Amanda Mae Steele

Since we didn't get to our annual Christmas song this year I thought I'd fill you in on a few things I would have highlighted in it. This year has markedly been one filled with answered prayer, hopes fulfilled, and new dreams birthed - a very good year indeed! After much prayer, time, and money invested over the past few years, I finally landed a job in May that fits like a glove (at least for this season) where I am able to contribute not only my skills but my creative passi

How is Christmas really only five and half days away?! Somehow this season flew right past me even though I've been doing all the typical things - spending time with family and friends shopping, gathering, eating, more eating... But one fun new thing this year has been getting to collaborate with Two Hens Styling & Design! I connected with Julie and Michaela on Instagram because I fell in love with their gorgeous work. I honestly didn't expect to hear back when I messaged Jul

Having my birthday and wedding anniversary overseas without my husband and close friends was something I didn't really think too much about when I signed up to go to Germany. But actually it actually wasn't that bad - I mean, it's not every day you get birthday cake for breakfast with a cherry smiling right at you! Say cheese My birthday fell on a Sunday and it was a glorious day; taking public transportation (I know it sounds weird, but I LOVE and miss that), singing at chur

It's been a week since I've been back from my mission trip to Germany and I still haven't fully processed all of the mixed emotions that go along with traveling - having to learn how to get along with a big group of people you don't know very well, taking in a new culture, trying to stay awake and aware of all of the beautiful sights, sounds and smells that surround you, and also having enough energy to do what we came to do - encourage, pray and serve. I'm not quite ready fo

Yesterday I received a text from a good friend saying, "Good morning! Thinking of you and praying for you today!" I thought that was sweet and Lord knows I can always use prayer. Then one of the volunteers I work with asked me shortly thereafter, "How are you doing today?" His tone sounded more concerned than usual which was a little odd. "Should I not be ok?" I thought to myself. "OHHH YEAH... I forgot! It's Mother's Day!" I said. He chuckled, "Well, I guess that's good that

In May 2017, I started taking photos with our Canon Rebel which had been sitting in our closet for nearly 10 years. I was at a point where life was stagnant and I didn't have much vision for the future; what - and where - I thought I would be was nowhere near reality. But a very expensive career assessment confirmed that I might have a natural gift for photography. I didn't want to waste our investment so I committed to giving the camera a serious shot for a month. One of my

Over the past few weeks my spirit has been growing increasingly restless. I've been doing a lot of "heart work" (which is also incredibly hard work) with a circle of trusted girlfriends and on my own. Sometimes it's hopeful and exciting, other times I want to throw up. But maybe that throwing up feeling isn't so bad. What if our unpleasant emotions that physically manifest themselves are internal alarms telling us something is off? When something "violates our personal integr