Me ~

I asked friends to write 1-2 words to describe me and this is what I got:
accepting, adventurous, Braves Fan, caring, compassionate, dedicated, determined, energetic, faithful, fearless, friend, friendly, funky, funny, loving, lucky mama, melancholy, music afficianado, outgoing, penguin-loving mama, softie, spontaneously fun, sweet, sweetheart, strong, successful, thoughtful, warm, witty.

I don't agree with all.  And they left out the negative ones like stubborn, rebellious, messy...and many more.

But as for a bio...I was raised in Charleston, SC to parents who grew up going to
church, but no longer attended and even held a grudge or anger toward the church.  My Granny and my Mema prayed for me everyday and made sure I knew all about God, Jesus and priorities.  The local baptist church had a big purple bus that came around and picked up kids like me...the ones whose parents knew it was a good idea, but had no intention of getting up, dressed, and out the door to sit in a church for 3 hours on a Sunday morning.

When I was about 11 I was baptized.  I remember going home to tell my mom I had accepted Christ and was going to get baptized.  Her response was, 'why didn't you talk to me about this first. I didn't know what you were planning.'  She came to my baptism though.  I wore a purple dress.  I was in the youth group and choir and did all the expected stuff.  For mission trips, I had to raise all my own support. No help from family.  I did a lot of babysitting!!!

High school was tough.  I went through a very rough patch and on Thanksgiving night, 1985 I swallowed two bottles of aspirin.  Thankfully, I woke my mom up several hours later.  I wandered away from youth group, etc.  Went to college and was chatting with a dear friend at Ridgecrest during a FCA retreat. He asked if I really believed Christ died for my sins.  Did I know without a doubt that if I died I would go to heaven (btw - I despise that question!).  The answers were no.  We talked. we prayed. we talked some more.  And that is when I believe that I really came to an understanding of what it meant to be a Christian.  Not that everything was all happy happy joy joy.  Oh no. I can't do things the easy way!

There have been triumphs. there have been struggles. I have seen the hand of God do mighty things. and I have felt his gentleness.  Through this journey, I will look at all of it. The good, the bad, the ugly.

I need to do this for me. for my husband. for my kids.  I need to Know God. I need to know his word.  I need to be transparent and stop hiding.

Feel free to walk with me. cry with me. laugh at me. get frustrated right along with me.  It won't be smooth, but I promise it won't be boring!

And it will be filled with God's grace, peace and mercy.