Hannah Morrison

3 Tips to Make Reading Your Bible Easier

We have surely asked it a few times ourself, and heard it plenty,”How do I read my Bible?”

Y’all, I feel clueless more often than I would like to admit when it comes to navigating my Bible, and I have been a Christian literally for as long as I can remember. Plus… I am a pastor’s wife… aren’t I supposed to have it all together and be that person who always has it together and wants nothing more in life than to read the Bible? (haha) Y’all… believe it or not, nobody is always like that, and I will be the first to say that ain’t me. Sure, I wish… but no.

Rest easy, feel normal, and let’s dive into this together.

Let’s face it. The book is pretty dang big, it covers thousands of years of information, and it’s super important but also slightly intimidating. Can I get an amen?

I wanted to share a few tips today to help you as you sit down to read your Bible for quiet time, whenever that is for you! I am not here to say “You must be up at 5 AM reading your Bible before work.. or else you fail at life”, because though I think there is benefit to starting your day off like that (not particularly the 5 AM part), I know that for so many, quiet time is simply whatever part of the day they get to sit and be still. That can be lunch, after work, before bed…whatever works for you, do it.

I have been through a roller coaster of seasons over the years in regards to reading my Bible. Seasons where I cannot do anything until I read my Bible to seasons where I can go days without a single scripture and not care. *gasp* As you can imagine, though, the latter seasons lead to incredibly dry and thirsty ones. Our souls are meant to receive scripture like food, and when it is lacking our soul responds accordingly. We are “hangry” if you will, and it shows in the way we speak to our spouse, our energy we have to pour into others, our work ethic, our self-talk (those conversations you have with yourself about others and yourself, which can be a dangerous space)… it effects everything is what I am getting at. I am here today to encourage you in your journey, wherever you’re at, to say you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be at right this moment. And, in 3 months, you’re going to likely be at a completely different spot and that’s PERFECT. I pray you’re always seeking, growing, changing, and learning.

So how have I learned to easily navigate my Bible and incorporate it into my routine? Glad you asked. 😉

Kiss Intimidation Goodbye

This is the first key step. Opening your Bible will neither instantly make you feel on top of the world nor will you be instantly condemned and smited for flipping back the pages. All are welcome- remember that. Just give it a little look-see, I promise it won’t hurt. But in all seriousness y’all, the intimidation factor of reading the Bible varies with every person. Perhaps you fear guilt, shame, not being able to understand what it’s saying, the size… we can come up with all kinds of reasons that can make us fear reading it. Do I just start in Genesis and read through to Revelation? You can! It can feel overwhelming, filled with so much rich history and life giving messages to grasp, but bottom line, it’s not scary. Once you’ve made your mind up that the Bible is a story you get to read and be part of, it changes the way you view it. It’s not rules, it’s not guidelines to live by or just a story about a man that is good inspiration to live by that we can never live up to. In fact, that’s actually THE WHOLE POINT. We cannot live up to perfection, but Jesus can and did, and we get to be encouraged by that truth every time we open our bible. The entire book from start to finish is the foretelling of his coming (we are talking THOUSANDS of years before he EVER came), to his life on Earth, to his and resurrection, then the effect his followers had on the entire world after he left, and his return.

It’s a living and breathing story that hasn’t ended, and we are invited in to play. But, it certainly isn’t scary.

Find A Plan or Study

The best thing you can do for your quiet time is have a little structure. Find a good plan that you can follow or a devotional to go through. I am currently doing the She Reads Truth 365 day plan. I LOVE IT. I have never actually read the entire Bible on a plan before, and I am so excited to do it. I am a history junkie, and my greatest affirmation to faith is seeing the timeline of history pre and post Jesus. You cannot deny this guy lived and did what prophets thousands of years before said he would do. Everything recorded pointed to Jesus’ coming, death, and resurrection. This study with She Reads Truth gives me two Old Testament chapters and then a New Testament reading alongside it. This means I am reading the earliest years of mankind, which I find fascinating, followed by the fulfillment of the prophecies I just read. It’s an app on my phone, and I read in the morning right when I wake up right on my phone! Then, when I complete the reading for the day I check off that day and it shows me what percentage I have completed of the entire plan. I am currently 3% through it… haha.

Last year I read Shauna Niequist’s Savor, and then would read She Reads Truth daily entry. They go through studies they’ve written and have guest writers do entries every single day. It’s great!

Shauna Niequist also just released a bible study for her book, Present Over Perfect (which was AMAZING), and you can find it here.

Prayer and Meditation

Prayer life is the best life. That’s so cheesy and sounds like it should be on a tee shirt in a Lifeway Store… but it’s so true. When you live a life that is consumed by continuous conversation with God, you do things a little differently. I find myself saying “Help me Jesus” without even thinking all the time, but it’s my way of recognizing throughout my day I cannot do this on my own. Likewise, when you sit down to read, pray before. Be silent before diving in. There is something in store for you, and quieting your mind is essential to hearing and seeing what it is. Prayer and meditation before and after gives your mind time to wind down and focus before just “checking off” your to-do list, and it allows you time to soak in what you just read.

Hopefully this helps you out a little in navigating your Bible. Seriously, read Shauna’s books. Cold Tangerines is another great one that’s perfect for the summer! I read it poolside this time last year, and it’s so good.

Love you guys! We are chomping at the bit to share a project/crazy story we have been working on since… last July. Soon enough we will share the whole thing. There will be new items coming to The Cake Shop soon, too, but don’t miss out on the current pieces. They’re my favorite, and I literally wear one of them on the daily. I am currently sitting in my Gilmore Time Tee and I rocked my Red Velvet Tee yesterday. They’re perfect for casual summer days with denim cutoffs! Don’t miss out!

xoxo- Han

5 Tips To Living A Happy & Full Life

Let’s face it, we are human and have crappy days. Maybe even months, weeks… or even your year…

We go to sleep to Friends every night, so it was bound to show up in here somewhere.

Hey, they’re going to happen! But, in general I would say we could agree that we all want to lead happy lives. Right? We want to feel fulfilled at the end of every single day, wouldn’t you agree? A couple years ago, I set out on a mission to stop saying “I’m tired” every time someone asked me how I was. It was like without thinking, those words were always what came out and I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired. My journey to fullness started with narrowing down a schedule and routine that was right for me. Being intentional with my friendships, investments, and time has also been key to coming home full every day, as opposed to my tank always on empty.

Today I am sharing with you 5 things I do that creates a positive environment in my day to day life.

1. Early Riser and Slow Mornings

I am that person who loves her routine, and follows it by the book. If I have to be somewhere at 7, I will be up at 5 AM to be able to slowly start my day and do the things that I know will start my day out right. This means breakfast, reading, sitting with my dog and a cup of coffee, watching a bit of the news, and writing out my whole day (hour by hour) in my planner. On the very rare occasion that I do not get to do these things before running out the door, I end up frazzled and feel like a chicken with her head cut off the whole day. Starting slow and feeling on top of things for the day will keep you ahead of the game throughout your work day and everything you have to accomplish.

2. Healthy Choices

I am not saying to not eat the sweets every now and then. Listen, I have the world’s biggest sweet tooth and I will be the first to say I eat something sweet just about daily. But, what you choose to eat for your substantial meals truly will effect the rest of your life. Believe it or not, your gut determines the overall health of your body. I am a walking testimony to how a change of diet will completely change everything. When I found out what foods were not good for my body, what I didn’t respond well to and what I was allergic to, my energy levels shot out the roof, my attention span grew, and I was accomplishing more in my days and yawning a lot less. Not only does your body feel better and more capable of hard work, but you just feel better about yourself when you make smart choices. Pick that juice or smoothie rather than the afternoon cup of coffee. Go for the healthy protein instead of a burger from the local joint. I am all about healthy balance, so say yes to things now and again, but on your daily choices- go for the greens and whole foods. It really will make a huge difference.

3. It’s OK To Say No

I lived my life for way too long feeling obligated to say “yes” to everything. This led me to a very busy yet empty life. I was always tired, always frazzled, and always spread too thin. The best advice I was ever given was to say “no”. It’s a GOOD THING to say no to people, because ultimately when all you do is say “yes”, you will absolutely let people down. Either your work will be subpar or your ability to counsel or be fully present will be next to nothing. You don’t have to be at everything you’re invited to. GASP. Know who your core people are, this group should be smaller than you probably think. Your core group of people should be no more than 3-5. They are who you do life with, share everything with, and who positively influence you. By knowing your core people, you can easily filter your yeses and nos. If you have time for something on a slower week with people outside your core, do it! But stop fulfilling “obligations”. It will be the death of you.

4. Exercise

I know, I know. If you aren’t someone who likes to work out, you just made a face and are skimming over this one. BUT DON’T. Y’all, when I graduated college and was no longer part of a dance team to keep me in shape, I had a major fitness identity crisis. I gave up for a while and I was miserable. Now, no matter what my day looks like, I get in some kind of physical activity. It boosts my overall morale, energy levels, and I even think of my best new ideas often while working out. Taking time to take care of yourself for 30 minutes to an hour a day is so important. Like the food you’re consuming, your physical activity directly correlates with your work abilities, ethic, focus, and overall happiness. As Elle from Legally Blonde would say…

“Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”

And all our husbands said “amen.”

5. Turn Off Your Phone

This one is the hardest for me, but so important. No matter what your job is, be it a blogger who is always on social media, a teacher, an accountant… whatever you do- we all are on our phones and computers all day long. When you get home from work, or when it’s time to “clock out” if you work from home like me, do everything you can to shut off that part of your life until the next day. Paul and I both have to remind one another to unplug, and it’s so imperative for our relationship that we do. The longer we work and stare at our phones, the greater our disconnect to one another and the people we love. This is what will leave you emptier than anything else. We were made for relationships, not a phone screen. Be present and fight for your relationships daily. This means hanging up. DO NOT have your phone out on the table during dinner dates with your significant other or with friends. Fight for your relationships and hang up when it’s time to unplug.

I hope these tips help you start a journey of choosing happy & full over empty and tired. At the end of the day, if what you are doing with your life every single day isn’t using your talents and bringing joy, find something that DOES. Your life will change significantly when you step out in faith to pursue your dreams and create a life that you want.

Love this romper I have on? ME TOO. I am so obsessed with it and have worn it to a couple fun events already since getting it. You can nab your own here from Tobi!

xoxo- Han

 If you haven’t joined the #LoveLikeCake movement, head to The Cake Shop today for your cute tee that will help spread kindness like buttercream frosting! These are all original tees to The Cake Shop, dreamed up by me, and I am blown away by the hundreds of you that have joined the movement, rocked your tees and shared them. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

All photos by Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah

 

True To His Word

Have you ever had to keep a promise even when you really didn’t want to?

When I was a little girl, it didn’t take much to make me happy. All I needed in life was my stuffed animals (we are talking, like, ungodly amounts), a karaoke machine, and puppies. If you think I am kidding, well, I am not. I literally sang from sun up to sundown about anything I could come up with. I would make up songs on the spot about running, my goats, puppies, being a princess… whatever it was, there was surely a Hannah song about it likely to the tune of a song from Sound of Music or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

When I was 7, my parents surprised me with a puppy. Cue, Snickers AKA Snickerdoodle. I promised to take care of this puppy, feed him, watch him, play with him, and make sure he was just the happiest doggy there ever ever was. Eeeeeasssyyyy… right? So night one- Snickers is in the laundry room howling, and I could hear him from across the house like a blaring horn. And I knew that if I could hear him, mom and dad definitely could. So, I grabbed a couple of my stuffies and headed with haste, probably with pink soft curlers in my hair, to the laundry room where I laid on the cold floor with a tiny pup next to the dirty laundry just to keep my promise that I would take care of this puppy. Plus, I was scared to death that mom and dad would decide to take him back if he didn’t keep hush hush through the night. Night after night I would wake up to howls, grab another stuffie and make my way through the dark (let’s be real, running because we all know the monsters that jump out from under the bed and the sofa at night), lay down beside my tiny pup and sing him songs.

I was faithful to my word even when it sucked, and definitely didn’t want to. Sure, night one was semi-sweet. How cute to take care of a crying dog who needs me. By night 5… not so sweet. Sleep would have been nice, but I promised to love this puppy and love him I did.

I reached out to you guys to hear stories about things you made promises to do, but didn’t want to always keep. I heard stories about fulfilling duties for school, keeping promises to friends to be at events you didn’t want to go to anymore, and I heard a lot about love and marriage. In marriage, choosing to keep your promise -your vow to one another- is a daily undertaking. There are definitely days you won’t feel like loving your spouse because you are angry at them for… whatever it is for you that day. But, you choose to even still.

God’s love is the same way.

In Deuteronomy, the people of God were wandering in the desert and failed to follow God’s commandments over and over. Like, guys, come on. Don’t you get it? Follow God, trust him, see Promised Land. It was a feasible and seemingly simple plan. Why couldn’t they keep it together? Time and time again they failed him, and definitely did not deserve his favor. I mean, they were grumbling and angry- he rains down manna for them. Did you know God even made it so that the feet of his people would never swell or blister during their 40 years of walking in the desert? (Deuteronomy 8:4) I just read that the other morning and giggled. Like, what a compassionate God. Even in his teaching and pruning, he cares about the details. He writes them rules to abide by that will allow them the fullest life, and they were building golden Gods. Yet, Moses petitioned God over and over, reminding him of the promises he had made to their fathers and begged him to remain true to his word. And God chose to remain faithful. Not because Moses was that good at arguing with creator of the universe… definitely not. But, because that’s simply the heart of God. He is who he says he is, and that cannot be changed. God made a promise, and he was sticking to it. Even when mankind failed, even when they really messed up, God remained faithful and true to his word. He kept his promises.

Deuteronomy 7: 6-9

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that He set his love on you and chose you. For you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”

God had every right to say, “forget you. you can’t keep true to any of my commands despite the fact I just saved you from a terrible life under slavery, and you’re really just annoying me at this point”, and simply just turned his back on them. But, even still, he showed faithfulness.

I read this story and gasped. I think so often we read the New Testament and see grace and faithfulness through Jesus’ life and works on Earth. Reading a story of victory and the fulfillment of Jesus is sugary and sweet. Even in his death, there was hope and celebration. But, God of the Old Testament… that’s a different story. The dude wiped out people groups for hating him. YET, there was still compassion and loyalty. There was fulfillment of promises and grace. I think we forget that God is the same God then as he is in the New Testament through the life of Jesus. They are one in the same, so of course they possess the same characteristics. But, we forget this. At least I know I certainly do.

I have loved reading the earliest books of the OT the last couple of weeks. My history loving self has geeked a little bit reading the history of mankind, and putting the puzzle pieces together. And most of all, I have loved seeing the heart of God as constant and true. He is who he says he is. He was, is, and is to come. He keeps his promises. And now, because of Jesus, we get to be part of that story. We get to be part of his holy people. We are set apart, righteous, and holy because of faith in the works and life of Jesus. The way God wiped out people groups in order to provide land for his holy people in the OT, that’s the same way he fights for YOU now. That’s pretty sweet. Obviously, because of Jesus, things look a little different. Jesus took on the wrath of God at the cross for the sake of the world. But no doubt, God has the same fury and passion to fight for us. That has not wavered. He wants us to have the best, because we are his.

So, here’s my encouragement. You literally cannot do anything, NOT A THING, that will turn God’s back on you and make him take away his promises to you. Like he remained faithful to the people of Israel, so will he be to you. It might hurt sometimes and you might be thinking “God, have you led us to the desert to simply perish?”, but I can assure you that the Promised Land is coming. It’s on the other side of the lesson. It’s on the edge of repentance. It’s in humility. It’s in forgiveness. It’s in surrender. The Promised Land is available to you, whatever that Promised Land is in your life. What are you praying for right now and wondering if God has stopped listening to your cries over it? Has he finally said, “I am done waking up at 1 AM to go lay down beside you as you howl over and over again”… no! Never. He hasn’t stopped and never will. He is constant and faithful. He is true to his word, he keeps his promises.

Keep praying toward the promise. It’s coming. Love you sweet friends.

xoxo- Han

Favorite Places to Eat In/Around Mckinney

It’s no secret I love my little city of Mckinney. Have I mentioned before it was on a list of cities most like Stars Hollow in America? If you watch Gilmore Girls, you understand my excitement over this honor. If you don’t watch it, shame on you. Mckinney is quaint yet fairly large, and you get equal parts of city as you do small town front porch living depending on where you’re at. Head up highway 5 and it’s farm land and small town. Go west of 75, and it’s suburbia. As a small town girl at heart, living in Mckinney just feels right. The little downtown square is my favorite spot, and I actually wept the first time Paul and I walked around the square after we met with the Anchor Church staff for the first time. In addition to the square, new places are popping up around town and just beyond that I am so thrilled about.

Below is my top favorite spots for date nights and lunch around town. You gotta come up and try them out!

Our Favorite Spots:

1. Sugar Bacon: located on the Mckinney square.

Must Try: The Sugar Bacon Appetizer (duhhh) and Bee Sting cocktail

2. Mod Market: Located off 121 at Preston

Must Try: The sweet potato hash OR the prosciutto pizza!

If you have food allergies, you can order GF which is not only gluten free but also yeast free, and it’s so yummy.

3. Sprinkles: Located in Legacy West (opening soon!)

We are legitimately too excited about this one. Sprinkles in Dallas used to know our names because of how much we went.

Must Try: Flavor of the month or Red Velvet!

4. Toulouse Cafe and Bar: Located in Legacy West (opening soon!)

Must Try: The Crispy Duck

5. True Food Kitchen: Located in Legacy West (opening soon!) There is one currently in Preston Center- Dallas

Must Try: Spaghetti squash (the sauce is amazing!!!), kale salad, and any of the cocktails

6. I Love Juice Bar Allen: Located at Stacy and Watters

Must Try: Sweet Greens Juice or Green Smoothie

7. Patina On The Green: Located on Mckinney Square

Must Try: Tomato Soup

8. Spoons: Located on Mckinney Square

Must Try: The breakfast plate and biscuits & gravy! It’s our favorite little diner for breakfast dates!

Plus, you feel like you are in Luke’s Diner. So that’s a major win. 😉

Now for this look- how stinking cute is this jumpsuit?! As soon as I saw it I knew that I needed it. You can pair it with a heel, a gladiator sandal, or even some kicks depending on your mood that day. I am a big fan of the rompers and jumpsuits during the spring, and this one will definitely be making as many appearances as it can. You can shop it here from Tobi.

Let me know if you try out any of my favorite spots! Mckinney is the best for a little day trip with your girl friends or mom. You can grab breakfast at Spoons, then lunch at Patina, afternoon wine at Landon’s, and then grab dinner at Sugar Bacon. It’s a full day of shopping, small town Gilmore-esque type feels, and the nicest people.

xoxo- Han

All photos by Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah

 

10 Things You Don’t Know About Us

 Hey babes!

I have had so much fun getting to know all of you over the last year and a half. It seriously is so much fun hearing from you, writing posts for you, and creating a genuine community with all of you. I thought that since I see so many new faces (or Insta-handles, I suppose) it could be fun to share 10 facts about me and Paul you might not know. I have felt pretty MIA lately with so much traveling and being sick, but I promise I am getting back into my groove and I can’t freaking wait to share so much exciting news with all of you soon. Life is so fun, and I love getting to live it with ya.

T E N  T H I N G S  T O  K N O W

1. I am the baby of my family by 5 years, and Paul is the oldest. My siblings are barely a year apart, and then I was a surprise while Paul and his brother are barely a year apart. We definitely embody a lot of the cliche sayings about the baby and the oldest, which keeps things pretty interesting around the Morrison household. 😉

2. I was a dancer in high school and Paul was a hockey player. We always joke about how HAPPY we are that we didn’t know each other in high school, because we would have hated each other. (Although, Paul thinks he could have shmoozed me. I beg to differ.) I was a goody two shoes and Paul was a rebel.

3. My favorite show since I was 5 years old has been I Love Lucy. I watch it almost daily, and I can probably tell you the entire plot line of every episode within 10 seconds of the show starting.

4. Everybody thinks Paul and I went to college together, but we didn’t! We went to different schools and met through a mutual friend at church. I happened to sit behind him, and he left church that night telling his friends he was going to marry me.

5. I am an INFJ, which people are always like “Nooo, there’s no way you’re an introvert”, which gets me on my soap box about personality types. Extrovert vs. Introvert in most cases is less to do with social interaction, and more to do with how you connect with people and how you best rejuvenate after a long day or with big crowds. I am definitely a glass of wine and a book or Netflix at the end of the day kind of girl, and I have to challenge myself to go out with people more than once a week. Paul is the opposite. He loves being around people all the time.

6. I studied Broadcast Communications in college with a minor in writing, and my internship was at D Magazine as the Weddings and Mom blogger. It is what gave me a love for this blogging thing, and I learned a lot from that. I had to write as if I was a mom, making meals for her kids with a column “What’s for Lunch and Dinner” and wrote the column “Dress for Less”.

7. I have the world’s biggest sweet tooth- I would totally eat ice cream and cake for the rest of my life- while Paul could care less about chocolate and sweets. But, funnily enough he loves sweet and savory stuff like pineapple pizza or sweet ham.

8. I love each season individually- I get giddy as each one’s distinct smell starts to fill the air. But, by far, Christmas is my favorite time of year. I live for Christmas. My best Halloween outfit ever was dressing up as Jovie with a friend who dressed up as Elf, and we won best costume at a sorority event. Paul is equally as much of a Christmas fan, and it was genuinely something early on in our relationship that we both knew we could date one another because of our ridiculous amount of excitement for Christmas.

9.  My most embarrassing moment was during high school in my AP English class. We had weekly themed journals we had to write for a final grade at the end of semester, and we NEVER had to read them out loud… until the worst possible moment came along. Our prompt for that week was to write a piece about something you regretted. So I wrote a great piece about a horrible date I went on with the biggest jerk of the school. The voice of it was great and my descriptives were on point…

Yes. I had to read out loud. Yes. Everyone knew who it was about.

I was absolutely mortified.

10. When I was a little girl, I refused to eat pizza. I know- tragic. I swore I hated it. I also didn’t eat cheesecake until I was a teenager, because I thought that meant it was made out of cheddar or swiss cheese. Now, I would give anything to be able to eat a slice of pizza and cheesecake with my food allergies. I actually have vivid dreams about thick crust pepperoni pizza at least once a week.

Love this two piece set I am rocking? It’s so so cute, and I felt on point for Easter weekend with it. Pink AND gingham? Yes please!  You can find it here from Tobi.

xoxo- Han

All photos for The Cake by Hannah by Cottonwood Road Photography

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