Blog Co-Founder and Contributor
The truth about me is that I am an introverted extrovert. I don’t even know if that’s a real thing, but it sounds fun. ? What I mean is that my heart is for people–learning, growing, and being with them brings me great joy and inspiration. But the older I get, the more I also need and crave alone time to journal, pray, read, and regain some sanity. Of course, I am talking about the ideal world where I am balancing everything perfectly. Oh wait! That almost never happens! ? I have a busy husband, two small kiddos, a farm, a part-time job, and volunteer positions to keep me hopping. I am so thankful for a God of grace and mercy that has given me all of this to continue teaching me about trusting Him and reminding me that He is God and I am not.
A little more inside scoop…
- I grew up on a farm in Idaho. (Yes, Idaho really does exist ? and for people that are a little geographically challenged, again: it’s Idaho, not Iowa. You know, the funny looking state next to Oregon and Washington…) Anyway, after traveling and living in various parts of the country for 10 years after high school, I ended up marrying a guy that grew up three miles away from me, and we now farm a mile from there. Sounds simple, right? Oh, don’t be fooled by the Idahoan…But I’ll try to condense it because this is a blog, not a book. ? For now let’s just suffice it to say that the guy was on parole when I married him, but the whole story is an incredible testament to God’s grace and goodness.
- I love traveling and meeting new people, so when I was looking for a college, my only requirements were that it was a Christian college and as far away from Idaho as possible. Enter: Taylor University in Upland, Indiana! I started out as an English major because I love to write. But then I took a literature class and decided English was not my cup of tea, so I switched to Secondary Spanish Education. (I guess I thought it’d be more fun in another language!) ? Anyway, the real point is that Taylor was instrumental in my growth and development as a person and Christ-follower. From there I springboarded into some other fun adventures.
- My 28th year of life was my craziest year to date. That is the year I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), got married, moved back to Idaho, started a new job, and pretty much completely rearranged my life. I would not recommend doing all these things at once…it’ll make you nuts. ? But I continue to see how God allows hard things (like having MS) in my life to cause me to grow in my faith in Him and be ever more compassionate, empathic, and grace-giving. I didn’t totally lack those qualities before, but I think God wanted to refine them.
- I said that I like people, but I LOVE teenagers. That is where much of my heart and passion lies, and they bring me great joy. (I’m only hoping that I’ll like my own kids as teenagers as much as I like other people’s teenagers!) ? I worked in a group home for teens for four years where I learned about grace, honesty, vulnerability, and the value of truly deep relationships. Since having my own kids, a lot of my volunteer work and time with teens had to diminish, but I try to remind myself that this time with my littles is a season, and someday I’ll get to go to camp again. ?
- My other dream is to someday be a high school counselor. During the first years of our marriage when my husband was getting his degree, I got my Master’s degree so I could do that very thing. But then I had kids and decided I wanted to be home with them. Honest truth: some days I seriously regret that decision, and other days I know this is where I’m supposed to be and the season God has me in. I’m learning more lessons about God with this whole motherhood gig than I ever thought possible. Maybe it will make me a better counselor. ? ?