The Name

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson || Dress: Nordstrom

During the colder months of the year, I am particularly drawn to the color grey. It is the perfect neutral color that makes everything a bit softer. Earlier this fall, I picked out this dress from Nordstrom knowing that it would be a great out-on-the-town outfit. Now, I know when I say “Nordstrom,” dollar signs immediately pop in your head; but, if you haven’t checked out the store in a while, you will be surprised to find great deals on quality clothing. Isn't it interesting how that name carries such a strong reputation?
 
A name carries weight. It also carries expectations, knowledge, and judgment. But a name can have more to it. Sometimes, you have to look past what you think know in order to discover the true meaning.

This past Sunday, part of the message at Cross Point involved breaking down the holiest of names. Yep, I am talking about the meaning behind the name, Jesus. It’s something I had never thought about before. Because, like most of us, when I think about Jesus, I don’t think about how those five letters were constructed together to represent something more. I think about the message that is carried with the name. For me, that message is one of trust, protection, and love. But, for you, that name could carry a meaning that is something entirely different.
 
Let me break down the meaning of those five letters for you. They were not strung together by accident. God gave himself the name Yahweh, which means, “I am.” When you belt out a “Hallelujah,” you are actually saying “Praise be to God.” And when you say Jesus, you are actually saying “God saves.” The “J” in His name means God. The "sus" in His name means salvation. Jesus paid our debt so that we could be saved. We are saved by His grace and His love. His name is a name above all names. Created by our Father to save His children. Thanks be to God. Praise His holy name. 

"So God raised Him up to the most important place and gave him the name that is greater than any other name." - Philippians 2:9

A Little Grace

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson || Top: Madewell

I have two big weaknesses in life: Madewell and pizza. If you haven’t picked up on it by now, Madewell is one of my favorite places to shop. It’s the perfect place to find relaxed styles with added flare. So, of course, when I found this striped tee from Madewell, I couldn’t resist. Add it to a pair of distressed jeans, and I am all set for a night out to indulge in my other weakness. Yes, when it comes to pizza, I offer myself a lot of grace. In other words, I don’t hold back. In my world, calories don’t exist when it comes to pizza. Amen. 

The word grace isn’t one we are stranger to. And while we are often told about the grace Jesus offers to us, we seldom think about the grace we must offer to other people.
 
I’ve been reading Savor, a daily devotional by Shauna Niequist, and it just so happens that grace has been the topic of discussion for the last couple of days. She summed up the idea of grace perfectly when she wrote, “Grace is when you finally stop keeping score and when you realize that God never was, that his game is a different one entirely.”

When someone is having “a moment” and that moment affects you, it is hard to offer up some grace. Trust me. There have been times in my life where I have been so angry with people that it brings me to tears. It feels almost unfair to give them grace. Especially when they haven’t said those two little words that we feel like we all deserve to hear.  Yes, “I’m sorry” goes a long way. But life isn’t always going to apologize. There will be times where you have to choose to give grace.

When we are having a moment, we hope that the people we encounter will offer us grace. In turn, we have to get better at offering those around us the same kind of grace. Grace in understanding that their choices may be different from ours. Grace in knowing that there could be more to their “moment” than we really understand. “Grace allows us to grow, to become more of who God created us to be.” And that grace is the same grace that we should share with others.

Today, I pray that you will offer up some grace to the people in your life who need it the most. I hope you will pray for them – even though will be hard. Then, I hope you will extend yourself a little grace in the process. In His eyes, “Grace isn’t about having a second chance; grace is having so many chances that you could use them through all eternity and never come up empty.” – Shauna Niequist  

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

Kindness is Cool

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson || Dress: Hadley Rae Boutique

There is nothing better than finding a dress that works for both work and play. This gorgeous dress from Hadley Rae meets that criteria and is one that I am seriously obsessed with for fall. Did I mention that it also comes in navy?  Yes, please.  If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, the pricing does not get any better than what you will find at shophadleyrae.com. And this dress is a MUST. 

You know what else can be nice? People. Surprising thought, I know. Why? I think it’s because we are quicker to remember the people who are R.U.D.E than the people who are nice. Think about it. At the end of the day, who are you more focused on? The people who lifted you up or the people who brought you down? Since you are human, my guess is that you chose the second option. At least that’s how it is for me. But I am tired of focusing on the bad. 

This past weekend, I think I stumbled upon the nicest little town in America. And while it wasn’t the nicest looking town (that title belongs to Oxford, Mississippi), College Station, Texas, might be home to the nicest people (well, certainly in SEC country). I honestly have never felt so welcomed at a football game. And it wasn’t just the people at our UNBELIEVEABLE tailgate, this sentiment was felt everywhere we went. People would walk by and say, “Howdy” (it is Texas after all) and “Thank you for coming.” Some would say, “Welcome to College Station. We are glad you are here.” At times, it was even a bit overwhelming – but in a good way.

And while the final score of the game didn’t go as we hoped, all the nice people in College Station left me thinking about how I could approach this week a little differently. Let’s take a page out of their book (and maybe their playbook while we are at it) and show random kindness to someone this week. Then, let’s take it a step further and focus on the kindness other people might show us each day. Go to bed thankful for the good, while ignoring the ugly.  Once you do, you will become more aware of the comforting presence Jesus has in your life. 

"Kind words are like honey; they are easy to accept and good for your health." - Proverbs 16:24