social media contract for our teenager (with scripture) 📱

we gave our daughter her own instagram account for her 14th birthday. but first, we made her agree to a few things. we made her sign a contract. and yeah, we used scripture to back up our expectations.

according to instagram's terms of use, you must be 13 years old to have an account. some of my daughter's friends were on instagram long before they were 13, but we stood our ground to follow the official terms of use. but when she was 13, i still didn't quite have peace about her being on social media. there were more conversations we needed to have and more heart-work to do. so i waited, prayed about it, tried to model healthy social media presence, and then i kind of forgot about it. and so did my daughter. having her own instagram account wasn't something she asked for, or bugged us about, but i know she would have fun connecting with her friends on that platform. and at age 14, i saw a new level of maturity in her that indicated she was ready. i had peace about releasing her into the wild world of social media...with heavy monitoring and some serious guidelines in place.   

my husband and i drew up a social media contract for her, specific to instagram since that is the only platform she is using. and because the Bible is the foundation of our family's moral compass, we added scripture into the contract as a reminder of who she is and Whose she is. in a world full of puppy ears and sparkle eyes filters, we want her to know that the best filter she'll ever use is the Word of God. this contract was written with our teenage daughter in mind, but honestly i wish everyone had to agree to these things before they got online. social media would be a much nicer place! 

as a social media marketer/online influencer manager, i understand what she's getting into. being on social media is a bigger deal than it might seem. it's a big responsibility and privilege that we don't take lightly. this isn't just about posting selfies and seeing silly memes. she will be exposed to a lot. there will be temptations and influences. she'll have new opportunities to walk the walk we've taught her to walk. when my daughter is online, i want her to represent our family well and i want her to represent Jesus well. we've raised her to know that her identity is found in Christ alone, not in likes and comments. we've taught her that words are powerful and to use them wisely. she knows how to trust the Holy Spirit for discernment. she knows to prepare her heart before she posts. it's less about what to post and more about why she's posting. we have taught her, and will continue to instill, that what really matters in life is Who she follows (Jesus), not who follows her on instagram. 

"train up a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not depart from it."

-proverbs 22:6

something i'm learning as i go is that the best way i can protect my kids is to prepare my kids. the natural instinct is to protect them by preventing them from doing anything - the put them in a bubble perspective. but that isn't really living at all. a safe life isn't an abundant life, because a safe life never learns to dream big, take risks, try new things, or trust God fully. we're called to train our children in the way they should go, which means we need to prepare them and equip them for an abundant life, fully trusting God and leaning on Him. 

so, instead of keeping my kids off of social media and strictly prohibiting it for their entire lives, we are choosing to equip them with biblical boundaries and guidelines that line up with our family's beliefs. a line of communication has been established now, and how we navigate being on the internet will be an ongoing conversation with lots of grace and love, remaining firm in our foundation. this social media contract is where we're starting.

social media is supposed to be a fun place to connect with friends. that's it! these boundaries are in place not to be a helicopter parent or to take social media too seriously, but to keep it fun and safe.

you can view, download, and edit our instagram contract here: 

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTRACT (WITH SCRIPTURE) 

❤️

"let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. and whatever you do,whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." -colossians 3:17

ARE YOUR KIDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA? 

share your thoughts with me on instagram (of course)!

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20 ways to make the most of 20 minutes ⏰

if you find yourself with 20 minutes of free time, consider yourself blessed! free time is a gift from God and an invitation to a special, holy kind of rest.

time is precious. we can probably all agree that time flies and how often do we wish life had a SLOW DOWN or PAUSE button? this makes me look carefully at how i spend my time, and makes me want to spend the minutes and hours God has given me wisely.

i believe God ordains our days (psalm 139) and blesses us with pockets of free time that we so often are careless with, unfortunately. we are so conditioned to fill every spare moment with noise: tv, social media, busyness, and distractions. 

i wonder if that's why "self care" is such a hot trend right now - because we aren't wise with how we use our free time, we always feel busy, stressed, exhausted, so we feel like we need more self care? i think that if we were already using our time wisely, self care wouldn't be a thing. we'd already feel content, at peace, and rested. why are we so restless when we get a few minutes of unfilled time?

i keep thinking about recess time in elementary school. remember how good it felt to have that free time smack in the middle of the day? we might have greater responsibilities now as adults, but we still have the same 24 hours in a day and if anything, we are more capable of managing our time now. back then, our teachers told us when it was time for recess. now, we are the grownups in charge of how we spend our time. let's re-teach ourselves how to truly enjoy our free time. 

what if we made a habit of being intentional with our free time? what if, instead of filling that time with things that don't matter, we do things that were truly satisfying? which might very well be filling that time doing nothing at all! hello, holy rest. if you have a spare 20 minutes in your day, make the most of it! 

here are 20 ways to make the most of 20 minutes (or less) of free time

1. read an actual book or magazine  
2. listen to a podcast
3. go around the house gathering things to donate
4. pray
5. learn something new from a YouTube video
6. listen to a bible study
7. watch a church message on video
8. exercise or do yoga
9. write out your goals for the next week, month, year
10. meet a friend for coffee
11. plan your meals for the next week
12. organize a closet, a room, or some drawers
13. call a close friend or relative
14. listen to your favorite songs 
15. paint your nails
16. clean out your purse or car
17. go for a walk
18. write in a journal "dear diary" style
19. write a love letter to your spouse or kids
20. do something creative like draw, craft, paint, rearrange furniture, dance!

print this out. screen shot it. reference it when you need to. 

where you might have pockets of "free time" in your day: driving, carpool, during kids' naps, first thing in the morning, waiting for the kids to come home from school, lunch break, after the kids go to bed, in a waiting room, waiting for water to boil or food to bake, standing in line, at the laundry mat. my challenge is to log off of social media, turn off the TV, set a timer and do something fulfilling! i think our future selves will thank us. 

let's get off of auto-pilot time sucks and start making the most of free time.

“there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. 

For all who have entered into God’s rest 

have rested from their labors, 

just as God did after creating the world.” 

- Hebrews 4:9-10

7 hair + skin care products

i'm no beauty blogger, but i am definitely a beauty product consumer :) and when i find something i love, i like to share my recommendations! well, i've found some hair and skin care things that are working for me, so i'm here to share them with you, friend to friend!

HERE ARE 7 OF MY FAVORITE HAIR & SKIN CARE PRODUCTS:

1 // SILK PILLOWCASE the random thing i didn't know i needed but now i can't live without! did you know sleeping on a silk pillowcase is good for your hair and skin? it truly has beauty benefits! according to all the research, silk can reduce wrinkles caused by cotton, and it's better for your hair because it's anti-friction. plus it feels so fancy to sleep on a silk pillowcase. i love mine! it's comfortable and it's doing good things for my hair and skin. mine was a gift but i've seen them at Target and on Amazon.

2// JADE ROLLER this thing is so cool! literally! the jade stone stays cold naturally, and when you roll it on your face, it is known to increase circulation, tighten pores, brighten complexion, reduce under eye circles, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and reduce puffiness and inflammation. i use mine after i wash my face, i apply my serum (see #6) and jade roll my face for about a minute. i can definitely feel a difference after using it! i found mine randomly at Ross but i've also seen them at Sephora, Forever 21, and on Amazon.

3 // LOVE BEAUTY & PLANET BODY WASH gotta love a vegan, naturally-derived skin care product that smells like a garden! Love Beauty and Planet is a holistic-conscious company. the bottles are recyclable, the ingredients they use are sustainable, biodegradable, organic, fair-trade, and ethically sourced, and they support programs that help reduce landfill waste and overall carbon emissions. and? the body wash, shampoo, and conditioner is GOOD STUFF! smells amazing, cleans my skin/hair, is safe and formulated for color treated hair, isn't toxic, and does good for the earth? yes please. i found it at Target.

4 // DRY BRUSH trust me you'll want to add 30 seconds to your bathing routine for dry brushing! not only does it feel amazing, but it also does so much good for your skin and circulation. dry brushing is exactly what it sounds like: dry brushing your body. lightly, in clockwise circular motions and towards your heart. it exfoliates dry skin, stimulates nerves, and promotes healthy blood circulation. google it! you can get a dry brush at Target or Amazon or Goop. i keep mine near the tub and use it before i get in the shower.

5 // CARE/OF VITAMINS other than when i was pregnant and taking prenatals, i've never been good at taking vitamins. i know i need them! but the supplement aisle is so overwhelming! so when i heard about care/of, and how they tell you exactly which vitamins you need after taking a little lifestyle survey, i thought i'd give it a shot. well, 3 months in and i'm a daily vitamin taker now! my body is grateful! i feel like these vitamins PLUS my daily superfoods intake is really making my bod happy and healthy head to toe. and how adorable are the individual little packets with my name and a quippy quote!? love how personalized they are! if you know you need to up your vitamin game, take the  care/of quiz (literally takes like 1 minute) and get your first month of vitamins FREE. use code EHPTBW https://takecareof.com/invites/EHPTBW

6 // NATURMETIC you might remember that i was using R+F skincare products this time last year or so. well, when my preteen daughter needed to up her face cleansing game, i did some more research so i could find products that were healthy for her precious skin. i found some great products for her. but my findings also led ME to make a change! i quit using R+F and i started using Naturmetic. Naturmetic products are free of parabens, fragrance, and gluten. i've been using it for almost a year and i am very happy with it! i would say their products are effective and gentle for all skin types. Naturmetic is not in stores yet, but you don't have to know someone who sells it - you just order it online. i love that the products are uncomplicated: cleanser, serum, and 2 moisturizers (one for AM, one for PM). that's it. i also love the option to have the products autoshipped because it stinks when you run out of face cleanser and have to go without until you remember to restock! so, yeah. very happy with Naturmetic!

7 // COLLAGEN PEPTIDE CREAMER a beauty product you keep in the kitchen! how do you make a cup of coffee even better? add this stuff to it. VP vanilla collagen peptide creamer is delicious! AND it's good for you! collagen is proven to improve the health of hair, sin, nails, bones, joints, and other connective tissues. beautiful from the inside out! i've been using collagen for years and absolutely notice a difference in my hair, skin, and nails. this creamer is paleo, whole30 approved, and free of dairy, soy, carrageenan, gluten, and artificial additives. i found it at Sprouts but you can get it online or on amazon: https://www.vitalproteins.com/

and there you have it, 7 of my current favorite beauty products! and while this is all fun and lovely, i believe that true beauty comes from within, and that unfading beauty comes from trusting God with a gentle and quiet spirit, according to 1 Peter 3:3-4.

i'll share more of my faves on instagram from time to time. see you there, lovelies!

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the book that changed my life

if you are looking for something to read this year (or ever), i recommend the book that changed my life. 

it's the greatest love story of all time and you might already have a copy of it laying around somewhere. it might be dusty. maybe you open it every once in a while. or maybe you are already reading it, again. maybe it's already your favorite book. if you've read it, it's most likely changed your life, too.

i'm talking about the Bible. 

this version of it, specifically, will encourage your heart, specifically. 

the CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible invites every woman to find her story within the greatest story ever told—God’s story of redemption.

as you study God’s Word, you also read how God’s story has changed the lives of women just like you. because of His grace, they have found beauty in the brokenness and hope in the hard. and you can, too. God's Word has the power to change your life in ways nothing else can. eternity is in the balance.

your story is in these pages. my story is in these pages. this is the greatest Love story of all time, and it will bring you life, joy, peace, light, revelation, direction, love, and wisdom greater than you can imagine. 

Your word is a lamp for my feet,

a light on my path.

-psalm 119:105

throughout this beautifully bound (in)courage Bible, there are profiles of women of courage, explaining how God showed his love in each women's life. let these women of courage challenge you to live a courageous life with Christ!

there are also 52 devotions inside, written by someone who has walked through stuff and made it through with God. from adoption to cancer to missions work to homemaking and more - life is messy. but God’s love is always in the midst of it.

if you like reading plans, there are several included in this Bible that range from five to seven weeks, with each day of the plan containing Scripture and a devotional reading. there is so much in this book. dive deeper. open your heart to the transformational love of God.

there is space for journaling and reflection to record what you hear from the Lord. write in it. mark down God's promises. circle names and places and words. it's yours. use these pages and your time in the Word to sharpen your spirit and grow an intimate, personal relationship with the Author.

nothing needed to be added to God's Word. but it sure is encouraging to read women's stories of how His promises were true in their lives. as you read the greatest Love story of all time, see yourself in the stories and rest assured God's promises are true in your life, too. 

get your copy of the CSB (in)courage Bible here: http://incouragebible.com/#bible, and be blessed! God is good! 

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God endures forever.

Isaiah 40:8 

craze me into a holy awareness

Come, Lord Jesus,

confront me as a prophet:

disturb my indifference,

expose my practiced phoniness,

shatter my brittle certainties, 

deflate my arrogant sophistries,

and craze me into a holy awareness

-Rev. Ted Loder

at the beginning of 2019, in a cozy cabin on top of a mountain, with snow falling thick and steady on the surrounding pines, i read God's word with a hunger for fresh perspective and revelation. i wanted to enter the new year firm in my faith, full of His power and grace. 

and He sweetly and faithfully gave me a word to frame my focus, to theme my thoughts, and to posture my prayers: AWARE. 

Lord, make me aware. 

not just any kind of aware. a holy awareness. i want to be conscious and mindful of God's presence. awakened and alert to His goodness. i want to see and behold and watch and observe the things God wants me to be aware of. i want to be aware enough to hear Him in new ways, see Him in new places, and feel Him in a new realness.

being aware means more awareness of God, and it also means less awareness of world. my prayer for holy awareness is adding and subtracting from my perspective. increasing my vision in some areas, while letting Him blur and blind me in other areas of life. there are things He wants me to see and things He doesn't want me staring at for too long anymore. awareness is focused clarity.

barely three weeks in, and i'm realizing this is a scary prayer. because not only am i asking to be more aware of God's goodness, but in His goodness, He will also make me aware of my sinfulness. awareness has already been kind of rude to me. awakenings sometimes are, i guess. 

but awareness is good. God always brings things to light. the hurt and the Healer collide. 

i love what God is showing me, what He's speaking to me, and the way He's heightening my consciousness of His will. awareness is making me even more grateful. more content. more joy. more hopeful. more peace. this is the craze. 

psalm 26:3 on repeat: i pray that i am always aware of God's unfailing love, and that i live according to His truth.

DO YOU HAVE A WORD OR PRAYER FOR 2019?

what is it? tell me on my instagram post here.

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7 accessories with significance + giveaway 💝⌚

i love to collect unique accessories. my favorite jewelry is not necessarily the most trendy pieces or brands. my favorite pieces are those that hold a special meaning to me, are uniquely designed, made from durable reclaimed/recycled materials, give back or support a cause, are made fair trade, are made locally, and/or can be handed down. i daydream about my daughter and granddaughters wearing my accessories someday! i love the thought of passing down heirlooms that are stylish and hold significance.

HERE ARE 7 OF MY FAVORITE JEWELRY ACCESSORIES: 

1// JORD WATCH i get so many compliments on this watch! it's definitely unique. it is made from natural reclaimed maple wood! it is lightweight, yet durable, and truly high quality craftsmanship. i don't wear a watch every day but i have been wearing my Jord a lot - wood goes with everything! what i love about Jord (pronounced "yode") is that your watch can be custom sized to fit you, shipping is free, and the backplates of the watches can be engraved with a name or personal message. the watches come in a gorgeous gift box, too. and last night i realized face of the watch glows subtly in the dark! it's just so pretty. i love the natural look. want a Jord? thanks to a fun collaboration, click here to get 10% off and be entered to win $100 off your Jord watch: www.jordwatches.com/g/mamahall

2// HOPE DEALER this beautiful custom bracelet was a gift that is a fast favorite of mine. the word 'hope' and the wave design both are very meaningful to me! and the engraved "hope dealer" is just sounds so gangster haha...and is definitely what i want to be! i love it. find it here: tvp waves of love

3// PAPER BEADS paper bead bracelets always catch my eye because they make me think about the maker. i remember making beads from newspapers in high school art class. they're so simple yet require careful and meticulous work. this particular paper bead bracelet came with a card that says WARRIOR. it's from Mercy House Global, and the women in Kenya who handrolled these paper beads have a special place in my heart. i love the rusty reddish orange color, it is lightweight, unique, fair trade, and when i wear it i know a woman's life has been changed because of Jesus. similar bracelets: mercy house global

4// DIFFUSER BRACELET it's more than a bracelet: it's a personal diffuser! the beads on this locally made bracelet are made from unwaxed lava stone. i just add a few drops of any essential oil to the black beads, and because lava is porous, the oil is absorbed and emits the healing scents for days. patchouli oil is my favorite to drop on this bracelet. it's a simple piece of functional jewelry that i wear almost every day. similar: https://etsy.me/2CWw2rf

5// WOOD, GEMSTONES, CRYSTALS bling is not really my thing. but the natural wood, gemstones, and crystals in this bracelet are definitely my thing! so simple! so pretty! i love the neutral colors. again, it goes with everything. but most of all, i love that this bracelet represents transformation. it was handmade by women in Charlotte, North Carolina who are overcoming poverty and injustice. by buying accessories like this one from Fashion & Compassion, all of the proceeds go towards creating a community where vulnerable women can connect with God, one another, and resources as their lives are transformed. love! the Leah Bracelet is here: Fashion & Compassion

6// MADE WITH LOVE and i can say for a fact these earrings (the red/gold and black/gold studs pictured) are absolutely made with love. the girl who makes them goes to my church, and her heart is on FIRE for Jesus. she recently stepped into this creative calling of jewelry making, and you can tell in her craftsmanship that every handstamped, handpainted, handmade piece is made with all of her heart to the glory of God. plus, they're beautiful. they're unique. they are lightweight. they are made locally. and she is always coming out with more gorgeous designs. the new Valentine's Day earrings are SO PRETTY. check it out: Made with love, AM

7// WINTON + WAITS my gold with black fringe earrings from Winton and Waits are a great statement piece without being super fancy. i always get compliments on these! Winton + Waits is a local shop in Fort Worth. they have clothing, household items, gifts, jewelry, stationary, and lots of other really pretty and unique items! every purchase gives back to one of the organizations they're partnered with, including Feeding America, Gladney Center for Adoption, LeSouk in Africa, Sabahar Ethiopia, and many others. definitely more than meets the eye with these beautiful earrings! shop Winton + Waits here: https://wintonandwaits.com/collections/all

aren't they pretty? and pretty special, too! what makes these pieces my favorite is that they're all meaningful and represent something more than your average accessory. i think any of these pieces would make a lovely Valentine's Day gift! you can't go wrong with jewelry AND a gift that gives back! :)

don't forget to enter the JORD giveaway to be entered to win a beautiful wooden wrist watch!

"women who claim to be devoted to God should 

make themselves attractive by the good things they do."

-1 Timothy 2:10

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all opinions and reviews are my own, unsolicited, including the partnership with JORD.

Wooden Wrist Watch