I'm Back!! (Well, kind of)

Hey y'all!! Wow, I have not posted on here in almost a year and a half! If you are reading this right now, thanks so much for STILL following along, even though I've been silent for waaaaayyyyy too long! 

The truth is, I've changed a lot. So many things have happened in my life and it just got crazy busy! Also, you may recall that God nudged me in February of 2017 to stop blogging for a while. Obviously, I obeyed. So, I'm coming back! .....but not exactly what you might think.

I am NOT coming back to Bows & Clothes. No, I am only coming back to blogging. I have a new blog! I have completely switched platforms and have my own domain now and everything! I am so grateful for all of the support and fun times and comments from you guys! Blogging at Bows & Clothes was so amazing and I am forever grateful for the fun journey! I've changed, and so I decided that I should start completely fresh with a whole new blog. It is called Wholehearted Wanderings. It is about my path toward wholehearted living. I know what you're thinking: what does that even mean?? I wrote all about in on my About the Blog page over at my new blog, but here is an excerpt:

"So far, right now, I believe it means to live sincerely committed, enthusiastically faithful, and unwaveringly purposeful. I want to live fearless, bold, and wild. I want to grow, get honest and vulnerable, and live fully myself as His daughter. I want to be so in love with Jesus that all of this just overflows out of me. So, I guess it all starts with loving Jesus with everything that I am.

I want to live on fire and on purpose. I desire to bring all of myself into situations. By no means am I naturally a zealous person, and maybe that's why I want to live like this. I am the type of person holds back and hides, but I want to become the one who gives her all, puts her whole heart out there. But, 90% of the time, I don't. And so this is my journey, my path toward that."

So, that's kind of what I mean by my title, Wholehearted Wanderings. My vision for the new blog is for it to be a place of encouragement and inspiration for all who are longing to go deeper, into life with Christ. I am planning on posting about almost everything. I live such a varied life, that I find it hard to narrow it down to a specific niche. I am planning on posting about my life, health, style, faith, and pretty much anything else. Haha! I'm still working on it. ;)

My first post at Wholehearted Wanderings went live today! I would love it so much if you would hop on over there and leave me a comment! I am so so so excited for this new adventure and fresh vision, and I really want you guys to be a part of it. I am so grateful for all of the love and support from y'all here, and would love to continue our relationship at Wholehearted Wanderings as well!

A Time for Everything

Hey, guys. I know it has been a really long time since I have posted. I am sorry for that. The truth is, I feel that, at least for now, my season of blogging is over. Somehow, someway, blogging became a chore and not the fun, fruitful space it had been before. And I didn't and don't like that. I started this blog to grow my style, help others with their style, and to inspire others. Sadly, I don't believe that that is what this blog is anymore.

So, all of that to say, at least for right now, I am going to step away from blogging. I don't know if I will come back or not. I may, but I am not sure. 

I want to thank all of my blogging friends who helped me along this journey and who supported me. I would also like to thank all of my amazing readers. You guys are the best! 

The other day, I was praying about whether or not to stop blogging and the Lord brought me to Ecclesiastes 3, so I thought I would share it with you guys:

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." -Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

BUSY & Grace + Lace Link Up

Happy Monday! I hope you had a lovely weekend! Mine went by so quickly! Life has been so busy lately. After all of the holiday's ended, life started back, and it became SO BUSY. So busy, that I don't have any content for you guys, just a link up. I hope you guys that are bloggers will link your recent posts below!

1. Kim from Champagneista linked up a post super full of amazing and adorable Valentine's Day outfits!! I love all of them! So pretty!

2. Brooke who blogs over at The Vine Press linked up a great post full of 4 ideas when your quiet times get boring. I found it to be super insightful and inspiring!

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows & Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media.

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This link up has no theme, so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have to right to delete your link if it is inappropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions, and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

Plaid + Sparkle & Grace + Lace Link Up

Happy Monday, guys! How was your weekend? Mine went by so quickly! Today, I am sharing with you an outfit and a new link up is live at the end of this post! Don't forget to link up!

Outfit details:

TOP: Kohl's (similar, similar)

PANTS: Old Navy (similar, similar)

BOOTS: (similar, similar)

NECKLACE: Charming Charlie (similar, similar)

This outfit is one of my favorites mainly because it is so simple, yet it's not at all boring. The colors in this top are absolutely my favorite because they can be worn for Christmas, but it doesn't scream Christmas, so it can be worn at any time. This shirt pretty much stands alone.

I added my black skinnies and black ankle boots and then topped the outfit off with a super sparkly statement necklace.

Shop this post below:

Do you have any pieces of clothing in your wardrobe that are so interesting that they stand alone well? What are they?

See where I link up here.

Now, let's get to the link up!

1. Nicole from Courage Hope Love linked up a super great and helpful post on how to calm an anxious heart. Personally, I struggle with anxiety, so I found this post extremely helpful and inspiring.

2. Becky from byBMG shared a post on her first Stitch Fix. I have loved Stitch Fix for a while and I love reading other's reviews. All of the pieces that she got are so cute!

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows & Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media.

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This link up has no theme, so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have to right to delete your link if it is inappropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions, and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

New Year's Eve Outfit + Thursday Moda Link Up

Happy Thursday! Today, I am sharing my New Year's Eve outfit with you guys, and I am co-hosting Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood's link up called Thursday Moda. Be sure to link up at the bottom of the post!

Outfit details:

DRESS: Kohl's (similar, similar)

JACKET (similar, similar)

TOP: Forever 21 (similar, similar)

SHOES: Target (similar, similar)

NECKLACE: Charming Charlie (similar, similar)

I actually didn't wear this outfit for New Year's Eve; we had planned on having a somewhat large party but some things fell through and we ended it up having just a small get-together. However, I would so wear this outfit. :)

I had thought of wearing this sequin crop top over this maxi dress, but I wasn't quite sure if it would work. To my delight and surprise, it actually worked out and looked super good. 

Shop this post below:

See where I link up here.

Let's get to the link up!

An InLinkz Link-up

Olive + Leopard & Grace + Lace Link Up

Happy Monday, you guys! As much as I like the break and holiday's, I am kind of glad to be getting back into the swing of things. I am the type of person who really likes routine, so I don't really mind getting back into it.

Today, I have for y'all an outfit that I shot when it was snowing on Saturday, and a new link up is live! {We are finally getting back into it.}

Also, sorry for the pixelated pictures. For some reason when I resize my iPhone photos, they get really pixelated.

Outfit details:

TOP: Kohl's (similar, similar)

JEANS: Old Navy (exact, similar)

CARDIGAN: JC Penney (exact, similar)

SCARF: Target (similar, similar)

BOOTS: Target (similar, similar)

Originally, I wore this outfit with my lace up booties {here} but when I shot this outfit, it was snowing outside and snow and suede don't mix. 😉 So, I just wore my black ankle boots instead.

I love the way the olive shirt looks with the tan cardigan. And then I added my leopard scarf which kind of brought the whole outfit together. 

Shop this look below:

See where I link up here.

Now onto the link up!

Since we haven't had a link up for past few Monday's, we have no one to feature. But next week, we definitely will!

-Link back to Spreading His Grace, Bows & Clothes, or both

-Subscribe to both blogs and follow each of us on at least one social media.

Mackenzie: Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Sarah: Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

-This link up has no theme, so we encourage you to link any of your recent posts. Also note that we have to right to delete your link if it is inappropriate. However, we are super excited to read about your passions, and are so glad that you've decided to join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

My One Word for 2017

Hello, y'all! I hope you guys had an amazing New Year's Eve and that the year has started out well for y'all. This year, instead of writing resolutions, I decided to buy Lara Casey's PowerSheets, so for the new year, I am doing PowerSheets {an intentional goal planner} and I {well, actually God} chose one word as a theme for the year. Today, I wanted to talk to you guys about my one word for 2017.

All throughout 2016 {especially the last 3-4 months} God has continued to show me more and more of His grace. I, like many others out there, struggle with perfection. {You can read more about that here}. I wrote this in my journal at the beginning of December:

"I am really good at putting on the mask of perfection, mainly because I want to be. I not only want others to think that I am perfect, but I want to be perfect as well. But perfection is unattainable and not practical."

God has been teaching me about His unfailing and immeasurable grace. That I don't have to be perfect because His great grace is mine as His child. It has been a journey, and I'm not even done yet. I don't know that I ever will be done exploring God's grace because it is that amazing. 

Naturally, after all of this with grace, I was tempted to make grace my word for 2017. But, at the same time, I still wanted God to reveal a word to me. Because no matter how good I think a word may be, God's words are always best. Last year, my God-chosen word was uncomfortable {you can read more on that subject here.} And it was great, and quite uncomfortable.

So, I went into each devotional and goal setting time with God kind of dwelling on grace, yet at the same time seeking God's direction. On December 28th, as I was reading my One Word devotions on YouVersion Bible app, I was going through the questions and God spoke deep into my heart. He said:

"I want you to know My power, to know My love. I am always faithful and I am always gracious."

And in that moment I wrote this in my journal:

"Faith to dare to believe that I am His, that He's got me, that I can overcome through Him"

And I don't even know how I came up with it, because I didn't. It was all the Spirit. And I wondered if faithful should be my word. I spent over half an hour looking up faithful in the dictionary, thesaurus, and in the back of my Bible. 

Honestly, it felt risky, and it still does. But that's okay because with God, risky is good. Risky requires faith.

Some of the meanings and synonyms of faithful that stick out to me are:

• True to one's word, promises, vows, etc
• steady in allegiance or affection, loyal, constant
• reliable, trusted, or believed
• full of faith
• affectionate, devoted, enduring, genuine, honest, honorable, loving, obedient, resolute, sincere, steady, tried, true, trustworthy, truthful, unchanging, unswerving, unwavering.

This year, I not only want to experience God as faithful and believe that's who He is, but I also want to be faithful. I want to be sincere, full of faith, trustworthy, and devoted not only to God, but also the people He places in my life.

What is your one word for 2017? If you didn't choose one, what are your goals?

See where I link up here.