I’ve been a Christian most of my life, born and raised in church, but my journey as a Christian author is just beginning. Follow along to find out where this journey started, which stage I’m in now and where It’s headed.
Where it all began...
I grew up in a small but growing city in Georgia during a time before technology had taken over. I remember we had a computer in our house, but you have to type the commands into the computer, so it would know what to do. Life was simple. We played outside all day during the summer and only came inside for lunch and used the streetlights to tell us when it was time to come home for dinner. We were in church without hesitation every Wednesday and Sunday as very active members. Life was seemingly perfect, but nothing is ever really what it seems. My home life wasn’t perfect, and it was full of chaos and negativity.
Then things changed...
My parents went through a nasty, ugly divorce that my brother and I were dragged through. In the end, we were split up, parent trap style, where I ended up going with my dad, and my brother went to live with my mom in another state. I never saw my brother after that except on holidays when my dad had him. My dad remarried, and I became a member of a blended family. The next 5 years of my life until I graduated high school and moved out consisted of a lot of trauma and things I am still working through even as an adult.
But God...
Somehow no matter what was going on at home, we were always kept in church. God was always a constant in my life, and I relied heavily on that consistency at the worst times. I know without a doubt God was always there for me. At the hardest times, I threw myself into church and became consumed by it. This sounds goods, but it can also be bad. I wasn’t trusting that God would ultimately fix everything. I was only relying on him to get me through day by day. It would be years before I learned to fully trust Him and learned who He really was.
College: The great escape...
I saw college as my chance to get away from everything bad and negative I had been living in, and I jumped at that chance. The only thing I had ever consistently wanted to be was a writer, so I found a college with a professional writing program. Getting away from hurt and negativity isn’t bad if you are willing to acknowledge the toll it has taken on you and put the work into yourself to reverse some of the damage. I left with a philosophy to pretend the past hadn’t happened and move forward, which took me down a very dark path with characters I would have never normally chosen for my story. I did not find a church right away like I should have which contributed to choosing the wrong path. Looking back now, I know I was openly choosing not to go to church because I knew the things I was doing were wrong, and I didn’t want to admit that to myself. I was spending time with people who made me feel good and loved me for all the wrong reasons, but I accepted it because it felt good to feel the things I had been longing for and hadn’t had in so long.
By the grace of God...
God intervened and saved me from myself. A lot happened quickly that shattered my dark world and in the aftermath, I ended up meeting my husband. I was such a broken person at the time, and I truly have no idea why he chose me or stayed to help me pick up all the pieces except that God, who had never forsaken me during all my time when I was running from Him, revealed Himself and His love for me, and I was able to see it even in the shattered state I was in. Long story short my husband and I got married and started our life together. We made going to church a priority, and I was able to go back with a new perspective of who God is.
From then to now...
I am now a teacher a wife and a mom of two amazing kids. We are active in our local church, and this time, I am pursuing a relationship with God where He leads and I follow. During covid, I spent my time at home reading the Bible, worshiping God and praying. I used it as a time to further heal my relationship with Him and draw closer to Him. He has taught me so much about myself.
Things God has taught me...
I love running and pushing my body to tackle new challenges. I love any excuse to get dressed up and be goofy and silly especially with my kids. I love books, and I am tirelessly trying to pass my love of reading on to my children. Our family absolutely loves all things Disney, and as a parent, it is such a joy to see excitement and wonder through the eyes of your children. I will never get tired of witnessing God’s love and blessings all around me every day.
Giving back...
I have been working to spread my message to others. I am not ready to write my story yet. I have spent a lot of time learning about guilt and shame. Since I’m not ready to write about my personal journey and struggle with these topics, I have written a fictional story about two sisters, Jill and Annabelle who navigate the topics of guilt and shame in their own lives and learn to overcome the lies the devil wants you to believe about yourself based on any sin you have committed in your past. I want everyone to know it is possible to climb out of the darkness and know Jesus isn’t at the top of the pit waiting for you, because he has never once left your side even in the depths. My book is the first in what I hope to become a series that deals with difficult topics, and if it helps even one person navigate the uncertain waters of some of the these topics, I know I have fulfilled my calling. I have also written a Bible study which I record as a podcast. I cannot wait to continue and expand this arena as I hope to use it to expand God’s kingdom and bring more people into having a relationship with Christ.
