12/23/2025
There are moments in life you plan for.
And then there are moments you don’t even know you’ve been waiting for.
A couple of weeks ago in Chicago, one of those moments found me.
I was there for a speaking engagement with ACE Hardware, a quick trip with a full calendar, when something completely unexpected happened.
After working with Gary Schneeberger for more than two years—editing, shaping, publishing, and bringing my book Shatterproof into the world—we finally met in person.
And here’s the wild part:
It wasn’t planned. At all. No calendar invite. No “let’s grab lunch while we’re in the same city.”
It just happened.
Two important meetings on Gary’s schedule got cancelled, which suddenly freed up his calendar. And in a city as big as Chicago, with as many moving parts as we both had, our paths crossed in a way that felt so clearly orchestrated.
You can’t script that.
Only God can.
And the second we saw each other, the emotion hit me like a wave. Tears flowed before either of us could say much at all. It was one of those moments where your heart catches up to something your soul already knows.
Gary has been walking alongside this story for years, long before readers ever held the book in their hands. He’s helped me find language for pain I lived with but couldn’t always explain or articulate. He’s encouraged me to keep showing up boldly, even in seasons that feel uncertain or heavy.
He’s not just part of the process. He’s the brain and the heart behind the title, and now the brand Shatterproof.
I’ll never forget a conversation we had early on when Gary said this to me:
“It’s like someone took a baseball bat to your life and shattered it into a million pieces. And yet, here you are, proof of the human capacity to pick up those pieces and create a life of joy and purpose."
That was it.
That was the moment the word shatterproof found its meaning.
Not unbreakable.
Not untouched by pain.
But still standing. Still choosing joy. Still building something meaningful with the pieces.
Meeting Gary in Chicago wasn’t just emotional because it was overdue. It was emotional because it was a reminder of how faithful God is with timing and how our stories are often shaped through people who show up, listen deeply, and help us see our own lives more clearly.
If you’re in a season where things feel cracked…
If the pieces don’t look like what you planned…
If you’re wondering whether joy still fits into your story…
Let this be your reminder: The cracks are not proof of brokenness. They’re proof you've lived.