I'm back

Recently a friend of mine asked me why I haven't updated my blog in awhile. I couldn't come up with an answer other than I just stopped - life is what happened. She said she enjoyed reading it, and encouraged me to get back in.

"A story of faith, food and fellowship," has morphed since I first blogged. I started the blog about two years ago when I was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease as a way to chronicle my dealing with the disease and trying new treatments. After I suffered a stroke in September 2011, my blog became part of my recovery as a way for me to keep people updated and put into words what many times I couldn't say about what I was going through.

I don't quite know where the blog is going now, but I know I want to keep writing. I enjoy writing, and I missed it. So here it goes.

That same friend who encouraged me to start blogging again recently lead a retreat for teenage girls at my church. I was one of the counselors, but I think I took away just as much as the teenage girls. During a Q&A session, she was asked how to be a successful writer. Her reply was read, and read a lot. So in honor of her advice, I figured I would restart my blog by making two reading suggestions from authors I personally know and trust.

The first book is "Perfectly Unique" by Annie Downs, who happens to be the person who advised me to blog again.

The book is written for teenage girls. But anyone who knows a teenage girl or has ever been a teenage girl should read this. Using humor and stories, Annie explains how all your body parts, from head to foot, connect you to God. Your mind plays an important role is your relationship with God. What you think directly influences how you act. Many of the things that keep us from having an intimate relationship with God start from lies dwelling in our mind. I've teased your with revealing one piece, you'll have to read the book to learn more. I promise you'll come away thinking differently, and you'll laugh along the way.

The second book is by another woman I admire and respect - "Rescuing Hope," by Susan Norris.

I will caution you that this book will ruin you - but in a good way. Susan tells the fictional story of "Hope," an all-American girl who gets sucked into the horrible world of sex trafficking. Unfortunately sex trafficking is a big business in America, taking the young lives of teenage girls. As someone who mentors teenage girls at church, it was hard reading this book and not seeing their faces in Hope. I've "yelled" at Susan twice about the book. The first was I thought it was a good idea to finish reading it while sitting a table at La Parilla. I speak Spanish and knew exactly what the waiters were saying about the crazy girl crying in the booth. The second was she has ruined the song "Restoration" for me. I can't sign that song without crying now. I challenge you to try reading the book and not finish it asking what can I do to fight against this horrible crime.

I hope you're all glad I'm back. Even if nobody follows my blog, I'm glad to be back doing something I love.  Who knows what'll come next...