Welcome, friend. I’m so glad you’re here.
Life is busy—and if you’re anything like me, you have many titles. I’m a wife, foster mom, Director of Business Development for a small business accounting and payroll firm (that’s just a fancy way of saying I lead a sales team!), beekeeper, and a daughter. Of all the titles, daughter is my favorite. I am the daughter of two wonderful parents who raised me better than I deserve, and a daughter of The King. Most days, my schedule is full of work meetings, squeezing in a workout, tidying the house, reading, and attempting to do all the things we women try to fit into a week. And naturally, when we have foster kids, my entire routine flips upside down—and normal gets tossed right out into the street.
But here’s what I know: Christ invites me to meet Him here. Not somewhere quieter, less busy, or more picturesque—here, in the middle of my normal, everyday, ordinary life. In the middle of YOUR everyday, ordinary life.
He doesn’t wait for us to be perfectly still before He shows up. Jesus walks with us through the chaos of our calendars, the pressures of work, and the noise of relationships—whether that’s with spouses, kids, parents, or whoever else we’re caring for. He even meets us in those quiet, uncertain moments when we’re not sure how to pray.
So, what’s the point of this blog? Truthfully, it’s for women who feel stretched thin—working moms, students, and young adults trying to follow Jesus in a fast-moving world. I write because I feel stretched thin too, and sharing my journey reminds me that all of this really can have purpose.
here you’ll find:
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Personal stories from my own ordinary life—moments of faithfulness, failure, and God’s surprising grace in the midst of it all
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Reflection questions and Scripture to guide you into the “eremos,” the quiet place with God
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Encouragement to notice Jesus in everyday rhythms—from leadership meetings to laundry, college classes to bedtime routines with your kids
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Simple prayers for busy hearts that just need a pause
Life is truly lived when you know Jesus. That was the promise back in the garden: Walk with Me, learn from Me, and I’ll show you the good life. I’ll show you real life.
I believe your ordinary, messy, everyday moments—the routines that make up your life—are sacred spaces where Jesus draws near. So join me as I try to abide in Christ and let Him abide in me. I encourage you to do the same. As the Gospel of John reminds us, “It is to our Father’s glory that we bear much fruit.”
So let’s grow together. Let’s experience Christ. Let’s really live.
about me
I’m Shelby Betts—but my friends call me Shelby Jo.
I grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but Memphis has been home for all my adult life past college. My husband, Kevin, spent over a decade in international tax before recently stepping into full-time ministry as our church’s college and young adult minister. Together, we’ve always had a heart for working with students because it was during my own college years that the Lord moved powerfully in my life. We pray often for a renewal of faith in Memphis and for the gospel to reach the ends of the earth.
As I said earlier, I have a few titles, and unapologetically lean into a few stereotypes. I’m a middle child. (this should explain a lot.) I love working in the sales profession, and I’m a sales girlie to my core. I can sometimes overdo a call to action and I may exaggerate a little to make a point. Perhaps a smidgeon more than a little.
During college, I had the privilege of studying at a linguistic school in Bolivia, which sparked my love for languages and other cultures—I speak some Spanish and have traveled to some amazing countries and states. One day, I hope God calls me to the South American mission field. In true Christian fashion, here’s where I also mention that I have an almost borderline obsession and love interest with coffee. (I told you I’m okay leaning into some stereotypes.) On September 22nd, you will always find me sipping a pumpkin spice latte. I love hiking, backpacking, and camping, and one day, I hope to section-hike the Appalachian Trail (not thru-hiking—I’m not that level of crazy…yet).
I’m also a voracious reader, finishing 100+ books a year—not as a brag, I just learned that I could explore new worlds through books as a kid, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Plus, I’m fairly competitive, and during childhood, it was very important to me that I had the most Accelerated Reader (AR) points in my class. (Is that still a thing?) All that to say, there isn’t much better than exploring a fantasy land on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Books!
Lastly, I’m a big fan of personality tests and tend to overanalyze things to death. I’m an Enneagram 8, ESTP, ID on DiSC, Maverick, Socializer, 5285…the list goes on, but you get the picture.
If you’re still reading, and haven’t gotten thoroughly annoyed by my writing style, go check out a blog post or two.
I hope you’ll find something in there for you. 