Thinking Bigger: How Simplicity Changes Everything

I have been reflecting on this time a lot, and as I am sure most of us are, thinking about new routines and positive habits that we have developed during this stay at home order that we want to bring with us as we enter back into "normalcy," which I assume will never be the same. Although this time has so much heaviness and devastation that surrounds it, I continually think about how wonderful it has been to be forced to stop, to pause, and to be where we are.These reflections have led me to start a collection on the blog focusing on Thinking Bigger – Over the next few weeks, my hope is to cover topics that have been developed in this time like the power of simplicity, serving others, new rhythms and routines, and digging into new passions.Before this pandemic, the general answer from the majority of us when asked how we were doing would be, "we are so busy."Even though our days still remain full since Jase and I's work has shifted and continued, our days look so incredibly different. We are able to start our day in a more restful way, we have been spending hours in the fresh air and sunshine every day, we have been extra present and available for little Bennett doodle (our 5-month-old puppy), and we are more intentional with who we connect with virtually + having time and space to think about others more, to help small businesses, and the list goes on. Not to mention, shows such as The Today Show (the majority being filmed from their homes) and even my husband's show (currently transitioned to interviews on IG Live) have all felt so personal and so genuine, which I think we have all craved without even knowing it.I didn't realize how much mental space was taken from coordinating and deciding on social plans, organizing travel schedules, unpacking just to repack, going to appointment after appointment, and driving to and from everything. This realization has given me a little hint as to why I feel like we are doing things so differently during this time. I really had to sit and think about why we didn't spend our evenings outside before this since the time in the evenings have stayed quite similar from then to now, why cooking felt more like a chore then and is a joy now, why FaceTiming with family and friends felt distracted then and is longer and so focused now. As I have realized in the past through my own experience is that traumatic times seem to show us immediately what is important. It filters out the fluff and hones in on necessities to live – the simplicities that keep our joy kindled.The things that this time has brought that I feel so grateful for: hearing the birds outside, noticing things in nature that I have never had the time to enjoy before, listening to music all day, buying our groceries from a local farm, starting a masterclass that has taught me so much about cooking, planting a garden, going for long neighborhood walks while getting to know the neighbors from a distance, and reaching out more to friends and family to check-in.One last thought: isn't it so interesting to think that this is so similar to how our parents and grandparents grew up? Neighbors knew each other, people borrowed an egg from the person next door, so many gardened and enjoyed the simple things, cooking and dishes were day to day tasks...Questions to leave with:What has changed in your routine that you feel thankful for? What is one thing you want to continue when the world starts opening up again?Shop the tank here.[show_shopthepost_widget id="4023495"]

Love All The Love

Valentine's Day is so soon! Team LSK loves all the love and we love that there is a holiday to celebrate it. No matter what your relationship status is: single, healing through a breakup, engaged, or married, Valentine's Day is something that can be celebrated and enjoyed with a joyful heart!To the single girls- look around at your family and friends, at yourself, and at your Creator on this day. See all the love there!? Hold on to it, savor, and thank God for it! Just because you are single doesn't mean you aren't loved!! You are so loved by so many and you have so much love to give. Celebrate that today however you want to: Galentine's Day dinner, self care, or a night in with your parents. Whatever you want to do, do that! Keep the faith and keep loving yourself well.To the girls in relationship- show your other half how much you care! This is such a fun day to do something special for him. Whether it be a gift, an experience, or even just a handwritten note, taking the opportunity to show your love is always a great idea. Give the love and receive the love today and thank God you two found each other; it something to celebrate! Don't feel pressured to go out if you don't want to, as some of the best nights are the ones spent in. Most importantly, enjoy your time together and take advantage of this day that gives you an excuse to love extra much!

A New Vision of Love

When I think of the term love, I immediately think of ease, in the sense that even if we are loving someone through an argument, disagreement, or trial, it always has a positive outcome; it is always leading to something redeeming. I initially associate it with an action that is poured out on people we care about, a commitment, a word to describe things or activities that bring us joy, and an equivalent to what God is and what He endlessly gives. But, I feel like these last few months, my eyes have been opened to a different kind of love, a harder kind of love...a love with a result that might not be seen, except in your own character.Jason and I have become closer than ever since the end of December. We have been faced with things that are uncomfortable,  unfortunate, and completely out of our control. We have become aware of the amount of hurt and angry people that reside all around us. Our hearts have been broken as we watch, yet we are so grateful because we are reminded of how we can pray and love behind the scenes. After my accident, I fully came to realize that fire fighters and first responders have one of the most service-filled yet difficult jobs. My family and I went to the station to give the biggest hugs and thank yous to those who cared for me so quickly and diligently, and for getting me to the hospital in the best care. They mentioned to us that they had never met anyone that they had rescued and cared for. What a realization! Can you imagine? They put their hearts and deepest efforts into saving lives, yet they almost never know the outcome. What incredible love.This picture has been running through my head so much recently. A consistent conversation around us is the fact that so many experience hate, bullying, and division on social media. Our initial response is wanting to defend or have the last word, but in this scenario, how can we love? How can we love behind the scenes, even when no one may see? How can we pray and serve people we don't know who are living in a state of loneliness and hopelessness? In fact, they most likely will be those that are firing hate your way. My dear friend here in LA shared this beautiful piece of wisdom with me last year: you can't have animosity towards someone you pray for. Prayer is so powerfully loving, healing, and redeeming. How can we start praying for people who may be trying to diminish our value? If someone we don't know has the potential power to cut so deeply into our well being through words, then we have the power in the opposite way to love on them whole-heartedly from afar.Everyone has a story. Everyone has an opinion. It has increased my vision of love to step back and look at the big picture. Hurt people hurt people, and what they need more of is love. What can you do today to love on someone that least excepts it? Who can you pray for that has hurt you?This post is in collaboration with The Refined Collective Series. Be sure and check out the other ladies in this wonderful group: Kat, The Refined Woman, Brynn Watkins, and Yvette Jain. Photos by Christy Johnston.

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Moving Forward

Recently, I have been learning a lot about the idea of moving forward. We all logistically do this considering the fact that it is impossible to live life backwards, but I have been thinking about this in an emotional sense, and it is easier said than done (yikes!). Our past circumstances are so positive because they make up our story, have developed our character, and have shaped who we are. However, they can simultaneously create so much bondage and shame. It is so easy to get caught up in our prior mistakes, past relationships, the old person we used to be, or the fear of the opinions other's have on us based on past circumstances.None of that is pretty or productive, and the past can tend to creep up on us sometimes when our awareness dwindles. The question to really dig into is, why do we let the past hang around? Jase and I discuss this a lot and try our best to help each other step out of the bondage of the past. We celebrate how we continue to shift, heal and grow individually and together as a couple, and we rarely let the past enter into an argument because it has come and gone + it doesn't help the present! The following words are so important and powerful, but we can't fully dive into these nuggets of joy until we have released what holds us back. PROGRESS. PRESENT. DREAMS.Is there anything that you are holding on to from the past that keeps you from living abundantly? Learning from the past is such a gift, but letting it bring us down has no purpose. How can we be intentional in moving forward?We would love to hear from you in the comments below.This post is in collaboration with The Refined Collective Series.  Be sure and check out the other ladies in this wonderful group: Kat, Joanne, and Brynn. xx 

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Long Distance Love

I have come to notice that I am often caught up in the excitement of the reason for a life change and forget to stop and ponder the adjustment that lies ahead. To explain: almost three years ago, I packed up a u-haul and moved permanently to the beautiful and bustling city of Los Angeles. After a year and a half of long distance dating, I was over-the-moon about being in the same city as my fiance, and I could not wait to marry my best friend. The wedding planning was in full force, we were looking for a house, I was trying to make my short-term apartment cozy, and the city was so new - where do I get my favorite almond milk latte? Pilates? Yoga? Friends? So much adrenaline and anticipation filled my body, that the thought of leaving the comfort of home did not fully enter my brain. Reality started kicking in slowly but surely, and Jason was the sweetest comfort and helper in making this adjustment do-able!It is so interesting how adjustment truly takes time. After three years, I feel like my family and I are all finally getting into such a good and manageable routine of visiting each other and intentionally carving out quality time together. There is always the effort of keeping life at a healthy balance - we all have jobs and husbands and travel and friends and on and on the list goes. It has taken a lot of learning and missing (aka homesickness), and trial and error to get this rhythm in tact.What has helped the most in this long distance scenario is being aware of what truly fills up my soul: long walks with my mom, bike rides with my dad, long conversations around the kitchen table, my parent's health-filled home cooked meals, sweet time with my twin, holding precious baby Kate, Pilates with my bestie, coffee with my friends. I have to create trips that are not filled with appointments and work events. I have to plan trips where my time is open and my family is first priority. I now leave feeling so renewed and full of life, filled with fresh ambition to return home and continue adjusting to a new state.Another key that has brought so much freedom: accepting life as it is and walking confidentially in the path the Lord has put in front of me (thank you to my dad for this nugget of wisdom and truth!). For so long, I was daydreaming about moving back to Dallas with Jason, and it limited me from flourishing in this new city. Live in freedom. Be grateful. Accept new shifts and seasons, and live fruitfully in the change.Are you going through any big life changes? How are you learning to adjust? We would love to hear from you in the comment sections! xo 

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Learning To Forgive

After many minimal circumstances on the daily and bigger life altering occurrences that I have encountered in life,  I have come to realize that forgiveness and freedom walk hand in hand. Strangely enough, the easy way out is to hold on tightly to the hurt and pain cause by someone close to us, or to focus on how that road rager on the way to work ruined our mood. It is so easy to live in a state of annoyance and play the blame game, when in reality, we can choose to forgive, rise above hostility, and live in gratefulness. Why is the positive solution the harder solution? It seems backwards that existing in negativity requires less effort than flourishing in a life of freedom. Why is this?I truly believe forgiveness derives from self-awareness. It stems from a humble spirit and a desire to step back and understand the full story. It requires the acceptance that we are all human, that we all share differing values and opinions that are neither right nor wrong, that we each have triggers from the past that ignite our present reactions. If we walk in surety of who we are, the temptation to walk in broken friendships and negativity disperses quickly. A new desire for fullness and life-giving relationships becomes the goal, and the effort to create that becomes a joyful practice. But digging into the heart of who we are is intimidating and one of the things that so many of us avoid, but if you step through the immediate discomfort, there is so much abundant life on the other side. It's ironic that forgiveness stems from us making a change, rather than someone else making a change.Are you holding a grudge against someone? What is keeping you from confronting the issue? I must mention that I want to run away from difficult conversations. I often assume the worst - that I will not communicate clearly, that I will lose a friend, that I will hurt my husband's feelings. Assumption often causes pain before it is even present. What I always come back to before I need to have a tough talk is that it is a loving gesture. If my intention is for fullness in relationships, hard honesty is key. It ultimately breaks down walls and ignites living genuine lives alongside each other. What is better than that? Vulnerable, but better. Also, remember that if you lovingly discuss a problem, and the reaction is friendship-threatening, know that their response is their own issue, and you have done all that you can. xoxo

This series is in collaboration with some stellar ladies.  Be sure and check out their posts on Self Care too: Kat Harris, Tutti del Monte, Danielle Bennett, Kate Labat, Joanne Encarnacion, Nikia Phoenix, and Chelsey Korus.

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Relationship Talk

Hey guys! Thanks for reading. Today we are talking love- with Valentine's Day next week, it's on the mind :) As you know, Lo is married to her best friend, Jason, and we thought it would be fun for her to dish on their married life! Keep reading for more! xoMARRIED LIFE WITH LO //Jason and I have been married for a little over two years, and I must say first that being a wife is the best gift I have ever received. My abs have improved due to my consistent belly laughs, my character has strengthened from being lovingly challenged, my walls have slowly been knocked down due to feeling safe to communicate the good, the embarrassing, and the hard. I moved to an apartment in California six months before we got married, and have lived here over two years now. I must admit, marriage is such a learning process. It took us time to truly get each other on the most internal level and create a rhythm as a couple (and we are still learning and adjusting!).  It took productive fights and misunderstandings and vulnerability to get there, but man is it worth it. I know we still have so much learning ahead of us, but it has been the most enriching journey to experience thus far. Not to mention, these two years have created such a solid foundation. Our priority is creating intentional time together to talk deeply, to not talk deeply, to crush, to flirt, to be adventurous and random, to lay in bed all day. We were both saying last night that we have never enjoyed spending time together as much as we do now! Jason is truly my best friend and my favorite travel partner, and life is so much better with him + living with a boy is so much greater than I ever imagined! I am thankful for how he leads our family spiritually, supports my passions, loves me fully despite my quirks, communicates with his whole heart, listens, takes care of me emotionally, intentionally develops community, and makes me feel like a priority! I am often overwhelmed with gratefulness that the Lord chose me to be his wife.

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[Agape] Loving Those in Need

Have you ever felt helpless? Have you ever wondered, “What can I do?” or “How could I possibly help?” Have you ever been with a distraught friend, a concerned parent, or a heartbroken boyfriend or girlfriend and thought, “There is nothing I can do or say to make what they’re going through any easier”? Have you ever seen the ruins of a natural disaster or an international crisis and thought, “There is nothing I can do to help this”? Have you ever watched the fallout of a regional or civil war and thought, “I am too tiny to make a difference”? Have you ever felt the weight of the world’s problems on your shoulders and simultaneously felt the defeat of helplessness as you have considered, “I am only one person”?About two years ago, I was living in Cape Town, South Africa where I attended the University of Cape Town. There was an organization on campus called SHAWCO which led groups of students to volunteer in townships around the city. My group went to a town called Kensington where we tutored English and Life Orientation Skills to middle-schoolers. One day, as we were riding with the kids back to our university, I sat next to one of the girls I had become good friends with. As she began to delve deeper into her story, she opened up about what she was struggling with in her family life and at school. Right before we came to her stop, she had told me that she had never told anyone what she had shared with me. As she stepped off the bus, she gave me a hug and a joyous grin despite all she had been through. She took my heart with her that day. As we continued to drive past other townships, I remember thinking, “How are we going to solve this problem?”, “How can anyone solve this problem?” Cape Town’s problems seemed too big for me and, suddenly, I felt helpless and hopeless.The truth is, there is dire need around the world: needs that are not being met by their local and national governments, humanitarian crises, environmental disasters, epidemics, and neglect. But, you certainly do not need to jump on a plane and fly halfway across the world in order to meet people’s needs. In fact, you have the ability to respond to the world’s problems from any part of the world, wherever you may find yourself. The only qualifications you must have in order to effectively respond to the world’s problems are a selfless and compassionate heart and a willingness to respond.So, before we act, before we jump, we must prepare our hearts. Before attempting to solve the world’s problems, we must assume selflessness and humility. Frankly, when we become burdened with the world’s problems, it is often because we are putting ourselves at the center of the world’s problems. We ask ourselves, “How can I possibly help?”, “What can I do to solve this?”, “How am I going to make a difference?” But, we need to limit our “I” questions and, instead, we need to begin to asking questions that center on “them”. We need to wonder “What are their needs?”, “In what ways can their needs be met?”, “How can we help them make a difference in their circumstances?” You see, when we shift our perspective from ourselves to those in need, we become more capable of helping them and strengthening them in finding their own solutions. When we ignore our own selfishness, our vision becomes clearer so that we are better able to notice the things that will clear the paths for these problems and circumstances to be solved.After we prepare our hearts, then we can begin to prepare our feet; we can prepare for action. When we work on the willingness of our hearts, we will find that our actions will naturally follow. When we shift our attention to those in need, we will find that there is much that we can do from where we are. In Los Angeles, for example, the homeless population has risen 12% over the last two years, according to the Los Angeles Times. Among problems of rising rent prices, low wages, and an unwaveringly high unemployment rate, the LA Times states that “more than 44,000 homeless people were tallied in January [countywide], up from more than 39,000 in 2013,” in which well “over half — nearly 26,000 — were in the city of Los Angeles”. A notorious area in Los Angeles, Skid Row, which spans roughly 50 city blocks of Downtown Los Angeles, is comprised of nearly 20-25% of LA’s total population of homeless persons. Yet, despite these daunting statistics, stories continue to emerge in which people respond to this local epidemic: “Teens Buy 100 McDonald’s Burgers to Feed Homeless in Los Angeles”, “In upscale Pacific Palisades, reaching out to a rising homeless population”, “Emergency winter shelters for homeless set to open . . . across Los Angeles”. These stories are a testament of the simple and instinctive action that follows from a willing and selfless heart. When we shift our hearts toward those in need, when we prepare our hearts, the actions we should take are obvious. They are obvious because they center on the other person, or persons, instead of on our own selves.So, when we respond to the world’s needs, when we love those in need, we shed off helplessness, hopelessness, and any burden we place on ourselves and we, instead, act out of empathy, compassion, selflessness, and love. When we begin to find that these people in need have more things in common with us than things they do not have in common with us, our actions are instantaneous, instinctive, and impactful. When we love first and then act, we change our mindset from viewing the world’s problems as personal problems and we search for ways to empower these people in need to address and overcome their circumstances.

[Agape] Loving Your Community

It has been said, and sung, that “where you invest your love, you invest your life.” But, what if we reverse that statement? Does it hold the same weight when we say, “where you invest your life, you invest your love.” What is the significance about where we choose to invest our lives? We all have a community or various communities that we belong to. Some of us have had multiple communities in multiple places that we have lived in and traveled to over the course of our lives. Others of us have had one single or immediate community that we have called our home for most of our lives. Still, while some of us have conscientiously chosen the communities we wished to be a part of and invest our lives in, others of us have been led away from our immediate communities to new and unfamiliar communities that we would soon call our permanent homes. But, the love we show to our communities and the relationships we build within those communities should remain the same whether or not we have willingly chosen those communities we are a part of. Regardless of what has led us to where we are today, and what has led us to call these places our homes, we must make a conscious effort to invest our love and lives into the communities that surround us.They say, “Good fences make good neighbors,” but have these physical fences that we have automatically put up transpired to creating emotional or intellectual boundaries that we have set with our neighbors? How well do we know our neighbors? Do we know what goes on in their daily lives? Do we know where they work, if they have children, what brought them here, or what they enjoy to do? Frankly, it is impractical to know everything about all of your neighbors, but it is more than practical to begin saying hello to your neighbors, to start asking them about their days, or to even invite them to dinner. It is more than practical to begin fostering relationships with your neighbors. We have been placed in our communities for a distinct purpose to invest in those communities. So, whether we have delightedly chosen our communities or we have reluctantly stayed in our communities, we have a purpose to invest in the growth of our communities. More than that, we have a purpose to love those people who are joining alongside us in growing our communities. When we change our perspective on our communities, we realize the importance of investing in the lives of those who make up our community. Our neighbors, then, become more than people who we cross paths with each morning while we rush off to work. They become more than people we see driving down the street, walking their dogs, or playing with their kids outside. They become more than people we call when they play their music too loud late at night or when it seems like they are performing a tap routine on the floors of their upper-story apartments. When we realize the importance of investing in the relationships we form with our neighbors, we begin to slowly tear down emotional or intellectual fences we have unknowingly built up between ourselves and these familiar strangers. When we begin to invest in the lives of those around us, the way in which we connect to the world becomes more intertwined. When the authenticity of our relationships grows with each intentional bond we form with our neighbors, we allow that same authenticity to carry out into the relationships we form outside of our immediate communities.When we begin to intentionally invest in the relationships with our neighbors, we will be more apt in investing in our cities. In the same way that we have purpose in our communities, we have a distinct purpose in our cities. Whether we are politically, culturally, artistically, intellectually, spiritually, or socially investing in our cities, we should not only know that we have influence in our cities, but we should believe in our influence. Furthermore, we must start acting out of our influence. For example, it is no concealed fact that local and city elections tend to have the least voter turnout among the various governmental elections, but it is a troublesome fact, nonetheless. If we have the most significant influence in the matters of our cities compared to the matters of our states or of our nation as a whole, then we should use our voices, talents, and passions to invest in our cities. We should also be aware of what is going on in our cities: things our city is thriving in, areas of need, and how our cities are being led. Once we are aware of the circumstances of our cities, we will begin to use our influence and our talents to contribute to the work of our cities. Whether by our own will or by the will of others, we have been placed in our cities for a specific purpose. We each have the capacity to love our cities through our talents, through our ambitions, through our passions, and through our inclinations in order to watch it grow.So, let us love on our neighbors and let us invest in the growth of our communities. Let us believe in where our lives have guided us and let us use our strengths and talents to impact the various communities we have become a part of. For, where we invest our lives, we invest our love.