Happy Galentine’s Day, Ladies!

Meagan and Leah

We got to have a super fun time celebrating “Galentine’s Day” with our girls! We collaborated with one of our besties, Morgan, to plan this fun event! Morgan has an incredible home decor blog called, Olive Branch Cottage. We will link up her blog page below. This is just one idea of a fun way to get together with your best girls & celebrate together, but we wanted to share all the details of how we through this little party together.

Invitations:

We chose to do digital invites–save time & money. But you could always send out physical invitations. Here are some options for digital & physical Galentine’s Day invitations:

We couldn’t find the perfect invitation on Evite or Punch Bowl, so we chose to use Canva. Check out our invite design!

We also included a image with all the party details (when/where/etc.), but didn’t include that for obvious reasons. It had the same floral background & font theme. We then sent out the Canva designs via text to all our gal pals we were inviting to the party.

Food:

We chose to do a brunch theme for food because come one, who doesn’t love breakfast food, right? We chose to do pancakes with ALL the toppings, donuts, muffins, hash browns & a delicious sparkling drink. We used “X+O” cookie cutters to get out XO shaped pancakes. We got our cookie cutters at Target, but also found this option on Etsy, XO cookie cutters. Another cute options for shaped pancakes would be hearts, Heart cookie cutters. For our sparkling juice we mixed OJ & Ice Sparkling water in the kiwi strawberry flavor (Strawberry Kiwi Sparkling Water). So yummy! Mimosas would also be a delicious option. We did store bought muffins & donuts, but making your own would also add a special touch.

Decor:

Our friend Morgan really took the lead with decor since that is T O T A L L Y her place to thrive! She also hosted the event in her beautiful home. We went with a blush theme & incorporated lots of greenery & white. Check out Morgan’s blog post to get all the details on how she styled this party & other decorating tips & tricks!

https://olivebranchcottage.com/2019/02/06/decorating-for-a-galentines-day-party/

Other Galentine’s Day party ideas:

  • Pizza & Pajama party
  • Movie night
  • Taco Bar

Galentine’s gift ideas:

We hope you guys enjoyed this fun post! We would love to see your Galentine’s pics & hear your ideas!

xoxo, M+L

Girl Night Recap & Praying with Your Friends

Meagan and Leah

We had the best girls night with some of our friends a few weekends ago! There really is nothing better than girl talk over queso, am I right?! Meagan & I have been so blessed by this group of ladies. We have shared many laughs, tears, encouragements, & prayers throughout our years of friendship. One of the unique things about this group of ladies is the season of life & how we all became friends. All of hubbies have been best friends since middle/high school. They all went to different colleges, but somehow all ended up in the Boro post graduation. We all celebrated each others weddings together within a span of about 18 months. So fun! Now not only are these people that we enjoy doing stuff as couples with, these 5 ladies are truly some of my best friends. They have been there to hold my hand, point me back to Jesus, be a shoulder to cry on, a source of laughter on the hardest days, and people that celebrate with me! God has blessed me immesasurably with these 5 friendships, and I know they will be lifelong ladies that I do life with.

Once you graduate high school, head into college & life beyond graduation you have to be so much more intentional with cultivating relationships with your friends from high school. Several of my high school besties are still my go-to ladies. We have phone convos, frequent texts, lunch dates, and make plan for visits so that we can stay in contact and in one anothers lives. Those friendships are special because those friends have SOOOO much history with me. Those are the girls that were still my friend when I was in my weird middle school phase, the girls I called when I got asked out for the first time, or who helped me get ready for prom. You can’t replace those sweet memories with those lifelong friends. It also means that when I do get a chance to catch up with those friends, it easy to just leap right into life and share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Those girls get me. They always have & they always will. I am so thankful for those lifelong friendships.

I’ve found that sometimes adult friendships can sometimes be hard. Now that I have a husband, a home, and a job, finding time to develop deep relationships with new friends can be difficult. That’s why I am so thankful for the group of girls pictured above. They make cultivating friendship in this new season of life easy & fun. With these friends our hobbies, passions, and dreams really weren’t the things that drew us together. It was initially our husbands, and the reality that we were all in this same season of early marriage & had no idea what in the world we were doing. So our friendship began to be shaped around pursuing the Lord together! We have done several Bible studies together and we meet regularly (or try to) to pray together. Nothing can really bond you together like praying with and for your fellow believers. It is a joy and honor to share my heart & needs with these ladies and hear them pray for me. It is also a joy and honor for them to share their hearts & needs with me, and to be able to lift them up in prayer. That is community, guys! Doing battle for one another through prayer & being each others mat bearers. There really is no better way to grow your friendship.

I highly encourage you to gather up a group of your friends & find a time to pray together regularly. For us, that’s usually early on Saturday mornings. Not everyone can always come, but we have tried to be intentional about making it a prioity whenever we can. I know you will be amazed at how God grows your friendship through living in community in this way. It has been so encouraging to see that so many of us struggle in the same ways and can encourage each other to keep fighting the good fight!

Also, if you don’t have a group of friends who you can pray with, Meagan & I would LOVE to pray with & for you! We have a tab on our blog called “prayer requests” & if there is something we can be praying for your about or you would want to meet up to pray together, please let us know!

Happy Tuesday, Friends!

xoxo, Leah

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Matthew 18:20

Change

Meagan and Leah

Happy Thursday friends,

Meagan here. As I was scrolling through Instagram and Facebook this past few weeks I’ve seen that many people have posted how much they changed in 10 years. A lot of times we feel like change is negative. Things around us are constantly changing, the way we look, and the clothes we wear, the things we like, and sometimes even the friends we choose to do life with. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, the unknown is scary, I get it. But Change is good. God calls us to change our hearts so that we can be more like him. When we set our goals in line with His will begin to change into something more beautiful and Christ like. Although Leah and I haven’t known each other for 10 years yet, I know how much we have changed and grown closer to God in that time and I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years takes us.

In honor of change here are a few pictures of Leah and I through the years:

Have a great day y’all!

Xoxo Meagan

“Do you see this woman?”

Meagan and Leah

I have been going through the study The Quest by Beth Moore with my mom & sisters for the last fwe months. I originally signed up to do this study with a group of ladies from chuch over the summer, but ended up being unable to attend any of the meetings. Of course, God’s timing is perfect & when I decided to start the study with my mom & sisters each scripture reading and session was EXACTLY what I needed in that season.

Yesterday, as we watched the video for chapter 4, Beth shared a truth from Luke 7 that really stuck with me. Luke 7:36-48 is the story of the woman washing Jesus feet with her tears, hair & precious oils as he ate at the house of a Pharisee. Here is what Luke 7:36-48 says,

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 7:36-47

There is so much in this passage, but I specifically want to focus on the question in verse 44…”Do you see this woman?” Jesus wasn’t asking Simon if he was able to actually see the woman, He was asking Simon if he saw the woman as the child of God that she is. He was challenging Simon to see beyond the outward appearance & to try and see her heart and her hurts.

What do you see when you look at the women around you? Do you see their outward beauty only? Do you see their flaws & imperfections? Or do you see them with the eyes that Jesus sees them? We are all broken and hurting and in need of a Savior. It’s easy to compare and analyze others, especially other women, but picking each other apart is certainly not the way Jesus would want us to approach one another.

At the end of the session yesterday, Beth challenged us to be “more God aware & less self aware”. If we focus on seeing other’s through God’s eyes another beautiful thing that will happen is you will start to see youself through His eyes.

  • You are beautiful.
  • You are fearfully & wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
  • You are a Daughter of The King.
  • You are redeemed.
  • You are forgiven.
  • You are chosen.
  • You are loved.
  • You are enough.

And just like all those things & so much more are true of you, they are also true of the women we interect with each day. We can be beacons of light & hope to a dark world simply by loving one another. Today, I am going to challenge myself (& you) to see others through Jesus eyes. Who knows what beautiful opportunites that mindset will give you!

If you are interested in learning more about The Quest study by Beth Moore, see the link below. If you have any questions shoot us a message!

xoxo, Leah

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Something else Meagan & I are trying to do is a verse of the week. This week out verse is Psalm 139:14:

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14

https://www.lifeway.com/en/product-family/the-quest?s_kwcid=AL!4443!10!76690979630843!76691015010961&gclid=&ef_id=Vhcl-gAABPJRnInE:20190116030123:s


In the midst of uncertainty..

Meagan and Leah

Often in life, we feel like we are living in a whirlwind of emotions, unsure of what the future holds. I know for me, I have been trying to plan my life and have just been hoping God would approve. Anyone else? A few months ago, I had a plan, a set in stone plan, told friends and family, but God had other plans for my life in this season. In this time of sadness on my plans falling through. I felt God speaking to me and telling me that He has this. Even though it was devastating and not something I ever thought would happen, God gave me joy, not a temporary emotion but a deep-rooted joy. Not because of my circumstances but because I could feel Him wrapping his arms around me saying “I have other plans for you better than you can imagine.” and He revealed a few verses to me Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” and Isaiah 43:18-19 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Friends, HOW AMAZING IS THAT TRUTH. God has a plan for our futures so we don’t have to be consumed with fear and anxiety. We can rest in the fact that God has already planned your tomorrow.

Xoxo Meagan

Happy Blog Launch Day!!!

Meagan and Leah

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Welcome to our blog!  We are so excited for this journey!  As we head into 2019, we are excited about how God might use this space, grow us closer to him, and grow our blog!  In light of the new year we want to share 19 things we hope to see, do, or accomplish in 2019.

For the Blog:
1. See God use this space to help women encourage one another

2. Have a meet up with YOU, our friends

3. Do better about managing our time & planning out content for the blog–we have no idea what we are doing, yall?!

4. Relate & interact with new friends in new & deeper ways

5. Accomplish a partnership of some sort with a brand (dreaming big!)

6. Try more local restaurants, cafes, & coffee shops and share these experiences

7. GROW–it seems obvious, but seeing this blog grow & flourish over the next 12 months is going to be so exciting!

Meagan:

8. Making more wood signs

9. Get healthier

10. Get a new car

11. Spend more alone time with God outside in nature

12. Grow closer to other women

13. Learn to be abundant, present, and joyful in any situation

Leah:

14. Consistency in my daily quiet time with the Lord, working out regularly, & eating healthy

15. Manage my home with intentionality

16. Memorize more scripture

17. Travel with my hubby

18. Save more, spend less

19. Read a book a month (or listen on audio book)

Part of the beauty of sharing these things with you all is that now we have instant accountability!  Be expecting many more posts about the items listed above. We can’t wait to share this next year with you!

What are you most excited for in 2019? What are your goals for 2019? What content do you want to see from us?

Twizzlers and Tears

Meagan and Leah

We are so excited to share with you where our friendship started. Our husbands have known each other since middle school, so we all got together on New Years Eve 2013. We had met each other a few times before then, but we had never hung out just the 2 of us. So, that night we made plans to hang out and watch proposal videos together. Obviously right, since that’s what every girl dreams about as soon as the “boys are gross” phase wears off. A few weeks later we got together at Leah’s parents house and had all the best junk food a girl can imagine. Everything from ice cream, cookies, and Twizzlers, to pretzels & popcorn. As we feasted on our snacks, we cried our eyes out watching video after video of the sweetest and most unique proposals, as we dreamed of what that would look like for each of us one day.

I (Meagan) could not imagine what life would be like if that day never happened and if this friendship never became what is has. We have stood by each other’s side through engagements, each other’s weddings, marriage and a lot of ups and downs. I’m so thankful to have a friend that I can constantly laugh with but also one that points me back to Jesus just as much.

I (Leah) too, am so grateful for the gift Meagan’s friendship has been through these last several years. It has been an honor to walk along side & pray for one another through some of the happiest days & the saddest days. Meagan loves big, and deeply invests in those she cares about. I love that Meagan is a friend who I can share my heart with, have ridiculous gif text convos with laugh until I cry with, always count on matching with, and more than anything pray & seek the Lord with. One of my favorite memories we share was at my bridal luncheon, where Meagan honored me with words of encouragement about what our friendship has meant to her. Friends, you can never encourage your fellow girlfriend too much!

Just like the realness we experienced on that first night we hung out. We want this blog to be a place where women can be real, vulnerable, connected, and lean into the truth of God’s Word in good and bad times. We want to be open and honest with y’all because we are figuring out life alongside you. We want to better ourselves, each other, and more than anything, follow Jesus Christ together in this crazy life.

We love you all and are so thankful for each and every one of you!

-Meagan + Leah