Dear Little Girl…Protect Your Peace

Dear Little Girl,

There will be moments when you look around and wonder if everyone else is ahead of you.

Someone else's marriage will look easier.
Someone else's family will seem more peaceful.
Someone else's success will feel louder.
Someone else's life will look more certain.

And before you realize it, your heart will start measuring.

Am I behind?
Did I miss something?
Why does their life seem easier than mine?

But comparison is a thief that quietly steals your peace.

God never asked you to carry someone else’s story.

You were never meant to live someone else's calling, marriage, timeline, or path.

You were created for your life.

The one with its twists.
Its healing.
Its slow growth.
Its unexpected beauty.

When you fix your eyes on what someone else has, you begin to lose sight of what God is doing in you.

Peace doesn’t grow in comparison.

Peace grows in trust.

Trust that God knows your story.
Trust that your timing is not a mistake.
Trust that the life you are living is the one He is shaping.

So when the noise of comparison gets loud…

Come back to stillness.
Come back to gratitude.
Come back to the quiet truth that God is writing a story in you that no one else could live.

And that story is enough.

Love,
Amy

Worthy Heart

A Monday Morning Reflection

Yesterday in church our pastor talked about the cost and the benefit of following Jesus.

At first, the cost looked like early mornings.

But somewhere along the way those early mornings became my favorite part of the day.

Those quiet moments with Jesus are where these Dear Little Girl letters are born.
And maybe, just maybe, they are reaching someone who needs them.

Sometimes I catch myself wishing it all moved faster.

More readers.
More responses.
Speaking opportunities.
The book written already.

But today I realized something.

I am actually at peace with where I am.

The last two weeks have been incredibly busy at the studio. My life is full of dance, MELT, kids, and family. Six years ago I never could have imagined this life.

Back then I thought my future looked completely different.

But God knew better.

When I look around, comparison still tries to sneak in.

I see marriages that look easier.
Couples sharing wine at dinner.
People traveling more.
New cars.
Beautiful homes.

And if I’m not careful, my heart starts measuring again.

But the truth is…

I don’t know the cost of someone else’s life.

And when I stop comparing and start counting my blessings, I see something entirely different.

Will is thriving and knows the Lord.
JP is finding his way in New York and just landed his first gig.
Graeme, even when he gives me a run for the money, has the sweetest heart.

And yesterday, as I watched the children in our show — some with special needs — I was reminded again how much we have to be grateful for.

My life may not look like what I once imagined.

But it is so good.

Or maybe the better word is and.

It is different and it is good.

Yesterday our pastor shared a quote by Dallas Willard that stuck with me:

"Discipleship to Jesus is the greatest opportunity we will ever have in life."

The truth is, following Jesus changes everything.

Getting to know Him slowly transforms the way you see your life, your struggles, your relationships, and even your dreams.

And those quiet mornings with Him?

They are like treasure hidden in a field.

They are like oil under the surface in Texas.

More valuable than anything else I own.

Because in those moments Jesus gives me something the world cannot give:

Peace in the middle of pain.
Joy in the middle of uncertainty.
Love even when I feel alone.

That is the real benefit of walking with Him.

And that is how we protect our peace.

Not by having a perfect life.

But by choosing to meet with Jesus every day and trusting that the story He is writing in us is exactly the one we are meant to live.

Prayer

Jesus,

Thank you for these quiet mornings.

Thank you for the mornings when I am grateful.
And the mornings when I am angry and you calm my heart.
The mornings when I am afraid and you help me breathe.
The mornings when I am so sad all I can do is cry and you simply sit with me.
And the mornings when my thoughts bounce everywhere like a ping-pong ball and you gently bring me back to peace.

Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for loving my family.

Thank you for the story you are writing in my life — even when I cannot see where it is going.

Help me keep my eyes on you and not on comparison.

Remind me that your timing is never a mistake.

And help every person reading this remember that you are writing a beautiful story in their life too.

Amen.

Christmas Wish

It’s Christmas Eve and I am pondering on the idea of Christmas wishes……Isn’t it funny how when we get older our Christmas list becomes smaller, maybe even non existent. I mean we are adults and we can just go out and buy what we want if we really want it. True story.

This Christmas season as I was working on the boys list and things to get the older people in my life I realized somethings just can’t be bought. They just can’t. Love, Hope, Joy, Peace, Worthiness…..These gifts cannot be bought. If we are being honest these gifts are the greatest gifts of all. Not the diamond necklace, the x box, the clothes, the whatever, but the gifts of Love, Hope, Joy, Peace…..and Worthiness. This is my Christmas Wish!

My wish for all of you this year is my wish for myself and my family. My wish is that we all would reflect tomorrow, Christmas morning, on the simple fact that we were given those precious gifts…..many, many, many, many, years ago when a baby was born in a manger. He is the gift of Hope. Hope that we will see our loved ones that have gone before us. Joy in the present moment with our loved ones present. Peace in this world that has so much evil and hatred and Worthiness in knowing we are worthy. He came to make sure we knew we are Worthy and we are Loved. He came to give us Hope. He came to bring us Joy. He came to bring Peace upon this unsettled world. All you have to do is have a little faith in that which is unseen.

So this Christmas may we all put on a new pair of lenes. The lenses of faith to see Christ and to know Him. To feel his love so that in good times and in bad times we know we are Worthy and we are Loved. You are Worthy my friend and I am so grateful for you!

Merry Christmas!

XO,

Amy

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Peace

As I sat reflecting on the second week of Advent, which is Peace, I really struggled with what does peace mean for me? I mean I am a mom of three boys whose husband travels AND I help take care of my father. I don’t know but does this sound like it would be peaceful? NO! There is rarely a peaceful moment in our world. But, is that what peace really means?

PEACE

I looked it up actually and the definition of peace is: freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.

Ya, that does not happen with all the moving pieces and peeps in my life, BUT, I will tell you the more I thought about it I do know it is possible to have a peaceful life IF I choose to do a few things to better myself and line up my priorities. I am telling you guys I am learning so much about this and it is weird how when you take time to better yourself in the areas of your relationship with God, yourself, your health, your spouse/partner, kids, and friends in that VERY order you will have a peace that is so eerie at first, but you learn to just be in it and relish it.

Let’s take a look.

1. God-Trust me on this….get up everyday earlier than everyone else in your world and spend a minimum of 15 minutes with Him. Start there! Just doing this starts you in the right direction. When you are in a relationship with God it is amazing what starts to happen around you.

2. Yourself….get a journal and write down all you are thankful for daily! Start little…..start with one thing a day and build on it. It is amazing when you turn your heart into a grateful heart how much peace overcomes you. Along with this take a self improvement class, read a self help book, or find a mentor. Fill yourself with positive mental nutrition and watch the peace pour over you.

3. Your health…start watching what you eat….NO not a diet! Maybe you go from 3 cokes a day to 1, maybe it is only eat dessert 3 times a week….I don’t know what it is but start paying attention to what you are feeding yourself AND join a workout class or a tennis team. Walk the dog longer, take yoga, maybe it is kick boxing for you? Find one thing that is a workout that YOU really enjoy, not anyone else, YOU and go for it! I am speaking from experience in that I REALLY wanted to play tennis and be a part of a team and I did it, until I got injured, and I look at that injury as the BIGGEST blessing and you know why? Because I found dance! No one else was doing it and heck my friends are still not doing it, but, I am and I love it and I have lost a total of 30lbs and still losing! Why? Because I LOVE IT! And now I feel great about myself which makes it a lot easier to feel peaceful.

4. Your spouse/partner….this is a big one and it is still a struggle for me, but here it goes….we all really need to set aside one night a week for time with each other without kids, cell-phones, or friends…..just the two of you. Trust me guys….I get it and I am being so honest here by saying I am failing hard at this, but now that I wrote it I am going to work on it! As well as a relational journal. Try writing each other notes of gratitude about things you are grateful for about each other. I actually got Trey this for Christmas and I cannot wait to start it with him! Now, let me say there will be times when one partner is the only one writing….it is what it is and that is just part of a relationship, but stick with it and see what happens. Trust me! Ha! I have not even done this yet, but I know in my heart it will work! I just know it! It will not solve all problems, but it will change our perspectives and show us the good stuff!

5. Kids….Now these guys will be so much happier if the steps above are all working and when you then throw in special time with them, no cell phones, night out for a movie, or whatever it is amazing what happens. I know my children love it when I take them out one on one. It does not happen near as much as I would like, but we do a family dinner and I try to make our one on one time special. Even if it is just a ride to get their haircut. Take that time to talk and you ask a question and really listen. It is amazing what happens when you really listen to your child.

6. Last but not least friends….Now here again I am going to be so open and I am ashamed to say this, but I use to put my friends first. I really did. Why? I am not sure why except that they are so fun to hang out with and I really like them! But the truth is the order has to go how I put it to find peace. It just does….and when one is out of whack peace is hard to come by, but when they are all in order it is so amazing the feeling you get.

   So my biggest take away for you today is YOU CAN HAVE PEACE! You can! You just have to make sure your priorities are in line and you are taking care of you! When you take care of you and improve on you and no I do not mean nails, hair, botox, or whatever….I mean really improve on you with positive nutrition for your brain and mind you will find peace. No every day is not full of roses, but it sure is easier to handle and handle with ease when all these things line up. So…….

Go in Peace Always and until next time….

XO,

Amy

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fill your mind with positive nutrition!