The Magnolia Story

by Chip Gaines

sometimes second chances lead to great things.

We seem to give each other energy. We function better together than we do apart, and I don’t think either one of us has ever felt the urge to say, “I need a break from you.”

life works when you trust in God and his plans for your life rather than focusing on your own.

We had a good time catching up.” Only Chip could go to prison and come out talking about all the friends he’d run into there.

you trust me with your dreams, I’ll take them further than you could have ever imagined.

Even locked doors can be unlocked in time.

Sometimes worrying about something is much worse than the actual thing you’re worrying about. So really, what’s the point in worrying?

The reality is that old houses that were built a hundred years ago were built by actual craftsmen, people who were the best in the world at what they did. The little nuances in the woodwork, the framing of the doors, the built-in nooks, the windows—all had been done by smart, talented people, and I quickly found that uncovering those details and all of that character made the house more inviting and more attractive and more alive.

A lot of modern houses in the suburbs are big and beautiful, and I don’t want to run anyone down, but when you look closely, it’s almost like a beautiful woman with a little too much makeup on. Our Castle Heights home seemed to just get more and more beautiful the more Jo wiped the makeup away.

with change comes new opportunity.

It’s not just about pretty anymore. It’s about practical. It’s about children feeling that they can be at home.

realized that my determination to make things perfect meant I was chasing an empty obsession all day long. Nothing was ever going to be perfect the way I had envisioned it in the past. Did I want to keep spending my energy on that effort, or did I want to step out of that obsession and to enjoy my kids, maybe allowing myself to get messy right along with them in the process?

“What am I going for in life?” Was it to achieve somebody else’s idea of what a perfect home should look like? Or was it to live fully in the perfection of the home and family I have?

Now it just shows up on social media everywhere you look, and it always seems to be picture-perfect. That’s all anyone seems to post—perfect pictures of perfect families enjoying perfect moments.

I always thought that the “thriving” would come when everything was perfect, and what I learned is that it’s actually down in the mess that things get good.

If you can’t find happiness in the ugliness, you’re not going to find it in the beauty, either.

next? What now? What do I need to do?” I worked hard to try to do it all, to try to live up to the Pinterest perfection that only leaves you discontented. I finally realized that life isn’t found on the pages of a magazine—life is found in the glass of spilled milk and in the long, narrow hallway filled with socks and soccer balls.

Letting it all go is freeing. (And it’s cheaper too!) I am learning that getting our intentions right simplifies our decisions in life and changes our perspective. And in the end, what it’s all about is thankfulness and contentment.

up to us to choose contentment and thankfulness now—and to stop imagining that we have to have everything perfect before we’ll be happy.

If I ever needed proof that I should trust God with my dreams, this was certainly it. He turned my little dream, my mustard seed of faith, into all this.

Life changes quickly. Overnight, your whole world can change.

And sometimes you’ve got to try something outside of your comfort zone to figure out what it is that you truly love.

Go and find what it is that inspires you, go and find what it is that you love, and go do that until it hurts.

Don’t quit, and don’t give up. The reward is just around the corner. And in times of doubt or times of joy, listen for that still, small voice. Know that God has been there from the beginning—and he will be there until . . . The End.