Welcome to Be Still and Know!

Hi!  I’m Kelsey and this is Be Still and Know.

I’ve VERY excited to be starting my own blog and sharing it with the world.

My thoughts regarding this blog keep bouncing around in my head because there are so many topics and ideas I want to explore, discuss, and write about here.  That’s the beauty of a blog – it can be whatever I want it to be!  I love to learn and discover new concepts.  Education for its own sake was the motto of my undergraduate program and that philosophy has shaped my life, ever since.

I’m curious – (my parents love to tell me that as a toddler I constantly asked, “What’s that?”) Curiosity has always been in my nature. I find lots of different topics interesting – all of which I’ll write about here.

So, let’s start with the title.  Why Be Still and Know?  Obviously, it refers to Psalm 46: Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 ESV.  My faith in the triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is fundamental to my worldview and being.  I couldn’t imagine putting my thoughts out into the world without expressing my faith and putting Christ in the center of everything.

Be Still and Know also refers to a related topic; what I refer to as my “awakening”.  This past summer I went through some emotional turmoil (which I’ll discuss in LOTS more detail later).  The main lesson I learned during this intense period of growth was to live in the moment and rest in God’s peace, rather than plan incessantly in an attempt to stay “happy” all the time.  Being still, rather than filling every minute with doing, planning, and thinking ahead to the next activity, has been liberating and brought me to a much deeper peace, His peace.  The transformation has been incredible and I have to share what I’ve learned with you all.

Through this blog, I am looking forward to making connections with other people, because that’s what I’m passionate about.  I’m an extrovert and get my energy from other people.  I love hearing people’s life stories, finding out what makes them tick, and exploring the interpersonal aspects of groups. Curiosity strikes again!

For several years I’ve blogged about one topic in particular: diabetes.  I’ve had Type 1 Diabetes since that fateful day in the summer of 1993 when my pediatrician smelled my sugary breath and proclaimed the diagnoses.  After years of following my favorite character, Stacey McGill, in The Babysitters Club series, I knew what diabetes meant and that my life would never be the same.  Luckily, medical advances have allowed diabetics to live a very full life.  It was very fulfilling to blog about my pregnancies which were healthy, happy, and successful!  Although this disease is a part of me, it’s not the only topic I want to write about anymore.   That said, posts about diabetes will inevitably find their way into this blog because this disease and its effects are deeply ingrained in my life.

As a natural expression of my curiosity, I love to read!  If given a couple uninterrupted hours to spend however I choose, I’d head to a coffee shop with a book, every time.  Books expose me to thoughts, ideas, feelings, and stories that change the way I think, feel, and understand the world.  Pure bliss.  I’ll share what I’m reading on here too.

What else?

I’m a wife and mom.  My family is everything to me.

I work full time as a Manager.  I have discovered a lot about myself by managing others and enjoy learning about management skills.

Exercise is a regular part of my life – running, swimming, and hiking/walking, mostly.  Eating a low carb or Paleo diet helps me to keep my blood sugar levels manageable and allows me to focus on all the other wonderful aspects of my life.

I live in the freedom of forgiveness of my sins through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  Life is good and full of new ideas, interesting people, and limitless experiences.  As one of my favorite Michael Card songs professes, “there is joy in the journey.”

I’d be honored if you joined me for the journey.