Guys, this was at Passion this year and makes me so happy!

3. What song lyrics describe your life? 

GRACE, WHYYY???? This question almost hurts me because I want to put so many different things, but Jamie Grace is pretty much the singer version of me, so I will have to put the lyrics to her song "Little Old Me."

"However could it be, to have a part in your story
Bigger than what I can see, little old me, little old me. 
I may not know your plan, but I'm safe here in your hands, 
Cause I know that you believe in little old me, little old me." 

I don't apologize for my cuteness.

4. What's the worst book you ever read? 

Hmm... I read this historical fiction book where the main character ended up killing her pregnant sister because the villain used the sister as a human shield. That really stunk. I don't even think that the villain got punished.

5. How do you want to spend the rest of your life? 

You are dealing out the deep questions today, Grace! To be perfectly honest, I've given this question some thought lately, wondering if my dreams could ever come true. I dream of owning a ballet studio in my home town, falling in love with a godly man, and living. I dream of writing books and discovering new things. I dream of silly adventures and little kids to love. But most important, I dream of loving God and praising Him for eternity. And I know that the later will come true and continue to come true forever and ever.

This. This is my dream.

6. Best class you've ever taken? 

I would have to say ballet classes. Specifically, I loved my classes with a Russian instructor over the summer. He put common ballet ideas into different terms that made me think. "Dance smarter, not harder."

7. Who has most impacted your life? 

I'm sorry for the Sunday School answer, but Jesus. Every day He loves me and teaches me more about how to follow Him. Looking back on my life so far, I see His fingerprints and grace in everything. (See what I did there... not trying to lay out the theme of this blog or anything.) Aside from Jesus, my mom has most impacted my life. She's there to listen, there to answer, and there to show me how to chose true beauty and grace.

Isn't my Mother fabulous?

8. What inspired you to start your blog? 

I have these words. They bubble up and dance inside of me, moving to the beat of God's hand in my life. And so I decided to let them out. I wanted to let them finish their dance, to set them in motion that they might continue to give God the glory far after I write them. This blog offered a place to write the dance of the words that God put on my heart. But the journey of blogging brought me many more places that I could've imagined. More on that soon!

My first photo session for the blog! I've since filled that journal and another one.

9. Can you cook? What are your favorite recipes? 

Can I cook? Sure. Do I cook? Eh... not so much. Most of the time, I eat what mom cooks, but I can make a scrumptious salad or decadent dessert! I've posted only one recipe on the blog, but I'm thinking that more will come sometime in the future.

I haven't made these pancakes in forever! This must change.

10. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? 

Assuming that my friends and family all move with me, I think that Nashville and Austin are pretty cool places. Then again, England! But I can't imagine living out of the South. I'm joyful where God has placed me, though, and love my hometown more and more as I grow up!

I may have risked my life for this picture. Or at least my eyesight.

11. Favorite movie quote? 

Not to quote Star Wars, but NNNNOOOOOOOOO! This question is just too hard.

But I have to give this one to Samwise Gamgee:

And this picture is completely random and just pretty, so enjoy!

This post was stupendous to write! And I pray for you to have a marvelous week! Comment below what's going on in your life. Also, feel free to answer any of the above questions in the comments!

Princess Hannah

Resting in Jesus. How can we do that when our minds go a thousand thoughts a minute, keeping track of all of the things that we must do? The things things listed above must happen, so how can we rest and find joy at the same time? 

I struggled with this question last week. I felt stressed and weighed down. I had many school related things and decisions to make, and I needed to get it all done before Friday because I led a Disciple-Now all weekend. (More on Disciple-Now later!) 

But God (notice my two favorite words) reminded me of three things that changed my stress into joy. He somehow penetrated my busy mind to give me hope in Christ and rest in His joy. He showed me a different way to go, a way that led me to...

1. Pray

If we desire joy, we must ask for it. I don't think that we realize the humility and simplicity of coming to God with all of our hearts, even the desire for rest or extra strength.

"So I [Jesus] say to you: 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Luke 11:9)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

2. Release the outcomes

Sometimes (more than sometimes), we just can't do it all. But I know a God who can. God makes the days and plans them out. And we simply need to trust in God's sovereignty even when we feel the world racing around us. God's will (not our will) will prevail, let's put our hope in that.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" (Matthew 6:26-27)

3. Find joy when working hard

Resting in God doesn't mean that we stop working! Rather, we find joy in our work. We receive a renewed vigor because we know that God is with us, breathing into our souls and shaping our days with care.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart as working for the Lord and not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24)

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:11-12)

Emily Freemen in her book Simply Tuesday captures these thoughts beautifully: 

"To know that the work will be completed by the Spirit of God and not by my effort means that I can sit down on the inside even as my hands are fast at work. It means I don't have to keep pace with a fast-moving world even as I am engaged in the activity of it." (page 222)

God invites us to come. Right now, in the rush of life, we can come and rest in Him. Pray, release, and work. And there we will find joy.

Comment below how your week is going. Is it wearing you down? Are you finding joy? What are your thankful for? 

Princess Hannah 

Do you ever feel the erosion of the seconds and the hope of the years? 

Do you ever feel the pull of the future and the echoes of the past? 

I do. 

I feel this tension between what was, what is, and what can be. I feel the battle between where I am and where I want to go. I feel the joy of the right now and the hope of tomorrow. I feel the smallness of today and the largeness of the future. 

And I feel the waiting.

Waiting to see how God wants me to serve Him.

Waiting to understand how to spend time.

Waiting for direction in my plans.

Waiting for strong friendships.

Waiting to find love.

Waiting.



At first, this waiting bothered me, confused me, and hemmed me in. Life moved quickly around me, telling me to go and move. But at the same time, things developed slowly, requiring patience and time. Friendships take time. Romance takes time. Direction takes time.

But then I realized something. Waiting doesn't sit idle. And really, waiting isn't waiting at all. It simply voices a chapter of the story, a section of the journey. But the goal isn't to get to the end; the goal is to enjoy the story and give glory to the One writing it.




So the time of not-quite-yet, is also the time of hard work. The time of what-will-I-do is also the time of joy. The time of does-he-like-me is also the time of peace. Why? Because God is with us, and He is making all things beautiful in their time.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

We aren't "there" yet, because we aren't created for "there." We're created for eternity. And as we wait for eternity, we don't just sit around and feel sorry for ourselves because we haven't finished writing that book. As we hope for the day of the Lord, we don't tweet about how we dislike being single on Valentine's Day. Waiting doesn't mean wishing for the goal, waiting means making every effort to welcome the journey.


"But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." (2 Peter 3:13-14)

Fellow waiters, let's move in God's plans. Let's sing in joy for the now, keeping our hope in eternity. Let's embrace the journey, knowing that we aren't created for "there," but we are created for forever. God created us for growing, unfolding, working, and moving as He tells His Story in our lives one moment at a time.

Do you feel that? Eternity waves at us. It beckons us to start living even in the constraints of time. How will we respond?

"Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and forevermore." (2 Peter 3:17-18)

Princess Hannah