My LulaRoe Carry-on Challenge...

Over the years, I have mastered "light packing" and taking only one carry on for my business trips -- ranging from a few days to one week! Let's be honest avoiding checked luggage is less of a headache and if you are a control freak like me, will ensure your belongings get to your final destination when you do. When plans began to shape up and I realized I would be traveling FIFTEEN days straight in April, I knew I was going to have to bring in the experts – my favorite local LulaRoe (LLR) retailer, Amy Heebner.

Before we get to the details of my carry on, let’s stop and talk all things LLR. I do not sell it – just a loyal customer who has developed a bit of addiction not only for myself, but my two girls! LLR is a family owned, multi-level marketing, clothing business. It is only sold through independent retailers, so you won’t find in traditional brick and mortar stores. The clothing line is stylish yet comfortable and is made all over the world – one thing that makes it so unique is that there are only a certain number of patterns printed per style, so the likely hood of someone else having the same pattern or piece is extremely low. The entire business pivots around Facebook groups and live boutiques set up in living rooms or at events. Customers browse online photo galleries posted by retailers during designated “shopping hours” – which is genius as it creates urgency for the customer purchase.  Many run loyalty programs, so finding a consultant and shopping exclusively is definitely the way to do – lots of perks! Don't forget to check out Amy's Facebook LLR Shopping Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LuLaRoeAmyHeebner/?fref=nf

Once you try on LLR, you will likely be hooked, stylish and comfortable – who could say NO?! One other things that LulaRoe has provided for many of its consultants is a flexible (and profitable) career – as well as an opportunity to make women feel beautiful and confident. Let me tell you a little bit about my LulaRoe guru, Amy Heebner. Amy started selling LLR over a year ago – to have an opportunity to provide for her family financially yet have flexibility to stay at home and care for her son with special needs. Amy had over 6,000 items in inventory – she offers personal styling appointments, hosts private parties and participates in community events. LulaRoe has blessed Amy’s life in so many ways – whether it be a flexible career, financial stability, a new found confidence or just making woman feel beautiful. 

If you are a women who travels for business (or just love stylish comfy clothes) – LulaRoe might be the answer to your travel woes. Pieces that are versatile is key to packing light – you can wear twice by styling differently and no one will even know. The first step in my challenge was to give Amy (and her amazing assistant Barbara aka Amy’s mom) the freedom to pick out pieces that I’d be able to mix and match and wear in various climates around the globe. We ended up with 5 tops (2 Irma’s, 2 perfect T’s & 1 Randy); 5 leggings, 4 skirts (2 Madison’s & 2 Cassie’s), 2 dresses (Carly’s), 3 Sarah’s and 1 Joy. To ensure all LLR pieces, shoes (3 pairs to be exact) and toiletries would fit nicely – I rolled up each piece tightly and put a clear rubber band around each – no space was wasted … that is for sure!

I am happy to report that I wore everything once – some even twice, but styled differently the second time ensured that I didn’t feel like I was on repeat for the second half of the trip. One thing I realized as I was trying to document my wardrobe is that I am a horrible selfie taker, so had to start asking others to take my outfit photos -- ha! Check them out...

This is all the LLR I took in my carry on!!!

Perfect T + Cassie {Bali, Indonesia}

Carly {Bali, Indonesia}

Sarah + Carly + Leggings {Rome, Italy}

Sarah + Irma + Cassie {Rome, Italy}

Perfect T + Joy + Leggings {Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia}

Perfect T + Joy + Madison {Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia}

Sarah + Perfect T + Leggings {Tokyo, Japan)

Sarah + Carly {Rome, Italy}

Irma + Joy + Leggings {Rome, Italy}

Carly + Leggings {Rome, Italy}

Losing Control, Never Felt So Good.

Hello my name is Maegan -- and I am a recovering control freak! You see some people would classify me as Type A -- I am super organized, detail-oriented, love to plan ahead, make lists, fill in calendars/planners. I know – sounds pathetic, but seriously I have been this way since birth. My mom will tell you as a child I would intricately plan all of my birthday parties and as soon as one was over, I would start planning the next one (a year in advance). As a young adult the desire to plan and control continued – I studied and worked hard, received multiple degrees, got a good job, married my high school sweet heart, bought a house, and so on and so forth. And through all of these big milestones, I for some reason thought I was in control of my own destiny. I mean society teaches us that you have to take your fate in your hands own hands and it’s your responsibility to make the most of your life. I am a Christ follower and ultimately knew deep down inside that these blessings were from God, not by anything that I deserved -- but still in some convoluted way thought I had some part in the equation. And through a series of events in my life with friends and family – tragic deaths, terminal diagnoses, broken friendships, lost jobs, and more – I started to realize that control over my life was just an illusion. And quite honestly all the planning and attempts to control life are just a distraction from God himself.

The moment I really questioned my ability to control – is when I entered into motherhood. Have you ever tried to talk a two year old off the ledge of an absolute meltdown? Well if so, you know that you are NOT in control. Trust me -- my kids have had lots of explosive moments in public despite my wishes. And thankfully I love them unconditionally despite their tantrums and irrational behavior at times. Last October I hosted a cabin with a good friend at a women’s retreat produced by Hill Country Bible Church. The topic for the weekend was CONTROL. Ummm excuse me, was this curriculum written just for me specifically? It sure felt like it! The whole weekend was a bit of an eye opener. I had never really thought of my desire to control as a SIN, but by golly it is! Thankfully Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” I was surrounded by some of my favorite working moms throughout the retreat and was able to process all of God’s truth shared at the conference.

Shortly after this retreat, my husband was offered a job in San Antonio – which would mean moving our little family of four to a new city. EKKK! I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. I loved our neighborhood in Austin, our beautiful home, our life there and the deep community that we had built over the last three years. It was a BIG decision, but my husband and I committed to his leadership of our family -- living by faith not by sight. This basically meant that I had to step back (let go of control), so my husband could step up and lead our family as God had called him to do. OMGoodness this was so scary for me. I am so thankful for my close friends who are such strong women of faith – they were there for me to vent to, process this and ultimately speak truth to me through scripture for the last year. One day I was listening to K-Love while I was driving home from the office and heard Casting Crowns, Just be Held -- “When you're on your knees and answers seem so far away, You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held. Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place. I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held.” God has a funny way of speaking to us sometimes, but this was a direct message from above. He took the job and we started the process of buying and selling homes to make this transition. I will spare you ALL the painful details, but was shown once again that I was NOT in control and that God truly is. We eventually sold our home in Austin and just made the move to New Braunfels this summer. It has been such a blessing in more ways than one – and we are looking forward to this new chapter in our lives.

Life is full of good times and bad – it is important to find joy in all of it. And also to take a hard look at how God is using your circumstance to draw you into a closer relationship with Him. For my fellow believers we can rest assure because the scripture says in Romans 8:28, “… for those who love God all things work together for good…” The moral of the story is – God has you exactly where he wants you. And trying to control what happens in this life is just unproductive on SO many levels. Time and time again God has shown me that His plan is better -- Jeremiah 28:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

My Journey – Becoming a Woman of Faith

Growing up I thought I lived the definition of the all-American family -- with a little twist of awkwardness. Let’s be honest being a preacher’s kid (PK) came with a whole set of stereotypes and standards. And as a young girl who just desperately wanted to fit in and be “normal” created some insecurities.  I was blessed with two loving parents, who loved God first and spent their lives serving Him and others. As an adult, I can finally appreciate my “different” childhood -- from morning devotionals with my dad, limited sleepovers, countless church services – vacation bible schools and youth camps, spending the holidays prepping for Christmas and Easter services and volunteering time to those in need. I’m pretty sure I came out of the womb with John 3:16 memorized – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I mean I was a PK – I think that is expected. 

I was “saved” at a young age. I was in church every time the doors were opened – it was hard not to know the gospel. It was pretty simple, I knew that I was sinner and needed God’s love and forgiveness. John 14:6 says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I truly believed this, but to be completely honest – it wasn’t something I was very open about. I was definitely not going to shout it from the mountain tops. It might have been a lack of maturity – or that fact that it made me different, but I was a little timid in my faith and my family’s solid devotion to living a faith-based life was a little uncomfortable. 

Regardless, I considered myself a Christian, but to me it was something that I kept private. The opposite of how my parents lived out their faith. In this quietness, I began to straddle the fence – living in this world, not for God. I can now see how important it is to surround yourself with other believers – it could be the difference of staying focused on eternal things – or becoming of this temporal world. As any young adult, I thought I was invincible, loving life – did what I wanted and had successful plans for my life. I was still a believer in Christ, but I was young – I had my whole life to be a good Christian and serve God and others, right?

Then my dad died very unexpectedly in 2005 and my world came to a screeching halt. Job 1:21 says, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away…” Isn’t that the truth? I began to question God’s goodness – because seriously how could He let something like this happen to a man that dedicated his ENTIRE life to serving Him? That is just wrong – or so I thought at the time. 

It was in the years following my father’s death that I discovered this new-found faith in God that I was definitely not ashamed of – and was grateful that I had finally embraced this life changing reality. Had it really taken the death of my father for me to understand God’s love and that finally realize THIS life is definitely not the end – and quite honestly just the beginning for those that find truth and believe it wholeheartedly?

James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature, and complete, note lacking anything.” Over the years I have had my fair share of trials – broken friendships, tragic deaths, lost jobs, and more. And in the moment of despair when I felt like calling God out, “Really God, again?“ -- I am reminded of Romans 8:28 that says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” In hindsight, many of these trials have strengthened my faith and made me who I am today. And the good news is that even in the midst of a broken and ever changing world – God remains the same today, tomorrow and forever.

We all know that life on earth is a little messy. I am a perfect example -- believe me when I say I have many moments I am not proud of. You can ask my husband – I’m sure he’d share many examples! The good news is that God loves me and has given me grace. That grace is from the ultimate sacrifice He made -- sending his son Jesus to die on the cross to forgive us of ALL of our sins.  He has gone before us to prepare a place in eternity called Heaven – where there is no sadness, evil or sickness. Seriously this is deep stuff – and SO important for us to know before it’s too late. It could be the difference of living in eternity in the presence of God or separated from his goodness FOREVER.

Living a daily walk of faith in God -- in the word, in prayer and in community with other believers is exactly where I want and need to be. This my friends is NOT something to live quietly for, but to share boldly for others to experience.