Greetings! My name is Katie. Simply Katie. Nothing fancy. Rather uncomplicated actually. Short. Sweet. Simple. And I like it that way. It’s almost as if my parents knew that my name would fit my yet-to-be-revealed personality. Beyond my simple name, here are a few simple facts about my life . . . I am a daughter of The King, a wife to one, a mother of four, a physical therapist by training, a marathon runner for sanity’s sake, and a new-to-the-game health coach. I enjoy photography, reading, outdoor adventures, and exploring the world. I also love living in community. It truly “takes a village” to navigate through this life!

Whatever role I have been called to during the various seasons of my life, whether it be as a daughter, sister, friend, teammate, healthcare professional, wife, or mother, I have found my experiences to be far richer when I was willing to live out and embrace my role alongside others. Now, this decision takes work! Living in community is often complicated, uncomfortable, challenging, and exhausting. Choosing to walk alongside another person in relationship requires that you are vulnerable, honest, engaged, and present. And while these realities present a certain level of self-sacrifice, the rewards of cultivating a community are immeasurable. And I firmly believe that this same principle holds true for my health journey . . . and yours!

Whether we are talking about faith, marriage, parenting, cooking, cleaning, organizing, traveling, running, working out . . . really any aspect of life, I like to keep things simple.

Less is more. Back to the basics. Keep it classic.

But I am well aware of the fact that simple does not necessarily mean easy. In fact, not a single one of the life facets listed above, all of which are worthy of our time, effort, energy, and resources, is easy. Many are simple. Or at the very least simply stated.

Love God.

Love others.

Be kind.

Do justice.

Love mercy.

Walk humbly.

Live healthy.

Be active.

Eat well.

Sleep often.

All simple concepts that are anything but easy in practice. This fact is particularly true with the lifelong journey toward spiritual, physical, and emotional health. And yet this universal truth that life is not easy brings me back to the belief that living life in community is one of the key elements to sustaining joy in our life. We were created by our Creator for community. It is our relationship with God and others that brings depth, breadth, and width to our lives on this side of heaven.

My prayer is that “Simply Katie” can be a place where you are encouraged to develop your God-given strengths, hone your ability to identify and improve on your weaknesses, find support to grow in His grace toward a more healthy and active lifestyle, and be continuously reminded of the truth that you were born to reflect the glory of God that is within you. My hope is that this on-line community, through mutual encouragement, accountability, and support, can equip each of us to fuel our hearts, minds, and bodies to more fully and joyfully lean in to each role that God has called us to.

Let the journey begin!