The Start of Something New ✨

Hmm, that sounds suspiciously like a Disney song. But which one? (Bonus points if you don't have to Google it like me to find out.)

Why “Work in Progress” you might ask? (And you should, it’s a good question.)

Names matter. It’s why parents debate for months what to call their little ones. Why business owners fret over a store name and logo. Why authors painstakingly consider their book titles. Because names are more than their sum.

I tossed around a lot of names for this little newsletter—for my tiny corner of the internet. (Empty Pages was the runner up title.) But I picked Work in Progress for a couple different reasons (okay, three reasons).

1. WIP (i.e. Work in Progress) is one of the acronyms writers like to use to describe their current book project.

2. It feels like life—always evolving, changing, adapting. Who I was 10 years ago is not who I am today, nor is who I am today who I will be 10 years from now. I am forever a work in progress—and I’m grateful for it.

3. I bought my first home two years ago and it has needed a lot of TLC (and will continue to need it). So every now and then, a house update may be thrown in too!

Since writing updates and encouragement for life are the two primary focuses of this newsletter, the title felt fitting.

My hope is that it can remind you just like it reminds me that we are all works in progress. That God is not finished writing our story but is continuing to build something beautiful in us and through us.

And that we all need grace in the messy middle.

What to Expect From This Newsletter:

• Once a month encouragement (and updates!) straight to your inbox.

• An inside look at my writing journey (and what God’s teaching me through it).

• I’m adding a new Rachel Reads section—where I share the book I’m currently reading or a favorite in case you’re in a reading slump. (Real friends share books.)

• If you want a Rachel Renovates section, please tell me! Whether it’s before or afters, the projects I’m dreaming up for my home, hosting tips, whatever—let me know if a “home” category is something you’d like to see added.

• I promise to show up just as I am: my heart open, my words real, and with a big dose of imperfection (it’s called Work in Progress for a reason, y’all). I hope you feel safe to do the same. I’ll save you a seat. 💛

Rachel Reads

Fredrick Backman has quickly become one of my all-time favorite authors.

I finished reading Beartown this past weekend and I could not. put. it. down. Seriously, this is a 5-star read.

Rachel Renovates

Sometimes, I still can’t believe this really happened. A lifetime of dreaming. A decade of saving. Followed by a whirlwind buying process.

I once heard it said that “sometimes you have to wait a long time for God to move quickly.” That’s exactly what getting this house felt like.

Until next time,
–Rachel 🫶

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