Brandi Jo

Hello from Sunny Mendocino, CA!

I have had a journal my entire life. 

I have always had words and stories swimming around in my head, but I never made a career out of my thoughts. My words were just for the audience in my head. An audience who loved everything I wrote, no matter the grammatical errors or details. 

I wrote articles as if I was journalist for the New York Times. My stories covered all aspects of life and they were award winning (in my head). I had journals and journals full of articles until one day someone put a poem in front of me; and my life changed before my eyes. I no longer wanted to write articles. 

I wanted to write poetry! 

Verses flew out of my head and my parents couldn't buy me enough journals to contain the words I wanted to express. Somewhere between middle school and adulthood, I hit a road block. I lost me. I lost poetry. 

You see...

The person I am today is what was predetermined for me. 

A life in business. 

My parents put up a vision board of what success looked like and I wanted it. I wanted to achieve it all. I chased it. I accomplished it. 

Yet I had empty peace. I discovered it all and I was still lost. 

So I packed my bags and said goodbye to my life in the city. I moved home to South Texas and searched for comfort in the arms of my family and friends. 
Clarity became muddy. 
Life's straight paths developed curves. 
I had no GPS and I blamed the world for my new feeling of inadequacy. 

It was during this time I rededicated my life to Christ.

However, my life didn't become a wonderful movie montage of happiness. There wasn't an instant sense of clarity. 
Birds did not sing and the sky did not seem bluer. 
That curvy path did not turn straight. 
In fact, nothing happened. 
Life continued to beat me down and I began to wonder if God heard my renewal of faith. I soon realized that it wasn’t enough to verbally rededicate my life, I had to follow through with my actions as well. 

So began my journey back to Jesus.

Here we are, two years later, and I am well underway into my spiritual journey. I found him and in return I found me.
I found poetry! 
I am no longer being led by my own selfish desires, but He is now guiding my every step with His word. This blog, [this journal], is a daily look into my journey. 

Jesus has the wheel, and I’m just along for the ride.

While I hope this blog, [this journal], helps someone else in need – these entries are my own interpretations of: 
the events in my life, 
the Bible I study daily, 
the goals I achieve,
and the lessons I learn and teach others. 

Excluding the stuff I just can't keep to myself, these entries are for the audience in my head. I promise I'll make errors along the way, and I'm pretty sure I'll say the wrong thing a time or two. However, that's what's great about 'my' journey. It's mine! 

My only goal is to look back at these memories 50 years from today and say, "I remember when...". 

Enjoy!