Why this blog?
Life is beautiful.
And it’s hard.
And oftentimes, the most beautiful life emerges from the hardest times.
This is a blog dedicated to noticing, seeking out, even downright digging, for the beauty in the midst of life. Life that is at once ugly and beautiful, boring and remarkable, crushing and uplifting, mundane and poignant, noisy and peaceful, exhausting and restful, a million things at once. But how can we find such goodness in all the things? Finding the beauty requires us to look through the lens of faith. What does God say about this moment of life that I’m living?
I promise to always strive to be authentic and productive in these writings. It’s only when both exist that we can be real about the challenges of life and also find the beauty. Hence the female cardinal, my favorite bird on this amazing earth. It’s beauty is subtle, but it is undeniably there, in the details that may not be as immediately noticeable as its other traits.
Thank you for doing life with me, as hard and as beautiful as it is.
Nicole Venzke Peterson
It sounds so simple – enter bio here. But how to start? I think I’ll simply tell you the things about me that I know to be true in my heart of hearts. I value kindness, and try to be that the vast majority of the time. I am curious, about almost everything. I value authenticity, and courage, and it takes a lot of the latter to be the former. I try to practice both, but I know I often fall short so I’ll keep practicing. I see life in almost every color and all shades of gray, but very seldom black and white. Beauty lies in shades of gray and that is why I write. To find the beauty. And to connect. With others, and most importantly, with my God, my Jesus, my Holy Spirit. With Him and with others is where we are our most beautiful, authentic selves.
Nicole Venzke Peterson 