About
I believe God loves us and wants us to know this more deeply every day. Writing is a way I discover more of His love and intention. I first fell in love with writing poetry when I was a lonely teenager. Poetry was the first place I connected with the Lord and believed in His love for me. Often I start out not knowing what needs to be written, but finding something from the Lord's heart along the way. Writing is a gift God gives us where we discover Him as the words pour out.
Married for 15 years, my husband and I are from different worlds. And, together we have moved all over this nation a few times, from coast to coast. We have just made one of these moves again, this time landing in Florida.
I’m a travel-lover. I don’t always enjoy the journey, but I love reaching new places and immersing myself in new (to me) cultures. Writing is often like this for me too. Sometimes, healing comes when I push through the hesitation, to release words and phrases from the heart of God that reflect His acceptance, His forgiveness, healing and joy at being with us.
As an international traveler, for missions and for passion, I have had life-changing experiences abroad. The most notable was a mission trip to India in 2012. This was a team trip with an anti-human trafficking organization. I became very ill while in Mumbai and had to travel back to the states, by myself. This experience marked me for life. After crushing shame, and resulting depression and suicidal thoughts, the Lord delivered me and gave me a story of redemption from the ashes of such failure and loss. (The first episode of my podcast is about this event.)
God’s radical love, deliverance and healing has shaped me, my life and my approach to writing. The steadfast love of the Lord is endless. We will never reach the end of His thoughts and goodness toward us, and that is why I write. It is the field, the meadow and even the valley where we and the Lord can meet and learn more about each other.
I also enjoy incorporating everyday experiences into writing. Often, the mundane and the unexpected hold opportunities to encounter the nature and the personality of God. As Jesus came and lived like us, we get to find Him all the usual places we occupy in our lives.
Life is a journey, not a destination right? It may not always be fun, but the twists and turns involve our choices and opportunities to be brave. Every day is on purpose, whether it feels that way or not.
Another step in my journey has been to host a podcast. It is called BraveTalk Podcast. Through this, we explore stories shared bravely in the hope they will help us see more of our own story, that perhaps, we had overlooked. It is also another practice space for writing. I write each episode as though I were writing a message or sermon, including the study needed as well.
Fun and random facts about me: I am an introvert who loves people. I’m an INFJ who loves the quiet, but often needs to be dragged into the land of the living. I enjoy public speaking, after being thrust into a church internship after high school. I love cats and penguins. When I’m blue, all I need is a cute Instagram video of a cat or penguin just being themselves, and the laughs start rolling.