Saturday, August 30, 2025

It's a beautiful Saturday here in our house. The Ohio State Buckeyes are taking on Texas on TV - my husband and sons planted firmly on the couch, cheering for his alma mater. Ohio will always be our roots, no matter where life takes us. Tonight we venture to Middle Tennessee to support MTSU for their season opener, but for now, it's just football, dogs lounging nearby, and the comfortable chaos of a family Saturday.

And here I am, finally doing something I've been thinking about for nearly seven years.

This Week Became My Push-Came-to-Shove Moment

You know those moments when you realize you can't keep putting something off? When life hands you a series of situations you absolutely cannot control, and suddenly the thing you've been "meaning to do someday" becomes the thing you have to do today?

That was this week for me. A serving opportunity meeting where the age preferences were clear but unspoken. Hidden disabilities not taken seriously. Job descriptions and gig work opportunities that word their ageism very nicely - phrases like "perfect for someone just learning the ropes" or "ideal for digital natives." Then having lunch with three wonderful women, one I've known for years, and two others I've met in the last few months who are genuinely lovely people.

We spent an hour together, and I'm grateful for their friendship. But as we chatted about weekend plans, the food, and upcoming events, I realized something that's probably my issue, not theirs: I was sitting there with real problems, real circumstances I can't fix, real burdens I carry, and I couldn't figure out how to bridge from small talk to anything that mattered deeper.

I drove home thinking: I can't be the only person who's ever felt this disconnected while sitting right next to other people.

The Realities of Getting Older 

Here's something I'm learning as I get older: aging gracefully is harder than anyone tells you. Hidden disabilities are a real struggle. Ageism is real - whether you're looking for work, trying gig economy jobs, or even just trying to fit into social circles. It shows up in church volunteer opportunities, community involvement, even at various events throughout our week where sometimes you feel like you are wearing a sign that says "outdated." Which is ridiculous, because experience isn't expiration - it's wisdom earned through living.

Most days, I handle it fine. But some days, it hits differently. Some days, you realize how much of life feels completely out of your control, and you start wondering if this is just how it's going to be from now on.

Then I remember the porch swing conversations from my childhood. The ones where real problems got discussed between the adults while kids played nearby. Where my grandmother would share her heart with my mom, where cousins would solve life's mysteries while shucking corn, where the hard stuff got talked about right alongside the everyday stuff.

Somewhere along the way, we lost that. We lost the spaces where real conversation happens.

Hope Lives Here

That's why Porch Swing Hope exists. Because I believe we need those spaces again. We need places where we know we’re not alone as we deal with the real stuff - the challenges that keep us awake at 3 AM, the faith questions that don't have easy answers, the daily struggles that Instagram posts never mention.

This isn't going to be all sunshine and Bible verses. Life is messier than that, and faith is more complicated than Sunday school answers. We'll talk about hidden disabilities that families navigate quietly. We'll explore the real stories behind old hymns that have carried people through their darkest moments. We'll share the ups and downs of real life lived by real people who are doing their best with what they've got.

Some weeks, I'll tell you about the business challenges I face as a faith-driven entrepreneur. Other weeks, we'll dive deep into why "Amazing Grace" still makes people cry 250 years later. Sometimes we'll talk about parenting struggles or marriage lessons learned with decades together. And yes, sometimes we'll address the hard stuff - the loneliness, the disappointment, the seasons when hope feels harder to find.

But here's what I promise you: hope will always be part of the conversation. Not the fake kind that pretends problems don't exist, but the real kind that shows up even when everything feels heavy.

What You Can Expect Here

Every Wednesday, (until I run out of hymns), we'll explore the story behind a beloved hymn. Not just the historical facts, but what these songs meant to the people who wrote them and what they might mean for us today.

Every Friday, I'll share real stories - (like this one) - mine, yours when you're ready to share them, and stories from anyone who's learned something about hope worth passing on. These might be about overcoming obstacles, navigating hidden challenges, figuring out not being discounted because of age, or just finding moments of joy in ordinary days.

Throughout the week, you'll find encouragement for whatever you're facing. Because I believe your story matters, your struggles are valid, and your hope is worth fighting for. We want to focus on HOPE, not our circumstances as we strive to find and hold onto hope.

Seven Years in the Making

This community has been forming in my heart and mind for seven years. Every time I met someone who felt as disconnected as I sometimes do. Every time I heard someone say they didn't have anyone to really talk to. Every time I wished for the kind of authentic community our grandparents seemed to have on their front porches.

Yesterday, I realized I couldn't wait any longer for someone else to create this space. So here we are.

If you've made it this far in this post, you probably understand what I'm talking about. You've probably sat at tables making small talk while your heart was carrying heavy things. You've probably wondered if anyone else feels as alone as you sometimes do.

You're not alone. Your seat on this porch swing is waiting. And hope? Hope lives here.

Welcome home.

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