Welcome to My Life

My name is Julie. I'm glad you're here. I’m a three-time cancer survivor and a kidney transplant recipient. My life hasn’t turned out exactly how I thought it would, yet I have been able to live my life with joy.

How? During my health struggles, Jesus helped me understand that my unrealistic expectations for life plus my lack of connection with Him led me to frustration, anxiety and anger.

As I spent time with Him and practiced surrendering my expectations, I began to experience more joy. Then I began to encounter Him in the ordinary moments of my day. My daily view of life grew as I recognized His presence in the sunrises, in cards I received, an unexpected phone call from a friend and messages at church that reminded me I was not alone.

My passion is to help you find time to connect with Jesus and provide practical tools that fit into the daily rhythm of your life. As you spend time with Him, you will experience peace in your daily life. I promise! Peace is possible as we learn to rely on Him. Then you will begin to recognize His presence in the ordinary moments of your day.

Why I Write

Writing was never on my radar. Then I took a mission trip to South Africa. During the trip, I began to sense Jesus’ call to share what He was teaching me with others. I like to journal but sharing my thoughts publicly was completely outside my comfort zone.

As time progressed, God continued to impress on my heart to publicly share His activity in my life. I call it my daily encounters with Him. The more I trusted Him to help me write, my confidence grew and I was bit by the writing bug.

After my kidney transplant, God asked me to take a further step of obedience. To write my first book. In 2020, I wrote and published Reclaiming Christmas Joy: 25 Days of Refreshment with Jesus. This book was a labor of love. My personal act of worship proclaiming Him to others. It’s a book I hope encourages others to make space in their busy lives to connect with Jesus during Christmas so they can reclaim the joy He promises as we follow Him.

My Family

My family is my biggest cheerleader. My husband, Maurice, and I have two adult sons who married women with a heart for God. We are incredibly blessed to be grandparents of four busy little ones. They bring us immense joy. Seeing life through their eyes reminds us to leave our expectations behind and enjoy life as they do.

You Might Not Know

I enjoy any activity outdoors. I love adventure. I learned to waterski when I was five. I still slalom (one ski) ski. (Though I forget I’m not in my 20s.) I have traveled to 8 countries and love to experience other cultures. I have a degree in accounting and love to do taxes. (Yes, I know, most people don’t like taxes, so you may consider me slightly strange.)

Join Me

Jesus pursues you daily and is eager to spend time with you. Join me and:

• Receive encouragement to create space in your day for Jesus (I have fun ideas)
• Discover tools for worship that fit into the rhythm of your life
• Gain a greater perspective of God’s love for you
• Experience joy despite your circumstances (I promise. It’s possible)
• Encounter Jesus in the ordinary moments of your day

I look forward to helping you see Jesus show up in your life today.