2025
January 2025
There are few things I love more than fresh starts, new month, new year - all new beginnings with a clean slate! I'm not huge on resolutions, but more so into lifestyle changes and tweaks that I will keep for years if not for life to constantly be improving my everyday life. Because a long and fruitful life is the real goal right?! Lasting habits that improve life year after year - there is no staying the same - you're either getting better or worse - staying the same IS getting worse! Always push forward for better, stronger, adding more value to every place you go - we're in this for longevity and legacies!
2024 was such a year of everything for me - lots of ups and downs, tears and laughs, some heartaches and some heart bursting with joy moments, once in a lifetime moments, historical moments and lots of lessons - so many lessons lol. As I look at the year overall, I can say that I am truly grateful for every moment. It shaped me, taught me and brought me so much closer to Jesus. I will look at 2024 as a growth year, full of gratitude for all that God walked me through, knowing the final result would be bringing me closer to Him.
Y'all I am so far from having anything figured out - even just last night at church God showed me a big ol roadblock in my relationship with Him which showed me just how small my faith is, and the growth that I still need. As humbling as that was, it gave me hope. Hope that we are never "complete" or "finished" this side of Heaven. Hope that He always has more for us, but we have to trust Him - He wants to work in and through us, but we have to be obedient to Him in order for that to happen. Hope that no matter how flawed we are, He is greater than our flaws and has called us by name. Hope that His plan for us is more abundant than all we can think or imagine. Hope that when it doesn't make any sense (and sometimes it won't) that He is working all things together for those who love Him. Hope that where we are going is always better than where we have been. Hope that while there is nothing new for Him, He has new revelations and insights for us as we seek Him. Hope that we serve a good, good Father and we have full peace and assurance in knowing this.
If I could give y'all one word to hold onto in 2025, it would be hope. Hope isn't ignoring your present reality - it's understanding that in Jesus, we are facing everything from a point of victory. We are growing and fighting for better every day, but with a peace that passes all understanding because of WHO we belong to. So however you left 2024 - enter 2025 full of hope because if God is within you, you cannot fail. Cheers to 2025 loves and remember, the best is always yet to come!!!
xo, Lo
P.S. We are so humbled to each and every one of you that supported us in 2024 and are so excited to go into 2025 with you and our ever expanding glow gang - we love y'all infinitely!!!
February 2025
Happy love month!!!
Hope y'all are enjoying all the chocolates, roses, goodies, love and hugs that you can handle!!! We love love around here and it's always something to be celebrated!
I can't believe that we are almost halfway through February - is time moving faster or I'm just getting older? Is this an actual thing?!
So much has been going on and we have all kinds of fun and new things coming for y'all - we can't wait to share - definitely check out our red light therapy!!! As I have been working on various things and chit-chatting with y'all and other people in varying walks of life - a common theme is emerging and not a good one: lack of personal excellence. This saddens me, makes me very concerned for our next generation, burns my biscuits but also lights that "time to shift culture" fire inside me. I have reached a point where I don't see any issues or problems - only opportunities. How incredible is this opportunity - to be able to feed the next generation the ability to live out their best life with something that is already in them - we just have to bring it out!
How good do we feel when we can look back on something, no matter the outcome and know that we left nothing on the table? We went all in, gave it all we had and walked away entirely exhausted but more alive than ever? Nothing will awaken confidence, satisfaction and determination more than unadulterated perseverance. How would we feel at the end of our day if we knew we didn't cut corners, we kept our word to ourselves and those around us, and we did every task with excellence? Well, for starters I believe depression would mostly dissipate and hard work would become our new drug of choice. Failure breeds more success than success ever will - struggle is what separates the dreamers from the achievers. Everyone wants the view, but no one wants to climb. The climb is where we are forged. The climb is where we become the kind of person able to get to not just the first view, but the following, even better views after that. Stop wishing away the climbing journey - the journey is the actual reward. Consistency and discipline breed excellence - built daily in the trenches, the late nights, the early mornings, the work no one sees, the boring, the mundane, the endless to-do list, the tears, the dirty hands - excellence is forged in these tasks.
We have a generation that is missing their purpose because we are concerned with their feelings. Pardon the directness, but screw your feelings. We are doing a massive disservice by removing this generation's opportunity to build confidence in their own abilities. We were created for work - our work is a gift from God, for us to glorify Him while building His Kingdom. If we shifted focus to knowing that everything we do is all for His glory - how much more effort would we put in? Y'all. Think about this: if our next review wasn't with our boss, but with Jesus, holy moly how different would our work be?! I would bet we would all be putting forth an other-wordly effort.
Our pastor said a couple of weeks ago - what a tragedy it would be if we were collecting trophies throughout our life, only to get to the end of our lives and realize that all our trophies were from areas that God wasn't giving trophies? Wooooweeee - talk about getting itchy in church. But oh so true. What are we pursuing that isn't even part of God's plan for us? What are we doing at 75% effort when we should be doing it at 100% and for His glory? How different would our world be if instead of doing just enough to get by, we dedicated ourselves to excellence? How cool would it be to watch the confidence level of the next generation soar as they strive for excellence and begin pursuing their God-given purpose in the process?!
This gets my heart pumping and ignites my passion for this next generation and their unique position to build God's Kingdom. What a privilege to serve the Lord in our work while helping the next generation live a life filled with excellence and glorifying Him in their work. There is no respect in half effort - give it all you've got and then just a little more - let's go make heaven crowded y'all!!!
Colossians 3:23 - 24
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
-
March 2025
Happy Spring!!!
I love this time of year - mostly the time change as it's lighter later and we ease into hot summer nights.
Well. Y'all. It has arrived. The big 4-0. It's birthday month!!! I am incredibly grateful for the first 40 years and am so excited for what God has in store for me in this next season of life. Since this is such a milestone birthday - I am going to share with you 40 things I would tell my younger self about the journey. Cheers!!!
1. Nothing, good or bad, lasts forever
2. Stop caring what other people think - it is such a waste of energy and it doesn't matter what they think or say - all that matters is what God says about you
3. You truly only have your name and your word - protect them fiercely
4. First impressions are actually incredibly important
5. Never be ashamed to struggle or work hard
6. You never know as much as you think you do
7. Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard
8. Be proud of where you come from
9. Jealousy will destroy everything it touches
10. It is better to be trusted than liked
11. Take the risks. Playing it safe is weak - take the risk. What is the worst that can happen? Lose everything and rebuild? Cool. Take that risk every. single. time.
12. A real friendship is worth more than 30 acquaintances
13. No matter how bad it is, someone always has it worse
14. Gratitude will change every circumstance and ultimately your life
15. Honesty and integrity will take you farther than skill and degrees
16. The right thing to do, is always the right thing to do
17. Your parents do, in fact, know what they're talking about and more than anyone else in this world, have your best interests at heart
18. It's never that serious - literally whatever it is, it's just not that serious
19. Coffee is delicious - don't wait so long to start drinking it
20. The freedom you're searching for, can only be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ
21. Workout every single day, for your body and your mind
22. Your friends determine your future and the quality of your life - choose them very wisely
23. Your grandparents will never live long enough - soak up every minute with them and every life lesson they have for you, they will be one of your favorite memories of growing up, but you won't recognize that until it's too late
24. Be kind to everyone - except pedophiles - send them straight to the woodchipper
25. Marry your best friend that you can't keep your hands off - I cannot emphasize this enough - yes, God has someone He created just for you and they will be perfect
26. Trust your gut
27. Life isn't fair or easy and that's ok - it's actually better that way. The person you become in the hard times and through the failures is exactly who you want to be
28. Choose discipline and discomfort - comfort is a slow death of regret
29. The truth will always prevail. You don't have to defend the truth, release it and it will defend itself
30. The magic you're missing is in the work you're avoiding
31. Be reckless in your generosity. You will never outgive God, but it sure is fun to try
32. Your parents home will always be home and nothing will ever be quite like it - it is the place that built you. (Stop trying to run away from it - Mom and Dad are we laughing about this one yet - hahaha)
33. Give as many big, tight hugs as you can
34. Go to the funerals - it is not about you, it's about honoring the deceased and being present for those left behind. As difficult as funerals are, you will regret not going
35. Speed wins. Just start, even if you have no idea what you're doing - start immediately. You can always redirect, but you have to start - the winners in life take fast action
36. Be openly passionate about what sets your soul on fire. Passion isn't weird, it's inspiring and contagious and the passionate people are the world changers
37. Trust and surrender to God's plan over your own - I promise your plans will be insanely pathetic compared to what He has for you
38. Say "I love you" all the time
39. Never ever, ever give up. Never. If you refuse to give up, you will eventually win - victory belongs to those that simply refuse to quit - the best is always yet to come
40. The most important thing in this life is your relationship with Jesus
20-year old me would be so proud of 40-year old me, in awe of God's grace and mercy and humbled by the life God has given me. My entire life is a compilation of answered prayers, forgiveness and proof of God's promises. I am so undeserving of it all. Thank you Jesus for saving a wretch like me - "twas grace that brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home". Here's to the next 40 years - let's go set the world on fire!!!
April 2025
It's Holy Week and Easter!!!
This week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. The magnitude of what Jesus did for all of us is truly humbling and a staggering example of undeserved love and grace. Hope you're getting lots of family time to reflect on Jesus' death and resurrection - the greatest love we will ever know.
This week is always a very reflective time for me as I think about how Jesus knew what was coming and He still carried out His Father's will. Last week was heavy for me, unexpected news that seemed to pause my world, while the rest of the world kept moving. When trouble hits and the unknown seems to be the only known, I am quickly reminded that God knows. There were no surprises for Him before His death and resurrection and there are none for Him now or ever. What a comfort and unexplained peace that brings. To be surrounded with chaos, but to be firmly rooted in His Word and promises to us: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
To be at peace is priceless, truly, there is no price tag to being at peace. Especially when the wars of life, uncertainty and the unknown rage around you, to be at peace in your soul, because you know, no matter what happens, God is God, He is Who He says He is, the beginning and the end - that kind of peace is only found in Him. He never said we wouldn't have hardship or troubles, He said He would never leave us or forsake us, meaning whatever we are going through, we are walking with the Creator of the Universe.
We will all have trials and troubles and heartache in this world, but how much deeper does our faith become when everything around us is crashing down and we lay it all at the feet of Jesus? This is no last resort - this is our best and should be our only response! Hard times will give us a faith we have been longing for and will glorify God above all else. He didn't save Daniel from the lion's den, He saved him in the lion's den. He didn't save Daniel's friends from the fiery furnace, He saved them in the fiery furnace. We have to get there to actually be delivered!!! Think about this: we are always praying for a deeper, unshakable faith - how are we to have unshakable faith if we are never shaken? What if, when it's all falling down around us, instead of turning from God, we surrender all and turn to Him?
We are drowning in hurt, fear, worry and doubt so much so, that we don't even see Him walking every step with us. He has more for us than we can ever think, dream or imagine - we just have to fully abide in Him. I can't even fathom the despair His followers must have felt when Jesus was crucified - everything they believed in, hoped in, put all their trust in - GONE. They had witnessed and experienced His miracles first hand and now He was dead. What they couldn't see, however, was that this was all part of His perfect plan, it had to happen to save each and every one of us from our sins. So while what looked like death and the bitter end to them - Heaven was simply counting to three. Y'all I could cry - no matter our circumstances, God is the author of our story and only He knows how it ends - what joy!!! No one, no doctor or anyone else can speak to your story - God alone holds the pen. If to the world, circumstances appear hopeless, remember - the darkest night - He WILL light it up - for HE IS RISEN!!!
"For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1:37
May 2025
Oh my lanta y'all, can we believe it's already May?! How? Where is the time going? Am I the only one shocked and alarmed at how fast time is flying lol
Cheers to the month of May - the month of flowers from April showers, the month we get to celebrate all our hero mommas and the month of my wedding anniversary to the greatest man in the world!!!
We are almost halfway through 2025 and I am excited and simultaneously annoyed with myself for the time that has flown by and all the things that I had on my "get done" list that are still floating in procrastination purgatory. Sigh. I feel like when I am looking at a month, a quarter, even the year as a whole - there is so much time, but when it comes to the day to day and weeks - it's over before it starts. I saw a quote that said something along the lines of, procrastination isn't laziness, but arrogance towards God, in taking what He gave us to do today, and acting as if there will be the same opportunity for us to do it tomorrow. Oh, ok, so that hits completely different and goodness was I convicted. I can't even begin to count how many times in a day that I do this. Small things, big things - I'm just like, oh, I'll get to that tomorrow or next week - or whatever excuse I happen to be giving myself. The more I thought about that perspective, the more humbled I became. What have I missed in my arrogance to just "do it later"? I think of Ruth, what if she had decided to work in the fields "later" and didn't meet Boaz? Or Esther - what if she didn't go before the king that specific day and all the Jews had been put to death? Or Joseph - what if he didn't interpret the king's dreams when they happened and all of Egypt was also plunged into famine and he was never reunited with his family? Or the woman at the well - what if she chose to get water "later" and missed out on her encounter with Jesus and His gift of forgiveness and spending eternity with Him? Or the twelve disciples - what if they had decided to follow Him "later" and missed out on living the greatest period of time in the history of the earth? Y'all it might seem like just an email, just a workout, just a conversation, just a phone call, just a meeting, just a simple request - but if that is what we are being called to do in that very moment, what are we really missing out on by putting it off?
Our plans might change, but God's plans and purposes remain forever. So just because we might not participate, God will use someone else who was willing to be a part of His plan. I cannot think of anything worse. It sucks to miss out on a business opportunity or even an advancement in your career or personal life, but to miss out on being used by God for the advancement of His Kingdom? Well that is tragic in every sense of the word. All because we drug our feet and chose to not do whatever we were tasked to do at that moment, thinking in our arrogance that the same opportunity would be available to us at a later time. Wow. Let's take the end of 2025 to become doers, fast responders, action takers, world changers, killers of the status quo, seekers of excellence and ultimately Kingdom builders.
Y'all we never know what one small action on our part, that God is going to use to write into His masterpiece of glory. How different would the remainder of 2025 be if every morning we gave our work to God and stewarded every task for His glory - not taking our time and action at our leisure. As much as I put things off, I probably can't even comprehend what could happen in my own life. How exciting for us, that we get to partner with God in the work of His Kingdom. Simply by showing up with what He has given us and by stepping forward in obedience - He does the miraculous. Don't think you have been procrastinating or don't have anything to offer? We all have 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish - time to lay it all at the feet of Jesus and watch God be God!!! Love y'all the most - let's get to work!!!
June 2025
Happiest Official Sum-Summ-Summertime!!!
I love summer so much - even though I don't have free summers like when I was growing up, there is something so nostalgic about the relaxed mood that comes in the summer months. Vacations, cookouts, beach days, camps, slumber parties, lake getaways, no schedule - it just feels so welcome as a lil escape from the normal hustle and bustle of school and work.
Y'all 2025 seems like the fastest and yet also the longest start to a year so far. It has flown by but also so much has happened that I feel like this year has been 2 years long already. And like life always is, it's some of my favorite memories coupled with some real-life hard, heart crushing times. Three lessons have consistently surfaced through it all that have helped shape me and ultimately the situations as well.
Firstly: my response is my responsibility. All the time. No matter what is said or done, I am entirely responsible for how I respond. It has taken me a long time to understand this, but the freedom and control of situations that this brings is top tier. It allows others to behave as they want, but prevents us from stooping to their level, doing or saying things we might regret, and ultimately degrading ourselves by not requiring discipline or personal excellence in our own behavior. Think about this, how quickly are situations diffused when we don't match the other person's behavior? It's a great feeling, knowing we have a choice in every single response, regardless of the situation, we control how we act. This is the way.
Secondly: forgiveness and love are required of us. Y'all, full transparency, this one has been a full on brawl in my mind. Talk about "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak". You ain't even kidding. My spirit thirsts for Jesus, but dang do I just straight wanna slap somebody in the flesh sometimes. Even just this morning, my verse of the day popped up and humbled me real quick: "My command is this: love each other as I have loved you" John 15:12. Well, there it is, God just knows exactly what we need even before we know we need it. We are called to forgive as He forgave us and to love as He loves. Obviously this doesn't include abuse - but it does include our dealings with each other and how we are to handle our relationships. Very often, the chapters of our lives that give us the most growth, peace and deeper understanding of God, begin with our surrender. Forgiveness isn't excusing their behavior, it's us being obedient to God - and that is the ultimate goal.
Thirdly: God is Who He says He is. This is such a comfort for me, that when things are raging and seem to be out of control for us, God is God. He is unchanging, unshakeable and there is no confusion or division in His perfect will. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He has given us His Word, so that we are never left wondering what our response to various situations are to be. There will still be circumstances we don't understand, but God will always be present and we can abide in His unchanging promises to us. What a joy that in every time of our life, we are able to turn to the One that already knows the outcome. He is a good, good Father and loves when we surrender to Him - that's when He is truly able to show His power.
Y'all, as always, thank you for reading and following along. I grew up loving reading and writing, a gift passed on from my mom, and it's always such a sweet summer memory of walking to the bookstore, and then spending an afternoon of thunderstorms reading an entire book, Nancy Drew was always top choice. Writing is always a heart project for me and I pray that as you read God will touch you and bless your day!!!
July 2025
Happiest 249th Birthday America!!!
I love love love the 4th of July - it is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate. Give me everything red, white, blue and patriotic!!! When I was growing up, our family did a huge cookout that lasted all day and well into the night - tons of games, food, bottle rockets, fireworks, just the best memory of celebrating our country and all she represents. Unfortunately as we all grew up and have moved to various states, our celebrations look a little different every year, but those huge family gatherings will always hold a tender place in my heart.
Y'all America is in desperate need of a big, family cookout. We might have had minor bickerings and disagreements but always came together at the end of the day as family and set differences aside for the much larger picture of our family heritage and legacy, and ultimately honoring God in that.
America has lost sight of her purpose - why she was founded and why she became great. We came to be the United States of America during the revival - The Great Awakening of the 1730's - 1770's that swept through the colonies and ultimately led to the Revolutionary War and our independence from Great Britain.
A couple of things that are encouraging to me, is firstly that things were bad, even that long ago. Division and immorality are nothing new in this nation. In May 1775, Harvard College President Samuel Langdon delivered a message to the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts - a portion of his message holds true today: "We have rebelled against God, we have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. . . My brethren, let us repent and implore divine mercy. . . May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble. . . We will rejoice in His salvation, and in the name of our God, we will set up our banners!" A nation drifting from the principles of God is not new AND most importantly, what He has done before, He will do again. There have been waves of revival that have swept over our nation since our founding. Each one has left a significant mark on history. The call of America is to be a shining city on a hill to the world - bringing the light and hope of Jesus from sea to shining sea and beyond.
The second thing that gets me even more excited is that we are not talking about religion. Religion will get you nowhere but feeling frustrated and missing a real, deep relationship with Jesus. No one wants a religious guide of rules to follow and fall short every time. But a relationship with the Creator of the universe, for us to be so entwined in His heart, that our hearts break for what breaks His? A love, grace and mercy that our human minds can't comprehend because He is perfect and cannot make a mistake ever? Yes. Give us that. We aren't looking for religion in America, we are seeking the heart of the King of Kings, where true freedom and peace abound. That is what America was built on and all her founding documents written on - a Christian relationship with God. As Patrick Henry said: "This nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."
We as a nation have lost our way - but we are never too far from the forgiveness and grace of God. I believe God has the best yet still ahead for our beautiful nation, but only if we turn to Him. "The good in the United States would never have come into being without the blessing and power of Jesus Christ . . . Whoever tries to conceive the American word without taking full account of the suffering and love and salvation of Christ is only dreaming. I know how embarrassing this matter is to politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, and cynics; but, whatever these honored men think, the irrefutable truth is that the soul of America, at its best and highest, is Christian." - Charles Malik
What a privilege for us to be living in such a time as this - that we can partner with God to turn the tides of America, into the shining city on a hill. A testament of the grace and mercy of God, His power on display for all to know, it was none but God. "God governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?" - Benjamin Franklin
Y'all the directive to us is clear from 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Won't He do it!!! God bless America!