**I have not received any compensation on this side of Heaven for writing this post, and all photos in this post were generously provided by Elly and Grace.
I’m so excited to be writing this post – who am I kidding? I enjoy writing every post. I think the only post that I wasn’t especially fond of was my laundry post, but that’s because I hate laundry – but I loved the post itself. Today’s post is something that’s been in the works for about nine months (no, not a pregnancy – at least not mine). It’s the result of an inspiration, an idea, that was sparked in my mind before this blog even went live.
I was sitting on my couch, trying to do the techy side of the blog and trying to settle the voices in my head that were saying this would never amount to anything. I kept telling myself that the voices of doubt were definitely not of God, and I would do everything I could to allow Him to shine through this blog. That means there are a lot of topics I won’t consider writing on (even paying jobs), books I won’t read even if they’re free, and book reviews that I won’t write; all because they don’t reflect my faith that there is, and always will be, a good, good God.
Sitting on the couch, shoving the techy stuff to the side, I resumed some research that I had been doing. If you want to be successful, you don’t seek counsel from those who gave up because of a failure. You don’t ask someone how to climb a mountain if they took one look at it, turned around and got comfortable at its base. You seek instruction from those who have learned through trial and error, picked themselves up… and kept going until they reached or surpassed their goals – those who braved the challenges of mountains. While I enjoy learning, I almost hated it as much as the techy stuff. I just wanted to write and have it be a blessing to others. Then I had a thought: write what you know.
Some might say, “Duh, Bru… writing what you know is a no-brainer.” I was thinking more towards writing or endorsing what I already love. Okay, so I love God, my husband and family, coffee, and comfy clothes… chocolate cake is in there, too, but not high enough on the list to make the cut. Yes, I said that. I write about God in most everything, my hubby and family are usually in each post in some form or fashion, I’m usually drinking coffee or thinking about coffee when I’m writing – I’m drinking coffee right now! – but I never delve too deep into fashion. So, what does a God-loving, family-focused, coffee-drinking girl (who really does love chocolate cake!) do…?
I’m sort of going to write about my favorite hoodie. In the movie “You’ve Got Mail” (movies – another thing I love), one of the characters is so in love with his typewriter that he wrote a full article about it! So, I’m not a complete weirdo in wanting to write about my favorite hoodie… and it’s not exactly my hoodie that I’m writing about. I’m writing about where that hoodie came from. Sure, my hubby gave me the hoodie for Christmas 2018, but I’m writing about the origins of my favorite hoodie – and the goodness of God (as always).
I stumbled upon Elly and Grace while perusing social media. One of their posts was being circulated on Facebook and caught my eye with their inspiring messages in beautiful, flowing designs. I decided to find out what else they offered, and then I couldn’t help but want to learn the story behind the business. I’m one of those that wants to know who is benefiting from my buck. It may be a miniscule stand for what I believe, but even a mustard seed-size faith can move those mountains we come to.
Every great company has a story to tell, like Samuel Truett Cathy with Chick-fil-A, David Green with Hobby Lobby, and allow me to introduce you to Brenna Milleville with Elly and Grace. Ever get nervous, tongue-tied, or draw a blank when it comes to sharing your faith? Apparently, it’s not uncommon even though we have the absolute best news to share – who wouldn’t want to hear good news – that the KING OF KINGS loves you?!?! But all too often we find ourselves wanting to blend into the background and stay silent, usually out of fear. 
When I told my husband that I wanted a hoodie from Elly and Grace, I helped narrow down the color options I would love in addition to the selections of designs (I was trying to help the guy out). I was torn because each design presented such a great message! I was really concerned with the fit, though. Being a mother of four, I have a lot of insecurities. Women not fully knowing their worth is a huge issue right now, and then pile on motherhood and all that our bodies go through… It’s no wonder the main topic for women’s Bible studies is about worth and beauty. Shopping for clothes online has also been something I’ve been leery of.
Well, Christmas morning came (2018), the kids were snacking on the goodies from their stockings, I was enjoying my first cup of coffee, and gifts were being passed around. When I opened the box that held my Elly and Grace hoodie – I fell in love. I’m not exaggerating. The material was soft (still soft a year later), the design (Choose Joy) was unique and is still in place, and the fit was perfectly cozy without me swimming in it. I live in Alaska and have been wearing this hoodie several times a week since I received it to chase off the chills, to feel comfy, and the message has been complimented multiple times. I’ve had people come up to me and tell me, “Hey, I really like your shirt!” What a great open door! And who doesn’t enjoy compliments?
I wanted to learn even more about Brenna and her team; I wanted to get behind them in any way that might help them grow. After several emails back and forth with Brenna, I’m so glad that I reached out – she’s not a coffee drinker, but we can still be friends (she likes chai). Her favorite scripture verse is also the one that I wrote my first children’s book off of (Jeremiah 29:11). Through our emails, I learned that I really wish we lived closer; she and her team seems like that of kindred spirits.
Brenna shared with me that she gets to see the goodness of God every single day, whether it’s observing the interactions with those on her team, hearing from customers, or the blessing it is to spend time in God’s Word while she’s working – His goodness is everywhere! She and her team have been working to provide high quality Christian apparel since 2016 (sizes range from newborn to 4XL), but these unique items that help point people to Jesus now includes cardigans, kimonos, and sweatpants.
Guys, Elly and Grace has stepped it up to offer even more than apparel – they have phone cases, tote bags, coffee mugs, postcards, stickers, hats and even wall décor! They launch collections for different seasons – the most recent being Fall and Christmas, and Brenna has already started getting her Valentine’s Day collection put together. Why so soon? Brenna doesn’t just see God’s goodness everyday in her work, team, and customers, but she also sees it in her family – she’s having a baby girl in January! Yep! That’s the pregnancy! *happy dance*
Brenna encourages people, introverted or extroverted, to share their faith. She found sharing her faith to be difficult and that’s how this dream came to fruition. She’s a firm believer that God can use anyone, if they are willing, to shine a light in the darkness. Her team is of the same mindset and puts special touches on every purchase. Design and presentation go hand-in-hand for this company and they have experienced success while blessing those who have ordered or received the orders as gifts. Each order us carefully wrapped in tissue paper, a fun thank you sticker to hold it in place, a complimentary post card is included (to keep or send to a loved one), and a heartfelt thank you note is included to let you know they appreciate you.
They don’t just get the opportunity to bless those who place an order. Each purchase also gives back. Brenna had this concept deeply rooted from her own upbringing. A portion of the proceeds of every item purchased is given to several causes (and they’re open to considering others). In addition to their home church, there is also a passion to give to other organizations. Three of their favorites are Compassion International, Birthright STL, and CIY (Christ in Youth). Brenna and the team at Elly and Grace firmly believe that giving back is a blessing, and I couldn’t agree more!
What’s the take-away? It’s always the goodness of God. When I started out this blog, I had a vision of pointing others to God, bragging about how good He is and how much He loves me (and you… He loves you, too), and in doing so, being a blessing. And because of my vision, I get to connect with and share about people with similar missions – Brenna and her team hope to help tear down social barriers to open up conversations about our faith. Brenna’s praise and worship song of choice (for this week) sums up quite a bit for me – Tremble… Because God’s goodness is what stills those voices of doubt, silences my fear, and offers me boldness to do what I love in a way that proclaims the truth of the One who makes the darkness tremble.
Explore the links provided throughout this blog post, but you’re welcome to use this as a shortcut: https://ellyandgrace.com/ You won’t be disappointed.