I’m Elysa, pronounced “Lisa,” but with a long “E” on the front.  I am God’s beloved, just like you, and because of that, I want to love Him and everyone else well.  I follow Jesus, and part of doing that for me means publishing a post on this blog every Friday.  It means I do whatever I can–write, speak, teach, build relationships, lead, encourage, serve–to help people who are hungry for God find their way to the feast.  That’s what I write about here:  discovering the abundance of God in every situation, on every crazy day.  I share our experience of God and many of the things He teaches me as I do life with my quirky family.

I’m an ocean-loving girl who married her soul mate–who is grace every day–twenty-three years ago.  I still love him that giddy way and am happiest when we’re side-by-side.  I’m mother to three shining souls whom God uses to teach me more than will fit on any page.  They are beautiful, divinely creative, and limitlessly capable.  Because of the things God has allowed in their lives, we know more than we ever thought we would about autism, type 1 diabetes, anxiety, and epilepsy; and they graciously allow me to share bits of their story along with mine. On this blog, I write with transparency about raising kids with all those diagnoses, but let me make it clear that I’m only an experiential expert.  I’m not a doctor or a psychologist, so take what I share and what works for our family “with a grain of salt,” and ask professionals the really important questions.

I am a voracious reader, so connect with me on Goodreads if you love books and want to share reviews and recommendations.

I have over ten years of experience leading women’s ministry and teaching Bible classes, and I love public speaking, so visit my speaking page if you’re an event planner and would like to engage me to speak.  We love (and serve with) the family of God at The Summit Church, so come visit us for worship if  you’re in Raleigh!

Welcome.  Writing is just one of those things I knew God meant me to do when I was still too young even to wrap my mind around the lines of it or wrap my fingers around the feeling.  I often wonder how it can be that God uses a bit of clay like me to bless another in any significant way, but by grace, that’s what He delights to do.  His power at work within each one of us pretty much blows me away every day.  Each time I sit down to write, I ask Him if maybe something He’s written all over me could encourage and change you too; if maybe these words He gives me could draw you closer to Him somehow.  He’s teaching me just to rest in His hand and trust Him with the offering.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Feel embraced, friend.  We don’t even have to know you to care about you.