Meet the Magnolias

Will keep shining even in my darkest days.  Sometimes, circumstances or events in life blow through like a sudden gust. My flame flickers, threatening to be extinguished. Somehow, though, it remains. My beacon in the darkness. My hope.  Have you been there? Are you there right now? Under the crushing weight of life? My friend Sarah Ann Rogers just wrote this ebook about her season of darkness. I found it wonderfully written and so encouraging for my own life. Whether you're dealing with loss or a season of waiting or whether you're going depression or anxiety or loneliness, this book is for you. I promise.   You can (and should!) purchase it here . Plus, there is an additional audio companion for your use! You can purchase the bundle here .  Thanks to Sarah for sending me a copy to review and for writing from the depths of her heart. It helps to know we aren't alone. It helps to have a friend who helps you keep your flame lit.  Love y'all,

We're just over mid-way through the second month of 2015, and it's just THREE MONTHS UNTIL MY BIRTHDAY! I'm just wanted to check in to share what I've been up to this month. Starting things out with a selfie, as usual. :) I'm still in the early chapters of this book, and already I've underlined a million and one things. Please be sure to check Lara's blog out! I used these amazingly fantastic Valentine's Day cards from A Beautiful Mess ! They offered it as a free printable to their email subscribers. AHEM. Go. Join! We celebrated Valentine's Day with lunch, Forever 21, a walk, and dinner at Krystal's! The day could not have been more perfect. Honestly? So blessed to have this guy as my husband. Sunday, Jordan was kind enough to take my picture. You know me and my backyard outfit posts. This is number...two.  ;) That's all for now! Love, Jessica @jesstinybird

Have you ever been shattered to bits and put back together all at once? In the same instant? That's what the IF: Gathering did to and for so many of us this past weekend. I was interested and inspired when I first heard about IF (I can't remember if I heard it from Jen in this post , or if it was somewhere else). Then, last year, I was so bummed to not be at the conference...but I get that way about several conferences. When my church revealed that we would be hosting an IF: Local this year, I. Was. Pumped. Up. (Shout out to the ladies of Pinelake Clinton that made it all come together beautifully.) There are so many inspiring, brave women attached to this movement whom I admire. I feel like we were gifted so much wisdom and knowledge and even understanding that we deeply needed. The Lord knows what we need. He always delivers in His own time and way. My heart was filled to the brim with thanks - for the messages and for the time spent growing with precious wom

I'm linking up with Jenna and Anne again this month! It's easy to do and a great way to find new blogs to read. Join us, would you? (Each month, they send out the list of topics so you have time to think them over.) I'm currently hearting...that the days are staying brighter a little longer; Peanut, my dachshund who turns 11 today; impromptu lunch dates with Lauren and Susan Hall; Veronica Mars. I'm currently reading The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson (yes, still). I'm about to read Make It Happen by Lara Casey, which I talked about here . The Influence Network is book-clubbing it! Keep up with what I'm reading on my Goodreads . I'm currently pinning my 2015 birthday wishlist and all sorts of other things! I love Pinterest and the collections it allows me to have!!! I'm currently eating....everything. Hahahah! With my love for food and the Super Bowl, I haven't been hungry for days. I snapped my lunc

Oh, hey there FEBRUARY! The month of love is upon us, friends! I just wanted to share some snaps from my life lately. Small group has started back. HALLELUJAH. I've missed every single one of these girls and their husbands! So happy that we're reunited to work through the ups and downs of life together. I'm still just smitten with working downtown and being able to walk to lunch (on days that I go out). The weather is giving up full on spring and summer one day and frigid winter the next, but I love how gorgeous the past several days have been (minus the super rain storm on Super Bowl Sunday). Random Friday night dinner and Target trips with my life-long-bestie and our husbands are one of my favorite things EVER. Nothing like gorging on Greek food and walking it off up and down our favorite aisles. These sunnies are on my wishlist. So. Whoever wants to make that happen. Target, I LOVE YOU. Saturday was the super fun, highly-anticipat