Still Here

I’ve missed you.

I briefly considered moving this blog to another platform, such as Substack or Medium, but I couldn’t quite get the technical details sorted out. So for now, I’m still here. 

Monday was my birthday, and what a year it has been.

We’re mostly settled into our new state of Georgia, and life feels more contented here. It’s not really about the state itself; it’s about proximity. Being closer to family and friends. Finding my people. That makes all the difference.

I’m working, and I love it. While many people my age are talking about retirement, that feels very far from my mind. I want to work and earn for as long as I have something meaningful to give.

With this season, more space has come for passion projects. I don’t think of myself as a fountain of wisdom, but there are areas where I’ve learned enough to give back and help those who are coming up behind me. I’ve also found ways to lend my voice to local causes, which has been grounding and energizing.

Life, of course, isn’t all roses. But even when the thorns appear, I find that I have deeper faith and a greater sense of peace to handle what comes my way.

I miss my parents, but I especially miss my mother. I miss my mother-in-law. Spending time with my one and only grandchild has stirred feelings of longing for grandparents I never knew. I’m learning just how much presence and availability matter. I wish I’d had grandparents for whom I was the center of their world, but I’m grateful for the chance to be that presence now.

Life continues to humble me. I’m deeply grateful for the relationships and connections I’ve built. Like most humans, I sometimes take them for granted, but when I catch myself doing that, I try to be more intentional about nurturing these blessings. Healthy relationships are a gift. A recent sermon reminded me of how central relationships were in the Apostle Paul’s life. In 2 Timothy 4:9–21, we see many of those connections - some good, some painful, but all of them woven into the fabric of his story.

As Christians, we never really “arrive.” Still, I believe the 17 years I spent in California taught me what I needed to learn for whatever comes next. That season humbled me and drew me closer to God. It prepared me for my next move. I've been listening to Pastor Robert Madu, and his word for the year is planted based on Psalms 92:13-15. At the end of this year, I feel more planted while bearing fruit in my old age!

I’ll keep writing here until I figure out what that move is. I hope you’ll keep reading.

God is good. He is the center of my life, and I hope that comes through in my words.

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,

To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Psalms 92:12-15 NKJV

Season’s Greetings.

--Nylse

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