Welcome to Dwelling Joyfully! I’m honored that you are taking time to read my blog. This blog was inspired through the trials and victories that have led up to this very moment. There isn’t much about my story that sets me apart from others that have also gone through hard times, but I have learned there is power in putting the words and thoughts down on paper and not shying away from the vulnerability of those around me knowing about all the hard, ugly, difficult, painful, redemptive, and beautiful experiences in this life.

The name Dwelling Joyfully was born out of a conscious choice I had to make to find joy in this life. Five years ago in 2017, our world came crumbling down, one crushing blow after another – first the death of a baby we were fostering, followed shortly after by losing my dad from a very short illness, immediately quitting my jobs to help my mom take over my dad’s businesses, moving out of our home and awesome neighborhood to live with my mom, and then, the final blow of the diagnosis of what is now a chronic daily illness that I battle.

After what seemed like a never ending storm, I finally came up for breath, trying desperately to find some sort of normalcy and appreciation for the life that still needed to be lived. In January 2021, I held my head high and decided it was time to start living again, but knew it was going to take a lot of intentional work and a daily recommitment to the task. I remember clearly in my first quiet time of the year, begging God to help me find true joy again and to stop just “getting through” each day. Day by day I steadied myself in God’s word, asking over and over for me to feel his presence in front of me, behind me, and all around me as I re-learned how to live again. Through every loss, anger, frustration, and hurt of the past months and years, God faithfully pursued me and allowed me to begin to see joy woven through all parts of my life.

Slowly but surely, I began to understand that joy and happiness are not synonymous. Happiness is a feeling that can only be felt when everything in life is going great. Joy, on the other hand, is the experience we have with God when he allows us to see good amongst difficult situations. I learned that happiness is shallow while joy is deeply rooted. Joy is steadfast and dependable and can remain as a constant presence in our lives. Joy can be felt no matter what our circumstances are and through each different day – good, bad, or indifferent. And ultimately…joy is an extension of placing trust in Jesus and believing that He is good even when life is hard.

Finding joy again first began in the surroundings of our beautiful home, gifted to us by my mom and dad. During the first year after my dad’s death, my mom built a small home next to us and we remodeled their existing home to make it our own. God tenderly held my hand through each step and decision and helped us to create a beautiful space to dwell and raise our family while we wait for eternity. It has become our refuge and safe space, a place to create new memories and remember the old, the place our adopted son came home to, the place where our girls have become teenagers, the place where our marriage has rallied, the place where our friends gather, and the place where I found myself again.

My prayer for this blog is that I will create an authentic space to share the raw and the beautiful parts of life on earth, my passion and ideas for home decor and organization, how I live life with a chronic illness and find joy despite many hard days, our travels and RV life, fun recipes, party planning and most importantly my greatest blessings in this life – my beautiful family. I’m grateful you have decided to come along for the journey.

“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” 
– John 16:22

With great JOY,

Amy