A Few Words
About Me
Just Getting Started!
I have a passion for people and proclaiming the Gospel. I am a creative leader who can cultivate leadership teams and inspire others to press into a lifestyle of following Jesus. I serve and lead with my husband at Overcome Church, a church we planted in 2019 with communities in the Woodstock and Peachtree City areas of Atlanta, Georgia. Writing has always been a gift; however, 2024 invites me to walk boldly with that gift and share the revelations the Lord has placed on my heart. Having recently learned how to sail in the Gulf of Mexico, we look forward to spending more time on the open water and exploring God’s creation harnessed by the wind. We live and travel with our precious Cavapoo, Lil’ Miss Glory Hallelujah, who brings joy and love to our lives. I have been blessed with the joys of a daughter and son and am thrilled to see them living life and walking with their Lord.
FAITH
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
— Corrie ten Boom
I grew up in the church and learned the stories of the Bible; however, that is all they were to me – stories. When I was expecting my first child, I realized I had nothing to give her. I was an anxious mess struggling with panic attacks and social anxiety disorder. I remember crying to the Lord, “If you are real, give me something! A burning bush, a talking donkey, something that I can hold on to!” A couple of years later, when my daughter and I were walking on the beach collecting seashells, the Lord revealed himself to me in a tangible way. As we collected seashells, my daughter picked up all the broken seashells that had gathered along the shoreline after being tossed and turned into the surf. I leaned over and said, “Sweetheart, don’t pick up the broken pieces. Look for the whole, perfect shells.”
At that moment, I felt a warm embrace and heard an audible voice, “Remember, you too were broken, and never once did I cast you aside. What are you teaching her? You are teaching her that if it is broken, it is useless. Teach her!” Moments later, a woman jogged by and said, “I live here and sometimes find these shells. Today, I found one and wanted to give it to you and your daughter as I saw you collecting shells.” When the woman opened her hand, it revealed a perfect shell, not a chip or break. My daughter then showed her the pail of broken seashells she had collected. The woman replied, “Putting all the broken pieces in a clear vase makes a beautiful pattern.” All my questions about the Lord seemed to fall away at that moment, and faith now stood in its place. The Lord is about taking the broken pieces of our lives and creating something new, a work of art to reflect His beauty. That was just the beginning of my faith story! I would love to hear yours!
At that moment, I felt a warm embrace and heard an audible voice, “Remember, you too were broken, and never once did I cast you aside. What are you teaching her? You are teaching her that if it is broken, it is useless. Teach her!” Moments later, a woman jogged by and said, “I live here and sometimes find these shells. Today I found one and wanted to give it to you and your daughter as I saw you collecting shells.” When the woman opened her hand, it revealed a perfect shell, not a chip or break. My daughter then showed her the pail of broken seashells she had collected. The woman replied, “Putting all the broken pieces in a clear vase makes a beautiful pattern.” All my questions about the Lord seemed to fall away at that moment, and faith now stood in its place. The Lord is about taking the broken pieces of our lives and creating something new, a work of art to reflect His beauty. That was just the beginning of my faith story! I would love to hear yours!
From the time I was three until the age of eighteen, I spent several days a week in a dance studio. The music and the smell of a dance studio felt like home. I was an active child and teenager with a metabolism that burned over time. As an adult, I found little time to exercise and explore ways to keep my body moving. As my age increased, my metabolism decreased. I was unaware that I was coping with the stresses of life through foods that comforted me and made me feel suitable for a moment! It was a slow and gradual process, and over thirty years, I gradually expanded my wardrobe to varied sizes. However, it was a visit home to see my mom when she asked how long it had been since I had stepped on a scale. The look on my face said, “How did that happen?” It was never about being thin; it was about being healthy, and I was heading into my fifties and setting the stage for disease and chronic illness to debut in my life. The challenge of my beautiful and Holy Spirit-filled daughter to do the Daniel Fast with her during the Lenten Season was the beginning of a greater understanding of how our spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health work together. The Daniel Fast opened the door for me spiritually and nutritionally before I started a fitness journey. My physical transformation was not only reflected on a scale (201 lbs. to 140 lbs.) or pant size (size 16 to size 4); it echoed in my spirit too! Interestingly, fitness and nutrition work together and must be rooted in a spiritual soil that nourishes us to sustain the process of growing stronger: heart, mind, soul, and strength.
FITNESS
“The secret to living well and longer is this: eat half, walk double, laugh triple, and love without measure.” – Tibetan Proverb.
FOCUS
What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
We often wonder how pieces of a puzzle work without the box top to reveal the picture. As a leader in Christian Ministry, I found myself in a challenging situation both personally and professionally, which forced me to start over again. I worked in the fitness industry for several months and noticed a correlation between our commitment and discipline to faith and fitness. The church and the fitness industry share standard building blocks such as community, encouragement, transformation, and spiritual and physical growth. The local church and the fitness industry see a peak in attendance in January as we make resolutions to start fresh for the New Year. A New Year causes us to reflect and recommit to the basics that anchor disciplines to help us grow stronger. However, we tackle these areas independently. By the end of February, we stop attending worship services, workouts decline, and our focus on healthy nutrition fall off the radar. As Easter and Spring Break approaches, we begin the cycle again. I created the Image of the Divine Lifestyle Planner in 2021 to combine a holistic approach to well-being: heart, mind, soul, and strength. For 2024, I released a book, “Ring the Bells – A Journey into a New Year,” that addresses our intentions for a New Year in an interconnected and holistic way.
If you have lived long enough, chances are you have walked a path of brokenness that few know. I am currently on the other side of a challenging time in my life, personally and professionally. Reflecting over a season of breaking, I can see where the Lord strengthened and sustained me for a new journey ahead! As the Lord continues to lead me from shattered to shining and broken to beautiful, I always remind myself that He is in the process of restoring and redeeming. That is where the freedom of living in and for Christ sets us free and takes us from victim to victor!
FREEDOM
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine―and shadows will fall behind you.” Walt Whitman