A Little More Like Home

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For EVERYTHING there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

So after many weeks of unemployment, discouragement, frustration and so on.. I'm so happy to bring you good news that this girl... HAS A JOB!

And not just any job.. I'm working with a cutting-edge company who helps businesses successfully bring their creative vision, for a website and brand, to life through technology.


Propane Media is a digital marketing and advertising agency that started in Memphis in the 90s, helping companies to create or enhance their digital footprint.

Simply put, for my not so tech savvy friends... they help companies build websites/ mobile apps/ create facebook and google advertisements etc. to reach more people and build their organization.

And I'M working for this forward-thinking company!!!

I can't tell you how grateful I am for this opportunity, even if I had to wait for what feels like an eternity, to find it.

I believe wholeheartedly that there is truth in today's verse.. there IS a season for EVERYTHING and God has plans to work in you during each of those seasons... whether you be at the peak of the mountain or in the lowest valley.. never think for a minute that any part of your life is without purpose.

Now you must see my little "cube"as I like to call it..


No judgement on the decor please! It is, after all, only my second day of employment.


It has already started to feel "a little more like home" with just these few little touches!

I just think it needs a bit more red and blue, though..
Don't my Rebel friends agree?! Hotty Toddy!

You can learn more about Propane Media on their website and if you have a Facebook or Twitter account, please take a minute to follow us!

My responsibilities as Interactive Coordinator (that's my title y'all..ahhh!) include the upkeep of social media for the Memphis branch, we are also in Destin, FL too! (Pause while I scream like a little girl ha).. I'll also be working with new clients/agencies, being somewhat of a liaison between them and the programmers in house who create their websites, coordinating luncheons and meetings etc. etc.

I'll even be doing a little traveling between Memphis, Nashville (where a few clients are) and Destin!! HAPPY DAY!

It's my first week people so I'm still learning all this stuff. But thus far.. I'M ECSTATIC!!

But friends, I must be completely honest.
Once I laid my head down last night, I had a very real moment of fear consume me.

The realization hit me that life as I knew it... backpacks and school supplies, breaks between classes and meeting up with friends for lunch in the cafeteria, naps and pulling all-nighters, constantly on the look-out for a job...

ALL of that.. that which is comfortable, is not going be there anymore.

And the little person inside of me FREAKED.

But my better half and my jiminy cricket of a mother both told me the same thing (which obviously was God telling me) that it's ok that that season is now over. I'm moving on and growing up. But most importantly...

God will bless me in this season, just as he did in the last.

I'm putting on the armor of God today and nothing, not even fear, is going to keep me from experiencing God's richest blessings!

Father, please forgive us when we allow fear to plant roots within us. Help us to give all our anxieties to you, so that we may be able to see all the many blessings around us... Blessings that can only come from you! Thank you for being a Father who loves His children so very much! Help us put on your armor as we head to the workplace, to our classrooms, to our communities.. so that the concerns of this world won't seem as big as we sometimes make them out to be. -Amen

Until next time :)
-A, the EMPLOYED girl

Life is Spelled H-E-C-T-I-C

Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

Gosh..where has the time gone?!
I wake up...it's Monday. I go to bed.. it's Sunday. 

Ever feel like you just can't get things to slow down? Literally it's all you can do to keep your head above water? 

We get swept up in our daily plans of this, that and the other, that we MUST get accomplished today...and we forget that this day has already been planned for us! Our Father knows the chaos, the confusion, the stress, the burdens, the fear... (the list goes on and on..) that we'll be facing today but we must remember it all comes with purpose.

So back to how incredibly sorry I am for being in such a BUSY season right now AND let's hit the highlights of these past few days and get back on the same page together!

1. My baby sister is a SENIOR y'all!! 

WHAT?!?! Give me a second while I catch my breath.. I'm having a harder time than I thought, coming to the realization that she is no longer the "baby Abby" that I called my own... 

With the juiciest baby cheeks and static hair that stood up for days..

The happy baby I pulled around in our little red wagon through the front yard, searching for daffodils.

The beautiful little girl who would melt your heart with her laughter... 

The bowl-cut beauty who the other children flocked to because of her nurturing heart... 

The painter, the cupcake maker, the first base star, the chef, the star student.. 

This girl has 

GOT. IT. ALL.

And she is GRADUATING!!

 (cue the tears...)

These are just some of the senior pictures I took of her! Isn't she just gorgeous!! So proud. Can't you tell?!

2. Abby had her 18th birthday last week.
Mom and I have been planning it for nearly two weeks prior and boy did it turn out to be exciting!! We planned a scavenger hunt for her, starting right as she got out from school, with notes leading her to all these different places around town. She got her ears pierced, got her hair and make up done, got a new outfit, the whole nine yards!!

I think it's safe to say, she was SHOCKED. 

Her biggest surprise was that she thought none of her friends were going to either be in town or get to see her after school (I called them all & told them to tell her that) and after she got home from her afternoon of surprises.. Her last surprise came in the form of all her friends piled in a truck coming up the driveway to take her to dinner!! 


Can't believe we were able to time everything right and actually pull it all off. Abby was Happy, Happy, Happy :)

3. I GOT A JOB!
Yes you heard right, after a season of complete trust in the Lord and patience like I've never experienced, I found the right job for me!! I've found a place where I can constantly put my creative juices to work, I'm always writing (which I LOVE to do) and I'm interacting with all kinds of people on a daily basis! I'm beyond excited to share the news with you and as soon as I complete my first day on the job, this coming Monday 9/16.. I promise you'll hear ALL about it!!

So I've pretty much summed up what my days have consisted of and why I've been away in three bullets. These things have consumed my time, but I've been loving every minute of it.

You don't need me to tell you, life gets hectic. 
We all have those experiences in common.

But by putting our COMPLETE trust in the Lord, from the moment we wake up, rubs our tired eyes, hit the alarm clock and put our feet on the floor, we've already started our day off right!

Memorize this verse today and write it on your heart, Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Trust in our Creator's ultimate plan and he will guide you through whatever season you're going through. I know, because He has shown that to ME!!!

A few short months ago, I felt like I had no direction, no car, no job, no money, no plan.. none of the earthly things we place so much importance on.

But it was in the moments that I felt I had nothing, I discovered that I have EVERYTHING. The Lord FILLS our cup. He GIVES US the desires of our heart. He is a LOVING, CARING Father who wants nothing more than to have a relationship with YOU.

You can try and make your own plans, but not until you give those plans over to the Lord will we ever understand fulfillment, and joy beyond measure!

Thank you Father for being a caring God who loves His children unconditionally. We ask for help, because we live in a world that pressures us to live selfishly and to place importance on earthly things, things that are not everlasting. Lord, forgive us for falling into these temptations and change our hearts to let go of things that we cannot control. Thank you for the seasons that aren't the easiest, because without them we wouldn't appreciate and know true joy! Thank you Lord for our many blessings and help us to show others your love.-Amen

Until next time :)
-A

Up A Creek Without A Paddle

Ever feel like all the odds are against you? One thing after the next keeps happening. And you try to remind yourself there are hills and valleys to every season of life... But you still have this small voice inside of you saying "WHY ME?!" 

I've been through the valley these past couple of weeks. I finally had to move all of my happy little things out of my college home, hence my not being with you for a couple of days. Insert pity party here. I just loved that little house and all the special memories made in it. You don't realize until you move away from somewhere 1.) How much stuff you've got (boy do I need to lay off the antique shopping/garage sales ha) 2.) How much you're gonna miss that place.

           

When God shuts one door, He opens another. Never could there be a more truer statement. Believe it or not, it's a good thing to have moments of sadness! Without these moments, we wouldn't ever get to experience true joy and happiness. So I'm choosing to believe wholeheartedly in that statement, that one day I'll be able to take all my little "happies", as I like to call them, and decorate a new home again!

             

Total side note, Fall is my absolute favorite season so I had to share some happy memories of bringing FALL inside and out of my house! Ahhh.. Can you smell the caramel apple, pumpkin and cinnamon?! Heavenly..

So on top of leaving my college house for good, I've been going through the process of finding a new car in a short time frame (this has been surprisingly stressful), feeling under the weather etc. etc. And I'm ashamed to say it's been too easy to let this little voice come inside my head to say "... poor, pitiful Anna. Why does this happen to me?!" 

We can't let that voice in. That's the voice of my own selfishness. My shameful selfishness that keeps me from praising God in my times of stress and trouble. 

NOW is the perfect time to take a break for a hot second and be thankful for this time of turmoil. You heard me right, it's time to be thankful.

It's easy to be thankful when everything is going right, but shouldn't we give the same praise and thanks to God when the grapes turn sour? Sure we should!! But do we always.. well I'll be honest and tell you many times I haven't. But I promise you, living a life of gratitude that is God-center is a thousand ka-trillion times better than living a self-centered one.

There's a difference between feeling grateful and BEING grateful! We need to live grateful lives today and everyday... through the good, bad, & ugly.

Let's get excited, even in our tough times, and be thankful that tomorrow is always going to be a new day. Really and truly, after writing this post, I already see how small my "problems" really are. God doesn't promise we won't have valleys to go through, but He does promise, we will NEVER go through them alone!!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Let's encourage one another!  I would love for you to share with me how you get through your hard times in the comment section below ANDD...send me your name and a prayer request to ae.ellingburg@gmail.com so that I can help encourage you!

Lord, thank you so much for always staying by our side no matter what kind of day we're up against. Keep our hearts focused on you and remind us to be thankful for all our many blessings during hard times. -Amen

Until next time! :)

-A

I'm in Love With a Stud

Romans 12:10  Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Our love story started long before Jordan and I ever actually met.

And when you think about it, most love stories do start out that way. Every moment leading up to the one in which you meet your future husband or wife somehow shapes you and prepares you for that person you were fated for. Any previous heartbreaks or dark days or lonely nights can be crucially important in the grand scheme of things - sometimes we need to know what something feels like when it's wrong, before we can ever really know what RIGHT feels like.

So that's why I need to start the story with a little bit of background. Telling you the typical story, "girl meets boy, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl get married" is just too simple to me and dilutes the beauty of God's master plans.

So here is Chapter One of our story:

I'd just given up on love. Completely said it was for the birds and was through with guys and their ugliness. (See I told you, you do have to go through the bad apples to get to the good one!) This was around December of my freshman year of college, about a year after my high school love dropped me like a sack of potatoes when he left for college the year before me.

Fast forward to New Years Eve. My cousin and her now husband were throwing a get together at their home and I'm so thankful now that I made an appearance :)

He had long hair and was sort of a wild child, constantly cutting up and making everyone laugh.

His humour is contagious. It is never a dull moment with this man. He gets me laughing so hard my stomach hurts sometimes. He always has a way of lighting up a room with his clever jokes and witty smile.


As if the fake mustache doesn't give away his hilariousness... This was our first of many pictures to come!

So back to the party. Everyone was coupled up at the New Years Eve party, besides Jordan and myself. And when the clock struck midnight, we shared our first kiss! I've never had so many butterflies in my stomach before. I think it's funny that I can still remember that feeling from more than three years ago. And it all happened when I least expected it.

And the rest is history.. No not really, but for today it is. ha!

This boy has taught me so much over the past four years... perseverance, patience, humility, trust, etc. etc. but above all, He has given me more love and happiness than I could have ever hoped for!

                                                             So here is to many more years of love and happiness with the ones you love!

Lord, Thank you for putting people in our life that fill us up with love, happiness and encouragement. Let us always be willing to be the same for others. Forgive us when we fail to do so. -Amen

Until next time :)

-A

Practice What You Preach

I can hear her now, "Anna, you better practice what you preach talkin' to your sister that way." That's mama getting on to me for telling Abby, the younger version of me, what to do. 

If you have a younger sibling then you'll immediately know what I'm talking about. For those of you only-childers out there, play along with me.

Having once been in her shoes just a few short years ago, I find myself more often than not trying to steer Ab clear from the temptations and mistakes I found myself making at her age. Some might say that's only natural, but deep down in my heart, I feel like the Lord has been telling me, "Anna, it is better for you to be an example rather than be a mother..." which she already has (and one of the best, I might add!).  But it's just so hard when you feel like you've got the answers to prevent the heartache from coming later on down the road. Insert my sometimes stubborn and controlling personality here.

But once again, the Lord knows what He's talking about here. My way of thinking, even with the best of intentions, is just down right wrong. At any time in life, we must not ask others to do things that we ourselves wouldn't do. Sure I want Ab to be better than I ever dreamed of being, but I cannot hold her to a higher standard that what I hold for myself. It's not fair. Insert poor example here.

By stepping out of the way, like I spoke about in my last post, and letting the Lord take control of our life... can we lead by example and better follow His commands. Only then can others see Him in what we do!

Gosh, what a weight is lifted off my shoulders as I type this! I don't need to try so hard to tell Ab what she should/shouldn't be doing. Rather I should simply wake up each morning, asking the Lord to take control of my life today and let HIM work in HER life through how He uses me in that day!

How wonderful it feels when things start finally clicking together!

Grab your Bible and read a bit of Matthew 23. I want to highlight verses 3 & 4.

So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

Let's remember these verses when we go out into the fields and harvest God's crop. Be the example to those you love by remembering to let the Lord take control.

Father, help me to lead by example. I don't want people to fall away from You because of my poor leadership. Teach me and guide me to follow the best example of all, You. Thank you for your love and willingness to take control over my life. -Amen.

Until next time :)
-A

Wake Up Call

God allows different seasons in our life to happen that will literally wake us up from the lax lifestyle we find ourselves leading. 

I'm beyond blessed to be blogging with you today and so sorry several days have gone by since I've been back. The truth is, the same day I began this journey with you, I had the worst accident of my life. Even now that a few days have passed, I still find it hard to talk about it... but hey, isn't that what this blog is all about?

You know that feeling when you first open your eyes after a nights sleep? It's all blurry and you're rubbing your eyes to truly wake up and see your surroundings? That's how I've been feeling these past few months. Just idling through life might be a better description. I've found myself between semi-trying to find a job after graduation and holding on to every childhood memory while living at home. Not really submersing myself in the Word like I should.. Making excuses not to workout and eat healthier.. You get the picture.

But God opened my eyes Tuesday afternoon. Something only He could do.

I was driving down the interstate heading to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. I was near my exit so I merged into the right lane, quickly checked the time and adjusted the air, then BAM. I ran into the back of a truck traveling much slower than I anticipated, with my cruise on 70 mph. The impact sent me spinning into the median and totaled my car.

Talk about a wake up call!! Everyone, myself included, came out with minor cuts and bruises. Talk about a miracle. I tear up just thinking about it, but God was watching over my little Murano and the other cars involved...no doubt in my mind. And for that, I am forever greatful.

My tag and a couple of decals, along with two little boxes of the car essentials.. cotton bowls my sweet man gave me not long after we first started dating, 30A coasters, Lysol wipes (because I'm a germ-a-phob ha.) and a mountain of cds, was all I had left. Talk about depressing.

But sometimes we need a good jolt to knock us out of the lax frame of mind we sometimes fall into. It took this accident for me to realize that I am truly not in control. Let me say that again, I am not in control! I've prayed many times, "I want to hand the reigns over to you now..." or "I'm gonna step out of the way.." but it took this accident for me to realize my life is 100% in God's hands. What a blessing that is!

Our Father loves us so much that He took on the weight of the world...every worry, every stress, every insecurity, every sin... and simply put, took control. He only asks that you step out of the way and let Him take it from here.

Now if you're anything like me, that might seem near impossible. You see, I'm a plan-ahead-er. I like to plan accordingly so no unexpected surprises come along. So I'm ashamed to say when I asked this of God, to take the reigns over my life, I never truly let Him. It took the Lord's intervention on my heart (and psych to be honest), in the midst of the worst accident I've ever been apart of... to open my eyes and realize how important it is to let the Lord take hold of my life.

My friend, won't you do the same? Won't you join me in this new season of life? Let's together die to our old selves and wholeheartedly, let go!

Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Thank you Lord, for letting us enter into this new season with you. I pray that you be with us now as we let go to our old selves and be reborn in you. Father, I pray you give us new eyes to see, just as you see, and new hearts to love others, just as you love us. As we get ready for this day, let it be a constant reminder to us to step back and let you take control in all that we do. -Amen.



Until next time :)
-A

Genesis

"In The Beginning..."

It's how the most romantic love story of all time began. And of course it is how I should proudly begin this new journey with you. It is my sincerest hope that you will feel right at home on this little blog of mine.

A little about me...

I'm from a place where the tea is always sweet. Strangers smile at one another. You will always run into someone at the grocery store, so quick trips for milk after the gym are out of the question. Farmer's Markets are every Saturday, and I guarantee you won't make it home without sampling the fresh baked goods. Family is where your heart is. Babies get kissed every Sunday morning at church from little old ladies who can't help but give them some sugar. Where the smell of fresh cut grass lingers, and laughter is the best medicine.

You guessed it. This Mississippi girl is from Smalltown, USA in the heart of the Bible Belt, and y'all I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I'm blessed beyond compare with the best family a girl could ask for. How'd I get so lucky, you ask? Simply put, by the grace of God.

I turn another year older on the 14th of July. And I'm a mother to the most beautiful fur baby alive. Sorry I'm a tad prejudice. Here she is.. MISS AMERICA.

Layla is a schnauzer-mix that my best friend/boyfriend, Jordan (of course I'll introduce you in due time), and I adopted almost two years ago. We were out on the lake for her first time in that picture! One happy pup. And just in case you were wondering, why yes, that is a life jacket! haha. She's the most beautiful thing in the world to me. I can't imagine the love I will have for my own child one day, but I can't help but think it has to be pretty close to the way I feel about her.

Ok, so now you know just a smidge about me. Don't worry, more will come.

I want to take a second and pray over this blog. That the words that I type may be pleasing to you, Lord. I want to open my heart, no matter what season I am in, to telling others of your love and your mercy. -Amen

I am basing my blog from this verse.
Won't you memorize it with me?

Luke 10:2
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into His fields.

I want to encourage you, and ask for encouragement, to be a worker for the Lord every day!

Until next time :)