Here I Go Again

So, I have started and stopped 3 other blogs in the past.  I guess I never seem to find time or the importance of sharing my ramblings with the world.  It's always been my achilles heel as a writer.  I have literally scores of journals full of writings, short stories, poetry which no one but me gets to enjoy. But, lately I have felt that prompting for better or worse to share a little more of myself with the world.  So, here goes.

Last week,  I entered year 8 of motherhood. My oldest daughter blew out 8 candles and I stood there realizing how quickly life is flying by.  This whole motherhood thing has been trial by fire.  I have been amazed by the stuff I have learned in the last near decade of my life out of sheer necessity.  Being a mom is one of the most challenging things I've ever dared to do.  Luckily I have the most wonderful man in the world as my parter in all of this.  He reminds me when I'm taking myself too seriously and definitely provides all the fun and adventure any kid would ever need.  Our motto has been, "He provides the adventures and I bring them home alive!'  One without the other would truly be a shame.

I am a church planter's wife.  There I said it.  Yes, me a pastor's wife.   Never in a million years did I think I would ever fit that role, but there it is.  Over 10 years ago, Jason accepted a job at a church wrangling middle school students on the weekend and with that my role was born.  Luckily, I was able to fly under the radar for the first 5-6 years.  But, 4 years ago God prompted Jason to begin the journey which is now called LoveCanton church, and I willingly began to embrace my role not just as polite onlooker, but a mother of 2 with a mission to be in step with what God is doing in our city.

It's been downright terrifying at times, stressful to say the least, but worth every single minute.  It has been the thing that has driven me close to the God who made me.  It has been where with hammer and chisel, He has been sculpting me into who He wants me to be.

Someone once told us as we began realizing that the way we were wired was much more discipleship oriented that "people are messy."  I completely agree, but at the same time the people that God has literally brought out of the woodworks to be on mission with us have been the most amazing people I have ever met.  It is an inspiring thing to watch God build His church.  And by church, I don't mean the building - it is the people.  Messy or not, it is glorious.

So, this blog will be my outlet.  It will be where I'll be sharing my ups and downs of being mom to Caris and JJ and wife to Jason.  It's also where I'll endeavor to share some of the things I'm learning as we continue to work with God to build His church LoveCanton through the vehicles of little churches we call Villages that meet all over the city in neighborhoods and networks.