Thank you for being along on this journey with me! I’m the type of person who puts myself into everything I do – emotions, vulnerability, honesty, humility. I’m a creative person who is constantly finding new outlets for that creativity. Blogging and Instagram are one way I can do it all in one.

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I’ve loved “meeting” so many women like me, making new friends and relating to people I’ve never met, I’ve become better friends with people I know in real life that I didn’t talk to much before social media, I’ve received countless messages of inspiring someone, I’ve had people tell me my positive outlook helped them have a positive outlook. And most importantly, I’ve had 2 friends reach out and tell me I’ve helped them find God again. That last one is the nearest, dearest, most heart fulfilling comment I’ve ever received. If there is a day I’m feeling low, I reread those messages. I even told Brandon I want to print them out and hang them in our office. Nothing brings me greater joy. No amount of money to be made, amount of people following me, amount of growth. No high profile job or how awesome (or not awesome) my resume looks. It doesn’t matter if people approve of me, like me, or say what I’m doing is dumb, people are seeing God and building a relationship with Jesus because of something I did. Because of something God did through me.

My only hope in life is to leave a little light wherever I go. I’m not always successful. Sometimes I’m impatient, rude, slow to listen, self serving, superficial, loud, and emotional. But I’m also self-aware and I want so badly to be a good person. I hope more than braids or outfits or stories, you see a woman trying to live in the truth that life is a beautiful gift.

                                                                Happy New Year!

Every year is a good year filled with lessons, love, friends, memories, and fun in one way or another. The year 2019 doesn’t need to bring me anything – it’s what I bring that matters.

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I think this is as good-a-time as any to touch on something I spoke with my brother about the other day. When you share your life or your passions online, there is always an audience. Sometimes the audience is pretty small (but supportive) like mine, and so the online presence is a positive one. But then there are moments offline where the people you love most make backhanded compliments, remarks laced with criticism, or sarcastic digs. I know I’m not the only one whose closest relatives and friends have been the source of your biggest criticism – so hopefully someone can relate to this.

 I think the people who love you the most in this world should be doing the opposite of all those things; but I guess if anything, there is a lesson to be learned. You aren’t born with thick skin – It has to be learned.

I’m learning to keep going when I’m being teased or made fun of. I’m learning that someone’s opinion of me doesn’t paint a picture of who I actually am. I’m learning that I need to only care about God’s and Brandon’s opinion. I’m learning that we are given this beautiful opportunity of life and I’m going to do and learn and experience as many things as I can while I’m here. I’m learning that whether you do something or not, there will be criticism. Like Aristotle said, “There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”

And I’d rather do something. Because some people like it. Some people learn from it.

And some people find God through it.

So, I’ll sign off here with nothing but hope for love and light in each person’s life. That you DO WHAT YOU LOVE regardless of what a few people say about it. That you are a steward of goodness and support to those you love and even those you’ve just met. Because the world is a difficult place already, and the more we can shine light into the lives of the people around us, the more we all get to benefit from the brightness.