When I was pregnant my expectation was to breastfeed Shelton for at least the first year of his life. I had never thought about the idea of pumping or whether I would or not…I was honestly terrified to put on a pump so I kept putting it off!

After I gave birth and settled into the routine of breastfeeding, while I think it’s miraculous and absolutely LOVE that mommas are designed to nourish our babies from our own bodies, I did not enjoy that I was the only person who could feed Shelton. 

In that newborn season, I felt like feeding him was my sole purpose, which I know for many women is empowering but for me it felt isolating. 

A controversial statement I think sometimes because many argue that when we have a newborn, feeding and attending to them IS our sole purpose. 

I personally think this is different for every woman.

“It doesn’t look good, there is no heartbeat.”

If you’ve ever heard any words like this at an ultrasound appointment, you know that the feeling you had in that moment is not soon forgotten…I’d say never forgotten. 

So when you get pregnant again, releasing the anxiety and nervousness that you’re going to hear those words a second time at some point along the line is an ongoing journey.

Ezekiel 1-5

INSTANT GRATIFICATION IS A DREAM STEALER. I heard this said this past weekend and I started to think about how accurate it is. I don’t believe it’s possible to accomplish anything major without employing delayed gratification and here is why.

I’ve never been a fan of the word balance because I find that most people live consistently out of balance based on their current focus or season. Creating a life and a schedule that excites you is more about harmony and what aligns with your values. Balance is a myth so stop beating yourself up for not having it!

Micah and I have been through some life experiences that have tested and strengthened us as individuals and as husband and wife and we believe we are called to share about the ways our faith has pulled us through difficulty, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way!

We get asked often how we knew we should get married. This decision is very personal and there is no one size fits all, but in this post I share how we decided that we wanted to commit to one another for the rest of our lives.

In this post I explain the exercise I take myself through to set intentions for the year ahead that stick, and that guide me towards becoming more of the person God has designed for me to be!

This reflection is about the methods and principles I have learned and applied over the years to cultivate confidence and belief in my own capabilities and qualities.

Reading is a tool that can foster significant growth. Here is a compilation of my top 10 favorite growth-oriented books. These were all recommended to me by people I respect and admire, so I can’t take the credit, it’s really a list from the incredible circle of guidance that God has given me.

There are some bonuses thrown in also because it was hard to keep it to just 10!

This is the story of Micah and I deciding to wait to have sex until marriage (AFTER we didn’t wait) why I’m now a huge proponent for waiting (even if you haven’t waited thus far in life), and the fruit that has grown in our relationship because we chose to recommit to waiting.

I was married prior to Micah and went through some relational difficulty that required forgiveness. This is my story about the power of forgiveness and how God partners with us to help us forgive where it sometimes feels impossible.

This post focuses on how opposition and opportunity go hand in hand, and how God uses opposition to strengthen and shape us into the people who can handle the dream He has for our lives.

Micah and I went through a miscarriage back in May of this year when I was 8-9 weeks pregnant. 8-9 weeks doesn’t sound long, but it was certainly enough time to plan and dream about what life would be like when our baby came in November.

Do you want to let go of the habit of comparing yourself and your life outcomes to those of the people around you, people you see on social media, even to the version of yourself that you THINK you should be?

Do you desire to build more patience into your character and let go of some of the stress you’ve put on yourself related to the “timeline” of achieving your goals? Today we are chatting about the concept of surrender and how it is a skill that can be developed.

Want to build a life that is centered on Value Based Living? We are diving into the first steps of that today. This post is all about the awareness and mindset behind getting on a path to a more intentionally designed life, and therefore more fortitude.