Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to our dear friend Val Woerner. Val is the creator of Val Marie Paper and she offers amazing journals and resources to help you grow in your prayer life and love for Jesus. She is a wife and mother, a creator and writer, and a beautiful woman […]

Every day you pick up your paint brush and create through the world around you. You decorate your home with minute attention to detail. You cook your favorite meals (or throw together a pb&j for the kiddos). You take a picture and share an Instagram post. You write papers, create spreadsheets, make a cup of coffee, and dream dreams. Life is art. And it is beautiful!

Each day we wake up to face a plethora of choices. Do I get out of bed when my alarm goes off or do I press snooze? (Repeat the snooze scenario a few more times.) Do I choose to spend time with the Lord or catch up on social media? What should I eat for breakfast? What do I need to get done today? And then we get to the choice that usually gets all of us stuck: What do I wear? (insert hands thrown into the air in total desperation…okay, that might be a little dramatic, but you know what I’m talking about.) We have all gone to our closet and been faced with that awful thought that usually makes us late to work: “I have nothing to wear.” Our morning routine can be halted and thrown off in an instant by hair that just doesn’t seem to curl the right way, clothing that looks out-dated and a body we wish looked different than the mirror tells us.  The decision of what we wear paralyzes us, monopolizes our feelings, and often affects the way we feel the rest of the day. 

A Life Lived Beautifully: Valeria Keinsley

Each Friday we take time to share a story of a woman who is living her life beautifully for the glory of God. These features have become a favorite part of what I do! Each woman’s life has truly been an inspiration to me and I am grateful to share of their faithfulness. This week’s “A Life Lived Beautifully” feature is Rachael Homcy, founder of Thryve Magazine. I have had the privilege of writing two articles in previous issues of the magazine and have been incredibly encouraged by the depth of each article! I highly recommend this magazine and know that you will be encouraged by Rachael’s story today! Grab a cup of coffee and cozy up as we chat with Rachael.

A Life Lived Beautifully: Holly Holt

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.

A Life Lived Beautifully: Ruth Simons

Welcome to the Life Lived Beautifully creative studio! My husband and I moved to Knoxville, TN, in February 2013, after being married for three months. I officially began Life Lived Beautifully in May 2013 out of our little, cozy apartment. It has now been almost one year since I began the adventure of owning a […]