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Posts from the ‘faith’ Category

Praying for a Sweet Family

I haven’t actually written a blog post since November. Yikes! If you’re still with me, bless your heart.

It’s amazing how much of my day is now devoted to Avery, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Between being a mama, wife, working a “real” job, and holding down my Etsy shop on the side, our lives have between crazy chaotic, but that’s what we signed up for, right?

I have more posts scheduled, most that are now somewhat baby-related (go figure), some new recipes, crafts, DIYs, etc.. I’m a little all over the place these days, and blogging is few and far between since it’s about the last thing I think of when Avery’s down for a nap, but I’m really trying to be more consistent. We’ll see!

. . . . .

On a completely different note, my heart has been so heavy the past week as I learned about the loss of a dear friend from college.
Two weeks ago, a freak accident left Lauren fighting for her life after she was was life-flighted to the nearest hospital.
Lauren fought for 7 days, but went home to be with Jesus on May 29.

Lauren’s medical bills will be through the roof, even after insurance. A fund has been set up to help her husband pay for her medical bills, and any other expenses he will have as he prepares for the road ahead as a single parent.

As of this morning, they’re $24,000 short of their $100,000 goal, with 114 days left. The outpouring of support for this amazing little family has been crazy, and even in the darkness, God is truly showing up and making Himself known.

For the remainder of this month, ALL proceeds from my Etsy shop will go to Lauren’s fund. Every penny.
Aside from praying for this sweet family, it’s the least I can do to give her husband and kids peace of mind as they face uncertain times ahead.

Please, join me in praying for her husband, Jayson, and their two babies, Laim (3), and Evelyn (1).

Antler Print

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Deer Print Template

Because Sometimes We All Need a Little Reminder

4 Weeks and Counting…

That’s right, in less than 4 weeks (hopefully!) we will be welcoming our sweet boy into the world.

And it’s just now becoming real.
Not that it hasn’t felt real before- I’ve felt the kicks, or shall we saw acrobatics, taking place inside of me. I had the morning sickness. We set up a crib and the majority of his room. The cloth diapers have been purchased and pre-washed. His car seat is ready to go. Our stroller is assembled. But just this week, it hit me.

We are having a baby.

Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely thrilled and SO excited to hold our little boy for the first time, but I don’t think there are any words to describe how nervous/slightly panicked/overwhelmed/unprepared I feel knowing that we are having a baby in a matter of weeks!

Holy. Smokes.

Thankfully, last weekend, my sister and I went to a Beth Moore study along with 7,300 other women and it was amazing. Worship like you wouldn’t believe, and a study that was so perfect for this exact season of my life. I’d been looking forward to this weekend every since I found out Beth was coming to our town, and prayed that baby boy wouldn’t arrive a month early and keep me from attending.

Beth spoke on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8…

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”

Friday night, we left the seminar and Beth asked that we pray God would reveal which of these seasons we’re currently in.
Saturday morning came, and I still had no idea, but in her message on Saturday, Beth mentioned that often, there are things that you just know you need to get rid of. Things you need to kill. Whether it be a habit, a lifestyle, anything you’re holding onto that you know is not of the Lord.

Monday morning as I had my quiet time and continued to read over this passage, I realized it’s time to kill and pluck up some of what’s been planted.

In about a month, we’ll have a baby. We’ll be tired, (exhausted most likely), but overjoyed with our new bundle of joy. We’ll know a love that we’ve never known before.

We’ll be parents.

But in the meantime, there are some things that just need to be killed and uprooted.

More specifically Pinterest, and Facebook.

I waste hours on both those sites. I waste hours perusing photos of homes that I’ll most likely never be able to afford, finding craft projects that I don’t have time for, and pinning recipes I think look good, but Ian will never eat. I find myself clicking away onto a blog, then comparing myself to the woman behind the blog with the spotless home and perfect children. I find myself lusting after these lifestyles, when God has blessed me beyond belief with things I often overlook.

As for Facebook, I don’t even want to know the number of hours I’ve spent on Facebook during my lifespan. But again, it’s a way for me to waste time and compare myself to the lives of those around me (most of whom I haven’t talked to in ages).

And so, I’m learning what a season of killing and uprooting looks like:

Less time in front of a screen
=
More time in the Word.
More time with my husband.
More time to complete projects I started months ago.
More time to prepare for baby boy.

A sort of calm-before-the-storm if you will.
A storm that brings happiness, joy, late-nights, tears, frustration, laughter, and humility all at once.

Peace out Facebook and Pinterest. It’s been real, but we’ll keep our distance for awhile.

Ecclesiastes 3,1-8

Project: Thankful // Day 10

So thankful for the numerous Design by Lulu readers and followers who are incredibly encouraging and motivating. Today’s post has been a long time coming, but here it is: an updated bookmark with 10 ideas on how to pray for the men in our life. Notice how I said ideas. These are by no means the only ways to pray for the men in your life, there are hundreds of ways we can pray for our husbands, so please, keep that in mind.

I’ve also included scripture references for this new bookmark.

Enjoy!