. 

As I write this post, I am nearing the end of a 10-hour flight back to Nashville from Athens, Greece. We spent the last week cruising the Mediterranean Sea on the Celebrity Equinox, which, as I’m sure you could imagine, was absolutely fabulous (and I’ve never really considered myself a big fan of cruises, but this one certainly passed the test). After starting in Barcelona, the cruise stopped in France, Italy and Greece. Each city brought new forms of beauty – beauty that you often see in pictures but can’t appreciate until you witness it in person.

I found myself talking to God more often than normal this week. There was something about being in unfamiliar settings that caused me to lean on him much more. I prayed for the expected things like our safety, of course; but, mostly, I sang His praises at this beautiful world He created for us to live in. I wish my pictures adequately captured the true color of the sky. No words could do it justice. It just seemed “bluer” this week.

While exploring a new place, we are more likely to point out the beauty of our surroundings. But, how often do we take the time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us everyday at home? While the tiny cobblestone streets of Portofino, Italy, left me in complete awe, I am sure they are just streets to the locals. They walk them everyday… no big deal. And while these Italian streets have seen thousands of years of history, the streets we travel everyday are just as much a part of our history.  As such, they should be valued. 

How amazing is that? Just think that with each step, we are walking on a piece of our history. And these steps lead to your beautiful future that you are directed towards each and every day.

What part of your surroundings should you stop to really appreciate today? It could be as simple as looking up to see the beauty in the sky – even if it is a cloudy day. Or, maybe it is stopping to appreciate the beauty of the people who surround you. Whatever it is, I hope that when you recognize it, you take a moment to thank this good, good Father who has given us a beautiful world to live in.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Step in the Water

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson

PSA: this is not a fashion post. I have already covered this dress. Actually, I wasn’t even planning to use these pictures on the blog, but they are the perfect compliment to the message I want to share with you.

While sitting in church this past Sunday, I had a clear “ah ha” moment.  It was during one of those messages where I couldn’t take notes fast enough. I kept looking for a remote to pause the sermon in order to write down each word. It was as if the clouds were parting and the sky was opening.  I wanted to bust out, “I am hearing you LOUD AND CLEAR, dear Jesus!” 

Justin Davis kicked off a new summer series with a message about how people are the narrators of God’s story.  For a little background, Justin is a former pastor at Cross Point Church. He left last year to start Hope City in Indianapolis.  As Justin explained, this was a real ego check: moving from an established church of 10,000 members to a new church of just 60 (on its best days… which includes his family of 5). Justin’s story gave new meaning to the phrase, “Respect the Process.”

As I sat there listening to Justin, I thought about how far Cross Point has come in just the last couple of years.  At one point, Cross Point was just like Hope City. And as Justin worked through the story of Joshua, where God led the Israelites across the Jordan River, I was reminded about how God worked on His own time frame thousands of years ago, just as He does now.

Justin explained that when God places an idea or plan on our heart, it is there for a reason.  God will give us the tools to make this idea a reality – maybe not our way, but some way. He said “you are not responsible for the outcome; you are responsible for your obedience.” It is your job to trust in Him. “Deeper trust will always lead to greater faith.”

I hope you, too, will find comfort knowing that great things take time. And if you need a little push, I highly recommend listening to this message. I pray it gives you just as much reassurance too keep following your dreams as it did for me.

“The water wont part until you step in.” – Justin Davis 

Take a Chance

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson  Dress: eShakti.com

This gorgeous, flowery dress is from the online boutique, eShakti. Have you heard of them? I hadn’t until they approached me about a collaboration; but, I am glad to know them now!

One thing I enjoy about eShakti is that you can customize your pieces. They give you the pattern and the idea; then, you make it your own. To make the look work for you, they take your height measurements and tailor the length just where you want it.  For us tall girls, say goodbye to those dresses that always seem to be too short. Whoop, Whoop! It was fun to take an idea and make it my own. And this dress fits like a glove. It’s such a relief to receive an online order and know it has been designed to fit YOU perfectly.

Collaborating with eShakti.com was an opportunity I had to jump on. It was slightly risky, however, since I had no idea what to expect or how the end result would turn out.  But, at the end of the day, there wasn’t really any downside since regardless of what happened, I would still end up with a free dress in the end. With that said, even small risk-taking moments can feel a little daunting.

But taking chances is what life is all about. I mean, it is a scary part of life, but a part nonetheless. Where would you be today if you didn’t take a chance somewhere along the way? (See what I did there?  The rhyme?  I mean, I am a teacher after all!)  Whenever I go through the process of deciding whether to take a risk, I literally talk it out until my mouth goes numb. Thank you to my people who sit and listen so patiently while I work through the pros and cons of each decision. At some point, my mom usually tells me, “Just make your choice and be HAPPY with it.”  She can only listen to me for so long.

The thing to remember when taking chances is that no matter what you decide to do, God is going to work through it with you. And even if it turns out that it wasn’t the best decision, He will enable you to learn from it and grow into a better YOU! That’s what we all want, right? To be the best YOU that you can be.

So, what chances do you need to take today? What is that one thing tugging on your heart that will require a leap of faith? Put your trust in God, and just go for it. 

"For it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose." - Philippians 2:13