Sip, Shop, and Storytime: A Sparkling Author Afternoon

There are no two journeys that are the same. No matter how similar your circumstances are, no two paths are exactly alike. Influenced by life experiences, backgrounds and upbringings, and decisions made alone can cause your situation to be inherently different. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s, run your own race and forge your own path. You were given this life because you are uniquely you.

It’s been a while.

I hadn’t planned to step away for so long, but as life often reminds us, sometimes we need to go quiet for a while to truly listen—both to the world around us and the one within. I’ve missed this space, and I’ve missed you.

The past months have been a mix of introspection, stillness, and yes—writing. Not the kind of writing that ends up neatly formatted in a blog post, but the raw, messy, soul-deep kind that slowly becomes a book. Or maybe more than one….

There’s something sacred about stepping away from the noise, away from constant updates and quick captions, to create something that asks more of me. Something that requires time, heart, and a lot of patience. Writing a book is less like building a house and more like growing a garden—you plant seeds, wait, prune, water, doubt, replant—and eventually, you begin to see what it’s becoming.

So, where have I been? In short: I’ve been writing. And wrestling. And rewriting. I’ve been letting stories stretch and settle. I’ve been exploring themes that scare me, excite me, and leave me with more questions than answers. I’ve been learning how to trust the slow process of creating something meaningful.

I won’t pretend it’s been easy. But it’s been necessary.

And now, I’m slowly returning—with new words to share, new lessons learned, and a deeper gratitude for the time it takes to make something honest.

If you’re still here, thank you. Truly. Your presence means more than I can say. I look forward to opening this space back up—sharing parts of this journey, inviting your thoughts, and reconnecting over the things that move us.

It is in the midst of change that we often discover wings we never knew we had. Sometimes change can feel uncomfortable at first, especially if it is not something that you initiated. Sometimes change is very necessary and you hesitate to be the one to make it. Sometimes changes happen in the normal course of life and we have a choice to make; either let that change overwhelm you or allow it to make you better. The choice is yours. Here are a few of my favorite things to remind me that God gave me wings to fly! If you need to be reminded, grab one for yourself. https://amzn.to/3woQNKQ https://amzn.to/3QyUTag

Learn to laugh, even in the storms of life. Laughter is medicine for the soul and can be a great cure for those depression filled days. I have often said, “I had to laugh to keep from crying.” Some days that was true. But what I found in that was a shift in my mindset from focusing not on my circumstances, but on what good can come out of even the most difficult times. Sometimes all it takes is a shift in our mindset to be able to weather storms we are in.

You have had the power all along to do whatever you set your mind to. You have the tools, the skills, the creativity, the knowledge all within you to be exactly what you want to be. Look inside yourself and use that power to create the life you have always dreamed of. You’ve got this!

I understand that the concept of unbelief can be quite complex and emotional.

It’s not always easy to simply believe what is right in front of you. We often have preconceived notions that can cloud our judgment and make us want something to be a certain way. This can make it difficult to accept a different reality.

It’s true that taking everything at face value might seem like a good approach, but in a world of deception and dishonesty, it’s essential to think critically and look beyond the surface. I understand how challenging it can be to navigate through situations where things aren’t as they initially seem.

For example, if someone owes you money and you’ve been let down multiple times, it’s natural to feel anxious and untrusting. When you finally receive the payment, it’s easy to accept it at face value. However, it’s important to take the time to investigate (or count the money), just as you would in life. This way, you can avoid being let down and hurt in the future.

I appreciate that life is full of complexities, and it’s not always easy to navigate through them alone. It’s okay to seek guidance and support from others. Sometimes others can offer a nonbiased perspective that will open your mind to a different way of thinking.