ON THE BLOG//
archive
Standing With Confidence: Part 2
We started the confidence chat last week and today we are continuing the conversation with standing with confidence, part 2! In part 1, I discussed inner confidence and how it is connected to how you feel physically. Spiritual confidence is another facet of confidence that is so key in how we feel about ourselves emotionally, mentally, and personally. I have recently been really drawn to Psalm 40: 1-3 and want to share it with you today-
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord. (NLT)
Every time I read this, I become overwhelmed in the most incredible way by the confidence in Him and a thankfulness that it is not all in my hands or on my shoulders. What a blessing that is! As a believer, we have the most amazing gift from the Lord and that is the ability and joy to depend on Him for everything. When it comes to confidence, I have found that my inner-confidence is very dependent to my trust and faith level. If I am in worry-mode, my inner confidence will hit rock bottom. However, when I actively acknowledge the fact that the Lord is 100% in control, holding my hand, and guiding me through the journey of life, then I am able to to enjoy the peaceful place of truly depending on Him for everything, including my confidence. All we have to do is cry out for His help, wait patiently, and surrender to Him.
I love every word from the verses above, but the lines that describe God setting our feet on solid ground and steadying us as we walk along, are currently really grabbing my heart. Picture that in your head and you will see a loving God, right by our side, giving us stability and guidance at every turn. Knowing and believing that truth will completely obliterate low self-confidence! There is just no way that we can feel anything but confidence in our Lord, which will bring us peace, rest, and joy. Through Him, we have everything we need to face any situation, get over any hurdle, and climb any mountain. xo Melissa
images by Felicia Lasala
denim // sweatshirt
A Constant and Comforting Dialogue
Hey friends! Melissa, here. Today I want to share a spiritual practice that brings me so much comfort and peace. It is something that will help always, no matter what the situation or circumstance is, which is such a blessing! That something is having a constant and comforting dialogue with the Lord. For the life of me I cannot remember where I first heard this, whether it was in Church, Dr. Charles Stanley, in a Judah Smith book, or on Proverbs31, but somewhere along the way a wise person said or wrote that constantly communicating with Jesus throughout your day in a casual, talking-and-listening, informal kind of way, just like you do with a close friend, is a huge part in having a close, trusting, and amazing relationship with Jesus. In the past I would find myself going through my day without intentionally bringing Jesus in during the small, everyday moments. However, by bringing Him in on the big things, the little things, and everything in between, He becomes our focus and friend through everything. Listening to worship music is something else that brings so much comfort and keeps my focus on Him, His love, and His plan. Elevation Worship radio on Spotify is my favorite- it plays a wonderful mix of Elevation Worship, Hillsong United, Bryan and Katie Torwalt, plus many more talented artists. Having worship music play in my apartment in the mornings and evenings while blogging, tidying up, cooking, getting ready is another way to keep my focus on Him while doing other tasks. It creates a peaceful atmosphere, bringing me a sense of lightness and pure joy, free of any doubts or worries that might try to swirl around in my head. Recently I went through a very difficult breakup, and Lo gave me the best advice. I remember her telling me on the phone to just get still, turn on worship music, pray and listen for the Lord. I did just that, and after some time I was filled with a sweet peace and clarity that I had been praying for. No matter what, if things are good or difficult right now, listening to worship music, getting still, praying constantly, listening, and opening up His word are all things that will bring you comfort and peace. xo
OUTFIT DETAILS
shorts (another option) | top | sunnies (c/o) | shoes (c/o)- another option | hat- janessa leone (c/o)
images by felicia lasala
Treasuring Downtime
Downtime is such an important part of healthy living and personal well-being. I can say with complete confidence that whenever I feel burnt out, too tired, and on edge, it is almost always because I am not resting enough. Finding and treasuring downtime can be hard when life gets busy, but these days I am making it a priority to not only find it, but to truly treasure it. My soul is so much happier after a good dose of rest, and because of that I am able to be my best and give my best to the people in my life. When I am well-rested, I am more gentle, kind, and loving; I don't take myself too seriously, I don't stress over the little things, and I can think more clearly. I am able to let go and let God when I come from a place of rest and relaxation, compared to a place of fatigue and worry. How do you like to enjoy and treasure downtime? For me, it is definitely a mug of herbal tea in the evening (this tea is my favorite), comfy clothes, worship music, and reading the Bible or a devotional. Doing this in the evening before bed is key for a sweet night of sleep and leads to a fresh, thankful, happy morning the next day. xx melissa
clothing and images c/o ragdoll LA
10 Ways to Rest the Mind, Body, and Soul
Rest and peace are such special gifts in this life, and are also so necessary to our well-being. I find it nearly impossible to live a joyful, centered life when my mind and soul are not in a peaceful place and my physical body is worn out. Below we are sharing 10 ways to rest the mind, body, and soul. These are things to keep in mind when hard times, overwhelming situations, and moments of doubt come your way- all of which are inevitable, but also so temporary. Keep the faith, friend, and keep pressing on! XO
*Trust the Lord
*Worry less, Pray more
*Take one day at a time
*Write things down- lists and journaling
*Turn off the TV
*Turn on worship music
*Talk less, listen more
*Read before bed
*Drink tea
*Be still
OUTFIT DETAILS:
SUNNIES (c/o) | JACKET (c/o) | BANDANA (similar) | DENIM (c/o) | TEE | BOOTS (c/o)
images by felicia lasala
Loving the Skin You're In
I have always been an all-natural kind of girl, with palm trees, ocean waves, and sandy toes on my mind. I feel more myself with little to no makeup, a blow out or beach waves that look effortless, and high-waisted Levi's for that all-American, undone look. Like most girls, I cared about what I looked like growing up, but I didn't spend too much time getting ready or analyzing my appearance. I truly believe my parents' love and encouragement was a vessel in protecting me from low self value, and believing that I was a daughter of Jesus aided in focusing on developing lasting memories and friendships, rather than becoming consumed with the physical. Yet, I was very challenged on this mindset and perspective when my life took an unexpected turn. 
My calendar paused, my career path changed, and my platform increased after a night of injury in 2011. I was hit by a plane propeller; the blade cut into my brain and the left side of my body, resulting in the loss of my left eye, left hand, and half my head of hair post brain surgery. In retrospect, I clearly see how I easily submerged in destructive comparison after this life-altering experience. I felt depleted of beauty, but my foundation remained the same. My mom and dad's love and encouragement became stronger. My faith and trust in believing Jesus loved me grew substantially. Somehow my perspective of beauty shifted, though, and I believe one of the gifts of this tragedy was revealing to me the meaningless things that I apparently held so dear. What "bothered" me most about the outcome of this accident revealed what I held as very valuable. Did I let outward beauty define me? Yes. Did I cherish attention more than I realized? Definitely. I truly had to sit back and be still. I had to reassess my foundation. I had to refocus on what was important. I quickly came to realize that comparison is equivalent to worry; it only severely hinders and limits fruition. Plus, if we really think about it, wouldn’t life be boring if we were all the same?
The Lord has brought such healing these last five years. He has restored in me a new kind of inner confidence that is rooted in where my identity truly stands, and I have realized the following to be true: physical beauty fades; attention is temporary and unfulfilling. Yes, my insecurities are a daily struggle. I often catch myself comparing not only to other people but to my "old" self. Grief is intertwined in it all as I miss my hand and my eye daily, but a lot of the hesitation in loving the skin I am in comes from wanting to hide what has changed. I have learned to be open about this struggle to my sweet husband, family, and friends, and I am slowly realizing that freedom comes from vulnerability . I am also seeing that beauty truly is in accepting the scars, in character, in the humility of freely being you, and in loving others well. I am learning to fully accept and value the path the Lord has put in front of me, and I am learning to view that path as beautiful.
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.
images: felicia lasala
OUTFIT DETAILS
jacket (similar + similar) | denim | shirt | sunnies
Practicing Patience
Yesterday we shared a post on thoughts for the new year and one of those things was practicing patience. Something I have been praying for a lot lately is patience. Having patience, showing and feeling patience, and giving patience has always been a struggle for me. However, I completely realize the importance of it and lately I have been craving it hard, and seeking it wholeheartedly. Most of all, I want to be patient in faith, as I wait on God’s timing. His timing is by far the best, but my head sometimes does not always get this memo. My heart does though, because His timing is what my soul needs and wants. Sometimes I lose sight of the big picture, and get so caught up in my “plan” and what and when I think things need to happen. Instead, I want to be much more intentional in putting my “plans” on the backburner, and wait patiently for Him and His plan. It’s laughable how much better His plan is for me, compared to mine! I am making 2017 the year of patience and I hope you will join me, if patience is something that you want more of as well / xo
*images: felicia lasala*
THE OUTFIT: trench (c/o) | sweater (c/o) | denim (c/o) | booties | sunnies
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2286360"]
Q&A with lysa terkeurst
image via the proverbs31 facebook page
Lysa Terkeurst is the author of quite a few books including The Best Yes, Unglued, and most recently, Uninvited. She is also the founder of Proverbs31, a ministry that seeks to help women find and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Lauren and I are both big fans of Lysa, her books, and Proverbs 31 and are so excited to share with you a Q&A series that we recently did with Lysa. Our questions and her answers are below! xo
-Hi Lysa! We are such big fans of yours and are so excited to be chatting with you today. First question- what was the inspiration behind Uninvited?Thank you for this opportunity! The process with Uninvited was a bit different than my other books. Most of the time when I write a book I’m on the other side of whatever issue I’m tackling. So, when I wrote Uninvited, I thought I was writing from the vantage point of looking back at past rejections to admit they were still affecting me and seeking healing. But God saw what was about to hit me and had me knee deep in studying how to handle rejection with a deep assurance of His unwavering love because He knew I would need this message most of all. I had no idea that the words I wrote in this book last year would be a pure gift from God I desperately needed this year. I didn’t know I would find myself curled up with the rough draft pages of Uninvited thanking God through my tears for the healing balm this message has poured over my soul. Rejection isn’t just a complicated emotion. It’s an utter devastation of what we thought was real and safe and secure. And it affects us all way more than we’d like to admit. We are all either trying to heal from a past rejection, deal with a present rejection, or fear that an unexpected rejection is just around the corner. So this book is about finding the acceptance and love we’ve always longed for and starting to pick up the pieces that we’ve been trying to put back together for years. I chose this topic because I want us to dig in to the core of who we are and expose and finally heal rejection’s deep infection. It’s not a tidy process. But it’s honest. And it’s good.-I am currently reading Uninvited and one of my favorite messages so far is the concept of Living Loved. It’s truly amazing how much better everything is when you come from a place of love, instead of insecurity, rejection, and fear. Do you have any quick tips how to get back to the feeling of Living Loved, if you have found yourself slipping away from that loving, safe place?Satan’s lies flee in the presence of God’s truth. So I think the best thing we can do is saturate our hearts with Scripture when we start to lose sight of God’s love for us. Some of my favorite passages to go to are:Psalm 91 | Zephaniah 3:17 | Colossians 3:12 | Psalm 139:13-16-You seem to have an amazing and tight-knit family! I follow your daughters Hope and Ashley on Instagram and love seeing their pics. Can you tell us about your family and how you guys stay so close, despite different locations and busy schedules?Four out of my five kids live in town which is an amazing blessing. Several years ago, our family started a tradition called Monday Night Dinners where we all gather together at our sticky farm table to share a meal and spend time together. It’s a constant in the midst of everyone’s busy schedules and our favorite day of the week. I think the secret to staying close is intentionality.-We know that you had three family weddings this year- so crazy and incredible! What was that like? Give us a few details :)I never thought or dreamed in a million years that three of my kids would get married in the same year. It was quite a journey filled with lots of planning and late night crafting sessions. Our oldest daughter, Hope, wed in February with an elegant, formal, uptown wedding complete with the unexpected twist of playing corn hole in our formal gowns. Ashley was married in the Alabama countryside in April with market lights, vintage furniture, a pizza and hamburger reception, and her favorite popsicles and donuts! Our son, Jackson, just said “I do” this fall in a lovely garden ceremony in Knoxville, Tennessee. I told each of my kids before their special day, “Embrace the unexpected. Smile at the crazy. Laugh at the unplanned. And relax. If you bring the happy, your day will be beautiful.” But this advice was really for day one of their marriages as well. The happiest couples are the ones who are able to embrace imperfections!-I am a loyal reader of Proverbs31 and follower of the Instagram! I don’t know what I would do without the daily encouragements that you and your team provide on the site and on social media. Can you share with our readers the concept behind Proverbs31?Over 20 years ago, I helped start a place where women could gather and learn God’s perspective on how to do life through the pages of His Word. Proverbs 31 Ministries exists because I desperately needed someone to help me connect life with God’s truth. And I still do. So, every day my team and I gather together to think through life-giving resources like our free devotions, First 5 app, online Bible studies, social media encouragement, and more. We’re so very grateful to be able to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth!-After writing that last question, it occurred to me that you are one busy lady!! Do you have any tips on how to wear several different hats, as many women do?Honestly, I have to say “no” to many things so I can give my “best yes” to the unique things that God has called me to. This doesn’t come naturally to me because I struggle with being a people pleaser! I wrote a book about this called The Best Yes where I share Biblical ways to prioritize in a world full of endless demands.-Your Facebook page is a favorite of mine and I am so thankful for your daily posts, quotes, and words of encouragement. What is your strategy when using Facebook to connect with fans?My deepest desire is to meet women where they are – whether it’s a mom in a carpool line, a wife facing a hard marriage, or a single gal trying to figure out what God has for her. So with that in mind, I weave together encouraging words to whoever might be on the other end of that computer screen or smart phone. It’s an amazing privilege to get to speak life into women around the world.-It’s tough to just pick one, but we would love to know your all-time favorite biblical verse, that you always keep in mind?That really is a tough one! I love God’s Word so much. I don’t think I could pick a favorite. But I do love Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” This brings me so much peace and helps me to remember that a pure heart doesn’t mean a perfect person. If my pure intention is to see God, I will. And while I can’t see the Lord’s physical form, I can see evidence of His activity all around me. This is my hope in the midst of hurt and the great joy of my life despite painful circumstances. The Lord really is the greatest love of my soul!
*Shop Lysa's books, here:
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2286115"]
Savoring the Christmas spirit
There is something so sweet about the holiday season- a sort of “magic” that fills the air, our homes, and everywhere we go. It’s an underlying excitement and joy that is unique to this time of year. We are making it our goal to savor the Christmas spirit and hold on tight to it, even after the new year. May we all carry it with us in to 2017, spreading good cheer everywhere we go. Below are a few ideas of how we can do this // xx meliss
-Smile always! A smile is seriously so powerful- it can easily spread joy
-Invite people over more to gather around the table for dinner at home- playing hostess is enjoyable anytime of the year
-Give a gift for no reason to someone special in your life or to someone in need
-Send cards as much as possible. Buy them, sign them, and send them snail mail. This could be for birthdays, thank yous, or just to say hello
-Dress up for fun. Even if you are just going out to dinner in your hometown, put on your favorite outfit and make it a special night, just because
-We say baking cookies, scones, and muffins is an all-year-long kind of thing. And to make it even better, whip up a big batch and gift some of them to family and friends
-Decorate your home with fresh flowers and other decor that makes your home space feel cozy and welcoming
-Keep that glimmer in your eye all year long! People have a certain “look” this time of year and we are determined to keep it past the holiday season
Merry Christmas Weekend
It's the most wonderful time of the year! We want to wish you and yours a merry, joyful, and loving Christmas weekend. May you enjoy precious time with loved ones and savor this special time of the season.
Love, Lo and Meliss