Emily's blog

Hi, friends! I'm so excited to release Grace, Not Perfection for Young Readers into the world today! This book is a beautiful gift for your 10-14 year old girl (and is definitely applicable for older, and perhaps, younger girls). If you're curious whether this book will be great for your daughter (or niece, granddaughter, student, or friend!), you can listen to the first chapter FREE here!

Our girls struggle with so many impossible expectations these days. Add COVID on top of that and, well, our girls need a hug. And I hope this book is exactly that for them. This book is for your girls in the middle of the hard years: the middle school years, the 'tween years . . . when they're not a little girl anymore, but not quite yet a teen. You remember, the worries, the insecurities, the questions. Together, we will talk about how to:

• Create significant moments rather than orchestrating a picture-perfect life.
• Pare down activities to what matters most--without FOMO.
• Simplify life by simplifying three major areas: your space, your time, and your mind.
• Create effective to-do lists and get through them one step at a time.

I want to thank Tama Fortner, who helped adapt this beautiful book, my incredible literary agent and Thomas Nelson publishing team for making this book such a treasure, Ashley Cochrane for taking the beautiful photographs found inside, Jessa Bray and Whitney Hawkins for helping with the super cute illustrations, and our beautiful young friends who modeled for the pictures inside. As always, thanks to Team Simplified for holding down the fort as well! 

Whether you are purchasing this book for your daughter to read now, or as a gift for her to eventually read later, I pray these words remind her that she is enough just as she is and that she doesn't have to rush to be a grown up girl. There is so much fun to be had and beauty to be found in this in-between age. 

I've been hosting Instagram Lives over the last few weeks with a few incredible women and have gathered a few tips I wanted to share with you in case you're struggling to support and encourage your daughter during this tricky year.

• Be a soft place to land. Her entire world is shaky and uncertain (naturally during the 'tween years, but even more-so during 2020). 
• Build a foundation of truth in her heart. Remind her that God loves her just as she is.
• Carefully craft her inner-voice. Even when she doesn't want to hear it, remind her that she is beautiful and beloved by you.
• Help her learn to organize her space and schedule. Outer order = inner calm, even for children. And as we know, physical clutter = mental clutter.
• Give her the gift of your attention. I know, firsthand, that our attention is pulled in so many directions these days. Give her the gift of yours - undivided, even if for just a few minutes. These minutes add up.
• Listen.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to listen to the first chapter and share with your friends. Here are a few social graphics in case you'd like to share. And of course, head over to all the places books are sold to purchase!

With love,

Emily