How God spoke to me

I always love to hear stories about how God speaks to people, because as with everything else he does, he is so creative when it comes to speaking to his children. I remember as a small child waiting for an audible voice to tell me something – anything – and I would never hear it, and be disappointed.

And then I realized that God can speak much more loudly than an audible voice. In fact, his words can be unmistakable.

2014 year was one of the worst years of my life. It just stunk. It was stressful, we all had some pretty big health problems, and it just felt like we couldn’t catch a break. I’ll admit – I got a little mad at God for awhile. Not like a “I’m never talking to you again” kind of mad… more like I sulked about how he wasn’t intervening in all of our troubles and making them all go away.

But I look back at 2014, and realize that God chose to speak to me so very clearly, so many times. As cliche as it sounds, during my hardest year, I heard him the loudest.

July 9 – We were in the midst of all of our health struggles, with more around the corner (like Mr. Right’s cancer scare and some super scary asthma attacks for Wrenn). We were tired, we were haggard, we were surviving on fumes. And during one of my quiet times, I came to this verse:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

And it was on this day, with this verse, I heard God speak so clearly in my soul, saying “Baby girl, I’ve got you. Do you think your stress is more than I can handle?”

And again I heard: “Just rest in my presence.”

I immediately wrote this down – because when you feel like God is speaking to you, you ALWAYS WRITE IT DOWN. And I clung to that promise during the roller coaster that followed over the next few months – of not sleeping, of medical test after medical test, ER visits, of holding my baby girl in the floor of our bathroom as I prayed that the steam from the shower would open up her lungs – during what turned out to be very dark months for me, I kept reminding myself, “God told me that he has me. He’s not surprised by this. He can handle ALL of my stress. Just rest in his presence.”

Nov. 22 – My birthday. Our stressful season was in full swing – we still didn’t have a good diagnosis for what Mr. Right was struggling with, and he was only a week away from leaving for India. Our baby girl had been horribly sick with asthma, and on the nights when I wasn’t up all night holding her as she had asthma attacks, I was lying in bed awake, waiting for the next asthma attack to hit. On Nov. 21 before I went to bed, I prayed that God would speak to me, to remind me that he was still there and that he loved me. Because sometimes I need that reassurance, and that’s okay. It’s okay to ask God to speak loudly to you. Because sometimes, that’s exactly what he wants to do.

I prayed that prayer on Friday night, and on Saturday morning, when I woke up, I had an email from a friend who said she felt compelled to encourage me. Turns out, she had walked a very similar path to the one I had walked, and not only did she bravely share her story, but then she shared the scripture and the truth that she clung to during that hard season. She wanted to share the things in God’s word that had gotten her through her hard season, so that I could get through mine.

You guys – that was God talking to me through her. When someone tells you they feel compelled to share something from scripture with you – and they would have had no real idea of how important it would be in that moment – there’s a very good chance that it’s a God thing.

This was a God thing. Not only did he answer my prayer before I woke up the following morning (on my birthday, no less) but I started thinking, and I realized that I had had several people contact me over the past few months sharing scripture that had helped them walk through difficult seasons. And I realized that GOD HAD ANSWERED MY PRAYER BEFORE I HAD EVEN PRAYED IT.

Yep. God blows my mind. Isn’t he so gracious?

Nov. 29 – Mr. Right was 48 hours from leaving for India, and I still hadn’t felt a peace about him going. My husband had felt a definite call from God that he was supposed to travel to India to teach local pastors, and after coming a little closer to begging him not to go than I’d like to admit, I finally just said, “I don’t have a peace about it, but if God has told you to go, then you need to go.” I’ve read the story of Jonah enough times to know that if God says go, you always go.

In the meantime, we were also praying that God would provide the funds to cover the trip. It was expensive, money was tight, not to mention that when a small business owner misses 2.5 weeks of work, it means you’re not going to make any money during that time. We prayed and prayed, and the money came in, but we still lacked $800, with two days to go before his trip.

That Saturday, Mr. Right couldn’t find his malaria medicine (a must when you go to India), and tore apart our bathroom searching for it. He found a stack of cards I had written him, and out fell an envelope with our name in it. Inside were 10 $100 bills. Exactly enough to cover the cost of the rest of the trip, plus $200 in travel money (which is the identical amount I had set aside for him to use in airports/emergencies).

Y’all… God provided the exact amount of money we needed, PLUS the exact amount of money we had set aside, with 48 hours to go before the trip. It was kind of like God lit up a neon sign that said, “BETHE, I TOLD YOU I WANTED HIM TO GO TO INDIA.”

Yes, God. I hear you loud and clear.

It was the sweetest gift he could have given me, because for the 16 days that Mr. Right was on the opposite side of the planet, I felt the greatest peace I have ever felt in my entire life. I had confidence that he was supposed to be in India. That we were following God’s will. And that’s exactly where I want to be – smack dab in the middle of God’s will, all the time. It was a GIFT.

Not only that, but God decided to just WOW me during Mr. Right’s trip to India. I have told people that I think my husband had to travel to the other side of the globe, so that God could do a work in my heart back here at home. On the second day he was gone, after I talked to him and he was still en route (it took 48 hours and three flights to get there), sick and exhausted, I reached into my jacket pocket – the jacket I wear every single day in the winter time – the jacket I have worn 50 times since last year – and there was a brochure for India. My church had hosted a luncheon more than a year before to promote trips to India, and I must have grabbed a brochure and stuck it in my pocket. The brochure featured all of the cities Mr. Right would travel to, with photos of the very people he would get to love on, and there it was in my jacket pocket. I hadn’t noticed it the other 50 times I had worn that jacket, because God wanted me to find that brochure at that divine moment, when I needed reminding that GOD WANTED MR. RIGHT IN INDIA.

I told everybody I could.

And then, one more cool thing – because our God, the God of the universe, likes to do things BIG. It wasn’t enough to provide the money, or provide pictures in my pocket of the people my husband was going to see. No, he decided to send me another love letter, in the form of scripture. You see, God has always used other people quoting his word to speak to me. It has happened more times than I could count.

First, God had a coworker send me this verse on the morning my husband left for India:

“May the God of hope fill you with ALL JOY AND PEACE as you TRUST in him, so that you may OVERFLOW WITH HOPE by the POWER of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

This verse became my mantra – my daily battle cry for the 16 days I was a single mom. You have to remember, my baby girl had battled horrible asthma attacks for months, leading up to about a week before this trip. It had been scary and exhausting. I hadn’t slept in forever. And now I was going to be a single, working mom, entirely responsible for the health and safety of my beloved child, with a husband two days away in an emergency.

I prayed this prayer and clung to it – it brought me so much peace. More peace than I had felt in all of 2014. Like, it was weird.  And God, in his pure awesomeness, put that verse in my daily Bible Study reading on the very last night before Mr. Right came home. There it was – bookending this trip. It was like, on either side, God reminding me that this promise is for me. No matter my circumstances, he wants to provide me with ALL JOY AND PEACE as I choose to TRUST in him.

And guess what… this promise is also FOR YOU.

Friend, I don’t know what you’re walking through. You may be in the midst of the worst year of your life, or you may be at a crossroads and desperately need to hear God speak. Whatever it is – don’t be afraid to flat out ASK HIM TO SPEAK TO YOU.

Note: A great book on this topic that changed my life was this one. Know that when God speaks, it is always in line with his scripture. He will never tell you something that conflicts with it. If you have questions, feel free to email me at bethe@texaslovely.com.

Baby Girl Dresses and a Print Sale

3

Do you remember that handmade dress I made for Wrenn’s birthday party? I had so much fun making it, I decided to make a few for my shop! The best thing about these dresses are that since the straps are adjustable, the dress can grow with your baby. In fact, as Wrenn continues to grow taller and taller (hello, 90th percentile), I plan on her wearing her dress with leggings or skinny jeans, layered with a cardigan throughout the fall/winter.1This pink floral dress comes in size 12-18 months (Wrenn’s size… I’m tempted to keep it for her) and features pink contrast stitching and the cutest little strawberry floral fabric for the bottom. I love it.

2 This other dress features some gorgeous red florals (almost feels Hawaiian) with red trim. I should say that the red is a gorgeous color – a mix between red and deep orange and pink – it’s so pretty in person. I loved it so much, I made myself an infinity scarf out of the same fabric. I made two of these dresses: one is size 3 months, the other is size 12-18 months.
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I have also slashed the price of all my digital downloads in my shop to just $5. I hope that if you’ve been eyeing something that would serve as an encouragement for you, that for just $5 you’ll now be able to snag it. You can print these on your home printer, or for less than $1 you can print yours at Office Depot (just upload it on their website and you can usually pick it up the same day from their printing counter). We have these prints framed all over our house, and I absolutely love visiting friends and spotting them at their homes too!5

As life continues to get busier and busier, I’m really rethinking how much longer I’m going to keep my shop open, so I hope you’ll take advantage of it soon! I’ve also got a few quilts in the works that I’m quite excited about that should be in the shop in a matter of weeks.

Have a lovely day, my friends.

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il_570xN.524050111_subdFor more prints, visit Texas Lovely on Etsy.

Other places you can find Texas Lovely:

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/texaslovelyshop
On Instagram: texas_lovely

He shields all who take refuge in Him

angel wings

Print available here

I love verses about God shielding us with His wings. It’s such a comforting picture isn’t it? Like this:

“The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” – Ruth 2:12 (ESV)

Those wings are a place of refuge.

Of protection.

Of rest.

Of comfort.

Of love.

Of peace.

I need all of those, don’t you, dear friends? With that inspiration, I made this print, available for instant download in my shop. I hope it brings a comforting reminder of another aspect of this big God we serve.

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il_570xN.524050111_subdFor more prints, visit Texas Lovely on Etsy.

Other places you can find Texas Lovely:

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/texaslovelyshop
On Instagram: texas_lovely

Free Download Friday: Hope

Hope

This is my verse right now. On the good days, and on the bad, I will always have HOPE. And I will continue to praise Him more and more. Because He deserves it.

Here’s to praising more and more, whether I see the blessings or not. Whether I see the answered prayers, or I’m in a season of waiting. Whether the praising comes through clapping or through tears. He is worthy of my praise.

As a gift to you, my dear readers, I’m offering this as a free download. Just click here to download. Fine print: File available for personal use only and may not be resold or distributed. If you feature this print on your blog, please link back to this post as the original source.

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il_570xN.524050111_subdFor more prints, visit Texas Lovely on Etsy.

Other places you can find Texas Lovely:

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/texaslovelyshop
On Instagram: texas_lovely

Proverbs 31 Woman

Prov 31

Who doesn’t want to be a Proverbs 31 woman? Hard working. Strong. Well dressed. A business woman. Wise, kind. Loved by her children and treasured by her husband.

I added a Proverbs 31 print to my shop so that I can be reminded on a daily basis that I, too, can be a Proverbs 31 woman, by the grace of God.

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Other places you can find Texas Lovely:

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/texaslovelyshop
On Instagram: texas_lovely
On Etsy

No Fear & a Free Printable

fear - white

Free Download

In 2014 I am praying God’s promises over my life. Won’t you join me?

I am a pro at worrying. And you know what? It robs me of my joy. I remember doing a Beth Moore Bible study on Esther many years back, and one of the things she talked about was the great risk that Esther took to visit the King, uninvited. She was scared, but she told her uncle Mordecai, “If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

Beth Moore led us in an exercise where we talked about our fears. What was one thing we were afraid of? If that happened, what were the implications? What’s the worst-case scenario? And if that worst-case scenario happened… would God be enough to get me through that situation?

The simple answer is yes. The hard part is living as if that were true. But oh what a life we would all lead if that were indeed the way we felt, deep in our gut. That God would be enough to see us through our darkest days, our biggest fears, our worst crises.

What if, instead of letting fear consume me, I remembered the promise that God has given me the ability to be POWERFUL, LOVING, and SELF-CONTROLLED. I want nothing more than for my baby girl to grow up being strong… may she see a strong, loving, self-controlled mama living as an example to her.

Join me in praying this promise over our lives. Because God keeps his promises.

“Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” Joshua 21:45

As a gift to you, my dear friends, I’m offering this as a free download. I’d love it if you would share it with your friends on Pinterest, Facebook, etc. Print as many copies as you’d like, but please do not email or sell.

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il_570xN.553634680_5tueHave you seen my newest print in the shop?

Other places you can find Texas Lovely:
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/texaslovelyshop
On Instagram: texas_lovely
On Etsy

Shop Update & 30,000 Hits!

Every time there’s a change in seasons, it’s a great excuse to do a little house cleaning, change out the wardrobe, and freshen things up. And maybe it’s because I’m finishing up one job and getting excited to start a new one, but I just felt like it was time to freshen up the shop a bit too.

I’m happy to show you a few new prints, plus a few more that are perfect for this time of year. Such an inexpensive way to update your home. Click on the image to be linked back to the item in my shop.

with thanksgiving

You know I love bunting. And scripture. And making a joyful noise (emphasis on the noise part). This print makes my heart happy and will be making its debut in my home this fall. This would make a wonderful hostess gift for that relative hosting Thanksgiving this year.

Rise and Shine

Speaking of bunting – this is one of the songs I sing to Wrenn in the mornings. I sing to her all the time because she smiles up at me and gets so excited. And so I do it all the time. This print is in her honor.

Family Tree 8x10-gray-yellow

I decided to bring back one of my best-selling custom prints ever – the family tree print. But now, the colors and SIZE are fully customizable (hooray!). I’m only offering it as a digital download, which means I can offer it at a better rate and YOU can print it to whatever size you’d like. A 5×7 and a 16×20 cost the same. Wouldn’t this be cute on the sign-in table at a wedding, or given as an anniversary present? Last year I had one customer purchase a print for every couple in her family, wrapped them and put them under her tree for Christmas morning. I wish I could have been there when they all opened it!

adventures - bicycles2

Mr. Right and I love our matching cruiser bicycles and regularly take them out on picnics along Trinity Trail. Or, that is, until we got pregnant and had Little Bit – now it’s time to invest in one of those bike trailers so that little Wrenn can hitch a ride on our little adventures. This print is available for a digital download and I can customize the wording to anything you’d like.

thankful2

And of course, don’t forget about my other fall/Thanksgiving print – it’s an old favorite that is perfect for a fall mantle.

Also, as promised – I’m doing a fun give-away next week in honor of my 30,000th hit on the blog this year. You won’t want to miss it – it involves clothes, and who doesn’t need something new and cute every once in awhile?

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Other places you can find Texas Lovely:
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/texaslovelyshop
On Instagram: texas_lovely
On Etsy

New in the shop – Ruffle Butt Onesies & a New Print

I’ll admit it – I’m a sucker for a baby with a ruffle butt. I just can’t help myself (also – that smile! makes a mama melt)

ruffle butt

Which is why I’ve decided to make a few ruffle butt onesies for the shop. These particular onesies are size 0-3 months made of organic cotton and perfect for a baby gift for that next shower. I added a few yo-yo’s to the front because besides chevron and ruffles, well, yo-yo’s are one of my favorite things.

turquoise

(link to listing in the shop)

yellow gray

(link to listing in the shop)

Everything on the onesie has finished edges, which means no fraying. If these sell quickly, I’ll be adding some more, but they’ll be slightly more expensive.

Also, if you’re in the market for a baby gift, don’t forget this print, which is available for instant download (which means no waiting for shipping):

Quiver Full2

Now excuse me while I go kiss on my baby model some more…

New prints & a bedrest update

I’ve spent the past few days hanging out on the couch and in bed, watching TV and, well, designing new prints. The longer we wait for Wrenn to arrive, the more action this blog and my Etsy shop is going to see. If only I could sit down at my sewing machine and quilt… I’m going through some serious withdrawals.

We got good news from the doctor. They ran some more tests and things seem to be less worrisome than originally thought, so I’m off the “only get up to use the restroom” bedrest and instead on the “spend most of your time lying down but at least you’re allowed to walk around your house” version of bedrest. Which is good because I would have lost my mind on the other one.

I’ve had braxton hicks contractions since Sunday, and Thursday night they got really intense and 5-6 minutes apart. I really thought it was time, but they never got to that magic 5-minute mark required to go to the hospital. I slept a little that night, but spent much of the night up with pain. Friday… nothing. And so we continue to wait for that precious baby girl to arrive.

So, back to the prints – I designed two new prints for the shop this week. Both are available for instant download for just $10 each. This means as soon as you purchase it online, you’ll get a link to download the file so you can print it yourself – I’m hoping this adds some convenience (and speed) to my shoppers.

This print was inspired by a quote Mr. Right sent me a few months ago. I’m a bit of a reformed feminist, and it’s very important to me that I teach Wrenn that she can do anything she sets her mind to, but that she should also always conduct herself as a lady, and a humble one at that. It’s an important balance.

Lady

(Available here)

And this print is inspired by the scripture I’ve been meditating on all week. We’ve been studying David Platt’s new book in our Sunday School class, and he talks about duty vs. delight when it comes to our faith. I’ve been praying all week that God would help me to take a new delight in his Word… and thus this print came to be.

Her-delight

(Available here)

And one more thing… Texas Lovely now has a Facebook page! Do me a favor and go “like” it – I’ll be posting discount codes and links to new products.

Let your light shine

Mr. Right has been out of town the past few days pretending to be a cowboy with his dad and brother and a few hundred other guys. You know, trail rides and chuck wagon cooking and cowboy hat wearing… the whole bit. I’m so glad he comes home today because I can’t wait to hear all about it.

But I had my own fun while he was gone – snuggling a friend’s new baby, getting a pedicure, catching up on quilting, hanging out with the girls in his family, and designing a few new prints for my spring collection.

Here’s the latest. I was going for a bit of a retro revival vibe.

let your light shine

Click here to see the listing in my shop

I was just praying this morning that our little girl would be a light for Jesus. What better way to spend a life, am I right?