Hi friends. Its been a while!
I have been trying to figure out how to pick up where I left off. I had such a clear vision in January about where I was going as a person and also in my business and the message I felt that I wanted to share and invite people to be a part of.
I knew that the Lord had given me a word about acts of intention. That I would need to learn this lesson personally and also surrender to Him in the process. I recognized my life was full of haphazard choices and just trying to keep up with all of it. Life. Business. Motherhood. Everything. I actually had the awesome opportunity to speak to a group of wedding planners about balance as business owners and some of the things that had been really poignant to me in the midst of all the new, and a few days after that, I completely crashed. I mean just emotionally CRASHED. And I got the flu. On a destination wedding week. Yeah.
So lot of things happened and then honestly nothing happened all at the same time. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion in coffee shop in Savannah, GA that I felt as though my words and my vision of what I thought the Lord had given me for moving forward had been compromised. It took almost a whole month for me to sort through what was truth and what was a lie in the midst of that, and it totally rocked me for the better, but when I began to resurface, I just didn't know how to start over.
Yesterday, a fellow wedding planner, Kristin Kaplan put out a periscope that I feel like really sealed some of my thoughts about what happened to me. (And also, K, it made me feel so much less alone, thank you for sharing!!) She shared a lot about how to respond to being overwhelmed, particularly in the social media/communication part of this world and sort of wanted to give her followers permission to take break.
I think for me, as I look back, that was the crux. I was overwhelmed, even in a good way, but I couldn't keep up with my own expectations for myself and the plans I had made, even if they were good plans, I was coming apart at the seams in all the plans. Now I didn't have a nervous breakdown or anything, life went on as normal and everything is OK, my heart was just in a very confused state.
For some reason, hearing her say “its OK to take break” almost made me look back on the last couple of months with fresh eyes. I think I had seen my silence as a failure. But instead, it was a much needed space for me to intentionally choose the best yes (as Lysa TerKeurst would say) for my business, my family, and my calling. I feel much less scattered now. The issue is still ever before me, but the Lord is literally revolutionizing how I plan my days. Its an act of intention in itself. And its really, really helped me be better at my job, be a better wife, mother, and I hope a better friend. I'm learning so much, and sometimes I still get overwhelmed in the the learning and like Kristin mentioned yesterday, the information coming at you like crazy can be so intense it knocks you off your feet. BUT. I'm also learning about where to place the boundaries in my life, even on the things I take in. The information I take in and learn from, even it has to have a limit. I can only do so much with so much.
I'm a part of writing class right now being taught by Ann Swindell and she said something last night in class that has really stuck with me. She said “You don't have to fit a mold, you just have to obey the Father.” And I love that. I find a lot of freedom in that. I had made a mold, all be it a well intentioned mold, a mold that was holding me captive nonetheless. All that God asks me to bring is what I have to give. Which is me. My minutes, my hours, my to do lists, all of it. He just asks that I come as I am. And He will reveal to me how to best steward what I give Him.
So that's what I'm doing and what I've been up to! And also why all the silence =) I just didn't know how to start over! My husband travels for a living and in the first few years of our marriage, we quickly discovered how challenging it is to be out of your normal environment and then try to go back to “normal.” Its that period of time between his coming home and both of our adjustment to his presence again. We call it re-entry. You can also think about it in light of being out of town for a trip and then having to come back to your reality. That's re-entry. So. Here I go, this is my attempt at re-entry in the Periscope/social media world.
(If you missed it, check out the scope here!)
In other news, wedding season is well under way! We have all ready had some amazing events over the last 3 months and another one is coming up this Saturday! I'm so fortunate to do what I do and stand in the sacred space of bearing witness to two people becoming one and then celebrating it like crazy. Be sure you are following along on our instagram (@simplyyoursweddings) or even our snapchat (@simplyyoursem) to see the beautiful images and just fun things the Lord is doing in the Simply Yours life.
Additionally, tomorrow, the series I began in February, Simply Coffee Talk, will pick back up with my friend Audrey Sherer! She's amazing. She and her husband, Patrick, have been married for about 9 months and she is going to share some insight in regards to their dating and engagement experience, their wedding planning experience and what the first year of marriage has been like for them. Audrey has awesome blog and social media presence under the name Sharing A Nest. You can check her out there, but you can also tune in with us tomorrow to hear her heart and probably hear us laugh a lot and just enjoy being women who love the Lord and coffee. Also, my toddler might make an appearance, or two. I ask for grace in advance, please! 0=)
Hope you guys have a great rest of your day!
Xo,
Em