I first met Nancy five years ago at the very first TRIBEWRITER conference, which my community knows has been a big part of my writing journey. However, at that first conference, Nancy and I probably didn't say more than five words to one another even though from the first time we made eye contact, I felt like we had made a connection. We went the whole weekend without really getting acquainted.
Kathy and Nancy Bouwens at Tribewriters 2015 Conference in Franklin, TN.
It just happened that as the conference was ending, we passed each other and I took a chance to speak to her.
“I don't know why and I don’t know your story, but I feel like we are supposed to connect. I think if we knew each other we would be friends. Can I take a picture take a picture of us together just so we can connect and touch base later?
Now I’ve never done that before or since that I can remember, and honestly it wasn’t as weird as it sounds writing it. But I felt strongly that she was a woman I needed to know.
So I took a picture of the two of us. I went home and looked her up online, and a short time later we both joined the same TRIBE girlfriends group. We got to know each other a bit better and we got to watch each other live out our stories.
But even though we attended four of the five TRIBE Conferences together, we never had that chance to just sit and share our stories. Every time we did somebody else jumped into the conversation, which was fine. But I've always wished for that opportunity to visit with her.
While I knew our stories were quite different, I also had visited her blog, The Intentional Life at nancybouwens.com. Her motto is “Live the Story You Want Your Life to Tell” What she wrote resonated strongly with the message I myself was writing. I knew that her words, her voice, and her message would connect with my woman also.
Nancy and Kathy at TRIBE Conference 2019
But honestly, other than a quick chat at the next Tribe Conference, and sharing comments and Likes on the various Facebook groups we belonged to, our relationship had stayed casual.
As I was finishing up the work on EnVision YOU: UnStuck and Confident, I began looking for women I trusted and wanted to share with my EnVision YOU community. Those were the women i asked to consider being endorsers for the book. I put out a word to my TRIBE Girlfriends and Nancy was one of the first to respond. So I sent her a copy of the book to preview.
Her response…
Oh my friend this is going to be so good!! You and Jesus have done a wonderful thing with these words. I believe you are going to be speaking life into the lives of many through this book and I am blessed and honored to be able to write an endorsement.
But what followed really wasn’t like the endorsements that others had sent. I knew right away that she had written the FOREWORD for the book. When I wrote Lovely Traces of Hope, I knew I wanted Linda Dillow to write the foreword. I had always envisioned that. But I hadn’t planned on a foreword for EnVision YOU. It was probably that I just hadn’t thought about it soon enough, so I was going to skip it.
Yet here was Nancy’s recommendation of the book, coming later than she had planned because of life situations on her end. But it ended up being perfect timing to send it to my book formatter to be included as the foreword.
Here is what Nancy shared:
“Envision” by Kathy Burrus is a book for anyone who longs to make a difference, embrace their purpose and do things that matter.
If your way is murky and you are unsure of what the next step should be, this book is for you.
If you have a passion to make an impact in the lives around you, but you lack the confidence to step out into new territory, this book is for you.
If you have more questions about God’s desire for you than answers, this book is for you.
Kathy is a precious soul who understands where you are, because just a little bit ago she was there too. The words she shares so passionately are practical, soul searching and even funny at times. She is a woman who leads with gentle empathy and hope all while being courageous enough to push you just enough (trust me you won’t hardly know she is pushing) to think a little or a lot differently about the moments you have been given in this life. She believes passionately in your innate ability to grow, reach and become more of who God has created and called you to be.
This book holds unforgettable truths on purpose, value, confidence and trying again all woven into doable real life steps which have the potential to change your way of thinking. It is a book for the woman who wants to quit, but is afraid of what it will cost her deep inside and who she would become if she did.
This book is for the woman who is ready try again, dust off, stand up and take a breath, all while repeating in a whisper,
not giving up,
not ever.
not giving up today or tomorrow either.
not giving up.
If you are looking to get unstuck and move from where you are to where you sense God is calling you to be, I invite you in to explore what it means to Envision a new way of living and being.
Ready for change?
Start with the first page…. and read one glorious word at a time. I promise, you won’t be able to put it down.
Nancy and I finally had that long overdue conversation to share our stories. AND I recorded it to share with the EnVision YOU: UnStuck and Confident Community on Facebook. Nancy shares authentically out of her journey through the messy, murky places in life that threatened to swallow her up.
To view this amazing conversation, join us in the Facebook Group called EnVision YOU: UnStuck and Confident Community.
I will always be grateful for the connection we made five years ago- even if briefly, because this woman, her story, her stuck places and especially her journey through cancer in 2018 have taught me so much.
The Lord has used Nancy’s voice and her message to speak into my life, and now yours as she shares in the EnVision YOU Community.
Nancy Bouwens is a certified coach for women who are navigating mid life. Her incredible passion and joy is encouraging them to live life on purpose, be present and believe nothing is impossible, so they can live a life without regret, discover joy and impact their corner of world in ways they never thought possible.
If you would like to connect with Nancy, you can find her by email: hello@nancybouwens.com or at her blog, “The Intentional Life.
Are you a woman who wants MORE for your life?
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