the hallway.

August 24, 2015August 24, 201520 Comments

A few years back, my mom gave me this wooden sign that now sits by my kitchen sink: “Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway”. It’s become a favorite sign for me to read on a daily basis while I’m washing dishes and I routinely ponder what it looks like in my life.

I envision a long hallway with a locked door at the end. Have you ever stood in that hall with me? Trying to open a door that doesn’t seem to be budging? Perhaps you can relate in the desire to have a baby. Or maybe on the other side of the door is the spouse you’ve been praying for or the job promotion you deserve. Whatever it is, you can see it – some days you feel like the doorknob is wiggling, and yet, you can’t get in the door. So in the hallway we sit.

I turned 30 last week. T H I R T Y. At first I was nervous about entering this new decade, the one that now requires me to check off a new age bracket, start seriously thinking about eye cream and even renew my driver’s license. Thirty.

I didn’t anticipate it, but guess what? I love being 30. Like, L-O-V-E it. It seems crazy that an age can bring with it such a wave of contentment but I am so fully embracing this new decade that it scares me a little. I am doing this. I am being and enjoying life, with all its unknowns, even here in the hallway. Perhaps I am still running off of birthday celebration fumes, the aftertaste of parties and cards and hugs. But it feels deeper than that – it feels like a fresh start.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Our speaking pastor, Jason Strand, mentioned it yesterday in his sermon and I absolutely loved what he said after: “You don’t need to be thankful FOR all circumstances; you need to be thankful IN all circumstances.”

You know what that means? We don’t need to be thankful for the hallways – infertility, singleness, job loss, health issues … but we do need to be thankful IN the hallways. There’s a big difference there! Being thankful in the hallway starts with our attitudes, how we view our circumstances, and what we choose to focus on. Our pastor continued by saying “Happiness isn’t getting what you want; happiness is enjoying what God has given you.”

So good.

What is your hallway today? And how are you learning to embrace it and find joy in it? I promise, no matter how lost we feel, God sees us there in the hallway. We haven’t gotten stuck in a maze and disappeared from His sight. Maybe that locked door isn’t opening anytime in the near future. Or perhaps it never opens but another one in the hall does. Or maybe, it opens tomorrow. Either way, we can’t waste today forgetting that it’s possible to praise Him in the hallways.

Now a note to myself:

Dear Future Chelsea, remember this moment. Remember the contentment you have in the hallway. Don’t lose sight on His goodness as you wait. Keep your perspective upward and when you slip, which will inevitably happen because you’re human (and hormonal), come back to Him and keep praising Him. He hasn’t let you down and He won’t start now.

Love, 30 years + 5 days old Chelsea

Have you gotten a copy of the In The Wait devotional book yet? Don’t miss your chance! Preorders close THIS Wednesday and then the book won’t be available for purchase again until September 14^th. Plus, you get freebies if you order now! Check out this post for all the details + your chance to order.

Interested in hearing Pastor Strand’s entire message? Click here to listen.

in the wait.

August 21, 201511 Comments

IT’S HERRRRRE! Oh, guys, God is so good! I am so excited to share with you that the In The Wait devotional has officially launched for preorder sales!

Let’s back up! Did you know that I have been part of an amazing team of women – all talented, godly, fantastic writers – who have been able (through God’s grace) put into words what we have been learning through the seasons of waits life has to offer. If you are anything like me, you know that our lives seem to weave in and out of these seasons. Waiting for a spouse, kids, that right job opportunity. Waiting for your business to launch or your husband’s cancer to go into remission. It may be a an exciting wait! The wedding day is drawing near, your book is launching, you’re about ready to close on your new house! Perhaps it’s an mildy annoying season, like waiting for the end of a school semester or working to pay off a small, but tedious loan. More possibly yet, it’s a hard, stressful, painful one, wondering if your child’s health will ever improve, struggling through heart wrenching marital issues or dealing with infertility or loneliness. The reality is, seasons of wait have the potential to take our minds hostage and leave us exhausted and burnt out, feeling like we are living life in one big transition moment.

Our goal in writing this study is to show that it is possible to take these seasons of waiting – exciting, easy, hard and painful ones – and grow closer to God in them. It is possible to live life FULLY while being in an unknown season. Each of the 5 contributing writers, myself included, have shared with you our own intimate stories, lessons we have learned and are learning, and Godly wisdom that we are taking away. We want to equip YOU to grow with us!

This is an interactive devotional, meaning you get to participate through guided journaling (or doodling!) and prompted reflections on your own wait. You’ll be in the Word regularly, but don’t be intimated, you don’t need to be a Biblical scholar to go through it. All you need is a Bible (or a free Bible app!) and a pen. Then join us for 6-weeks as we partner with God to grow in the wait.

Friends, this is all God. I re-read the words of each of these days and it’s so encouraging to my heart. We give Him ALL the glory for helping us pour our hearts into these pages. What has been sealed up in this 240+ page book is nothing short of Him.

So now what? Well, if you order before August 26th, you will get included for FREE:

A Small Group Study Companion PDF
In The Wait Bookmark
In The Wait Scripture Cards Set
4x6in Psalm 27:14 Print + Thank You Card

These freebies are for a limited time and ONLY if you preorder by August 26th. Then sales will halt briefly until the official launch on September 14th. (No more freebies after that!) If you order during the preorder, your book will ship on or before September 8th, which means you will get it in your hands soon! YAY!

To be clear, this isn’t a devotional written for women struggling with infertility, although my story certainly is woven through the pages I have written. Instead, its for women of all ages who want to build a strong relationship with the Lord. Who find themselves worried or anxious, feeling overwhelmed in their current season. It’s for YOU, someone who dreams of claiming victory and living a joy-filled life no matter what your circumstances are.

I ask and pray that you pause today and see if this is something that God wants you to be a part of. I would love NOTHING more than to be able to watch others grow in their relationship with the Lord during their own seasons of waiting. I know I certainly have a lot more growth to do and am excited to re-dive into these pages with each of you!

So what are you waiting for? Hop on over to the book’s preorder page and order now! It’s $20 a book (well worth it for over 240 pages of devotional content and application questions!) PLUS all the freebies if you order before 8/26. Shipping is $5.95 in the US OR you can order a few copies and get FREE shipping (on all orders over $50). Know a friend that may want to journey through it with you? Or two? Accountability is never a bad thing! :)

Click here to pre-order: http://www.hollyholtdesign.com/shop/in-the-wait-6-week-bible-study-preorder

Thank you all – for your support, for your prayers, for your part in my own journey that has lead me to get on my knees and write out His truths. He provides us SO much power. I can’t wait to see what He has in store for you! Much love!

Want to take it a step further? Share this post with the women in your life who may want to preorder and be encouraged in their own spiritual walks! God is so good and faithful and we trust He will bring this into the hands of just the right women. Share on social media using #InTheWaitStudy!

watering.

August 10, 2015August 10, 20157 Comments

Cali and I just came in from our small garden, a basket full of tomatoes and lettuce and onions and herbs. When Josh and I planted, eerrrrrrr, when Josh planted everything at the beginning of the summer, it was hard to see how the tiny plants would ever produce anything.The sprinkler waters them, Josh trims them back and pulls off fruitless branches, in fact, he even installed a special gutter ledge to prevent the rain from pounding their tender leaves. (We can see who has the green thumb here, don’t we?) We wait. And we wait. And nothing seems to happen. But now, here I stand today gathering ripe tomatoes and lush lettuce and bundles of herbs. We can barely keep up with it!

“What do we have here today Mom?”

Then we have my actual flowers – the potted kind. I am the one that’s more responsible for these than Josh. And, shrug, they are nearly all dead. Watering with the hose seems like so much work. The water can takes forever to fill up. (Ridiculous I know.) Every time it rains, I pray that there are large gusts of wind that will blow the rain water to every plant, covered by the porch or not. I get lazy and then, well, the plant dies.

When i water ….

… when i don’t.

Josh will point out that my flowers are dead and remind me that I should water them. I begrudgingly get the hose and watering can out the next day and drown them, praying that this watering brings them back to life. Luckily, it usually works until about 2 weeks later when Josh reminds me again that my plants all look dead. I have great intentions at the start of the summer to water regularly and rip off their heads when they die, (I believe the technical term is deadheading), but then I get so lazy, certain they can sustain on their own.

As I harvested the tomatoes today, the thought flashed through my mind of how often life feels like a plant. One day we are looking at a circumstance and it feels so small and empty, impossible. We see no progress being made and our efforts to make it grow seem meaningless. But we stay persistent and then, suddenly, it happens. That first tiny flower, a sign of what’s to come. Then another. And another. And before you know it, that circumstance feel like a lush garden, fruit coming off the plant every day. But that fruit doesn’t just appear. It comes as a result of patience, watering, intentional grooming, and the routine of putting into it when you don’t yet see an outcome. Are you waiting for fruit today? That promotion to come or perhaps your walk with God to grow closer? Maybe it’s a new diet or fitness routine or trying to break a bad habit. Keep putting in. Keep working hard, even when it doesn’t seem like it’s paying off. Stay focused to the end goal – the harvest. Water your skills, your body, your mind, your spirit each day and wait. It will come!

Likewise, don’t be like me, never watering the plant or taking care of it and expecting flowers to bloom. Don’t expect an outcome when you don’t put in the work. Yes, it may be hard. Yes, you may feel lazy. I am right there with you!

I go through days where I expect the watering of my soul from last week’s devotions to carry me over to today. But then when a sharp word comes out of my mouth or my spirit would rather turn on secular music than worship music, I realize how dry my “soil” has become. My patience for people starts to wilt and only God can refresh my decaying mess. The reward of being rewatered and cared for feel so good, but wouldn’t it just be easier to keep the plant alive in the first place? For me, YES!

Think about it today friends. In what area of your life do you need to be reminded to keep your watering up? Your work isn’t in vain, your patience hasn’t been dismissed. You will reap a harvest. And also, in what area of your life do you need to start taking better care of your plant? Start watering it. Begin investing in it and then keep it alive with daily care.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9 (NASB)

Now, I’m off to figure out what to do with all these tomatoes! If only mozzarella grew on a bush …..

10 things and summer in a nutshell.

August 3, 201518 Comments

Excited to share a featured story over on EmpowHER today! The response from the community has been so well received and you are to thank! Thank you for sharing articles like this which foster awareness, education and help guide relationships and conversations. Keep the warm, open, honest and loving conversations going … your words make a difference!

10 Things I Want Other Women to Know About Infertility

“Infertility is a path that can be lonely, long and bumpy, filled with good and bad days. Throughout the battle, I’ve connected with other women, women who understand how it feels to be on this rollercoaster. Our emotions, feelings and thoughts are often similar and below is a compilation of our voice to share what we want others to know about infertility. Welcome to our world.”

Click here to continue reading 10 Things I Want Other Women to Know About Infertility

And with this post comes AUGUST! Whaaaaattttt?!

A few peeks into my month ahead:

1) I turn 30 on the 19th. I am all like:

Birthdays are a favorite of mine as I am a words of affirmations and receiving gifts love languages gal. Birthday cards, notes, and “thinking of you”‘s make me giddy and fill my tank for a long long time. I LOVE IT!

2) Global Leadership Summit! I am hitting up the satellite conference here in Minnesota … anyone else attending? Can’t wait to hear some great speakers!

3) New York City baby! Each year my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and me take in a long weekend in a new place and this year, its New York City. I have never been to the Big Apple and am pumped! Do you have any must-do’s while traveling the city? Food? Shops? Must-Stops? Taking suggestions here!

(I may have binge watched Gossip Girl in preparation.)

4) The In the Wait devotional pre-sale open on the 19th as well! I shared this tidbit on Instagram earlier this week: “I {l o v e} how God takes our lives and weaves them together in a way only He can. Over the years He’s brought this lovely group of women into my life – all walking different stories, yet all understanding that there are lessons to be learned in trials and seasons of wait. We’ve all been there – wondering what the future holds, navigating how do we get over “t h i s” hurdle in life, figuring out what His peace and power look like in action. He started stirring our hearts and the #InTheWaitStudy began. It’s with these strong, godly, beautiful women that a 6-week devotional began to form, all of us taking what He’s teaching us in our own very different and unique seasons of wait and putting it down on paper … FOR YOU! { h u r r a y ! } I can’t wait (hehe, punny!) to share more with you in the upcoming weeks! Preorders for this devotional start on August 19th …. Who’s ready to dive into with us?!” Don’t worry, I will keep you ALL posted as more details unfold. For now, pop on over to the website to learn more and sign up for special offers and sneak peeks!

The lovely “In the Wait” gals! Beauties arent they!?

Otherwise, to catch up on life quickly, here’s what I’ve been up to:

Spending time at the cabin with family and friends.

Dinner dates with lovely friends.

Observing my sister attempt to groom Cali. It sort of worked.

Spending time at the golf course with this stud. I even golfed my first golf game yesterday! :)

Reading, sunning and enjoying the cabin lake breeze.

Teaching Cali about patriotic pride.

Meeting friends new babes.

So many happy hours and coffee dates. Love! Satisfying to my heart, soul, and belly.

Watching Shawn win the Bachelorette … and realizing he looks like Alf.

Antiquing, garage sales, rummage sales, thrift stores … you name it, I went there. And probably bought it. Gulp. #changepurse

Learning and playing new games – Sequence is my current crush! I need to find it at a garage sale! Keep your eyes peeled MN friends …

Attending one of my moms infamous themed dinners with my aunt, uncle, grandparents, cousins and family! SO. MUCH. FUN.

Eating. So much eating.

One thing that’s not on the top of my list – doctors appointments and fertility discussions. And can I just say, for now, PHEW. It is SO nice to have a break, one where the dates aren’t catching up to me and my brain isn’t foggy with medicines to align my cycle. Taking the summer off was the best idea ever, Yes, fall will come at some point and with it some significant time of prayer for direction, but for now I am just living and boy, is it nice! (Plus its SO refreshing to not be talking about it all the time too! FREEEEEDOM!)

Thanks for reading this obnoxiously long post. Check out the link above if you haven’t already. Otherwise, I look forward to connecting again SOON! For now, I’ll leave you with this stinking adorable snap of Cali sunbathing today. It just cracks me up!