Are you in Before or After mode?

Are you in Before or After mode?

by | May 16, 2022 | 7-Seconds Home Staging: Quick Tips, Home Staging, Life

Before and after pictures are a favorite thing of mine. Whether it is skincare results, home remodels or Miraclegro commercials, I love to see the transformation from what was to what is. I have included some before and after pics from our most recent house flip. We had so much fun with this remodel and I will be talking more about it in the weeks to come.

The thing about before and after is the distinct delineation between what was–your past–and what is–your present and future. What I love about the Lord is how He lets us look at the before picture but He removes any doubt, fear or shame connected to it, then He focuses our attention to the after picture. He helps us see the transformation He has made in our lives and He shows us where we are going in His plans and purposes for us.

Our lives consist of many before and afters, and thankfully, every day, hour and minute have the potential of transformation when we submit to the Holy Spirit. Through Christ we have been made fresh and new and that is good news!

‘Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 TPT.

Blessings,

Karen

 

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Are Your Dreams Languishing?

Are Your Dreams Languishing?

by | May 16, 2022 | Life, Purpose, Vision

No matter who you are, what your background or where you are starting from, God’s plan for you is to finish strong and be successful. God has designed you for great potential and for great success. Your dreams are important to the Lord and He wants you to be successful in all your endeavors. 

When you seek the Lord first and obey His voice you can be assured of success. 

inspirational, dreams, hopes, goals, aspirations, just do it

He lets you plant and water, but He is the one who guarantees the harvest. He is the one who placed the gifts and talents within you for the purpose He designed for you from the beginning of time. He gave you those dreams.

Some days you may feel you have no ideas and limited natural abilities, but let me encourage you to remember what the Lord has available for you. ‘Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. ‘  Isaiah 43:19 AMP.  Be aware of the things He is causing to spring up–ideas, opportunities and people–knowing with the Lord that nothing is impossible.

Revisit Your Dreams,

Karen Conrad

PS. Look for Episode 22 in The Promise of Purpose series on YouTube today. Hear Karen talk about the favor of God on your life.

 

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Are you in Before or After mode?

Before and after pictures are a favorite thing of mine. Whether it is skincare results, home remodels or Miraclegro commercials, I love to see the transformation from what was to what is. I have included some before and after pics from our most recent house flip. We...

Are Your Dreams Languishing?

No matter who you are, what your background or where you are starting from, God’s plan for you is to finish strong and be successful. God has designed you for great potential and for great success. Your dreams are important to the Lord and He wants you to be...

Master Suite(ness)

What is the last thing you see before you fall asleep at night and the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning? Your bedroom. The master suite decor often reflects the same care that is given to the marriage relationship of those that reside there. When a...

Small Bathroom Ideas

Free Download: 15 Remodeling Tips Under $500 It is easy to find homes with less than swoonworthy bathrooms. Walking through houses for sale or rent often yields a stack of bathrooms that are dated, poorly laid out, dark or dingy. A bad bathroom is not only a deterrent...

Copyright Karen Conrad 2021
Master Suite(ness)

Master Suite(ness)

by | May 12, 2022 | Home Staging, Real Estate, Sweet Tea

What is the last thing you see before you fall asleep at night and the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning? Your bedroom. The master suite decor often reflects the same care that is given to the marriage relationship of those that reside there. When a master suite is cluttered, dingy, dark or crowded, it can be a picture of a marriage that needs some attention and care. Beauty and airiness in the master suite decor can change how you end the day and begin the day with your spouse.

‘I am my beloved’s, And my beloved is mine.’ Song of Solomon 6:3a NKJV

In Song of Solomon there are many references to spending time together in a vineyard and a garden, which communicate beauty and airiness. That should be our focus when creating master suites and bedrooms—to make it a special space for you as a couple. For example, Dave and I have our first cup of coffee together each morning in our master suite. We also eat popcorn together in our room at the end of the day. It is priceless to begin and end your day together in a peaceful place.

Spend some time clearing out the clutter, open up the windows to create some freshness then see what a difference it makes in your relationship. Beauty, airiness and keeping it neat is a goal. The master suite is where we end the day and start the day together, so make it your private retreat. In addition, God’s interactions with us in the night are a promise we can delight in. The Word of God tells us, when my mind is asleep, my heart is awake (Song of Solomon 5:2a). What a blessing!

 Embracing Beauty,

 Karen Conrad

 

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Small Bathroom Ideas

Small Bathroom Ideas

by | Apr 16, 2022 | Home Staging, Real Estate, Sweet Tea

Free Download: 15 Remodeling Tips Under $500

It is easy to find homes with less than swoonworthy bathrooms. Walking through houses for sale or rent often yields a stack of bathrooms that are dated, poorly laid out, dark or dingy. A bad bathroom is not only a deterrent to selling a house, it is definitely not a house I want to live in. Nearly everyone who enters your house will visit a bathroom and you will personally be inside the bathrooms in your home multiple times a day. Bathrooms are VERY important rooms and they are not places I am willing to skimp on when renovating a house.

Small Bathroom Ideas, Bathroom Remodel Ideas, DIY Bathroom Ideas, Swoonworthy Bathrooms, Updated Bathrooms, Replacing Tile, Replacing Dated Fixtures, Bright, Clean, Uncrowded Spaces

We had 3 bathrooms we were working with in the Coastal Cottage, but today we are going to talk about the small bathroom at the back of the house. This bathroom was connected to the former “man cave” and we needed to update the 60s taupe tile, and try to make it a place that would be delightful for the guest room we created next door. The shower was not large enough for a regular size person to stand in, not to mention a relatively tall person. There was not enough light even though it was a small room, and I can’t begin to talk about the toilet. You need to be aware that once you start removing tile, there is no going back, so make sure you think all the options through before you begin.

 

A truly swoonworthy bathroom is open, bright, clean and not crowded. We worked with our contractor to do just that with this little bathroom. We took out the “micro-mini” shower and reconfigured the room to put in a lovely shower with the cultured marble we used in the other bathrooms. We even added an extra light inside the stall. We matched the tile, paint and light fixtures to the other bathrooms and added a rolling barn door for character. A clean, beautiful bathroom adds tremendous value to our homes and our hearts. Everyone spends time in a bathroom and we want it to be pleasant for our guests as well as our family. It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect excellence and hospitality in our home. 

Swooning together,

Karen Conrad