“How is your book coming?” This is the question my grandma asked every time I went to visit.

Five years ago, I had the dream of sharing my story in a book (don’t we all, really?). That’s how this ministry began.

Since, I’ve found it’s not actually that easy. It’s a behind-the-scenes, building a website, a blog, a following, kind of dream. Since, I’ve found there are many other ways (blogs, podcasts, speaking) to share my story and I’ve loved who I’ve met and what I’ve learned along the way.

But, last weekend, I was able to hand a signed copy of my book to my grandma. I handed her a compilation of pieces I’ve written on how we can do life better during hard seasons.

She lives right outside Philadelphia and their home is lined with pictures of their fourteen great-grandkids, antique knick-knacks, and homemade VHS tapes.

My grandma, heck all three of my grandparents, have always stood 100 percent behind any dream I’m pursuing.

When I lived near them, they came to every game. When I graduated high school in Tennessee, they drove down, armed with their amazing homemade zucchini bread, to cheer me on.

When I was in recovery, both sets took turns driving me to therapy for an entire month so my parents could return to work. They even drove eighteen hours through a blizzard to Nebraska to come to our wedding.

This month, we were able to bring our three girls and do the same.

As I showed her what I’ve been building, learning, and growing over these past few years along with some zucchini bread I made for her, I brought her to tears.

You see, this month I put together a 30-page booklet I had rushed to get printed so I could bring it to them.

Did it take way longer than it should? Yep.
Did it add some time away from my kids? Yep.
Did things have to slow down around here and on the blog so I could figure out how to make and format a book template? Yep.

But do you know what? I did it.

I don’t have a graphic designer, Adobe anything, or Publisher, but I used Word and got that business done.

Is it absolutely perfect? Probably not.

But I believe in my story enough to not let that stop me from sharing it.

So often we let perfect be the enemy of good. “I’m not a good enough speaker to speak to that group, I’m too rusty at soccer to coach my kid’s team, I’m not experienced enough to apply to that job…” Sound familiar?

92 percent of people don’t achieve their goals and, I’d argue, one of the biggest obstacles getting in the way is the fear of not looking like we have it all together as we try.

I’ve given a lot of really good talks, but I’ve also given some just OK ones.
I’ve written some powerful blogs, but I’ve also written some people clicked out of after the first paragraph.

But I decided a long time ago to not let the fear of imperfection stop me from trying.

Maybe it’s that I survived a near-death experience which made me care way less what other people think. Or the deep breath that compels me to give it a go when the nerves flare because there will be no chance of seeing the outcome if I don’t try.

“Give them the third best to go on with; the second best comes too late, the best never comes.”

Robert Watson-Watt

We will never know what the end looks like if we don’t start. Click To Tweet

Dreams don’t happen overnight. They’re built brick-by-brick. They’re rejections, pivots, and get back up again’s.

And along the way, you celebrate. With each brick laid, you celebrate with people who’ve been in your corner, cheering you on since the beginning.

‘Let’s Do Suffering Better’

“How have you stopped being defined by your suffering? What has helped you switch gears and behold the new things God is doing today?
Why do you find it hard to be your authentic, messy self? What has helped you be more content in your skin?”

As I recovered, these are questions I fought to answer which are weaved into this book.

‘Let’s Do Suffering Better’ is a compilation of my best blog pieces offering ways we can do life – beauty, hope, redemption, etc. – better during hard seasons. It offers these questions and more, providing space to journal or discuss as you do the same.

If you’d like a copy for yourself or your small group, grab it here! Whatever you’re walking through, He is with you friends.