Beauty in the Patchwork

This summer has been a season of unraveling and rebuilding. God has gently allowed parts of me to fall away—old expectations, misplaced ambitions, and the idea that I was supposed to become some “big fashion designer” with a polished luxury brand. In the falling away, He’s been doing what He always does best: patching me back together, piece by piece, in His perfect design.

As I worked with scraps of vintage fabric—cutting, piecing, stitching—I realized the story wasn’t just about giving life back to these scraps of history. It was about me. God has been repurposing my life the same way I repurpose fabric. He takes the worn-out, torn-apart pieces and weaves them into something new, meaningful, and whole. What looks like scraps to the world, He sees as the raw material for something beautiful.

There have been ups and downs, long nights, and plenty of hard work. But in the process, I’ve learned to release the pressure of becoming something the world defines as “success.” Instead, I’m leaning into the calling God placed on my heart: to renew, to restore, to create beauty from what was forgotten.

This is what Jo Noelle has always been about—slow fashion rooted in joy, redemption, and the reminder that nothing is ever wasted in God’s hands. Just as He has been renewing my soul, I get to mirror that transformation in fabric, turning old and broken into new and cherished.

Every stitch is a testimony. Every patch is a prayer. And every finished piece is a reminder that the hard work is worth it—because it’s not just about fashion, it’s about faith. Blind faith actually! Want to know what that looks like? Me on my daily walk, talking to God and He tells me I have little faith and He wants me to have blind faith and then proceeds to have me walking up and down the back roads of my neighborhood WITH MY EYES CLOSED! Let me tell you, I didn't get far (lol) But each time I tried again, I got further and what I noticed was pretty mind blowing... When I walked with my eyes closed, FULLY trusting... my steps were more purposeful, my walk was straighter and even though I was going very fast, I was pointed in the exact right direction. That's how intimate God wants to be with us, to walk WITH us! How blessed are we to worship a savior that wants to spend time with us and show us where to go!?! 

Where are you letting God lead you in your life right now? I'd love to hear your journey!

XO~ Johanna

PS: the story gets even better once you know that I had pretty consistent vertigo up until a year ago when God healed me completely. I literally couldn't even stand up with my eyes closed without falling over, let alone walk around!!