Burning Brighter Still

Hey, Friends! It’s Libby. I’ve missed ya’ll. Just finally feeling led to reach out to you ladies with one more post.

It was about one year ago when I knew the Lord was personally leading me into a new season of faith and trust.  As I enjoyed the great outdoors, I still pray I never forget how I felt His warmth and power as I took in the beauty of His sunlight and the strength of His trees.

Now savoring the outdoors in the present and reflecting on the past year, I’m overwhelmed with emotions after having my life turned upside down in His loving hands. And I’m full of gratitude to acknowledge His beauty and strength still remain.

Over the past year or more, ‘let there be light’ was His daily message to my soul. And while this message often correlates with revealing sin and shame, there were many lies and hidden realities within my home and family that needed to be revealed. It took me a while to grasp all that He was doing. I so appreciate His patience and constant presence and the amazing women of this group who have stood beside me, better together.

Living in His light and letting His truth bring freedom these past few years has been an unbelievable journey. Maybe some day I’ll share about His releasing me from my marriage, healing from abuse, parenting after divorce, beginning a new career, falling in love again, experiencing more peace and joy than ever before, etc. But in this current season, I want to only be living proof of His message of faithfulness for this Holy Barre community. I failed and struggled MANY a times, but His love burns brighter still and reminds us to . . .

  • Invite Jesus and His Spirit to shine bright within you and into all the spaces of your life!

Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness. – John 8:12 TPT

  • Grow deep roots in His love!

I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

  • Believe He’ll do more than you can ask or imagine!

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21

  • Allow His truth to set you free!

For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives. – John 8:32 TPT

  • Live each day in His freedom!

At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. – Galatians 5:1 TPT

Each one of our journeys will continue, and we’ll all experience storms and sunrises ahead . . . but His light, love, and truth remain . . . burning brighter still!

I’ve delayed posting here over the past few months, praying for the clarity as to the next steps for myself and Holy Barre. Words can’t describe the life-saving gift this group has been to me personally now on the other side of domestic abuse. The Lord used the workouts, music, Bible plans, and community to keep His fire lit in my soul when other forces wanted to put it out.

I realize I’m a broken record when it comes to the messages you’ll find in all these posts and online workout videos, but having deep roots in His love and fanning the flame of His Spirit within your soul are the most powerful tools of health, wholeness, and holiness. And we can truly move in love and worship our Savior in ALL things.

While I am unsure as to the next time we’ll meet in person, I am so encouraged to hear the stories of how this ministry continues through relationships, other leaders, and His Spirit. As I’ve said from the beginning, Holy Barre has been the work of the Lord and His vision. And He’ll continue His good work.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:3-6 NIV

One specific update for this new season of Holy Barre is that another party has chosen to jump through the legal hurdles to claim ‘Holy Barre’ officially. I did not feel it was a good use of our time or donations to block their efforts. We can continue to move in love, worship through workouts, but rather than using ‘Holy Barre’, we can be labeled locally by community. For those in central Oklahoma, Deeper Wells is our larger non-profit ministry and name.

The Lord has used Holy Barre to encourage and empower so many of us. I realize my story is one of the many! Even if I’m not in the season to lead, I would love for others to continue to carry the torch to keep this movement going forward. If there is enough interest, I’d love to lead a Burning Bright Barre instructor training in the coming months.

Love you all! Keep burning bright, Beauties! ❤️‍🔥

Find Rest

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

— Matthew 11:28-30

Written by Candace Woolard

A yoke is worn by a team! And Jesus offers us to be yoked with Him. He will work with us, side by side, He will share the load of what is before us. He says His burden – His yoke – is light and easy. And He says there is rest with His yoke.

Who needs some rest? Allllll of us

He gives us three verbs: Come. Take. Learn.

And from these simple steps toward Jesus, what does He do? Gives Rest. Ease. Lighter loads.

It’s the stopping to come, to take and to learn that is much harder than I thought. It takes so much strength to stop. So much reigning in of ALL the thoughts and lists and demands.

God, give us strength to stop. 

We have a King that LOVES when we come to Him and take His yoke and learn from him.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Note from Libby . . .

Holy Barre in Edmond is stepping into a season of rest as today was our last gathering at All Fit Collective. While we look forward to burning brighter today in 2025, we know the Lord is giving us the strength to stop and is deeply involved in this season.

Thank you, Candace & McKenzie, for leading us so well during our time at AFC. We truly are better together, and your leadership has impacted us all!

Candace finished out our final week by leading Tuesday and Thursday. This post is what she shared with the class, and you’ll find a final picture and her playlist below.

We are grateful for five amazing years . . . and counting! 🙂

Beauty for Ashes

Over the past couple of weeks, Holy Barre celebrated 5 years of burning brighter together and the Lord has been placing the promise of ‘beauty from ashes’ on my heart. These two things could not be more connected.

to strengthen those crushed by despair who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful bouquet  in the place of ashes,

the oil of bliss instead of tears, 

and the mantle of joyous praise 

instead of the spirit of heaviness. 

Because of this, they will be known as

Mighty Oaks  of Righteousness,

planted  by Yahweh as a living display of his glory.

Isaiah 61:3 TPT

Holy Barre began five years ago out of a personal season of struggle. And from those ashes, a beautiful bouquet was established. And from tears and heaviness, Mighty Oaks of Righteousness grew . . . planted by the Lord Himself as a living and active display of His glory!

I’d like to share this note included in The Passion Translation about the phrase ‘beautiful bouquet’ in Isaiah 61:3 . . .

‘Or ‘beauty for ashes’ or ‘a garland [of flowers] or headdress.’ There is an interesting wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word for ‘beauty’ is phe’er, and the words for ‘ashes’ is epher – simply the moving of one letter. God has the power to change and move things around in our lives to make them into something beautiful. See Romans 8:28.’

The Passion Translation note to Isaiah 61:3

What comfort He provides in consistently changing and moving things around in our lives to make something beautiful. I continue to see His goodness again and again in my own life. I’m currently stepping into a new season as I now work in Special Education at my children’s school. While taking this role might have been driven by ashes, the Lord is truly making something beautiful and more than I could ask, think, or imagine.(Ephesians 3)

I recently created a workout catered to those who work in education but to some extent, we all educate and support those around us. Here’s a 35-minute full-body workout that I pray fills up your soul, heart, mind, and body!

This passage speaks such power and yet such personal promise . . .

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations.

– Isaiah 61:1-4 NIV

Fall: A Season of Change

by Candace Woolard

The summer’s heat begins to slowly fade. Cold beverages are replaced with warm pumpkin spice lattes. Shorts and shirts traded for jackets and jeans. We find ourselves once again in the embrace of autumn, the season of change.

The change in season may also mean a change in the pace of life as well. You might be eating breakfast on the run, rushing your kids to activities, sitting in long carpool lines, or packing up your college student for the start of the school year. If we aren’t careful, we may miss some of the wonders and lessons that God has for us. 

Slow Down. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know I am God!”

The fall season invites us to pause, consider the state of our hearts, and align our lives with God’s will. Just as the trees clear their branches, we must strip away anything that hinders our walk with Jesus.

Let Go. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” 

The falling leaves serve as a visual parable of the process of releasing our cares to God.

Embrace Change.  Isaiah 43:19 says, “For I am about to do something new.”

Autumn vividly demonstrates to us that change is not just inevitable, but also beautiful. The beauty of autumn lies not only in its breathtaking landscapes but also in its subtle reminder that change is an ongoing part of God’s design.

As we explore this season of change let’s learn from it. We can learn to slow down, let go, and embrace change that will come. 

All with God by our side. 

“What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways! His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light. He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous.”

Psalms 1:1-3 TPT

A Life of Worship

Written by Candace Woolard

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.

Psalm 29:2 NIV

We usually think of music when the word worship is mentioned. Hands raised, voices singing, giving praise to Jesus. And while this picture is not incorrect, it is merely one form of our worship. However, our worship is far more about the object of our praise, the King of Kings, than it is about the avenue or portal in which we express it.

Worshiping God is possible through music, prayer, adventure, skill, sacrifice, and many other things that consume our time. It is the sign of a responsive heart to a loving Father. When we realize the depravity of our sin, understand the depths of His grace, and experience His daily decision to pursue us and use us, it is impossible not to worship.

It is in this revelation that our entire lives become worship; we remain in constant awe of the fact that the King of kings chose us, uses us, and loves us despite ourselves.

The hard thing about worship is that we often get so caught up in how it looks or in how we look that our attention transitions to a self-focused performance or ritual. But our God is not impressed with how a prayer sounds, how well we sing, or what we create if we are not allowing Him to intimately speak to our hearts in the process. But when we allow Him to get close, Spirit to spirit, and fully immerse ourselves in the power and beauty of our Savior, our spirit can’t help but shine.

Our Sunday experiences are a part of worship, but they are certainly not all of it. Worship involves our thoughts, words, and actions on a daily basis both at home and in our workplace. The way we live every part of our lives reveals whether we have come to understand this lifestyle of worship. 

Jesus did not ask for a slot on our schedule; He invites us to surrender it all and taste the richness of His living hope in our everyday, mundane, trivial, and seemingly unimportant tasks. He desires us to open ourselves to His loving hands because we trust His heart.

“Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakable kingdom we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights his heart as we lay down our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe.”

Hebrews 12:28 TPT

Holy Barre Is Turning 5!

Save the date – Saturday, Sept 7, at 6:00pm! Join us as we celebrate 5 years of burning brighter together!

We’ll gather for fun workouts, worship, and overall wellness! If you’ve ever been a part of Holy Barre or are interested in experiencing it, we’d love for you to plan to attend at a home in Twin Bridges the evening of Saturday, September 7.

Please complete the form below to let us know you’re coming, receive the address and details, and reflect on Holy Barre’s impact!

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Hallelujah Even Here

Right now I feel a little overwhelmed
Right now I could really use some help
Right now I don’t feel like it is well with my soul
I’ve tried to find a way around the mess
I’ve prayed in faith that the night would end
Right here when I just can’t understand
I’ll lift my hands

Hallelujah, when the storm is relentless
Hallelujah, when the battle is endless
In the middle of the in between
In the middle of the questioning
Over every worry, every fear
Hallelujah, even here
Hallelujah, even here

Somehow I bow and my heart gets free
Too far, too hard becomes so easy
I find peace here in surrendering
In letting go

Hallelujah, when the storm is relentless
Hallelujah, when the battle is endless
In the middle of the in between
In the middle of the questioning
Over every worry, every fear
Hallelujah, even here
Hallelujah, even here, yeah, yeah

Sometimes nothing left to give
Ooh, becomes the sweetest offering
And sometimes choosing just to sing
Is the thing that changes everything

Lyrics to Hallelujah Even Now by Lydia Laird

This week, our local group has been going through the Bible Plan that shares the same name as the song quoted above, both written by Lydia Laird. This plan was picked by Candace in response to the struggles many of us are facing.

We gather each week to worship, move, breathe and experience the love of Jesus. This experience truly stirs our hearts and minds for more of Him, rather than pursuing the things of this world. In addition, we experience the value of authentic community.

We worship it out. We seek. We surrender. We savor our King and His Kingdom. Even now.

To learn the truth you must long to be teachable, or you can despise correction and remain ignorant.

If your heart is right, favor flows from the Lord, but a devious heart invites his condemnation.

You can’t expect success by doing what’s wrong.But the lives of his lovers are deeply rooted and firmly planted.

Proverbs 12:1-3 TPT

Regardless of the storm, we continue to be deeply rooted and firmly planted. So we worship it out, burning brighter together.

Here’s the link to the YouVersion Reading Plan also by Lydia Laird – Hallelujah Even Here

Grab your light hand weights for this full-body, faith-filled workout! We’re worshipping it out together, deeply rooted and firmly planted!

Right on Time

by Candace Woolard, Holy Barre Instructor

You may think you’re too late or maybe God’s not answering prayers in the timeline you have, but know the time and season for this blessing to be in your life is never too late.

Right on time. That’s how God works.

It may not fit your schedule or your preference, but you can be rest assured that the One who knows everything about you, the One who knows all possible variables, the One who loves you with an everlasting love will see to it that you are well taken care of. 

Faith is a choice. It’s a choice that says yes these are the facts, but God can and will…(fill in that blank).

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:6-7

Ladies, will you make the choice to add a “but God can…” when you think of the thing that is weighing you down? Would you take the path of faith especially in the moment when it’s hard to see a way out?

Every good thing in your life right now is a gift. An answered prayer. A blessing from heaven. He did it before, and He’ll do it again. So rest your heart and walk with God – along the way you’ll realize the blessings chase after you and not the other way around.

Time is grace and joy is grace and people are grace in human form and well, I feel like I’ve been extended too much. 

Lord, please help me to want for nothing.

When you’re ready to worship it out and move in love, here’s Candace’s playlist from class.

Ultimately, we can rest in His timing and in His truth that He is intimately aware of us.

”You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid your hand on me!“
‭‭
Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Tree of Life

Rather than typing it all out, here are my intro thoughts from our worship-filled workout this morning. You can watch the less than 5 minute message here, and the link below provides the full 45 minutes full-body workout!

Thanks for burning bright with us, Friends! Feel free to share either or both links!

Soul Care This Summer

Trust your body.

Be kind to yourself.

You are enough, just as you are right now.

Your joy matters.

Please tell everyone you know.

– Burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski

As we hit the half-way point of this year and move into a new month and holiday week, let’s check in. How are you? How’s your summer going? How’s your body feeling? How’s your mind doing? How are you taking care of yourself? Are you being kind and compassionate to yourself? Are you running on fumes? Are you burnt out? Or are you fanning His flame and burning bright?

I recently finished a wonderful book called Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, and I wanted to share with you all some of the final statements shared by the authors. And hopefully this post will encourage you to add the book to your reading/listening list!

‘Does it really matter how exhausted, overwhelmed, and self-critical – how burned out – we feel?

It does matter. It matters because we want the world to be a better place. We want life to become increasingly good for an increasing number of people. We think you want that, too. And you are part of the world.

When you are cruel to yourself, contemptuous and shaming, you only increase the cruelty in the world, when you are kind and compassionate toward yourself, you increase the kindness and compassion in the world. Being compassionate toward yourself – not self-indulgent or self-pitying, but kind – is both the least you can do and the single most important thing you can do to make the world a better place. Until you are free, we can’t be fully free, which is why all of us together have to collaborate to create that freedom for everyone. Our wellness is tied to yours.’

– Burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski

While this book is not faith-promoting, these words align beautifully with the message and mission of Jesus. We truly are better together, and like it says in Galatians 5:14, we demonstrate love to our neighbors as we take care of and love ourselves.

‘Wellness, once again, is not a state of mind, but a state of action; it is the freedom to move through the cycles of being human, and this ongoing, mutual exchange of support is the essential action of wellness. It is the flow of givers giving and accepting support, in all its many forms.

The cure for burnout is not ‘self-care’; it is all of us caring for one another.

So we’ll say it once more time:

Trust your body.

Be kind to yourself.

You are enough, just as you are right now.

Your joy matters.

Please tell everyone you know.

– Burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski

As we celebrate freedom as a community and continue on with our summer, let’s care for ourselves and one another.

For all the law can be summarized in one grand statement:

‘Demonstrate love to your neighbor, even as you care for and love yourself.’

Galatians 5:14 TPT

Enjoy your Fourth of July, Friends! Let His freedom ring!