Carey Bailey

Pin God 1st, With Joy Retreats

December Pin God 1st & Giveaway!

Go, go, go! Oh…..and go some more! That tends to be the theme of this month, right? Go to the store. Shoot! Forgot something. Going back to the store. Go to this party and that party and don’t forget that party! Go too fast trying to get everything done that there isn’t a moment to sit down and enjoy it. I am never a fan of that rushing about feeling but especially during a season in which I want to be intentionally preparing my heart and mind for the arrival or coming of Jesus.  ...

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With Joy Retreats

All I Want for Christmas (& Forever)

Time is a precious commodity. I cannot believe how quickly the days and weeks roll by. There is so much I want to accomplish, and most of my list is really good: clean the house, write a blog post, laundry, sew some bunting, have neighbors and friends over for dinner, organize my freezer, call friends and have lengthy conversations, meet and know all of my neighbors, exercise, bake, attend classes, volunteer… I mean really. I could keep going, but I don’t feel like I have the time. If  ...

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With Joy Retreats

Why “With Joy” Matters.

I have been writing the words With Joy prior to putting my signature on anything for 14 years. They are words that I began writing after coming across 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 during a time of intense sadness and confusion. “Always be joyful and never stop praying. Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.”  The words With Joy are as familiar to me as family and I am excited to share that they now they are being used to birth a  ...

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Uncategorized

Find Your Sweet Spot

In the interest of transparency, I should admit something.  Somewhere between homeschooling and writing, between church and the grocery store, between day dreaming and striving, I have misplaced my high-achiever mojo.  More than once this fact has made me feel like the “L” word. But when I get to the bottom of that feeling, that feeling of being a “L”, what I really see is…I am a little scared, scared of falling on one end of the spectrum or the other, scared  ...

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Pin God 1st

November Pin God 1st : Love Idol Edition

Last Spring I read a life giving book called Love Idol by Jennifer Dukes Lee. In fact it is on my “must read yearly” book list because it reminds the recovering perfectionist in me that  “life is not a one-act play, and I don’t have the energy anymore for rehearsed performances. I have accepted the lead role in my very own reality show. It is called life and it’s all improv. No scripts allowed.” (pg 137 Love Idol ) Good stuff, huh? As the holidays  ...

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