Your wedding day will be perfectly imperfect. Things will go wrong (i.e. the violinist getting a flat tire and running up as the ceremony starts to play his part; a flower girl tripping right before we are about to walk down the aisle and having a meltdown, the cake baker calling while you are at your bridesmaids' luncheon THE DAY BEFORE YOUR WEDDING and saying, "Now this is a birthday cake, right?" etc.), but those things won't matter because at the end of the day, all of your favorite people are in one place and you are marrying your best friend. So you may end up eating fried chicken out of a bucket with a napkin-bib stuffed down your wedding dress (you can't make this stuff up), but it will also be the best day ever.

So, this is not a list about choosing the right flowers or caterer or picking a band over a DJ. Your big day will be perfectly imperfect and completely yours.  

Besides booking yours truly for wedding invitations and signage (obviously), I always find myself giving brides the same pieces of advice (and none have to do with the actual wedding day). You may think these are no-brainers, but I am going to pass along these tips nonetheless...

1. Pack a Breakfast

If you have an early flight out the next morning, you will probably have to leave before the hotel breakfast opens. And yes-- if you want to wake up even earlier to grab something at the airport, knock yourself out (Preferably, I would like every second of sleep I can get). Our caterer was nice enough to pack us some to-go boxes, but eating chicken salad in bed at 4 AM isn't exactly ideal. A protein bar would've probably tasted better. 

2. Lock Up Your Valuables

We were incredibly naïve and didn't lock up the cash we brought to the Dominican Republic. We stayed in a nice, all-inclusive resort and the staff was extremely friendly; it never even crossed my mind to be worried about leaving the room with my purse still inside. Insert panic on the third day of our honeymoon when we realize all of our money has been taken out of my purse and Kevin's wallet (which was buried in a pair of pants in his suitcase). People will steal without hesitation, y'all. It's sad but true.

3. Don't Go Parasailing

Because after we got all of our cash stolen, we obviously hadn't learned our lesson and thought, "Yeah, let's go parasailing in a foreign country!" I'm not a safety-obsessed person, but I'm pretty sure our parasailing instructor nor their procedures would have cut it in the U.S.. We received no instruction, hopped from one boat to another, and were up in the air before we knew what was happening. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful. But as my husband said once our feet were back on the ground, "I've seen stronger ropes in my dad's garage." Not a good feeling.

Photos by Rebecca Long Photography from our wedding day, June 2013

Photo Source // Lettering by Alex Fly

“We haven’t been careless in the treasure that is ours— namely what we are to each other. ”

— Nancy Reagan

1. I've seen so many touching tributes to Nancy Reagan after learning about her death last week, and I can't help but be captivated by the love between these two and the lives they led. This book is now at the top of my reading list.

2. I've been on a bit of a redecorating kick lately. I think it's this warmer weather that makes me want to open all of the windows and move furniture around and paint everything white. I might need an intervention, but I can't wait to reveal all of the fun home projects I've been working on!

Photo by Rebecca Long Photography // Lettering by Alex Fly

3. Can you tell I've also fallen in love with watercolor lettering? There's something so soothing about the way the words and the water flow together. Can't stop. Won't stop.

4. I loved attending and snapping photos of our sweet friends' gender reveal last weekend. There were lots of smiles and tears and snow angels in confetti. Can you tell someone is excited to be a big sister? Pure joy. This new baby boy is already so loved!

I had the pleasure of creating the wedding invitations and wedding signage (along with the talented S.Arias Creates) for this fun, floral-inspired photoshoot located just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. 

It is on WeddingChicks.com today, so be sure to go over to their site and check out the rest of it!

We had an awesome team of creatives, y'all: 

Concept & Design: Heather Benge Events

Photography: Ashley Cox Photography

Videography: Love Be Videography

Venue: Shell B Acres

Hair & Makeup: Beauty by Jess

Flowers: Laurel Greene Studio

Cake: Cakes by Kim

Invitation Suite and Signs: Alex Fly Designs +  S.Arias Creates

Gowns: Rent The Runway

Models: Carly Coyne, Lauren Bender, Alex Denning

Sometimes my life just feels like one big, long transition. In between one city and the next, in between being a student and being a grown-up. In between decisions and dreams, homes and churches, seasons and surprises.

So I've found myself constantly waiting on the next thing, the unreachable adventure that will bring knowledge and peace and the feeling of having it all together. 

It's silly, really-- when I think about this pattern I've grown accustomed to believing.

“When I get to college I will know what I’m doing with my life.”

“After I get married, I will get it together.”

“After we find a church home, I will feel settled.”

“After the move, I will really get it together this time.”

“After we buy a house, we can really put down roots.”

“After we have kids, I’ll be exactly where I want to be in my business and marriage and finances.”

The in-between is a hard place to find yourself, especially when you never leave. 

I have been standing in the rain (and sometimes I really love the rain), looking for the sunshine. But the rainbow has been here all along, and maybe that’s what I should have been looking for.

So I’ve started to notice the rainbow. The rainbow says, “Yeah, it’s been raining for a while, and the sun will come again eventually, but why don’t you just sit in this moment and notice how beautiful I am?”

And this moment in life, this rainbow I would have previously thought of as merely another transition, is so incredibly beautiful.  

I should’ve known—God always meets us in the rainbows.

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!

My salvation wasn’t like the ones we constantly hear about-- the ones where there are tears on the bathroom floor and an earthquake-like awakening of an indwelling Spirit. My salvation was quiet and consuming, peaceful and full of grace. It wasn’t like I expected—this surrendering of a heart. It was better and harder and all encompassing. I felt both broken and whole, vulnerable and steady; I was ready to run.

I was around 10 when I asked Jesus into my heart. Then I asked Him again and again because I wanted to be sure He was going to stay there.

I remember my parents sitting me down and asking me if I knew Jesus. I was eating a bowl of chocolate ice cream and kept scraping the bottom with my spoon, the metal clanging against the ceramic bowl, trying to savor every last bit of chocolate that was left. I gave all of the right answers and knew them in my heart to be true.

When the day for my baptism came, I wore one of my dad’s white dress shirts as my family gathered around the pool in our front yard. Familiar faces were looking down at me while my favorite verses were read and my parents wept and my Papa dunked me under the water. There were little tea candles and flowers floating gently in the water while the sun was setting, and I thought it was so beautiful and perfect and wondered if we could always let flowers and candles float in the pool. 

I didn’t realize until much later that this salvation of mine was not a one-stop shop but a continuous surrender and brokenness. I will keep coming to this place over and over, this place of desperation and the receiving of grace. I will keep having the tendency to try earning my way into heaven, like the Pharisee counting his accomplishments, and I will continue realizing that I need to be more like the tax collector, beating my chest and begging, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”  

When we start admitting we need God, it becomes easier to find Him. 

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

— Luke 18:9-14

Sometimes it feels as if I’ve been walking with Jesus all my life, constantly knowing that He was right beside me in the trials and the triumphs, the guts and the glory. And other times it feels as if I am just now getting to know this God I’ve claimed to always serve. As He leads me through different stages of life, as He continues to proclaim His magnificence, God beckons deeper and deeper still and I think about this heavenly, holy Jesus in a new way.

It seems I’m walking with a flashlight and with each step I take, the light shines a bit further, reveals a little more of my surroundings -- and yet there’s still so much the light has not revealed.

But I suppose that's faith. 

“The believing man does not claim to understand. He falls to his knees and whispers, ‘God.’”

— A.W. Tozer