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Into the Morning

helping you find your identity and worth in the Creator | wife + mama living in nashville, tn

28/06/2024

today I was thinking about change - how much has changed in my life over the last few years, how much has changed in my living situation, how much has changed in my jobs and hobbies and desires and interests, etc, etc, etc.

I used to hate change. I’ve always been the type to want the spoilers so I know what to expect (ask any of my friends, and they’ll gladly tell you it’s hard to watch a movie with me lol). I love routine. I love predictability.

something I’ve noticed within all of the changes that have happened in my life lately is that the things I’m moving on from, no matter what it is - a food preference, a style, even a city, hobbies, or certain relationships - are no longer what is God’s best for me.

once I realized this about change, I started welcoming it with open arms…even if it’s as small of a thing as getting a new coffee table so we have better storage where we need it. or moving our dresser into our dining room (yes, you read that correctly) so I can have a closed off office space in our bedroom to work peacefully and more efficiently.

I’m excited for change now. And I’m especially excited about changing our living spaces to help them serve our family better.

do y’all like home content? how to make tiny (rental) spaces cozy? Yes? Maybe? if so, I’d *love* to take you along while we change some things up 🤍

26/06/2024

we finally got a plant for this pot, and I have to say - my bedroom has never felt more complete. what should we name him? Martin the Monstera?

feat. my flowers drying next to my southern flora bandana that I still want to style somehow.

15/02/2024

A. W. Tozer said this in his book, ‘The Pursuit of God’. In 1948. Before social media. Before influencers. Before celebrity pastors and mega churches and CCM.

There are so many things we need to be aware of in this day and age, and I think this is one of the biggest. Social media has given a platform to anyone who wants one. For this reason, it’s so important that we use discernment with who we follow - especially those who claim Christ.

With a following comes temptation to use it for the wrong reasons - speaking from firsthand experience. I know I don’t have near the followers that others have, but I will be the first to admit that I have not always had my heart postured correctly when it comes to this page. God has shown me areas that I struggle, and I never want to be the person standing behind a table Jesus would flip.

My point with this isn’t to encourage you to harshly judge the Christian influencers and pastors you follow, but I do want you to ask Holy Spirit to help you be discerning of the hearts of those people, myself included.

Why?

Because vanity can so easily be disguised as ministry.

You will know the tree by its fruit. 🤍

04/12/2023

I needed to hear this today. Maybe you do, too. 💛

18/10/2023

🍎 FRUIT IS NOT GIVEN. IT’S GROWN. 🍎 (Scroll through for the devo!)

This has been something on my heart for weeks now, and I’m finally getting around to make a post about it.

I’m really sad seeing people giving up on having peace or joy, or being able to be patient with their families, or having the self-control to break a bad habit.

ALL of these things are possible, but we have to understand WHY they’re possible.

It’s not that God hasn’t gifted you with love, joy, peace, patience, or self-control. It’s that those things in your life just haven’t been fully developed yet. Keep spending time with the Father and learning His ways and His rhythms.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are not gifts, they’re fruit.

Fruit isn’t given, it’s grown.

It’s taken me awhile to understand this, and I hope this post is helpful, and potentially healing for you! 💛

05/10/2023

it’s been awhile since I’ve posted, and that’s mainly because this has been the busiest year of my life.

when we entered 2023, I had no idea that the part time job I was taking on would eventually be almost full time, or that my husband would go freelance and start touring with one of the biggest bands in Christian music, or that we’d be able to travel and see family so much more, or that I’d have health issues creep back into my life, or that we’d go back to our first Tennessee church home after over a year away, or that I’d make new amazing friends, and experience new amazing things.

a lot has happened this year, and there’s still more of this year to go, but even though this year has been crazy in amazing and sometimes not-so-amazing ways, every time we enter a new season - literally and figuratively, I’m reminded of the last thing on that list. God’s goodness never changes because He never changes. I’m a little late to be wishing you a happy fall, but I’m excited for what this season brings. Who’s ready for sweater weather? 🙋🏼‍♀️

18/04/2023

LOOK AT WHAT GOD DID!

Last night I watched doctors stand in disbelief as my son dealt with an intussusception diagnosis and didn’t show a single sign of being in pain.

We took Judah to the emergency room for a very not normal diaper, which resulted in multiple x-rays, ultrasounds, and ultimately a diagnosis of something incredibly rare and life-threatening.
Intussusception is dangerous. It happens when part of your intestines retract back into themselves, similarly to the way a telescope retracts. If it’s not dealt with or doesn’t resolve on its own, it can be deadly.

He was almost ruled out for this because of the fact that he was peaceful and acting like nothing was wrong. The first doctor that looked at him said, “I’ve never seen this before. Every kid that has had this diagnosis has either been in so much pain they’re vomiting, or they look like they’re on something because of how excruciating this can be. I have never seen a kid look so normal and have this going on.”

My only response was, “God’s hand is on him.”

After multiple prayers, tests, and tears (mostly from Judah being poked and prodded, and a few from me) we got back home. This is such a rare thing, but even more rare is the chance of it happening again. It‘s a single digit % chance, but not impossible. We have a follow-up on Thursday to make sure everything looks ok still. Please pray with me for our bud to get a clean bill of health. 💛

So SO thankful for the team of doctors that cared for him, and so thankful for the Great Physician that kept our baby pain free and gave us peace throughout the entire thing. God is good.

31/01/2023

“Do not despise these small beginnings…” Zechariah 4:10 ✨

29/01/2023

just some thoughts for today 💛

09/01/2023

Worry. It’s something that has the chance to put a chokehold on our lives. Jesus has a LOT to say about worry and faith, but this section of scripture is my favorite to read when worry tries to take me down.

Something Jesus says multiple times in various situations of people doubting him is, “you of little faith!” Today on the blog, I want to go deeper into the meaning of that phrase and how it applies to our lives.

Join me over on the blog! You know where the link is!

05/01/2023

before I go any further on this caption, hear me: I’m not saying the process of sanctification (becoming Holy and Christ-like) is miserable. The outcome in the end is quite the opposite.

Yes, there are certain parts of the process of sanctification that we probably wish we could skip, like going through trials to refine and strengthen our faith, being given opportunities to be patient with difficult people, etc., etc.
But those parts of the process are 1000% necessary to become the people God needs us to be for His works to be completed in and through us.

David spent many years of his life running from the very King he would take the place of.

Noah was mocked and laughed at for following the call of God when it made no sense.

Daniel was thrown into a den of lions just for praying.

Paul was locked in chains multiple times, came close to death multiple times, and was stoned and left because they thought he was dead. WHAT??

How many of us would be willing to go through these things?!?!

God NEVER promises us 100% happiness 100% of the time in our worldly/earthly circumstances. What he DOES promise is JOY in JESUS and a Heavenly reward if we run the race and don’t give up. (1 Cor. 9:24)

In ALL of those stories I just listed, those people completely changed the course of history. Noah was a new beginning. Daniel changed a ruler’s heart. David became the greatest King that ever lived. Paul restored the lives of Christians and held them to a higher standard instead of killing them. (What a testimony!!)

None of those people enjoyed going through their trials (see the Psalms lol), but LOOK AT GOD! Look at what He accomplishes through people who are willing to lay down what makes them happy and choose what will make them holy instead.
** That’s not to say happy and holy can’t coexist - they CAN! I’m sure Paul, David, Daniel, and Noah had days they thought life couldn’t be better.
But when the time comes, choosing holiness over our comfort - choosing holiness over what feels good - choosing holiness over what will bring us earthly happiness that wears off after a day or two - THAT’S what we should be striving for.
I pray that we would be that bold in our faith. 💛

27/12/2022

In the past, I’ve made the unfortunate mistake of making goals and resolutions at the start of the new year without doing these things.
Guess how many goals I actually achieved? None. Because they were MY goals that I was trying to achieve in my OWN power, and a lot of the time, they were selfish goals.

I want to encourage you to surrender your goals and plans for next year to God. Ask Him what HE wants to you achieve next year, and trust that He’ll be faithful. Our part is to trust Him and to be obedient in following the steps He guides us in. 💛

23/12/2022

I know this time of year is difficult for so many. You’re so loved, and you’re not alone. 💛

19/12/2022

This is the time of year where we celebrate Jesus’ birth. While we’re doing that, I think it’s important to remember not only why he came, but also who he came for.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, so that WHOEVER believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Jesus came to this earth with open arms. Every single person you see is a person Jesus loves and died for.
He died knowing people would hate him.
He forgave us without expecting apologies.
He wants us to love people in the same way.
Renewing our minds and our hearts to make love our first instinct (instead of anger or hatred) is a daily process that requires spending time with God and becoming more like him. 💛

15/12/2022

I feel like someone needs to hear this today.
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭14‬
“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬

07/12/2022

This story in the Bible breaks my heart. It makes me wonder how many times in my life I’ve been the person who has cared more about doing things FOR Jesus rather than spending time WITH him. I think Martha gets a bad rap a lot of the time, but we forget that she loved Jesus, too. She just had misplaced priorities and probably an acts of service love language rather than one of quality time.
If you’ve been following me for a little while, you’ve probably seen me post about . She’s my favorite youtuber, and posts a lot of great content about minimalism, motherhood, and real life. In a series of videos she titles “Get it All Done With Me”, she specifically states that a lot of the time she doesn’t actually get it all done, and that it’s perfectly ok. I LOVE THAT.
I think we can learn a lot from Martha, and not in a condescending way. We’ve all been Martha. However, I want to challenge you - if you are GENUINELY too busy to spend time with Jesus, as in you actually don’t have a spare second to read your Bible not that you just choose your phone instead, something needs to be reevaluated. Something needs to be knocked much lower on the priority list, or taken off of it completely.
This season, and from now on, I want to make it a point to check my heart and choose what is better. Nothing is more important than Jesus. 💛

28/11/2022

This is going to be increasingly more and more on my heart the closer we get to Christmas. I know this time of year is so difficult for so many people, and I just want to encourage you in knowing you’re not alone. Not only do I understand, but Jesus does, too - and that’s even more important. 💛

11/11/2022

ever read something in the Bible for the millionth time and it just *clicks* differently than it has in the past?

That was me reading Matthew 5:43-47 this morning (third slide). Jesus doesn’t just say “hey, maybe think about being nice to the people you don’t like much.” No. He COMMANDS “Love your enemies. Pray for the people who persecute you.” He doesn’t give another option.

In my human brain, I read that and thought “how am I supposed to do that?”
God reminded me of a verse that I’ve posted a lot frequently, that in context was about Mary carrying Jesus as a virgin, but can be applied to this as well because it’s something we’re commanded to do, not something selfish we’re asking for: “Nothing shall be impossible with God.”

As a sinful human, it is impossible for me in my own power to love my enemies. My human love (in Greek: phileo - brotherly love) does not have the capacity to love someone unconditionally because as humans, we expect love in return and we crave validation.

God’s love (in Greek: agape) expects nothing. God loves unconditionally; so unconditionally that he sent his only son to die for the entire world KNOWING people would not love him in return.

If we are to successfully love our enemies knowing they most likely will not love us back, we need to love them with an agape love. The only way we can do that is through God, because He is the only one who can show that kind of love. If you are a born-again Christian, this love resides in you because Christ resides in you. The more you are renewed and become more like Him, the more this agape love will overflow out of you. Not because you’re “trying to love people”, but because it’s natural. When you become like Jesus, you can truly love like Jesus. 💛

04/11/2022

The last verse is embossed on the cover of my Bible. It’s the first thing I see when I pick it up. It’s also been the verse that I’ve clung to and spoken over myself in times of doubt. For the last few days, I’ve been dealing with a lot of doubt, specifically surrounding my son’s health, and all I’ve wanted (other than healing for him) is peace for my whole family, hope that he’s going to be just fine, and trusting in God with every moment of every day, no matter what the number on the thermometer is.

If you’re in a season of doubting God’s goodness, or doubting his plan for you, you’re not alone. I hope these verses can be an encouragement to you. 💛

02/11/2022

I could write an entire book about misplaced identity (hi, . wanna publish me? Lol)

I lived my life until the age of 25 without FULLY knowing and understanding where my identity is found. I used to confused the way I carry out my calling (my job, my relationships, etc.) for my identity, and let me tell you, that’s DANGEROUS.

The focus becomes on works, how we earn our money, who our friends are, etc. instead of Jesus.
Just to clarify, here’s an example of what identity should look like:

Our identity - Child of God
Our calling - Make disciples & glorify God
The avenue in which we do that - our current job/life circumstance or season/relationships

If you are a born-again believer, your identity is in Christ. You are a Child of God! The calling placed on all of our lives because of that is to make disciples (Matt. 28:19) and to glorify God in everything we do (1 Cor. 10:31). The way in which we do that is through what we do daily: mothering our children, going to school and interacting with classmates, going to work and being with coworkers, serving people everywhere we go, etc.

Your identity is not WHAT you are (doctor, firefighter, teacher, mother, etc., etc.) - your identity is WHO you are. You are God’s, and you are so loved by Him. 💛

28/10/2022

really inspired by ’s newest blog post about the rise of popularity in “aesthetic Christianity” a.k.a. “THAT Holy Girl”.

This has been something on my heart for awhile, mostly because my best moments in the presence of God, and the ones where I find myself growing more into His character aren’t Instagram worthy. They’re not green smoothies and 2 hour walks in overpriced lululemon leggings. The best moments I’ve had with God are the messy ones. The ones where I’m so undone by His love and grace that I weep. Now, there’s nothing wrong with eating a healthy breakfast, exercising, and sticking some encouraging post it notes to your bedroom mirror. Those are all great habits…
But if you desire TRUE holiness, none of those things can get you there. Only Jesus can - and Jesus is not an aesthetic. He’s the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and the only way to enter his Kingdom is through HIM. Like Tiffany said in her blog post, “God doesn’t want you to aim for an aesthetic holiness that only looks good on social media. What God wants is for you to become holy as you walk hand-in-hand with him in a tangible, life-giving, intimate relationship.”

Let’s not get so distracted by making sure our faith ~looks~ perfect on Instagram, and instead focus on the only thing that matters in the scope of eternity: our one-on-one relationship with the Father. 💛💛

05/10/2022

SWIPE TO READ >>>

we’re getting ready to enter the season of gifts, and as I was thinking about that this morning, I was reminded of this verse.
Your life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. It never will. Your things don’t make you who you are. You don’t have to keep up with everyone else in order to be worthy - your stuff doesn’t make you worthy. Jesus does.

29/08/2022

A prayer because it’s Monday, and my son is still sick, and I’ve worked every weekend for the past month and haven’t gotten to spend time with my family, and the air conditioning stopped working in my car, and my grandpa is not doing well in the hospital, and a million other things, but GOD IS STILL GOOD, even though I’m utterly exhausted in every physical, mental, and emotional way possible. Lord, give me rest and heal my family. 💛

06/08/2022

don’t forget God once the prayer is answered.
it’s easy to have God answer a prayer and back off from praying and conversing with Him. we can tend to see it as “not needing Him” anymore. we got what we wanted, and now we move on.
this has been something I’ve had to intentionally not fall into. we spent months fervently praying for a place to live, and now that prayer has been answered. have I prayed for a place to live since then? no, because that’s an answered prayer that I’m living in. BUT, I still converse with God. I still bring my burdens to him. I still pray for a home because I know that this is not my forever earthly home, and it sure isn’t my forever heavenly home. He’s given us things to do in the future that require obedience and His guidance - things we definitely cannot do without His hand in them. I pray for that. I pray for our future. I pray.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “pray continually…”.
yes, even after the prayer has been answered. even after the miracle has happened. continue to pray. continue to worship. continue to give thanks. continue being in relationship with the Father. 💛

04/08/2022

something I’ve been challenging myself with lately 💛

13/07/2022

“you’ll never know who God is if the only person you look for when reading the Bible is yourself.”

a.k.a. this is your gentle reminder that the Bible wasn’t written so you could relate to every person within it and find yourself in their life stories.

the Bible was written to point you to Christ. every word, every point, every story, every verse, every book points to HIM. it’s meant to draw us closer to HIM and to learn more about HIM and who HE is.

I want to encourage you to read the Bible through that lens the next time you open it, rather than trying to put yourself in everything you read. let’s get to know Jesus a little better. 💛

13/06/2022

yesterday, my husband and I were chatting about our dreams for the future, and this verse and topic popped into my head. come to find out, the exact same verse and topic came to his mind at the exact same time and we both sat and thought about it separately without the other person knowing what we were thinking about.

I took that as a sign that it was something God had put on our hearts, and it was important enough for me to want to share it here.

let your dreams be God’s dreams. 💛

08/06/2022

sometimes the answer is “no” or “not yet”, and as hard as it can be, we need to be ok with it and ask for peace. in the end, God knows what is best for us in the same way a parent knows what’s best for their child. we can cling to the hope of knowing He’s got our absolute best interest at heart. 💛

20/05/2022

You know how you can read a Bible verse a million times, but get something different out of it each time? That’s how Psalm 18:33 was for me this morning. “He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.”
Have y’all ever seen those goats that stand on the sides of mountains? Like ledges that are no more than a few inches wide? They’re basically floating. It’s insane. Google it.
When I read that verse, for some reason those goats were the first thing that popped into my head. Those goats are one of the only animals, if not the ONLY animal that can safely navigate those narrow ledges. But God made them that way. They’re able to do what they do because of the way the Creator made them.
Sounds a lot like us, right? There are certain things God has created you for - certain things He’s created you to do, but we can’t achieve everything He has for us if we leave Him out of the picture. There are certain places God wants to take us that we can’t get to on our own. It’s only with Him that we can have not only all of the fruits of the Spirit, but also all of the gifts He‘s given us, all the callings He‘s given us, and the full future He’s given us.
If there are certain goals you have, I encourage you to make sure that God is in them, through them, and surrounding them. If He is, and your goals line up with His all-perfect will, I can promise you that those goals and dreams will take you to places that are so much bigger than you could get to in your own power. 💛

18/04/2022

Have you ever been in a season of witnessing everyone else’s miracle and feeling like you’ll never get your own?
🙋🏼‍♀️ Hi. That’s me. Right now.

We still don’t have a home. And in the last few months, we’ve had friends build their dream home, a different set of friends had a gorgeous new house given to them, and another set of friends purchased a house for 1/3 of what the current market would value it at.

In the midst of all of that, it’s been the classic struggle of being SO incredibly happy for those friends, but also wondering when our home miracle is going to show itself.

The reality is, we have until June. I know God isn’t limited by time. 1,000 years is a blink to him and vice-versa. This whole thing has built trust in Matt and I, but it’s also been the most difficult waiting period of our lives.

Thinking through all of the amazing stories our friends have told us about their homes, Holy Spirit kindly told me, “those stories weren’t meant to discourage you. They weren’t meant to shut down your dreams for your home because someone else got the miracle you’ve been praying for. Those stories were meant to encourage you. They were meant to show you that your God IS capable of those miracles and that there are MORE THAN ENOUGH miracles to go around. God does not run out of miracles, and yours is coming.”

Friends, I believe Matt and I will have a home soon. I know we will. If you’re in a season of waiting for a miracle and watching everyone else around you get theirs, know you’re not alone, but also remember that there are more than enough miracles to go around. He hasn’t forgotten you. 💛

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✧ IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO START ✧ It’s Tuesday. Also known as “give up for the rest of the week” day, right? NOPE! Just because Monday was supposed to be day 1 doesn’t mean that the rest of the week is void of that title. It may be Tuesday, but Tuesday can still be day 1. Give yourself grace. Be intentional, but don’t give up. 💛

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