Concrete Words Community~ It is very important to me that you feel a sense of community when you come here. The longer I’m outside of church, and the more I see how sometimes we don’t control these “outside” times happening to us, the more I am certain of how important community really is. I no longer push away people out of fear like I used to. Gone are the days of insecurity in my youth and younger adult years, when I felt I had to compare myself to other women and other writers, and I felt less-than. Jealousy would try to raise its ugly head. Not anymore. I so long, out of my own pain, to make a place, wherever I go– whether it’s this here internets, or it’s the grocery store, or my neighbor’s front yard– that feels like community and folks know they’re welcome and loved. It is my deepest desire that you know today, as you are reading this, that you are so loved, that you are beloved of God, and that you have a community here. You. are. not. alone.
~2013
Writers: Alia, Ashley (in brown), Kelli (in turquoise), and me fireside at Jumping Tandem last year. Yes, that’s me talking! Agh! Also pictured is Eyvonne Sharp, who has linked up in the past; Holly Grantham (sitting in the chair, in white), who has guest-posted at sixinthesticks; Shelly Miller– who reads here now and again. Others pictured: Vickie Shaver, Duane Scott, Sarah Comley Caldwell, and Kathi Denfeld. —
Kelli and me
Alia, Kelli, and Ashley Kelli and me
Alia, the girl who has a way with words.
Shelly Miller, Holly Grantham, Amanda Hill (who has done editing for me in the past), me, and Kelli Woodford.
This was at midnight and we were all puffy-eyed, mascara-streaked messes after a long day. But we had popcorn. And Amanda’s comical genius.
Kathi Denfeld, me, Ashley Larkin, Alia Hagenbach, Eyvonne Sharp, Duane Scott (who I write with in community at Outside the City Gate), and Denise Hughes. This was just after great conversation at lunch.
2014~
Lorretta and me. My home in Hickory, MS.
(more pictures of the team coming soon…. stay tuned!)
