Have you ever given yourself just one quiet moment to step back and really take a look at your life? If you are anything like me, there are moments when the truest assessment of your circumstances can be found in one of these statements: “This is not where I thought I would be” or “How did I end up here?” I have said both of these phrases more times than I can count, but the perplexing thing is that both statements have been said in such dramatically different life experiences. Like “This is not where I thought I would be, this is such an unexpectedly awesome opportunity.” Or, “This is not where I thought I would be, planning a funeral for a parent at twenty years old.” How is it that we find ourselves in the middle of moments where uncertainty, doubt, goodness, and hope are intertwined with such delicacy that we can scarcely differentiate one from the other? We get beautifully interrupted by moments and what we must figure out is how to surrender to the complexities.
On a fall morning a few years ago, I was talking with a college friend who said to me, “I have a friend named Teresa Anderson that I think you should reach out to. I just know you two will hit it off.” At the time I didn’t think much of it but when we did connect I noticed exactly what my friend was talking about. Teresa not only is a kind soul, but she is also a gifted hostess, a mom who battles for her kids, a sharer of complex stories, and the kind of friend you can spill hot chocolate on and she will still love you (I may or may not know this from experience).
Teresa, similar to you and me, began at an early age to dream about where her life would go, who she would become, all the while making predictions about what she was convinced she would never do. While plans are useful, it’s when we crumple our agenda and burn it on the altar of God’s unfolding timeline, that we recognize it all turns out better than we anticipated. That is why I am thrilled you picked up this book. Teresa’s story and your story will weave together with such delicacy that you will find it becomes hard to differentiate her life lessons from your own, because the stories we share bind us together in unexpected ways. So, get ready, an adventure of epic proportions awaits.
In these pages you will get to see all the expectations Teresa had for herself and experience her bumps and road blocks along the way. You will experience the struggle to maintain balance as Teresa brings inspiration and beauty to many unknowns that we all experience in life. As you wrap yourself into this book you will feel the company of many of us out there also trying to understand the hardships God lays before us and why. As you look deeper into her story you will find yourself looking at your own past road blocks and start finding the beauty in them just like Teresa does in Beautifully Interrupted.
This book brings to life the amazing journey of being called to serve out of your comfort zone and into God’s plan for your life. It’s time for you to take a journey with Teresa and go from dreaming about your life to living it. Go from planning and listening to letting go of the controller and following where God is leading you. I encourage you to pick up this book, grab a notepad and pen, curl up on a cozy couch, and open your heart to the potential of becoming deeply grateful for the ways your own life has been beautifully interrupted.
Mandy Arioto
President/CEO MOPS International
Author of Starry Eyed
Denver, Colorado