In this Founder Diaries episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of ordering the sample for our second MADE BY THE WORD journal—aka the final stretch of product development. I’m officially moving forward with the matte black textured fabric because that’s what you guys voted for, and I always want to put our customers and supporters ahead of my personal preference. I’m also considering a light pink textured option since it’s technically a summer drop, but I’m only willing to test it as a sample first—if I don’t love it in person, we’re sticking to all black. I also share what the Lord put on my heart for the inside of the journal: I’ve been collecting powerful notes from creators and people who truly live for Jesus—encouragement for the woman who’s in a hard season but is called to go from surviving to thriving. My vision is for those notes to be the first pages you see when you open the journal, plus a tear-off page inside so you can write a note, tear it out, and pass it forward. And of course, we talk packaging—because luxury matters. I designed custom, reusable magnetic packaging with embossing, sized slightly bigger so the journal slides out easily, and I’m choosing a cream color that can work with every future drop.