GOD IS GOOD

Guys, what is going on?! I feel like I haven't chatted with y'all in a long while and so much has happened! 1. It's officially spring and I need to change out my wardrobe to fit the 80 degree weather we are having, yay! 2. I GOT A JOB! If you have been a part of my life, blog or any social media you know that for the past 2 years I've been struggling to find and accept my place. I knew the entire time that God was working and that He had a plan but it took me 2 years to really believe it.

GOD IS GOOD! He didn't lie to us when He said He has a plan for us, and He really does want us to have our hearts desires. This is my story on how I was shown Gods goodness and provision more than I could have imagined.

Like I said up there, if you know me at all you know I've struggled with the job search. I tried and tried. I prayed and prayed. But I never let go. I never allowed myself to "let go and let God". I have heard that for as long as I can remember, but I don't think I really understood what that mean. I thought because I prayed and "knew" He had a plan that I was trusting in Him and that I had given Him the control. However, 2 weeks ago I was proven wrong.

I had not totally trusted God, I hadn't accepted that He would provide what I needed when I needed it.  3 months ago I was still on the emotional roller coaster of job searching. I was so upset that I finally decided to just throw it totally in the air. I asked God for a week straight that He would show me if I was to continue the job search or focus on my ETSY shop. I put a number on sales that I would reach to know I would pursue ETSY and I said if I was to continue searching that I would hear from 1 job (good or bad). Well, I didn't reach either goal. I was close to reaching the number I set for sales on ETSY and business increased so I took that as meaning I would go in the direction of being my own boss and owning my own business.

That was the middle of February, and I didn't really think much about it after that.
I finally had a peace that I was were I was supposed to be and it was all going to be ok, even if I didn't know my future.

Then I received an email (2 weeks ago) that there was a position opening and they wanted me to come in for an interview. I was AMAZED that I would even be thought of since I hadn't applied for anything or even been in contact with the gallery since January. I went in for an interview and was blown away by how perfect this job would be. But I was constantly reminding myself that God was doing this. That no matter the outcome He had a reason for bringing this opportunity in my life. I was an anxious mess for the 4 days I waited to hear back. I couldn't eat, didn't really wanna hang out with anyone, all I could think about was what God was going to bless me with. Was I finally going to get a job or was I going to know (finally) that ETSY is where I was supposed to be?

Long story (a little) short. I got the job! I nearly cried when I was offered the possibility to grow with this new position. Once I got off the phone all I could say was GOD IS GOOD! 

God did all of that. He got me a job that I didn't even know I could find. I didn't know that I would ever be lucky enough to find an art gallery that features contemporary art, is run by an amazing lady that isn't scared to speak about her faith, and that uses her business to better the community through outreach. WHAT?! GOD IS GOOD :)

God knew I needed to learn what it really meant to trust Him. I needed my heart to be totally able to let go and let God. Let God do what He does best, love His children. He knows the best steps to take, He knows when the position I need will open. HE KNOWS.

So, to give you some fun details... I am now the gallery coordinator for a beautiful, new gallery in Uptown Charlotte, NC. Please go check out Sozo Gallery, and if you are in the area come visit please!!

To end all this, just remember that God hears your prayers and He has a plan that you could never imagine. He has a reason for whatever your going through.

Trust God. When you run out of trust, just Obey Him.

It seems like winter is the time I learn a lot about myself and when I see how much I actually need God. I've had so many things I wanted to share on here about what I'm learning but didn't because I wanted this to be a place for "business". Yep, my creative online studio turned in to business...  I'm not sure how I got there and I'm not sure I'm gone either but I know that isn't how I want things to be. Business is good in the fact that it provides for my family, but the reason I am able to have a successful business isn't just about how professional my blog is, or how beautiful my Instagram account is. I'm not saying those don't matter, cause they do, but thats not the entire story.

This blog and business started as some place fun that I could share my heart. I talked about what was happening in my life whether it was art or budgeting or marriage goop. And when I was sharing and speaking boldly from my heart this blog and my business was much more successful. I think there are lots of reasons I could chalk that up to, like people just think I'm interesting, or I got hooked up with the right blog group, but what I really think it was was trusting God. I didn't have some big plan that told me how I was going to use this space and lead me to be successful. I just used what God gave me and knew that it was good.

One thing that I've been hit over the head with a lot lately is that my plans suck. Well, they may actually sound really amazing and it may look like I've got it all figured out. But God says, "Nope, stop planning and just follow me, do as I say and all your needs will be cared for". Like seriously, He says that in the bible in Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?".  I know my value in Christ, I know He sees me as priceless. For heavens sake He DIED for me!! So why do I think He has forgotten what my desires are or that if I don't succeed on my own that my family will never be able to move forward? Like seriously whyyyyy does that plague me so much.

Like I said earlier, that thought process of trying to provide always sneaks back up on me in the Winter months. I think it's because I have time to sit, its slow in business since because it follows the Holidays, our bills are higher than normal because of the cold. So basically the winter sucks. Except for the fact that I can always count on it to lead me right where I need to be. I hate the cold weather, and I hate not having much business come my way BUT each time this happens I am reminded that I need to trust in the Lord and when my trust runs out I need to OBEY Him. I need to boldly trust that if I follow His plan for me that I will not only make it through the winter but that I will be successful in all that I do.

So I pray that each of you will also learn that sometimes our plans aren't what we need. What we need is to trust that our Heavenly Father values us much more than the birds of the air. He is going to take care of you and your family. He wants you to have the desires of your heart so be patient in His timing, trust that He is good, and obey what He says to you.

Love y'all!!

Hard Lessons On Finding a Job

**I know it's been a month since I've posted something other than a party or giveaway. But I've been running around like crazy with custom commissions, and trips out of town. I haven't felt much like blogging, and I wanna be real when I'm with you guys :) But today breaks this because my heart is learning lessons and it's dying to share with someone. 

Reed and I are 1 month away from being in York for a year. It is totally blowing my mind.
I can't believe that I've been a college graduate and a small town stay at home wife for a YEAR!

I've shared some of my struggle with coming to terms with being  a stay at home wife, and trusting that this is where we should be. Here are a few posts you may remember, or be interested in if you wanna see my many lessons I've learned from the Boondocks:  Soul Settling, Blessings Poured Out, A Walk To the Mail Box, What Am I Doing with My Life? there are more but you get the gist of it with these :)

The common theme with all of these posts is learning to let go and trust God. Obviously, it's a hard lesson for me to learn because I post about it at least once a quarter which means I'm feeling it A LOT! Surprise surprise, here is another post about what the Lord is teaching me by making me wait to find a job!

Today I got the news that the 3rd job that I have been head over heels for fell through. And what really stinks about this is that it had nothing to do with my ability to do the job, the decisions was made for me because of timing. I just missed the test I needed for qualifications, my season of life is busy and this test wasn't going to budge to let me fit it in. Do you know how heart wrenching it is to know you can't even be qualified for a great job that you would love, all because you have a busy summer and can't fit in the test that you KNOW you would pass? Yep, it basically sucks.

I cried. Hard. Harder than I've cried in a really long time. I'm tired of waiting. I mean I just said it's been  A YEAR!! Was this in my plan? Sitting around at home for a year? Nope, no where close to my plan and neither was it being so hard to find a job. But I already talked about my pride when it came to the job search (here). So I felt like I learned a lot, the first 2 no's I got from jobs that I was actually excited for hurt, but not this bad because I knew something better was coming. But man this one blows. Like couldn't breath I was crying so hard. I WANT A JOB!!!

So all that to say, I'm still not ok with it. It still hurts A LOT. But luckily God has placed some amazing people in my life, and I want to share with you some of the encouragement I received.

Mind blown right? Yeah, my friends are pretty awesome, and they are the best at making sure I keep my head and heart in the right spot. Then after I picked myself up off the bed and made myself go on a drive I was listening to some praise and worship music. And I realized, in one of my posts last October (Bring Joy To You)  I asked for this. All last fall I ASKED for God to let me give Him my all. I wanted to nothing unless it was for His glory. I even had songs that I sang for months that said nothing but "My whole life is yours, I give it all, surrender to your name, and forever I will pray HAVE YOUR WAY" I was practically begging God to take my life and make it what He wanted.

Well, now He is having His way. And again I sit here sad because it isn't how I planned it. I mean really?! What the heck is wrong with me, I asked God to open my heart and take control of my life and He did! He is not letting my plans go forward and He is forcing me to say "Give me faith to trust what you say that you're good and your love is great" I hope I can trust Him in this time. I hope that this song becomes my anthem for this season. I may be ready to get a job, and help support my family but obviously there is something different that God has for me. 

"I need you to soften my heart
to break me apart
I need you to open my eyes
to see that you're shaping my life

All I am
I surrender

Give me faith to trust what you say
that you're good and your love is great
I'm broken inside, I give you my life

I need you to soften my heart
to break me apart
I need you to pierce through the dark
and cleanse every part of me

I may be weak
but Your spirit's strong in me
My flesh may fail
My God you never will"

I hope this post can be encouraging for some of you. Maybe you needed to hear this song, or hear that someone else is just as lost feeling as you. I've got no idea what it is that I am supposed to be doing, but I know I begged God to do His will, and He is. I just don't understand it yet.