I don't know about you, but I'm an avid HGTV watcher and one of my favorite shows is Fixer Upper. Chip and Joanna Gaines are a married couple in the Waco, TX area who help their clients find a house within their budget that needs some renovations. They then fix up the house in order to turn it into their client's dream home. Okay...not that unique of an idea...but really with these two, there's just something different. There is this vibe they put off that they're good people, down home people, people you want to get to know. So...given that I'm obsessed with them and every design idea Joanna has, I HAD to pick up this book and boy am I glad I did! I LOVED reading their story and finding out a little bit more about them.
Their book takes you from the beginning with a little background on where they grew up told from their own perspectives and you also get a little background on how they met. Turns out, neither one was what the other thought they would end up with as a significant other. Joanna didn't think she would end up with a talkative, rambunctious man and Chip didn't think he would end up with a shy, introverted girl...but they just knew somehow that they were meant for each other. You can really feel the love they have for one another throughout the pages of the book. They eventually lead you into how Chip had an entrepreneurial spirit and several lawn care businesses that then developed into renovating homes and through many years developed into something more. Joanna never pictured herself being a designer but somehow that's where she ended up.
They are both very candid in explaining that it wasn't always sunshine, butterflies, and unicorn farts. There were real struggles and certain times when they thought they would hit rock bottom, but it always worked out. They're so incredibly candid in their belief in God and I found that incredibly inspiring. As someone who personally knows the power of God's timing, this book really spoke to me. Joanna continually expresses throughout the book that just when they thought things were falling apart, God would come through at just the right time. It was so refreshing to hear that from complete strangers. It's one thing for me to talk about my experiences with trusting in God and His timing with my mother, but it's just further validation in my own beliefs to hear about it from others.
There is truly a genuine quality to these two that shines through in their book. You find that they are people you want to know, you want to hang out with, get to know. They're hard working, honest, and just GOOD people...and good people are hard to come by sometimes in today's world. When I was finished with this book, I wanted to meet them, I wanted to visit Magnolia Market in Waco, and I felt my faith restored in people. They are legitimately setting a good example for their children and even their community...but the thing is, they were doing that before there was ever a camera on them. It truly is God's blessing, I think, that they were given the opportunity to shine their light into the world. Their story really is an inspiration.
Thank you, Chip and Joanna, for sharing this beautiful story with the world.
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