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Lindsay is a soul-sister friend, one of those rare humans that prays for others when they are experiencing trial waves in that moment. None of this I'll pray for you later. Nope, it's Lord, I lift up my friend...no hesitation, an immediate conversation with the Creator, whether over the phone- boys chasing each other in the background- or, in the middle of a coffee shop catching up over a latte, Lindsay is praying. Day by day faith- she shines it! She's also incredibly others-oriented, has the gift of discernment, and uncanny business skills! The girl has mad skills!
Hers is a story of having everything in the world's eyes: a successful career, a suave man, a chunk-caret diamond ring, a beach house steps from the water, a bulging bank account, only to come crashing down when she learned her husband of one month was having an affair! Downward spiral, you'd assume! Try again!
God pulled Lindsay out of the everything and planted her feet on the truth that His plan really is BEST!
In her words:
My type A life planning is not always the Lords very best. His way is higher and better and I have learned through trial/hardship to trust {although difficult}, sit back and RELAX that He always does immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine.
See? She shines!
Enter Steve stage left and the rest is history. A man that in many ways is the opposite of her, but shares an unwavering love for the Lord. Together, they are the perfect balance and their story is one of redemption and God's Best, His better-than-imagined!
December 31st, Linds and Steve will welcome their blue joy bundle to this world.
Caleb, you are beyond blessed to be given the parents you have. Yours will be a life of adventure, fun, and experiencing the joy of Jesus in your home. I can't wait to snuggle you!
To celebrate soon-to-be Caleb's arrival and add to his one-of-a-kind elephant-meets-industrial styled nursery, Amber and I {college friends of Linds'} showered her with a Dessert Bar Baby Shower.
One of the key contenders in the dessert bar were Sugar Cones Filled with M&M's ~ a grazing snack!
I borrowed the box from an uber-creative master of creativity, Debbie. She had this idea to make the cones stand up:
Take an egg crate, cut it to size, turn it upside down, and cut holes on the top of the egg shape.
Place the cones in the egg holes so they stand upright.
They were the ideal portable candy snack!
To cover the egg carton, I filled in the bottom of the box with kettle corn.
Nearby, a bowl of kettle corn mixed with M&M's sat.
Pretzel sticks paired perfectly with the sweet and salty snack.
A dessert bar isn't complete unless there is fruit dipped in chocolate ~
thankfully strawberries were still in season !
And now for the focal point of the shower {aside from Lindsay and the beyond adorable gifts!}
Prayer Calendar Cupcakes
The idea for a prayer calendar stemmed from a gift I made for my friend Kim's daughter, Addie on her 1st birthday. Every month made up a specific verse our family prayed over just for her.
I envisioned a similar concept for Caleb but wanted to include each friend that attended the shower.
It just so happened that 12 girls were invited ~ one assigned to each month.
I found this large frame at Ikea and took off the glass front and wood backing.
Bryan screwed in eyehooks on the side and strung picture wire ~
3 wires each held 4 tags, totalling twelve tags. Twelve months! Brilliant!
Before the shower, Amber sent an email to each friend, assigning them a month and asking them to pray about a verse, then write that verse on the tag, a verse they would commit to pray for Caleb, as well as Lindsay and Steve, during that month.
An example of Emily's November prayer for Caleb
A mason jar held pens to write the verse on prayer tags
It was so beautiful to see the verses God had laid on people's hearts
This is where the Cupcakes come in...
Cupcake toppers cut in the shape of elephants displaying the month were laid on the dessert table ~ Each lady grabbed her specific month
And in a circle, we took turns reading our verse to Lindsay- January through December- surrounding her in prayer as she nears the birth of her little man.
Not one person shared the same verse, and it was evident that God's Spirit will cover Caleb
every. single. day. of every month of his First Year!
Lindsay, you and Steve are an example of God's Best, of lives transformed.
Can't wait to snuggle your New Year's angel!
