At the time, much of my life revolved around caring for the people I loved—helping with finances, special diets and shopping, doctor's appointments, emergency room visits, and the countless everyday responsibilities that come with caregiving.

Then, over a relatively short period, loss seemed to come from every direction. I lost both my parents, my husband Michael, my son's father, my sister-in-law, and two of my son's lifelong friends took their own lives. Plus, I said goodbye to six beloved pets, some of whom I had inherited after their owners passed away.

It was the hardest season I had ever faced.

I was grieving, exhausted, and overwhelmed. I wasn't eating well. I wasn't sleeping. I withdrew from people, and when someone asked how I was doing, I usually said, “I’m fine.”

I had reached the end of my rope. I had nothing left to give and no idea how to move forward. One night, out of sheer desperation, I cried out to Jesus. I confessed my sins and surrendered everything I had been trying so hard to hold together—my grief, my fears, my pain, and my future. I simply asked Him to help me.

That night, I slept.

The next morning, something was different. I made a decision that would change the direction of my life. I opened the Bible.

I committed to reading the New Testament in 90 days. Having no idea where that would lead, I just knew I needed something more than what I’d been relying on.

So, I started reading. And I kept reading.

I joined online Bible studies. I found a church. I began volunteering. As I continued studying God's Word, I realized how deeply God's Word speaks into everyday life.

Relationships. Decisions. Responsibilities. Fear. Forgiveness. Money. Loss. Hope. Even the ordinary choices we make every day.

The more I read, the more I wanted to understand. And the more I learned, the more I began to recognize how much there was still to discover.

My relationship with Jesus became more personal and real. Prayer became less about something I was supposed to do and more like an ongoing conversation. I began learning what it meant to trust Him with things I couldn't control and to look to God's Word for wisdom when I didn't know what to do next.

Life didn't suddenly become easy. Challenges still came. They still do.

What changed was the foundation beneath me.

Over time, I also found community with others who wanted to know Jesus and understand God's Word more deeply. Their stories encouraged me, and I began to realize how much we can learn from one another when we're willing to share what we're discovering along the way.

And somewhere in all of this, an old word took on a new meaning for me.

My husband Michael used to describe our relationship as our "heartnership." After he died, that word stayed with me. Eventually, it became the inspiration for OurHeartnership—a place where I could share what I was learning as I continued studying God's Word and applying it to everyday life.

I don't have all the answers. I'm still reading. Still learning. Still asking questions. And through God's Word, I'm still discovering what it means to trust Him and live faithfully one day at a time.

That's why I'm sharing this journey—not as someone who has arrived, but as a fellow traveler who knows what it is to reach the end of herself, open the Bible, and discover that there is still so much more to learn.

Come join me. Let's journey together.

My Story