A lifestyle blog focused on motherhood, marriage, and ministry! My journey as a work-from-home mom and entrepreneur, the wife of a youth pastor, and sharing my favorite things!
Our FASTer Way to Fat Loss journey begins on Monday, August 10th with Ahna Fulmer as our Certified Coach! Our desire is to walk through these next 6-weeks and as a result end up with more energy, confidence, freedom & joy!
Read MoreWith this being our first year going on vacation with a baby, I wanted to share a few of my must-have items with you that made our vacation or time at the beach the best it could be! A few of the items are not necessarily baby-related, but these are by far the top things that I am thankful that I had for this vacation!
Read MoreWhen I lost my job back in March 2020, with a 4-month-old at home, just before the height of a pandemic that proceeded to shut down the entire country, I wrestled a lot with the potential options for my future and what working was going to look like… or what I wanted it to look like. As I navigated the best way to find legitimate work from home jobs, I wanted to share with you two tools that helped me to find the confidence to start my own business as a Virtual Assistant!
Read MoreI’ve struggled to know what to say over the past few days. I’ve seen the videos and have watched the news surrounding the death of George Floyd. What do you say when you’re not even sure if you have the right to speak? What do you say when there are no words — just sadness and grief? How can any of this be ok?
Read MoreWhat a whirlwind. it’s been a few months now, and it feels like life has not really slowed down at all since our precious little man arrived into this world. Eric and I have been so overwhelmed by God’s good gift of this little life and the privilege and honor that it is to be his parents. We’re enjoying every day and smile and learning so much humility and selflessness with every cry or new milestone. This journey has not been an easy one so far, but it sure has been beautiful…
Read MoreJust a few more weeks until our baby boy arrives (what is it, 8 or 9 weeks yet?!)… it’s a bit hard for me to wrap my mind around that reality! But before that… just a few more days until we get to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our baby boy with friends and family!
Read MoreThe excitement that fills my heart when I get to say “my little boy” is hard to put into words. The first trimester was extremely difficult - I felt like I was sick every night and could barely eat anything in the evenings. In all honesty, I did not enjoy being pregnant in those first few months. But around the 13-14 week mark, those nights of nausea faded away, and within the past two weeks (I’m almost 22 weeks now), I’ve been feeling this little guy moving around more and more. Those little kicks are the most incredible thing I have ever experienced in my life!
Read MoreTo all of our family and friends… Merry Christmas!
One of the things that I enjoy most at this time of year is being able to sit and reflect on all that God has done for us and through us over this past year and wanted to share a few of our highlights with you all!
Read MoreI have been so eager to share with you all about our big adventure to Liverpool for Eric's 30th Birthday — I adore my husband and have been saving our money up to be able to make this trip happen. It was so fun to experience a new part of the world with my husband and celebrate this man in such a fun way, and a huge bonus that we got to visit Anfield and see LIverpool FC play several times - and even got to meet Steven Gerrard!
Read MoreI'm not sure that I can truly describe both the joy and sorrow that swept over me as I read this card. You see... I lost one of my dearest friends almost 9 years ago, and here were her words once again, in her handwriting. Not one of the Facebook posts or emails... a real, handwritten note.
... a note from my dear, sweet Janet Rose.
Read MoreA simple scone recipe that is easy to adapt to any variety by changing up the fruit, nuts, ora other add-ins! I would love to hear more ideas for varieties of scones to try next... leave your ideas or feedback in the comments!
Read MoreI never really dreamed of being a princess when I was a little girl... never really imagined myself as a princess on my wedding day... yet there I am, in the middle of my own fairy tale! Our wedding day was more beautiful and dreamy than I could have ever imagined or asked for. It's hard to describe all of the emotions that washed over me that day - the day that I finally had the blessing to commit to being in covenant with my love, Eric Gregory.
Read MoreI can't get over the blessings and good gifts that God brings, especially in regards to other people praying for me and situations of my life. There were a lot of prayers that went into the start of my relationship with Eric Gregory. It was 8 1/2 months ago, on the roof-level deck of my aunt and uncle's house in downtown Lancaster City, that Eric told me he wanted to call dibs... on me.
Read MoreLast month I posted about a really big life change... a new job. Since starting that job, people are constantly asking me how things are going. I know this is natural. I know this is expected. I don't always like it.
Read MoreThat’s right. Last week I finished out my time at my current place of employment. And this was actually one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in the past couple of years. This announcement may seem unexpected and out of the blue for many of you who are reading this, but allow me to explain…
Read MoreLazy weekends are refreshing to my soul. And baking makes the house smell so good... and somehow inspires me to do some cleaning while there is something baking in the oven. For me, banana bread is usually the result of having a few bananas that I never got around to eating while they were fresh... so the over-ripened bananas become a heavenly-scented weekend treat!
Read MoreToday was something that has been on the list for a long time... I finally got around to doing The Color Run with some of my very best friends!
Read MoreI suppose you’re not actually a baby anymore… at the age of twenty, you are indeed a beautiful young woman. Yet, I will always have a vivid picture of you in my mind as a rambunctious ten year old girl… that was the age you were when I left the house for college, and somehow you will always be that age in my memories.
Read MoreSometimes when I pray and ask the Lord for "patience," I fear that what I am really saying is "Lord, please give me what I want." And that when I pray for "clarity," what my heart is really saying is "Lord, give me what I want now."
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they say that time heals all wounds.i hated that phrase, once. when my heart was first broken and the world that i knew was shattered... everyone told me that it just takes time. that despite my brokenness, someday i would feel whole again. that's the last thing that you want to hear when your heart hurts... and i still remember vividly what those days and nights were like, to feel empty, and dark, and hollow... to feel worthless. to feel like i would never be able to pick up the pieces of my broken heart.but i did. slowly, but surely... i did. and now i believe it. that in many ways, time truly does allow for the wounds of pain and brokenness to heal. there are still scars... some more obvious than others... but the pain is no longer there. i really couldn't even tell you when the pain finally went away... it just did. and it doesn't hurt anymore... those memories are no longer a burden.looking back, i see God's hand at work in the way that He cared for me and surrounded me and distracted me from my own brokenness, to allow the pain to go away over time. and eventually, God broke down some walls around my heart to recognize my own flaws within that pain... my own selfishness and my desire for control. a never-ending journey, but one that is recognized and that i fight against almost every day... to desire less of me and more of Him.and while time seems to be able to heal (most) wounds, i still believe there is great need for action... that healing ultimately requires recognition and response. to recognize what once was and where you are going... and to respond... to forgive. time may be able to distract and heal the pain... but without forgiveness, the bitterness will always sit in my heart. how much more clearly i can understand the Scriptures when it says "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15) what a strong statement! there is no way of letting go of the bitterness in my heart without forgiveness. and despite all of this brokenness and pain and bitterness that was once in my heart... the Lord loves me all the more for it."all the more!" this amazes me. time and time again, i feel like i continue to stumble and fall and that i am filled with that brokenness again, or the selfishness, or the bitterness, and time and time again the Lord washes over my brokenness and pain. the past few weeks i keep coming back to this phrase in James where he simply states, "but He gives more grace." and i am overwhelmed. almost ten years later and the Lord is continuing to overwhelm me with His Grace, and i feel that i can finally say that i have let it all go... the pain, the brokenness, and the bitterness from all those years ago.tonight, i treasure the brokenness that has strengthened me tobecome who i am today.tonight, i am overwhelmed by grace.tonight, i am hopeful for the future and what is to come...
Welcome to Simple Modest Mom! A lifestyle blog focused on motherhood, marriage, and ministry. This is where I share about my journey as a work-from-home mom and entrepreneur, being the wife of a youth pastor, and sharing about things that I love!
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