There were so many things I wanted to be when I grew up. Now I am grown up and find I’ve been on a lifelong search to discover who I have been becoming all along.
When I started this blog, I commented to my husband that I was stumped at the “About” page (kinda like when you go to introduce your best friend and your brain freezes up). Wise man that he is, he simply asked me, “What do you want to be known for?” With that, the ice block began thawing…
I got married to that wise man, Wayne, in September 1976. Our union produced three beautiful children – a son and two daughters – all of whom are now married. Two of their families have produced our four grandchildren who bring joy to our lives. God knows it helps to be younger when birthing and raising families…and we were. All these years later, it’s evident Wayne and I made a great choice to have our family while ‘youthful’ was still our middle name. We’re not old geezers yet, which means more energy to enjoy the changing seasons of middle age. And, we have the ability to relate to our own children (now six of them) – cheering their triumphs, giving counsel (when asked!), and being a source of prayer covering and encouragement as they too walk the path of discovering who they have been becoming all along.
Our empty-nester home is located in Spokane, Washington – the city where my husband was born and raised. I hail from Yakima, Washington where my family of origin still resides. On one end of our life spectrum, two of our four parents are still with us, though aging. We were introduced to a new phase of life with the passing of Mom Bentz in May 2010 – three weeks after I started this blog. My father passed in October 2018, eight years later, and at another pivotal point in our own life journey. The opposite end of the spectrum is full of the discovery and delight of life seen through the eyes of our four small but growing grandchildren. We are living the ‘sandwich’ season.
In January 2010 I began a course of study for my Life Coaching certification while working fulltime. After a 23-year career of executive assisting and office management, I transitioned in January 2012 to come alongside my husband in the helps ministry God has entrusted to us, Shammahs Field LLC. Wayne is blessed with a thriving biblical counseling / prayer ministry practice. I am privileged to oversee Shammah Ministries, offering Life Coaching, life mapping, spiritual growth classes, workshops and retreats. With writing sprinkled throughout, of course!
Just prior to my work transition, I left an eight-year position at Partners International, a Christian non-profit serving indigenous ministry leaders in some of the hardest regions of the world. It was in 2005, just two years into my employment at Partners, that God began to draw out of me a latent childhood love for creative writing. Decades later and a life’s worth of journeying, He has fashioned a story line that I simply must tell. After all, that’s part of who I have discovered I have been becoming. It’s etched on my heart for eternity.
I pray that as you read the various blog posts you too will drink deeply from the Source of our Wellspring of Life.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Nancy ~ Gracefully Free