It’s important that we share our experiences with other people. Your story will heal you and will heal somebody else. When you tell your story, you free yourself and give other people permission to acknowledge their own story. -Iyanla Vanzant 

As I’ve spent the last 5 years on an intense soul search. I’ve embraced an openness to willingly allow for God to wash my soul clean, to be made new again after 30 years of pain and sorrow, to appreciate him tearing down my walls and putting in new ones, and to instill a new vision to some ways and outlooks that needed to look more like His instead of my own. I’ve gained many lessons throughout this season with God, with one of my greatest being the enjoyment of people that God strategically places in our lives. God is full of divine appointments and I’ve learned to never let one go with underestimation. This lesson is held tightly with an understanding that quality is always greater than quantity. As Trent Trenton wisely once said “You’ll never be able to grow if you’re afraid to lose people during the process, sometimes past relationships don’t belong in new seasons.” You loose and you gain for all good, reason, and purpose. As you progress into the path that is made for you, you meet people that join alongside you and stand firmly beside you with the same intentions and drive for life, and those are relationships that will forever shape who you wind up being.

Going into this past weekend I had NO idea of the magnitude of blessings that God had in store for each and every one of us. A trip to our Carolina hills with John, our family, and three guys that were divinely placed in our lives became a weekend that still has my cup overflowing. A weekend full of healing, laughter, and conversation that helped mold that clay piece of his magnificent artwork that God has all of us working into. We laughed, we cried, we worshipped, and we celebrated huge life milestones together. There were more hugs and I love you’s than some people hear in an entire lifetime. I found myself merely speechless with a gratitude that overwhelms my soul.

Our first night we stayed in a historic Victorian home downtown Saluda, NC. This house was over 100 years old, with stunning original features. Sterling and I arrived before the guys and had three solid hours of quiet time before they got there. I baked cookies and sat in the simplicity of history and read my most current Lysa Terkhurst book called “The Best Yes.” We hadn’t seen John in a month and being reunited with him was something we had been looking so forward to like you wouldn’t believe. We were like kids at Christmas awaiting that moment. My heart overflowed when he walked through that door. He wrapped his arms around me and I found myself back in my favorite place in the whole wide world. As Sterling greeted John at the door with toy in tow, I know he was just as excited! Our little family was back together. More whole than ever. I finally got to meet and hug the three special men’s necks that are growing in crazy ways with John. Men who have helped transform his life and mine. I knew if he cherished them the way he did, I surely would too.

As we woke to a misty mountain morning, we enjoyed a big meal on the porch together of breakfast casserole, deer bacon, biscuits, and yes, liver pudding. What a smorgasbord! Will had been telling us about one of North Carolina’s delicatessens “liver pudding.” All of my years and I’ve never heard of it or tried it. Him and Rizzo ran to the local general store downtown to grab coffee and guess who comes walking back through the door with liver pudding? After a conversation with a local and a free heaping of liver pudding, He does! Not too bad. Funny those divine appointments, ey?

Pearson’s Falls was a waterfall hike that I had done many years as a child. Sweet memories were made there. This place is wrapped up with those special days where my wanderlust spirit was instilled at a young age. The waterfall was only 2 miles from the Airbnb so we decided to take a little detour and enjoy some of God’s creation. As we pulled up to the guard gate, the falls keeper came running out. We had good conversation and drove our way on through. He said, “the place is yours, go enjoy!” Just us, the falls, and Gods presence. Sterling ran far ahead with wonder turning around every few minutes to make sure we were still trailing behind him. Running through the rocky river like a wild man, smelling every little thing he could as we all followed in awe and laughter close behind. As we made it up to the falls, I watched the eyes in wonder and gratefulness. This place never ceases to amaze me. That moment that takes your breath away at how magnificent and simple this world is if we just take the time to slow down and see it. It’s all around us. As John and I stood side by side, tucked under his arm, it’s as if life stopped for a moment. We looked around… Rizzo, Will, and Justin had all found a spot for themselves to take it all in. I watched their eyes go up with glory. It’s as if I could see their heart overflowing with the feeling of wholeness and freedom that they felt in that very place in life. John and I looked at Each other and smiled with the same feeling flowing through our hearts as well. Cups were overflowing, and this is just the beginning! We almost had to peel ourselves away from that waterfall that day. As if we didn’t want that moment to ever end. Walking the trail back, the morning mist became a steady rain. Heavier and heavier as we neared the end of the trail. We began to step it up in speed and laughed all the while doing it. By the time we all made it back to the cars, we were soaking wet. Not only did God pour out of the sky onto his glorious creation, but he washed all of our souls that Thursday morning. That kind of soul cleansing that’s only found in the most unexpected places of his presence. I’d give anything to capture these precious moments and save them. That goes in the forever chest of sweet memories.

Our next stop was my sweet grandfather’s place. My papa has always been that solid man in my life since I was a little girl. When my dad left when I was 4, my Papa became my person. I thank God for him and his influence after having a father step out, where he stepped in more powerful than my father could have ever been. God hasn’t failed me yet and he knew exactly what he was doing. My Papa is the closest thing to God that I’ve ever met. His example in my life is strong. And to John as well. He’s a writer. I think that’s where my passion comes from. He wrote a devotion book years back that John and I started about 6 months ago. Every single night we would read and talk about it and how it relates to life and experiences. Ways that we need to grow in order to be the best people that we can be. The guys now do Papa’s devotion every night and wanted to meet the author of this book. So, Papa and Iris gladly took us in for the day and what a special time it was! They cooked us a huge southern meal and we sat and talked for the next 5 hours. It’s funny 25 years ago, I would have never imagined such a sweet instance all this time later. It was solid conversation, real talk, prayer and lifelong wisdom that was spoken on this day encapsulated with laughter, tough questions, and thoughts to run with and think about. Papa needed help moving a couple of pianos down in the barn. John and Papa made their way first (with purpose behind it, little did I know!) Rizzo, Will, Justin and I walked the property. It never ceases to amaze me the wholeness and grounding that I gain from this place. It’s truly the home that built me and I was elated to share it with such special people. As we spent time down in the barn, Papa played old hymns on the piano and Will sang. We all watched with grins on our faces and a wholeness in our hearts with joyous sound. Talk about a moment! As we departed Spartanburg, we hugged them tightly packed the words and experiences that we gained from this day into our hearts and made our way to our next stop. It was a Special, special day!

I was so excited about Friday. A day out at the farm to enjoy and explore. No plans at all but quality time. John hugged me Wednesday night and said, “there are so many big things that are going to happen this weekend, things we do and don’t even know about!” I couldn’t wait to see what was in store, little did I know, John did. They were bigger than what my imagination could have ever dreamt up. We enjoyed a huge breakfast around a gathering table that’s always been so special. Geared up and bundled tightly to head out on the farm. It was a beautiful March day with a cold Carolina chill in the air. The bluest of skies, greenest of greens and the newness of Spring that had begun to bloom. It’s always that metaphor of a feeling that I love about the spring season: A time of growth and new life. We walked and walked, enjoying all of our favorite places on the farm. We got a tough call in the midst that it was time to let Geechee make his way over rainbow bridge. A call we’ve been dreading for a long time but knew it was coming. We let it sink in with tears in our eyes and continued on our trek. We got to sit on the banks of the pond and share conversation and laughter. I remember at one point; my soul was so overwhelmed I couldn’t breathe. I was trying to fight back the tears of a tough call for our sweet old man and for John’s aching heart. But thankfulness was fruitful for incredible years with Geechee and a major sense of gratefulness with the lives that had entered John’s life and mine, along with this special place to us and the family that we love so dearly there. It’s pretty amazing to think that one of the toughest calls to a man’s life was done in such a special place at such a special time. Sweet Geechee waited for his daddy to be ok. He knew it was time to move on to the fields of freedom. Healed and whole. And the reminder sank deeply within, it is well with my soul….

Now here comes the biggest surprise of the weekend that changed my life forever. March 2^nd became one of those days that I will never forget. We made way up to our plot of land where we plan on building our home one day. We were all standing near the fruit trees, waiting on Tim to come join us. Little did I know I had a huge surprise coming. John said, “Come on babe, let’s go find the stakes.” So, him and I started walking towards the closest one to us. Everyone stayed back a little. I thought they were just enjoying conversation. I was walking ahead of John trying to find it, and he says “Chels, turn around!” And guess who is down on one knee with his grandmother’s ring. The epitome of special. Ahhhhh!!! All I remember is the sweetest of words, lots of tears, and yelling and clapping! I couldn’t breathe the rest of the day. Heck, I’m still trying to catch my breath! So, as if our lives haven’t been changing into more amazing ways already, it changed forever March 2nd, 2018. And that’s all I’m going to say for now. Our story is coming soon on the blog!

Each night we did the devotion sitting in the quiet around the living room and what a precious time. As tired as we all were after days of splendor, nothing stopped that sweet time. Brene brown once said, “Owning your Story is the bravest thing you will ever do.” And that was what I found to be so amazing. Sitting in a room and having endless moments of people who care so much about each other, being unapologetically themselves. Vulnerability is a beautiful thing. Four men and two females sat in a room pouring out their souls and letting you into the deepest parts of our worlds without hesitation. Praying for and with each other. Lifting the weakest souls and healing the deepest pains. There was nothing less than his work through these special people and quiet minutes.

Our last, biggest, and main reason originally for this visit was to visit Elevation Church in Charlotte. A little chasing Steven Furtrick we like to call it. We don’t miss a sermon online. And we vowed to each other, if we are ever within 2 hours, we will be there! There is nothing like an experience hearing God speak through Steven. We made Saturday and Sunday services and it was EPIC! Worship that set our hearts on fire and teaching that sank deep. He taught a valuable lesson about God not being a God of comfort. In 2 Corinthians 1:4 it says “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” As I always remind myself, we grow through what we go through. Sometimes we get caught up in our own dysfunction and our “normal” to the only things we’ve ever known, and the only way out of that and to be new is to get uncomfortable and to face confrontation. Those are the days we grow stronger in those seasons of discovery becoming more of what we’ve never been and who God created us to be. We knew Steven and God would do big things, and this one nailed it!

I think what grew me the most this weekend was the solid ground on which we stood. The solidity of friendship and what it means. The lack of negativity and the increase of all uplifting positivity. We sat around a kitchen table playing games with nothing but sweet tea and laughed harder than I have in way too long. Even enduring one of the hardest phone calls you could get and sharing one of the most special days to a couple’s life, this ground was unshakable. John said, “I lost one best friend, but I gained my other one forever.” It proved to be true… the example of cherishing the good people that God gives us is unspeakable. It’s a make or break in life. It added to those life lessons that catapulted me into remembering to embrace these healthy relationships and letting unhealthy ones sink through your grip. There is nothing wrong with that. This is what makes life beautiful and this was a weekend that let God’s divine plan shine. He always knows best. John and I both cried leaving these people. The past 4 days were nothing less than perfect. The hard phone call and the life changing moments were handled with purity simply because of who stood beside us.

I urge you to cling tightly to those people that God divinely places in your life. They are there for a reason. Life isn’t meant to be done alone. There are people that are good TO you and there are people that are good FOR you. Hold tight to those ones that are good FOR you. They will change you, they will grow you, they will push you, and they will pursue your greater and greatest purpose. We are all broken people trying to make it in this world. Pick that path and the people who will walk down it by your side with the greatest of wills beside the Lord’s. When the rest of the world is running towards the cliff, hold tight to your closest ones and run away from the cliff as everyone watches in wonder. It’s your life. It’s short. And there is one guarantee, we will lose them one day. Love them fiercely and let your heart sing.

Wreckless Love… You have been so, so kind to me.