Disclaimer. This whole blog might as well be one big disclaimer.
I’ve never been one for the faint of heart. I say what I mean and mean what I say. Filtering my words has never been my strong suit. I have every good intention of being the soft spoken, gentle, sweet and ladylike woman that God is likely begging for. Yet, in reality, I define the phrase “whiskey in a tea cup”.
My stature is small, my heels are high and my thoughts often come blurting out faster than a toupee in a hurricane. I fly off the handle easily, swear like a sailor, pump hip hop music to a car full of toddlers and have a major addiction  fascination with all things celebrity.

This being said, I’m also the quickest to forgive, the first to ask you about your story, the total blast at the party and the one who will go to bat with you and for you when it hits the fan. Every. Time.

In the past 10 years, I have seen fire and rain. I’ve also see the sunny days that I thought would never end. I’ve been through divorce and remarriage, miscarriages and healthy babies, step children, job losses, thriving businesses, brushes with cancer and clean bills of health, and recently, the devastating death of my sweet husband, who took his life just months ago.

My story is not meant to bring pity, but to offer compassion, empathy and hope in a time where every one of us is braving this thing called life. Where we daily battle the enemy, who is sleepless and wandering and wanting desperately to get our attention. We are faced with the daily decision to fear what lies ahead. To give up when the going gets tough. But, sweet friend, what if we went boldly ahead, digging deep into what God intended for us? To be truth seekers, filled with joy, empowering one another and loving with a fierceness that can only come from the power of the Holy Spirit. What if we cast all anxieties upon Him because He cares and let that pave the way to endless opportunity and abundant life?

If I’ve learned anything in my 38 years so far, its that life is for the living. Lets really live it. Not next week when vacation starts, not next month when we get a promotion, not next year when our kids go off to college. Lets live it today, right now in this blessed second. I have miles to go in my faith walk and I know my talk always dominates the hell out of my walk. But I truly believe we can be sculpted into the incredible beings we were called to be if we let God work in us wholeheartedly. Messy stories, sailors mouths and all…

Friend, will you join me on the journey of refinement? Will you seek and explore with me as we dig deeper and live with more meaning and authenticity now more than we ever have? Will you walk with me as we tell our stories, ugly cry and all? Good, now lets get started….

Heavenly Father,

We come before you, broken, weary and heavy laden and ask that you turn our ashes into beauty. Refine us in the midst of joys and trials alike. Help us to be seekers of your wisdom and truth and wear your armor of protection to fight off the enemy who is set out to destroy. Fill our minds and our hearts with the hope that comes from a life lived for you. Thank you, Jesus, that your mercies are new every morning.

Amen