Although a relationship with Christ is deeply personal and unique to each individual, I think this crazy spiritual journey is also meant to be shared. We are walking these roads together, learning and growing and pursuing the God we serve. 

We are movers, shakers, dreamers and doers; we are disciples and outcasts, children of the Most High. We are kingdom builders, piecing together palaces brick by brick. We are not our own because we were bought at a price. 

Fellow believers, we are not alone. 

There are so many passionate, godly people out there-- sharing encouragement and passing along wisdom and giving away love. I want to be part of this gospel-centered community, to participate in this marathon of runners toward Jesus. I also want to learn from those surrounding me and invest in Biblical living, being filled up so I can be poured out. 

And this is easier said than done, right? Day to day life tends to drown out the One voice that matters as we get caught up in to-do lists and trivial quests. I know I need all the help I can get to fix my eyes on Jesus, so I've rounded up some of my favorite resources (besides the Bible) that do just that:

1. Deeply Rooted Magazine- Although this magazine has not been around long, it has quickly become my favorite. Visually and spiritually appealing, it has a unique purpose and mission in a content saturated world. Plus it's hard to pass up the digital copy when it only costs $4!
2. Val Marie Paper Prayer Journals- There are journal options made specifically for women, men, children, and for different stages of life. My favorite is the undated prayer journal in blue... I learned so much while praying through this journal and love following along with Val on Instagram. 
3. Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin- This book had been on my reading list for about a year, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to dig into all of its goodness.  She offers practical and purposeful steps on learning the Bible, while shedding light on popular methods that don't always work. 
4. Scripture Boxes // Scripture Memory Sets- I believe dwelling on and memorizing Scripture is so vital in your walk with Christ, which is why I created both of these products. They are made to sit in your homes or offices to reflect on/memorize daily. 
5. She Reads Truth- Not only is the website beautiful, but it is also filled with beautiful content. They have hundreds of studies, Scripture focused products, and an app. Be sure to sign up for the e-mail list to receive daily readings & truths straight to your inbox!
6. Write the Word Journals- I just discovered these journals by Lara Casey and am dying to make my first purchase. I love the idea of writing down different passages each morning and focusing on gratitude as you start your day.
7. Free (Scripture) Lock Screens- I can't tell you how many people have come up to me and shown me the lock screen on their phones to reveal one of my designs, and it makes my heart leap every time! As long as people are still using them, I will keep making them (I try to add a new one every week, but don't always succeed so check back regularly to see what's new).
8. Illustrated Faith- Art and hand lettering throughout your journaling Bibles? These people speak my love language. 
9. Scarlet & Gold- Check out this awesome company (based out of Auburn!) for lovely, Biblical phone cases and Scripture-filled tees. 
10. Prayer Cards- It has been on my heart for a few months to create these prayer cards, and I think I finally came up with the right design. Simple and lovely, each card contains a different chapter of Psalm to pray through and lines to scribble down your prayers of the week. Keep track of answered prayers and requests by hanging them on your walls & mirrors, storing them in your Bibles & planners, or carrying them in your purse.

Let's do this, shall we? Let's be lovers and learners, an army of believers, a generation of Jesus-followers and proclaimers of that amazing grace which saved our souls. Let's build our war rooms, ladies. 'Til kingdom come.

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*Disclaimer: By no means are these resources meant to replace or diminish the importance of the Holy Bible. They are neither necessary nor needed to understand God's Word, and what may be helpful for one person could be a distraction for another. Check your heart and notice what's helping or hurting your relationship with Christ. 

**Also, since we're in this together, I would love to hear some of your favorite resources for following Jesus. What has helped or pushed you deeper in your walk of faith? Comment below or shoot me an email with your favorites!

To see more of my workspace, go to this post.

Today marks one year since I started this crazy and chaotic adventure of having my own business. It has been weird and hard and exciting and filled with lots of joy.

The first time I knew I wanted to start a business was my sophomore year of college. After graduation, I was sucked into feeling like I needed to get a “real job” and put my adventurous ideas behind me until we were settled and had lots of money in our savings account. Then the Lord moved us to the middle of cornfields and Hogs fans (also known as Arkansas), and I found myself saying “why not now?”  My rational side said, “Umm maybe because you’ve only been married two months and you know zero people in this city apart from your husband and you have no idea what you’re doing.” Obviously my rational side didn’t win this fight. And I’m so glad it didn’t.

I can’t explain why, but when so much of life felt new and different and transitional, I took the leap and started Alex Fly Designs.

While I don’t love every facet of entrepreneurship (i.e. taxes, not having a steady paycheck, etc.), the good definitely outweighs the bad. I love starting new projects and making my own schedule and working with customers on their visions. I love dreaming up ideas and writing down everything and working from home and coffee shops. I love seeking out great and inspirational charities and businesses.

I have also learned so much over this past year. I learned about running a business and about making new things and about myself. I learned firsthand that dreams are important and that art matters. The best part is I am still learning, still growing as a business owner and as a person. And I know people probably want to hear that I have it all figured out as a business owner because- you know, they are buying stuff from me and all- but that wouldn’t be the truth and it won’t ever be. Because the day I stop learning new things is a day when I have to somberly re-evaluate what I am doing. Learning is such a vital part of moving forward in life.

So thanks for hanging in there with me this past year through my stumbles and failures and for rejoicing with me in new ventures and ideas. I am eternally grateful that I have a job I love.

To celebrate one year of Alex Fly Designs, there are a few new items for sale along with a 20% discount on everything (just enter the code ONEYEAR) October 8-11. Also, I will be gifting a set of Little Reminders with every purchase over $20 during the sale! 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments I give you today are to be on your hearts...tie them as symbols on your hands. Deuteronomy 6:5-6;8

When I look down at the sparkling rings on my left hand, I am reminded of my wedding day. I am reminded of the commitment Kevin and I made to one another: to love each other deeply regardless of circumstance or years passed, to put one another's needs before our own, to put Christ at the center of it all. My ring is so much more than a piece of jewelry Kevin gave me on a cloudy September day; it is a symbol.

And what if all jewelry and art were viewed as more than something you wear or display in your home, but as something you passionately believe in? What if they symbolized something greater and reminded you of something deeper, full of life and hope and love. 

These are the things I think about when sitting down to create. And it is from these thoughts that I made the new line of rings. Created with tiny knots, these simple rings are truly tied on one's hands, reminding us to love the Lord with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength.

My desire is that these rings can serve as simple reminders throughout stressful and busy days. Throughout days when our hearts are rushed and we are at the end of the rope, we might remember what truly matters. That we may tie them as symbols on our hands.

For more information about the new rings, head over to the shop!

My aunt is one of the most likeable people on the planet. She is also a very good cook. (I’m pretty sure these two attributes are interchangeable.)  She wears Christmas sweaters and calls you sugar and genuinely loves people in a way that few people do. So when she asked if I could make a print using this verse for her kitchen, I was excited and honored.

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. -Acts 2:46

When she sent me this verse, I knew I wanted it to hang in my kitchen, too. Because I think it’s a beautiful picture of community and fellowship, and I want my home to be that place where people can come and find rest.

I went back and read the rest of the chapter in Acts to understand the bigger picture of this verse. The Holy Spirit had just come upon the apostles. Some were amazed at their changed behavior, and some mocked them, thinking they were a bunch of drunks. Peter addresses the crowds by explaining what has happened, what is happening, and what is to come. Peter preached the gospel.

After Peter’s plead for others to accept the gospel message, the last section describes the fellowship of the believers:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2: 42-46

 And I strive to have this kind of community. They had everything in common not because their clothes were similar or they lived in the same neighborhood or had kids the same age, but they had everything in common because they responded to the gospel the same way. Because Christ's death and resurrection changed them. Together they gave to those in need without looking back. They met every day and probably shared their struggles and joys and questions. They ate together with glad and sincere hearts. To live life this way would be hard and vulnerable and wonderful.  

Now the print hangs in my kitchen and it reminds me of the way God-centered community and fellowship is supposed to look like. Full of honesty and selflessness and Jesus.

This print is now available for purchase! For more information head over to the shop.

When I visit someone’s house for the first time, one of the first things I notice is their pile of books (or lack thereof). I don’t take note of their books to be judgmental or make mental comparisons, but because I think people’s books reveal a lot about themselves and I have a weirdly fanatic, deep love for all types of literature. I’m the type of person who spends hours in Barnes & Noble (to Kevin’s dismay) and reads every word printed in her magazines and spends an entire Anthropologie gift card on coffee table books. And because I believe books are beautiful, magical manifestos, I love the idea that books should be displayed.

A good coffee table book is a combination of the best things. Art, writing, photography, fashion, and home décor are often wrapped up into the wonderful, glossy bound pages. It is both aesthetically pleasing and useful and I can’t think of a better object to display on a coffee table than a big, beautiful book. While I am still trying to master the art of coffee table décor, I have found that charming and good books are the foundations of my ideal coffee table: the coffee table that I would like to sit next to when I have deep conversations and cry happy tears and watch Friends reruns.

And since I feel the innate need to share my finds with other coffee table book lovers (if that’s not a real thing, then it should be), here are five favorites that I would proudly display on my coffee table (if I don’t already):

1. Ralph Lauren // Ralph Lauren

2. The Nesting Place // Myquillyn Smith

3. Vivian Maier: Street Photographer // Vivian Maier, John Maloof

4. A Perfectly Kept House is the Sign of a Misspent Life // Mary R. Carter

5. The Americans // Robert Frank, Jack Kerouac

Also, keep these little Bible verse cards on your coffee table to act as encouraging reminders or as favors handed out to guests! 

Here's a little peak inside my workplace.

Sometimes it's organized and tidy, and sometimes it looks like a tornado passed over my desk.

When I'm dreaming up new ideas and sketching designs, I like my desk completely tidy. When I'm in the midst of making lots of jewelry, I flourish in organized chaos.

A few home studio essentials:

• Pegboard- this is a life saver. It keeps all of my tools in arm's length and I can change it up at any time.
• Idea Notebook & Planner- necessary for any creative types. A few favorites: 1/2/3/4
• Filing System- I keep all of my receipts organized in this and have a separate notebook for orders
• Washi Tape- I use this tape for e v e r y t h i n g. You can buy some on Amazon.
• Magazine Inspiration-Kinfolk, Darling, Cereal