“Tired of trying to cram her sparkly star-shaped self into society’s beige square holes, she chose to embrace her sparkle and shine like the supernova God created her to be.”
Hi! My name is Tamara and I’m a hat wearer. I wear lots of hats. Not all at the same time, mind you. Well, sometimes at the same time. I’m a wife, a mom, a ministry leader, a writer and public speaker, and a makeup artist.
When I write, I mostly write about my faith and what God is teaching me, my family, and all the joys and sorrows therein. I also write about my love of beautiful, succulent, soul-nourishing food. I don’t know that I have a writing hat; I feel like it’s more of a messy hair, don’t-know-where-my-brush-is sort of look.
I live in the suburbs of Houston and I work for the church. I have a focus on children and family ministry…when I have focus. There are all sorts of fun and silly hats that go along with that job.
I’m also a speaker and a storyteller, sometimes in the church and sometimes in other places. I tell stories about my life, about God’s grace, and about healing love. I speak about the things God speaks to me. I am constantly searching for the beauty in this world and, when I find it, I love to share it with others. I try to add a handful of glitter with every story I tell. So that hat is a great big fancy hat with sequins.
I have a fabulous husband who is so funny that people love to be around him all the time. I’m usually invited to tag along, which is fun because I like my wife hat. I have two amazing kids who are genuine miracles straight from God. I remind myself almost daily that I prayed hard and with diligence for them. I shed tears. It was real. And I sometimes have to remind myself of those prayers when I put my mom hat on.
I have a gift for baking pies and pound cakes, which is more of an apron and less of a hat. I love to cook simple and comforting food. Food and wine are my love language. I use them to celebrate my life and the lives of people around me and it’s been said that there’s never a shortage of food at my house. I can always find a reason to celebrate with a great meal or fabulous dessert. Celebration is a big deal to me. I feel like there’s not enough of it in the world. So I bake pound cakes and drink red wine. It’s one of the ways I enjoy adding beauty to this earth.
I’m in recovery. I try to never take that hat off. I’m a recovering co-dependent and food addict. Both of those things make the above paragraph hard to reconcile. I did all the steps though and I revisit them daily. Every day is a new day for me to experience love, laughter, and self-control. God is good and he has brought much beautiful healing to my life. I am a certified transformation specialist, which is a fancy way to say that I’ve taken lots of classes and have learned how to help people work through their hurts, habits, hang-ups, and live under God’s umbrella of grace.
I’m a su***de survivor. I didn’t ask for that hat…but who would? I lost my mom to it on April 15, 1997. I’m always wrestling and learning and coping and growing from that. This is where I found the passion to help others work through their heartaches. God never wastes a tear.
I’m also a makeup artist. Once upon a time I went to cosmetology school and specialized in makeup and makeovers. I joined the Mary Kay company and love having the opportunity to talk to women about the beauty God has placed inside of them. I also love showing them how to bring out that beauty and take care of the skin and face God has given. I do the makeup for the models of SnapGirl Photography. The owner and photographer, Jen, and I have been friends for what feels like forever, although it’s really only been since our oldest girls where in kindergarten. We both have a passion for finding, capturing, and celebrating the beauty of God’s Kingdom. Plus we laugh a lot together. We wear matching hats for that.
Mostly though, I’m a child of God. It’s a hat that was given to me with so much love and grace that I often don’t know how to wear it. Sometimes I take that hat off and throw it on the ground and stomp on it. God just keeps on loving me though and he hands it right back. I have very little figured out in this great big world…other than the fact that I don’t have to. He’s got it. He’s got it all.
That’s about it. I hope you visit often and that some of the words here are good for you and your soul. I hope you’ll join me in dancing in the glitter and relishing in the grace.
If you’re interested in having me come speak to your group, shoot me a message and we can talk about the details. I’d love to come swap stories with you!
