Elvis Presley Quote

     I can't tell you how much I love this quote. I think we all feel this way. What's amazing though, is that this quote couldn't be more true. God has something in store for each one of us - we each have a purpose and a journey that was specifically designed with us in mind. When you turn your life over to God, things are going to happen to you. In God's eyes, the small things can prove to be big and the big things - small. He fills us with certain passions and gifts that are a part of our story. We just have to seek Him out to determine which are heavenly and which are worldly. Have you asked God to show you what He has in store for you? It just might surprise you what He can accomplish through you! Our God is the God who parted waters, helped a young boy defeat a giant, used a woman named Esther to save her people, walked on water, and changed the heart a man persecuting Christians - who would later go throughout the world spreading the Gospel. No friends, you were not created to walk mindlessly through this life. You were put on this earth for a reason. And those dreams you have in your heart or that amazing journey God is leading you on - none of it is impossible or too big for God!! I'm dying to hear your thoughts and dreams!! Please share them with me!! 

Vintage Key Necklace

     Brand New!! Dear friends, I'm hoping to add these little lovelies to the shop soon! If you would like this one, just leave a comment below or send me an email at: freetobemejournal@gmail.com. $35 shipped. Antique key and a little charm that I can add whatever word that speaks to your heart. Would be really special and a great reminder to add a word you have chosen for 2015. Thank you so much my friends. Each one of you is so very special and I wish I could hug you all!

Climb Every Mountain

     Good morning friends, I've been thinking about you all lately and the special journey each one of you have in life. I've been blessed to follow along with many of you and get to know your hearts and dreams. I really feel that 2015 is going to be amazing and that God has so much in store! I just want you to know that no matter how frustrating things may seem or how purposeless or depressed you may feel, there is always one who is right beside you, wanting to be your best friend. He has great plans in store for you - believe it - because it's true! I want to know more about you, your dreams, and where/how you feel God calling you in your life. Share below or feel free to dm me😊✨ You all are so special! Make sure you check out @jeanneoliver's beautiful course called "Becoming: The Unfolding of You." Yesterday was day two of week one. My heart is being so encouraged, inspired, and absolutely lifted up to Jesus by this life changing course. I dare each one of you to go sign up! 😊✨ You can find the course in her profile. 

January Book #1

     Good Morning my friends! Here is the official launch of our book club!! Book #1 is Preemptive Love (buy here @preemptivelove). We will read this book for January and have discussion on it the last day of the month. I understand that the timing is a little off for this month but we will work it out!! Please, don't feel panicked or anything like that. We are going to have so much fun and learn so very much!! I'm eager to read along with you all and see how God directs us and changes our hearts!! You all are beautiful and have such lovely dreams!! God has huge plans for each one of you!! 

Book Club

     Would anyone be interested in a book club? I really enjoy reading and learning new things but sometimes I have a hard time finishing books. I have always wanted to join a book club for several reasons. 1. You have a schedule and time frame to help you finish a book 2. You have friends to discuss the book with 3. You learn oh so much through reading books 4. Many different subjects can be covered and different time periods Anyway, I am hoping to put a book list together and would be so happy if you would like to join along!! We can read a book each month and have a little fun discussing it here on IG. I would love to hear your thoughts!!

Inspiration

     What would you do? Would you take that dream seriously? Would you then choose to walk by faith? Would you quit waiting for the perfect time to start because deep inside you really think it's insanely crazy or that you could never do it? We serve a HUGE God who can do ANYTHING! We can never do it...alone... but through our weaknesses, He becomes our STRENGTH! Friends... it's through the failure, frustration, ridicule, fear and hard work that God molds us. It's part of the incredibly journey of stepping out in faith and true purpose in Him....learning to exchange doubt for TRUST. I want to know what you would do. There is power in writing something down... putting thoughts to paper. It makes them tangible and more realistic than just a dream floating in your head. Please, take the time to leave a comment and tell me your dream... your thoughts and your ideas that you feel God has placed on your heart. Then... take what you leave in a comment and write it down on a piece of paper... tape it somewhere in your house where you can see it each day. Then... PRAY, TRUST and WALK BY FAITH! 

Photo by Angela

     Photo and beautiful words by @little_things33 ---------- We are all the same. We all have brokenness, we all have mess, we all have wrestlings and struggling. None of us is above each other whether we want to accept this or not. We each have pride, whether that comes out in gossip to lift our fragile ego or whether it simply seeps out in the quiet corners of our thinking. We all have hatred, anger in us, and whether this comes out in a blatant tongue lashing of another or a punishing silent treatment of another, it's there. We all have our ways of trying to disconnect from reality, from feeling what we need to feel, whether that be through busy-ness, constant background noise to keep us from facing our thoughts, or a full-blown addiction we try to mask, it's there in each of us. We are all wounded in some way or another. We're all the same. Each just a different kind of broken but each with potential to let beauty grow, where there has been breaking.

"Beloved" Necklace Giveaway Winner

Photo by @nc_mountaingirl. So happy that your received your necklace!

Photo - Hurd & Honey

He is the vine, we are the branches.  Photo and caption by @hurdandhoney. Love how they paired that verse with this photo!

Trust Him Necklace

So happy with this one!  "Trust Him" is available for $26.  Love the different textures and lovelies used to make this necklace.  One of a kind!  www.iwonderoriginal.storenvy.com

May I pray for You?

     Good morning friends!! I hope you all have a super fantastic day today!! Is there anyway that I can be praying for you? 

Lovely Art - Hannah Faith Whitten

Beautiful art and photo by Hannah Faith Whitten (hannahfaith.w)

Women Entrepreneur Feature - Mary Krause

Good Morning friends! Oh my! Today's interview is absolutely packed full of encouragement and inspiration. I'm always so incredibly excited to share with you each interview because the power of someone sharing their story is amazing. It speaks right to our hearts and reminds us to walk by faith and not sight.  Our interview for today, is with a very dear friend of mine who has encouraged me so greatly.  I'm constantly moved by her story and faith and always leave her Instagram feed feeling so inspired and reminded to turn over the reigns of this life to my Heavenly Father. She is an absolutely gem and I'm so thankful for having her in my life. May I introduce, Mary Krause! 

1. How did you come to realize your gift/talent for creating hand stamped items?

I have to admit that I have not always been a very confident, risk taking person, so starting an online etsy shop was quite the stretch for me to do alone, but my daughters, Eleanor and Madelyn both played a big part in encouraging me to do so.  I knew that the Lord had blessed us with certain gifts in our creativity and that HE had also planted those desires in our hearts to share those talents with others.  We sought to open HOPEhomemade as a faith based shop, with our main focus being to honor the Lord in all we did and to encourage others in their faith as well.  I knew that it would also be a wonderful learning experience for my daughters... a way for us to connect as a family, and an opportunity to teach them how to run a shop and do things to the absolutely best of your ability, because that's what the Lord expects of us all.  I'm so glad we did, because the Lord took my fears and turned it into faith as HE blessed us with sales and customers that were so kind and life giving in their words.

2. Where do you gather inspiration?

I gather inspiration, first and foremost, from the Scriptures.  You just can't go wrong!  There are so many Truths tucked away in the Bible and I love reading a passage from my devotions and being inspired by it.  I can then, in turn, encourage others in that same lesson that God has taught me, which has been phenomenal to watch unfold!  I believe that we are here on this earth to share the Gospel with everyone we meet, and also to encourage fellow believers in their faith walk.  The fact that God can minister through this weak vessel is just astounding.  I definitely feel unworthy and you know what? I am.  BUT! Christ IN ME, the hope of glory, is able to turn my many failures and shortcomings into His beautiful story, woven one day at a time, by His grace, for His glory!  I am also GREATLY inspired by hymns of old.  The stories of hope and redemption, from days gone by, have often times been written out of times of great loss and tragedy.  Their faith strengthens mine and the encouragement and depth of substance that they carry inspires me every time I hear them.

3. If you had one piece of advice to share with women entrepreneurs, what would it be?

Well, I certainly do not feel qualified to give out any advice to women entrepreneurs, but the one things that I would say is to seek God in everything and when you know that He has called you to do something, BE BRAVE in it!  This is something that I struggled with my whole life, but when God used my girls to push me out of my comfort zone, He blessed in ways I couldn't have imagined.  If I had stayed in my comfortable little bubble, I would have missed out on some of the greatest blessings!  I am learning that we are called to be bold ambassadors for Christ and when He calls us to a certain task, because of a certain gifting, He will finish that work that HE started in our hearts if we just simply trust HIM.  Remember, self focus = INSECURITY, but Christ focus and fixing your gaze on HIM = ULTIMATE CONFIDENCE!

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HOPEhomemade
Instagram: mary.krause

Thank you so much for sharing with us, Mary!  Friends, please go and check out Mary's shop and especially her instagram feed! Your life will be changed.

Happy Sunday

     Happy Sunday folks!! How are you planning to spend your day? I plan to spend some time in God's word and continue reading "A Tramp for The Lord". 

Value Your Struggles Tee

     STAY TUNED!!! Will be making an EXCITING announcement later!! (has to do with my shop) "Value Your Struggles" tee will be in the shop!! Also, love it paired with my necklace from @lazulihandcrafted

Value Your Struggles

     Psalm 119:67 When you are struggling or frustrated with your life, put your trust and faith in Him. He gives us battles so that we must look beyond ourselves and seek refuge in His arms. There is peace and love waiting. Our struggles make us stronger and are ways He teaches us lessons we need to learn. He draws us back through them.

DIY - Katie Ashmore

     Check out this amazing DIY!!  Photo by Katie Ashmore (@k8eashmore) Would love to learn how she does this!!

SNEAK PEEK!!

     SNEAK PEEK!!!!  I am so very excited to share with you one of the tees I have designed for I Wonder Original!!!!  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Don't Worry

     Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life... Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Matthew 6:25, 27, 34