The Question
“How did you and your husband meet?” It was sunny out, our kids were playing, the smell of freshly cut grass wafted through the air, at a mutual friend’s home. But we had never met. For a little while, I used to want to say “Which one?” because that’s what my brain actually would wonder for a moment. Then, I would force myself to say, "Through a mutual friend..." and awkwardly change the subject so I didn't have to tell the whole story. Especially if someone was asking in a casual setting, like this. But, glossing over Nick's part of our story never actually works for me. Looking into her unsuspecting eyes, I knew I had to tell the truth. Sum it up & let her judge or ask more questions. It often seemed to be one of the two. “He was actually best friends with my late husband... but someone I never truly saw until 8 years after we met.” I mean it in a literal and a figurative sense. Despite the fact that our story can't really be condensed without eliciting a little bit of shock & despite the fact that some people might not want to hear about my losing my first husband at a backyard bbq, I feel obliged to speak my truth. #sorrynotsorry It’s just that I can never guess which ones need to hear it. And you can’t imagine how many deep & meaningful conversations of hope kick up at a simple backyard barbecues because of my vulnerable words. Sometimes whispers of judgement kick up too but I’ve found the shade is always worth getting a chance to share how I’ve been saved. I truly believe God brought Jay and I together for a reason that’s so much bigger than us. So much bigger than we realized at first. The testimony He’s built through our unlikely relationship is one meant to be shared and one that’s meant to bring hope. I wrote out all the details for you of this and and of what came before, organizing everything so you can see, right there in black and white. Brokenness. Beauty. Miracles. Hope. The Made for Brave book is full of plot twists I never saw coming and I’m so ready for you guys to hear the whole story, I could cry (and I have been). Because if the Creator could move the universe to create so many incredible miracles from the middle of mess, then He can do the same for you. Available for Pre-Order now.✨ #MadeforBrave