Healthy Burger Night Recipe

Do you guys sometimes just crave a burger?  Like a really good one? We do! This is a go-to healthy burger night recipe for me and Jase during the week for a yummy dinner. It would also make the perfect burger recipe to use for a summer cookout. This time I modified the goop recipe and used grass-fed bison meat from our local farmer's market instead of ground chicken.Check out the recipe for all the details, but here are a few notes! I cooked the burgers on the stove using ghee- my favorite for burgers because it has such a yummy flavor and is a healthy fat. The recipe calls for red chili and fish sauce, but I passed on those.Those red/pink things that you see are roasted watermelon beets! They make a great a side. The french fries are a white sweet potato that I sliced up in the shape of fries, covered with olive oil, pepper, dill, and Himalayan pink salt, then roasted in the oven at 400 degrees until they became a little crispy.Hope you enjoy this recipe if you give it a try! P.S. We plan on sharing more simple recipes (like this one) that are in our recipe file more often here on the blog! What do you think? They will be filed under the Wellness section of the blog, under recipes.[show_shopthepost_widget id="3114626"]

Praising Our Great Provider

Do you sometimes just rest in awe of how awesome God's provision truly is? When we dwell on this, our hearts undoubtedly overflow with amazement, gratefulness, and humbleness, and before we know it, we are giving and living in a state of praise for our great, heavenly, perfect Provider.Even though our circumstances might not always look or seem like it, the Lord knows exactly what we need, when we need it, why, how much, and everything else- in every single aspect of our lives! How incredible is that? Praising Him for how wonderfully he cares for all of His children both requires and causes a thankful, open, appreciative, trusting, believing heart.Lately, I have been spending time in the Old Testament and seeing how God led Israel out of Egypt is truly mind-blowing. He made promises to them and fulfilled those promises, leading them out of slavery and into the Promise Land. In His time and His way, God made a way for His people because of His immense love for them. Even though they weren't aware of His plan, He carried it out, gently yet powerfully leading them out of bondage and into freedom with Him!The same is true for us. He loves us more than we could even begin to imagine and is providing for, caring for, planning for, preparing for, and making a way for us, leading us to His best at all times. Rejoicing in the simple yet heart-changing Truth that we are His children and He is our Father is a way of life and is no doubt the best life!What we need and what we want are vastly two different things. Being grateful for everything, trusting completely (especially during hard seasons), and following Him even when you aren't so sure is always, always, always the way. Just think- He knows us better than we know ourselves, so I would much prefer He provide for me than rely on my own "strength"!So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. (Matthew 6:31-33 Christian Standard Bible) "But seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things will be provided for you". We are to seek Him. That is all this verse requires of us. A heart that is seeking Him is one that is believing, praising, trusting, and prioritizing Him. God is so good and we are in His loving, protective, wise, perfect hands.I recently heard this song by Housefires and listening to it really puts my mind in such a sweet, peaceful place. A place of reassurance that He always satisfies us. Any want, desire, aching, longing, and dream...He is our answer and the way!

Come to the water, all who are thirsty Come and drink Come to the table, all who are hungry Come and feast Those who are weary, those who are needy Come receive!

-Come To The River, Housefires

Favorite Bible + devotional:

  [show_shopthepost_widget id="3111654"]

Why I Love Beach Escapes

The beach, the sun, and water are all my happy place. I immediately feel relaxed, settled, and give myself permission to detach when I am in that environment. ​Oh! And did I mention my husband is my all-time happy place? Trips with him are so renewing and life giving + we love them because it is a great way to unwind and reconnect after living daily life in the LA grind.The two of us have the same vacation pace - to play every day by ear and relax as much as possible! Even if we are in a big beach city, such as Miami, we love feeling like we are in the middle of nowhere during the day. The feeling of escape is pure bliss + I am a sun lover, so I like to be in it as much as possible!I am so thankful for trips like these, where I can slow down and remember the important things in life + separate from the to-dos and responsibilities. The breaks and the moments of rest have truly become a top priority in our life.

ONE PIECES THAT I'M LOVING:

  [show_shopthepost_widget id="3107512"]

Clean Stuff Edit | No. 1

Hey guys! As you know I have two Instagram accounts- my personal account & then @thecleanstuff where I round-up clean, toxin-free, safe and pure products that I have tried and love. I am so passionate about clean products and get so excited to share new finds with you guys, so we are going to start a new series on the blog- the clean stuff edit, where we will share five current clean obsessions in each edit. Scroll down for what we are loving right now and be sure to stay up-to-date over at @thecleanstuff.

bed sheets // boll  & branch

Sleeping on natural, organic sheets is so important- just think about how many hours each day night we spend in bed! Putting our skin on organic sheets is crucial to my peace of mind, even though they are more expensive. To me, it is totally worth the investment!

cleaning concentrate // branch basics 

We share our love for this plant-based cleaning company often, but their concentrate is literally the best. It can be used in so many different ways (from dishes, to all-purpose cleaner, hand-wash, laundry, & beyond) and their starter kit makes everything so simple.

beauty cream // primally pure 

Primally Pure's products are the best of best, formulated with nature's most beautiful and pure ingredients. Their beauty cream, made with blue tansy + 4 other simple ingredients, enriches your skin and reduces inflammation. We use it regularly and can tell you that our faces love it!

active botanical serum // vintner's daughter

So I actually do not use this because I am sadly allergic to hazelnut oil, but Melissa uses it and LOVES IT. It is formulated with 22 natural oils, all wildcrafted ingredients, that truly feed your skin with the best nutrients, day & night, giving it a healthy glow when you wake up and throughout the day.

soft focus foundation // vapour beauty 

A toxin-free foundation that is the perfect balance of being light while still providing coverage. It serves as the perfect finish, without being too heavy. So thrilled that I found this effective foundation that is safe and beautiful!

---

Q&A With Lauren Curry: The Beauty Of Moving

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hey friends! We are so excited with be chatting with our dear friend, Lauren Curry, today on LSK. Lauren manages our Pinterest page & you can read this post to get to know her a bit more. Read the Q&A below to hear about her move to LA and what the big life transition has shown her about the goodness and greatness of God. She shares extremely inspiring words about trusting the Lord to lead you in your life in His perfect time, how important it is to find a Church community that you love, and how Jesus comforts and provides in the sweetest ways. Regardless of if you are moving soon, have moved, or never moved, this is a must-read![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

What inspired you to move to LA?

I had been visiting California 4-5x a year since my uncle and brother had both moved from California to Washington State around 4 years ago. Since they left, I had really been finding reasons to visit since they moved. When I was in college, I interned in California 3 summers in a row and literally every time I came to LA, I felt like my heart was exploding because I loved it so much. It sounds so dramatic, but it’s true! It was this past September when my dad had finally sat me down and said, “God told me that this isn’t your place anymore and that you need to move to LA. So I think you need to move as soon as you can, like in the next 2 weeks”. So literally, I think I moved 2 1/2 weeks after my dad had sat me down without any full time job or any idea what I was going to do in LA, but I knew that it was the right timing. 

What was the biggest challenge in moving to a new city and how did the Lord help you with the adjustment?

The biggest challenge for me was feeling lonely for the people that I had left in Washington. Whenever I would talk to my family who was celebrating a birthday party all together or see my friends back home on social media hanging out and having fun, I would, to be honest, ask myself why I did the hard thing. Through this, the Lord really has really surrounded me with such amazing people, but He has also been teaching me how to do things alone. When I got to LA, I realized a lot of what I had to learn was that sometimes there’s areas of your life and things you need to grow in and do alone so that God has space to lead you to new places.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

What are 3 of your favorite things about the city?

1. I LOVE the restaurants and coffee shops in LA. One of my favorite things in the world is finding new coffee shops and discovering new eats and LA literally has a never ending list of amazing places to go for food or coffee. Living here makes me wish I was a professional food critic. 2.  I really admire how the mindset in LA is to dream big. Everyone you meet here is here to really chase and pursue a dream. It's really inspiring to live in a city that doesn’t put rules on what you can accomplish- I think it’s helped me really to start thinking outside my comfort zone. 3. I really just love my Church. I’ve been going to Mosaic in Hollywood since I moved and it’s literally been a lifeline for me. I've met some of my closest friends from LA through Mosaic and it’s really just allowed me to grow more and make my faith my own. As a follower of Jesus, it’s so important to surround yourself with a Church community who can be alongside you when life feels hard.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

What has been the biggest gift about transitioning to LA?

God’s timing, 100%. Before I moved, I kept making excuses for why maybe I shouldn't. I was scared that I was going to relocate myself and then end up with no job or no community, or realize that maybe this isn’t the place that I was supposed to be. But literally the day I moved to LA, I could feel God’s favor on my life. Doors kept opening for me and God’s timing was so perfect in every detail. So much has happened for me in the past 6 months and it was all stuff that, before I moved, I was desperately trying to organize on my own rather than allowing God to bring it to me when I was ready for it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Biggest piece of advice you would give someone who is considering a relocation?

Have a tangible, genuine faith in where God can take you.When you know and believe that the Lord has called you to greater places, you must also understand that He will truly protect you and guide you to where you’re supposed to go, while giving you what you need along the way. It’s not always going to make sense and it’s not always going to be on your timeline, but He truly has the perfect place for you at the perfect time and when He calls you to that, take action with the thought that He WILL provide for you and give you exactly what you need, when you need it. Before I knew I was moving, I prayed for MONTHS that God would give me 3 things: My place, my purpose, and my people. Months later, I’m truly reaping the seeds of those prayers, so I would challenge anyone who is confused or scared to pray for those 3 things and I promise, you WILL see that prayer come to pass.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Shopbop Sale Round-Up

Hey guys! It's that time of year where we are transitioning our closets over to spring/summer, donating/consigning things that we no longer wear, and making lists of a few new things that could be added to our wardrobes for a little freshness as we welcome the new season. Shopbop is having a great sale (20% off all orders and 25% off $500+ orders), so if you are planning a shopping spree, Shopbop is the place to do it. Below are some of my favorites for a casual spring wardrobe- a striped tee that I love, an oversized denim jacket, a linen baseball cap and more. Share your favorite links from this sale in the comments section! P.S. the code to use is EVENT18 when you checkout. xo[show_boutique_widget id="705751"]

The Art of Focus

I often sit down at my desk to work, and then my best friend texts me, and then my mom calls, and then I get a time sensitive work email as I am trying to write a new blog post, and oh! I forgot about that podcast I have been meaning to listen to- let me make a note because I don't want to forget. And I need to post on all three Instagram platforms I manage! Hmm...I wonder if my husband wants a smoothie this morning...and then a reminder pops up on my phone saying that my meeting is in an hour and twenty minutes, and I am not even showered + I need to track the traffic to see when I need to leave. And the list goes on...who can relate?

It seems as though when I sit down to get something done, my mind wanders in so many directions. It is so easy to get overwhelmed these days, and we tend to add more to the plate rather than strip things away. Not to mention, even self care can seem to get time consuming when it is initially meant to bring rest and wellness. I have come to realize how important balance is in life - in a deeper sense, it seems necessary to have a foundational order of things to keep things sane, and in a simpler sense, I must have a good day planner ha!What a journey it has been to balance a new city, entrepreneurship, the role of being a new wife, taking care of the house, maintaining wellness, and the time and intention of keeping up with my family and friends in Dallas. Isn't it tough to come to grips with the fact that a combination of good things can create stress? But I have realized that it doesn't have to be that way. Jason has been such a help in helping me time manage life, and the act of finding balance and creating boundaries has been a trial and error effort. But in every sense of the pursuit, I have learned the importance of saying no, creating space to think, love, and enjoy + remembering to be grateful amidst the to do list. In order to do this, I often put my phone in airplane mode, I go to the grocery store only one day a week rather than four (lol), I plan ahead in a constructive sense, and I organize my time to where these joyful things stay positive.And can we talk about self-awareness for a sec? Being self aware and knowing when to stop (aka an internal struggle for the driven people) is a game changer. I am the type that wants to keep going until everything is complete + I want to accomplish everything on the to do list. But I have realized that creating space for my own well being means to pause. It's interesting how pausing and stopping and resting amidst the hustle only creates MORE focus, clarity, and joy in our passion pursuits!

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 // Yvette Jain // Corie Clark // Jackie Viramontez 

The Delight Of Discipleship

The act of discipleship truly is a beautiful, powerful, incredible thing. Sometimes easier said than done though, as discipleship can seem daunting and intimidating, but this is not how the Lord wants us to view discipleship! Instead, let's think of discipleship as it is: a true delight to spread His love and grace with those around us. It really is a lovely, delightful, Spirit-led journey that does not need to be intimidating at all!Matthew 5:14-16 reads: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (NIV)As the Bible says, we are to "let our light shine before others". This alone is a huge part of discipleship and lays the groundwork for inviting others to experience that light which comes from God and God alone. Our "light" is really not our light...it is His light shining through us as believers in Jesus.Living lives that glorify God and allow for His spirit to permeate in us and through us is the beginning of the beautiful, obedient act of discipleship. Just as a smile is contagious, so is a God-centered way of living. Letting His light shine through us on a daily basis with people can ultimately lead to wonderful conversations and serve as a gateway into bringing people to Him in His time. Of course discipleship takes time, patience, endurance and this is just the start, but it is such a necessary, important, and delightful start!We would love to hear your thoughts on discipleship in the comments section below. Also, if you don't follow them already on Instagram, IF:Gathering is an incredible group on a mission to inspire and equip women to share the gospel with other women in their lives so they can live life with Jesus.

THE OUTFIT

sunnies | top | skirt | sneaks

[show_shopthepost_widget id="3090071"]images by felicia lasala 

All The Hair Days

Friends, we are talkin' bout all the hair days today on LSK! From wash days to many non-wash days, this is our go-to routine & must-have products for simplicity, effectiveness, and cleanliness.We are believers in washing our hair about 3 times a week. I find that my hair is healthier and happier when I wash it less and let natural oils work their magic. On these days, here are the two must have items: a shhhowercap + stranded dry shampoo powder! Melissa raves about her shhhowercap & shared with me how effective it is (keeps her hair totally dry in the shower) + practical it is (can be machine-washed) + the style is chic and makes you feel pretty glam with it on. Shout-out to Lee From America for the recommendation. It might seem a little expensive for a shower cap, but it is so worth it in the long-run and much more preferable than a plastic cap, in our opinion. To get to know about my dry shampoo brand, read this Q&A with my bestie/co-founder!When the day comes to wash the locks, we love rahua shampoo + conditioner because they are both clean, safe, and toxin-free. We know the struggle of finding natural shampoo and conditioners that actually work, but rahua totally does! It is a little expensive, but worth the investment. The next must-have is this turban towel by aquis to wrap your wet hair in post-washing. I have talked about it before on IG stories and seriously cannot sing enough praises for this genius invention![show_shopthepost_widget id="3088570"]images by Jesy McKinney