Customized Calling

Everyone runs for a reason. 🏃

Been revisiting the monsters that scared me the first time around.

Last year I walked away from everything stable and chose to follow the voice inside me that kept me awake at night. There was no real plan, just a belief that I was being called to something more, and that if I trusted God, He would take care of the rest.

This coffee shop in Monongahela became my space to work through that in that season when I needed to break free from the basement studio where it all started. No flashy office, no safety net, just a vision for a different kind of life. I would sit in here for hours working, thinking, praying, and at times questioning whether I made the right decision, especially with a growing family depending on me.

One day I got out of my own head and decided to be present. I had seen a man in here a few times before, so I introduced myself. That’s how I met Mark.

Since then, we’ve crossed paths every so often. Sometimes it’s a quick conversation, sometimes we sit and talk, and sometimes we’ve prayed right there in the middle of the shop. Nothing about it is forced. It just seems to happen exactly when it’s meant to.

Today was one of those days.

I was working on a few edits on my laptop when Mark walked in. After talking for a few mins, he shared a story about a bracelet someone had once given him after a meaningful conversation recently. Then he took it off his wrist and handed it to me.

I was moved by this gesture and so I decided to give him one in return. The one I gave him was made by my daughter last year in the midst of the chaos and I have wore it every day since she gave it to me.

It made me realize how connected all of this really is… the work, the people, and my family being the reason I chose to step out in faith to begin with. They believed in me even when it hasn't made sense and the weight of the unknown hit us like a ton of bricks.

This past year has been uncertain on paper, and I still don’t always know what each month will look like sometimes. But, I continue to show up, trusting that I’m where I’m supposed to be.

And somehow, God continues to show up through people.

I am imperfect in many ways and I am still growing every day, but I am grateful that he has never left me.

Sorry for still being here.

Had the absolute honor to do a painting/content series this week with my friends at in collaboration with the 🐐

If there is one thing this interview taught me, it was to keep believing in your process even when you aren't seeing the wins because hard work pays off and the results will reveal the effort put in when nobody was watching.

Only way to eventually think outside the box is to understand the one you're in and who built it. 📦

📸 .lange