The Journey Begins

It has come to my attention that at first i am a pretty shy person, like when i meet strangers i tend to mumble and try to run my fingers through my hair. I get all nervous, as if they are not going to accept me...then after a few minutes my nerves take a major chll-pill and i get my joy back. I just start talking like i've known the person my whole life. It's been this way since i was little. People would say "your little girl is so shy." My parents would then look at eachother, burst into laughter and look down at me thinking "if only you could see her at home." Little did those strangers know that i was the little curly headed pint sized shelby who could get a whole rooms attention in the blink of an eye.

I have recently found this same problem comes up in my writing. When i sit down to write a paper or a few sentences in my book, all of a sudden a weird sense of fear overwhelmes me. I feel as though if i cant think of an opening line or the first sentence i'm going to write a dud of a paper. After i get that sentence though, and gain my confidence back, the writing becomes easier and easier and pretty soon i've whipped out a 5 page paper in a matter of just a few hours and i feel totally good about my work.

I've always had a niche for writing. My father has a PhD in English, as well as History. And my mom is a teacher, so that what we were taught growing up, be good writers. I guess it wasn't until the 7th grade, when i truly realized how much i loved writing. It was my teacher, Mrs. Arnold, a dear friend who lost her battle with cancer a few years ago, who really brought out the writing light in me. She believed in my writing, she would say over and over again what a good writer i was, so i began to believe it. I won a writing contest, I wrote essays that would later end up being read in churches all over the world, I got a scholarship based on essays i wrote, and now i'm finally caving in. After years of people telling me to write my story, i have finally started to.

The book will be called "The Beauty in The Battle." It will be an autobiography, it will be my story, my family's story, and the many stories that we have to tell. My hope is that it will be a sort of "scrapbook of life" I hope to have pictures and many other things on the pages, that make it look like an old journal. My life verse is Psalm 46:5 " God is within her, she will not fall; He will help her at break of day." I want the book to be a reflection on that verse. In life, everyone will have battles to fight, and with God's strength everyone is going to be able to win these battles. Once the battles are won, oftentimes we can look back and find the amazing Beauty that was within each one. Throughout my life i have realized, yes, i may be sick often, but why should i wallow in my sorrows, i just try to be the best i can be, despite the obstacles. I try to find the sunshine in each cloudy day. I find THE BEAUTY IN THE BATTLE.

I can't wait to see where this journey will lead me. I can't wait to see and live the life that God has laid out for me. Through this blog, and my life, time will tell. So come with me on this journey, see where i end up, i'm sure it'll be an exciting trip!

Blessings,

Shelby Elyse Taylor


Lamentations 3:22-24