Blessed is she who believes.

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.

This little line in Luke 1:45 has become a source of big hope for me. It’s been just the reminder I’ve needed that the dreams and hopes He’s planted in my heart are in safekeeping with Him.

I’ve written this verse on my mirror, so every morning, my heart is reminded of that truth, and every evening, my confidence is encouraged.

For the last few months, I’ve been praying for Him to help my unbelief — especially when it comes to my singleness — and He has been faithful to bless me with fresh hope and belief.

Choosing to believe takes courage, but thanks to His grace, it’s a choice my heart will always strive to make.

::image::

40 Days of Prayer x2

As I mentioned on Twitter earlier today, I’ve decided to commit to another 40 days of praying boldly. When I finished the first 40 days of prayer, I thought it was a possibility that I’d commit to another 40, but I wasn’t sure when. In the last week, I feel the Lord has laid it on my heart to begin another round of prayer, so I’m stepping out in obedience to do so.

Tonight, I wrote a new list (using my previous one for guidance). Much of it is the same, but I was inspired to include a few new prayers, as well.

I’m excited to start praying again and to see how the Lord uses this time to grow my faith. I believe in being brave and bold in our prayers. I also believe that when we’re in close connection with Him, He is faithful to shape the desires of our hearts—desires that He wants to and will fulfill!

He is good, and He is faithful, and I know that He will use this time to strengthen my relationship with Him. It’s my prayer that through this 40 days of prayer, He will be glorified, and that my faith and my hope will become even bigger.

29 Things

{ photo credits from left to right, top to bottom: 1. mosaic by Designlovefest 2. Elizabeth Kartchner 3. A Beautiful Mess; photo collage design by me }

I’m about to begin the last year of my twenties (eeek!). And I have a pretty ambitious 29 Things list! ;) But I really want to embrace this year. I feel like I’m at such a good place right now…confident in the direction I’m heading, in the prayers I’m praying, and the growth I’m seeing.

I want to keep being brave and bold in my pursuit of the Lord and in my pursuit of becoming even more of the woman He created me to be.

Now…on to the list! ;)

1. Write, design, and publish my eBook.
2. Be an active participant of She Reads Truth.
3. Begin each day in prayer (on my knees). Pray for increased faith every day.
4. Continue to pray boldly. Commit to another 40 days of prayer.
5. Read Kate Morton’s new book, The Secret Keeper.
6. Visit a dear friend in California.
7. Eat brunch at a local French cafe.
8. Take my artwork to the local coffee shop who said they’d be interested in displaying/selling it.
9. Start doing more hand lettering.
10. Attend a creative conference like Luminous or Alt Summit. Take a Blogshop class.
11. Purchase vintage-inspired specs.
12. Read Blog, Inc.
13. Further develop my brand: Create a media kit for my blog, and pursue some new partnerships/opportunities/collaborations.
14. Pitch my writing/artwork to a few publications I’ve been dreaming to work with.
15. Start using the manual settings on my camera.
16. Learn how to shoot and edit video for my blog.
17. Save for and invest in a new laptop.
18. Be more involved in the local art/design/writing community.
19. Attend Weapons of Mass Creation again. Go to more sessions. Hear more music.
20. Participate in a 5K like this one.
21. Wear polka-dotted pants.
22. Serve the local community with my church through art/creativity.
23. Learn how to create in Illustrator.
24. Eat fewer processed foods and more fresh in-season foods.
25. Try at least one new recipe every month.
26. Watch the first season of Mad Men—AND finally host that Mad-Men-inspired soiree?
27. Explore my city more — visit one new place (restaurant/shop/area) every season—and take plenty of pictures/videos of my adventures for the blog! ;)
28. Go on a fall picnic (with hot apple cider, of course!).
29. See more live music shows! (Fingers crossed The Civil Wars will come back to the area!)

Lots of creating to come in this next year (and lots of travel, too!). :)

I’m excited to see all God has in store, and I’m excited to continue learning and growing even stronger in my walk with Him.

I want to live this life as fully and creatively as I can, giving thanks for each and every beautiful blessing. 

28 Things Recap

This is probably THE MOST unflattering picture of me ever, and I can’t believe I’m actually posting it here, but it’s kind of funny, and I guess it’s appropriate for an enthusiastic 28 Things Recap.

So, let’s get started, shall we? ;)

When I look back over this list and all I’ve done and learned in this past year, I feel incredibly thankful. There were challenging moments and set-backs along the way for sure, but the growth that was achieved and the memories that were made truly outshine those more difficult moments.

1. Start a new art journal. 

I spent many happy afternoons/evenings making pretty collages in my art journal. I also posted  5 Ideas for Journal Keeping, where I shared some of my favorite ways to journal and art journal.

2. Memorize more scripture. 

3. Invest in a new camera and additional photo software.

So happy with my Canon and my photo software from Rad Lab!

4. Continue to pray boldly.

I even dedicated 40 days to praying boldly, and I’m about to embark on another 40-day prayer journey.

5. Try my hand at songwriting.

6. Wear cat-eye glasses.

7. Make a larger-scale collage.

Made this for a dear, dear friend before she moved. It’s probably the largest collage I’ve made to date, and I definitely want to try to make an even larger one at some point! I’m so used to working on small canvases and wood panels, that’s it’s a good creative challenge for me.

8. Host a dinner party.

9. Attempt to make my own homemade pasta.

10. Make a new pumpkin dish (perhaps a pumpkin lasagna or stuffed shells).

I made Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells (from a recipe in Country Living magazine).

11. Actively pursue a few of the big creative dreams on my heart. Explore the possibilities. Take risks. 

One of the biggest of those dreams is my eBook! So excited to keep you all posted on its progress. Look for a progress update soon! And MAYBE a title reveal, too… ;)

13. Find a Godly mentor. 

I feel so blessed to have connected with an amazing woman at my church who has agreed to be my mentor! We’ll be beginning our mentorship meetings this fall! I can’t wait! She’s an incredible friend and an inspiring, Godly woman, and I know she’ll have much wisdom to share with me! :)

12. Find a favorite local coffee shop (besides Starbucks). 

This should probably be only half crossed out. ;) I visited some local shops, but I wouldn’t say I found a new favorite. (I have, however, rediscovered Starbuck’s caramel apple cider, and I’m fairly certain that’s my new fall addiction.) Ooops!  ;)

14. Continue to learn and do all I can to prepare myself to be the kind of Godly wife a Godly man deserves.

This is certainly on-going, but I will say that I’ve learned a ton this past year. 

15. Live with an open heart and open hands to receive all God has to give.

This has been my motto this year, and it’s really been something I’ve tried to live by. I can say that at times, it wasn’t easy, but it was always worth it.

16. Fall in love with a new-to-me band.  

Discovered some great new artists (Of Monsters and Men, Andrew Belle, re-discovered Katie Herzig; it’s been a great year for music!).

17. Visit a local pumpkin farm. Carve/paint/decorate purchased pumpkins.

Festive fall weekends are my favorite.

19. Tackle a few organizing projects I’ve been putting off.

18. Find ways to encourage others to use the creative gifts they’ve been blessed with.  

I think my new blog focus is going to be very much about doing this, and I’m looking forward to joining an arts-focused missional community at my church this fall.

20. Make it a daily practice to quiet my heart and mind, so I can actively listen to God. 

I started  doing this during Lent and continued this summer with She Reads Truth. In the last few months, I have learned a lot about prayer and listening to God. It’s been a pretty incredible journey, and I want to keep growing and learning.

21. Revamp my blog design.

Not only did I revamp the design, I also revamped my focus!

22. Go to an art museum.

Went to the art museum AND the history museum! ;)

23. Take an art or writing class (or both!)

24. Start an actual weekly workout routine.

I’ve started regular walks/runs! I’m not always perfectly consistent, but I’m doing fairly well!

25. Go to more craft fairs. 

I participated in a spring craft show and attended Weapons of Mass Creation.

26. Go to the beach!

27. Start a new tradition each season.

28. Begin every day by asking myself, What can I do today that brings more beauty, more energy, more hope? (Inspired by Shauna Niequist) 

It’s hard to say I did this EVERY day, but it was definitely on my heart often.

So, there you have it! Stay tuned for my 29 Things list! :)

P.S. Want to read past lists? Read my 27 Things list, here and my recap, here.

Women Praying Boldly: 40 Days of Prayer

It’s been quite a while since I posted a Women Praying Boldly update.

And honestly, I’ve debated quite a bit about whether or not I should post this one, because sometimes, sharing honestly and openly is scary. It’s hard to be vulnerable and transparent about what’s going on in our hearts.

But then I thought, if this can be an encouragement to even just one woman, then it’s worth being brave about. It’s worth sharing and writing truthfully.

So, here we go… :)

As I’ve been reading The Circle Maker and growing in my prayer life, I’ve felt challenged to devote 40 days to prayer—specifically for my future husband/desire to be part of a marriage that brings glory to the Lord.

Beginning on June 25, I made a list of prayers/scripture that have been heavy on my heart, and I started circling those prayers and promises from God.

So far, every single day, I’ve prayed through them.

Even when I’m tired.

Even when my doubt feels bigger than my faith.

And those prayers have already affected my heart.

They make me feel more connected to God and to the unexplainable hope I have for marriage.

And I like praying for my future husband, because it makes me feel closer to him, even though I have no idea who he is! ;) I want to be a prayer partner for him when we get married, so it makes sense to start now, to be lifting him up every day and praying for him, his dreams, and his walk with the Lord.

I want to be a blessing to him even now.

It is my hope that these prayers will begin a foundation for us, and that the Lord will use them for His glory.

And one last little thing just for fun…

I recently stumbled upon these adorable “My Better Half” interviews over at Amanda Jane Jone’s blog. They are so sweet and quirky and cute, and they really reflect my own hopes to marry a man who will be my best friend.

A man I’ll be better for the Kingdom with.

A man I can be silly with and creative with.

And a man I can grow with, learn with, and create a life story with — one that we’ll fill with our own unique traditions, moments, and memories.

Trusting God With My Story

Today, I read a tweet that said:

“Do you trust God with the storyline of your life?”

That one pierced my heart a bit, because for as much as I post about living in the moment, loving my story, and trusting its Author, I realized today that if I’m being completely honest, this is something I really struggle to do.

Perhaps, it’s the writer in me, because I’ll take a look at my life and think of a number of different nice and neat ways everything could come together and work out. This could happen like this… And this like this…

That’s not surrendering, though.

And it certainly isn’t trusting God with the storyline of my life.

Within the last year, I’ve faced a number of different disappointments (with creative pursuits, with relationships, and even just with myself), and I think I haven’t always known how to handle those or what to do with them.

I know the logical answer is to take them to God, trusting that He works everything out for our good and His glory. And I’ve done that a little bit, but I’ve also tried to solve some of the issues myself — jumping in there with my red editor’s pen and telling God, Well, what if this happens like this? Or, What if we rearrange this part in this way?

In the midst of all of that, this is what I realized I’ve been learning:

People will disappoint us, and we will disappoint ourselves. Circumstances and timing and answers to prayers will not always make sense. We will feel stuck and frustrated and discouraged when we can’t clearly see the path we’re supposed to be following.

But we forgive — each other and ourselves. We find reasons to be thankful, even when it hurts. We look forward with hope, and we believe that God is good, and that He is making sense of the mess, even when we can’t see the tiniest bit of order amongst all the pieces.

And above all else…

We trust.

We stop wrestling with the plot and the characters and the length of each chapter, because we know, deep down, that He is an infinitely better storyteller than we are, and that our version of the story pales in comparison to the one He is ever-so-faithfully writing for us.

Women Praying Boldly: A Good Woman

{image from the Good Women Project}

I recently came across the Good Women Project.

The heart of the project’s mission is this: We are seeking to provide a place of trust, honesty, truth and encouragement for both single and married women as we wrestle through life together.

As I was reading their article, Profile of a Good Woman, the section about a good woman recognizing a good man when she sees one really stuck with me.

The article says that a good woman recognizes a good man…

Not only because of his full head of hair, the dreaminess of his eyes, the size of his bank account or the breadth of his shoulders.

Instead, she is captivated by his resemblance to The Father

The testimony of his brotherhood

The strength of his character

His courage against opposition

His humility in his flaws

His commitment to growth and learning

His compassion and kindness

His protective arm about her shoulders

His complete acceptance of her story

The light in his eyes whenever she walks into a room

Check out the rest of the article, here.

I wrote the list in my journal to refer to and pray about, as I continue to pray boldly. I’ve also been continuing my month-long reading about the Proverbs 31 woman. Each day that I read through that section, I think the words settle into my heart a bit more.

In this season, I’m so thankful for all I’m learning and look forward to what God will continue to teach me.

Wishing you a beautiful start to your week,

{ k }

Women Praying Boldly: Waiting

{love this photo by Arrow & Apple}

I believe in the way God knits two people together when they stand before Him on their wedding day. Something sacred happens in that moment, something that will, with grace and intention and faith and hard work, build upon itself and grow in power and beauty and durability, with each passing year.

(Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist)

I believe in that, too — and even though I’m not there yet in my own life,  I do hope to see that heart’s desire fulfilled. The truth is, if I’m honest, I certainly thought by this point in my life I’d be engaged or married — or at least dating that person. But to re-quote something else from Shauna Niequist: “Life with God at its core is about giving your life up to something bigger and more powerful. It’s about saying at every turn that God knows better than we know, and that His Spirit will lead us in ways that we couldn’t have predicted.”

So, that’s what I’m trying to do. Trust — really trust — that He knows better than I do, and that I’m on the path I’m on for a reason.

And I’m praying boldly.

As I wrote about, here, I’m participating in an online prayer group for women who want to pray boldly for their future spouses/marriages. Periodically, I’ll be posting updates like this one, sharing with you how prayer is working in my life and what the Lord is revealing to me through the process of being a part of a focused prayer group.

August update:

A few days ago, the Lord laid it on my heart to start reading Proverbs 31:10-31 each day for the next month. I’m excited to see how He uses this in my life and my walk. I know I can be living these attributes out now, blessing others, while I wait on the Lord.

So far, I’ve been focusing on her strength. (The word “strength” appears a few times in Proverbs 31:10-31.) A few days ago, I looked up passages with the word strength and jotted them in my journal, asking myself, what does strength look like for a Godly woman/wife, and in what ways does the Lord provide strength to all who seek him?

* * *

I’m excited to continue to learn and pray. And in this season of singleness and waiting, I feel truly blessed to be discovering more and more of who God created me to be. He inspires me on a daily basis and reveals new adventures and creative pursuits that are wonderfully fulfilling. He blesses me with incredible friendships that add color and meaning to my days and family time that nourishes my spirit. So, even on the days when I look at my life and think, When God? I’m ready, and I’m so excited to meet a Godly man, a best friend to share my life with…

I know I have to trust where I’m at and appreciate this season for all it has to give me.

If you’re particpating in our Women Praying Boldly initiative, know that I’m praying for you, and I look forward to hearing your own unique stories. Let me leave you with this last encouraging quote from Shauna Niequist:

Part of being a married couple means that you create a new identity together, woven from your experiences and histories and lives…

I love that, because I know that my history will add to his, and together, our story will unfold exactly as it’s meant to — at just the right time — with God orchestrating each and every beautiful moment.

{k}

Women Praying Boldly Initiative: Will You Join Us?

{You can find this beautiful Pray printable by Taidye Original, here.}

My friend Carmen is kicking off an awesome prayer initiative over at her blog, Life Blessons. The focus is women coming together and praying about their desire for marriage.

Here’s what Carmen writes about Women Praying Boldly:

When I was single, it became a very large burden on my heart to pray about finding a godly man. I truly believe that because I prayed so earnestly and brought that desire to the Lord, that he answered my prayers and wove my love story within months.

I also believe that we not only should pray these things (meaning, godly desires of any kind!) for ourselves but also for one another. Because I saw how that prayer worked so miraculously in my own life, I make it a point to continue to pray for women I know who have that same desire.

And I’d like to take this opportunity to reach out to any of the readers here who would like to share in that, as well.

Here’s what I propose: I would love to start a Women Praying Boldly initiative (taken from Candice Watter’s book Get Married) here on this blog. If you are interested in praying for a godly husband and want others to rally around you in prayer, then fill out this form here with your contact information. 

* * *

I’m really excited to be a part of this initiative, and I think it will be so inspiring to see the way God works in the lives of all who participate. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I think it’s even more powerful when we join together with other believers in prayer.

You can read more about the Women Praying Boldly Initiative, here.

I hope you’ll join us.

{k}