The Backstory...
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. He is able to do immeasurably more than all you can even ask or imagine! God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 3:20-21,1Corinthians 1:9)
There can be balance in a messy life… I should know
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I live a crazy life. I am a Jesus lover, which is a messy adventure in itself, but I also have a husband, a young adult daughter away at The University of Missouri and a teenage son, two crazy dogs, and a professional life and leadership coach, small business owner, author and speaker. I often have multiple schedules to manage running through my Google calendar on any given day. So... life is pretty messy to be sure, but I am in love with every minute of it...well, maybe not the teenage angst that pops out from time to time, or when the dogs want to go out, in, out, all. day. long, or when I am over-busy with work, but the rest of it? I really do love.
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Despite all the busy-ness of my life, there is balance; a rhythm between the priorities God has given me. This rhythm, when I remember not to fight it, produces that peace that surpasses all understanding no matter what craziness each day brings.
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It wasn’t always like this though. I often strove to create the perfect schedule, one where I was in control of every minute of every day. That need for control over the chaos was supposed to calm my anxiety, but it only created a huge mess. That mess almost cost me my marriage, my relationships with my children, the ability to use my gifts and talents for others, and my very life. I chronicle this struggle, and the restoration Jesus brought into my life, in my book Cultivating Peace: Receiving God’s Peace within Your Chaos.
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I have learned that building a balanced lifestyle isn’t about being in control. It’s about releasing control and following a plan that often isn’t clear beyond what today holds. While it is rooted in understanding the priorities of our lives and using our time wisely, at its foundation is a complete trust in the plan of God over our own understanding of what our lives should be like.
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No matter what you are facing today, I believe there is a way to receive God’s peace in the middle of it, His strength to carry you through it, and His grace in walking out a daily life of faith.
I have come to a place of acceptance that this life will have chaos. But, I know that no matter what, when I choose to surrender to His plan, I will be given the strength, courage, and grace to live in His peace no matter what comes.
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If you want to learn to come to that place of surrender too, to learn how to build a balanced lifestyle that really works, I’d love to serve as a guide through my Personal Coaching program. You can also check out The Insider's Perspective (my blog) or A Call to Courage (my podcast) where I share my messy attempts at courageous faith one step at a time. Or, consider contacting me about speaking at your company's team building or leadership event, school's goal setting or motivational event, or church women’s retreat or other women's group (you can find my speaking topic list HERE).
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Here’s a little more about me…
I love my husband of 20+ years (1995) in spite of the wild ride marriage often entails. I love my crazy kids even though they drive me nuts. I love my ADD-ridden dogs who bark at everything because they adore me most of all. I even love how I have had the opportunity to live in three different time zones (The Bay Area, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and Weldon Spring, Missouri), but especially that God has brought me back to Mt. Pleasant (in 2017).
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I love my Jeep (even though my son drives it now...), especially with the top off and the radio blaring country or contemporary Christian or Bon Jovi. I love good coffee, good chocolate, and a good glass of wine. I love being out of doors in nature when it's sunny and warm, and holed up inside near a fire under a comfy blanket when it isn't. I love good friends, deep conversations and laughing.
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But most of all, I am in love with Jesus. He is my Refuge when I must experience storms. He is my Rock when I must face fear. He is my Redeemer when I mess up, offering me the grace I often cannot offer myself. I try to follow Him as best I can each and every day, which always leads to the unexpected and, for this recovering "wanna-do-it-all-perfectly, planned-to-the-minute super woman," the unexpected can be quite a shock at first, but the adventure is always worth it.
statement of faith.
The sole basis for my beliefs is the Bible, which is uniquely God-inspired, without error, and the final authority on all matters on which it speaks.
I believe there is one God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each possessing all the attributes of deity.
I believe Salvation comes only through God’s grace—not human effort—and must be received personally by confession, repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
I believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in his vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of God, and in His personal return in power and glory.
I believe His sacrifice accomplished salvation for all who receive grace by trusting in Him alone.
I believe He is the only mediator between us and God and that He baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit.
I believe that The Holy Spirit draws sinners to Christ and equips all believers for personal growth and service according to God’s purpose for our creation.