A New Adventure: My Story

I never set out to be a writer. When I was younger, like many girls, I thought I would be discovered and become a famous actress. As I entered college, I headed down the track to become a psychologist. I quickly determined the cost and realized I was good with kids, so I changed my major and became a teacher. I thought I would teach for the rest of my life. And then I had kids.

Kids will turn your life upside down and back around again. I ended up leaving my teaching career (you know, the one I thought I would do forever) and left my hometown in order to stay home and raise our children. It was during this time and sludging through some tough stuff, that I discovered my true calling.

I started blogging WAY back in the MySpace days. Something about writing helped me stay connected not only to others socially, but to myself. When we moved, I decided to start a blog to keep our family and friends back home updated. My blog consisted of sweet little posts about our then family of three and the new life we were creating in our new home. It wasn’t until tragedy struck did I realize I needed to write; my soul longed for me to get words on a page.

I had a miscarriage, two actually, between our first and second born boys. I remember the day I didn’t want to get out of bed but had a toddler to tend to. I begrudgingly got myself to the office needing to get the words out. My first real post was a gut-wrenching heart-felt entry about how devastated I was to lose a baby. Something about that moment propelled me into this journey.

I began writing more frequently after that post. Over the years, I would have people message me and tell me to keep at it; keep writing. I didn’t think I had much to say that anyone wanted to read. My writing in that season was for me; a diary of sorts. Something switched in me about three years ago and I began writing not just for me, but for you. I had this urge in my soul, a nudge from God, to speak truth through real-life stories: the good, the bad, and the messy.

I haven’t had the courage to take this nudge from a dream to a goal until this summer when God did not let me let it go. I had a decision to make: keep running from what He was pulling me towards or chase after what He is calling me to do. Thankfully, I finally listened and chose the latter.

This process has been an adventure of self-discovery. I decided to jump in the deep end and not wade in through the steps. I have learned more about myself and the call on my life in the past six months than I can ever recollect. I always joke that I have no idea what I am doing. The only thing I do know is that I am taking one step at a time towards obedience. He will light my way. I only need to obey the call.

Each piece of this 10,000 piece puzzle is slowly coming together. Because of this, I felt it was time to move myself from the comforts and security of what was once our family blog, The Fish Tank, and move into the realm of what I truly feel I am being called to do: creating a safe community where we can come together and talk about the mess that occurs when life and faith intersect.

Look, life can be tough. There is no playbook. Add faith to the mix and now we’ve got ourselves a maze that gets more confusing at every turn. This is our space to work it out; to say the hard stuff without being condemned and ridiculed. The Messy Mingling is that space. This blog is not about me. It’s about us and how we find God in this crazy thing we call life. So, will you join me on this messy journey? I promise you will laugh (mostly at me), cry (those good healing cries), and find community along the way.

Here’s to a new adventure!

Love & Blessings,
Meg