It seems like just yesterday so I can’t even begin to believe that its been two whole years since this handsome man asked me to be his wife!!

Grant being Grant planned a hike on a cold snowy early Sunday morning, me being me wondered if he just might possibly be proposing because it’s not every Sunday we go on a 6 am Hike before church. So I got dressed for said hike like a picture out of a magazine, unlike the parka he was wearing which definitely threw me off. He took me to Buffalo Mountain (Very close to where we ended up getting married!) and we began our trek up, during the hike Grant shared with me the gospel, stopping at multiple little look outs along the way where he spoke on all the things that he loved about our relationship through the years. At each spot he stopped and prayed before moving forward – we prayed about love, mercy,  grace, and forgiveness: all the major attributes that we had spoke on and hoped to carry into our marriage. We got to the top where Grant shared a devotional, read the word to me, and we looked out at God’s beauty for what seemed like five minutes following the hour hike that we had just endured, and then headed back down –  I was a little disheartened and he was very proud that he had stumped me. HA

He then took me home so that I could get ready for church, little did I know the little stinker had already been in my apartment that morning and laid out two beautiful dresses on my bed for me to choose from. We got to church and our pastor spoke on marriage, marriage! I wondered if this was something Grant had orchestrated or if God was trying to tell us something, I found out later that this was just a small gift that God had bestowed upon us before we moved forward. We left church and as we were deciding where to go eat lunch, Grant said that he had forgotten his wallet and we’d have to run back by the church (This was a common occurrence so I didn’t think anything of it at the time). As we went inside the church and began looking for his wallet, the projector began to play with each of our friends and loved ones sharing little clips about why they love me. At the end of the video Grant said “Now everyone else has shared why they love you, let me” and he got down on his knee sharing reasons why he loved me and pulling out a ring pop! If you know Grant this shouldn’t be a surprise to you, (He used to joke with me that he couldn’t afford the ring I deserved so he was just going to propose with a ring pop) I did a full circle still not saying yes, because I was laughing too hard and then came back to him where he pulled out the real ring, and I of course said YES! Our loved ones flooded the sanctuary and had been watching behind the scenes the whole time! There is a special sweetness in this because I had always wanted a proposal surrounded by people we love, and Grant had always wanted a more intimate proposal with just us. He ended up being able to orchestrate both, he proposed just him and I with our friends watching in the background and flooding the sanctuary after.

This is one of my absolute favorite parts of our love story, the part where we both love so many people together, people that God has blessed us with to share in this crazy beautiful adventure called life. He also proposed at our Church home that we had joined together setting the foundation of our marriage from the very beginning with God being first and center. It was the most perfect proposal, from the most amazing man, and I’ll forever be in awe of how amazing God is and how much love he has showed us both while writing our love story!

I hope reading this brightens your day, and I encourage you to take a minute to reflect on one of your happiest memories, this is one of mine and its been so nice to reminisce on Gods blessings. Also if you are in the waiting, wait for Gods best! You won’t regret it and always remember you are so loved my friend!

xo Danielle

As most of you know I spent this past weekend in Nashville with one of my best friends. We went to see I still believe the first night we were there and let me tell you that set the tone for the rest of our trip. Everywhere we went God was present, I’m serious every single place our feet entered we felt the Lord’s presence.

One place in particular was a store called “Philanthropy”. We were out shopping about and stumbled upon this little boutique. As we entered I spotted their prayer room in the middle and immediately gravitated towards it.

See God has placed big dreams in my heart of the day that I would eventually become a wife, and then a mother. I have sent so many prayers up over both of these desires. Kaylie and I entered and I started praying over Grant and I, praying over our future family and our hope for children. Not many people know, but we have just started trying for a little one, and taking steps in that direction. One of those steps being praying for them intentionally – as I was writing Kaylie looked at me and said there are prayers already on the back of these. I flipped mine over and to my astonishment there was a prayer on the back of mine, the same prayer. A woman had written down a prayer to conceive a child on the back of what I was writing on. So there I was bawling my eyes out in the middle of this little boutique.

There have been so many occasions where I have felt the Lord give me peace over my future lately. Does He show me exactly what that will look like No, but does he give me peace in the waiting absolutely.

I wanted to share this with you today to encourage you that if you’re in a season of waiting you’re not alone. I wanted to share this with you today because as the world has seemed to be in a season of panic, I pray you choose peace. The Lord has not forsaken us – He is still very much alive, and he is with us today and will be with us tomorrow. God tells us to have joy in every circumstance, so today I ask you to spread joy not germs! What brings you joy?

Ps. If you haven’t seen I still believe I highly encourage it!! It’s super refreshing! Pro Tip: Take some tissues! 🙌🏻♥️

“Be strong and courageous . Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” – Deuteronomy 31:6

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4

When you look at this picture what you might see is a cute couple madly in love with no problems in the world. While we were and still are deeply in love what you won’t see is that our hands were covered in poison ivy from a camping trip the week before. We were running late, (shock I know -in case you don’t know this isn’t a new thing 😅😂) Grant had washed his shirt that morning so it would be “fresh”, but had forgotten to put it into the dryer so it was almost soaking wet. He held the shirt out the window as we drove to our pictures to “help it dry”, and I sat there pretty upset and slightly mortified – but looking back I just laugh. I was so upset with him for forgetting, however, now it’s a funny memory that I will absolutely never forget. All to say we all go through tough times in our relationships.

Marriage Tips:

When times get difficult

1. Focus on the good! Make a list of the best traits of your spouse.

2. Stay joyful! Be slow to anger and try to compliment each other through it.

3. Have space! But not too much.

4. Be quick to forgive! Never go to sleep angry.

Before I met Grant I was kind of a serial dater if I’m being honest. All long term relationships of at least a year, but I would jump out of something and jump into something else fairly quickly. At a younger age I wasn’t as focused on dating with a purpose and could this man be my future husband, I was more like – Aw he’s cute, totes in love! If I could go back or rather give my younger self a few pointers I would tell myself to stay single and surrender my heart over to God, to pray, and to wait until He brought my husband into my life. I’m so thankful I didn’t settle, but I definitely could of avoided a lot of heartache in the process if I would have came to this understanding sooner.

Single Tips:

In the waiting

1. Pray! Sit down and write out all the attributes you want in a spouse and pray over them.

2. Wait! It can be hard in the waiting believe me I have been there where everyone else seems to be in the stage you want to be in, but here me loud and clear on this one it is so much better to wait- to wait for the man God has prepared for you. It’s worth it I promise!

3. Grow! During the waiting learn about yourself, love yourself, dig into the word, and prepare your heart as you grow closer to God.

4. Get involved! This is a time where you have so much more time to do the things you want to do so pour into what you love most and become involved in that, in the church, bible study, etc.

Tips for Everyone:

Whatever season you are in be engaged – put down your phone, have a spa day, do something sweet for your spouse, find someone who may be lonely or hurting and try to uplift them! This last one is for me as well – Try not to wish your life away wanting things other people have or seem to have as they post in pretty squares, or wanting to be in other peoples seasons. Live every moment engaged in the season you are in knowing God is a good good father. He knows your hearts desires, He is working things out for your good – and preparing a way, all while loving you so deeply through it!! 🙌🏻

So this Valentine’s whether you’re single, married, divorced, on the mountaintop, or in the valley.

Remember:

You are loved forever, Sis! ♥️

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. • Romans 8:38-39

We got married in November at the end of last year, and shortly after our wedding we decided to pray over our upcoming first year of marriage. As we prayed God placed the word Intentional on our hearts for 2019, all year we have focused on this whisper. From our time with God, to how we spend our time, to who we spend our time with we have concentrated on being intentional. We have loved having this focus because it has made us more purposeful in our words and actions. It has made our year meaningful, fulfilling, and has caused us to be more thoughtful with the choices we make in our everyday life.

This morning after church we decided to come together and pray over what our word for 2020 would be, and it was very clear that our word for the year will be Courageous! Throughout the course of 2019 we have had many triumphs and many trials – God has been with us through each one, however, we have sometimes struggled during the valleys with worry, stress, fear, and not being able to completely let go wanting our own control over our circumstances. In this new year we want to focus on courageously and completely letting go and letting God be in full control of our lives, to be courageous and bold in our walk with the Lord, and to know that God goes before us and is with us always. We encourage you to pray over this upcoming new year and to find a word that you want to focus on for the year. I can’t wait to see and hear what God is going to do in your lives in 2020! If you have anything you need prayer over or if you want to share with us your focus for this new year please drop a note. We are so glad you are here and hope you know that God loves you!

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” Psalm 31:24

 

This word has molded my life. I have always had a heart for people, I love love people. One of the reasons I even wanted to start a blog wasn’t to just share my materialistic life with you, but rather to connect with people who share similar passions, encourage each other, share joy, and grow together. 

God has taught me many lessons with friendships. I have some that will last my entire life, and some that were just meant for a season. I tend to want to hold on to friendships even if they aren’t healthy. The enemy knows this is my weakness, God has given me the gift of connection. You may think I’m bragging, but I am most definitely not. It’s a gift I often want to give back, but that is not of God. That is the enemy using my emotions against me, he has let me feel that if I connect friends together my friendships won’t be as strong. The enemy has worked overtime to have people disclude, isolate, and push me out of connections. He does this so that I won’t want to connect with or connect others, and let me tell you it is a struggle. 

My whole life he has tried to isolate me from people I care about, but God has strengthened my connections, he has restored broken friendships, and brought my family closer to me. God is the author of my story, he has given me purpose, and renewed my strength. He has placed beautiful people in my life, put me on a connection team at church, led me to forgive those who hurt me, and has used what the enemy tried to defeat me with for His glory! & for that I am so thankful.

I want to encourage you to never try to hide or give back your gifts- SHINE, and hug your close friends today girl! 🤗♥️

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  -John 15:13 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. – Proverbs 17:17

If you know me at all you know that I love dates, planners, planning, and numbers. I feel like I was always raised that numbers held an importance, especially within the Bible. When my husband and I were deciding on our wedding date we chose three or the third rather, because of the numbers repeated symbolism of completeness throughout the Bible.

Yesterday as I open my Time hop (Yes, I’m one of those), pictures came flooding back of a U-haul, and of Grant and I’s first couple pictures together. I found this to be extremely weird because I had never really thought of the correlation, I moved to Tennessee four years ago from Boone, North Carolina, and three years ago on the very same date my husband asked me to be his girlfriend. When I first moved to Tennessee I was in a completely different season, dating someone different, my relationship with God was different, I wasn’t sure that I even wanted to move, and I was pretty much a shell of who I am now. I also didn’t know Grant, but God did. God knew that I was meant to move, I was meant to meet Grant, and as I slightly tear up writing this I just wanted to share a little piece of my heart with you on my very first blog ever, that God is a Way Maker!

He can move you, he can heal you, he can restore you, and in an instance He can take something broken and make it beautiful. I’m so glad that I moved to Tennessee and though I have had to go through some real trials and tribulations in this state, I’m thankful for a God that doesn’t leave you where he finds you, and even when you may not see a way in, a way around, a way out. He is always making a way for your good! 🙌🏻

As for God, his way is perfect:     
The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 18:30