Monday Inspiration and Encouragement {Volume One}

For a while now I have had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration, so starting today I plan to routinely share with y'all different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week! 

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{one} I recently discovered Honey of a Thousand Flowers website and journal and pretty much fell in love instantly. You will too as you swoon over the gorgeous pictures, like this post here. Simply lovely to look at and read through.

{two} I am going to preface this by saying that I love ice skating and this was one of THE most moving performances that I have ever seen. I was absolutely inspired by the hard work, the story behind this performance, and the way that it was "outside the box". Thank you Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres for a beautiful performance that truly brought me to tears. It was stunning.  

{three} My amazing friend, Blythe, wrote a beautiful post on joining the journey of those who are hurting. As always, her words are absolutely amazing and have challenged and encouraged me. You can find her post, Joining the Journey, on the Mundane Faithfulness website HERE. It is simply lovely. 

{four} I ordered "I Said Yes" by Emily Maynard Johnson off of Amazon and received it last week. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this book and really went into it with an open mind. Y'all, it was sweetly written, incredibly vulnerable and honest, and was inspiring. If you haven't read it yet and are looking for a sweet and easy read, I definitely recommend it and you can find it HERE.

{five} I think it must be all of the snow that we received in the last 24 hours have has me dreaming of southern places to visit this Monday afternoon. And let us be real... dreaming of travel is always inspiring. Being from the south, I have always loved visiting The Biltmore. If y'all haven't visited this is a wonderful time to visit as The Biltmore offers the lowest ticket prices this time of year. You can find out more and purchase tickets HERE (where they will be $15-$25 off!)

{six} I have been overwhelmed (in the best way possible!) by the response to The Novel Garden Subscription Crate. Thank you so much for your love, support, and joy for this project and for your encouragement and inspiration. 

{seven} Finally, y'all know that know me know that I am a "girly-girl" to the hilt and love and adore dresses. So imagine my delight at discovering the Virginia Dare Dress Company. Y'all, I watched the above video and felt my spirit say, "thank you".  I then read an interview with Rebekah (you can find it HERE) and her words really resonated with me. She said, "Start investing in people, and love them well. Your ideas won’t get very far without them, and learning how to make a difference in people’s lives is just as important as learning the industry you want to make a difference in." So SO true. 

Seriously, I just want to give Rebekah a big hug, sip tea and create art with her, and then wear every single one of her dresses. Friends, watch the video and then follow along with the journey of Virginia Dare Dress Company on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these seven things on this Monday afternoon! What about you? What is inspiring you recently?