A Little About Me

I’m Carole. Imperfect wife to a really great imperfect guy; imperfect homeschooling mom (who is fast finding her class size dwindling!) to three great imperfect almost-grown kids. Imperfect follower of Jesus, who shows us all the grace and covers all our imperfections with His sacrifice and love. I’m also a recovering perfectionist who’s learning to be okay with (and even embrace!) being imperfect. (I’ll try to use that word less frequently in future paragraphs, though.)

I love theology and apologetics, because I love the One they point us to and the people who need to know Him — and because studying theology and apologetics helps me know Him better and helps me help them know Him better. I love understanding as much as I can about our good God, about His Word, about life, and about people. I love walking with Him and being grounded in the reality of who He is. And I love sharing what I’ve learned with others in the hopes of bringing encouragement, which is why I have this blog in the first place.

I’m a graduate of the Cross Examined Instructor Academy (2024). I’ve facilitated a GAP chapter, led several Bible studies and book groups, and taught at our wonderful church’s monthly Women’s Dinners. I’ve written a Bible Study Guide for Hinds’ Feet on High Places. And my hope and prayer in all these things, as well as in this blog, is that the Lord will use them to draw you to Himself.

Why “More Than This Mess”?

Life is messy. Do you find that to be true? I’m certainly a mess most of the time, in lots of different ways. My thoughts can be a mess. My intentions. Relationships. Emotions — don’t get me started on emotions. Health issues, work stuff, special needs. My house is usually messy; kids are messy, and so are pets. (I can even be a little messy myself.) The yard. My desk. All the open tabs on my browser (“Mom! Why do you have all these open?” asks the twenty-something tech guru).

Some of the messes are valid, some are just because we’re being lazy. Some of the messes are my fault. Some are somebody else’s fault. Some are nobody’s fault. But regardless of the type or cause, God meets us in the middle of our messes. He doesn’t expect us to clean things up on our own. He sometimes raises us up out of them, sometimes walks with us through them, sometimes helps us clean them up. But no matter what, He’s with us, and He makes our lives more than just the mess.

 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you,
 so that in every way, always having everything you need,
 you may excel in every good work.
 2 Corinthians 9:8