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“The Lord Works Through Fashion…”

Penned by | Friday, Jun 7th, 12:37 pm | Filed under Uncategorized

The Lords Work, Through Compliments, Conversations and The Perfect Pants!

 

There are powerful mornings here at Philanthropy sometimes.  Mornings where we know we walked in these doors with purpose – though we may not know exactly what the purpose will be when we leave our home in the morning, we find it throughout our day.

Today was one of those days.

One of our Philanthropy girls walked up to me as soon as I arrived and said, “I have a story to tell you about this morning…”

Generally these are how the most important talks of the day begin, so I stood and listened as if I were about to hear how she changed the world…

“I had just parked and I was walking down the street to the store and there was a woman standing on the street corner,” she said.

“She stopped me and said that she liked my pants.  Well, I told her I liked what she was wearing too and I thanked her and then she told me that she was going through a very painful divorce and she just opened right up to me – about everything.”

At this moment, I was teary eyed listening to her tell me of the time this kind stranger was going through…and she was teary eyed telling me the story.

She continued, “I know sometimes you meet people for such an intended purpose and she told me that, right then, there was a reason that I went walking by and had on those pants that she liked.  I said, sometimes the Lord really does work through fashion!”

I laughed – how completely obvious, that sometimes all we have to do is just stop and be the ears to a stranger who takes the time to pay us a compliment. That the truth is, the God puts us in places to do the work he needs exactly when it should be done, and the purpose is to live in the moment and know the value you have to each soul walking by.

She finished her story by telling me that she explained to the woman that anytime she needed a prayer, or a shoulder to cry on, or a friend to lend an ear, just to stop by Philanthropy.  The woman had never been in Philanthopy before, she explained she wasn’t regularly a boutique shopper.

Then she finished her story to me by saying, “I told her, its ok, we’re not a store, we’re a mission.”

And that’s the truth, every bit of it, and the way amazing days are made.

In His Name and With Love,

Your Philanthropy Family

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Nowhere to go but Everywhere

Penned by | Monday, Jun 3rd, 10:09 am | Filed under Musings

Nearly three years ago, I received a call that would change my life. Christina, a woman I had only met in passing and who didn’t know me beyond my husband was calling (on a leap of faith) to see if I would like a new job…a better job than the one I had; a job that would offer me creative freedom, a loving and encouraging work environment, and a chance to see the world outside of myself.

I took the job.

‘Job’ is the wrong word because it never really felt like one. A building full of friends, and a staff that feels like family is more like a home than a job. A home that taught me more about life and offered me more growth than most of my cumulative experiences so far.

I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Haiti with Christina over a year ago, forever changing my perspective of the idea of ‘love in action.’ I have met countless people pursuing their dreams and succeeding wildly. I have had conversations with customers that would typically only exist between two dear friends…forever changing my idea of a ‘customer’. In fact, I don’t think Philanthropy has ‘customers’, only extended family members that we haven’t gotten to know yet. I learned the real meaning of the word ‘generosity’ time and again by witnessing the compassionate heart that Christina has, not only for our family in Africa, Haiti, and our local community, but for each of the girls working at our store, and for every single person who comes in through our doors. I learned that you don’t have to meet someone face to face to have a friendship with them.  I began to understand the life changing power of prayer, and that every person we come in contact with has a story and struggle that they carry with them. Mostly, though, working at Philanthropy has taught me the importance of living every day to it’s fullest potential…the necessity of living life as an adventure, and loving everyone without judgment.

It is on this note – the idea of life as an adventure – that I take the next step in my journey. A leap of faith I wouldn’t have been able to take three years go.  After a lifetime of steady employment and safe living, my husband and I are selling nearly all of our possessions, getting in our 4Runner and driving. In the words of Jack Kerouac ‘There was nowhere to go but everywhere’, and so far I’ve only really experienced ‘here’.

We are learning what it means to go where He leads, to hear His voice, and to jump even (or maybe especially) when we can’t see the net. So off we go on this adventure, not knowing where we’ll land, what we’ll end up doing, or who we will meet along the way. The amazing thing is that I get to take all of these experiences, conversations, and relationships from the past three years with me. I get to recall the friendships that I made while working here, the stories that I’ve heard that have shaped my view of the world, and repay some of the kindnesses that were paid to me. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for us! All I really know is that I trust Him, and that He has promised good to me. So farewell for now…perhaps I’ll see you on the road :)

Love,

Elly

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What’s your truth?

Penned by | Friday, May 31st, 11:32 am | Filed under Devotions, Encouragement, Inspiration

Why is it that the truth is SO hard for us to believe?

*  Our husband or boyfriend tells us we look pretty today…. Well, he obviously doesn’t see my frizzy hair and bloated belly.

*  A co worker tells us how much our help with a project meant to them and how valuable we are to the team… Clearly they’re just saying that to be nice.

*  The bestie cancels dinner plans because she’s had a long week and simply needs a night at home… Obviously she is fed up with me and just trying to get out of hanging out with me.

Why are the negatives always the “truths” we buy into and the REAL THINGS the ones we shirk off in a hurry?  If you’ve kept reading this far hoping for a magic bullet that will silence the lies and make the truth carry more weight, now might a good time to tell you that’s not exactly where this post is heading =)  And while we may not have the magic earplugs needed to block out the lies…. He does.  Our gentle and loving Father hasn’t left us without the tools and ability to wage a good fight against having to live our days on this planet believing lies.

The lies seems so real. They seem so truthful. We are SO drawn in by the lure of preferring to believe the more destructive thing about our ourselves that, before we know it, we are sitting cross legged at the feet of the enemy hanging on every toxic, malicious, FALSE word he utters.  We have been swept away by the lies, offering our ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ to every disgusting falsehood he flings our way… We soak it in like a dry riverbed and, before long, it has soaked so deep into our very bones that we seem to have forgotten the truth…

What is the lie you are hearing uttered in the most quiet moments of your thoughts?  What is the counter argument to every good thing God allows someone to speak to you or that He himself tells you? Pick yourself up on the floor and run like your life depends on it away from the destructive voice of the one who means you nothing but harm (John 10:10) and plant yourself firmly under the influence of a Father who is gentle and HONEST and TRUE.

The lie says I am afraid… The truth is that He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear but one of a sound mind and heart. (2 Timothy 1:7) The truth says that we can lie down and rest in peace for He allows us to dwell in safety (Ps. 4:8).  The truth is the He will give His angels charge over us and not allow our feet to strike a stone (Ps.91:11).  The truth is that He tells us to be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:9).

The lie says I am completely overwhelmed and can’t possibly move forward… The truth is that His burden is light and His yoke is easy (Matt. 11:30). The truth is that we cast ALL of our cares on Him for He truly and deeply cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  The truth is that the Lord your God will fight for you (Ex. 14:14).

The lie is that you are a failure at everything you try to do, even – or especially – at the things you thought He called you to do… The truth is that the word of the Lord does not return void (Is. 55:11) .  The truth is that He will complete a good work in you and whatever He starts in you he is faithful to complete it (Phil. 1:6).

The lie says that you are completely alone…The truth says that the Lord your God is with you where ever you go(Joshua 1:9).  The truth is that He will never leave us nor forsake us(Deut. 31:6)

The lie says that you are used up and worthless... The truth says that the Lord makes ALL THINGS new (Rev. 21:5) The truth is that The King is enthralled at your beauty and loves you so fully that he hasn’t even let a hair on your head go unnoticed (Ps. 45:11, Luke 12:7).  The truth is that your worth to Him is so great that He was willingly and eager to sacrifice His one and only son for your redemption. (John 3:16)  The truth is that you were bought at a price.(1 Corin. 7:23).

The promises of our Father are too great and too vast and too all encompassing to list but they are the ideal weapon to use in our fight for mental, emotional, and spiritual freedom from the lies.  What is the lie you need to speak truth to?  I’ll go first…

Hi. I’m Kristi and the lie tells me that I am completely unworthy of the boundless grace and love He gives me… My wrongs and trespasses and sinful places are so gross He couldn’t possibly forgive them all much less want to and then, on top of that,  allow me to be used in His work here on Earth.  That’s the lie… The truth?  I was bought at a price (1 Corin. 6:20)  and no matter how many days I breathe on this planet I will never be able to out love a God who’s love is more vast than my human mind can imagine. (Eph. 3:18)  The truth is that he delights in me (Ps. 149:4)…every messy, broken part of me….

Your turn.  Don’t sit for another minute in the suffocating lies of the enemy and the world around us… Look Him in the face.  What’s your truth?

In His Love,

Your Philanthropy Family

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…”

John 8:32

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Dear Soldier….

Penned by | Friday, May 24th, 10:18 am | Filed under Devotions, Encouragement, Holiday

Dear Soldier,

How do you begin a letter of gratitude to a person you’ve never met but whose decisions have provided the very way of life you know?

For people who are usually not short on words, we are at a loss for how to do justice to the sacrifice you have made and continue to make daily.

So we begin with a simple…

Thank you.

Those two little words seems too weak a phrase to fully contain the gratitude for your days of service and sacrifice…  Thank you for every holiday you missed away from your family table and for every birthday you celebrated in a hot desert, cold foxhole, or muggy rice field.  Thank you that, though you’ve never seen my face or spent days admiring the sweet baby cheeks of the little ones I call mine, you live your life to allow us the freedom to choose our schools, worship our God, and play safely in backyard tree houses.  Thank you that we can tuck sleepy babies into bed at night knowing that their tomorrow is bright and open to countless opportunities thanks to your tireless days and nights spent thousands of of miles away from your own little ones…. Above all, thank you for doing all of these things because you wanted to and because your passion for this country and our freedoms outweigh all else.

  Thank you for being braver and more selfless than we can even imagine.

Because you do your job so well, it can seem to fly under the radar.  We go about our days confident that our freedoms are safe and that our tomorrow is secure.  You do your job so well that we sometimes forget to send out the massive thank you that it deserves but know that it is never taken for granted.  Our boys stand up a little straighter when they see a soldier – a hero with skin on – pass by on the street and our girls look in awe at the brave women who serve our country in ways not possible 15 years ago.  We tell them about what an honorable decision it is to do what you do and we pray for you to rest in your own beds again soon. We ask God to protect you in every possible way and to love extra on your families back home.

~*~*~*~*~

Dear wives, children, parents, aunts, uncles, friends, and every family member of a solder….

Thank you for YOUR sacrifice… Thank you for allowing and supporting their decision to join the military and serve their country.

Thank you for pulling extra shifts as a ‘single parent’ while they are away and for being joyful for a Skype date on your anniversary instead of a romantic dinner.  Thank you for celebrating holidays late and for moving ten times in twenty-five years of military service.  Thank you for letting a country borrow your husband, wife, son, daughter, friend and for being so willing to accept every way that effects your entire family. Please make sure that your children know that we speak for the thousands of Americans everywhere when we say that their mom or dad is a hero and braver than we can even fathom.

~*~*~*~*~

To our veterans, every bit of this letter is to you as well.  The wars and conflicts you so bravely contended in decades ago make up the history that has shaped our world.  You are part of a generation who we look on with honor and admiration…

~*~*~*~*~

Finally, to every solider, active, retired, reservist….

Thank you that you take this verse to heart and live it out in a way most of us can’t begin to dream.  Thank you, friend, for  every moment of your service and we thank our Father for putting breath in your lungs… Happy Memorial Day.

Greater love has no man than this, that one lays down his life for his friends… John 15:13

Endless blessings and love…

Your Philanthropy Family

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Fashion Friday – Taking Basics from Snoozy to Snappy

Penned by | Friday, May 17th, 10:06 am | Filed under Fashion

We adore this time of year…The days are getting longer and the air is distinctly warmer =)  As we start digging into the backs of closets to free the sleeveless tops and comfy basic T’s that have been hidden away since last September, it can sometimes become a little overwhelming to figure out how to bring the goodies you already own up to date with current trends!  Adding some fun and funky accessories is a easy and cost effective way to add some sass SO, before you give in to the urge to run out and buy all new garments, take a sec to peruse some of our suggestions for making a couple basic pieces look fresh and ready for wear again this year!

 Let’s start with a basic skinny jean and a fun, bright – but basic! – tangerine colored button down!

Alone, it’s a blank slate begging for some umph…

But add a few key accessories, and – BAM!  You’ve taken your favorite skinnies and a basic top and made it something super special and ready for a night out!

 

Let’s take a basic grey pocket T and those same fabulous skinnies…

Now let’s give it some edge with studded wedges and an arm full of stacked bracelets and you are ready for a fun concert or dinner date:

Again, here are those same black skinnies paired with a favorite split neck tank…

By introducing the simple combo to some layered necklaces and mustard yellow, we’ve created the perfect ensemble for a shopping or travel day:

We hope this helps you take some of those favorite goodies and add some umph with fabulous accessories and we can’t wait to see your basics go from snoozy to SNAPPY!

Together in Him,

Your Philanthropy Family

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