Sweaters on Pinterest and other knitting geekery, books, writing, simple comforts, and other joys of autumn. Here’s what’s been inspiring me.

There will always be things that I’m dealing with. There will always be that sense of ebb and flow through seasons, times where my life seems more peaceful than others. But my happiness doesn’t depend on those circumstances.

Here’s a secret: We’re all afraid. Every person who succeeds at something has had to confront fear at some point to get to where they are. The trick is to start anyway.

My 7 “No-Duh” tips for creating a happy, healthy relationship with your partner.

There is an old joke that goes, "How do you eat an elephant?"

"I don't know, how do you?"

"One bite at a time."

The not-so-hidden truth in here can be applied to so many things—projects, goals, ginormous meals. But today, I'm going to talk about how I have found this true when tackling emotional hardship.*

*No elephants were harmed in the making of this blog post.

"The Enemy came to steal, kill, and destroy my passion, but God flipped the switch on the devil’s own scheme. The thing that was meant to keep me down helped me to focus on the essentials." Read more of Melissa's amazing story in today's blog post.

You might think your story isn't that special, that you have nothing to give. But if you think about it, you'll probably realize that you have already learned some life lessons that others would benefit from. Have you ever wondered how your story might be a powerful blessing to others?

This iconic building of our flag inspired some insight into being our best selves. The choice is up to us.

What do kittens, rules, and the principles of love have in common?

Two years later, we are still completely humbled when we consider the massive wave of support we received when Levi died. I am convinced that the support of our community through that first difficult year had a good deal to do with the progress we made in our healing. Yes, the work of grief must be done on an individual basis. But knowing that we were never alone had a significant impact on how brave we were in approaching that work.

When one travels, it is easy to look in wonder at the big buildings, the different customs, the strange food, and wonder, "What is that for? Who made that? Why do they do it that way?"

The truth is, wonderful things are all around us, no matter where we live.

I see you there, with your screwed-up face and your well-coiffed hair and your impatient gesture each time someone in the line in front of you dares to order one more thing. I was much like you for many years, and once in a while, I see your eyes looking back at mine from the mirror. May I remember that Kindness is Never Wasted. I hope you learn this, too, my Lady.

The theme of my life for the last several months has been about becoming brave. My life has become less about protecting myself, and more about how my life can bless others. Sometimes, the things I have done have cost me. But for the most part, they have helped my heart and my courage to grow. Here are some lessons I've learned on the way.

Patience is what happens when we are presented with opportunity. Because no opportunity worth having ever comes easily.

Sometimes it is easier said than done to be gentle on yourself. Use this wallpaper as a reminder. Happy Friday.