For the past three years I’ve been on an unexpected journey of being a “mamaprenuer”. In my own definition, a mamaprenuer is a stay-at-home mama who is at the same time an entrepreneur or business owner. She not only balances caring for a home and children, but she also regularly maintains a business (whether a […]

By Gretchen Saffles

3 Tools for Mamaprenuers

My head was spinning. All at once it seemed like every ball I was attempting to juggle came crashing down. I sat in the living room staring at the intimidating notifications on my phone. Sitting next to my phone was a lengthy to-do list I kept rearranging each day, hoping to finally make some headway on it. Instead, I sat there paralyzed with fear that I would make the wrong decision and waste precious time. I was enslaved to the feeling that I had to do “everything” so I ended up accomplishing nothing. 

Even typing this I feel like a weight is sitting on my chest. There is so. much. to. do. Do any of you reading this feel like you have an endless to-do list and like you are being crushed by the expectations of this world? This is not living. Feeling overwhelmed by life is really no life at all. It is mere survival in the wilderness of the day-to-day grind instead of thriving in God’s grace in the midst of it all. I’m through with it. For most of my life I’ve been a “yes” girl, never questioning an offer to participate in something and rarely addressing my schedule to see if my commitments are actually doable. When it comes to planning, I tend to have a “thanksgiving” mentality. 

By Gretchen Saffles

The “Yes” of No

I can’t…but He can.

Surrender Your “I Can’t”

By Gretchen Saffles

My hands were completely a mess. I was in the backyard with all my paints, pencils, and sketchbook. Everything around me was ravishing and eagerly waiting to be brought to life through pen and paper. The dirt I sat on didn’t phase me as I gazed at the flowers in my dad’s tiny garden and drew the spectacular beauty before me. These were no Monet paintings, but they were made form the very depths of who I was. They brought my heart to life. They were me.  As a little girl, creativity was my identity. In school I wasn’t known for my basketball skills (which are literally non-existent), but for my art skills. I hung out with my art teacher and worked on projects with her during our breaks. I embraced every poster project as an opportunity to make something beautiful. I will never forget doing a project on Mother Teresa in middle school. I painted a watercolor portrait of Mother Teresa on white poster board as if it were my chance to show the world the beauty of this woman’s life through paper and brush.

By Gretchen Saffles

Creating: Digging & Planting

When creativity becomes a job, it loses life, joy, and authenticity.

Meet Mandy. I have had the pleasure of working with Mandy England for the past few months with Life Lived Beautifully! If you own any of the new journals, you are looking at her incredible hand-lettereing art on them! Not only can Mandy script words beautifully, but she is also a talented artist, momma to […]

By Well-Watered Women

A Life Lived Beautifully: Mandy England

Last March I had no idea where Life Lived Beautifully was going. To be honest, I was at my wits end with trying to make a small business work. I was trying and trying and trying and getting no where. My heart was so weary and my spirit was defeated. I was on the brink of giving up and throwing in the towel. At the time, I had been making necklaces, stationery, and art prints. Though I loved creating these things, they weren’t bringing my heart life and I knew there was something more. I longed to share Jesus and His truth, but I didn’t know how I was to do it! I read through the journal I was using in this season and found these honest words of desperation:

How Rock Bottom Created A Journal

By Gretchen Saffles

Friends, It is such a joy to write this post while I sit at the beach with my husband. We took a week to get away and be refreshed. This week has looked like a LOT of sleeping, laughing, resting, and enjoying the beauty of creation. Exactly what I needed to keep going with all […]

By Gretchen Saffles

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