Three Questions to Ask Yourself Today

Happy Wednesday, friends!

I know what you’re thinking (and praying for): the weekend, of course! So I want to do a quick mid-week check-in with you ladies to encourage you today. I know just how easily we can become wrapped up in the drudgery of schedules and errands. So instead, lets kickstart this Wednesday with more direction! While you reflect on the three questions below and answer these honestly, I hope you will remember just how valuable and important you are.

Who are you reaching for?

Each one of us carries the ability to reach out to a completely different set of people every day. One of my favorite quotes I’ve heard my pastor repeatedly say is: “You are the only Bible some people will ever read.” There are people that read your life and attitudes shown to them daily that may never be reached or affected by anyone else with truth. You can easily be a beam of light into the darkness they are living. Be the bright light you were called to be, and reach for them!

What do you represent?

Darling, I pray that you let them see far beyond the dress, heels, and hair — that they see more than just a girl who holds her head up high in the air. Let them see Jesus in you. Let your smile radiate God’s joy and peace each day! Allow your lips to speak words of kindness that are soothing to the aching hearts you are surrounded by. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

How can we become more effective in the kingdom?

I am often questioning how I can do more with the 24 hrs a day I have. I have come to find that it is not so much about doing more as it is about doing each thing effectively. Is what I am doing making a difference somewhere? Am I contributing, supporting, and cultivating growth in my church? How can I grow closer to God and in turn help those around me? My desire is to focus all of my efforts on what matters in the long run.

Feel free to answer these questions by journaling out the answers to yourself to reflect upon. I find that to be a good way to analyze my own reflections. If you would like to share some of these answers with us, please comment below!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

xoxo,

*This blog post first appeared on daintyjewellsblog.com * 

A Real Princess

Some time ago, I was reading an article about the newest duchess to join the royal family. As I read it, a certain excerpt stood out to me so much that I wrote it down and made note of it:

“Meghan Markle might not actually be a princess by definition: princesses are royal by blood; Markle is, therefore, a duchess.”

This sparked the question: What makes a real princess?

A real princess isn’t defined by a ballgown, her beauty, or the crown on her head. A real princess is one that is born through blood into the royal family. So, have you been born into God’s heavenly family by being baptized in Jesus’ name? 

1 PETER 2:9 — BUT YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, AN HOLY NATION, A PECULIAR PEOPLE; THAT YE SHOULD SHEW FORTH THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO HATH CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT.

From the day a royal is born, they are taught that they are different from the rest. There are certain rules that must be followed in the ways they dress, their teachings, and their behavior. For they are not representing only themselves but their country at all times when they are in the public eye. How much the more do we need to carry ourselves with decorum and respect when we know that we are the daughters of the Almighty King and that we’re representing Jesus everywhere we go?

Being different is not a bad thing at all. Sometimes, as a teenager or young adult, you just want to blend in and be like everyone else. However, you are a vessel that is filled with the light of Jesus in this dark world, and girl, you need to let it shine! 

PHILIPPIANS 4:8 —8FINALLY, BRETHREN, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE HONEST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE PURE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD REPORT; IF THERE BE ANY VIRTUE, AND IF THERE BE ANY PRAISE, THINK ON THESE THINGS.

xoxo,









*This blogpost first appeared on www.daintyjewellsblog.com*

Deeply Rooted

EPHESIANS 3:17-19 (KJV) 

17 THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH; THAT YE, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, 18 MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND WITH ALL SAINTS WHAT IS THE BREADTH, AND LENGTH, AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT; 19 AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE, THAT YE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD.

Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by old things and the stories they tell — whether it’s through antiquing and imagining the stories an old treasure can tell, or digging through old family photos and asking a million questions about them. I simply just want to know. I yearn to know the stories our ancestors could tell. I imagine what they could have experienced during the times they lived in and what the world was like back then.

It simply boils down to roots.

What can I trace my heritage back to? Where did I come from? What trials did my ancestors face? These roots mold us into who we are and how we live.

The Bible often compares us to trees or plants. Roots are essential to the life of plants, just like roots are essential to us.

Roots are absolutely necessary if we are to have life in the same way that a walk with God is vital to our spiritual life and growth in Him. The way in which we nurture and care for our walk with God is a direct result of the closeness we share with Him.

Our life is just like a garden, and Jesus is the head gardener. He must constantly weed out the impurities, the distractions, and the things that can take over our space and destroy us. Without good roots, we wither and die.

Roots also help to anchor a plant in the same way that God anchors our life in times of trouble. Through the pouring rain and howling wind, a tree is not concerned because it knows that it has deep and strong roots that can withstand the storm. In the same sense, we will not fear the storms that may come into our lives when we know and walk with the One who controls and has power over every storm.

I want to encourage each of you readers to take some time today and strengthen your roots. It is vital for us to have a strong and deep relationship with God daily.

Also, please feel free to leave a comment to share any of your favorite heritage or ancestry stories down below! I’d love to read them. 

XOXO,

*This blogpost first appeared on daintyjewellsblog.com *

An Original

“TO BE YOURSELF IN A WORLD THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE YOU SOMETHING ELSE IS THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT.” –RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Never before has a generation been bombarded on all sides with pressures more than today’s generation. That’s you and me, sister! There is a pressure surrounding everything we do — from what career path you choose, to how you dress, to what you stand for. There are pressures to conform who we really are, pressures to be politically correct, and pressures to bend here a little and there a little.

The accessibility of social media has only amplified the intensity of comparison and will sometimes magnify our focus on what we lack and what we are not. We can easily get caught up in the comparison game of those perfect squares before our eyes.

We truly have to fight against these pressures to keep what makes us true originals and not faded copies.

Romans 12:2 KJV: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

I am certain that we all have a God-given purpose, and you cannot allow your thoughts and your mind to get in the way of that being fulfilled. We have to renew our minds and keep God’s will fresh in our thoughts.

Over time, a copy will begin to disintegrate, fade, and eventually, crumble. It is after all just a copy, and not the real thing. A true original will hold its true colors and retain its shape even if it is battered, since it is made of a stronger substance.

Jesus has chosen you from the beginning to be the real deal, so don’t waste any time trying to be a copy of something else! If we focus on keeping God’s love readily available and are quick to share it with those around us, we will be showing the original love of Christ everywhere we go. 

XOXO,

Calendula Dress from Anthropologie  |  Alice Pink Suede Heels from Boden  |  Mustard Pullover Sweater Similar

* This blog first appeared on daintyjewellsblog.com *

Little Letters: Sarah P. Duke Gardens Edition

I am all for fun, easy, and FREE date ideas. A walk in the garden is about as romantic as it gets! (Hellooo Jane Austen) I love exploring beautiful winding paths in full bloom, birds chirping, the warm sun on your face and the rustling of the wind in the trees. Good company is obviously a must in this setting. 

This weekend Preston and I were able to visit Sarah P. Duke Gardens once again. The first time we visited the gardens we were a newly dating couple. This visit brought back a lot of nostalgic memories and made for a lovely afternoon. All of the beautiful flowers were in full bloom, and the weather you ask? Perfectly warm! The first glimpse that spring is really actually coming. 

If you have never visited Duke Gardens I do recommend a nice sunny spring day. The blooms are amazing, and everything is coming to life. The downside to this of course, is that it will most assuredly be crawling with people in every direction snapping baby shots, engagement shots, you name it. We actually witnessed a proposal AND a wedding. All in the short span of an hour and a half. 

If you would like to know any outfit details, I have added the links below. 

Enjoy the fun pictures!

XOXO,

Maeve Larkhill Swing Midi  |  Clare Cardigan in Black  |  Block Heel Sandal Option 1  |  Block Heel Sandal Option 2

Three Secrets to Success

2019 is the year I’m going to __________.

Fill in your blank.

Having just started a brand new year, most of us have some idea of what we want to change this year, accomplish, or improve upon. I am the first person to admit that I can come up with a dozen things I want to do every January 1st. Sticking with it in the long run is a very different story!

Failing to complete a personal goal can leave you feeling like . . . well . . . a failure. So I have put together a few tips to help you (and myself) reach our 2019 goals!

1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN

Proverbs 15:22 NIV says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

So many times we jot down an idea in the back of a notebook or keep it in the back of our minds, and later despair that it hasn’t come to fruition all on its own yet!

What baby steps are you taking today to make sure that your goals become a reality tomorrow?

Draft up a detailed plan with step-by-step smaller accomplishments that all lead up to your big goal. And once you have that all completed, find a friend or trusted confidant that can review it with you and point out any holes you may have overlooked. They can help you fine-tune your plans and encourage you along the way!

2. SEEK GOD’S FAVOR

I really like the NIV version of Proverbs 3: 3-4: Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

If you have love and kindness always in you, you will win favor and a good name. If you strive to meet your goals with the shield of love and kindness always at the ready, you will have an easy victory over any obstacles. That includes love and kindness towards yourself when you come up short.

Allow yourself the same grace you would allow a good friend, and try it again! Love and kindness will win you favor upon your life, upon your goals. Psalms 5:12 KJV says, “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”

3. BE FAITHFUL

Being faithful to God in your time, in prayer, in your tithes and offerings, and in your life is the most important thing you can do! Proverbs 28:20 KJV says, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings.” God sees faithfulness and is a rewarder of it!

To anyone right now reading this blog thinking that you haven’t done anything noteworthy for God, I want to encourage you to know that God has great things in store for you!

God has never had anyone qualified enough to do His work. He qualifies the chosen. He simply wants you to do what He has called you to do with His abilities. Your faithfulness will be rewarded if you simply trust in Him!

SO WHAT WONDERFUL GOALS HAVE YOU SET FOR YOURSELF THIS 2019?

What was your blank? I would love to know! Comment down below if you would like to share, and be intentional in pursuing these goals, keeping these tips in mind!

XOXO,

* This blogpost first appeared on www.daintyjewells.com *