Marcy
“Being a woman means looking in the mirror and smiling at each imperfection as if it were a mark of lasting beauty, because it is.”
Marcy is constantly keeping busy and shifting her energy into meaningful places. She founded an online magazine, A Bundle of Thyme, which provides tips and words of encouragement for women across a variety of topics – including marriage, parenting, cooking, and growing in one’s Spiritual relationships. She is happiest when she is by her husband’s side, going to the movies, or putting together creative outfits. The set-backs she has experienced in her life have taught her to lean into her family and faith for comfort; this has ultimately made her a stronger and more compassionate person. Meet Marcy. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
M: I'm Marcy Lytle.
I am the energizer bunny in person, always going, with my mind always churning. I am married to Jon, and we have two grown kids who are both married, and we have three grandkids! They all live close by and often give me content for my online magazine for women, A Bundle of THYME. I have a group of women that contribute content to appeal to women ages 20-100! It's a magazine that aims to offer courage to women in the areas of fun, faith, and family. I also work for a magazine subscription agency, originally started by my mom. When I'm not working, I love to sing on a worship team, take long walks, go to the movies (my happy place!), create fun meals and plan all sorts of trips!
K: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
M: My favorite thing about myself is that I'm married to the best guy ever. He completes me, is different than I am in so many ways that I need, and he demonstrates selfless acts of kindness which I learn from, daily! If that's not what you meant, I guess I like my love for fashion. I find putting together an outfit delightfully creative and fun!
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
M: The story I often tell is the one of building our dream home and then losing it. We built a custom home in the country not too many years after we married, and thought we had "arrived." Five years later, after three burglaries, and three fires, and all other sorts of "horror" experiences in that big and beautiful house, we had to walk away. Not only that, my husband's body needed a major surgery and his business was tanking. I was embarrassed by the loss and the fact that we had to basically "start over" when most of my friends were climbing higher. Now, decades later I see that I learned a lot, that God took care of and provided for us where there was no other way, and that the humility that came from that experience has made me a kinder person to others.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
M: One piece of advice I'd give my younger self is to let go of guilt. I had lots of guilt due to religious "duties" and fear, regarding God, especially. It's taken me years of reading about his true character to realize how loved I am by Him. This has enabled me to live in so much more freedom. Guilt is a heavy load and causes shame, and it keeps us from enjoying life. That was never His intention, because He loves us SO MUCH and we don't have to perform to be loved. That's what I wish I'd gotten earlier in life...
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
M: Being a woman, to me, means embracing my body and who I am for the wonderfully made person I am. I've also despised certain aspects of my appearance (cellulite, gap in teeth, etc.) and that just wastes time. Being a woman means looking in the mirror and smiling at each imperfection as if it were a mark of lasting beauty, because it is.
K: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
M: One woman that inspires me is my mom. Maybe that's what a lot of people say, but now that she's gone and I have all of these memories of her - how hard she worked - how she loved to give - how she hid her pain to enjoy her family - and how she prayed fiercely behind the scenes - how she too loved fashion that she created - these pictures surface daily and cause me to pause and give thanks. She truly was a gift to me and mine.