Jesus Met Me in Chipotle

Okay okay okay.. it's been a hot minute since I've written. Life got busy and I kinda forgot about this little piece of the interwebs. But alas, here I am.. thrilled to be back + excited to share all that's happened and is happening in our little corner of the world!
  
Let me preface this by saying, I am by no means trying to pat myself on the back nor brag.. I'm just as human as the next gal & am only sharing this because Jesus impressed it on my heart.. I've come to realize ya gotta listen to the Big Guy when He prompts.. 

  I got back in town last night, not wanting to cook after a long day (lets be real.. I never want to cook and especially after I've been gone all day but that's beside the point), of course my taste buds led me to Chipotle. The building was packed full .. mainly college students.. making me feel older than old.  I waited to order for a bit, line growing behind me.. after what seems like forever I'm next to pay. I feel this gentle nudge from Him.. "I want you to pay for someone's meal" .. okay Jesus, I'll do that. 

I look behind me to find a young, sweet girl..another college student ;) She's the one! Butterflies formed in my tummy as I paid for my food and then let the register girl know what I'd like to do. I turned to the sweet girl and share that today is my daddy's birthday, he's one of the most generous + hard-working people I've ever met, and I'd like to pay for her dinner to honor him. Of course she's touched by this kindness, tells me no one has ever done this for her before, & that it made her day. I pay for her food, we exchange names + she shares what she's studying in college, and then I'm on my way. 

As I'm driving home my soul is overwhelmed, so much so that it's pouring out in the form of happy tears and giant smiles. I'm feeling thankful for so many things .. for a dad (and mom) who shows me what it's like to live with a giving heart; for a prompting from King Jesus to show kindness and love in a tangible way; for the financial ability to respond in obedience to that nudge. 

And in that moment, tears in my eyes and gratitude in my heart, Jesus reminds me why I'm here. And why Tyler is here. And why my dad and mom are here. And why the church is here. And why YOU'RE here. 

It's for them. 

For the girl behind you (me) in line at Chipotle or Starbucks. For the friend who needs someone to listen after she's/he's had an awful break-up. For the family member who needs shown forgiveness and grace for the millionth time. For the person who feels lonely, left out, broken, & hopeless. And for all the ones who need to see that there's still good in this world.

We're here for them. 

King Jesus continues to remind me that the world doesn't need coffee houses in church buildings, smoke machines & light shows, or long fancy-worded prayers. They need Him. They need to see and feel Him in a real, tangible way. And the only way they're going to is if we rise to the challenge, follow through with that Great Commission in Matthew 28, and work at spreading kindness and love in simple, tangible ways. 

So here's to 2020, sweet friends. May it be a year that we strive to shine so brightly, that the world might see a Jesus who loves them deeply and longs for a relationship with their heart. And may we never forget that He put us here for them.  

Frugal Fashionista, Volume 4

    

It's safe to say if you live in the North once the end of February comes around you're craving warmth and sunshine like crazy!! And when the temperature reaches 30+ it feels much like a heatwave so you've gotta break out your sandals... anyone else feel this way too or is that just me. HA! 

I'm a sandals and flowy tunic-dress kinda girl and I can't wait to repeat this outfit without the sweater when it's warmer! This tunic dress is great with jeans and will be perfect on its own in the summer! 

Speaking of, can you believe I got this dress for $1.14 at Plato's Closet!!! I grabbed it when they had their bag sale, unsure if I would like what it looked like on... I'm SO glad I snatched it up because I LOVE IT! 

I haven't been thrifting in a few weeks and we don't have many plans for this week.. maybe I'll have to get my fix on and share what I find next week with y'all! When you're out thrifting, what are your favorite things to look for?! 

Links + Lovelies

 

Happiest Friday, lovelies! I'm back for another round of Links + Lovelies!!

1. We've seen the sun multiply times this week! This is huge for those of us who are trying to survive through the winter in the North, haha!!

2. I'm on a quest to clear our house + my skin routines from toxins.. I recently purchased this lip balm from Juice Beauty. It's so good!!

3. God has blessed me with one of the sweetest friends from my Africa trip and I couldn't be more thankful for her encouragement, wisdom, & support. I'm talking about you, Neener ;)

4. If you follow me on IG you know I shared about the new toxin-free deodorant I recently purchased from Primally Pure. So far I am LOVING it and can't wait to get another scent!! Plus they sent me a free lip balm and it has left my lips so super soft! Want a 10% discount on your purchase? Message me and I'll hook you up!

5. A few years ago my B and I started a new tradition of having Christmas in February. We love it so much and just celebrated Christmas yesterday. He got me this amazing globe and it instantly brought tears to my eyes, y'all! He knows the things that touch my heart.

And that's a wrap! I'd love to hear some of your favorites from this week.. are you currently using any  toxic-free products?! DO SHARE!

Oh! And just incase you need the reminder like I do ... February 22 means we're that much closer to spring, y'all! We're going to make it!

Frugal Fashionista, Volume 3

        

First off, is my puppy not the cutest thing ever in his vest?! This was 100% NOT planned.. FYI I do NOT plan matching outfits with my dog .. he kinda just snuck in the pictures while my babe was snapping them!! Now that I see them, I really love them :)

I grabbed this vest from none other than Plato's Closet a few weeks ago and love that I've been able to wear it with this cold winter weather. While I'm not exactly a fan of the cold, I do love the cozy layering with scarves and vests and sweaters (but I'm kinda ready for spring + summer clothes because sandals are my BFF)!! As for the boots.. they're a hand-me-down from my neighbor friend.. I wasn't sure about them at first but now I love them!

Would you rather be cozy in layers for winter or dressed in sandals and a dress for summer?! I think if I could choose, I'd pick sandals and dresses hands down!

P.S. I'll be back tomorrow to share my first installment of my time in Uganda. I can not wait to relive those days with all of you!

Links + Lovelies

Another week has come and gone and that means I get to share 5 of my favorite links + lovelies with all of you PLUS get to hear about your week too! Here we go...

1. I'm not usually a big Valentine's Day celebrate-er but this year I was excited to see the day come!! My B and I surprised each other with gifts, spent the day together, & had a quiet dinner at home. It was perfect :)

2. I bought this book several months ago and decided to pick it up again. It's SO GOOD and I highly recommend it if you've ever been hurt by words thrown at you.

3. We went to the local outlets to grab some new jeans for my guy. Aerie had their *ehh emm* undergarments 10 for $30.. seriously worth the $30, y'all! The sale is good until 2/18 and can be found here!!

4. My sweet friend Rachel sent a bunch of Young Living samples and I am so excited to try them out and learn more about oils! It's been on my list of "never will I ever" for the longest time so it cracks me up that I'm anxious to dabble in them now.. are you an oily lover?!

5. One of my friend's recently started a wellness podcast that I've been listening to all week. SO MUCH good information, y'all! I'm now currently on a quest to rid my house of toxins of all kinds! You can find her Podcast IG + learn more here!

That's all for me.. now it's YOUR TURN! I'd love for you to share lovelies from your week + some links that you've been loving lately, too!!

Be Love

   

Happy Love Day, lovelies! I'm usually not a fan of the over-popularized Hallmark holiday, but I do appreciate the reminder of love floating through the air all month long.

Whether you have a babe to celebrate the day with, your celebrating with some of your gal pals, or you'll be alone, we ALL have someone we love and can show intentionality to this love month! I thought it'd be fun to share 5 of my favorite ways to remind others that they are thought of and loved, with you.

1. LISTEN TO A FRIEND/FAMILY.. life is hard and sometimes we just need someone to hear our heartaches, struggles, exciting news etc! Try practicing intentional listening by being fully present in your conversations this month.. set your phone, thoughts, & quick responses aside and be all ears!

2. CHECK UP ON AN ELDERLY NEIGHBOR .. my precious neighbor "Grandma" comes to mind when I think of this one. Make a phone call or knock on their door .. plan a visit or take them a meal.. 5-10 minutes can be such a spirit lifter for a lonely person.

3. MAKE A TREAT + DELIVER TO A NURSING HOME .. if you've ever been in a nursing home for more than 5 minutes you know they can be really hard places. While not all are the same, many of the residents rarely get visitors. Make or grab a treat and spread some cheer by passing it out at lunch time. Each of their smiles will warm your heart!!

4. BUY FLOWERS + LEAVE THEM ON SOMEONE'S DOORSTEP .. whether it's someone you know or a complete stranger, unexpected gifts are always a way to brighten someones day and the perfect reminder that she is thought of and cared about. Surprises are so much fun!

5. SEND SNAIL MAIL .. so much of our days are spent communicating through text and messenger, we forget to be present in our relationships. Grab a card from the dollar store and/or a $5 Starbucks gift card and pop it in the mail to a friend who could use a pick me up! Your words might just bring hope to her day and strength to her weariness!

I could go on and on with different ways we can be love this month, but we'll keep it at that! I'd love to challenge you to PICK ONE (or something you come up with on your own!) and work at it this month. You'll be amazed at what showing love to someone else will do for your soul!!

Happy love month, lovelies... let's be intentional together and just incase you needed the reminder today.. you can sit with me forever.

Frugal Fashionista, Volume 2

    

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! I'm back again for another week of Frugal Fashionista! I recently found these like-new AE jeans for a crazy steal of $8 + the sweater was only $1!! Both were purchased from Plato's Closet, my favorite secondhand shop! American Eagle jeans are my absolute favorite and I love that I can find like-new jeans at such affordable prices. All the hallelujahs, people!

Speaking of jeans ... last weekend when I visited my grandpa he instantly noticed my ripped jeans when I walked in the door. Our conversation about them was absolutely hilarious and he couldn't believe I actually paid money for them. Those wise in years can't quite understand our terms of fashion and clothing these days and it cracks me up!!

Are you a ripped jeans girl or would you rather pay for all the material ;) and I'd love to know, what is your favorite brand to wear?!

P.S. I am SO looking forward to warmer weather so I can show y'all some of the dresses, skirts, & fun tops I've found while thrifting!