There’s something surreal about watching your prayers slowly become your reality.

At the beginning of the year, I sat down with my notebook…as I always do, and started writing out my goals. Not the kind of goals that sound good on social media, but the ones that genuinely stretched me.

I knew I wanted to speak more, and I wanted more women to discover my work.

I wanted my book to reach women who needed it most, not because they were looking for another self-help book, but because they were ready to ask themselves some hard questions.

I wanted to build a community where women felt safe enough to say, “I’ve been there too.”

One by one, those things have started happening.

First came the interviews. Then opportunities to share my story. Then my feature/ cover story for the Birmingham Times, then my Lessons & Love newspaper column (this is an exclusive), and now… I’ll be taking the stage as a guest speaker at the Indie Author Expo.

If you had told me a year ago that I’d be balancing writing books, teaching, journalism, and speaking to audiences about healing and relationships, I probably would’ve smiled and said, “That’s the dream.”

Now I’m watching that dream unfold and thats the exact reason why this event feels different.

Not because it’s another chance to sell books, but it’s another chance to connect.

Connecting has always been the mission.

When I wrote Ladies, How Did We Get Here?, I wasn’t interested in writing a book that women would read once and place on a shelf.

I wanted to write the kind of book that makes you pause in the middle of a chapter because something hit a little too close to home.

The kind of book that makes you text your best friend and say, “Girl… you need to read this.”

The kind of book that starts conversations we’ve spent years avoiding.

We spend so much time talking about finding “the one” that we rarely stop to ask ourselves another question…

Who have I become while waiting?

Have I abandoned parts of myself trying to keep someone else comfortable?

Have I confused attention with intention?

Have I convinced myself that almost is enough?

Those are the questions that inspired this book.

I don’t have all the answers, but I know what it’s like to ask those questions myself.

Judging by the messages I’ve received from readers over the past few months, I’m not alone.

Women aren’t looking for perfection anymore.

They’re looking for peace.

They’re looking for clarity.

They’re looking for permission to stop settling for relationships that leave them feeling emotionally exhausted.

That’s the conversation I can’t wait to have at the Indie Author Expo.

Yes, I’ll be talking about the inspiration behind Ladies, How Did We Get Here?, but I also want to explore something deeper.

Why are we so afraid to start over?

Why do we keep choosing familiarity over fulfillment?

How much of our dating life is actually influenced by family expectations, social media, our friends, or the fear of being left behind?

Sometimes healing isn’t about finding someone new.

Sometimes it’s about becoming someone who no longer accepts what once felt normal.

That’s the conversation we all should be having.

I can’t think of a better place to have it than in a room full of readers.

Of course, I’ll have copies of Ladies, How Did We Get Here? available if you’d like one, and I’d be honored to sign your copy. There’s something special about meeting readers face-to-face, hearing your stories, and learning how this book has impacted your life.

I also wanted to make sure you didn’t leave empty-handed.

Every attendee will receive a special bonus from me.

I’ll keep the details a surprise for now, but I will say this: if you’re serious about becoming more intentional in your relationships and taking ownership of your healing journey, I think you’ll find it incredibly valuable.

So here’s my official invitation.

If you’ve been meaning to come to one of my book events but life got in the way… this is your chance.

If you’ve been curious about the book but wanted to hear more before purchasing it… this is your chance.

If you’ve been following my journey from journalist to author to columnist and now speaker… I’d love to celebrate this moment with you.

Join me on Sunday, August 2, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. at the Trussville Library Auditorium for the Indie Author Expo.

The event is completely free, so bring your sister, your mom, your book club, or that friend who always says, “Girl, let’s talk.”

We’ll laugh.

We’ll reflect.

We’ll challenge ourselves.

Hopefully, we’ll leave with a different perspective than the one we walked in with.

As excited as I am about speaking, I’m even more excited about what it represents.

It’s proof that when you stay committed to your purpose, even when progress feels slow, God has a way of opening doors you couldn’t have opened on your own.