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August 17, 2018

5 books by Christian authors to boost your confidence

August 17, 2018

This post contains affiliate links.

Hey, look at you, friend! You made it to Friday. Go you. (And me, too.)

So how’s your confidence? As a Christian, it’s something I can feel like I should just have. “Find your security in God!” It seems like it should be so easy.

But even with scripture, even with prayer, it’s something I can struggle with. It always helps to hear from someone who relates, who can direct me to more useful scriptures, who can share from their own experience.

Books to Boost Your Confidence

These are some books I’ve read recently. (Okay, still working on Brené Brown’s book.) They all speak to different aspects of confidence with wisdom, humor, vulnerability, practical application, and scripture.

Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst – When I read this book, I went around convincing everyone else to read it too. It spoke right to my heart, with experiences that I could completely relate to. I didn’t realize it was such a universal thing to feel rejected and left out. I thought it was just me. Encourage my soul: it isn’t just me, and you can fight those battles you have with yourself. Know that even when you are rejected by others, you are chosen and worthy to God.
The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst – Yep, I’m a Lysa fan! She is refreshingly real. This isn’t a book that lists confidence on the back as one of the main points. But it speaks to the slightly more subtle insecurity behind people pleasing. The wondering what happens if you say no. The putting your ambition on hold to take care of everyone else first. It teaches you how to have a mindset of making wise choices that honor God first.
Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker – Jen is one of those authors that makes me literally snort out loud, causing my husband to ask what’s so funny. She is hilarious. I love that she puts her mess out there, and displays the moxie that comes from the courage to go after God’s heart and his will. It’s like having a conversation with a friend, one who lives a wild and courageous life and wants to bring you along for the ride, too.
When God Says Go by Elizabeth Laing Thompson – I was able to get a copy of this book early from Elizabeth as part of her street team. And low and behold, it seemed to perfectly fit what I was going through at the moment. Whether you are embarking on a huge transition in life, questioning a change, pursuing something big, or feeling stuck, God calls us to go. I love her personal narratives, her takes on classic Bible stories, and her gentle biblical instruction to go after that call.
Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown – First of all, if you haven’t watched Brené’s TED Talk on vulnerability, go watch it! (It’s less than ten minutes, and it’s awesome.) This book goes along with her research on how vulnerability truly connects us to each other. She shares the importance of both being part of society, and standing alone. She shares personally on being able to be brave and be who you truly are, even if you do it alone.

Which of these books seems like a good fit for you? Which ones have you read? Any recommendations for me?

August 13, 2018

getting on your kids’ level as a mom

August 13, 2018

There are some times when, as a parent, your kid makes you wish the earth would open up and swallow you. This was one of them for me, at first.

A couple weeks ago, our family goes to an aquatic center, a really nice one. It’s the kind with a big water slide, a splash zone, and a therapy pool I would typically love to lounge in. Unfortunately the day does not involve lounging.

My preschooler jumps right into the pool, happy to ride the alligator slide and splash around with friends. So he is set, and good to go.

My one-year-old, however, does not find the situation amusing. As the overwhelm of the noise and water everywhere kicks in, he simply starts screaming. He opts to wander around the pool deck and observe everyone else, but won’t go near the water without letting us hear it. I even walk him into the oh-so-lovely warm therapy pool, in which he goes maybe thirty seconds without wailing.

Twenty minutes go by, then forty.

Nothing sways him. Dipping his feet in, holding him, even leaning him towards the splash of water – nothing. His shrieks are probably filling the entire room.

An hour later, I sit with him on the sideline, holding his hand, out of options. It seems like we are destined to sit it out and watch our friends enjoy the pool time. It’s something that’s frustrated me in the past, feeling like I can’t fully be present and participate because of my kids’ unpredictability.

I’m starting to feel the frustration, and a little embarrassment. I want to go home.

Instead, I try just one more thing.

Cautiously, I lean forward and dip my fingers into a spraying stream. Then I pull them back out quickly, as if it’s a surprising thing.

“Wah-tah!” I emphasize to him, like how he says it. “I touched the wah-tah!”

He giggles because it feels like a game, and he loves a good game. I ask him if he wants to touch the water too, and he shakes his head and lets out a firm, “no!” This happens a few times. But after fifteen minutes or so, he leans forward and just barely puts his fingers in, too, laughing at his own cleverness for figuring out the game. Finally, a victory!

Fifteen minutes of me splashing my feet in the water trying to make it look fun, and his little chunky feet are in, too. Fifteen minutes after that, he is in the water splashing, giggling, and enjoying it. He even goes down the alligator slide. Now we’re all enjoying the pool.

This is one of the most beautiful moments of parenthood so far for me.

And one of the most bonding moments with my littlest guy. I was so ready to pack it all in, give up, and go home. It would have been easier, probably than bearing the hour of on-and-off screaming and the 45 minutes or so of coaxing him in the pool.

But oh how precious the moment he touched the water for the first time. How we giggled and splashed and played a gentle tug-of-war of the wills between us.

Raising littles means a lot of training and guidance for little minds without much life experience. It takes a lot of work, a lot of repeating yourself over and over, a lot of doing for them what they can’t do for themselves.

And it’s frustrating. There’s stubbornness involved on both sides, plus a million other factors. Like whether or not they can find the shoes you told them to put on. Or if you’re in a time crunch. Or if the moon is full, or you’re on your period, or they’re teething, or if school is or isn’t in session, or if they miss bedtime…

There is so much to be said for getting on their level.

For going through the trenches with them to help them overcome. Even if it means 45 minutes, and coaxing, and playing when you just want to throw in the towel (literally). Sometimes it means talking through it a few different ways, letting them practice a few times, showing them how to do it.

Mamas, I can’t say I always do this. I’m not the most patient. In fact, I’m pretty sure God was working on my heart that whole time with me while I was working with my youngest to get him in the water.

And this isn’t always the solution. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. No judgment here, only solidarity.

But this is your encouragement for when the going gets tough, for when you just want to keep pushing or you want to give up entirely. Maybe instead, get on their level. Coax, talk, go with them, see things from their perspective. It really is a stunning experience when you help them achieve a victory this way.

How can you get on their level this week?

August 10, 2018

creating your own capsule wardrobe: the benefits and the why

August 10, 2018

On my Instagram stories, I asked if you’d want to follow my journey into trying a capsule wardrobe. Many of you responded with a yes, so I’ll be breaking it down into multiple posts going through the process.

But if you know me, you might think I must have seriously lost my mind, to be considering this.

For one thing, I’m a shopping addict. Even though I don’t usually have time for fitting rooms in real life, you can often find me scrolling a shopping app. Our mailman is familiar with our doorstep. I can’t resist a good deal.

I’m also a packrat. I am sentimental about things in general, and definitely clothes.

So to say that I would, willingly, sort through my clothes and actually cut out some of them, and shop less, seems like a joke.

Why the change?

Because my wardrobe is, in a word, overwhelming. It’s full of all kinds of colors, shapes and styles. I shop when the price is right, and when it’s love. And love happens a lot. So much that I don’t have enough hangers or enough dresser space for all of my clothes.

And then when it comes down to it, when I get dressed, I have nothing to wear. I have actually, on occasion, cried over my lack of outfit options. Now that is a sad state of affairs, and I don’t mean cry-worthy.

The benefits of a capsule wardrobe

Capsules have become a pretty popular topic. People are drawn to the idea of a minimalistic closet. And honestly, the mindsets behind it make it a pretty fantastic concept, especially for people like me.

Less clothes, more options. When you are intentional with your shopping and cultivating a closet, you end up with actually more options to wear. Clothing can be mixed and matched, rather than trying to put something together out of way too many random pieces.
Less erratic purchases, more intention. I am so guilty of buying something I like on the rack, and then donating it to Goodwill after little to no wears. Usually it’s because it’s on sale, or it’s a style I want to try, but am not fully convinced it will work on me. When you get familiar with your style and set some boundaries, you cut back on those purchases.
Less wasted money, more focused spending. When you’re buying spontaneously, whatever the reason, and you rarely wear what you buy, it’s a waste of money. With capsules, even if you spend more on individual quality pieces (not a requirement, by the way), you can calculate in a lower cost per wear.
Less time pondering an outfit, more uniforms. I read an article recently about how the smartest people in the world wear a uniform – a formula with the same items of clothing over and over. I’m not sure of the science behind that, but I do know how much time I’ve wasted staring at my clothes, and I probably could have written a book with the hours.
Less fast fashion, more style staples. The movement for slow fashion is growing. It’s the idea that we should invest less in clothing that doesn’t make it more than a few wears, and companies that don’t care for the environment or their workers. Instead, we can put our dollars and attention towards wardrobe workhorses that don’t do a lot of damage to the world that produces them.
Less stress, more peace of mind. In theory.

The commitment

Still – this isn’t an easy road to opt for. Setting boundaries in your wardrobe means losing some sentimentality and being serious about what you will and won’t wear. It’s deciding the styles and the budget that works best for you, and sticking to it.

But I think the peace of mind is worth it. I think the times when I’ve opted for discipline and boundaries in other areas of life, like nutrition and exercise and even finances, it’s worked out better for me.

So, now that I’m putting this out into the universe, I am going after it. What questions do you have about cultivating a capsule? Do you see yourself doing something like this, or is it overwhelming?

August 8, 2018

a review of seamless meal planner

August 8, 2018

This post includes a product provided free for review; all opinions are my own.

So what does meal planning look like in your house? If you’re like me, it can include a scurry to plan meals for the week. It involves changing schedules, meals we may or may not make, and often times food that we never even touch.

When Allie Peach reached out to me asking if I would like to try her Seamless Meal Planner, I had no idea what to expect. Is it an app, or a menu? What makes it seamless? All I knew was that meal planning is something I can always use help with.

But Allie’s explanation of the planner makes all the difference. It’s a paper planner that provides a place for dinner ideas, inventory checklist, and grocery list. The method is intentional – a way to utilize what you already have in your kitchen and minimize waste.

And, as Allie herself puts it: “Seamless Meal Planner is unlike any other meal planner because it fosters an appreciation for what you already have, grants peace, and helps families better steward what they’ve been given. This is your kitchen command center, your helpful dinnertime companion, and your weekly calendar, all in one.” I can get behind that whole perspective of meal planning, can’t you?

First of all, it is a gorgeous and straightforward planner.

It comes with space for notes, dinner ideas, grocery lists, and weekly dinner schedules. It also is sprinkled with encouraging quotes. It’s easy to navigate, and really makes for a simple way to keep track of everything meal-related.

Second, I love the idea of going into what you already have to plan for the next week.

I plan meals regularly, but I rarely think to do this! Usually that means that we have duplicates of certain pantry products, or extra fresh veggies. It makes for a lot of food that gets thrown out.

Seamless Meal Planner really changes the approach entirely, and allows you to make the most of what you have. Since I started with ingredients I already have, I was able to save money by using those ingredients, instead of starting from scratch on my planning.

Finally, the method works.

This is such a great way to sit and meal plan. Instead of countless sticky notes (like I use), you can keep all of your scattered meal thoughts in one easy place. It helps you learn what meals work well for your family, how you can better incorporate ingredients from one dish to another, and cut down on waste and extra spending.

Seamless Meal Planner is also a steal at $20, covering three months of meal planning. Still a meal planning beginner, or want to understand seamless planning better? Allie also offers a FREE online course called Seamless Meal Plan. She’ll whip your meal plans and grocery lists right into shape.

What things do you need help with in your meal planning?