Hello NAS community!
After a summer-long hiatus, it's great to be back! My summer was filled with the brim with travel, family time, and growing pains - all good things :)
Y'all, the Not Alone Series has been around for more than TWO years now. Is anyone else blown away by that? When Jen and I first began discussing the concept of a bringing like-minded, holiness-seeking, single ladies together to build solidarity and friendship, well, I had no idea where this would take us. In reflecting on the series, we've said that we had "high hopes and low expectations."
This is completely true.
And isn't this how we sometimes view God's plan for our lives? Sure, I'm hopeful...but I also don't expect Him to do that much with my life. Other people, for sure. But me? That just seems impossible.
Thanks be to HIM that our expectations don't determine what He will carry out. The past two years of the Not Alone Series have been so formative for me. I look back at the place I was at when this series began and I'm overwhelmed with how God has changed me. No matter the changes, I'm still the same person - but I've grown.
And I have you all to thank for that. You have helped me to know that I am not broken, I am not lost, I am not left behind.
This community Jen and I created with hopes of bringing together women who feel isolated in a world obsessed with romance has served us as well.
Thank you for being that community!
These couple of years, Jen and I have been called to constantly discern the direction of the NAS. How can we best serve this community? How can we reach new people? Where are we being called to grow?
We've been offered numerous opportunities to answer these questions with action! Members of our community gathered in Savannah last summer! Our Facebook group has become a haven for questioning hearts and prayer requests, shared sorrows and joyful noise! We were asked to share the NAS with CatholicTV on This is the Day and Encounter!
And yet, we're continually called to discernment. A few months ago, Jen and I were praying about the future of the Not Alone Series and our role in that future. In taking that to prayer, we mutually discerned that we are no longer called to lead the weekly NAS blogging.
This has been fairly difficult for me to come to terms with. My personality is very all or nothing and I have a hard time letting things go. I tend to want to see everything I begin through to the very end. But with prayer and arguing with God, it became clear that He's calling me to step back and hand the reigns over.
So while this was a hard decision, I am so excited to announce that two lovely ladies have agreed to take over as hosts of the Not Alone Series!
*** drumroll please ***
It is my great pleasure to announce Lindsay of Lindsay Loves and Rachel of Keeping It Real as the new hosts of the Not Alone Series! Jen and I are so excited that Lindsay and Rachel are stepping up to lead the NAS weekly blogging!
The future of the Not Alone Series matters to me and Jen. We want to see it continue to flourish and I am confident that with Lindsay and Rachel, we will continue to see the fruits of this community!
A new round of weekly blogging topics begin next week, on September 15th! The first topic is below:
Five Love Languages
Dr. Gary Chapman has outlined five ways people give and receive love in his book "The 5 Love Languages." Take the quiz at 5lovelanguages.com to discover yours! What is your love language? How does that affect your approach to romantic relationships, family relationships, and friendships? How do you give and receive love with people who have different love languages?
Please head over to say "hi!" to Lindsay and Rachel! The Lord does great things with those who are willing to say "yes" - thank you to Lindsay and Rachel for their "yes"es!
I am excited to be a part of the NAS community in a different capacity and I'm thrilled to have these two ladies as the new leaders of this venture!
Please join us on this journey! Join us on Facebook by requesting to be a part of the NAS group and liking the NAS page! Join us in reading and writing on the weekly prompts! Join us in building friendships which are authentic and true!
Know of my prayers and gratitude for each and every one of you. Our God is so good and I know He will continue to bless our path.