The Invitation
I find myself in the curious place of rediscovering who I am and...
… deciding who I want to be, as I close out this life. It’s a strange place to be… looking back at all the good things you’ve done and reminiscing over the blessings that have come your way, while at the same time feeling both excited about new opportunities and quietly mourning what you thought your life would look like.
I’ve done a lot of things in my life. I’ve flipped burgers, watched over people who flipped burgers, and taught my sons to flip burgers. Then came my gym era—an unexpected and wildly fulfilling chapter. One of my favorite gym members once joked that I went from throwing nails on the road (fast food) to fixing the tires (helping people get healthy). He thought it was poetic that my husband stayed in the industry that created the problem while I moved into the one that tried to solve it.
That season was full of transformation, not just for my clients, but for me. I learned what it meant to truly care for a person—body, mind, and soul. I watched people reclaim their strength and their stories, and I saw firsthand how health isn’t just about weight or willpower—it’s about worth.
But even that chapter came to a close. And for a while, I didn’t know what to do with myself. When you’re used to purpose being loud and visible—early mornings, sweaty workouts, high-fives and hard-earned victories—it’s disorienting when the silence creeps in. Retirement wasn’t what I expected. It was lonelier, slower, and at times, darker than I imagined.
And yet, God was not done.
In the quiet, I started writing. What began as journal entries turned into pages, and pages into a book. Reflections of Joy became my offering to the world—proof that joy is possible after heartbreak, and that healing doesn’t always come in a straight line. I discovered that writing could be another way of coaching—another way of helping people come home to themselves.
I co-founded Writer-2-Writer with a new friend, and now spend my days walking with women through their second (or third, or fourth) act—helping them rediscover their voices, write their books, reclaim their health, or simply believe they’re not done yet.
From there, doors opened. Coaching evolved from fitness to wellness to life to writing to believing I had more to say. I launched The Whole Woman Podcast with another new friend, where we speak the truth—sometimes with laughter, sometimes with tears—about what it means to live fully as women: body, mind, spirit, and soul.
As I enter my own “final act,” here’s what I know: this season is sacred. It’s not about proving anything. It’s about presence. It’s about obedience. It’s about using everything I’ve been given, every joy, every sorrow, every hard-earned truth, for someone else’s good and God’s glory.
I thought I’d be winding down. But God seems to be winding me up, and I feel yet another shift coming… one that will focus on helping women lean into their calling without giving up their life. God has recently placed yet another new friend in my path who will undoubtedly help me lean into my calling just a little further.
He’s teaching me that purpose doesn’t retire. That healing has layers. That joy returns when we let go of the life we thought we’d have and embrace the life He’s still writing.
So if you find yourself wondering if you’ve missed your chance, if it’s too late to start again, hear me when I say: there’s more. More story to live. More beauty to notice. More wisdom to share.
Your final act might just be your finest one.
If you’re a writer, an author, or a blogger, I’d love to feature your words here on My_friendwrites. Send me a message and let’s become friends… We never know where it may lead. 🖤
