Written: October 6, 2026 (published 10/13/2026)

This morning, I listened to Sergio from Living Hope Church deliver a timely, timeless message about not looking back. He said, “You cannot effectively move forward when you’re constantly looking back.” As I meditated on the message, the Lord brought me to a season of our journey when I didn’t appreciate my surroundings. And it occurred to me: we also shouldn’t rush forward. At every point in our journey, our eyes should be open to where we are and what God wants to show us in that moment. He not only reveals a message, but He also reveals His creation.

            When Heath and I were at the coast, where he had been called to preach (for a season), I took a job at Edward Jones as Branch Office Administrator. Living at the coast is expensive, and therefore we needed more money than the church paid, which is true, but that isn’t the only reason I took that job. I was, shall I say, intimidated by the people in the church. Because of that, I worked and came to church because I had to be there for my husband, but that was the extent of my service there. We had the beautiful ocean in front of us, the sand under our feet, and an incredible part of history all around us. But I was hiding to avoid engagement.

Now I’m in western North Carolina, and the scenery is beautiful. Mountains rise in the background, parks surround us, and Heath and I have worked hard to turn a peaceful house into a home. I am thankful to be here. I’ve served several ministries since arriving here. In November 2025, I prayed for God to let me minister from home; within three days, I had a rough draft of my first book. I believe the first several books I wrote came from a cry for wanting to deliver an uplifting message in line with the Scriptures. Those books came out of a desperation to reach people for the cause of Christ and to be a disciple. I believe they had been on my heart and mind for years and just needed to come out onto the page.

            This new book, The Loneliness of Not Being Heard, hits me right where I am now. Am I still trying to rush through this season? Most of you who know Heath and me know we want to live on a river with mountains in the background. We don’t want to disengage; we simply love the water and the peace it seems to bring. Sometimes you just need to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). This book I’m writing addresses engaging with others, and God is using it to engage with me in a very personal and direct way.

As I sit here and type, I see the glory of God all around me, even on the television screen: a picture of an outdoor covered porch with a crackling fireplace, a dog lying on the sofa, and the river and mountain slopes in the distance. Then I turn to my laptop screen, where the home screen shows a picture of the ocean at sunset that I took while we were at Manteo.

I realize that I rushed through that part of my journey.

I didn’t enjoy what God had set before us.

Appreciate where God has you in the moment—with your eyes wide open, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).