I can’t believe I’m even writing this post already, honestly. Where has the year gone?!

Regardless, I am happy with all of the fall leaves and cooler weather, and also getting to buy fun presents for everyone! The longer I live, though, the more I’m realizing just how much STUFF we all have, and that I really only want things that are meaningful and that I really want to own and use. Christmas makes this hard, truthfully, but I LOVE giving gifts to people, so finding just the right ones is a fun challenge. I do think we can all focus on buying thoughtful and special gifts, and one way I love to do this is to incorporate pieces of faith into them.

Gifts with scripture or uplifting sayings are one of my favorite things because whenever I see or read them it helps me to re-focus and be energized by what I know is true rather than what I’m currently stressing about. Because of this, I wanted to put together a list of faith based gifts for any Christian women in your life, whether it’s your daughter, mother, grandma, or even just yourself!

I hope this list gives you a little inspiration and some fun ideas for what you can get a loved one or important person in your life this year!

Devotional Planner

Who still likes a good ol’ pen and paper planner? Me! I love being able to write out my schedule, and this planner is even cooler because it has devotionals and scripture throughout the book and is so beautiful. Get your daily dose of Jesus while looking over your daily to-do’s—it couldn’t be more perfect! Check out The Grace Abounds Co to see more designs and other awesome gift ideas!
*Shop here*

scripture enamel pin — Scripture Enamel Pin

How cute is this pin?! I am obsessed and I think it’s so much fun to add to your denim jacket, back, or anywhere you want to add a fun piece that is filled with truth! It’s so perfect for a good friend or even a little girl, and this seller has other color and quote options as well! Check out Prince of pins on Etsy to see this pin and the other items they have!
*Shop here*

Custom Painted Bible | Ross Paint Shop — Custom Painted Bible

If you need a new Bible or would like one for a special person or event, a custom Bible is perfect! I may be a little biased, but getting to create your own design and make the Bible truly your own is the perfect reflection of your personal relationship with Christ, and if you use it as a guest book for something it makes the perfect keepsake! It has lined margins on every page, so you can easily take notes or have people sign it! Reach out over at Ross Paint Shop to personalize your Bible!
*Shop here*

gold cross layered necklace — Gold Cross Layered Necklace

I love the dainty gold necklace trend right now because I think it’s so much more than that! It’s a classic look and perfect for any outfit as well as layering with other gold chains! This one is so cute and dainty. You or your girlfriends could wear this with literally any outfit, and versatile pieces are the best!
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His Life Saved My Life Tote Bag

Isn’t this bag so cool! I think it’s awesome for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve never seen a tote bag so beautiful and truthful, and second, we are all trying to use less plastic and find more reusable products, and I think this is perfect for that! The tote comes in several different sizes so that you could use it to put your laptop or notebooks in, or you could get the bigger size and carry groceries in it! It’s useful for so many things, and I think any lady in your life would love such a pretty and useable product! Check out The Artistic Life Co to see more of her beautiful items!
*Shop here*

christian phone case.jpg — You Are Loved Phone Case

I am a suck for minimal black and white designs, so this phone case is perfect. Everyone loves getting fun new cases and having options to switch between so I think this John 3:16 case is perfect! Not only a pretty accessory for your phone, but also the best reminder of our God and His great love for us. I’m obsessed! Keep in mind, the case is actually clear, so you or the person you get the case for can’t have a white phone for the design to show up very well. Otherwise any color will work!
*Shop here*

Personalized Engraved Leather Bibles

Grab a Bible that she can take everywhere with her, has a soft, flexible cover, and can be personalized with her name! Head to the shop to check out all of the different design and Bible version options and find one that’s just right for her!
*Shop here*

Psalm 118 Wall Art (and others!)

Sometimes the smallest pieces can make the biggest difference, like prints in your office or used in a little girl’s room. I painted this Psalm 118 artwork as a sweet reminder that we can rejoice every single day because it’s the Lord’s day and He has such good in store for us! The print is the perfect way to add a fun botanical print to any room and be such a special reminder of the joy we have each day.
*Shop here*

camo hallelujah tee — Camo Raise a Hallelujah Tee

Just behind leopard, camo is my favorite print! It’s so fun and can be dressed up or down with a pair of jeans or a cute skirt! I think this tee is so fun and beautiful and looks incredibly comfortable as well. It’s just girly enough and I love the phrase. It would be a fun addition to any little girl’s or woman’s closet!
*Shop here*

give me jesus mug.jpg — Give Me Jesus Coffee Mug

Last but definitely not least, maybe the most used gift will be this “Give Me Jesus” mug. I mean, can you ever have too many coffee mugs? This sweet cup is so pretty and sturdy and sure to be a favorite for any Christian woman. Beholden Life on Etsy has several different phrases and mug colors you can get, so there’s definitely something for the lady on your list, and it’s just under $20 as well!
*Shop here*

I hope this list was helpful for you! I had so much fun perusing through things on my wish list as well as some pieces that I already have, and I tried adding pieces in all price ranges to give you lots of options! Happy shopping!

I’d love to see your favorite items this year as well! Share them in the comments! I’d love to support other small businesses and share their work as well!

Do you ever sit down with your husband or boyfriend and just feel like you have absolutely nothing to talk about? It’s the same old same old and you’ve already had all of those intriguing, fun conversations that you had when you first started dating and could flirt and have fun for hours at a time.

Yep, been there. For how quiet I generally am, I’m pretty much a chatterbox with my husband and can talk his ear off, but sometimes it’s been a long week, we’ve both been busy with work and barely had time for anything fun or different than any other week, and it just seems like there isn’t any spark left in the relationship.

To be honest that is one of my biggest fears. I have this nightmare thought of going out on a cute date night and getting to the restaurant and starting at each other because we just don’t have anything to say to one another. I don’t want to get 20 years down the road in our marriage and be so routine and complacent that my husband starts to find me boring and not what he remembered.

And on top of that, I want to feel connection, to understand my husbands joys and sorrows, to grow together spiritually, to dream big together and make an impact with our marriage. Maybe that’s a lot to expect, but I think it’s totally possible and something God desires for us too.

Sometimes, though, life is busy and both my husband and I are going in our own directions and it’s hard to know what our path as a couple should look like. There’s no guide book or set of checkpoints to have a great marriage, and even though that’s no different than our own lives or having children, marriage is a little different ballgame because it’s two independent thinking people who can very easily grow a part if they don’t make a conscious effort to move in the same direction.

I want to guess that other than specific issues, that lack of planning together is probably one of the biggest reasons couples start to drift and lose that special connection that they once felt, and, unfortunately, just a little drifting can cause huge unhappiness and ultimately a more serious separation.

I have seen it with so many couples, some that are close and special to me, and althought they are still together and living life, something is just off. They don’t have that sparkle in their eyes for one another or share how they are really feeling to each other, and I so understand that. Even just being married a short time I understand how easy it is to have days when marriage is completely un-glamorous and you just feel like you live with a roommate, or you just want to do your own thing and resent having someone else to plan around.

BUT, I have also seen some incredible marriages and seen proof that you can still be head over heels for one another and do some really cool things together as a couple for your life, family, and God. It’s inspiring! And I want that! I want my husband to feel loved and understood and supported today and just the same 25 years from now. I want to have goals and dreams together and to stay on the same page about what is important to our family, and to be honest I wasn’t really sure how to make that happen or even just make an effort towards it until this summer.

I never thought I would be someone who would need a tool or some kind of support in order to know how to love my husband well and grow a strong marriage together, but I’m here to say that adding one in has been incredibly helpful and amazing.

Enter—The Marriage Journal—a physical journal created by Audrey and Jeremy Roloff that gives couples a way to have weekly communication prompts, devotionals, pencil in activities, and also set pillars for their marriage.

This is not sponsored at all, but I just happened to come across the journal this summer and it has been such a good tool for my husband and I. Basically the beginning of the book has you sit down together, answer some questions about your marriage and what is important to both of you, and then every week there is a devotional and 6 questions that guide you through what brought each of you joy, what was hard, something you can do for one another, and more.

It sounds so simple, but honestly I didn’t think to have a weekly check in before or know really what we should be talking about during that time. I know I want my husband and I to dream together and make plans for our life and make smart financial decisions, etc., but what does that actually look like? How do we get to that bigger picture?

The journal has been really helpful because it gives us a specific time to check in on what went well and what didn’t each week, what we have been excited about lately, what we can be praying for, and just time to really sit down and listen to each other and what’s been on our hearts.

While we could do that on our own, the journal gives us a reason to make it happen every week, a place we can look back on next year or years down the road, and leaves no excuse for us not to know how the other person is doing. It even helps us approach our conflicts in a healthy way rather than waiting for a blow up or disregarding one of our hurt feelings.

I think the other benefit of this regular meeting time is that we learn what things hurt and bring joy to one another and can use that information to love each other better throughout the week and also be more helpful to each other. We are always trying to support and encourage and have fun, but the journal adds one more way for us to connect and make sure we aren’t letting weeks go by without really talking (cause let’s be real, that can totally happen if we’re not careful!)

Oh, and I forgot to mention that once a month the journal also has you check in about how you are doing intimately and financially. As if it wasn’t already awesome enough!

So far I think this is the only tool we have went out and bought to help us build and grow our marriage (other than Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, another awesome and hugely impactful financial tool!), but I have a feeling I will find more to add over the years because I’m all for anything that helps guide us toward being better and not becoming complacent, ya know?

What traditions/tools/practices have you started that you really like? I would truly love to know your experiences and what has helped you so we can build a network of support and encouragement for couple’s everywhere!