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Moms Know Best: Q&A With Cheryl Scruggs
My mom has been one of the most consistent examples in my life. She is a woman that not only represents class and femininity, but carries a passion to impart the importance of understanding who we are as women.
Your podcast is such a gift to listen to- what inspired you to start on the podcast journey? I have such a heart for women and feel as though so many are not thriving in life in so many ways. I want women to be free, to understand who they are spiritually, emotionally, physically, sexually, and professionally. I have written one book in 2008 called I Do Again, mapping out me and my husband’s marriage journey, but I was feeling prompted to either write another book (specifically for women) or develop a blog. One day almost two years ago, my sweet daughters suggested a podcast! I had never seen myself in that space, but God did! How grateful I am and Thriving Beyond Belief was born. I absolutely love doing a podcast! My guests are hand-picked... some young, some older, and some in between. I love the mix because the older ones have something to teach the younger ones and vice versa.What do you love most about your podcast experience so far? By far, all of my incredible guests! Each one has something amazing to share to help women thrive beyond belief. I love when women can be vulnerable, honest, and real while sharing the hard stuff about their life. It touches my heart so much and keeps me remembering how Jesus sustains us no matter the circumstance! What do you love most about marriage? My husband, Jeff and I have been married twice to each other; we were first married 10 years from 1982-1992, divorced for 7 years, and we remarried to each other in 1999. Because of all that we have gone through, I have to say what I love the most is that Jesus is the center of our marriage now in our “second- chance” do-over marriage. That was the missing link in our first one. A close second is that marriage teaches Jeff and I about sacrifice, selflessness and learning to love each other well! We can only do that by staying grounded in Scripture and being honest, vulnerable and willing to create a safe place for each other. It takes a lot of work, but we love this challenge as it keeps us humble and grounded. Our job is not to change the other person, but to embrace whom God created them to be and celebrate our differences rather than use them against each other.
What is the biggest joy in being a mom to twin girls? Gosh, I am not sure where to begin with this! I literally could write an entire book on the JOYS this has brought to my life. The best word I can think of, and you said it right, is the word JOY! This doesn’t mean easy, but rather how each season challenged me, grew me, and humbled me. People ask me all the time how I did it with twins, and I always say I have no idea because it is all I knew --ha ha! It is hard to put into words the love I have for my two precious daughters. I feel as a mom, unconditional love comes very easily— it has helped me understand how Jesus can love His children unconditionally. I have loved every second and every season of raising them. Your faith is such an inspiration to us. Do you have a daily routine of prayer and spending time in the Word, or does everyday look a little different? We would love to hear about it!Thank you so much. My faith in Jesus is my life….He is Life, Love and Strength. I became a Jesus follower at the age of 33 after He picked me up off the floor after a very traumatic season in my life, and He penetrated my heart at such a deep level that it’s hard to describe. I had an affair, divorced my husband and shattered my family back in the early 90’s. But Jesus saved me from the mess and put me on the right path. It was hard work, but back in 1992, I started reading the Bible for the first time in my life...my daily routine started back then of getting up early in the morning, getting my coffee ready, sitting down in my comfy chair with my Bible and a journal. I began to find out who God was by studying His Word, journaling, and praying. It brings me to tears even now as I reflect on all He has done in me, my marriage, my family, and in my life. Today, as I approach my 60th birthday, and 26 years later, I still do the very same thing- setting my alarm to wake up to hang out with Jesus. It is by far the richest part of my day!Your marriage story is such a special + inspiring one and we love that you are using your experience to encourage others in their marriages! Can you share a little bit about that? It overwhelms me to tears (even now as I write) because it is such a miracle and a work of God that took so much perseverance and endurance to walk through. Our book, I Do Again, shares more details, but here are the highlights: Jeff and were married the first time and living in LA, in a marriage where we were focused on all the wrong stuff—money, success, selfishness. I was lonely and desperate to know Jeff, but I kept feeling like I was hitting a brick wall. We didn’t fight, had plenty of sex, but were not connected emotionally. Long story short, I had an affair after 8 years of marriage (that I wasn’t looking for)... A man just started paying attention to me and before I knew it, I was wrapped up in a crazy cycle. Because of the deception I was under, I filed for divorce and left Jeff after 10 years of marriage. The pain is gut-wrenching for me to think I was capable of doing all of that, but it is my story and I know God wants me to share it. I became a Jesus follower 2 months after our divorce was final and God put me on a path to restore the marriage, which took 7 years, but He did it! It was so worth the wait, the pain, and the perseverance. We have been back together now for over 18 years and work together in our ministry, Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, meeting with couples, speaking across the country, podcasting, and writing. 
Let's talk clean beauty- what are a few of your favorite brands?I am so thankful to my daughter Lauren for educating me about this topic! The two brands I’ve tried so far are RMS and Primally Pure. And fashion- what are a few of your favorite clothing/accessories brands?For casual wear and because working out is part of my daily routine, I love to be comfy, but fashionable. LuLulemon, Nike and ALO Yoga are some of my go to’s for every day! I love lots of different styles and brands, but honestly I think what’s important is developing your own style! I’ve done that since I was little girl. I study fashion, and then decide what a good look would be for me! One of my lines is “I want to grow old gracefully!” I want to dress in a classy, feminine, elegant way and never compromise being a Godly woman even in this area of my life. And finally, wellness! What is one wellness routine that you are loving right now?I have always been a health nut and love being an all-natural kind of woman—Since I can remember, I have always eaten clean (lots of veggies, nuts, grass-fed meat, pasture-raised chicken and eggs as well as wild-caught fish). Working out, taking care of my mind as well as my spirit by understanding who God has made me spiritually, emotionally, physically, sexually and professionally is by far a must for me. Now that I’ve gotten older it has served me well, and has been totally worth it. I feel young and vibrant!
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Dear Jase,
I was just talking to someone this morning about how married life brings this unspoken sense of wholeness + such a deep sense of closeness with your spouse. I feel like each year, I fall more in love than the last. Jase, I am so thankful to be married to a man that is so kind-hearted and humble. You remind me to relax. You always apologize first. Your hugs can calm me down in a second. You make me laugh so hard every day. You teach me what it looks like to be a friend who goes beyond the standard. You see the best in me. You teach me that generosity has no boundaries. You create a solid foundation in our home and marriage. You exemplify how powerful and meaningful prayer is. You make me a better person. You are my biggest encouragement and supporter. I love how you always speak your feelings. I love how you endlessly show your love to me. I love how you always change the light bulbs in our house. You are the most thoughtful person I know. I love that in the end, you view arguments as a better way to know each other. I love that you roll down your car window to see things better. I love your passion for relationships and stories. I love how tender your heart is. Your work ethic is an example to me. You always make me feel like the top priority. Your surprises are the sweetest. You are my favorite travel buddy. I am so thankful that I miss you whenever you are not next to me. You are my best friend, and I love you with all of my heart. Happy Valentine's day, babe.
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.
OUTFIT: white top (c/o)
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Cherishing Time
I was observing my sweet little niece, baby Kate, as we were in Dallas for Christmas, and she was fully enamored by a leaf at the park and becomes full of joy when she sees the most simple things that the Lord has created. [show_shopthepost_widget id="2953968"]
I was observing my sweet little niece, baby Kate, as we were in Dallas for Christmas, and she was fully enamored by a leaf at the park and becomes full of joy when she sees the most simple things that the Lord has created. It seems that as we get older, we get more complicated, but we don't have to. It seems that as we get older, we are tempted to get lost in the hustle and bustle of requirements, to-do lists, and busy schedules. We tend to get wrapped up in the opinions of others and forget that it lies in something that is constant and never-changing - Jesus. We seem to get stunted by new seasons that keep us from what we consider full freedom, and we tend to desire avoiding unnecessary responsibility for as long as possible. I have been reflecting on these thoughts recently as our life has slowed down in the holiday weeks, and I have had time to think and process. I have cherished every moment of having TIME; time to read a book without my check list distracting me, time to go with Jase to work for the day, time to wake up and rest and lay in bed a little longer than usual, time to cook dinner and go to the grocery store without that puncturing my time maintenance, time to rest, have conversations, work out, watch movies.
What a joy it is to slow down during the holidays, but at the same time, going back to the normal schedule seems highly undesirable yet equally exciting. Who's with me? I am overwhelmingly grateful for my job - this blog and this sweet community that I love so dearly, our dry shampoo company, Stranded, and my charity that is so close to my heart, The Lauren Scruggs Kennedy Foundation; these all are such blessings that the Lord has so graciously put into my life, but they also require a lot of time and energy. I continuously go back to the question - how do I BALANCE? How do I balance career, social life, self care, travel, rest, and seeing my family enough? I am not sure if we ever fully get there, but I am so thankful for and positively challenged by the journey. I am so grateful that I can pray through these things and be reminded of the joy of rest - how important, renewing, and necessary it is. I am grateful to be reminded to cherish the simplicity of life. This month always puts everything into focus - relationships are key and faith is the foundation of everything. Sending so much love to you all and wishing you all the most intentional, purposeful, hope-filled year ahead!
THE LOOK
hat (similar) | top (similar) | skirt| bag (c/o) | boots (c/o)
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2953968"]images by felicia lasala
10 Questions with Angela Lanter
Hey guys! We are so excited to have one of my besties on the blog today, Angela Lanter! Ang and her husband, Matt, are two of my and Jase's closest friends and we absolutely love doing life with them. Read the Q&A below to get to know Ang as she dishes on all things love, beauty, pregnancy, and blogging. xo- How did you and your husband meet and when did you know that he was the one?Matt and I have a mutual friend from church, Courtney, who played matchmaker. She was convinced that we were perfect for each other… Turns out she was right! I knew very early on that Matt was the one for me. I didn’t have a moment, per se, that it dawned on me. I could feel that something was different about our relationship than any other relationship I’d ever been in.-When did you start your blog and what was the journey of becoming a blogger like for you?I launched Hello Gorgeous in January 2013, just a few months before our wedding. I didn’t have much time to put into my blog at first because I was planning a wedding and working full-time as a fraud investigator. After we were married, I quit my job and we moved to New Orleans for Matt’s show, Starcrossed. I had time to focus on my blog and turned my passion into my career. I launched my YouTube channel in September 2013 and never looked back. I’ve always loved beauty, so I knew this was the field I wanted to be in, I just didn’t know how to make that a reality. Blogging has allowed me to take the things I love and turn them into my own business.
-We love your Instagram so much! What is your approach to managing that social platform and connecting with your followers?I try my best to keep my posts as real as possible. Social media has a way of making things look so perfectly perfect… But that’s not reality. I love connecting with my followers, my Gorgeous Girls, on real-life issues, so I focus on creating content that’s relevant to what’s currently going on in my life that others can relate to. I also do my best to respond to as many comments as possible to show my appreciation to those who take the time to follow along and share their lives and thoughts with me.-Give us a brief description of your personal style. Where are your favorite places to shop? I consider my style feminine casual. I like to be cute but also comfortable… Especially now that I’m pregnant! My favorite thing to do is mix highs and lows.-What is your typical morning beauty routine + a few of your must-have products? I’m big in exfoliation, I try to exfoliate 2 times a week to keep my skin looking and feeling soft. My basic morning products are: cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream and moisturizer with SPF. I can’t live without a good eye cream!
-How do you stay so healthy & fit!? Share a few tips + a some of your favorite foods.I would love to say that I have this awesome workout routine and diet that I stick to… But I don’t, lol. I try to do yoga whenever possible and I’m constantly on the go, so I tend to walk a lot. We try to make smart choices when cooking and eating out, but I also really love my desserts… It’s one of my pregnancy cravings for sure.-Congrats on your first baby-to-be! What has been the most surprising thing about pregnancy so far? The most surprising is the amount of symptoms that I have experienced that I was clueless about. You would think with as many cousins and girlfriends that I have who have had babies, I would know it all… But no one does. Each and every pregnancy is different and I made the mistake of thinking that what I’ve seen others experience would be exactly what I experience.-Tell us about your and your husband's podcast, Hello Bump! How did that idea come about? I had been throwing around the idea of launching a podcast for over a year, but my husband’s job moved us to Vancouver last summer and we put that idea on the back burner. When we found out we were pregnant, we thought, this is the perfect time to jump into the podcast world! We didn’t even know if we would ever release it, but after listening to what we recorded, we decided it was too fun not to share.
-It must be so fun working on the podcast with Matt! Do you feel that sharing the journey with your followers and fans has been a gift for the both of you as expecting parents? I think so. I’ve had so many women reach out to me after listening who relate to me because of my endometriosis journey, or different symptoms I’ve experienced. I’ve had a lot of women say that the podcast has been such a fun way for them to relive their own pregnancies, even many years ago. I think it’s just a fun, easy listen and people can relate to what we’re experiencing and feeling.-What is the one thing that you are looking forward to most about being a Mom? Bonding with my baby. I wanted a girl so badly, so I’m so excited to get to share things like my love of makeup and clothes with her (hopefully she’ll love those things too, lol!) I can’t wait to dress her and do her hair… Basically, just be a girl’s mom!
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The Beauty of Community
When you think of community, what do you think of? The idea of community has been on our minds a lot lately, specifically the beauty of community and how people loving, supporting, and caring for one another is instrumental and irreplaceable in all of our journeys.
What is so cool about community is that it comes in all different shapes and sizes! Whether it is your closest girlfriends, your family, colleagues at work, people in your Church, couples that you are close with, or anyone else in your life, it is so healthy and rewarding to have people that you are able to be open and transparent with and really connect with on a soul level.
Inviting people into your lives and sharing your lives with people is the Lord's vision for us as as believers-there is nothing that makes Him happier than to see brothers & sisters joining together and collaborating through life together, in His glory. Romans 15:5-7 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory (NLT). 
Another beautiful thing about community is when community grows- when you meet more people, when you share your story, your light, and your faith with others, you are willing and available to receive other's stories, light, and faith. Community develops overtime and the potential is endless! What inspires you to stay connected with others and spread your love? Let us know in the comments!
SHOP
jacket | jeans | sunnies | tee
Q&A With Jase On Love, Life, and Marriage
Happy Friday, Friends! We are so pumped to share a Q&A with Jase on love, life, and marriage! I could not be more grateful to be married to a man that is full of the sweetest wisdom and such a refreshing perspective on everything from career decisions to building new friendships to what it takes to balance life! He has helped me tremendously to relax when I get overwhelmed or am overthinking something (hello womanhood!) and enjoy life to the fullest capacity! Melissa and I were chatting about Q&A ideas for the blog and we were so excited when the idea of interviewing Jason came to our minds. As we worked on questions, a clear theme became evident: love, life, & marriage. No matter if you are single, married, or engaged, Jase's words will speak to you and hopefully fill you up with so much love, hope, and wisdom! Scroll down to read and thanks, babe, for doing this! xo
What was the hardest adjustment after you got married?I would say in the beginning, I was just really worried about what it was going to be like living with somebody else and combining schedules and how that was going to work out. I was concerned if I was still going to be able to hang out with my buddies. Is she going to want to hang out with me all the time? Am I going to want to hang out with her all the time? After doing the dance for a little bit, you just get into a routine, and it’s the greatest routine because you get to spend time with your best friend every day. What have you learned most about yourself the last three years?That it’s important to have someone to do life with. It’s such a refreshing thing and a blessing to have someone in your life that you can talk about work with, your struggles, family...whatever it is. It is absolutely pertinent to have someone in your life that you are open with and knows everything about you.What do you look forward to most in life?Vacations with my wife...getaways. It could be a place an hour and a half away where you don’t have to get on a plane to even do it but just getting refreshed and escaping the craziness that life can bring sometimes is what I look forward to most.What would you say is the key to a healthy marriage?Communication and honesty or honesty and communication...easy as that!
What do you love most about Lo? (insert several heart eye emojis here!) I think she is the most sweet and caring person I have ever encountered in my life, and I love the joy she has. I love that she is so encouraging to me, and when I get worked up over the small things, even though I may not like it every time, she’s really good at bringing me back down and reminding me that it’s going to be okay. On a different note, one of my favorite things about her is she tells stories that she thinks are really funny and it’s really not, and it always makes us laugh really hard. She’s also the best travel partner! And last but not least, I love her little arm to death.How has marriage strengthened your & Lo's love and what do you love most about being married?A lot of people say, oh I am so glad I married my best friend, but in reality, it takes a long time to become best friends with someone truly - to know everything about you and feel complete comfortable being 100% transparent. I have just enjoyed that she actually is my best friend now, and she actually knows me and gets me and knows what makes me tick. Any advice for singles with the desire of marriage on their hearts?Don’t start doing things that you normally wouldn’t do to get a guy. Just truly be yourself. Be a woman and let the guy pursue. Don’t change who you are. Trust that God will bring the right person to you in His timing.
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The Beauty and Power of Transparency
Thanks to a recommendation from a friend, I recently listened to this incredible TED talk from Brene Brown and it has impacted me so much. Her books Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection are now on my list to read ASAP. I am definitely late to the party, as her books have been out for a while (same with her TED talk) but better late than never. I am so thankful that I have discovered Brene Brown and her message about vulnerability. Thinking about vulnerability has led us to thinking about transparency and the beauty of being completely transparent in relationships and in life in general.
It might be scary and feel uncomfortable, but what better way to live than completely honestly, openly, authentically, and truthfully? We have all had seasons where we go into our shell, put up walls, or paint a pretty picture. Doing this is a way to inform the world that: all is well here, no need to know more, I am fine! Sometimes we do this without even knowing that we are doing it! It becomes a natural reaction to discomfort. However, in the long run, that sort of behavior won’t help us. It might feel safe in the moment, but it actually robs us of true joy that comes from living full lives as our real, genuine, 100% selves. We will grow more if we let our true selves be exposed. There is nothing more real or more beautiful than that! 
Jesus want us so desperately to cling to Him instead of feeling the need to hide. He created us just the way we are, so of course He wants our inner beauty to shine completely to the world. Step into the place of being vulnerable with a real, raw, “this is me, world!” kind of way! Quirks, messes, insecurities, fears, mistakes, oops’, lessons, and whatever else can easily lure us into a mindset of uh oh, I gotta cover this one up, but I pray for all of us that we won’t fall for that trap. Instead, pray about it, own it, repent of it, forgive yourself for it, or whatever the case may be. We are not designed to hide. We are designed to live in His light and experience joy!!
What are your thoughts on transparency and living genuine lives? We would love to hear in the comment section below. Xo
THE OUTFIT: shorts and top set | sunnies | shoes
[show_shopthepost_widget id="2764741"]images by felicia lasala
A Surprise Malibu Escape
My husband might be the sweetest thing in the world. There is a way he loves that is displayed through the most thoughtful actions. He has been planning a secret trip for months, and it's better than I could have imagined! Any getaway with him is magical, but he also surprised me with my entire family for a weekend in Malibu!
Time with my family fills me with so much life and joy! Long walks on the beach, competitive Dominoes matches, baby Kate's first time in the ocean, homemade dinners, lunches at Soho Malibu and Malibu Farm, and lots of laughs created memories for the books!
