a new series: women of influence {featuring Rachel Reeves}

i am so excited to introduce you to a new series here on allora handmade! 

i've been thinking about this for months and am thrilled for you to meet some women who have influenced my life over the last year. i hope that this is a place that you can come to feel inspired, and i know that these women will fit the bill. their lives and their stories have made me a better person, and i hope you will feel the same way as they share the kind of women they hope to be. 

our first woman of influence is Rachel from number 17 cherry tree lane.

and she has a beautiful heart.

I had to take a step back and really think about what it means to be a

"Woman of Influence".

Those are loaded words, yes? Think about how many woman you have, in your life, that you can truly call a woman of Godly and positive influence.

I'm guessing the number is pretty small.

I had to question, "what is positive influence and where is its birthplace?"

When I dug down into the subject, I realized that, at the core of influence...there is a characteristic that is a requirement.

Authenticity.

It's imperative.

If we, as business owners, mothers, wives, church-goers, Christians, friends, sisters, daughters and bloggers desire influence...

We must be authentic.

We were built, shaped and made with pre-set gifts and talents and when we diverge from those, to try and fit into another mold, we are only fooling ourselves...because others can see it from a mile away. It's obvious. Phonies are spottable and certainly not influential {at least not in a positive way}....

Authenticity is difficult. It's hard to be "us" sometimes, isn't it? We see people that have greatness written all over them and we question. What about me? What am I good at? Am I enough? Will my actions result in anything at all, let alone anything of worth?

But I dare you.

Live as yourself. Be confident. Live with purpose and determination to be the best at what YOU are. If you make earrings, make them the best you can. If you sculpt statues, do so with intention and passion. Crafting, mothering, bicycling-whatever!

Be authentic to what it is you love. To what it is you ARE.

To who it is that the Lord beautifully made you to be.

And, without even trying...you will be influential.

It will come naturally.

isn't she amazing? thank you rachel!!




what does authenticity mean to you? what makes you 100% you? what do you have to offer that no one else does?