This is me – Jenny Johnson.  I’m an incredibly blessed, Louisiana-born gal in the later half of my mid-30s, married to my best friend, mother to the best kids in the world, and chasing my best life!
 
I’m actually the founder of Total Woman U (you can read more of that journey on our About Us page on this site).  I’m very passionate about helping women uncover their unique and God-given strengths and talents and then find ways to use those strengths and talents to glorify God.  For me, this is the journey of truly discovering our identity and purpose as we become all God created us to be.  Although TWU doesn’t look exactly like it did at the very beginning (back in 2000), the original vision remains the same.  I’m so thankful and honored to work with the ladies God has brought to our TWU Faculty, and I am continually blown away by all He is doing through us.  I am very excited about the vision God has given this team for TWU.  We are stepping further outside our comfort zone this year and trusting God to lead us – which is both scary and incredibly exciting! 
 
I was born in New Orleans (geaux Saints!) to incredible parents who still love each other almost as much as they each love the Lord.  My older brother, younger sister and I grew up in New Orleans, and when I was 15, we moved across the lake to Slidell, my dad’s hometown, where I finished the last 3 years of high school.  After my junior year, I started dating Slidell-native Jonathan Johnson, a Godly young man I had had my eye on (from a distance) ever since I was a little girl.  Jonathan was my cousin’s best friend, was 2 years older than I, and was a leader in our church youth group.  When we started dating, everyone around us pretty much knew we’d end up getting married. 
 
After high school, I went to LSU (geaux Tigers!) and in 1996, I married the man of my dreams – yes, that’s Jonathan.  We had our first 2 children in Baton Rouge – Jordan in 1999 and Emma in 2002.  We moved to Duluth, GA (northeast Atlanta area) where we completed our family in 2004 when Carson was born.  As much as we loved our life there, we knew God was calling us back to Louisiana.  In 2007, after 4 years away, we moved back to Louisiana to the Baton Rouge area, and a year later returned to Slidell.  Obviously a lot of life happened over those years, the great and the down right tough, and I’m sure I’ll share bits and pieces of those stories with you in my future blog posts.
 
Have you heard the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none"?  Well, that’s me!  I love finding different venues to explore and express my personality and creativity.  I’m an artist, a musician, a photographer, a jewelry-maker, a video-maker, a decorator, (most recently) a certified Christian Image Consultant; and because of TWU, I’m a graphics designer, event planner, writer, speaker, and blogger.  I’m a big sports fan and will always be a cheerleader at heart.  I love words – not that I always have the right ones, but I love using lots of them … oh, and I love ( ), … , -, and “ ” in case you can’t tell!  I have the greatest friends and a crazy-cool family - the family I was born into, the one I married into and those who married into the family.  I have a beautiful heritage of love on both sides of my family as well – a love for fun, fellowship, food, family and our Heavenly Father. 
 
I love my life!  I’m married to my high-school sweetheart and best friend, and we have 3 incredibly amazing kids.  We are living a purposed life, dedicated to our God and our family.  And as my hubby says to me, “As long as your swinging arms aren’t knocking anyone down as you run, chase your best life,” … and that’s what I’m doing.  I hope to meet you along the journey!
 
Challenging you to chase your best life,
Jenny

Hi, I’m Bronie ... not brownie or brawny, but trust me when I say, I have heard many entertaining attempts at pronouncing my unusual first name.  It’s really pretty simple, like Bonnie with an “r” or Ronnie with a “B”, but I’ll break it down for you –– it’s pronounced [BRA knee], and heaven forbid those two things ever meet! :)

I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, the youngest of three kids in a single-parent household.  Though I don’t think I have a particularly strong Southern accent, the inherent twang doth eek out occasionally, especially when I sing.  And after I’ve been home for a visit.  But mostly in my writin’ ...  I often drop the “g” off the ends of words when I tell a story because that’s how I hear it in my head.  I’m weird like that.

I was raised in church and came to Jesus as a six year old girl, and although I point to that experience as the beginning of my faith journey, it was not until my young adult years that I feel like I really took responsibility for my journey with Christ.  I began a relationship with Him with a child’s understanding, which is all that’s required, but as I grew up, a little life experience taught me more about what I’d been saved from.  That’s the part that is sometimes lost on a child.  Salvation is instant when we ask, but surrender is a process –– letting Him have control on a daily basis. 

 As a kid I loved singing, playing piano, drawing, painting, playing tennis, writing poetry, and all things artsy-crafty, which I’m pretty sure can be attributed to a long line of DNA.  I remember on many occasions (read: every time our family got together for holidays), we were craftin’ it up making dough ornaments, weaving baskets, decorating straw hats that were meant to hang on the wall (the 80’s, anyone?) ... but on one unlucky occasion I recall having to perch one atop my noggin on a long trip home from Myrtle Beach because the car was slap full of cousins and a plethora of hand-crafted masterpieces made during our visit.  Good times.  

I’m married to the most patient man and have been for almost 21 years.  He truly is the better half of this union.  He is kinder, more compassionate, way more organized than I am, and he still makes me laugh on a daily basis, though sometimes unintentionally.  We have four awesome kids who are 18, 15, 8 and 6.  The older kids, Ryan and Emily, were born in Tennessee and currently attend public school, and the littles, Wyatt and Elijah, are our Louisiana “baybays” and are still homeschooled.  Jay made me two promises when we got married: 1) that we’d never have much money, and 2) that life would never be boring.  My man’s a promisekeeper! 

I have been a part of Total Woman U Faculty for the last several years and currently serve as Co-Executive Director, Director of Performing Arts and Editor-in-Chief.  Okay, that last bit is unofficial, but a role I have inherited because my friends call me “Word Girl” (“Grammar Nazi” behind my back).  I admit it.  I love words ... reading, writing, doing word searches and playing word games in my spare time, and let’s not forget talking.  My love of words carries with it an aversion to incorrect grammar and all things misspelled.  I correct things, sometimes only in my head.  This is what has earned me editor responsibilities.  See?  God can use even our quirks for the good if we’ll let Him. 

Just so you know, I have been called on more than one occasion and in a variety of ways, “not very pastor’s wife-y” which just makes me giggle.  “You’re just so ... *I wait while they struggle for the word they’re looking for* ... REAL.”  Well, here’s the thing.  I AM real.  (And I really hope they meant it in a good way because that’s how I chose to take it.)  I’m not big on pretense and prefer authenticity, even with its flaws.   And flaws?  Oh, I got ‘em.  And if you’re honest, so do you.  Everyone has challenges, things they deal with or struggles they face.  For example, I live with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and have since I was a young adult.  It’s not my identity, but it is part of my story.  And it has stolen some abilities like opening pickle jars, playing the piano, and all prospects of making a living as a hand model. :)  I am, however, profoundly thankful to our kind God that He still allows me the awesome privilege of leading in worship.  All glory to Him!  We were asked at our last TWU Faculty retreat to write a personal purpose statement, and while mine is still under construction, it goes something like this: 

God has granted me the ability to find humor in the hard things and has lovingly showed me that brokenness does not equal uselessness; He does not waste our struggles and can use them to encourage others in theirs ...  

And that’s my hope –– to be an encouragement to people.  Life is hard, but God is good!  If you decide to journey with us, you’ll hear real stories from real people striving to live their best life in obedience to a real God!  And we just might share some laughs along the way!

Keep it real,
BV

My name is Stefaney,  S. T. E. F as in Frank. A. N. E. Y., but family and close friends call me "Stef."  I was born and raised all over Alabama, calling it home until moving to Slidell, Louisiana, in 2007.  After living in town for six years, my husband and I moved our family twenty minutes north to our own little piece of heaven in Picayune, MIssissippi.  
I received Christ as my Savior at the age of four.  I was baptized at age seven.  I grew up In the church.  I heard all of the stories.  I knew who Jesus was.  BUT because of the father figure I had in my life, my view of God was skewed.  I thought God was someone that I could easily anger, that He loved me -- but conditionally, that He would leave.  It wasn't until I was eighteen, almost nineteen years old, that I really understood who God is.  HE is LOVE  and HE loves unconditionally.  He is relational.  He wants the very best for me (and for you), but we have to be willing to be used by Him.  I have to be willing to let Him be in control.  He knows more than I do, and He sees the big picture.

Mr. Incredible (aka Kevin) and I have been married for twenty years.  I am a stay-at-home/home-school mom to our three beautiful teenage daughters.  The girls keep us busy with basketball games and art classes.  Kevin and I serve our local home-school community as Presidents of Slidell Christian Home Educators Fellowship (http://www.slidellchristianhomeschool.org/), and I teach High School science for our local Co-op.  I also dabble in machine embroidery, monogramming and vinyl personalization.  It's a hobby, but family and friends keep me busy.

When I'm not teaching, chauffeuring, or cheering on my girls, you can find me in the kitchen.  I taught myself to cook at the age of thirteen in order to help my mother.  My kitchen is my favorite room in my house.  I read cookbooks like most people read novels.  Mr. Incredible is teaching me the fine art of gardening.  I love growing our own veggies, and I really want to plant some fruit trees this spring.  I "collect" shoes, purses, big necklaces, earrings, rings and jeans.  I "heart" iced coffee, homemade ice cream, monogrammed anything, lace tablecloths, doilies, history books, vintage Pyrex dishes and antique stores!  I have an eclectic taste in music (60's-90's, jazz, country, worship, etc).  I enjoy watching period shows such as Downton Abbey and Mr. Selfridge (a recent find on PBS), but I also love reality t.v. like The Voice, this season of American Idol, and the Sing-Off.  I tend to sing really loud and really off-key in the car, so you won't be seeing me try out for any of those shows. :)

 I moved a lot growing up.  I mean A LOT.  Like fifteen different schools from Kindergarten to 12th grade A LOT.  I was very shy as a child and had a hard time letting myself open up and make friends.  Even now I tend to be a bit reserved until I get to know someone really well.  That being said, or typed,  I took our move from Alabama to Louisiana really hard.  We left behind my family, all of our friends, and a really great church to move to a place that I equated to Africa.  We might as well have moved across the Atlantic to a whole other country.  God was working behind the scenes, like He seems to do, and was preparing me for something I never imagined.  By 2009, we had found our way to Northshore Church, and I was going to attend a women's event called "Who is SHE?".  I didn't know many ladies at the church, and I really didn't want to go by myself.  I came up with lots of excuses as to why I shouldn't go, but none of them were good enough.  I went to that first SHE event and was so blessed.  So extremely blessed, that I found Jenny immediately afterwards and told her that if she did another event, I would love to help behind the scenes.  I don't think she heard me because I was asked to speak at the next event.  Remember me saying that I was shy?  Yeah, I don't think God or Jenny got that memo.  Anyway, ten events (nine women's and one teen) later and I 'm still being pulled out of my comfort zone, but it is all good.  : )  I love the prep work that goes into the events. I  am honored  to serve as Co-Executive Director and Secretary of Total Woman U.  I firmly believed that God has used Total Woman U to not only equip me but to empower me to do things I never imagined possible.  Through TWU, I have made friends that literally walk alongside me and encourage me on this beautiful journey of becoming all God created me to be.  Won't you join me too?  

Embrace life to the fullest,
Stefaney

Greetings to all my precious friends!  My name is Suzanne, but I am also called Mrs. Pichon by many children on a daily basis.  It is always a delight to hear my first name after a long day at school.  I was born in the Sunshine State, Florida, and attended the amazing Florida State University where I earned a degree in Elementary Education.  After graduating from Florida State, I went on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ at Louisiana State University for three years.  It was while working there that I met my wonderful husband, Kalon Pichon.  Some of you may know him as the keyboard player in the band at Northshore Church who always seems to be talking into a microphone.  Sorry … you only get the special privilege of hearing him if you are in the band.  

After getting married in 1996, we moved to Slidell, and I actually began using my degree in Elementary Education.  I began my calling as a teacher at Bonne Ecole Elementary in 1997.  I have mostly taught in the gifted program during my time at BEE.  I have taught every grade and every subject at some point or another.  In the year 2000, my life was forever changed with the birth of my beautiful daughter, Kaley Grace.  She has been such a huge blessing in my life. Watching her grow into a beautiful young woman has been amazing.  In the year 2007, we had another amazing addition to our lives, Camden Jacob.  I love watching him and Kaley read together, wrestle together, and just love on one another.

I became a part of Total Woman U in January of 2010.  I am a part of the Advisory Board, co-head of the SHINE Club, as well as one of the teachers at many of the TWU events.  My heart in being a part of Total Woman U is to see women set free to be the women Christ intends for them to be.  I want them to become all He wants for them to be as they allow Him to live His life in and through them.  One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  The word workmanship translates to “Poiema” in the Greek which means that we are God’s poem.  Wow! What an amazing thought that we are His poem, and He just wants us to walk each day as His living and breathing poem!

As a teacher, my goal is to communicate truth in any way I can.  If you have ever been to a Bible Study I have led, a session I have taught, to a SHINE meeting, or in my classroom, you have probably seen a movie clip.  I am such a visual learner that I tend to use that as a way to communicate truth.  Stories mean so much to me because I feel as though Father speaks to me through stories.  In high school, my English teacher taught us about cathartic moments in literature, where the reader actually experiences the emotions of the character without going through the experience which allows us to work through an issue in our lives.  Hearing the stories of others and where Father has brought them is so powerful to me.  It lets me know that I am not alone on this journey called life and encourages me to keep walking.

Last January, the SHINE Club began at Bonne Ecole Elementary.  I have to say by far this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  Getting the opportunity to teach kids about serving, honoring, inspiring, nurturing, and encouraging has been a joy.  Since January, we have been talking about hope.  I love that we are able to take what seem like such abstract concepts and make them real and tangible for the students.

Dancing has always been a huge part of my life, and I never ever thought that Father would allow me to still have the opportunity to dance.  Being able to dance with my daughter three times at church has been such an amazing experience.  I am thankful that I have been able to share Father’s heart through such a beautiful art form.  Music also speaks to me in powerful ways as well.  It never ceases to amaze me when I listen to a song that perfectly expresses how I feel.  It is like a gift from Father.

As I look at our TWU team, it is so wonderful to see all the different ways we connect to Father and connect to one another.  Our differences are what draw us together.  I hope and pray that as you get to know all of us that you will see our hearts for all of you.  We love you, and we are journeying with you.

Becoming Who My Father Sees in Me,
Suzanne

Hi there!

I'm Tiffany - a girl from Kansas, then Atlanta, who has now called Slidell home for five years.  I'm married to a true to life "rocket scientist" (err...rocket engineer).  We have a precious two and a half year old son and three large dogs.  Our house is rarely quiet!  No matter how hard I try - I am the woman who is always a bit frazzled, running late, and never fully put together.  I can't really blame that on having kids now, because that's been my personality as long as I can remember.  I'm still learning to embrace who I am in God's eyes.

My day to day right now involves being a stay at home mom to our little guy.  It is honestly the best/most challenging job I've ever had.  I get to play with cars, dinosaurs and crayons, help our little one learn new things, and create memories every day!  It's also a huge responsibility and pretty exhausting.  I know how blessed we are that I can be home during this time.

Before becoming a SAHM, I worked for an international honor society for college students.  It was a great job!  I traveled all over the country (with a chance trip to Australia), got to work with super intelligent and awesome students, along with their supportive and motivating advisors.  It was a great learning experience, and I know God used that job to help shape my desires for where I am now.

In my spare time (ha?!), I am involved in a few organizations: P.E.O. - a philanthropic educational woman's organization and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). I also love to listen to all genres of music.  I love to read, be outside in the spring and fall, and I'm always trying to learn new things.  I keep trying to become a "crafty" person, and I'm actually getting much better at creating little projects!  (Thank you Pinterest).  I just got involved with TWU this year, although I've attended a few conferences in the past.  Those conferences were absolutely amazing, and I was honored to be asked to step on board.  I'm going to be using my passion for logistics and details to help spread the message of God's love!  How awesome is that!

I'm looking forward to blogging a bit this year.  I can't wait to get to know you all!

XOXO,
Tiff

Hi, I’m Claire.  But really, who am I?  That question is not answered as easily as it seems.  I am a wife, a mom, a daughter, a friend, an educator.  But that list seems to not really define me fully. 

To me, life is all about being connected to others.  Relationships are a top priority in my life.  Nurturing relationships takes time, and I try to purposely spend as much time as possible on that.  I’m more likely to be coloring with my four year old daughter than cleaning the kitchen.  The time with her is more valuable than a clean house.  I’ll go shopping with my mom rather than get work done, even with a deadline looming.  She’s more important.  If my husband wants to do a project together, we’ll do it – no matter what my plans were for the day.  He deserves the best of me and my time.  Being connected to others is a vital part of my makeup and something I choose to be intentional about.

This sense of connectedness is also central to my spiritual life and my ministry in TWU.  I am really passionate about discipleship – not just going to church, but truly knowing God, being connected to Him, and having a relationship with Him.  Really digging deep into God’s Word is the best way I have found to nurture that relationship.  I did my first “real” Bible study the summer after my 6th grade year.  My mom and I, along with some of my friends and their mothers, did a mother/daughter study of Genesis by Kay Arthur.  It was life-changing for me, and I was hooked!  Ever since then I have searched for ways to learn more and help others learn more about how to connect with God. This desire brought me into TWU.  I serve as the Marketing & Advertising Director, but I also have taught at many events, and teach Bible Studies throughout the year with my friend, Suzanne Pichon.  Seeing other women learn how to truly know God in a more personal way brings me great joy and excitement.

I love spending time with my family.  My mom, my husband Danny, and our daughter Riley are very close, and they are definitely my very top priority.  We love to go camping, bike riding, and work in our garden.  It’s not really about what we do together, but that we are together.  I feel the same way about my friends.  With busy lives, we have to be intentional about nurturing those relationships.  Simple moments with those I love are key to me – they are what life is all about!

Professionally, my life is all about connections, too.  For the past ten years, I have taught at Bonne Ecole Elementary.  I love working with kids – not just helping them make academic connections, but also helping to mold and shape their character.  This year, I am the school librarian, which means I will likely be headed back to school soon to pursue a Masters in Library Science.  I love the chance this has given me to use a good story to get the kids thinking about a social/moral issue.  Through literature, we have so many discussions about good vs. evil, empathy, making good choices, and what justice really is.  Hearing their thoughts and seeing their character unfold is an awesome privilege.  At Bonne Ecole, I chair the Sunshine Committee, which works to basically encourage staff members in a variety of ways throughout the year.  I have also worked with Suzanne Pichon to start the SHINE Club (Serve, Honor, Inspire, Nurture, Encourage).  It has been so cool to have that opportunity to intentionally model and teach character traits to a group of kids.  Seeing them search for ways to serve, to want to make the world a better place, brings such a sense of accomplishment and hope.

Right now, I am working to organize ways for our school and SHINE to be involved in Relay for Life.  Relay For Life means a lot to me, because I have lost my father, my sister, and my father-in-law to cancer in the last 5 years.  It gives us a chance to honor those who are no longer with us, but also the fighters and survivors.  Seeing so many walk the survivor lap every year is an amazing thing – and it is amazing to cheer them on!  I am really drawn to find ways to help those who are sick, to bring encouragement, and to find little ways to overcome a disease that to so many seems insurmountable.  For me, it is fighting back, connecting to and honoring those we have loved and lost.  It helps me see a purpose through the pain and know that Hope is still there.

And now, I am excited about this opportunity to connect with others – to share a bit of my life and what God is teaching me, and to hopefully help you connect to Him a bit better.  God has big plans for you, me, this blog, and TWU!

Stay connected,

Claire

Hello, my friends!
           My name is Amy.
                         
                               And … this is my JOURNEY.

I’m a homegrown MISSISSIPPI girl who uprooted to Slidell, Louisiana, 7 years ago with my husband, Blaine, and daughter, Sarah.  I have been married to my Prince Charming for almost 15 years.  Our birthdays are six days apart, and for five days a year I get the opportunity to brag about being younger!  However, I think he quite enjoys that.  My beautiful daughter, Sarah, is 10 years old and in 5th grade.  She's my little fish in the sea that loves to swim and draw mermaids.  My husband and daughter are God-given treasures whom I cherish.  But there is a greater treasure I love even more.  You might be thinking, "What treasure could be greater than her family?"  Well, I’m glad you asked!  That treasure is my salvation in Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior.  I received His gracious gift back in 1992 and have cherished it ever since.
           
You may have noticed some of my words are in different colors and fonts. That’s because one of the talents the Lord has given me is CREATIVITY!  Yes, I actually took the time to make each of those letters a different color!  That's the quirky, detail-oriented side of being blessed with a creative mind.  I have several different hobbies I like to indulge in which include scrapbooking, making pottery pieces, making jewelry, and making hair accessories.  I am always looking for ideas, and I confess that Pinterest has become my new best friend.
            
I also love being a SERVANT.  For the past 6 years, I have served as Creative Arts Coordinator for Northshore Church where I attend with my family.  I have the privilege of working alongside our Worship Leader and the Creative Arts Team in creating stage designs for each sermon series.  This position of service has been most rewarding because it allows me to use the gifts God has given me to serve Him and my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ.  It can't get any more rewarding than that, right?  Well, another opportunity to serve in creative ways came my way also!
           
That opportunity was Total Woman U.  I have been blessed to be on faculty of TWU for two years now.  I decided to join this organization because I needed to be a part of it.  For most of my life, I tried to conform to the standards of others so that they would be pleased with me.  I was a pleaser, not a believer -- that is, a believer in myself.  I had such a lack of confidence that I was always worried about what others thought of me.  Since joining TWU, I have learned SO much about the “Amy” that Christ designed and the purpose for which He created me.  I have learned that I am a UNIQUE creation and that I am BECOMING more and more in His image as I strive to live for Him till the end.  The good news is It’s not the end!  There’s work to be done!  So will you join me?  Let’s journey together, shall we?

Keep Calm and Journey On,
Amy

Hello! My name is Kasia. It looks like a more confusing name than it is (Thanks, mom!), but it's just Asia with a K. I'm originally from Mississippi, but I lived in New Orleans/Slidell for four years, which is where I met the lovely ladies of Total Woman U. I moved back to Mississippi three years ago and now consider myself a loyal resident of the happy, brick street laden town of Clinton, Mississippi. By day I have been a Resident Director (modern day dorm mom) at Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi for 3 years. I'll be starting a new unknown job in the area this summer! During my free time, I am a [mostly] food blogger (kasiaskitchen.com) and a very part time, mostly for fun, free lance baking caterer. I'm single, never married, and have no kiddos (though I kinda feel like I have 176 rowdy college aged ones sometimes). I believe one day God will bring that special man into my life, but until then I patiently(ish) wait, and am now accepting applications/recommendations. Feel free to send any eligible Jesus-loving men my way!  I am very involved with Arise Church in Clinton, Mississippi. I am also on the Mainstreet Clinton Promotions Committee (we plan events like outdoor movie nights and markets on our Olde Towne brick streets) and the Mainstreet Clinton Fresh at Five Farmer's Market Committee. 

I collect aprons, owls, nail polish (I have 200+ bottles -- it's a problem), dresses, cookbooks, scarves, cardigans, and kitchen things. I'm obsessed with organizing things, meal planning, Harry Potter, painting my nails, blogs, owls, Hunger Games, instagramming, glitter, the Food Network, recipes, baking, cooking, autumn, Starbucks, ballet flats, all things pink, fashion, and more. I'm a highly passionate person and when I love something, I REALLY love it, hence the many collections/obsessions above. My all time favorite show is Gilmore Girls, and I'm currently loving Downton Abbey, Once Upon a Time, and Parenthood a whole lot. I just generally love an ongoing multiple season TV series. My current favorite movie is Frozen, but I also always love Sleepless in Seattle, The Dead Poet's Society, Good Will Hunting, and Remember the Titans. 

I like to think I'm a little quirky. For most of my life I've been aware that I've often been an exception to the rule. My mom, dad, and brother had perfectly straight teeth and 20/20 vision. I've worn glasses since third grade and had braces. My family of origin is a bit crazy and characterized by many chaotic things like substance abuse, and statistically I should have followed in their footsteps, but I didn't. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college. So, from an early age I've been a different kind of rule breaker, the exception to the rule kind. Therefore, I fully believe in making your own rules! I have weird rules, and fun rules. I love all things pumpkin flavored, but I only eat pumpkin from August to November. I drink hot beverages when it's cold and cold beverages when it's hot, and will not waiver! I don't eat soup when it's hot outside or watermelon when it's cold. I only bake mint chocolate things in the Christmas season. See? Weird rules. But I also "rule" that if you wish you could pull something off that someone else does, you can and should! Leopard print in every way shape and form for curvy girls too and not just skinny ones? Yes, please! Bright red lipstick when you don't have a stitch of other makeup on? Done. Painted nails every day when all you can grow are stubs? Why not?! Skin tone/hair color rules tell me I shouldn't wear pink, but as I type this I'm wearing a hot pink blazer and loving it. 

I have been connected to Total Woman U since October of 2009. I serve as the Communications Director, which means I manage the blog and social media. I love TWU and want to be involved with it for many reasons, but one of the main ones is that it saved me in a way. At a time in my life when I really believed God could never use me in ministry again, it gently brought me back and helped God smash those lies from Satan. At our TWU retreat in January, we were challenged to come up with a personal purpose statement. I believe my mission in life could be summed up as the following: "I seek to live a transparent, gospel-centered life -- on a mission to love people genuinely and uniquely; remembering, living in, and declaring redemption and freedom from shame; living vulnerably and pushing women to discover and love their true selves and make their own rules." Until next time friends! 

Let's make our own rules, 
Kasia

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Hello lovely reader on the other side of the computer/smartphone/tablet/some other form of technology I'm not in the know about. You've possibly been here before, or maybe you're new. Either way, welcome! This isn't a new blog; we've been doing this for a couple of years. You might know about our organization, and you might not. Regardless, whatever brought you here, we're sure glad it did! 

It's a new year (February still counts as "new year" season right??), and we're full of inspired ideas and personal renewal. We hope the new year has brought renewal, rest, and inspiration for you as well. In January, our TWU faculty team met for our second annual retreat. Many great ideas and plans came from this retreat, but the ones we want to share with you right now regard this blogging space! We have MANY wonderful ladies on our team that are gifted in many ways. One of the things we focused on during our retreat was our individual strengths so we can all flourish in serving together as we operate out of our strengths. As a result of this, we built and added to several focused teams, one of them being a blogger team! We now have a team of 8 women who will be regularly blogging here. Many of them blogged before, so you will of course recognize them, but we have some new faces (and typing fingers) joining us. Having a team will also bring more energy and creativity here, and we're excited and hope you will be too! 

For some of our first posts of this new year, we want to take some time to allow you, our readers and friends, to get to know the women behind the words. We'll also be introducing a new blog design and talking on new topics, but first and foremost, we want to connect with you! We want to engage you, serve you, speak and share encouraging words of truth with you, be honest and real with you, we want to be real friends (as opposed to the surface level kind of friends who don't experience the ups and downs of life together)! And not just real friends, but real spiritual, gospel friends. 

Tim Keller says, "Spiritual friendship is eagerly helping one another know, serve, love, and resemble God in deeper and deeper ways."  We want to know you. We want you to know us. But more than that, we want to help each other know more about Jesus, His truth, and serving. We want to push each other to resemble God in deeper and deeper ways! So join us back here in a few days and enjoy meeting our lovely writers. 

We'll be back soon!
-Your TWU Bloggers