Find Your Way Back Home

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson  Shirt by Aviate at Diana Warner

If you haven’t picked up on it already, I love Nashville. Like, L.O.V.E my city. I love the different neighborhoods… I love the people… I love the energy. So, when I was asked to collaborate with Diana Warner and given the option of wearing this adorable BNA shirt, it was a no brainer.  I was 100% on board.  Because not only do I love my city, I love to rep my city. I’m already the owner of the BNA hat; so, of course, I needed the shirt to go with it.

If you are thinking about purchasing your own BNA Aviate gear (which you should), I will warn you… Every time I wear my hat, I get asked if I work at the airport. Every. Single. Time. 

What’s funny is that to an outsider, the initials “BNA” wouldn’t mean much. It is really just the airport.  If you had asked me to wear a hat that said “Nashville International Airport,” I would have looked at you like you were crazy.  That thing would never go on my head. But put the letters “BNA” and this new Aviate trend is a total game changer.

Lucky for me, Adam and his family love to travel just as much as my family does. Therefore I spend a lot of time at the airport.  Being able to break out of Nashville and explore somewhere new—or even somewhere familiar—is a very comforting activity for me. With each new destination, I gain a new experience; but, at the same time, I also realize just how grateful I am for my home. 

I fully agree with the saying, “Home is where the heart is.”  Yet, while our homes will often look different, there is one member that belongs in each of them. And that member… that protector… is Jesus. Some days, we are very aware of His presence in our home.  It is as if he is sitting there with us at the dinner table.  Other days, we might not even welcome him through the front door. But, no matter what you are trying to escape or where you are running to, He is always waiting to lead you back home. No matter where that home may be. 

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be." - Matthew 6:21

Street Smart

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson  ~ Outfit Linked Below

This dress is one of those need to have, must buy looks that will last you all summer and into the fall. It is good for work, church, play, party, or whatever. You can dress it up with some cute summer booties, or you can dress it down with a pair of slip-ons (which, by the way, I am currently obsessed with slip-ons – I wore them all over NYC last week). 

Whether traveling through a big city like New York or the streets of Nashville during CMA Fest, you need to wear the correct shoes… shoes that you can walk in, stand in, and even dance in. These shoes need to last for hours and not provide discomfort. You need to be smart about your street shoes.

We have all heard about being “street smart.”  Specifically, it is defined as “knowing how to deal with potential difficulties in an urban environment.” Thankfully, Nashville isn’t the most “urban” of cities, and I think my level of street smarts is up to the level it needs to be here. At least in certain parts of the city… Right?

Most of us are able to gauge our level of street smartness. We tend to have enough commonsense and awareness of our surroundings to know how to handle most any type of situation. But do we have this same sense of awareness when it comes to our faith?

Everyday, we recognize that there are different situations where we need to lean on our faith. But do we? Do we consult God? Do we pray about it? Or do we just confront the situation—without thinking—and hope for the best.

Take a moment today to think about how you handle each of your faith driven decisions. Have you prayed about it? Are you putting your trust in God? These moments could be life changing, or they could be small. Maybe it is as easy as making a phone call to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Or maybe it is as big as finally beginning the search for a new job. But no matter how big or how small, each moment should be valued. Each moment is worth a prayer… or a praise. 

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

Your time, not mine

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson

Outfit is linked below

Today, I want to bring this post to you in a slightly different format.  Normally, I find a way to relate my outfit to having a TAD more faith. And while this white dress from Lulu’s (which just so happens to be the perfect length and perfect amount of comfort – all at an affordable price) does offer several faith-related connections, I just need to get to the point.  That being said, I REALLY do love this dress. It’s perfect for all things summer no matter the occasion (except maybe a wedding… but you already knew that). 

Moving on.

I want to talk about the topic of God’s timing, which is a concept that I struggle with on a day-to-day basis.  Being a teacher, I am a planner by nature – not just in lesson plans, but also in life. There are certain areas in my life where I feel comfortable letting God take the wheel.  But there are also several areas where I haven’t turned over control just yet. Like I often say, I am human, so it’s no surprise that I haven’t perfected the art of giving it all to God. 

I talk a lot about this dream I have and how I am always fighting for it. Recently, I felt a couple of doors close (actually more like slammed shut in my face) on that dream happening at my speed. While the reality was harsh, I wasn’t going to let it stop me. I developed a new plan and decided to take it day-by-day.

This past weekend, my husband and I took a trip to New York. We did a number of different activities throughout the city. Some of these activities were planned, while others came about as the trip progressed. What amazed me was that at more than one of these activities, all of which were very different, we heard a similar message:  believe in yourself.  For example, I would expect to hear that kind of thing from the pastor at Hillsong Church in the heart of Times Square, but I would not expect to hear it from “The Magician” at the NoMad Hotel (yes, we went to a magic show…I promise it was SO much cooler than you might expect). And I really didn’t expect to hear it while sweating it out at Soul Cycle. However, in a roundabout way, at each of these places, the topic came up. And every time it did, I thought about my dream.

On the last day of the trip, I received an email that overwhelmed me with excitement. It was the opening of a door that I expected to be closed for a long time. While the door only opened a crack, it was a mire sliver of hope that reminded me this was all in God’s hands.  No matter how much I stress, plan, talk, or whine about it, God remains in complete control.

My prayer for you is that you can start to turnover control to God of that area in your life that is weighing heavily on your heart. You will recognize that sometimes God’s plan doesn’t always line up with your calendar but that doesn’t mean it wont happen at some point.

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her." - Luke 1:45