Let Me Introduce You to My Giant

Pre and Post Rona

If you're going to read my blog, I need to give you some background information to help you get to know me better. This blog was birthed from a change in my lifestyle due to “Rona” (that's what we call COVID-19 at my house). Before Rona, my life was absolutely nuts! We were about to run into our busy season.

Let me paint you a picture: four kids, ages 10-15, on four different sports teams; my husband was working multiple double shifts (thank you, Jesus, for the provision); as an assistant principal at an elementary school, I was working with our leadership team to plan for the busy end-of-year wrap-up; our family loves our church and strives to be a part of as many church activities as possible; my husband is currently working on another degree; Subway becomes a staple during this busy time; we essentially live in our vehicle between work, ball, and church; and I haven't even mentioned a social life. One or two sit-down, family meals a week during our hectic season is a huge win! Many of you reading this right now can relate and then add about eight more weekly activities on top of what I just described. So you know the crazy I speak of. Then Rona showed up and our schedule was immediately... well... empty. I can't remember a time in my life when there has been absolutely nothing on our schedule.

My heart breaks for individuals who have been so tragically affected by COVID-19, whether it be through the stress it's added to your work/ finances, or through you or someone you know having the disease. It's brought so much heartache to so many. While I feel deep empathy for those who have struggled through this time, I have also found many blessings in this unprecedented stage of our lives.

A cleared schedule has allowed us to sit down and eat dinner as a family nearly every night. We even found a family dinner devotional book that we learn from together after dinner. We tried a few different family devotional books but this one was our favorite: The Family Bible Devotional) I’ve been amazed by the questions our children have asked about God and the Bible during this devotional time. Some questions I’ve never thought about and there are plenty of their questions that I don’t really know how to answer.

This blank schedule has also reduced stress, given me more time to read, prompted me to better plan out my day, given me more time in God's word, opened my eyes to a greater appreciation of the people in my life, allowed me to get back into running, and offered more date nights (which until recently, only included hitting a drive-thru and eating in the car- thanks, Rona!).

Imagine the streets in New York City. Do you hear all the horns blaring? How about the hundreds of smells wafting in your nose? Can you see all the people? This is what life was like before Rona showed up. After Rona, life has been like the picture below: peaceful, simple, quiet, focused on what's most beautiful in life.

One of the most powerful blessings from Rona is that I've found more time to talk with God and reflect on His will for my life. From my increased time with Him, I have felt a calling to write. God has blessed me with so much that I have a burning desire to share it with you. The ideas I write about are planted and fertilized by The Creator. They have entered my mind so rapidly that I've had to start notes pages everywhere- on my computer, on my phone, on my big notepad on my desk- because I don't want to lose a single thought or idea He places on my heart. This experience has led me to the title of my blog… keep reading. This one takes some explaining!

Have you ever met a giant?

Currently, if you search the internet for the tallest man alive, you will find numerous results about a man living in Turkey named Sultan Kosen. (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tallest-man-living) He measures in at a towering 8 feet and 2.8 inches tall. (Insert jaw drop!) I'm not really asking, though, if you've ever met a giant in a literal way. I just wanted to hook you! I’m referring to a figurative giant.

Some of the definitions of "giant" from Merrriam-Webster are, “a living being of great size; a person of extraordinary powers; something unusually large or powerful.” As I thought about the title of my blog, I knew I wanted it to focus on being alone with God. I recently heard a pastor deliver a message about David and Goliath. I was very intrigued to look up how big Goliath really was. Are you ready? Nine feet and nine inches tall! Some sources figure he weighed as much as 600 pounds. Goliath was very… extra!

This prompted me to think of other people who have been very extra: Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Michael Jordan, Billy Graham, Michelangelo, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman. The list of the greatest humans in history could go on and on. Now think of taking all of these greats’ most honorable characteristics and putting them together to make one person. God is even bigger than that!!!! (There are not enough exclamation points for me to get this point across!) He is The Ultimate Giant.

Over the past three months, events that I will later describe on my blog have blessed me with a drastic increase in the time I have spent conversing with God. An increased desire for His Word, coupled with this open phone line to Heaven that I’m finally taking advantage of, has been life-changing. Literally! I am not who I was a few months ago and I don't want to go back. Being alone with Him has given me fresh eyes, new priorities, a lot of sore toes, and so many ah-ha moments.

This is why my blog is called “Alone with The Giant." Being alone with the most extra being in existence has given me such a drive to seek Him and share His goodness. It won't always be pretty, but I'll always strive to be real with you. I may step on my toes and yours as I share what He’s teaching me, but this road will also be filled with confident expectations of what's just around the next corner. My posts will focus on leadership, family, servant-hood, true fulfillment in Christ, and whatever else the Lord decides to reveal. Please feel free to leave comments. I'd love to hear from you! I hope you'll stick with me on this journey. Adulting is hard and we need to stick together… with The Giant directing our every step.