Trust God. When you run out of trust, just Obey Him.

It seems like winter is the time I learn a lot about myself and when I see how much I actually need God. I've had so many things I wanted to share on here about what I'm learning but didn't because I wanted this to be a place for "business". Yep, my creative online studio turned in to business...  I'm not sure how I got there and I'm not sure I'm gone either but I know that isn't how I want things to be. Business is good in the fact that it provides for my family, but the reason I am able to have a successful business isn't just about how professional my blog is, or how beautiful my Instagram account is. I'm not saying those don't matter, cause they do, but thats not the entire story.

This blog and business started as some place fun that I could share my heart. I talked about what was happening in my life whether it was art or budgeting or marriage goop. And when I was sharing and speaking boldly from my heart this blog and my business was much more successful. I think there are lots of reasons I could chalk that up to, like people just think I'm interesting, or I got hooked up with the right blog group, but what I really think it was was trusting God. I didn't have some big plan that told me how I was going to use this space and lead me to be successful. I just used what God gave me and knew that it was good.

One thing that I've been hit over the head with a lot lately is that my plans suck. Well, they may actually sound really amazing and it may look like I've got it all figured out. But God says, "Nope, stop planning and just follow me, do as I say and all your needs will be cared for". Like seriously, He says that in the bible in Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?".  I know my value in Christ, I know He sees me as priceless. For heavens sake He DIED for me!! So why do I think He has forgotten what my desires are or that if I don't succeed on my own that my family will never be able to move forward? Like seriously whyyyyy does that plague me so much.

Like I said earlier, that thought process of trying to provide always sneaks back up on me in the Winter months. I think it's because I have time to sit, its slow in business since because it follows the Holidays, our bills are higher than normal because of the cold. So basically the winter sucks. Except for the fact that I can always count on it to lead me right where I need to be. I hate the cold weather, and I hate not having much business come my way BUT each time this happens I am reminded that I need to trust in the Lord and when my trust runs out I need to OBEY Him. I need to boldly trust that if I follow His plan for me that I will not only make it through the winter but that I will be successful in all that I do.

So I pray that each of you will also learn that sometimes our plans aren't what we need. What we need is to trust that our Heavenly Father values us much more than the birds of the air. He is going to take care of you and your family. He wants you to have the desires of your heart so be patient in His timing, trust that He is good, and obey what He says to you.

Love y'all!!

What am I doing with my life

Ugh life is hard! I graduated from Clemson University 9 months ago, we moved out to York, SC for my husbands job 8 months ago. We have a home, an income, running vehicles, and the best puppy that anyone could ask for. So really why in the world do I feel like my life is hard??

Part of the human flaw is that we feel entitled and prideful. We may not all see that in ourselves and name it as a characteristic to describe ourselves but we are. We are all prideful. I never noticed how prideful I was until we moved out here and I began the horrible struggle of trying to find a job. I felt like because I have my college degree that I should be able to get the job I want. I mean after all I did give 4 years of my life, graduated with a decent GPA, and paid lots to make that all happen. So why in the world is there no job for me?!

I've struggled with deciding what I want to do. I have my BFA (Bachelors of Fine Art) I'm a creative person who is interested in anything from interior design, wedding planning, to teaching. I've been looking off and on for jobs in any creative field. I've applied to a handful and never heard back. I even applied to Pier 1 and never heard back. That is when I saw how my pride was hurting me.

I realized that I felt like I could do this job search on my own. I was giving myself the glory for finishing school strong. I wasn't giving any credit to 1. my parents who helped pay for it and payed for most of my living while I was there or 2. the Creator and Provider of all things. God was receiving non of the glory that He deserved for giving me the ability to complete school with a high GPA, He gave my parents the opportunity to help me make my dreams of having a college degree come true. I gave Him some praise when Reed received his job, and for how easy it has been moving to a new town. But I was failing to give over my dreams for my future.

Jeremiah 29:10 says " I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."  

GOD WANTS TO GIVE ME THE FUTURE I HOPE FOR! So what is wrong with me, why have I not given Him my hopes and dreams when all he wants to do with them is make them happen. Pride. Thats all I can say, I was proud of myself for finishing school. I was proud of my creative ability and felt like I deserved a good job. As I continue my job search, and the search of what my hopes and dreams are I realize that I am not qualified. Not just because I don't have the 2 years of experience, or the extra masters degree, but because I am a prideful human who has failed to give the Lord the praise and the chance to fulfill His plans for me.

From now on I want to give Him the chance to have all the glory. My battle cry when going out and job hunting will be "For The Lord!". Why do I want this job?? I want it for the Lord! I want to be able to use the talent and the degree HE has provided me for HIS glory, not my own.

I hope we can all live our lives this way. If we continue to trust in the Lord and give Him all the glory than there is no reason for us not to be able to defeat this Goliath of a problem in our lives, whether it is job hunting, house hunting, or just trying to make friends. God wants to fulfill our dreams, he wants to give us Hope and a Future!