I was sitting on our cozy, more than well-worn couch with my
hands wrapped around a warm mug of coffee. The windows were open because the
house was stuffy, but I found myself getting chilly by the slight Fall breeze. My
friend Molly was sitting across from me on the other end of our larger than
life couch. As we were discussing our Bible study lessons for that week, I
blurted out, “I’m so annoyed by this author. I wish she would give us REAL LIFE
examples as to what she’s talking about! Her references to her struggles are so
vague.” Molly whole-heartedly agreed. As much as we were learning and growing
from the study, we longed for stories that had actually happened to the author
that could help us navigate through our own real lives.

A few days later, my friend Lisa (who recently wrote the post,
“Disease to Please”) and I were talking about the struggle of blogging. Lisa’s
words echo my heart completely, “I’m still that same person that struggles with
the things I’m writing about! Sometimes you feel it would be nice if you could
write something and that would mean that you’d have overcome it, and that you’d
have arrived, and that you no longer struggled with it- you had this victory.
But when I write about the things I’m learning and the Scripture God’s using, seconds
later the struggle I wrote about is happening again.”

These two experiences with friends have given me a small
window of insight into something at least the three of us long for. My hunch is
that other women out there long for the same thing. This is not a new concept
by any means, but I think we all want to see real life examples, and hear real
life stories of what our struggles look like walked out in someone else. Not
too long ago I heard Beth Moore share she is no longer shackled by fear. And I
wonder to myself quite often, “How did you get there? What did it take? What did
it look like specifically for you to overcome fear?” I even wrote her a letter
asking my questions!

I would like to invite you to join me on this journey. This
journey of watching real life examples, and hearing real life stories written
out on this very blog. If you long to know what it looks and feels like for
people to be walking the trenches with Jesus, this place is for you. These
stories aren’t just going to be about overcoming fear, although sign me up for
the answer to that one, but about all sorts of struggles, sins, heartaches,
joys, triumphs, victories, and healing- all through Jesus!
 
If you long to hear a real life version of something you are
going through, leave a comment or contact me about it. I would be honored to
listen to your heart and share from my own personal experiences, or reach out
to someone else who can write more appropriately to your circumstance.

Writing is what I am most compelled by the love of Christ to
do. Every week it is my hope to share a real Jesus story with you. You better believe I have my doubts. You better
believe I’m scared. You better believe I’m overwhelmed. But, I receive this
mission He has placed in my heart, and I would be so happy if you would join me!

3, 2, 1….BLASTOFF! (See you Thursday!)