What to Expect with Like Lilies

When I first began this blog in July, I was not prepared at all. My first design was put together quickly as I worked to get my site up before Summer ended. I quickly wrote up my first article and posted it before I had any other ideas for future posts. Not too much time passed before I learned what burn out felt like and soon regretted beginning Like Lilies without a solid plan of what to do and without posts already written up ahead of time. Finding time to write a blog post every week soon became hard and the pressure of blogging consistently yet not being able to get a post out in time began to overwhelm me. I did my best to squeeze in time to write, often writing instead of doing other things of higher priority, but after a few weeks I began to despise my blog.

Not wanting to admit defeat, I stepped back for a bit while my family moved and continued to work on a blog post here and there when I had a free moment. During this time, I struggled with many things like comparing my blog to others, constantly changing my website, and all the while hoping that eventually I would figure out how to make an aesthetically cute blogging website. I was upset with the fact that I was not mentally able to post an article each week like others I followed were able to do, and I quickly became downhearted and began to doubt if starting a blog had been the right thing for me to do. Was I really ready to tackle this on my own?

As I came to grow more in the Lord, I was reminded of why I began Like Lilies and what actually mattered. I hadn't originally taken the blog over because I wanted to compete with the other founder of Like Lilies. I hadn't continued to build the blog because I wanted to convey an unattainable perfection through words or design. I'm not perfect, in fact, I never will be. My blog is not perfect. My website is not perfect. My life is not perfect, which means I won't be able to post consistently or write a marvelous blog without even trying, and that's okay.

In fact, the whole reason I had the thought for this blog in the first place was because I was not perfect. I was actually afraid of starting a blog all on my own, hence why Like Lilies was formed by two instead of one... but God has been gracious and patient with me, giving me the strength to take a step out of my comfort zone and attempt to run this without a co-writer. I wouldn't be able to do this without Him holding me up.

In Luke 12:27 (the verse that is the foundation for this blog), Jesus is speaking to sinners who are made new in Him. He spoke the words commanding us not to worry or be afraid because He knows we are not perfect. God doesn't command perfection, but He does command faith and trust in Him. Yes, we will fail at having faith in the promises He has made, and we will fail in trusting that no matter what, He will not leave us or forget us, but the Lord in His sovereign mercy shows us grace and opens our hearts to progressive sanctification once we are saved.

“Progressive sanctification is the ongoing work of God’s grace whereby He enables believers to put sin to death in their lives and conforms them more and more to the image of Christ.” - Ligonier Ministries

While we are on earth, we will never be perfect and even when we try to be perfect, we will fail, for only the Lord is perfect, hence why Christ was the One who was crucified in our place that we may be saved. (see Romans 3:23, Acts 4:12, John 14:6, and Romans 4:25)

Someday, when we reach heaven, we will be made perfect in Him, but until then, we are not going to be perfect, which actually is a marvelous thing! Because of our inability to be perfect, our need for a perfect Mediator is heightened and there is only One who can fulfill that role: Christ Jesus Our Lord!

All this to say, I learned this past year (2025) that I am not perfect and will never be perfect (on this earth), and my blog isn't supposed to be perfect. In fact, it's supposed to be just the opposite. I'm not writing this to encourage the "perfect" people in this world, or to act like I myself am "perfect", because personally I have found blogs and channels that are conveyed as "perfect" to be a stumbling block in my walk with the Lord and my greatest fear is that I shall also be envied or cause another to fall into the comparison trap.

With that being said, there may be times I will not be open or vulnerable in my writing, as I do value my privacy highly and there are things I choose to keep to myself and my family. So, although there will be times I share something I have struggled with or the Lord has taught me during a certain trial, I will also maintain a level of distance and be as vague as I see fit in regards to sharing things online to protect my privacy and the privacy of those around me.

And now that I've written over 600 words, I shall delay no longer in explaining what all I have going on around here!

On the Home page you can read a little more about how Like Lilies first began (assuming you found this post without first reading that). Also on the Home page (after the second Lilies of the Valley photograph) you will find a form that you can fill out to receive my newsletter, Jaycee's Journal, where I share writing updates, life updates, and random thoughts of encouragement, along with blog announcements! It would be a huge help if you subscribed and I hope that my emails will be an encouragement to you! Farther down the page (after the third Lilies of the Valley photograph) you will find another form that you can fill out if you want to reach out to me with any questions, prayer requests, or just to say hello! As one who loves writing and receiving letters, I would absolutely love it if you wrote your message in letter form, but however you choose to message, I will love it!

Once you have figured out your way around the Home page, you can go to the top bar and click on the button that says Blog, which will then take you to my blogging page where you can see a list of all my articles with the most recent ones at the top! Now, be forewarned, there is a lot going on there and it may take some exploring to figure it all out, but I shall try my best to write it all here in order to make it easy for you to navigate!

On my blog, these are the three main sections you will see,

• Monthly Musings: Posted once a month (as my schedule allows), this section is where I will write on something the Lord has impressed upon my heart that month, often lovingly challenging my sisters in Christ in that area or topic all while being challenged myself. You can get a better idea of what this will look like by clicking here to read my first issue of Monthly Musings. The main focus of the series is to live out what Paul encouraged the church in Philippi to do and to glorify the Lord in our spiritual life.

'Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.' Philippians 4:8

• Refreshing Reviews: If you are looking for clean literary recommendations, I have just the thing for you! As an avid reader myself, I enjoy writing articles for this in which I pick a book I've read and write a review on it! Just a heads up, most of what I read is Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Christian Mystery, all of which may include some clean romance depending on the book. If you prefer to stay away from any romance, I will make sure to mention in my review if there is any so that you are not caught off guard if you choose to read it. When I recommend a novel, I am not recommending you go to that author for theology or apologetic type matters, unless otherwise stated. I may have differing theological views with some of the authors whose books I recommend, but if they are ones that I feel are worth warning my readers of, I will address it in my review as just a caution before you look into reading that book (although if it is a major issue, I most likely will not even recommend the book).

• Healthy Habits: As one who has been passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle from a young age, I desire to encourage my generation in good routines and eating habits with this section. In a society where obesity is prevalent and chaotic schedules are the "norm", I hope to encourage and challenge my sisters in Christ to go against the mainstream and live a life set-apart for Christ in which everything we do is glorifying to God. Just as Paul said in 1 Corinthians, we should do all to the glory of God. When we are leading an overwhelming, unhealthy lifestyle how will we be able to serve and glorify the Lord to our fullest?

'Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.' 1 Corinthians 10:31

With these three sections of my blog, as well as with my newsletters, my hope is to encourage and challenge my sisters in Christ in not only spiritual matters, but also physical ones, for both our physical state and our spiritual state are important in glorifying the Lord, and the little things that we do from day to day do matter and can, more often than not, affect the greater things in our lives.

Now that you have the blog guide let's hop over to the page entitled Resources where I have a little list put together of different websites and blogs that I follow and hope you will find encouraging in your walk with God!

I look forward to seeing you around!

With much love and prayer,

~Jaycee ♡

'Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ' Luke 12:27