Wonderfully Made

Drop your chains. My chains are those of lethal doubt. A doubt that paralyzes me. A doubt brought forth by anxiety.

“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains” — Rosa Luxemburg

You are all but held captive by the optical illusion of being tied up.

Stand up and watch the chains fall. The first step is always the hardest. Be honest with yourself. What are your chains? What do you let have control over you daily?

“There is no failure. You either win or learn” — Nelson Mandela

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” — Suzy Kassem

Perspective and honesty are a potent duo. Chose to be ashamed of your chains or chose to change your perspective and use it as a double edged sword. You, reader, are never to forget just how wildly capable you are.

Another one of my chains is perfectionism. There are times where I quit before I start because I know I won’t be able to get it perfect. When I first admitted this, I was so ashamed of this. Now what I chose to do is simply start. Walk out of the door and into the light.

Once you drop your chains, leave them. I am all too familiar with picking them back up. Keep chasing your dreams. Get there, even if it means you have to crawl.

~Ellie LaGrange

 

Life is one wild ride. A year ago, I sat in the dark wishing I was gone. I was hopeless. Spiritually I was broken. I kept asking the same question over and over. Why me?

A year later, I am truly the most joyful I have ever been. There are still rough days. Before, with my shadowed view on life, I couldn’t see past the storm. I would shut down and hole up in my room. I shut those who cared the most about me out. Now, I see the rainbow at the end of the storm. I reach out when I know that I am not okay. Instead of criticizing my flaws, I try to look the other way and keep going.

I am surrounded by the best of friends and family. They constantly check in even if I don’t see them regularly.

These days, my biggest challenge is anxiety. The anxiety fuels self doubt, but I refuse to let it win.

I left this blog about a year ago because I doubted my creativity. I started to believe that my creativity was only fueled by my hurt. I am sitting here writing this with gratitude and joy in my heart. This is such a cool moment for me, having renewed creativity founded in joy. I know that there will still be rough days, however, I vow to be like a palm tree holding firm to my roots in Christ through the storms that life throws my way.

Hey ya’ll! The past few weeks have been rough, to say the least. I felt betrayed, and someone close to me was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Something thought to be good turned into a complete nightmare. The walls came crashing down leaving me amongst the rubble. I wanted to say “kick me while I’m down”, and life read my mind. My initial response was to shut down and give up. I sat still, took a breath, and had hard conversations. I came out on the other side of a rough week with even stronger friendships and a better understanding of what I’m looking for in life. Love is great, and it is worth fighting for. That being said, I am still not anywhere near close to having life figured out. Life is funny, confusing, not fair, beautiful, and scary. Life likes to throw curveballs at the most inopportune times. I have no idea what life holds after this season full of hurt. Regardless of the hurt, I have felt in this season, I have felt love, seen beauty, and seen what the simplicity of being kind can do. I have great hope for the future, and I know that it holds lot’s of laughter, art, writing, and more COFFEE.

 

“You’ll never regret being kind” ~ Momma Lew

“You are a diamond dear, they can’t break you” ~ Pravinee Hurbungs

“Never forget how wildly capable you are” ~ Unknown

 

Remember to practice love, kindness, and patience even in those seasons of hurt. Look for the small wins in each day, and spend time in gratitude each day. Seasons end friends! Keep fighting for what you believe in, and love yourself along the way. Love the journey and grow through what you go through.

 

With Love,

Ellie LaGrange

 

If you know anything about me, you would know that I like coffee… Okay, I’m obsessed with coffee! I will stop dead in my tracks if something says coffee on it! I have a plethora of coffee mugs (15 that I can think of at the top of my head), stickers, and things that have the word coffee on them. I have to have at least one cup a day and on busier days 2-3 cups. My favorite coffee to get at coffee shops is different flavored Mochas. My top choices at the moment are the Dark Chocolate Amaretto Mocha, and a Vanilla Chai with a shot of espresso- Both from Buon Giorno. It is my dream to open an artsy coffee shop, become a barista and master latte art! There will be more blog posts on this subject about mugs,  my favorite coffee shop location wise, and coffee wise!

 

A Growing List of the Coffee Shops I’ve Been to:

Buon Giornos-Grapevine, Texas

Starbucks- All over the country *My favorite one was the one in Times Square in NYC!!*

White Rhino-Cedar Hill, Texas

Scooters-Colleyville, Texas

Edison-Highland Village, Texas

The Wild Detective-Bishop Arts District, Texas

The Well-Colleyville, Texas

Arsagas-Fayetteville, Arkansas

Momma Carmens-Fayetteville, Arkansas

Dichotomy-Waco, Texas

Common Grounds-Waco, Texas

George-Coppell, Texas

Snug on the Square-Mckinney, Texas

Kindred-North Richland Hills, Texas

Redefined-Grapevine, Texas

Roots Coffee House-North Richland Hills, Texas

Summer Moon- Keller, Texas

Avoca Coffee- FortWorth, Texas

Twisted Sisters Bake Shop – Fredericksburg, Texas

Ranch Road Roasters – Fredericksburg, Texas

Wander’n Calf Espresso Bar and Bakery – Comfort, Texas * BY FAR BEST VANILLA LATTE

Sons of Liberty – Fort Worth, Texas

Civil Goat Coffee Co. – Austin, Texas

 

 

Please Note that all of the coffee shops I’ve been to may not be on here as I am writing the names of the shops that are popping up at the top of my head! I will add them as I remember them!

My thoughts spill over me like a wave pulling me further still from the shore. I continue to put up walls, unbreakable walls. The faster the thoughts crash over me, the deeper I sink. Confusion is tied to my ankle like a ball and chain.

Sometimes we don’t realize we have the tools to detach the ball and chain. It is not good for man to be alone. Walk along with others; they say that laughter is the world’s best medicine.

~Ellie LaGrange

I recently was in a Bible study with a group of girls, this is what I wish I would’ve known before going into it:

Never go into a group setting with the mindset of “what can I get out of this?” I find this mindset to be crippling because MOST of the time, it won’t go the way you had planned and you will end up being sorely dissappointed.

Instead, go in with the mindset of “how can I pour into others?” As a result of this mindset, you will be constructing positivity in others. This creates a chain reaction. I find that when one opens up in front of a group, it lifts the weight off of other’s shoulders.

You have to be willingly vulnerable in front of others. Allow yourself to be 100% honest.

~Ellie LaGrange

~You are wonderfully made~

Happiness fades into a void. No more color, light, or life. Happiness changes like the seasons, falling with the autumn leaves, stripped bare like the winter trees, flourishing like with the spring flowers, and becoming bright like the summer sun in a  summer sky. Smiles fade into the dusk as quickly as the sun comes up.

Joy holds like palm trees in a hurricane. Joy is there through the storm and in the serenity of a still water. Joy grows on the tree, staying ever green, from dawn until dusk, in the storm and in the calm through the endless cycle of seasons.

Happiness is temporary, Joy lasts forever.

Seek Joy.

~Ellie LaGrange