Welcome to my blog friends!
Is this even for real?!
This home decor website has finally come to life and I still feel the need to pinch myself to see whether I’m dreaming or not.
If you’re here and reading this, thank you! Your support means so much to me.
Why did I start a blog?
1. To have a creative outlet.
This whole journey to decorating has been a whirlwind. But I wouldn’t change it for anything.
I love finding inspiration, creating beautiful spaces in my home and sharing it with others. And I love to see the work others are doing too.
It’s such a joy to find beautiful pieces for my home on a budget, getting creative and taking inspiration for projects from things I love.
I’ll never forget starting my Instagram account, throwing up my first photo and not having a clue what I was doing.
All I had to go on was a pull from God.
Slowly over time, He kept revealing things to me. He gave me wisdom, knowledge and increased passion for this niche each passing day.
Soon I was connecting with other home decor accounts and it’s like a whole new world was opened up to me.
It hit me that I was one of these “crazy home decor ladies” who could never have too many throw pillows or who didn’t need an actual reason to go browse (or shop) at a favorite store.
It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, a lot of hard work and a lot of late nights, but this is truly something I’m passionate about. A creative outlet that I can’t wait to share more of with you guys.
2. To be a light.
In case you haven’t read any of the sidebar profiles yet, I love Jesus and I want to honor and glorify Him through this blog. Without Him, this never would’ve happened – I know He has brought me to this point.
While this isn’t going to be a ministry-centric blog, I want to do my best with the talents and gifts God has given me and reflect Christ back to others.
As the saying goes, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
We have all been uniquely blessed and given various talents by God.
The question I had to ask myself was, would I stand back and refuse to get out of my comfort zone, or would I trust God and step out in faith, even if it made no sense when it all started?
God rarely does things the way we would. He calls us to uncomfortable and hard places, but they’re also incredibly exciting and amazing.
I didn’t want to bury my talent like the servant Jesus talked about. I wanted to embrace it and I encourage you to do the same.
Don’t hide your talents or play small about it. Do your best with what God has given you, replace doubt with faith and watch Him do incredible things in your life.
I believe I was born to write and beautify things, and this blog has truly brought it all together. It brings me joy that I can’t even describe to you.
God has done wonderful things for me and through me with this platform already and I can’t wait to see where it will go.
3. To build community.
Someone once asked a woman in MLM marketing who sells shampoo, “When did you start loving shampoo and wanting to sell it?”
She replied: “It’s never been about the shampoo.”
This perfectly conveys my journey towards decorating. The way it all happened was such a blur, I wasn’t even fully aware of what I was doing or that it was leading into this world of interior decorating.
Looking back, I can clearly see God’s hand nudging me along just enough without freaking me out. Clearly He knows what He was doing and is doing. 😉
What I can tell you is this:
The decor is simply a gateway to greater things: Inspiration for your life, the knowledge that making your house a home is a blessing, and that there is so much to be thankful for.
The decor is a gateway to sharing our hopes, struggles and dreams.
I’m a firm believer in being real. I want to share my thoughts, the things on my heart that I know we could all benefit from.
No one ever felt inspired by someone who has it all together (which, in case you didn’t know, no one does), and that’s definitely not something I’m selling.
I’m grateful for where God has led me and I know He’s given me this platform not just to image him with my creativity that comes from Him, but also to share life. To uplift one another and build a real community together.
I love pretty photos and spaces, and I’ll definitely be sharing those on here. But the message I want to spread through my blog is way beyond these spaces.
My sincere hope is to encourage and support you.
I want my readers to feel at home here, like you’ve just stepped foot in a friend’s home and are about to enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee and warm cinnamon buns. (Now I’m hungry!)
4. To plan for the future.
Like I said, I want to be real.
That means that I’m putting this out there: another reason I feel I was led to starting a blog was to hopefully be able to work from home one day, making an income online.
That may sound like a fantasy to most people, but I believe and know that it is possible. God has placed this on my heart, and while I don’t know what the future holds, I know I can work hard with what He has given me.
I get really anxious when I have to change jobs (probably why I’ve been at the same place for ten years now), and the beautiful thing about blogging is you get to do it right from the comfort of your home.
When my sister mentioned blogging in September 2016, I never would’ve imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be inspired and start one myself later, after months and months of research and studying.
But what I can tell you is that, shortly after she mentioned it, something clicked inside my heart.
An epic epiphany.
Like everything in my life had led up to this moment and now here I am, typing words for all to read. It’s a bit of a daunting and scary place to be, but a “good scary.” A place only God could’ve led me.
Every serious blogger hopes to make an income from their blog, whether they tell you that or not. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing. We all work hard at something and need to make a living, and even if blogging is unconventional, it’s possible.
We don’t go out there and make people feel bad for working an office job, installing flooring or serving a meal. So as a blogger, I will not be intimidated by what others may think but rather embrace it with joy and remember the one I serve.
The thing is, I’ve always loved writing but never knew how to “fit it” into my life.
Then God showed me the way, in His timing, and I couldn’t be more thankful.
I love this quote and I think it sums it up nicely for us, no matter what your job or calling in life is:
God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest. J.G. Holland
We have all been given unique talents and gifts, and how wonderful when we get to pursue those gifts and turn it into something more. God provides us everything we need, but we also have to show up and put in the work.
I know this blog is part of a bigger plan.
They say this is the “me” culture. We want the attention, the accolades, the praise, the glitz and the glamour.
I’ve never liked being the center of attention. But I do believe hard work deserves to be rewarded, that it’s good to have goals and strive for the best.
That being said, I can also tell you with absolute sincerity that I know I’m just one part of this story.
See, in 2012 I quit my job doing food prep. The lesson God showed me that summer was extremely instrumental in shaping my character, my understanding of God’s will for my life.
That’s why I’m not afraid to put myself on this platform, or even to voice the fact that one of the reasons I started a blog is to plan for the future.
Why?
Because I know only God has made this happen. I know that He wants to use this to bless others and my own family. I know this isn’t just about me.
I literally couldn’t have dreamed this up, it still doesn’t make sense to me most of the time. And yet at the same time, it’s like everything has fallen into place.
Blogging is a LOT of work, there is so much behind the scenes and technical gibberish involved, had I known that at the beginning I likely never would’ve started.
However, it’s been a slow process for a reason. Steady, day after day, week after week, through ups and downs and wanting to throw in the towel multiple times, somehow I’ve ended up here.
And I couldn’t be more thankful.
I hope to inspire and encourage you here, friends.
And remember, God has planted all of us somewhere and when we step out in faith with the things he’s given us, it can all be used for his glory.
I’d love to hear from you guys
Blogging isn’t the same without a community, so I would love to connect with you guys and get to know you better.
If you have any questions, post ideas or things you’d love to hear about, please email me at ourhappilyeverhome {@} outlook {dot} com.
You can also join me over on Pinterest and Instagram where I share projects, decor tips, inspiration and encouragement.
And if you’re new around here, I’d love for your to subscribe via email. Click here if you want to learn how to create a cozy home you’ll never want to leave.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me, it means so much!
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