2025 Wrap-up

This year has been a sweet one. There have been plenty of ups and downs, and lots of in-between. I have let go of some things that I will love forever, and been given new things that I also love. God has been faithful and kind through all of it. With that in mind, here are some numbers for 2025!

1 New House - unexpected wow. It is becoming more “home” every day, and I am grateful.

1 new ministry - leading a sixth grade girls’ group with my best friend! Youth group is the best night of the week, with the best people, and I am so honored to get to be a part of it. I was not prepared for how much I love it.

1 new book published - I Know the Feeling. I can’t even. I love this story, and I am so honored that I got to write it. It is WILD to me that I am actually an author!

2 bookstore signing events! One at Talking Animals Books in Grapevine, and one at The Plot Twist in Denton. Amazing!

2 books on the shelf in 1 store. This is CRAZY. I still can’t believe my books are on the shelf at The Plot Twist Book Bar in Denton.

31 books read. There were a lot of good ones, but probably the one I recommend most often is Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner. Loved it!

1 anniversary, celebrating 20 years of marriage to my Joe Dan. Getting to love this man is my favorite. Such a joy! Praise the Lord!

1 vacation, just the two of us. We hadn’t left our kids for more than a weekend in ten years, so this was a very special treat, thanks to my precious sister, Katie. We flew to Napa, CA, for five days, and it was AMAZING!

6 speaking opportunities! I love getting to share God’s Word with women. It is a joyful challenge, and a huge encouragement. I’m so grateful I get to do this!

1 booking to speak at my FIRST WOMEN’S RETREAT! Yay! (Please pray for me, it’s coming up in February!)

1 girls’ trip. In the Word was amazing, and California was a DREAM! Loved every second!

1 getaway with my sweet girl for her birthday. NYC was a FABULOUS experience, and we can’t wait to go again!

1 family vacation to the beach, and 1 to the mountains. Hashtag Spoiled Rotten. Praise the LORD!

1 shift to morning women’s Bible study after 15 years of going in the evening. WBS is my favorite thing, hands down. Letting go of evening WBS—my group, serving on the team for ten years, and getting to love on my leaders—it was a big deal for me. It was a huge change, and it was the right thing to do in my season of life. The Lord was so kind to give me peace about it. I’m so grateful to still get to be part of WBS in the morning, and to have an incredible group of wise, sweet, fun women to learn with and love. Such a kindness! There really is a season for everything, and God is good in all of it.

1 three-month-long IBD flare. No fun, but it could have been worse. I am so grateful for a wise doctor who takes good care of me, for medicine that helped, and a body that works!

1 trip through the Bible. I love reading along with the Bible Recap, and I am planning to do it again in 2026!

1 Psalm that kept coming to mind: Psalm 90. I spoke on this psalm multiple times this year, and I just keep coming back to the part that says teach us to number our days. God is teaching me. And I am a slow learner. I need Him to show me what I am for. Who I can love. What to do next.

Lord, make my life worship of you, for all my days. Help me love you and be faithful to you. Help my heart overflow with that love in a way that is loving and good to those around me. Please give me wisdom, and help me to be an encouragement to others.

That is my prayer for 2026: Help me to love well. I don’t know much about the future, but I know this is how I want to live today.

If you made it this far, you get the slow clap, for sure! Thank you for sharing in this journey with me. I hope your 2025 was a good one, and I pray 2026 is glorifying to God, and full of joy!

If you are looking for a Christian speaker for your event, feel free to reach out on my website.

You can find my books on Amazon, or on the shelf at The Plot Twist in Denton, TX.

Happy New Year!