LIVING MAGAZINE

20 YEARS OF SERVING, LEARNING, AND GROWING

By Mimi Greenwood Knight | PHOTOS By Lauren Medean

Living Magazine Publisher Misty Morgan Daniels remembers well her first days with the magazine. “I had three kids, a dog, and a two-bedroom condo, and I desperately needed a home office to work in,” she said, “A friend offered me an old door and two file cabinets. So, I balanced the door on top of the file cabinets to fashion a desk. Later, I found a dresser someone was throwing away and my first Living Magazine office was complete. I loved it so much! Even though it was nothing to look at, it was beautiful to me. Today, my office has glitz and glamour, chandeliers, and gold touches everywhere. Of course, I love working in a girly space but there’s something very special about my first office and a place in my heart that will always be beautiful. It reminds me of God’s word. “If we are faithful in little God will give us much. (Luke 16:10) He certainly has shown that to be true in my life.”

HOMETOWN GIRL

Misty enjoyed an idyllic childhood growing up in Keller Texas, but her family roots run deep in Arlington. “My father launched a large western boot empire in the 70’s called Morgan Boots,” she said. “We had friends like Ronnie Millsap, Crazy Ray from the Dallas Cowboys, the Real Lone Ranger, and I remember people like Brooke Shields stopping into Morgan Boots to purchase western attire, when they were in Texas. My dad’s retail boot stores were scattered across North Texas and Oklahoma, and it was very much a family business, for over 30 years.”

Misty moved to Arlington, when she was 19, after trying out to be a Texas Rangers ball girl and served on the team for several seasons. “I loved Arlington immediately and had no doubt this is where I wanted to raise my family and spend the rest of my life,” she said.

It hardly seems possible to Misty that it was 20 years ago she was blessed to come upon a small, startup magazine called Living Magazine, who’d only published their first few issues and were in search of an ad director. Growing up in a family business, she felt more than prepared to take on the challenge. “I was schooled by my father in marketing, including shooting TV commercials, recording radio spots, and working with print media,” she said, “I loved the idea of helping others with the challenge of marketing and building up their business.”

FACING CHALLENGES

It wasn’t easy though meeting the demands of single motherhood and the busy schedule of the magazine. “I can remember my youngest child slipping me notes under my home office door at 7:00 PM to ask me questions, while I was still hard at work,” Misty said. “It took a perfectly timed sermon to help me realize I needed to put boundaries in place to be a good mom and a good business owner, too. I was passionate about Living Magazine, but the hours seemed endless. And at that time in my kids’ lives, being a single mom needed to be my priority. It was only through God’s grace I was able to do both. I could write a book on single mom dos and don’ts (and all the mistakes I made) but God helped me and gave me peace, for my entire 16 single-mom years. Living Magazine gave me a career I’ve always been proud of, helped me support my kids, and enabled me to raise them on my own.”

A DYNAMIC TEAM

As the magazine grew, Misty was blessed to have her daughter, Lindsay Clark, join her taking on the role of social media strategist and content manager. “Having Lindsay here, the last 14 years, has been amazing,” Misty said. “She’s passionate about her job and always has a smile on her face and a kind word for everyone. Lindsay finds true joy in serving others. She’s an amazing wife and mom of three girls and a truly beautiful woman—inside and out. Lindsay is my best friend in this world. There are no words to express what she means to me and how she’s helped with the growth and success of Living Magazine.”

Kami Anderson came onboard, 12 years ago, as an account executive and loves working with Living Magazine clients to design and implement a marketing plan. “Kami really believes in our mission and our clients and community love her,” Misty said. “She’s a beautiful soul. Everyone who knows Kami can see her love for Christ. She’s selfless, gentle, and kind and has been a real Godsend for us. She has been crucial in the growth of Living Magazine.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Misty truly believes in the difference Living Magazine can make through the articles they write. “We publish articles that help encourage and enhance our readers’ lives, articles that address health concerns, the next new medical procedure, decorating tips, yummy recipes, fashion trends, and travel getaways,” she said. “But my personal favorites are the spiritual encouragement we deliver in every issue. It brings joy to my heart knowing we can help someone who may need a timely touch from God.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

“Owning a magazine isn’t for the faint at heart.” Misty said. “It hasn’t been a silver spoon, by any stretch. But just knowing we’ve helped countless business owners grow their businesses, helped the community with their personal lives, or just encouraged and brightened someone’s day, means the world to me. I often ask God, ‘What more can I do?’ Am I fulfilling the calling you have on my life? But He always reminds me, ‘I’ve given you a magazine that reaches hundreds of thousands of people. Use this platform to reach them.’ At the end of the day, don’t we all want the same thing? To hear our Savior, say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’. (Matthew 25:23). Thank you for taking this journey with us. The best is yet to come.”