From the outside, I’ll admit, my life looks as simple as they come. I’m a small-town girl who grew up, briefly left, and wound up right back where I started. I live a whole three blocks away from my parents and the house where I grew up. I rarely get on a plane, take a trip or experience the adventures thatothers crave. Heck, I rarely get out of my town and visit the mall. But this life that I live – this small-town, simple life – is the one that I’ve chosen. Like those before and around me, I decided that settling in a small town wasn’t settling at all. Every day I wake up and choose community over independence, peace of mind over the unknown, and family roots over spread wings.I’m happy with my choice.

In this town, my husband and I are raising our two precious girls. And they, truly, are what make this life a dream. Eden is four, Selah is almost two, and being a Mommy is the greatest adventure I’ve ever had. I go to bed each night exhausted, sure I can’t do it again, but wake up the next morning excited to try. Because there’s no job in the world I’d rather have than loving and training my two gifts from God. They take my simple life and give it more purpose than the highest seat of the corporate ladder. Each day in this job has eternal implications. So my aim is to work heartily, as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23).

My greatest desire is to pass a legacy of faith down to my children. Like my parents and grandparents, I want them to know the height and depth of the love of Christ. I want them to believe we were created for a purpose and that that is to glorify an all-powerful God. And I want them to realize that even the simplest of lives hold great meaning and value. Because our worth isn’t found in where we live, how much money we have, or what positions we hold. Our worth is found in Who holds us.

I started blogging four years ago on a whim. I liked to write and I had a cute baby so it seemed like the thing to do. But blogging has become, for me, both a creative and a spiritual outlet. My blog is a place where I vent, I build community, and I hope to encourage other women. I try to give readers a glimpse into an imperfect family that, on the street, they may think is neatly packaged with a bow. It thrills me to hear from other women (and men) that they feel more “normal” after reading my blog. None of us are bright and shiny all the time, so why try to fake it?

I am so excited to spend this month with you here at Arkansas Women Bloggers. This group of women exemplifies communityin every sense of the word. So let’s become friends, shall we? Give me a like or a follow and then don’t be shy. I’d love it if we could encourage each other.