Beginnings & Middles..Life in the Midst

I like fresh starts.

There is something fun, exciting, and new about a beginning. Whether the first day of school, a new book you open for the first time, or a fresh piece of paper with nothing on it…even a new relationship and all the excitement and inquiry that it brings.

But for some reason starting this blog doesn’t quite feel like a beginning to me.

No, it actually feels like a middle. Maybe because I have an old blog, you can read it here. Maybe it’s because my life feels like I am in the midst of a lot of different experiences and not at the beginning of really anything at all.

I’m not about to start school or a new business. I am not writing a new book or even have it published. I am not buying a new home or renting my first apartment. I am not starting a new job or changing careers. Nope. I truly am more in the middle of things than I am anywhere near a beginning.

Right now, I’m in the midst of a 5.5 year old dream that has become The Link of Cullman County. I’ve been watching God do amazing and incredible things while unfolding this vision. This is my passion, what I get up for in the morning, and what I get to do everyday. There is no doubt you are going to hear a lot about this dream I am living on this site. In fact, I’ll be revealing some secrets of how we have been successful, what we can improve on and how you can learn from our mistakes. Whether you are wanting to start a ministry or just have big dreams, I intend to encourage you, give you tangible tools, and hopefully help you do whatever it is God has purposed you to do.

I want to be your biggest cheerleader!

I am also in the midst of a 12 year marriage to an incredible guy, Chris, who is from the town we now live in, Cullman, AL. We do our best to parent our 6, almost 7-year-old son, Sawyer and raise him to love Jesus and dream big dreams. Our adventures can teach us lots of lessons and I love to share what we learn, so every now and then you’ll hear about them as well.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Acute Pericarditis since then it has turned into Chronic Pericarditis and I now have Hashimoto’s Hyperthyroidism and another auto-immune disease that they are still trying to pinpoint. I have been to doctor after doctor and know what it feels like to live with daily pain. BUT, (I capitalize for effect) God is taking me through the other side of that and I have learned how to have peace, to understand His plan, and to trust that He is in control. It won’t be long before you hear about this because I believe what I have learned has taken me to a new level of freedom, and who does not want to feel FREE?!

So here we sit in the tension of new beginnings, which I love, and the midst of my life, wanting to put my thoughts to you on “paper” (aka blog)  of what I am learning. I hope to be an encouragement to you. Maybe at some point I can teach you something you didn’t know. Or possibly challenge you on a certain issue we can work through together, because sometimes life is tough and confusing and I believe in wrestling with the hard stuff. Sometimes we may agree to disagree. I want us to do that here.

So here it begins…and almost ends. My first blog post on this new site.

This is where we will meet maybe once a week…sometimes I may need more grace.
But, it’ll just be you and me.
I’ll have coffee and you drink what you drink.
We’ll chat.
I promise to be really with you.
I’ll share what I learn about my life, my God, my story and I hope you’ll take time to comment or email me to share with me yours.

And when we meet again, we’ll be in the midst of life together, rather than right here at the beginning.