Teenage Lela embracing her father beside books, music, and a Greyhound ticket representing the soundtrack that shaped her life.
Posted inChristian Living Faith Family

The Soundtrack Between the Miles | How Music, Faith & Travel Shaped My Story

Some people remember their lives through photographs. Others remember them through places. I’ve discovered that I remember mine through music. One familiar song recently carried me back to bus rides through Brooklyn, stacks of books, worship playlists, and a father who unknowingly taught me that curiosity could become a lifelong inheritance. That realization became Part 12 of Found in the Margins.
Featured Image Narrative: The Unity Sand Ceremony visually embodies the central theme of the chapter. While wedding guests witnessed two containers of sand becoming one, the memoir reflects on how two individual lives, families, and callings were intentionally joined through covenant. The photograph serves as both a historical record and a metaphor for the blueprint that would shape the Fagan family for years to come.
Posted inChristian Living Faith Family

The First Blueprint: Preparing for Marriage Before Planning a Wedding | Found in the Margins Part 11

The First Blueprint People often remember the flowers, the dress, or the reception. When I think about our wedding, I remember the conversations. The weekly phone calls with my brother-in-law and sister during premarital counseling. The intentional decision to choose vows that reflected our understanding of covenant. The Unity Sand Ceremony that symbolized two separate lives becoming one family. Looking back fourteen years later, I realize we spent far more time preparing for our marriage than we did planning our wedding. That wasn't accidental. It became the first blueprint for everything that followed.
Who has been part of your story? I’d love to hear about someone who shaped your life—whether they were a main character, a recurring character, or someone who made a brief appearance but left a lasting impact. Share your story in the comments.
Posted inChristian Living Faith Family

The Village Was Already Waiting | From the Margins Part 10

There was a season when I thought my life had fractured into separate stories. Brooklyn. Church. Motherhood. Athletics. Writing. Children's Ministry. Each felt disconnected from the next, as though I were constantly beginning again. But as I looked back, something beautiful came into focus. God wasn't asking me to start over. He had been weaving every experience, every conversation, every relationship, and every unexpected detour into one continuous story. I simply hadn't seen the tapestry yet. That's what Part 10, The Village Was Already Waiting, is about. It's a reminder that none of us writes a life story alone. Every chapter bears the fingerprints of people who loved us, challenged us, mentored us, encouraged us, and walked beside us—sometimes for a lifetime, sometimes for only a season. Perhaps the greatest gift isn't discovering that we were strong enough to make it on our own. Perhaps it's recognizing that God was building our village all along.
Becoming the Elder: A Reflection on Legacy, Loss, and Self-Care
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Becoming the Elder: A Reflection on Legacy, Loss, and Self-Care

This past week, I was reminded in a painful yet profound way: I am an elder now. I’ve carried this mantle since birth, but it feels different when loss reminds you of how precious and short time can be. My great-grand niece’s passing brought back memories of the elders I lost too soon, and it stirred in me a commitment to care for myself so I can be present for my children and their children. Legacy isn’t only about memory. It’s about presence.