Good morning, Beautiful people! We are in our 25 Days of Compassion, and I’m praising 2 of the most compassionate people I know for day 2 and 3.

Shelby Kiger Johnson

It was 2007, I was the new kid at school, and Shelby took me under her wing. She showed me the ropes, introduced me to almost every student and teacher in the high school and helped me make try outs for all the right teams.

Fast forward to 2009, she stood by my side as we walked across the stage at graduation and into the rest of our lives. She was 1 of 2 friends at that point in my high school career. (High school is hard, y’all…) But she always stuck by me and encouraged me to never give up.

Moving into college years, she went south to BJU, and I went north to LU. Shelby personally discipled me a little here and a little there. She made sure that we didn’t lose touch and always seemed to call at just the right time. She even made the several hour trek to visit me while in school and “proof” the Hubs when things started to get serious.

Shelby was my “point person” and I was hers when it came to our weddings. We weren’t in the each others official bridal parties, but instead, we were the emergency fixers. She knows how I think, and I her… so it was safe to say things would go without fail with each other in the mix making things happen.

Today, Shelby is a fantastic stylist, HMU artist doing fashion shows, bridal shoots, and crazy awesome events all over. She is living out her dream career, and I couldn’t be happier for her. Shelby doesn’t just “do hair”. She does life. She makes people feel beautiful from the inside out. She’s the kind of person whose light and love is magically and incredibly contagious. Each person she encounters walks away with a small piece of her heart.

Katie Gregory Garwood

This is another beauty whose connection goes back to our high school days. Katie and I didn’t have the joy of being in class together as we are a few years apart, and our relationship really took off earlier this year when she reached out and offered to connect and sponsor our blog.

That’s the thing about Katie. She is always sponsoring, donating, promoting others, giving… all the things. She is the founder and owner of September and Company, and in just over a year, she has built an empire. Katie’s business is taking off, and I 1000% attribute that to her faith in God, her perseverance when things get tough, and the intensely connected community she has surrounding her.

You might remember me posting about beautiful dresses and modest apparel for our Summer Israel Trip this year. Katie sponsored my wardrobe for the entire 2 week trip. Every single piece!

She’s at it again too, as she has sponsored my next 2 week trip coming up this December. You’ll hear more about that on Friday though. She just gives and gives, and one of the best ways that Katie shows compassion is by giving 10% of every purchase in her boutique directly to the March of Dimes Foundation which supports babies born prematurely and their mothers through research, provisions for new families, and better medical care for the deliveries.

Compassion: Party of 2

To be grouped with these 2 phenomenal human beings is a great honor. They make me better. They challenge me to be greater, to give more, to love harder, and to always do something that impacts others in a positive way. Their careers are not traditional “ministry career paths,” but their work is 100% ministry focused. With every style they piece together, through hair and makeup or fashion and clothing, they are making a difference in another person’s life. The care and compassion they put into their work shines through smiles on their clients’ faces.

The Giveaway

This brings me to the giveaway we all been waiting for! Shelby, Katie and I are sharing some of our favorite things in a giveaway on Instagram. Sometimes compassion is shown through giving, and the best way for us to reach as many people as possible is through social media platforms. Click this link to enter the giveaway for a chance to win the gifts below!

– the Wife