ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

sometimes it's the hardest thing we'll ever do to pause our ever-moving-forward agendas long enough to see another person. to have compassion and grace and understanding for them, especially when it interferes with our desires, when it means laying down our own needs in order to meet theirs. our own motives and our own agendas can feel so important and forefront, so that moment of yielding to someone else can feel almost impossible. like a death of sorts. because you know what? it hurts to die to self. it just does, no matter how insignificant it may seem to an onlooker. but i'm learning to embrace all of the emotions that come with disappointments like this, not to ignore them or feel shame for experiencing them (probably the hardest part for me). to feel them, acknowledge them, let them sit there while i figure out the next right thing. it's hard work to live in the tension of wanting to be healthy and magical and able to live above the waves - while still be...

i've been struggling lately. i know. what a great way to start out my first blog post of like this entire past year. but really, does anyone even read here anymore? it's been awhile... if you follow me on instagram, i've alluded to my struggle with fear and anxiety in small bits. but last week opened the floodgates when i shared a photo of that day's "Jesus Calling" entry which read: Anxiety is a result of envisioning the future without me. So the best defense against worry is staying in communication with Me. When you turn your thoughts toward Me, you can think much more positively. Remember to listen, as well as to speak, making your thoughts a dialogue with Me. If you must consider upcoming events, follow these rules: 1) Do not linger in the future, because anxieties sprout up like mushrooms when you wander there. 2) Remember the promise of My continual Presence; include Me in any imagery that comes to mind. This mental discipline does not come easily, be...

i'm sure you've heard it said : "love the sinner hate the sin". this phrase actually makes my skin crawl and my heart sink. why, you ask? after all, it seems like a very logical approach for a Christian who's trying to prove they aren't prejudiced or judgmental. (do you sense my sarcasm?) seriously, i don't like it. because although it may mean well, when it's actually said out loud and "practiced" as a way of life, it breeds an "us vs them" attitude. it gives us the excuse to tolerate, but at an arm's length. to co-exist on the same planet, but certainly not share our lives and our stories or open our homes. it rids us of any responsibility or burden we may have felt otherwise. and besides that, it's a very divisive and offensive thing to say. and let's be honest, when we say this, we don't actually love the person, we aren't actively and intentionally seeking out tangible ways to love the person, we just hope ...

"O God of mine, I'll have no idols..." played over Pandora. "O God of Mine", an old song by Rita Springer, is a beautiful hymn-like melody with soothing vocals and peaceful piano music. deep in thought, as i always am, i was struggling with feelings of fear and shame that had been pulling me under the last few months. i'm determined to be free from its grip, so i'm digging in to find the roots and i'm arming myself with Truth and with practical tools. as that phrase sang form the speakers, it just flickered across my mind -- the idol of self sufficiency . i had never named it before, but i finally understood it as a huge aspect of my struggle with fear and a huge aspect of the burden of shame that i carry. (i wrote a little bit about that here ) now you're thinking i must be a planner, a doer, and get-things-done kind of gal. you're thinking i must run a pretty tight ship, i must be type-A. and you'd be wrong. self-sufficiency is a...

recently i had one of those days where my to-do list consisted of six different super-quick errands. seems simple enough to most people. before kids you could knock them all out in less than an hour and go about your day. but with kids, forget about it. you dread the outing for two days and put it off until you have no more food or toothpaste and your husband is wondering about the dry-cleaning and the alterations. when you have to strap and unstrap three kids into their carseats for six different super-quick errands, it's a whole new kind of monster. it takes longer to get them in and out of the car than the amount of time we actually spend inside the post office, or the dry cleaner, or the bank. multiply that by six and we're all going crazy. truly, there needs to be a drive-through dry cleaner, drive through full-service post office window, drive through banking (not just ATM but actually denominations-other-than-twenty banking), and a drive-up pre-order Target servic...

well. it feels weird to be back here in this space. i haven't regularly blogged for over a year. i'm feeling like it's time for a redesign but that's beside the point. i'm really here to tell you about Hope Spoken conference that i attended in dallas 2 weekends ago. everyone has been saying how they need time to process everything. i'm no exception. what i'm about to share is really an email i wrote to casey and danielle a few days after i got home, but i've edited and expanded a little. there is still so much more in my heart and mind that's not quite ready to come out: i'm finally sitting down to pour out my heart after such an amazing weekend. the first thing that's hitting me is these three girls went with a dream and a mission and a calling from Jesus, and were brave to walk through the door and keep going, as danielle  describes it. i'm sure they imagined how beautiful it would be but i don't think they could have imag...

it's funny how this blog has seen a few distincitve waves. seasons of lots of writing, seasons like the last six months, of almost no writing. i don't know if i'm back for good. i just know that there are things on my heart that i feel like i should share. so however long God places things on my heart, and however often He gives the time to write, that's when i'll be here. all day long, i'm in my head. always thinking, praying, dreaming. sometimes my thoughts and prayers and mess get so thick and heavy that it's hard to wade through it all. more often than not, really. and those are the times i journal, write, create, draw, design, sing. just unplug from my mind and plug in with my soul and the things God made me to do.  there are so many prayers constantly rolling around in my heart. most of them are offered up for things and circumstances that are completely out of my control. prayers for our family, for other people, for big dreams and small ones....

i remember the day so vividly. it was a long day of mothering and diaper changing and probably lots of meltdowns. both from me and the kids. i had this cloud hanging over me, just looming there. i was wondering all day long: is this it? not in a hopeless kind of way, or ungrateful for all that God has given me or demeaning the importance of raising children... but just wondering if God had plans to use me in a bigger way. and hoping the answer wasn't no.  there are particular things that i know He has for me, dreams He's given me. and those will unfold in due time, but i wondered if my words, my story, my life and experiences could be used in a way to bring Him glory right now. i'd been blogging for awhile and sharing my words and felt like i really had a ministry budding here, but it had begun to feel a bit pointless. it was a season where i wondered if anyone could hear me. was i just typing onto an empty screen, for my own benefit? was i reaching anyone with the goo...

goodness this blog has been neglected... i'm here because i wanted to tell you about the holiday/christmas cards that appeared in the shop today! there are 8 different designs to choose from and THIS WEEK ONLY they're on sale at 50% off , as sort of a grand-opening-early-bird special. the fun part is, even if you don't have your family photos done yet, you can still order a card today as sort of a pre-order, but wait until you have your photos ready to customize and finalize everything. if you order one card and decide after getting photos taken that a different card will look better, we can easily "exchange" designs! (i won't issue refunds, though, just a switch to another one of my designs). here's how it works: 1) go here and buy the one you like 2) send me an email or etsy convo with your photo and last name you want on the card (first names if applicable)... if you don't have your photo yet, no problem, just let me know! 3) i'll m...

so it's my anniversary week. my husband and i will celebrate 8 years of marriage tomorrow, June 12. to celebrate with you, i thought i'd offer free shipping in the shop this week! enjoy! [only available for U.S. addresses, thanks for understanding!]

so i havent been around for awhile. i know. there was a time, for about six months, where i blogged 3 times a week and had posts planned, written and scheduled a few weeks in advance. i was trying to "grow my blog" but, quite frankly, it didn't work and i got burnt out. that's just the honest truth right there. the thing is, lately i haven't had time and i haven't felt inspired to share anything. not at the exact moment i'm sitting at the computer anyway. i do miss it though. the few of you who were reading and feeling encouraged by whatever i shared... that was worth it, right? because sometimes it can be discouraging and it can feel downright defeating, like a waste of energy. putting your whole heart out there for 72 people to read and go on with their day. you wonder if it's really futile after awhile. if your time could be better or more wisely spent.  everyone likes to say that you should write whether 20 or 20,000 people are reading, bu...

i know, i barely blog anymore. but i need your help :) i've been searching around for a new phone case. mine is over 2 years old and it shows. apparently i'm in a mint/aqua/turquoise mood today. which one is your favorite? help me choose! i really love the blue aztec one but i'm not that trendy or cool. i think the ombre herringbone is probably more me . but i still can't decide... Aqua Ombre Ikat Chevron iPhone 4 Case-Mate Cases by jenniferstuartdesign Browse Ikat Casemate Cases Mint Big Dot Case-Mate iPhone 4 Cases by jenniferstuartdesign Browse more cases for iPhone 5 at zazzle.com Aqua Ombre Herringbone iPhone 4 Covers by jenniferstuartdesign Shop for iPhone 4 Covers online at zazzle.com Ikat Scallop Waves iPhone 4 Case-Mate Cases by jenniferstuartdesign See other Modern Casemate Cases at zazzle Mint Polka Dot iPhone 4 Case-Mate Case by jenniferstuartdesign Browse another iPhone 4 Cover Aqua Cute Girly...

i had to tell you guys about my friend Jami. she's someone that i've been fortunate enough to meet through blogging. i mean, the fact that it's possible to have friends you never would have met otherwise, just because you write a blog and they write a blog and you happen to be going to the same conference two years ago ? pretty mind-blowing. and she's amazing, you guys. hilarious and kind and so easy going. and now i'll let her tell you about the rest... all of the below is from Jami: today is the day! the day you get to see all the goodies up for grabs. aaaand, i'm nervous. there i said it. i feel better already. if you read my post from last week you know that hubby is part of a mission team going to uganda this summer. we are thrilled to be able to participate and can not wait to see what the Lord does. the team will be traveling with children of the nations  spending time teaching and loving on children in group homes. they will also be visit...

i can't believe it's been almost a month since i've posted anything on this here blog... i guess i've been busy? here are some of the things i've been up to though, that i wanted to share with you: first of all, i added some prints to the shop as instant downloads. so you can buy and download right away, to print it yourself from home. the great thing about this option is a) you don't have to pay for shipping b) you don't have to wait for shipping c) you can print as many as you want! if you have three gifts to give...   like maybe a last minute mother's day gift?  you can print out four for the price of one download (one for yourself of course)! find the instant downloads here second, i've been busy making some announcements and invitations for my zazzle store . with zazzle.com, you get to personalize and customize everything yourself, right on the website, and then order straight from them! i make a little royalty from every sale, and...

mother's day is always tricky in our family. both my mom and mother-in-law's birthdays are within one day of each other, and always within a few days of mother's day (if not actually falling ON mother's day some years). that's a lot of gifting and sometimes it's hard to come up with new ideas each year, you know? we usually do photos of the kids, a photo book, or something else meaningful. my mom always told me growing up that she'd rather have a gift i made her (no matter how lame) than something i bought. so i'm going with that. i usually always tuck a little print into their gifts, too. because that's sort of like a gift that keeps on giving, i think. plus it falls into the category of something i made . so i thought a 25% off sale would be fun, because maybe you want to gift a lovely print for mother's day too? use MAMA25 at checkout  from now through May 1st to guarantee delivery before mother's day. click here to shop ...