When looking for someone to collaborate or journey with, it's important to also know who and what type of person you're working with rather than just what the person can do. I pray that this page will give you a sufficient glimpse into who I am.

There are so many words that I want to share; so many words that I can use to describe me and my journey thus far. As much as I'd like to indulge, perhaps it's best that I keep it as concise as possible while still making sure it's sufficient for you to relate to me and my background.

I grew up in an environment and a culture where I was taught to be seen rather than heard, to never challenge authority, to conform to the things that are 'for my own good'. My path in life was laid out for me: I was taught what to do, what to want, what to enjoy.

And like a good girl, I adhered to the rules and met all the expectations set for me.

It wasn't until I entered mid-life, had a few life-altering experiences, and started parenting my own children that I questioned a lot of these practices that shaped the person I am today.

In that process, I discovered that I had unconsciously suppressed and buried my true self my whole life.

I had no idea what I wanted. What I liked. What my passions were. What my purpose was. What success was to me. I had answers to those questions, but they were answers that were conditioned into me rather than answers that I truly possessed.

It scared me to realize that I didn't really know myself. That I was living a life that someone else wanted for me rather than my own. I decided that I needed to grow my own backbone, stand on my own two feet, and create a life that is of my own design.

That is how I came to start this journey of uncovering me. Though I started this journey looking for me, the person I found was Jesus of Nazareth.

It may sound contradictory, but the more I found Him, the more I found me. The more I got to know Him, the more I got to know myself and grow into the person I that I am.

I am on an exciting, never-ending journey of being and becoming more of myself and Christ in me.

My journey and process was a lonely one. While I am certain that there are many more just like me with similar experiences, until I found my soul companions that currently walk to me, I had a lot of trouble finding a community that is vulnerable and honest enough to share the impact of these experiences on their lives, much less the lessons harvested from these experiences.

A lonely journey is a difficult one.

That is why I decided to start this space: to be an honest, authentic and vulnerable voice in a loud world. To share the true thoughts and feelings that are present behind the scenes - the ones that are not usually shared. The hard, raw truth.

This blog is a space that I created to document my travels. It's a sanctuary for me to heal. To tease apart the tangled thoughts in my head and emotions in my heart that are difficult to articulate to another human being. To be vulnerable and confess things that are true but that some people may not be ready to hear.

I'd like to invite you along on that journey. This space is also an invitation for you to lean into love and community. You are not alone.

In the process of being vulnerable, I have been judged and criticized (often unkindly) in a manner that was not helpful or conducive to my growth. If your experience is similar, I hope that you find comfort here. That you will feel seen and heard through the experiences that I have. Because let's face it, there's nothing new under the sun.

Despite their many differences, our circumstances, experiences, thoughts, and emotions are likely going to have a lot of similarities.

And I hope and pray that knowing that someone out there feels the same way you do, thinks the same thoughts you do, and has experienced the same thing you are experiencing; that this will fill you with courage to BE TRUE to yourself despite your circumstances, knowing that God loves you as you are.

I view my services and all the content I create as an invitation to partner with God in all the exciting things that He's doing in this world. I am learning daily that my self-worth and identity is rooted in Christ, rather than any work I do.

The top 6 values that are important to me:

Spirituality

Genuineness

Connection

Growth & Learning

Balance

Generosity

My top 4 strengths:

Self-Awareness

Authenticity

Communication

Relationship Building

My mission is to actively participate in God’s efforts to create heaven on earth in 3 key areas:

Discipleship: by being and becoming more like Christ each day, knowing that it's a lifelong journey

Relationship: by loving and serving others

Stewardship: by faithfully and wisely stewarding my LIFE (labor, influence, finances, expertise)

My vision is to see all believers fully living out their God-given identity and true humanity as modeled by Jesus.

My 2-word purpose statement is Cultivating Connection. I do this through conversation, authenticity, and vulnerability.

I treasure people's stories and I value relationships.

If I sound like the kind of person you'd like to work or connect with, feel free to contact me.

I'd like to end this introduction by praying the same prayer the apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians years ago:

Ephesians 3:17-21 (note: emphasis mine)

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

May the love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

In Him,

Amy x