If you asked me to describe myself, I’d probably do it with the “titles” I hold: wife, mother, lawyer, coach. I might tell you about my love for running and fitness. I’d probably elaborate about my kids. What I wouldn’t likely include is the description of “writer.”

I’ve never written anything professionally, or for money (save for lots of legal documents, letters, employment and safety policies on behalf of clients or for companies for which I’ve worked).  I’ve journaled at various times in my life, but not consistently. Yet, deep down inside there is an emerging desire to write. To tell a story.

In 6^th grade I had a wonderful English teacher who taught me the “hamburger” method of writing. This simple method of formulating a paragraph and then a 5-paragraph essay carried me all through school. I’ve written countless papers in this format and I remember taking a public speaking class in college where I employed this method on all my speeches adding what the professor referred to as “sign posts” for the listener: “This is where I’m going today. Here is the first sign post.”

Writing always came easy for me (thanks to Ms. Elliott and the hamburger method). But I never thought of it as more than a means to do something else – address a legal issue, correspond with opposing counsel, explain company policies in a handbook. I never considered it as a stand-alone thing.

Yet throughout my life I have loved to tell a story. Where most people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy, I have always loved public speaking. In 7^th grade we learned “impromptu” speaking where we’d be given a topic, a minute to organize our thoughts and then we’d have to speak for two minutes. I’m pretty sure I was the only 7^th grader who loved that process. I liked being able to take a topic, shape it up, and be able to clearly communicate with an audience. Even then I was energized by a crowd’s nods and laughter. I loved the connection. As I write this now I just had a revelation that my dad, the joke-teller, has rubbed off on me.

Although I never recognized writing as any sort of “higher calling” for me, throughout my life my mom has told me “you need to write that down” or “you need to write a book.” Book topic ideas have varied over the years from the first year of law school (a la Scott Turow’s “One L”) to raising infant twins (as if I had time to write then). But somehow I knew I was supposed to write something. In fact I have had a couple of instances over the last few years where God has very clearly impressed on my heart that He wanted me to write. I just didn’t know the “what.”

This past year the fuzziness of “the what” to write has started to come into focus. Through a change in my job and starting a new business from home coaching others in health and fitness, God has revealed to me that He wants me to share the stories He has given me along my faith journey. Much like my passion to help others by sharing my experience as a runner and my love of fitness and good nutrition, He has impressed upon me a desire to help others on their road to health – spiritual health – by sharing the real and raw stories of our journey. I read a quote recently that said “The best gift you can give your children, spouse, friends and family is a mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy you.”

It’s not by chance that at this point in my life, after years of a “high-powered” career outside the home, and a more physically demanding “job” of raising three boys inside the home, that He has given me an opportunity to reflect on our faith walk, cull through my journals, delve into the Word, and share our stories in an effort to reveal His goodness, His strength, His love, His commitment to us.

What I want to share comes from my heart. I’m certainly no biblical scholar and I’m not the most disciplined about spending time with God. But one thing has become clear as I talk to others, share life with those I encounter daily, and go about my way coaching others – I do walk with God daily and the more I open my eyes to Him, the more I see Him in the intricate details of my life. If I can even begin to scratch the surface of sharing some of my “a-ha” moments and the sometimes bold and sometimes subtle lessons I’ve learned along the way, then I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, in this chapter of my life.

I hope you’ll come along for the ride.