Welcome to ‘The Space Between’

by Brandi McMahan

Hi! I freaking love that you’re here. Yes, YOU! I hope you are too, and that this cheesy introduction hasn’t led to an abrupt exit stage left. Do stick around; I promise it gets better. 😉

Let me tell you why I’m here.

I was encouraged—okay, challenged—to start this blog. Apparently, I have a God-given gift for writing. Who, me? 🙈 Sure, I’ve published five children’s books and spent years writing marketing blogs, emails, and social media material for work, but it never occurred to me to think of it that way. My God-given gift. In fact, I have been wanting to find my spiritual gift for what feels like a very long time. The fact that I am in my fifties, allows me to say, that it has been in fact, a very long time. But compared to eternity, I suppose not.

This new realization came about after I stumbled upon a letter, I wrote to myself several years ago. When I read it, I had a moment of, “Wow, whoever wrote this has real talent!” (Spoiler alert: It was me. 😜) Do you ever surprise yourself, with yourself? Kind of like when you send yourself an email as a reminder, and then a few minutes later think, “Oh look, an email!” 

Side note: I just at this very moment became aware of the fact that I am my very own pen pal.

As I was saying, this letter was about surviving one of the most challenging seasons of my life—a time when my husband, Eric, and I faced a terrifying crisis.

Now I’ve peaked your interest, haven’t I?

But my letter wasn’t all doom and gloom. Quite the contrary. It was about the outcome.

I was so moved by its content that I decided to text it to him. Apparently, it moved him too—he cried at work. Sorry, honey. 😬

The next day, he put me on the spot and had me read it to Travis, our marriage counselor.  Out loud.

Side note #2. Travis is also my husband’s former therapist. He’s done such a great job with our marriage that he’s now become more of a life coach than a therapist. Are they the same thing? Does it matter? Let me tell you this, when you find a good therapist, you keep them around. Even if you need to succumb to making up problems just so you have a reason to have a session. I am totally kidding. We don’t have to make up problems. We are a hot mess. But God has taken our mess and turned it into something pretty miraculous. I’ll expand more on this later.

So, Travis, listened, paused, and then said he had a very strong feeling that the Lord was telling him to encourage me to start a blog. That in doing so by using my “God-given talent for writing” it could help me reflect on how He has worked in my life, over and over again. Even when I was busy beating myself up for not being a better Christian, not reading my Bible enough (or at all), or questioning whether I was living a life worthy of my salvation. (Spoiler alert #2: It doesn’t work that way. 😅)

Challenge accepted.

If using my gift could help me strengthen my relationship with God and potentially help others do the same then I’m so in! This is a gift worth unwrapping.

So here I am. The Space Between is where I share my testimony—or testimonies — rather. It’s been a journey y’all.  It will be raw, real, and hilarious if I am being me. And I hope that anything you read here will entertain, encourage, and inspire you to never give up. To pray and know that God is ever present. He hears us, he loves us, and he knows what is best for us.

Thank you for being here. For reading starting with The Letter that started it all. And for walking with me as I continue this journey of faith, one story at a time. 🙏

P.S. Reading the posts in the order they were posted is recommended. Unless you are also seeking a challenge. 😜