patience, hope, and a leap of faith.

A few YEARS ago (aka June 2014), I started a post here that was left as a draft for the last 3 years.... here's how it started:

"After work comes dinner... and after dinner comes work. For the last year, life has been a wonderful cycle of testing limits and chasing dreams. There have been long days, tiring days and wonderful, exciting days.

But seasons come and go, they change. Thankfully. After the Summer comes Fall and then Winter... which eventually gives way to Spring. It always does.

And so comes a new season for me, for us. Many years of working in the same position, pushing through and chugging a long... comes a leap of faith, excitement, and trust in our God. A few months ago I had a thought and I shared it with my wonderful, supportive husband, "I know what I want for my birthday!", I exclaimed. He asked, "oh yeah? What's that?". "I'm going to quit my job", I said."

We prayed and talked... and prayed and talked that summer about leaving a stable job with a company I'd been at for 12 years. And then, God provided a great opportunity for a part-time job so I left that full-time job. And then... 2 years later we started praying about me leaving that part-time job... and it happened.

At the end of this February I became a full time entrepreneur and I've never been busier or happier with the decision.

Now, I guess I have a few years of posts to catch up on. 

to clear my head, I write

I used to write a lot. Almost daily. Putting thoughts to paper always had a way of helping me figure out what I was really thinking.

And so I opened up my journal tonight and quickly realized through my writing my lack of trust and faith in God.. and my noticeable faith in myself.

I want, I need, I, me….. There was no God will work this out in my writing. It’s deep in my heart, I know my trust of Him is there. But sometimes I get so caught up on what we’re doing and accomplishing, whether it’s at work, or growing our business, that I just keep that mentality going... “I can do this”.

And then I find myself frustrated and lacking sleep. Too many nights spent laying in bed with all of these plans running through my head. This timeline that I’ve worked out for the future and trying to work through how it’s going to happen in real life.

And yet this has always been the verse I can quote without looking:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord. I guess it’s pretty simple after all.


Tomorrow is a new day.

only time will tell

I wouldn’t consider myself a great writer, probably not even a good writer. But it’s something I like to do. Now it’s just a matter of finding the time, energy, and creativity to devote to this enjoyable task.

Life currently consists of an incredible husband, home, family, friends, church, day job, and then the job I’m really passionate about, our new city business venture, the Rochesteriat.

I happened to marry a man who is passionate about where he lives, is involved, and wants to make a difference in his city. Let me tell you… it’s contagious. My passions, dreams, and desires have changed in the two and a half years I’ve know him, for the better. He challenges me to become the best version of me and not to continue doing something just because I’ve done it for so long. He encourages me to pursue my dreams, he believes in me. He thinks I’m a good writer.

We live in a city that is in revival. It was a GREAT city and some of us still think it is. Home to George Eastman & Kodak, Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony, Bausch & Lomb, Xerox, Sibley’s and so many more people and companies who shaped our nation. It was a hub of innovation & creativity. But a bustling city center began moving out to the surrounding areas and eventually what was left in the city… wasn’t very inviting. But it’s growing, being redefined and redeveloped and we want to be a part of it.

There are constant conversations about all that we’d like to do and be involved with. And wondering what we can remove so we can add other things. Do we sacrifice in one area to be able to take risks to see gain in other areas?

Only time will tell.

a plea to those who HAVE

We live in a culture run by a clock and deadlines. I watch countless people weave in and out of traffic during rush hour and those who just barely make it through that yellow-turning-red light. They can't wait the 1-2 minutes it would take for that light to change back to green. They have somewhere to be and they're running late.

We give ourselves just enough time.

I'm guilty of this. I know when I have to get out of bed in the morning to have enough time to get to work. I don't like living this way but I do. But, I want to change.

Maybe if we weren't so rushed we'd notice the sunrise and the sunset. We'd see the beauty that is all around us. We'd invest in relationships instead of things that don't last.

As I drove home from work, I listened to one of the hosts on K-LOVE talk about his recent trip with World Vision and how he was having a difficult time readjusting after all he saw. He was heart broken when he thought of his dog, sitting on his lap in his home. His dog had shelter, food, clean water. When his dog was sick it got medical attention. And he now knew it cost more to take care of his dog than it did to support a child through World Vision.

Now this is not a campaign for World Vision, though I'm proud to support a young girl named Hannah in Malawi.

This is a reminder that we have. We have what we need. We have the ability to enjoy the world around us when we're not cutting it close, running late to work, and running a red late to make it.

And as the Lord would have it (after this post was already written), I ended dinner with my Mom tonight by opening a fortune cookie and reading what was inside:

Time flies.
Suns rise and shadows fall.
Let time go by.
Love is forever over all.

May my heart always remember that all I have is of the Lord and to cherish the time He gives. And may my lips remember the words of Jacob "Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Genesis 33:11

when great adventures come

The past 2 years of my life have been anything but "ordinary". A lot more like extraordinary! I met a man, we began dating, fell in love, got engaged, planned a wedding in under 4 months, got married and then started a business. We don't mess around!

We're the best of friends!

But over and over... and over and over, everything has been led by the Lord and I am ever grateful. Thankful that God brought this man into my life, who speaks life into me with his words and actions, who's constant encouragement and support has allowed me to become an entrepreneur.... not something I ever imagined. He makes me dream big.

He's allowed me to share in and become a part of his dreams to start a business. To start something that could change the perspective of a city that was once alive and thriving. To be a part of a great adventure. He's definitely pulled me out of my shell!

All this to say, I love this man, where God has brought us, and what He is continually doing for us and in our lives... (and now the shameless plug.... go check out the Rochesteriat!)

Psalm 37:23

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.

my city life

Life has been anything but calm since marriage and I love it!

I married a man who is very passionate about the city in which we live. He's involved, he's invested, and he gives a lot of his heart and his time for what he loves. And the more I'm with him, the more excited I am about what he's doing, about what we're doing together, about being invested in where you live, and working for change.

We've been involved in a lot of things here in our city.

From serving breakfast with our church group at Open Door Mission:

To cleaning up an area of our city with our Neighborhood Association:

And just yesterday we participated in ROC Transit Day (to help promote events going on in our city):

In other news, last weekend we ran around NYC like crazy people racking up almost 21 miles on foot!

And of course there are always times with family:

And days where we just walk the city and enjoy where God has us:

So there you have it, my current city life instagrammed. There will be more to come, more to tell, and more adventures to take part of. Our life is blessed, and rich, and I am ever thankful.

a letter to the blogging world

Dear Blogging World,

I know I've been distant, but I think about you often. I want to tell you about how busy I've been and all the exciting things going on in my life but I haven't found the time! Even now I'm rushed as I write...

Work has been really busy... the days and weeks are flying by. After work hours are just as busy! The husband and I fill our time together adventuring in our city, coming up with grand ideas, cooking delicious meals and sometimes just being cozy on the couch. And while he's working I fill my time with laundry, cleaning, enjoying our home and seeing friends & family.

My hair is short, barely touching my neck and when I try to tuck it behind my ears it just falls out. But I am getting used to it and I really love it!

There's so much much more to tell, but this is all I have for now. I'm hoping in the weeks to come I'll have more to share. But for now I will leave you with this lovely picture of the city in which I live and love:

Sincerely,
Stefanie