I was thinking about something over the weekend. A lot of you have been around this blog since last August when I went public with the story of my marriage. It’s been one year this month.
{If you don’t know what I’m talking about, click here}
So much has happened in the last 12 months that I can’t even begin to explain it all today on a Monday morning. Last summer, on the Sunday night before the first story post went up, I was so nervous I’d made myself sick. I asked Chad to pray for me, for us, for this whole thing.
He prayed for me and as he prayed he thanked God for the adventure we were about to take.
“I’d never thought about it that way,” I told him when he was done.
It’s proven to be true. The last year has been an adventure, to say the least, and something tells me it’s only the beginning of a grander one on the horizon.
So thank you. YOU! For coming along with me on this adventure, for loving me, for interacting with me, for reading me. Thank you for walking this crazy road with me.
My good friend Lisa is also a fellow adventurer. I wrote a short article about her {that when it’s published I’ll be sure to share with you} called “When I Grow Up”. And it’s true: there’s something about her that makes me want to see the creative swirl beneath the simplicity of life and just be a better friend. When I grow up, I want to be just like her.
In honor of our grand adventures as friends and in the grand adventure we all take together on this blog, I (we) are giving something away today. To enter, leave a comment in the comment section before 9pm Wednesday night about a GRAND ADVENTURE you’ve already taken or one you intend to take.
Chosen randomly the winner will receive $50 IN ONLINE STORE CREDIT to Lisa Leonard Designs.
Tell me about your Grand Adventure…
It’s quite interesting ’cause I call this year my “Year of Adventure”. Basically, I’ll be finishing school at UCLA and then making plans to move to Fresno, CA to do inner city ministry there. I currently live in Los Angeles, so it’s a pretty big goal and adventure to be working towards!
Sarah-The very first blog post I read of yours was Part 1 of your story. I think Jenni Clayville sent me to you. Can’t remember fully. But I will say this year has also been a very stretching year for me. And your posts have been that extra emotional push for me to be brave, loving, and faithful. Thank you again for your faithfulness.
an empty nest.
our three kids are pretty much on their own now. we are excited to see what the next chapter holds. praising God together for His grace along the way!
love your God story Sarah. thank you for your transparency. you are an inspiration to me!
Working on repairing my marriage for the second time. It’s been a long journey with lots of prayers, but I’m just thankful we are back together again.
No grand adventures here, other than daily life.
I love your story…thanks so much for sharing it!
Everyday is an adventure as I am the primary caregiver for my mom who has Alzheimer’s. Some are sad, some are funny, some are poignant but all are memorable.
Your story has help me so much. I look forward to everyday when I can read your blog. My marriage has never been better! I thought I was the only one out there going through this. THANK YOU SARAH you have made such a difference in my life.
This blog is such a treasure for me to visit – I haven’t been in awhile, and it’s good to be back.
I’m embarking on the adventure of becoming a mama for the 3rd time in 3 years – my third baby is due 5 days before my oldest daughter’s 3rd birthday. We are thrilled and a little nervous – mostly I just pray for His grace to be the best mama I can be, knowing that I will never be perfect for them. Only He can do that.
these past 4 months have been the greatest adventure of my life. Learning to love a man that has loved me unconditionally, learning to respect him and finding myself more crazy about him than I have ever been before. (thank you for playing your part in that) God is good above all else and its amazing the restoration He can bring when we are willing to be molded.
Life is the grandest adventure of them all… I never know where it’s going to lead but I rest in the assurance that He has a plan and a purpose for me!
I am in the midst of this “Grand Adventure” called Life. I have taken Hebrew at seminary and it could qualify as an adventure on its own – potentially. Yet, as one who will reach 42 at years end (good LORD willing), I will have experienced much: family, life, death, tragedy, and restoration — all rolled into one magnificent walk of faith. Ah, restoration … That’s been the glue that has and will hold everything together … Mercy, and justice – the two sided coin. The currency used on this emprise. A complete healing in a 22 year marriage, a second career at “mid-life” and in true “YEAH GOD” fashion … it is just the beginning
Everyday is really a Grand Adventure!!!!!! But I must say both of my children starting school and leaving the Nest has been the adventure for me this year. It is a bittersweet thing that I am having problems coming to terms with. I miss them terribly but also feel refreshed and excited to see them after school with some mommy time finally!!!! I would LOVE to have a design by Lisa Leonard her line is beautiful!!!!
Amy Allen
Graduating from college, starting grad school, job searching, starting new relationships, trying to keep up old ones..Life is crazy, but good..
I’m still on my grand journey, and it started in May of last year! A cheating husband, divorce, and marriage in a year’s time! God has redeemed me, taught me and is continuing to stretch me, what an incredible journey!
Parenting 2 head-old, spirited, twins. Enough said.
But if that wasn’t enough of an adventure every-single-day, the journey with my entire family the last few months as my father died. Figuring out my role as wife, mother AND daughter, caring for a sick father. I’ve never considered the “role” of daughter, I’ve just always been one. The child becoming the caregiver is quite a paradigm shift.
Still trying to wrap my brain around the last year & “process” this adventure.
Seven years ago I had a baby boy. He has been taking me on a grand adventure through life ever since. I never thought I could love anyone the way I love him.
My grand adventure happens everyday with raising 4 kids – 2 of them are twins. Life doesn’t get any greater than that.
I quit my corporate job and began my own business offering photography and design services to clients back in February. It has definitely been a grand adventure finding myself, becoming more of the person I want to be, and still fighting the struggle of being a responsible business owner when the odds seem stacked against me. I take it one day at a time and keep growing every day!
My grand adventure is motherhood. I have a 3-year-old daughter and a 7-month-old son and they are my world. Every single day is an adventure with them, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Everything about my life seems like an adventure right now. New things mixed with old things and lots of learning. Learning about carrying the burdens of my friends, learning to find joy in sorrow. So many things I’m learning.
I took a grand adventure late last year, and moved from the East Coast (having never lived more than about 3 hours from the beach) to the Rocky Mountains. It’s been an adventure for sure, and it’s certainly been grand.
Going back to school at the age of 43 is my latest Grand Adventure! I just adore Lisa’s jewelry and would love to have a piece!
Two years ago, the Hubbs and I went on a backpacking trip across Europe–it was an adventure that grew our marriage and one that we talk about consistently. God did a lot of awesome things on that trip!
My grand adventure was packing up my entire life in boxes, and moving to a city I’d never visited, so that the man I loved could have his dream come true. I’ve never regretted it once. Seeing him happy makes me happy, and makes this place home.
After welcoming our first child in September 2008, my husband and I decided to try to expand our family this year. After much prayer, we conceived a baby, lost her, and are now trying to find meaning and mission in our loss.
my husband and i are pretty used to living in comfort. we love good food, good clothes, and good decor. we gave up our patagonia threads, the beautiful mountains, and 3 story townhome for a flat overseas. it overlooks the beach…not too shabby. we are teaching english to resort workers in a (coming out of) third world country. it’s been a crazy transition but we love it! i am crossing my fingers about this giveaway. i looooove lisa leonard.
Having God renovate my heart… sifting truth from lies!!!
The grand adventure I am taking next week is sending my oldest son (age 5) off to Kindergarten. It may not seem like much, but this is HUGE to us!!
My grand adventure has been my marriage. It is a second marriage (although i said i would NEVER marry again!) for the both of us. And we are now parents….life is blessed, but learning to work together for our marriage and as parents is not only my ‘grand’ adventure, but my best adventure!
This year my husband and I left our home in NC to move to Lexington, KY. Our kids were 4mos and 2 1/2 years at the time. My husband had recently lost his banking job due to the economic recession, so we seized the opportunity to do something different. I began a full-time PhD program in Family Studies, and my husband found a new and better job here. This last year has proven to be one big adventure, with new challenges — and successes — daily.
I moved to Denver for an internship my last semester in college. That was huge for me at the time. I moved away from everyone and everything I knew to this new, big city. I loved it and ended up staying for almost 6 years.
I hope to someday go on a grand adventure to Greece w/our family but for now, for us… each day is a great adventure! We have a 1st grader, 4th grdr, 7th grdr & one in college. This is the first year for our very own brand new soccer academy. We are responsible for all these little kiddos! This is huge! We are working w/some great people who are quickly becoming family. Wish us luck. And thank you for being so brave in sharing your story w/all of us. Have a good day!
My adventure to be an over the top out of this world wife, not the average one I have been for the first year.
Our grand adventure is that we are going to be grandparents in about a month. I am so excited for the fun that is in store for our family.
What is my grand adventure? I am a Stay at Home mommy, venturing into the sometimes treacherous territory of tantrums and lack of sleep….but mostly filled with joyous laughter and baby kisses and cuddles.
Married to a man in ministry, which sometimes causes heartache but mostly filled with the sense of awe that God would choose us to be on the frontlines of the church. To see lives changed and sometimes lives ruined because of choices made.
My life is nothing what I thought it would be when I was a naive girl of 16. I wanted to be an actress and singer. Now I am playing a role I never thought I would want. The role of wife, mommy and pastor wife.
Wow…is all I can say sometimes.
Without a doubt, the biggest adventure of my life began Sept. 21, 1996 when my first daughter was born. It was frightening: she had difficulty breathing, my labor didn’t progress and I had to have a C-section. That was just the beginning. It took until she was four yrs. old to receive her diagnosis of MPS, a rare metabolic disorder that in her case, is uncurable and untreatable. The average life span is 12-15 years. Taylor is almost 14 and still walks, eats by mouth,and makes fantastic eye contact. Although she can no longer speak, she gets her point across and she is a beautiful, loving girl. Yep, quite an adventure spread over 14 years, but we’ve seen God do miracles. And THAT is the greatest adventure!
Thanks for giving me a little spot to share!
Mmmm… yes, a GRAND ADVENTURE! I am about to embark on a long-overdue adventure with some of my best girlfriends. We are heading off to sunny Arizona the first week of November for a little R & R. Just the girls. Maybe a trip to the spa. Definitely a little shopping. Maybe a night out on the town. Definitely a drink (or two) by the pool. Just the girls. It’s going to be wonderful!
Life is one BIG adventure after another… I remember the time I went from couch potato to running a marathon… That was an adventure! Starting my blog last October was an adventure. Mentoring women and helping them discover their freedom in Christ is an adventure. 24 years of marriage is an adventure… And the list goes on!
Enjoy Life!
I can? I was here last night and the cut off was 9PM so I left. I’m feeling lucky, Sarah, so pick me! Pick me
!
The biggest adventure of my life… being a parent def. ranks up there. …but I would have to say the biggest adventure I took that was for the Lord was when I went to Liberia, Africa. It was an amazing adventure where I learned so, so, so much about God, life, friendship and more. I went with my friend Mandie. And, I want to be like her when I grow up.
PS: I found your blog through Lisas – and am so thankful that I did!
When our youngest was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (on Autism spectrum) 2 years ago we began a great adventure as a family. Besides therapies, we have learned and are learning to do all we can to show our little guy how much he matters, how much he is loved and how much is loved by the One who created him. It’s not always easy, but it is certainly an adventure I wouldn’t trade.
This month marks the beginning of our second decade of marriage.
4 children, one non-profit corp., one orphanage, and a whole lot of living done, I really can’t imagine what more could happen in another 10 years. I expect it will be an even bigger adventure than the first 10.
Moving across country from Michigan to California at 8 months pregnant. That was truly a grand adventure.
my grand aventure of 2010:
rescued
redeemed
restored
revived
my walk
my marriage
my role as mama
Holding on to God’s promise, “Behold I make all things new.”
my grand adventure is a recent one… i’ve decided to go back to college for early childhood education… it’s something i’ve always wanted to do… so as much as this notion scares me, i’ve gone back… after 18 years… it’s different and exciting… thanks for the chance to win… love your stories and your writing… and lisa leonards designs are beautiful!!!
My new adventure is that I am dating a wonderful man now, after a long and difficult marriage that sadly ended in divorce. It is an adventure learning to trust again, but I am ready for it.
At the age of 49 I have entered school so that I can complete my degree to work in counseling or pastoral care. I have waited a long time to hear where God would use me. I am so excited to become equipped to help others who are hurting.
i’m in the middle of a grand adventure right now! a year ago i was searching for a job in upstate new york so that my boyfriend and i would no longer have to have a long distance relationship. i took a job in january of this year and had to move to upstate ny in the middle of winter! the move has been full of growing and stretching and being taken out of pretty much any comfort zone i have. 8 months in and i’m still in the middle of it!
Life is a constant adventure with my sweet Hubs…we’ll be married 8 years at the end of this month. Full-time campus ministry on a single, fund-raised salary is crazy and an amazing blessing. And of course, our three littles keep us on our toes: an almost 6-year-old boy, 3.5-year-old girl and almost 1-year-old boy!
We just sent our eldest to Kindergarten and our middle will start Preschool in 2 weeks. This adventure keeps me hanging on to the One who knows…
We are in the process to adopt a sibling set through foster care– and we have 3 teenagers! Life is an adventure!