Hello, my name is Loreli.
I live in Toronto, Ontario (#highriselife) with my husband, John-Mark, who pastors a church in the city. I am Mom to two adult daughters, Mallory & Sophia, forever my babies. I work as an urban missionary with Youth Unlimited, supporting pregnant and parenting youth, ages 15-25 (please check out www.youngparents.ca). I have no real hobbies, however, I am a self-professed beauty-seeker, which has captured my attention now for over 8 years. More on that below.
I started this blog in 2008, when footless tights first started trending. Blogging & tights have both threatened to die out, but they have impressive longevity, the former of which fumes I’m still breathing. This blog has had its high seasons (going grey & operation: recipe swap), but I post here now mostly as a home base for the deeper musings that won’t fit on Twitter. It’s a place to process my own faith-in-Christ journey (of which I have been walking for much of my life, but devotedly, for the past 30 years) and share moments of discovery with like-minded, like-hearted others.
And my passions? My supervisor at work used the expression story-listening to reference the way we bear witness to the transformative work of God in the lives of the youth we serve. This hyphenated verb resonated so deeply with me and I see it as a posture of the life that I want to live – ear to the ground, paying attention to the movement of the Spirit, participating in the God-story (or Truth Story, if you will) that is active around us. My passion for story-listening grows with each person I encounter. I love to show others how to listen in as part of my leadership and mentorship roles and believe it to be an emerging, yet important ministry of the church.
And then there’s the beauty-seeking. This initially started as a search for a “cure” for our rampant body image woes (also a trend we can’t seem to buck). I discovered a deeply fascinating – and healing – theology of beauty. Beauty is not what is sold at the cosmetics counter – beauty will, rather, save the world. While I do touch on the matter here, I post more specifically on the topic, including essays, quotes and book reviews, at www.beautystory.ca.
Find me.
You can find professional me on LinkedIn. Mostly I’m on Facebook, still (see other die-hard trends above). Next in line, Twitter: here for general posts; and here for Beauty Sightings (new account, so be sure to follow). If you want to be vintage about it, email me! Would love to talk, listen in and explore with you!
Based on a True Story 
Hi Loreli (don’t think I spelled it right), It has been a long time! I am glad to see you are still writing. I have let a lot of time lapse but I am going to get back at writing. Facebook has become an unsatisfying and unsafe place to express my feelings and thoughts. I think I might be able to control the “audience” I little better here. I still remember us conspiring with God to bring about a ripple of blessings. It makes me smile every time I think about it. Towels, anyone?
P.S. Life it hard but we love it anyway.
Dixie
Wow Dixie! What a blast from the past! I really miss you and *our* towel story is one of my favourite Africa stories to tell. God truly worked through you in a powerful way!
I’m thrilled that you looked me up! I’m not blogging as frequently as I’d like… but you just gave me a boost to keep going. So glad you’re on here! Happy to be back in touch! (I’m going to go visit your site right. now.)
Loreli, I really love and appreciate your honesty! You have a gift for writing, so I encourage you to cultivate it. Your really relate to people – men and women – through your writing. The pastor’s wife thing…I didn’t sign up for it either. I also married a teacher. However, God had other ideas and I feel honoured that He trusted me with this position in life. He trusts you, too.The best advice I can give is that we’ll never “master ” this. We don’t need to. I believe God just wants us to love and support our husbands as we would no matter what jobs they have and to relax and be ourselves! I look forward to reading more!
Thanks, as always, for your encouragement, Lynn! You have been an example to me of understanding this position as a privilege instead of a pain! I want to be just like you when I grow up!
Loreli, do you speak at retreats or women’s events? I facebooked you but wuld love to send you an email about possibly speaking at our womens Christmas event if you think that would be something you are interested in? My email is Jennifer_brew@yahoo.ca
Jenn, I would be more than happy to talk to you about speaking at your women’s Christmas event. I will email you directly about that. Thanks for asking!
Hi Loreli, I popped into the studio the other day when you were taping on #100HuntleyStreet. Thank You for all that you shared. It really touched my head. This may come across funny but my heart is already on the path to knowing God made me just how He wants me – with a few extra curves, freckles and grey hair under the brown dye.
It is my head that is in the fight. ” if I don’t look my best then… what “- God can’t use me – not true at all. I also need to stop listening to the well meaning friends around me who remind me I am getting older.
You know what; I am getting older and I am happy that I am in the roles God has placed me in.
Again Thank you for what you shared. It really has moved me to thinking and accepting. (Still not sure about the hair but I will let the Lord guide that decision) :) i wonder what i could do with the extra Money every 2 months….
Thank you (for thinking out loud for a minute.)
Barbara, I’m so happy to know that in just a few minutes, you latched onto a life-changing truth! Yes, God loves and values you so completely, regardless of hair colour. The struggles that take place regarding our outward appearance are often a matter of the heart. God bless you as you continue to hear from him and find comfort and wholeness in the skin you’re in!