This is Only the Beginning

I am just one of many. And that's okay.

I'm about to go to bed in my hotel room here in Harrisburg, PA. The first night of the Allume Conference was great.

I heard two great talks. One from Phil Vischer about laying your dream down before God and letting HIM do with it what He wants. He might want to kill it. Do I have the faith to lay it down knowing that?  The honest answer: No. I dream big things for this blog. And I believe those dreams that are in my heart are born of what God wants to do.  But, I do need to fully acknowledge that this is not about me. It's about Him. And it's about you. And it's about how our lives can be used - in some way - to bless you, or minister to you.

I want you to know that you are loved by God.
Many of you found this blog because you have a similar circumstance to us. You're in a wheelchair, or you love someone who is.
You know this life.
It can be hard.
It can be easy, when you're on auto-pilot.
It can be bad.
It can be good!
But - it is certainly unique.

I remember getting used to this life. I remember how hard it was. I struggled, and I felt SO alone. I didn't know anyone else who was doing what I was doing and I really needed to know someone else - someone real - so that I could know that I could do this! That's what I want this blog to be for you.

You will find real stories here. Real life. It's not always easy. But we have such an opportunity to experience teamwork and true love in a way that I just don't know if other people can understand.

The rest of you just read this blog because you're family - or friends. And we love you! I hope you don't ever get sick of this, or feel excluded. We want to bless you, too. Or, just make you laugh, or sigh, because you know us. You're probably all, "here she goes again..." when I post those dramatic posts! Thank you for always reading what we write.

The other talk, from Sarah Mae, was about living your life. Your real life. Not being so consumed by blogging and social media and all things online so much so that you miss what's happening in real life, with real people. This one hit home for me. Sometimes I can be so focused with what's going on online, that I spend too much time behind my MacBook screen. I know this because when I close my laptop, my dog gets up. He's like, "she's alive!" He's just a dog, not a kid. But seriously, I do need to get my internet addiction under control before I become a mom.  I don't want my kids' earliest memories of me to be this mother who was at a computer all the time.

I'm not pregnant.
I'm just saying, you know - in the future.

I met lots of ladies from different parts of the country that all have blogs. They blog about all kinds of different stuff. It's kind of crazy to be in a room full of 400 women who blog. Overwhelming. Almost all of the bloggers I met tonight have blogs that are way bigger than what we've got going on here.  I almost got discouraged by that, until I realized that that just means that God is only in the beginning stages of what He is building here - and I'm okay with that! I also realized that I am one of many here. I am nothing special.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be here. And thank you all so much for caring enough to read these posts day in and day out.  You are the best.  If there is something that you would like to know, or read about, or if there is any way that this blog could be more helpful or encouraging or interesting to you, please let me know!