So why a blog and why now and why “Relatable”?  Great questions.  I’ve got answers.

Why “relatable”?  About a year or so ago I was taking a bath after a long, hard day.  I don’t remember exactly why the day was long or hard now, I just remember being at my wits end and needing a good cry and the bath or shower is always the best place to do that, in my opinion.  There I was in the tub crying and I just started talking to God.  Okay, I was actually complaining to Him.  I was telling him how much I disliked, okay I actually said hated, that I had so much crap in my life that people could relate to.  The conversation went like this..... “God, I hate that I can relate to people dealing with infidelity, and people struggling with addictions or an addicted spouse, and people going through infertility, and people raising special needs kids, and people who homeschool, and people who have had broken engagements, and people who have normal kids, and people who have their kids in public schools, and people whose kids are at a charter school, and people who have lost a parent or a close loved one, and spouses who are separated, and people with certain health issues.  You know it just really sucks that you have put me through so much and made me so relatable.”  The whole time I was yelling this at God tears were streaming down my face.  When I was done with my little tantrum, I just sat there quietly feeling sorry for myself.  That’s when I heard His still, small voice whisper to me, “I haven’t taken any of your kids from you.  You can’t relate to someone who has lost a child.”  God knows I am a stubborn red head who needs a really hard smack in the back of the head sometimes and thats exactly what this was.  A good, hard smack.  Immediately my tears dried up and my lamenting turned to worship and gratefulness.  He was right.  He hadn’t made me relatable in every way possible. I realized that even though I was relatable to many I was not relatable to all.  But, He had made me relatable and it wasn’t a bad thing like I was feeling it was at that moment on that day.  Being relatable was a good thing.  Being relatable made me more usable for His kingdom and His glory.  

Why a blog?  You all told me I should.  So I did  Hahahaha.  Actually, all the positive feed back that I was receiving from my FB posts and people telling me that I should write a book or start a blog was just the motivation I needed to jump in and do it.  I actually have been working on a book for the past few months but it has been slow going.  Writing little articles here and there seems to be much more feasible for me at this point in my life.  Maybe one day, if that’s what God wants to do, it will all turn into a book.  For now, I will take the book idea that God placed in my lap and turn it into blog form.   The whole idea behind this blog will be that I can write about all the above mentioned ways that I am relatable and have them all categorized for those visiting the blog.  For example, if you or someone you know is going through infidelity with their spouse you will be able to click on the “infidelity” tab and all the articles I have written on the topic will be there for you to read along with resources to get help.    Be patient with me, though.  It will take some time to write all that God has put in my head to write so it will be slow going at first.  

Why now?  My husband and I were blessed to be a part of a ministry for 5 years that helped others struggling through what we had struggled through.  I also had the privilege to counsel many women struggling in their marriages.  A little over a year ago God called me away from all of that and into a time of solitude and soul healing with Him.  It was a hard year.  A year of wondering through the wilderness searching for answers and clinging to God.  I came out of that year in a much better place then I have ever been.  In a deeper relationship with God then I had ever had and a much stronger desire to reach out to hurting people then I ever thought possible.  I missed teaching about God’s love for us and I missed sitting with hurting souls and showing them the hope they have in Christ.  I missed being a vessel for God to use.  I started praying about what was next but God kept telling me to just be patient and to be still and quiet.  Three things I am not so great at.   Then the book idea started to form in my head and I slowly started writing.  That didn’t seem to be the thing He was calling me to do.  Then I had a breakthrough after our rough weekend in Monterey that I needed to start getting my writing out there now, in real time.  It would be healing for me and a way for God to use me.  So, that’s what I did and when the response was so positive I new that I had found what God was calling me to do.   And here we are.  With a blog.  Kinda scary.  Very exciting.  Glad you are here with me.