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? 

Dare to Dream?

     Think about this today. I ask that God help me humbly accept the path that He has chosen for me and be confident in the talents he has given me. He is not a God of fear but a God of trust and faith!! You are here for a reason. Don't let frustrations or struggles in your life cloud this this truth or overcome your walk with God!!

Photo - Bec

     LOVE this photo by Bec (@ofheartandhome) Remember to BE KIND today... you never know what circumstances surround someone else's life. Be that person who offers encouragement and shares the "light"!!

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.

Women Entrepreneurs Interview with Sarah Mcaffry

Good Morning everyone! Today I am thrilled to bring you another interview with an incredibly talented friend of mine who has an enormous heart for God!  I am completely inspired by her story and know you will leave feeling the same way.  I'm constantly amazed by how our Heavenly Father leads and guides us when we surrender all and let him direct our lives! So without further ado, I would like to introduce photographer Sarah Mcaffry!

1. Has photography always been a part of your life?

I fell in love with photography in my early twenties. I was given a camera for Christmas and haven't been able to put it down for the past decade! Something inside of me feels a little more alive when I'm taking pictures. It's such a thrill to visualize something and make it come to life. 

2. How did you feel called to start your own business? Was it a process or immediate happening?

Starting this business was very much a God thing. I was a high school English teacher for six years and did photography on the side. One summer, God made it very clear that I was not to go back to teaching in the fall. It was a touch decision because I truly loved my job and felt like it was my calling. I learned quickly that God can give us a calling for a short time period and then move us on to another! My husband was so supportive, so I set up a meeting with my principal to resign. I met with him at 9am one morning and just three hours later, a photographer friend of mine called to tell me she was moving to Haiti and needed someone to rent her studio. I was shocked at how perfectly God orchestrated everything for me to be able to walk right through that open door. It hasn't always been easy, but God has blessed me every step of the way. 

3. Where do you gather inspiration and can you explain a little about your creative process?

Every couple of months I go to the bookstore and stock up on magazine. I don't just flip the pages. I study them. It helps me stay on top of current trends and gives me tons of posing inspiration. I also meet with my clients before their shoot to plan every detail like location and what to wear. Then I have days or weeks to visualize and get inspired for their shoot. Taking a few minutes before each photo shoot to be quiet, to reflect on who my client is and what they want out of the shoot helps me to be in a creative space while I'm working. I've had to practically give up Pinterest altogether because I found it was hindering my creative process by just making me want to do what everyone else was doing. Keeping myself separate from that world helps me to cultivate my own style and creative process.

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

Connect with other women entrepreneurs! Even if it's in your same industry, in your own town, we are all in this together. I live in a place where there are so many groups of photographers who meet together, who pray together and who send each other referrals. Technically, I guess we are competition but by joining together, we actually raise their standard of the industry and can support each other's businesses. It always helps to have someone to vent to as well. Someone who has been there and who understands everything you're going through. Running a successful business is a serious task and I guess it can be done alone, but it's so much better when you have a team of supportive people behind you! 

www.sarahmcaffry.com

www.twitter.com/sarahmcaffry

www.facebook.com/sarahmcaffry

Instagram @sarahmcaffry

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Sarah! If your looking for a photographer in the Knoxville, TN area, definitely check out Sarah's website!

Hand Stamped Necklace - Beloved

     Sometimes God uses our weaknesses to show us we need to depend and trust in Him. I absolutely cannot stand when people place last minute plans or 'ideas' in my lap and expect it to be a piece of cake. I know that's terrible to say... but it's true. I like to be prepared and while I am very spontaneous, I like to know ahead of time what others expect of me or want me to do. I want to be the best I can be. However, sometimes I think I try so hard that I become obsessed and become such a grouch. I forget that I'm not going to please everyone and that I am not ever going to be perfect. I forget that I have a Heavenly Father who wants me to lean on Him and to take my frustration away. Well, two weeks ago, my mom and aunt left for a mission trip with a few other ladies. They let me know two days before they left that it would be so nice if I would make a necklace for each of the ladies. Of course I said yes even though on the inside I was screaming and angry... once again, I was not trusting God to help me and I was again struggling with being a perfectionist. My mom wanted me to use my metal stamping supplies - stuff I bought months ago but have never attempted... Well... needless to say, I made a necklace but was not pleased with the outcome. I hurried to Hobby lobby with my grandma and she listening to my ideas and encouraged me to not stress. I began to pray and ask God to help guide me and for me to trust that He would take care of everything. Almost immediately, the design for the necklace in the photo above came to mind. The previous stress of making sure the necklace was perfect and meaningful for the ladies was gone. When I asked my mom and aunt what they wanted stamped on the necklace, they came up with 'Beloved'. When they gave the necklaces to the other ladies, one said that God had put the word 'Beloved' on her heart through scripture two weeks before. Also, a lady they met in the airport wanted one to buy one. So all of that to say... don't be like me! Put your life, faith, and trust in God!!! Give HIM your worries, fears and desires!! He will guide you and use you in ways you cannot imagine!! Let him lead your life!!!