There are sacred spaces on earth; places where the barrier between heaven and earth is so thin that God's love and presence is unmistakable.

That is the kind of place I hope Being True will be: a refuge for the weary and heavy-laden.

A space where you can be honest, vulnerable, and true; knowing that there is no pressure, no judgment, and no hurry.

A space where you can ruminate, reflect, meditate, think all the things and feel all the feels. A space where you can hear yourself and make yourself heard.

A steady, grounded place to reconnect with yourself and with Christ who lives in you.

A place where you know and feel love, because you are loved.

Being True was born out of frustration.

Frustration at not being able to voice my true thoughts or feelings because there was an unspoken expectation to perform. Frustration at helpful, loving people who wanted to help me fix things or give me advice.

Frustration at continually being told to 'keep my chin up' or 'cheer up'.

Frustration at stories of victory over life challenges that, while encouraging and heartwarming, glossed over the honest, mundane, boring, day-to-day, loooong periods in-between.

Periods when nothing happened but life kept happening. Times I feel are more valuable than the triumph, because it makes up 99% of our lives.

I craved a place and the company of a person who provided this freedom but couldn't really find it .... so I decided to create it.

So here's what you can expect on here.

This space will primarily contain stories. Stories of things that happen and the thoughts/feelings that are a part of living an ordinary, mundane life.

Stories that contain details of one person's journey (that is, me) of trying to be true to myself and the person I love (that is, Jesus).

What's in it for you?

It is my hope that this space and the stories it holds will serve as an encouragement and an invitation to you.

As different as we may be, the human experience is a universal one. Regardless of our circumstances, I am willing to bet that we will have experiences, thoughts and/or feelings in common.

And so here's my encouragement to you: that you stay with and reflect on the things that resonate with you.

Let my stories serve as a loving presence, as a witness and a mirror to your own. Allow them to encourage and validate of your own thoughts and feelings. Know that you are not alone.

As for the stories that don't resonate: just let them gently pass you by like water in a stream. We don't always have to agree in order to love.

I'm saying a prayer for us all as we step into this space: that we slow down and give ourselves permission to just BE.

That we allow ourselves to be wholly present without worrying about productivity, so that we can experience the grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Spirit throughout our time here and beyond.

Just like the Lord's arms, the doors here are always open.