In Saying Yes, sharing a BIG SECRET!!!!!

Good morning friends! I have not been too active with writing in this space here of mine. I would LOVE for you to join me on instagram and over at Happy Heart Box to stay connected. For right now writing here is being less frequent but I love this sweet community here and will be sure to follow along as your hearts bless mine. Join me on Happy Heart Box & on Instagram @brittany.willard 

I hope you are doing well today! This morning I have decided to share something the Lord has been doing in my life over the last few months. It feels very scary to write the words that I am about to but not listening to the Holy Spirit’s leading is far scarier for me.

About four months ago the Lord began whispering to me when I would least expect him to. Encouraging me to pursue a dream he placed in my heart a few years ago. So instead of running from his whispers I leaned into them. Leaning into Him and the Holy Spirit has been a daily experiencing I am learning to embrace with open arms. Let me encourage you friends, this is the right choice – to lean into him. I promise it is worth all the uncertainty, anxiety, and fear of listening to his every direction given. Clairty comes with obedience. 

Over the last month I have slowly been writing a devotional and book that will hopefully be complete by the first of the New Year. I could keep quiet until it is finished but as you may know, living authentically and transparent is how I feel called to live. Sharing the struggles of life in all its vulnerable glory is the way I choose to live life. Living in another way to me is by far worse than baring my soul. 

In Saying Yes.

After spinning my wheels to try to come up with the most clever or catchy name to call this book I finally gave in to simply sitting still with the Lord. He sweetly spoke the phrase, In Saying Yes. Year after year the Lord has asked me to do things to make him known, to stretch me, to bless others, to fulfill his plans and purposes and each time I say yes he gives me a little more of himself.

Saying yes to the Lord is a choice.

Agreeing to listen to the Holy Spirit on a daily basis is a decision that I desperately long to make every day. In saying yes to the Lord we shed a little more of who we are to embrace more of him.

Over the next month I will be writing freely over here at Happy Heart Box as a way to prepare my heart to challenge myself to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading in writing. The book he has given me to write is a reflection of his grace, goodness, faithfulness, authority, and sovereignty in my life. Before fully embarking on this journey of writing an entire book I want to stretch myself to grow in writing as well as in listening to him. Some entries from this next month will make their way into the book but most will not. This next month is to simply listen to his voice in saying yes to his direction in writing. 

Last year I attempted to participate in a 31 day writing challenge but failed miserably at posting daily. This year I have decided to try again because its better to try in life than to just allow opportunity to pass by. Tomorrow I will post a little more about what the next month of writing freely and saying yes to him holds for myself and us on Happy Heart Box. Join me on instagram @happyheartbox and @brittany.willard to challenge ourselves over the next month to learn to listen to his leading in saying yes for our lives.

~Brittany Willard

www.happyheartbox.com

Breathless

Tonight I almost feel breathless 

Like each breath is a little harder to take in

My lungs slower to take in the air 

My chest working harder to push it back out 

Consciously reminding myself to keep breathing 

Because I feel out of breath 

My heart aches tonight 

Literally my soul is heavy 

The enemy attacking loved ones

Sickness tearing apart vibrant lives 

lies overpowering minds to pull people deep down into the pit of depression 

addictions over taking precious lives, minds, and hearts. 

Fear crippling perfectly healthy bodies

Worry stripping away promises of the gospel 

Judgement decaying the body of Christ

Unforgiveness festering in hearts leading to destruction 

Women tearing apart women with their eyes, thoughts, and critical attitudes 

Men refusing their roles 

Youth learning to disrespect  

A society feeding off of anger

Communities hating others. Ignoring problems. Developing new ones. 

Me forgetting to pray. 

I feel breathless. 

My heart aches 

My soul is overwhelmed 

A righteous anger must overtake our hearts cries to fight with powerful truths from a savior who defeats all. 

God replace my breathlessness with your truths to fight in a place that exhausts. 

A righteous anger in my battle cry. 

One that never gives me opportunity to forgo praying to sit still in exhaustion. 

A righteous anger to change things, motivate my movements, be an aid in restoring situations by you, breath life into the broken by your grace, and speak your truths above all. 

Give us our breath. 

Let us stand righteously in you. 

Tiny Toes Dancing Down the Hall

When the toys in the tub don't stick to the bathtub walls

When baby dolls are no longer lining the hallway 

Race cars are stacked away neatly

Muddy shoes are clean 

Cheerios are not riddled throughout the house

My heart will ache. 

My eyes will well with tears

The lump in my throat will grow big

My mind will grasp for the memories 

My breath will be taken back. 

My children will be grown. 

I will wish, believing with every once of magic in me, that just maybe I could have the bathtub toys sticking again. And the crackers stuck on the bottoms of my bare feet once more. 
The early morning snuggles that start before the sun rises. 

Today my hugs tighter around my little ninja turtle for afternoon snuggles.

Tonight one more song to sing before we say our prayers. 

In the middle of the night my smile will stretch from ear to ear with each crumb stuck to my feet as I walk through the house to get a cup of milk after a bad dream.

Then 

In the morning tiny toes dancing down the hall will be the most wonderful melody to my ears. 

It's a beautiful way of living. 

To be a mom. 

~brittany 

Abide. How wrong I was...

image via Happy Heart Box

Every other Sunday evening a group of sweet women and myself gather around a table at Panera Bread to discuss Abiding. I’m honored to lead a Thrive small group and this season we chose to work through a journal called, Abide, by NaptimeDiaries. Its an eight week study that is all about resting in the Lord as women while we realize that we in fact don’t know everything that we thought we did about trusting, resting, and growing in the Lord.

This is what I love about the gospel. We can never reach a plateau. There is not a level of “knowing it all” or “having it all together” in Him that we can attain because our God is just too big for us, full of so much grace, and offering a never ending fountain of knowledge to us. We just have to search his truths, wisdom, and all the grace we can receive while we pursue him.

Easier sad than done.

As we began reading through Abide a few months ago together (it has taken us a little longer than 8 weeks) I quickly realized how little abiding I was actually doing in my life. Once again I thought I was abiding because I’ve somehow figured out how to - on most days - have alone time with Jesus. Even if alone time means I've been asked 20 times to put on Curious George or I change a diaper and pick up a pretty little girls pacifier 15 times. Its time in the word and I’m so very desperate for his gospel that I will take it however it comes to me.

Little did I truly understand that abiding wasn’t worshiping to music during my day at home, or squeezing in his word when I could, and it even wasn’t trusting him with my thoughts, hurts, worries, and concerns. This wasn’t abiding at all. This was spending time with my savior and worshiping the one I am blessed to know.

Abide, the journal, has opened my heart to understand that truly abiding in the Lord is making new rhythms in my life of pursuing Jesus on a daily basis. Rhythms that have come from a true desire to find my rest not in sleep but to truly rest in him. To spend time alone with my thoughts, prayers, and love for our King without anything or anyone threatening that time. For me, I’ve truly fallen in love with a time of day that use to be so ungodly to me. A time of day that I rarely have seen in my life unless I was catching an early flight, holding a sick baby, or too worried about something that I couldn’t sleep.

I’ve fallen in love with a quiet, still, absolutely breathtakingly beautiful 5 or 6 am. I know, you think I’ve lost it, maybe you think I’m “one of those Christians” or perhaps you don’t believe me. But I’m so serious.

It’s so wonderful. I just want every single woman (momma or not) to do this. At least a few times. When I use to hear women say they woke up before everyone else I literally would think they must be those super hero Christians or totally crazy or totally exaggerating because there is no way anyone would do that on purpose. Jeopardize their glorious uninterrupted sleep. Especially if she had kids because God knows where you are in life & totally gets that you are cleaning up poop and exhausted that you don’t need to wake up early for him. He gets it.

Yep. Ive given that advise before. Which in many ways I 100% believe. God gets that my bible time, worship time, and prayer time is stretched out over 24 hours, crammed in between PBJs and the evening news but shouldn’t I want more? Maybe I need more…

Turns out I do.

Now, I’m her. Not a superhero Christian, crazy, or exaggerating… instead I’m just truly needing to abide in him before I do anything else in my day. It makes knowing him, resting in him, and sustaining me so much easier. Joyous. Happier. And even when my days are so full that I can barely remember if I’ve brushed my teeth (it happens, don’t judge) it doesn’t seem like it is at all. The days seem so full, so wonderful, so amazing, and full of grace.

Rest.

What does abiding mean to you?

What does it look like for you?

In love,

Brit

Today is the Day! Happy Heart Box is HERE!

Happy Heart Box from Brittany Willard on Vimeo.

This is the day that I have been praying about & working so hard towards. If you follow me on facebook or instagram you are fully aware that I've been up to something the last two months. This is it! The Lord gave me a dream this year to start a ministry for women. The purpose to encourage women to passionately pursue Jesus at all times. Especially in the hard times. I invite you to take a few minutes of your day to watch this video and to visit Happy Heart Box at www.happyheartbox.com to learn all about this ministry. 

My heart is to bless women who are experiencing a difficult time in life with a gift box full of beautiful products. FREE of charge! If you own a handmade shop or would like to donate products please email me at happyheartbox@gmail.com Also there is a go-fund-me account set up to fully fund Happy Heart Box for the entire first year! This will fund 56 boxes that will be sent out to women throughout the year. Happy Heart Box is completely run by donations and we need you to be successful. 

Please feel free to share with everyone you know. 

Thanks!

~brit

A Honest Momma. Join me?

I LOVE being a stay at home momma to my sweet little ones. 

These days are so special. Sweet, lovely, and charming.

These little people are two of the three greatest loves of my life.

I prayed hard for each of them.

God has been so faithful to give them to me. Entrusting me with their lives. 

However, that doesn't mean that some days are not challenging. 

Each day is not all smiles, snuggles, and pretty. Some days are mini marathons that I highly doubt some of the best trained athletes could ever survive. Physically, maybe. Mentally, not so much. Being the main caregiver for your family is a challenge at times. I think the most challenging part of it all is for the momma to know who she is, where her identity rest.

As women if our identity is found in the state of our home, then anytime the laundry is overflowing or the floor needs mopped our happiness will not come until we complete the chore.

As a momma if our identity is found in the perfection of motherhood, then we will constantly be striving to be better. Do better. Make them happier. Buy them more things. Take them more places. Do it all.

As a wife if our identify is found in our husbands, how best we can make them happy and striving to be the best house wife (vomit) then we will most surely fail. 

When we fail at all these things where our identity is placed then what is left?

Where do we go from here?

Lets find our identity in Jesus. Finding joy, peace, comfort, and fulfillment in Him. 

Lets remember that being a wife & a momma is not always picture perfect.

Lets give ourselves some grace. Forget trying to always have the prettiest instagram or facebook pictures for the sake of pleasing someone else. Can we forget pretending to be the best? Life is messy sometimes. Lets embrace it.

In saying all of this I've started something on Instagram. 

Started capturing little moments that might not be so perfect.

Perhaps they are moments that most wives, mommas, and women in general would rather keep a secret. Not letting other mommas, wives, women know happen in your home. For example, maybe your bed is unmade for the 5th day in a row. The dishes are still on the table from last nights dinner. The laundry, well that is never done and piling up out of control in your room. So you just keep that door shut tight. 

I've started capturing these moments and sharing them with the hashtag, #ahonestmomma 

If you search that hashtag you will see my post from the last few months. 

One thing about myself that I will forever work to keep is my honesty. To always be real, never trying to be something or someone that I am not. To not be a pretender of a woman, momma, wife, friend, or believer. To be real. Honest. True.

With that said, will you join me?

Will you be #ahonestmomma ? 

Will you consider joining a community of women who are in the same place that you are.

Who maybe need an encouragement that its okay to not be perfect. To not have to have everything together all the time.

Lets face it, thats not reality. Thats not truth. 

Being a honest momma is not an excuse to be a lazy woman. To not care for your children, husband, or neglect responsibility of your home that the Lord has blessed you with. Instead its simply the reality that being a mommy & wife is hard work sometimes. That the reality of a tidy home 24/7 is just not gonna happen with littles. If it does, you can forget ever having a free moment to yourself. to think, write, pray, spend time with others. enjoy your kids being kids. to relax. to feel a little more human. its just not going to happen unless thats all your life is…. cleaning. I would rather be growing and celebrating life.

So if you would like to be vulnerable with me in the hopes of encouraging others & knowing that its okay to not be perfect join me with #ahonestmomma ! Click here to connect!

~Brit

Hope Spoken; All About Glorifying Him

The most beautiful part of meeting new people, making new friends, and doing new things is allowing the Lord to move in every aspect of it. Seeing him work out the details along the way. 

I heard about Hope Spoken nearly a year ago. Immediately I knew that it was a conference to attend simply because of the message spoken. Hope. Romans 5:1-5, We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, and hope does not disappoint. The women behind this event truly are genuine, kind, and very much full of the Holy Spirit. Their words online are the same in person. Their hearts are even bigger in real life. Making friends online is an interesting concept because there is always the concern that perhaps the realness of individuals online is not quite genuine to who they are. These concerns were put to rest upon arriving at the conference. 

Before leaving for the conference I asked the Lord to place the women in my path that He would desire for me to meet. To encourage me and those He might have me to encourage. I love that the Lord is faithful, always leading when we ask. 

My sister Jen, online (now real life) friend Allison, and new friend Caitlin were my sweet roommates for the weekend. Oh, you should really go read how God was so sweet to Jen (through Danielle) in getting her to the conference. (Read here) I'm so happy these women were my roommates it was so good getting to spend time with them. My sister & I haven't had a weekend together in years. Was amazing to have some unexpected sister time with her. 

Hope Spoken was all about Jesus, all about real life, and truly everything about Hope in our savior. Women with all different types of stories of brokenness, disappointment, loss, and the hard parts of life shared from their hearts of how the Lord set them free, made them new, restored them, and gave them Hope. I can not say enough how truly genuine these women were in sharing their stories from the stage & in one on one conversations. 

Over the course of the weekend their was ample time for worship, the word, and hearing testimonies from others. The Lord allowed me to share pieces of my story with my small group at the conference as well as a few other women. I love how the Lord is faithful. Always restoring. Alway at work when we least expect it. 

A few of my favorite parts of the weekend... 

Hearing Danielle speak about, Living in the Now. She graciously shared in such an honest way her fears about open adoption. As she began to speak the Lord totally wrecked my heart in big ways. Johnny & I have been praying about adoption for a few years now and we are at a place of waiting on the Lords timing. (waiting is hard) This lady is just the sweetest. 

Another favorite part was hearing from Casey's heart again. I had the chance to hear her a few years ago at another conference. Her sweet spirit came through then and once again at Hope Spoken. On the last night of the conference Jenny from Addison Road spoke and was just incredible. Totally anointed as she lead worship & shared testimonies from her life. I loved seeing friends who I haven't seen in a few years, hearing & meeting a favorite author Shauna Niequist, oh and eating very yummy treats. 

I wont mention all of my favorite parts because we would be here all day. I'll just say that the entire conference was simply beautiful. Every woman felt loved & valued. Something completely refreshing from the weekend was that I can count on one hand how many times I heard the word, blog. Hope Spoken was all about giving Him Glory. If your are looking for a conference full of Jesus, sweet new friends, and time to grow in the Lord this is for you. Saving up to go back next year! You should join me!

~Brit