Lara Casey's Blog, page 21

20 Things I Invested in This Year That Paid Off

Have you seen the extra tag on all those items you are considering purchasing this year?

You may not have seen or noticed this tag before, but it’s there:

The Time Tag.

Everything we buy costs not only dollars but time.

The Time Tag illuminates how much time it will take to care for, manage, or get the most out of that item. And, with what I call cultivated purchases, how much time you will potentially get back!

Everything has a time tag.

Think about it.

That new sweater you have your eye on today?

It will cost you time in caring for it, giving it a place to live, and washing it to make it last.

The inspirational book you’ve been wanting to dig into?

It will take a few hours to read, but potentially another hour to implement what you learned to really get the most out of it.

People often talk about “investing” dollars into new purchases that they hope will have a return. But, what you may not have considered before is the investment of our time in those things to get the very most out of them.

I’ve kept a running list Of the things I have invested my money and my time into this year (both personally and in business) that paid off. Here’s my list with some notes on how I invested my time!

10 things I invested in personally that paid off:

1. Date nights. Ari and I wanted to have more date nights in 2017 than we had in 2016. (Our odds of succeeding were good with only 1 date night in 2016!) I mentioned this in a blog post last year and my friend Joselyn texted me immediately after seeing the post. Knowing all we had experienced in 2016, she insisted she babysit as her gift to us. This was a gift of time, and that first date night helped us see how important it is for our family for us to have Time to talk without multitasking for three kids. It spurred us on to invest our dollars and schedules into getting more of that time together. We now have a handful of babysitters we call for date nights that have helped us make this a priority. The double blessing is being able to bless friends and college students in our church with babysitting money too. And our dates are never fancy! We go somewhere inexpensive, and we usually end up going grocery shopping together that same night. It’s a joy to hold hands through the produce section and just be together.

2. Fitbit Charge 2. This is one of the best things we invested in as a family. It took a big commitment to change how we use our time throughout each day: either sedentarily or active. Both Ari and I have been significantly more active because of the FitBit’s hourly reminders to move. We have more than doubled our activity during the day (!!), and we feel more energetic. This has helped me take action on one of my PowerSheets goals: Worship the Lord as I strengthen the body He gave me so I can love others with joy and enthusiasm. The benefits I received from using my FitBits also helped start the fitness initiative for our team (see my standing desks and desk stepper here). I gifted everyone on the team a fitness tracker and together we studied how our activity relates to our productivity and overall job satisfaction. This has been huge for all of us! (Fitbits are on sale today for Black Friday!)

3.  Kids dental flossers. You might giggle at this, but stay with me here! Every time I went to the dentist, I felt the guilt creep up. No, I haven’t been flossing. Again. I know I know, Doc. I’ll try harder! This was such a simple change, but getting these flossers for the kids (no mess with wrapping the regular floss around my fingers and the kids pulling it allllll out of the container) ended up motivating me to make this a daily habit. And you get LOT of flossers (300!) for just $12. Why was this important to me and how did this make the list?? Because everyone in my family has had dental woes. Root canals. Gum grafting. You name it. I’m hoping to avoid all of that with a $12 yearly investment of money and a couple minutes a day! And the first time I went into the dentist after starting my new flossing habit, I felt so good confidently saying, “Yes! I floss and I love it!”

The Cultivate Gift Guide + Sale Preview

I wish I had a direct line to my loved ones’ brains so I could know exactly what gifts would make them feel most loved and appreciated.

I’ve done a lot of thinking lately about gift giving in general, and how a meaningful gift can quite literally change someone’s life.

Wrapping paper from The House that Lars Built

When I think about the most memorable gifts I’ve received, the things that top my list are gifts of time. When a friend insisted that she babysit for us early this year so we could have our first date night in a long time after a hard season. When we got home from adopting Sarah and our church small group and my team had filled our kitchen with encouraging notes and groceries. And the time my friend Marcia wrote 30 prayers for me on separate notecards–one for each day in the final month I was writing Cultivate.

There have been physical gifts that meant a great deal too. Grace made me a little pink candle holder last year (melt my heart!), and I have felt such joy in receiving gifts for the garden. The women I work alongside gifted me a beautiful set of garden tools with my initials on them. I almost didn’t use them because they are so pretty, but they are happily covered in dirt now from many gardening adventures!

These are the gifts I remember and cherish.

I love the idea of wrapping spring bulbs in pretty fabric or paper! Source.

A timely gift, given with love, can change someone.

I want to be that kind of gift-giver.

But, I have to tell you that I sometimes feel inadequate when it comes to gift-giving.

I am not the best gift wrapper. (I have high hopes of improving my gift wrapping skills this year so I avoid getting added to this list.

We gave two men a box of PowerSheets…

I don’t know about you, but I need some recharging after a full week. You too?

Here are three things I’m doing:

1. I’m going analog. For the last 8 years, I’ve gone social-media-free on the weekends. If that feels totally terrifying, all the more reason to give it a try! I did it once and never looked back.

2. I’m not trying to fix anything or start any new projects! This month, I’m focusing on less house, more home. Less cleaning the house (because I do that sometimes when life feels messy), and more loving the people in it.

And…

3. I’m letting myself laugh. All three of my kids are currently downstairs singing their new hit single, “Pooopeee diaper!!” at the top of their lungs and rolling in giggles. Their chorus of silliness has me in stitches too! It feels good to have a belly laugh, doesn’t it? Why is that? Research has proven it reduces muscle tension, opens our brains to solve problems, and helps us feel renewed hope in challenges. Need some of that right now? Here you go! We gave two men a box of PowerSheets and here’s what happened.

Two Gents Unbox the 2018 PowerSheets Collection from Lara Casey on Vimeo.

Happy weekend, friends!

The post We gave two men a box of PowerSheets… appeared first on Lara Casey.

Prioritizing + November PowerSheets Goals

Let’s dig right in: How was October for you?

Wait–what’s that I hear??

Let’s hit the brakes for a minute because I think I can hear your thoughts from here!

Behind-the-Scenes of the 2018 PowerSheets Launch

The 2018 PowerSheets are HERE and, thanks to you, our launch has been a joy! As a small team, this week, more than ever, your encouragement and support have truly meant the world to us.

This week continues to be a turning point for all of us, and for so many of you as well. You’re getting your 2018 PowerSheets, and setting yourself up for an intentional year ahead. We are all excited and grateful to walk this journey alongside you!

As I shared in my last post, this launch has been hard work but it has also been grounded, rooted and calm at the same time.

Why has it been calm?

Was it the matching T’s?

The balloons and confetti?

While that was all fun (and my office floor never looked so festive after those confetti canons exploded!), I believe it was something else–something that has been growing for many months now.

One of our core values as a team–the heartbeat of why we do what we do–is The Power of One. We believe one of the most powerful ways we can cultivate what matters is by focusing on affecting just one person’s life. One by one, little by little, we know that what we do every day matters in the big and small interactions.

And so, we’ve been paying attention over the last months. Listening to each other and to you. Preparing our soil and helping you prepare yours. Digging into the hard stuff to get to the good stuff. We’ve been focusing on the big picture and taking small steps. We’ve been embracing imperfect progress, knowing imperfect progress is still progress.

We’ve been cultivating.

This has brought a steadfast calm as a team–even when one of us has the occasional moment of panic or fear (speaking for myself here!). This week, I’ve seen our team working harder than ever, with their heads and hearts focused on what lasts longer than us.

Each Friday, we share updates as a team–what we accomplished and what’s ahead. This is what I wrote to everyone last Friday:

Team, this week has been a great one. We have all worked hard, and with joy–even in challenges! We’re in the final stretch where preparation is key. As we move into this launch, here are some things for us all to keep in mind.  Our impact potential is very real: if even a small number of people use PowerSheets, imagine the domino affect that has on others. Most people’s goals trickle out to impact family and coworkers and children and friends. If even 100 people use PowerSheets, and just 2 people are affected by each person, that’s 300 people’s lives have been changed for the better. One by one, the PowerSheets experience can change people–and it starts now. I see you all impacting people already–readying them for their PowerSheets journeys! Through email exchanges, social interactions, generous decisions, and meaningful conversations, you are changing lives. We’ve worked so hard to get to this week, and the best part is that this is just the beginning. Next week marks the START for thousands of women. A new path ahead, new hope, new possibilities. We have the privilege of shepherding our community from here on as we kick off a new PowerSheets year for all of us!

Are we perfect in this pursuit of helping people cultivate what matters? No. We aren’t perfect, but I’m grateful for a God who is. I need His grace and guidance in all of this. We are imperfect people, but we believe that progress matters, not perfection. The pursuit of doing this work is worth all the mistakes we might make along the way.

The same is true for all of us and for what we will grow in the year ahead. Peonies grow through the dirt, and so do we. Good things grow not despite our flaws and failures, but right in the middle of them!

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at some of our favorite moments from launch day and what’s ahead!

We are a really small team of 9 women. This is us on launch day!

Kristin is on maternity leave, four of us work remotely, and the other four of us work from my house here in Chapel Hill, NC, with my kiddos running around under the same roof.

Josh, Sarah, and Gracie thoroughly enjoyed the launch day festivities!

We started Launch Day at 10 am with some excitement, including a free shipping error that caused several hundred emails and phone calls to flood in within the first 7 minutes of going live. I went into go-mode and took over the phones. Our team flew into action, solving the glitch by adding a free shipping code everywhere we could think to add it so our customers could be served well. Nothing like a tech error to start your heart thumping for the day! We’re so grateful for our customer family being so patient with us and encouraging. Many of you got on live chat and sent us emails just to cheer us on–this meant so much!

Kaylee was our conductor for customer delight, telling us how to serve people well and making sure our fulfillment team here in NC was handling the flood of orders well.

Emily started the day on live chat on the shop site and then moved to our email system.

Jess took over social content and a portion of email land.

Catherine took another portion of email land and live chat on the shop.

Amber monitored Facebook and our data across the company, helping us keep an eye on inventory.

Marissa delighted customers in our direct messages.

Nicole was our tech wizard, helping ensure orders were processed correctly.

And this all continues! We’re still here, working hard on helping customers make the right decision for their particular goals, working through customer delight tasks, and helping our fulfillment team get orders out the door.

A few of our favorite things this week:

From me: I am especially grateful for all of our new Cultivate family who will be digging into 2018 goals with us (hi!!). It was a joy to talk to many of you on the phone and in messages this week, and there was even some dancing with some of you on my live broadcast. Get the free replay and see inside the PowerSheets collection LIVE.

Another favorite was a last-minute project that Nicole and I tackled the day before we launched. If you can’t tell from this 2018 PowerSheets video, we had a little fun making this (wait for it… don’t miss the ending)!

The 2018 PowerSheets Intentional Goal Planner from Lara Casey on Vimeo.

From Nicole: Yes! I loved finishing up the PowerSheets product video! It was a last-minute product but ended up being really fun to make and to watch. I hope it helps customers get to know PowerSheets more thoroughly and get a few laughs, too.

From Catherine: My favorite part of the launch day was when Emily was filming an Instagram story talking about the party poppers, and Kaylee popped hers and scared her!

The 2018 PowerSheets Goal Planner is HERE!

Just this morning, Grace and I picked the Meyer lemon that has been growing for over a year on our little tree. One beautiful sunny yellow lemon. On the surface, you may be wondering why this is significant–it’s just one lemon, right?

Last winter was especially challenging. I was deep in the thick of writing Cultivate, and slowly coming out of one of the hardest seasons of my life.

But, there on the lemon tree (who had somehow lost all of her leaves at that point) was a bloom. One little bloom.

It was a surprising sight. And that little tree wasn’t done! She soon burst with dozens of fragrant lemon blossoms. It was a gift–a clear reminder that out of hard things come good things, and there is good in every season–even when we can’t see it or feel it.

It gets too cold here in North Carolina for the lemon trees to stay outside, so we bring them in for the winter. Grace and I take on the role of bees and hand-pollinate our trees with a little paintbrush in the winter months.

We tended to that tree little-by-little, and today just happened to be the day the fruit was ripe.

This sunny lemon sure did pick a perfect day to be ready to enjoy, because, like the lemon taking a year to ripen, today is THE DAY here in our little office too! Our 2018 PowerSheets release (and start shipping!) this morning after over a year of hard work, tending, and prayer.

This year and this week and this day have already felt different than before. They have felt cultivated.

Our readers have told us this launch has felt very calm, and they’ve felt our excitement. It has indeed been calm. There has been a lot going on, but we feel confident in these products. And we are truly excited about this new beginning.

Today isn’t about a product launch for me, it’s about a new opportunity to cultivate what matters most in our lives, from the exact spot we’re sitting.

It’s not about doing more or being more. It’s not about striving for perfection or having it all together. It’s about growing the right things. It’s about growing what you’ve been given right where you are. It’s about growing what lasts longer than you. That’s what matters.

I created the 2018 PowerSheets Goal Planner to help women uncover cultivated goals and do something about them.

The 2018 PowerSheets are for all of us — in every stage of life, every role, and every season. From love-at-home moms to students, entrepreneurs, and empty nesters, the PowerSheets are for anyone who desires a grace-filled system that, if you are faithful in the process, works.

My hope is that we are equipped to prioritize with confidence, giving us more time for what’s truly important.

Because at the end of the day, isn’t time what we need most to invest in what matters?

Less time spent scrolling and comparing. More time spent walking in your unique path.

Less time saying “yes” without thinking about boundaries. More time spent with the people who you love.

Here are some more details about what The PowerSheets Goal Planner is. There are three simple sections inside:

Part 1: The PowerSheets Prep. The first 35 pages help you uncover your unique goals and what matters to you.

Part 2: Intentional Action Plans. Then, I walk you step-by-step through creating a simple action plan for each of your goals with S.M.A.R.T. starting steps.

Part 3: Monthly Tending Pages. After uncovering your goals and action plans, now it’s time to live them out in your everyday! 

What’s in the new One-Year Goal Planner:

– NEW! Goal Refresh and Month In Review pages

– Expanded Goal Action Plan pages

– Wildcard pages to download and personalize your PowerSheets Goal Planner

– 188 pages of inspiring quotes and worksheets (12 more than 2017 // 21 additional full-color pages)

– Simple, impactful design

– 12-month dated monthly workbook with January 2018 start month

– Inside pages measure 7 x 10 inches, overall goal planner measures 9 x 10 inches

– Sturdy, yet flexible spiral binding and full-color tabs

– Water-resistant, flexible cover with rounded corners

– Free bonus materials, including a “Word of the Year” card, encouragement postcard, and inspirational desk card

– Exclusive to the One-Year edition: seasonal worksheets and colorful tabs that are dated by month

– Worksheets include the Goal Action Ideas, Monthly/Weekly/Daily Tending Lists, Relationship Tending, Cultivating Gratitude, What Fires Me Up, Things I Want to Learn/Things I Learned, and more!

– Includes exclusive access to the Cultivate What Matters community and PowerSheets Facebook Group

– Two full pages of our signature goal setting stickers (because goal setting should be fun)!

Important to know: now through Friday, October 27th, you’ll get free domestic shipping when you spend more than $100 in the Cultivate Shop. USE CODE FREESHIP at checkout. You can pair your One-Year PowerSheets Goal Planner with our PowerSheets Accessories Bundle to get free shipping. (I love our new Goal Setting Sticker Book that’s in the bundle.)

The 2018 PowerSheets help you cultivate your unique goals, but what gets me most excited is that they help you cultivate your relationships with those who matter most to you. Setting good goals–cultivated goals–can have a ripple effect on your family, your children, your friend, your coworkers. This is why I do this work!! You have the potential to impact your life, right where you are, starting today.

Maybe you’re happy where you are right now, or maybe you’re already feeling overwhelmed about starting fresh and you’re scared. Remember that peonies grow through the dirt, and so do we. Little by little progress takes time, but it adds up.

And you won’t be walking this path alone. I know you’re reading these words as pixels on a screen, but I am a real person typing this. Cultivating what matters and helping women do the same is my life’s work–my passion and part of what the Lord has given me to cultivate. Lord willing, I’m going to walk you through every step of the process–from your PowerSheets Prep to defining your unique goals to making little-by-little progress on your Tending List each week. You are not doing this alone. And I have a wonderful team of women I work alongside who is with you too!

Thank you so much to the many friends who have encouraged us and prayed for us throughout the last year as we’ve grown these new intentional tools. The little-by-little has added up, and we’re so grateful to celebrate this new beginning with you!

And that sunny little lemon? I am making lemonade for everyone today!

Order your 2018 PowerSheets One-Year Goal Planner here.

Have questions? Head to our FAQ party page and join my FREE live class today at Noon ET for an inside look at how PowerSheets work. If you can’t join live, a free replay will be available.

If you’re new here, welcome to the Cultivate family! I am so grateful to be on this journey with you!

P.S. One of the greatest joys of doing this work is getting a front row seat to see women cultivate what matters in their own lives. Here are a few words from some of the many women who have used PowerSheets.

“PowerSheets are even more useful than they are beautiful! They have made me reconsider what I want to spend my time on and help me focus on what is important I am so proud of the progress I’ve made with them! They change my perspective, lift my spirits, and they work. What a blessing!” – Amanda N.

“The PowerSheets have given me the ability to see goals as a clear meaningful path instead of just another to-do list! If you are at all questioning whether or not this product is for you… it is! Little by little progress adds up, and the PowerSheets will help you set a plan to put your goals into action!” – Sarah

“As a grandmother on medical retirement, I wasn’t sure that PowerSheets were right for me. After using them and with the encouragement of the Cultivate team, I realized I still want the rest of my life to matter. I want to live with intention and leave a legacy for my children, grandchildren and beyond. Through the PowerSheets process, I’ve been able to uncover my good goals. Some of them are lofty and some of them are simply feeding my family better through consistent meal planning and time organization. Many of my goals include relationship building between myself and God, my husband, my family, and friends. No, I’m not building a business or traveling across the country for my company, but I’ve found PowerSheets to be relevant for me. Today. Right where I am. Thank you, Lara and team for enriching my life and helping me live intentionally.” – Carol W.

“The PowerSheets are one of the best investments in myself I have ever made. I have actively used my Powersheets for 18 months. I cannot say enough great things about how fantastic the system is for helping you explore your priorities so you create goals that really matter to you and your life. This is a GRACE filled system that is flexible enough to change with you and your life circumstances as the months progress; in fact, the PowerSheets prompt you to pause and re-evaluate your goals/progress quarterly. There is no rigidity in the process, only opportunities for you to really brainstorm what’s important, what you want to achieve, and where you want to go. The PowerSheets help you craft tactical ideas to get there and provide an easy and intuitive way to track your progress. We all have things we want to do- PowerSheets have turned my desires into accomplishments. If you are someone who really wants to make changes and live life with intentionality and purpose. Don’t hesitate to make this investment. Trust me when I say you will want the FULL year! It’s the more prudent investment and value. You can’t put a price tag on living the life you aspire to have!” – Kristin T.

“I always thought that I was the kind of person who could set goals in my mind and just check them mentally when I felt I’d accomplished what I wanted to. The concept of intentionally setting goals and putting it all down on paper didn’t quite resonate with me. Of course, my goals were intentional–otherwise, why would I set them for myself?! Nonetheless, at the end of a particularly stressful year, I found myself wanting to do better and be better at the things that were most important to me. So on a whim, I purchased the PowerSheets. Best. Decision. Ever. Mind blown/life changed- I think that’s the best way to describe how this has impacted my life. Nothing is perfect, sometimes I forget to update my progress and other times I realize goals I set weren’t goals I ultimately wanted to complete–that’s the beauty of it. PowerSheets help me be intentional with how I spend my time, so I’m not always exhausted at the end of the day doing all of the things for everyone. This, in turn, has allowed me to have more energy and time for the things I actually want to do and spend time with those I love. PowerSheets has given me the tools to be a better person by keeping me focused on the people and things that truly matter. There is always room for improvement, but this year has set a good pace for me. If you’re on the fence, don’t be- take the leap of faith. I promise it’s totally worth it! Bonus: the team’s Instagram always makes you feel like you’re setting goals with friends–they’re great!” – Daniella

Get your 2018 PowerSheets One-Year Goal Planner today.

The post The 2018 PowerSheets Goal Planner is HERE! appeared first on Lara Casey.

Your Goals Matter + 2018 PowerSheets Reveal Video

The 2018 PowerSheets Intentional Goal Planner releases one week from today, and what I’m about to say may make you do a double-take:

You don’t need PowerSheets to cultivate what matters.

Have they helped thousands of women? Yes.

Are the 2018 editions our best yet? Most definitely.

Do I believe that they will help you uncover and make progress on your goals? Yes, but you technically don’t need any thing to live intentionally.

There’s something you need before you even consider uncovering goals with the PowerSheets: one essential truth.

Want to know the rock-solid truth that I think we lose sight of most often?

We were created for a purpose.

Do you believe that? (And if you don’t, I’m so glad you’re here with me right now!) You see, there’s this thing that can happen when we look at other people’s lives, other people’s dreams, other people’s relationships or smarts or progress: comparison.

Comparison knocks us from “I have a purpose” to “I’m not as good as _____, so how can I have a purpose??”

Comparison is the greatest killer of contentment.

Comparison isn’t just the thief of joy, it’s the thief of everything.

My friend, if the Lord takes me home tomorrow, and this is the last note I ever get to type to you, I hope you let these words take root:

Don’t let comparison keep you from doing your life and your unique path.

You’re not “just” a stay at home mom (and let’s be real – there’s no “staying” when you’re a mom!).

You’re not “just” a student.

You’re not “just” an empty-nester.

You’re not “just” a ______ (fill in whatever it is you’ve caught yourself feeling lately).

You’re YOU.

Marvelous, wonderful you!

Your goals matter enough to cultivate them–growing them over time as you take small steps forward (and some big leaps along the way, too). Your cultivated life matters enough to tend it like a garden and trust that each effort invested will add up.

I’m a real person typing this to you. I’m not perfect. And yet, I know for sure I have a purpose. Do I sometimes lose sight of that? Yes! But that’s why I believe we were connected together–to keep each other holding on to the truth that what we do here together on this earth matters.

If you do choose to use the 2018 PowerSheets alongside me this year, I hope you live out these words and don’t let comparison distract you from getting after this life. And in the times you forget, I’ll happily remind you that living your unique purpose is about cultivating what you’ve been given (what you already have!): your relationships, your money, your work, your home, your health, and your time.

Everyone else is going to tell you to do it all, to be it all, and to do life like all those other people.

I’m not.

The most radical thing we can do is consistently walk our own unique path.

It’s okay to grow slow.

And failure is just fertilizer.

Have you struggled with comparison or saying “I’m just a ____?” I’d love to hear from you. And I’m so grateful to walk this path alongside you!

—-

The collection officially releases to our Cultivate Shop next Wednesday, October 25 at 10 am Eastern.

It’s here!!! Download our 2018 PowerSheets and Accessories Guide now to see all the details (and new products!).

And here’s a replay of the 2018 product reveal!

 

The post Your Goals Matter + 2018 PowerSheets Reveal Video appeared first on Lara Casey.

9 Things That Don’t Work in Goal Setting (and 9 That Do!)

From my days as a personal trainer to where I am now, I have seen it all with goal setting! I’ve seen people’s lives transform in profound ways and I’ve also seen people chasing their tails–not making progress, lacking motivation, and eventually giving up.

Photos by Gina with my good friends Brooke and Bailey… and a first peek at the 2018 PowerSheets!

Using Our Gifts + October PowerSheets Goals

This may seem like an unusual place to start one of my monthly goal posts, but I’ve never felt more connected or passionate about cultivating what matters than I feel this week.

I don’t know what you are experiencing right now. Perhaps you are hurting. Perhaps you are not sure how to feel. There have been hurricanes and fires, earthquakes, suffering all over the world, and unfathomable loss in Las Vegas.

My initial reaction was to fervently call on God to help those who are hurting.

My second reaction, however, was fear. I wanted to gather all the kids in my arms and keep them close to me for the rest of my days, never going too far. Not leaving my house. Not putting myself out there.

Until something shifted.

After the kids were asleep on Monday night, Ari and I sat down for dinner and he prayed. Four times during dinner, he stopped to pray for those who are hurting in Las Vegas and in the world. He prayed almost spontaneously, at unexpected moments.

I share this little window into our dinner as a contrast to something you may not know: just a few years ago, Ari did not have a relationship with God and our marriage was a mess. If you know our story, you know his faith and the fact that we are still married is a miracle.

I wrote those words about praying for our marriage and for Ari’s heart in that difficult season. As I listened to him pray on Monday night, it hit me: I was witnessing miracles. Real life miracles right in front of me.

Reminders of God’s power to give us new life.

Reminders that God is big and He hears our prayers.

Reminders that life is fleeting and what we do here matters.

Hope flooded in.

As Ari prayed, I felt God leading me away from fear to a new place. It was as if He was saying, Lara, let the pain of the world lead you to My feet, on your knees, interceding for those who are hurting and using all you have been given to sow seeds of hope and love in this world. Use your hands and feet and mind and heart to give. And, Lara… do not hide. Get out there and give this life all you’ve got.

As we mourn and pray and give to those who are deeply hurting, I hope we don’t simultaneously fall into the trap that I almost did. The enemy wants us to give up, to hide, to run away in fear and escape. (Which is different than grieving and experiencing deep sorrow, as Jesus Himself experienced.) I truly cannot fathom directly experiencing one of these events and feel inadequate to help through my words here. I have been through devastating hurricanes that changed my family, but I certainly don’t know the specific pain that so many are experiencing right now. My heart aches and grieves and hurts for so many.

For those, like me, who were not on the ground for one of these horrific events, I hope we don’t return to life as usual, but rather life anew. My prayer is that we would be spurred on in a new direction: loving more passionately than ever and giving away our gifts and talents with greater generosity. Let us see all that we’ve been given as opportunities to grow something good in this world. And let us not take this life for granted, because we do not know if we will get tomorrow.

This fact could lead us to fear, or it could lead us to faith.

I pray we pour out our gifts with new tenderness and passion, knowing that there are so many that are hurting and need what we have been given. I pray this leads us to love the people right in front of us and afar with more conviction.

I don’t know what you are experiencing, but I do know the Light that pierces the darkness.

Lord, help us. Help us walk in the Light as You are in the Light. Help us give and love and grieve and give some more. Help us be more like You. Help us use the gift of this life to pour love into others who desperately need it. Help us to dig in right where we are and grow what lasts longer than us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More than ever, I want to cultivate what matters–even as just one little person in this great big world. (And I sincerely feel so small!) But, I know that it only takes a tiny seed to grow into a towering tree that lasts for generations–providing shade and cleaner air and fruit for many. What we do here on this earth, no matter how small we think it is, matters.

In this new month, I’m keeping my eyes wide open for miracles that remind me of God’s power to do the impossible–taking imperfect people like me and Ari and giving us new life so that we could reflect His light right back to others.

I know I won’t be perfect in using my gifts to grow love in this world, but I think the pursuit of growing good things is worth the risk of not doing it perfectly. Here’s a little recap of September and what I hope to sow and grow in October.

September was a month full of change for us. I started homeschooling Grace (more on that below) and there were some enormous answered prayers.

Friends, thank you. I shared about the challenges we have experienced with Sarah in my last post, and so many of you offered prayers and helpful encouragement. It was incredibly helpful for both Ari and me to not feel alone in having a little one with some special needs. I want you to know that your prayers mattered. They were heard. I didn’t expect to be giving you this update, especially this quickly, but we had one of the best months with her. We have seen some surprising changes in her in the last two weeks, and our ability to help her has grown as well. This is so healing for all of us. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the gift of your prayers. I love her so much.

My girls. Photo by Gina.

My September Goals Progress:

– Start homeschool with joy. – Wow, what a transition! Yes, there have been meltdowns and a few moments of Grace literally standing on her head in protest during handwriting lessons, but overall this has been so good. I am so grateful to get to spend this time with her and grateful for these reminders that are on repeat in this new season.

If there was a photo that captured Grace’s personality, this is it.

– Give and teach the Cultivate book. – Yes, I was grateful to share lessons from the book several times, and I’m especially grateful to continue learning and living them out myself.

– Read + DO What’s Best Next – I don’t often have alone time in a car, but there were a couple evenings this month where I had to run errands after the kids were asleep. I used that time to listen to the audio version of this book.

– Love on Josh in his preschool transition. – Yes, he has loved preschool, specifically playing with playdough and snack time

5 Things You Need to Know Right Now

In this new season, these 5 reminders are keeping me moving in the right direction. Maybe you need one of them—or all five today, too!

1. Peonies grow through the dirt, and so do we. If there’s something you’ve been wanting to do or start, but you haven’t made progress yet, consider this: are you afraid to get your hands dirty? If we can’t do something perfectly from the start, many times we don’t even give it a try, am I right? Here’s the truth: to grow flowers, you have to get your hands dirty. Making a mess doesn’t mean you become one. Read more in these free downloadable chapters from my latest book, Cultivate.

2. Little steps add up. They really do. I haven’t made perfect progress on my number one goal this year, but I have made little by little progress. I am on track to finish my goal by the end of this year! Embracing imperfect progress helps us not completely give up when things don’t go as planned. My little-by-little steps forward (even with a few steps back) are adding up.

3. It’s okay to grow slow. In fact, it’s good to grow slow. Think about it: do you plant a seed and expect to get a full-grown tree the next morning? We do that, don’t we?