Blog 1

This is far and away the most “out there” idea I’ve ever acted upon. How often has the Holy Spirit given me this idea and I’ve pushed it down, you ask?

Too often. To the point where I literally felt Him smack me with it upside the head. I can’t even be mad because I always tell Him, “Lord, if this is You, please make it so obvious I can’t miss it.”

Whomp whomp.

So, until He shuts this down or directs me toward another path, I will be obedient in what I believe He is pressing on my heart and that’s how we got here. Do I know what I am doing? No. Have I ever done anything like this before? Also, no.

But I trust Him and the words He’s spoken over me and He will not move until I move, so here I am, running headfirst into the unknown and having faith He is with me.

My name is Allison (self identified as Big Al) and I am a thirty-year-old woman who has been in fellowship with the Lord since 2018. I say 2018 as a ballpark, as I’ve known Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit prior to that year but they were just faraway names to me. The “big guy in the sky” that you are supposed to looks towards and pray to was kept at arms length as I grew up because that was all I knew. Growing up Catholic, I took part in the applicable Sacraments and even went to an incredible all-girls Catholic High School. I was raised by amazing parents who I’m still close to and a big sister, who will tell anyone with ears that she also helped raise me. I knew God was there throughout my life, I knew the Bible was important but it all felt dry.

God willing, I will dive into certain aspects of my testimony, but for the sake of an introduction, here is a quick summary. I went to Sacred Heart University (graduated class of 2017) and met my friend Rachel, who you will hear about a lot. We bumped into each other in the hallway of our freshmen year dorm room and had an hour-long conversation that laid the foundation of our friendship.

While we had separate interests and friend groups for the remaining three years, we always made it a point to grab lunch and catch up a couple of times a school year. It was during one of those times in senior year that she started talking about Jesus Christ and who He is. Like most people, I got a little uncomfortable when I heard His name, but I didn’t stop her from talking. I was intrigued but hesitant. Is she one of those people, I would think. Ones who tried to trap you and convert you to that religion? Part of me told myself that I’d listen to her if she ever brought it up, but I wouldn’t start the conversation. I was comfortable enough in how I knew God, I didn’t need anything more than that. Or so I thought.

Sometime in 2018, I started learning how to talk the talk. I was so willing to soak up every podcast, book, song, and YouTube video Rachel sent my way. I learned how to pray and talk to Jesus Christ as a person who loves me and cares for me, someone who has my best interests at His core.

Then in 2020, I was desperate to learn how to walk the walk. I didn’t want to just pray to Jesus, I wanted to do His will for my life. I wanted to mimic how He loved when He was on Earth, wanted to become so in tune with the Holy Spirit that as soon as He spoke, I would know it was Him using my voice to help and encourage others. I became louder about my relationship with Him, not to the point of forcing it down people’s throats (although there is a story for that) but not backing down if someone asks me, “Are you a Christian?” I learned to view God as a Father, Jesus Christ as a Savior and the Holy Spirit as a best friend.

Five years later, He’s given me my identity and my purpose. Given me people in my life to shepherd to Him. Potentially given me this blog.

Mistakes have been made along the way. Hard lessons have been learned and learned again as I continue in this life with Him. This is what I believe this blog is for, so I can share my testimony and the little nuggets of insight He’s given to me along the way. You’ll read about moments of Big Faith, and moments of utter despair. Moments of intense of obedience and seasons of waywardness that I’ve walked in. It won’t just be things of old, but even new seasons that I’ve never walked in before that I can share here as I navigate them. All in all, I believe this is meant for encouragement to anyone who reads them. You are not alone. There is a one, true God who knit you together and made you in His image so that you can be loved by Him. A God who stepped down from His throne in Heaven to become human alongside us, and take on our sin so that we may be reconciled to our Father.

Buckle up and enjoy this ride with me because I’ll tell you this, God is NOT boring.

Big Al