the one where the newsletter happens 🎉

The first TTG newsletter! I can already tell you, this is going to change. Hopefully for the better. But! You're here now and that matters. One day when we refer back to the OGs who built this community, you can have pride knowing it was you.

We'll make t-shirts!

But I'm getting ahead of myself...

This will begin as a monthly newsletter were I send you only good stuff, which includes but is not limited to: 📺 things I've watched, 🎧 things I've listened to, 👩🏻‍🔬 things I'm testing out, 👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏾 people you need to know 🎉 and any other random thing that feels important in the moment from 👸🏻 a hierarchy of the best Disney princesses to ☕️ unsolicited reviews of new Starbucks drinks.

I want you to meet other people in the world who are using their voice and making a difference. I want you to meet each other and connect in a place where the trolls can't find us. Comment as often and share as deeply as you feel comfortable. I want this to benefit you so there will be only one rule: DON'T BE MEAN. You can ask questions, gently push back and dialogue. But mean girls (or guys - I see you few!) can not play with us.

I'm working on a way to make this even more interactive with a website update but my tech team (read: me) says that for now, you can leave comments below and reply to each other’s comments. So it’s a start!

Read on for a few more thoughts, of both inspiration and foolishness. But find me at the end - I have one more important thing for you to know!

We haven't officially announced this yet BUT our church has a new podcast - and I'm the host! The inaugural episode explains what it's all about so take a listen:

Rachel Held Evans became one of my favorite authors the second I opened Inspired. And now I've read her entire collection. This was her last book, a collection of pieces compiled by her friends after she unexpectedly passed away.

If you're deconstructing, questioning anything about faith or religion or needing a new book to help you take a deep breath, I can't recommend Rachel enough. Her voice was a gift.

And this book was the perfect compilation put together and read by her sister, husband and friends.

Turning the Gem started as a blog when I first felt God calling me to use my voice. Before I ever taught from a stage or wrote words publicly, He showed me that my voice, my perspective and my personality all mattered. Not only did it matter but He wanted to use exactly those parts of me to reach other people that weren’t hearing him through others. He showed me that I have to live fully into how He made me - flaws and quirks and all - so He can fully use me to impact others.

It’s evolving now into a community where your voice matters, too. And I hope you’ll bravely show up and use it.

As I obediently take steps forward, He keeps opening doors. Even though I don't know where I'm headed, I know He's leading - and He wants you to come with me.

Click the photo to read about the old concept of turning the gem (that I'm borrowing from Jewish rabbis.)

I am genuinely so glad that you're here.

We'll always have room in our squad so grab a friend - maybe a misfit who hasn't found their place to fit yet - and invite them! That's your homework, just bring someone in.

Extra credit for the over achievers: feedback. What do you want to see here? More writing? More recs? Deeper questions? More frivolity?

I want this to serve you. So bring your people, and let's grow this community to be exactly as we want it to be.

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