I’ve been nominated for a Versatile Blogger Award by Mitch Teemley from The Power of Story! Here is someone who speaks my language: Stories.

The Versatile Blogger Award was created to introduce people to up-and-comers.

My task is simple: To tell you 7 Things About Me, and to introduce you to other Up-and-Comers (or new blogs to my feed).

7 Things About Me:

1. I love to learn about other people and their unique stories. This absolutely breathes life into me. Everyone has a unique story to tell that is worthy of being shared.
2. I have been married for over 2 decades. Pat and I met in college. Young women, beware of the smart guy who offers to tutor you in math, he might just steal your heart!
3. I have two young adult daughters. I survived the teen years, you can too.
4. I am a Strengths Coach. I primarily use my training to encourage teens and young adults who are struggling to discover their unique strengths, talents and purpose.  I also enjoy coaching adults who want to rediscover their value, strengths and purpose. I have found that life can suck the wind right out of our sails. Bonus, I am one of the few who can actually say that I get to play to my strengths just about every day. I have the strengths of Empathy, Connectedness, Developer, Belief and Adaptability. I use every single one through coaching and mentoring.  
5. I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer about 2.5 years ago. Yes, I do count my blessings down to the months, weeks and days! Although this is not the thing that defines me the most, it is part of my life’s story. I will use it to encourage others. I may not know the number of days I have but I can try to do the most important things with them.
6. I enjoy cooking and gardening. I am not particularly talented at either but I find it enjoyable. I enjoy learning new ideas around food and gardening and taking in all that my senses can handle. I find it most enjoyable when I can combine both into a new and delicious dish!
7. I have become more trusting of God over the past few years. I have discovered that life can be very unpredictable, but God is steady and reliably good. It has been freeing to realize that I don’t have to have it all figured out, because I am not in control anyway. It is a weird kind of freedom that I wouldn’t have been brave enough to actually try on my own. But here I am. Sharing what I have learned and experienced along the way, sometimes in my own life and oftentimes through the people I have crossed paths with.

Honestly, I was blown away to be nominated by Mitch. Thank you for the encouragement.   I am honored.

My List of Up-and-Comers (or a few new to me!)

Nicole Pierson: Strong and Brave  How a Child’s Faith Saved his Life. 

Beauty Beyond Bones: A young woman’s path to health and loving herself and God.

Barb Bigelow: The Cancer Chronicles: You don’t have to be perfect, just be present, love shows up.

Maggie: Dreaming of Guatemala: Happily trusting the Lord and learning Spanish while I wait. 

Belle Unruh: Who is God: Who is God, And by the way, who am I?

Joanna Wiggin: Beauty in the Dust: Writings of a woman’s everyday heart.