“Get to know ‘me’ not just my resume”
WHO AM I?
I love Jesus deeply. Worship and prayer are my lifelines.
But people are my real passion– interesting and complex– the layers of life wrapped up into what we experience when we’re with them. I not only love getting to know them, but more importantly making them feel known. I’ve learned that in order to be compassionate, we have to first be caring and curious.
I love words. Reading them. Writing them. And, most of all, studying them—particularly as they relate to scripture and bringing it more alive.
I’m a self-proclaimed Bible nerd (not at all to be confused with a Bible expert). I totally geek out over all things biblical. Second only to my enormous, scribble-filled, large-print Bible, my well-worn paperback copy of Miriam-Webster’s dictionary from college is one of my most prized possessions.
I believe Broadway musicals are the highest form of entertainment and often wish I could be singing in one of their high-energy dance numbers. But at home, curled up on the sofa, binge-watching a good series with my family and our dog is truly my favorite place to be.
People are often surprised to hear that I’m an extreme introvert which is really just code for the fact that I require an absurd amount of downtime to recharge.
When I’m not “introverting,” I love hosting and serving others. Wrapping a gift for someone or curating a gathering for them is my favorite, most intentional expression of love. I love cooking, and I love eating good food even more. I much prefer the mountains and a hike to the beach and a walk in the sand. I love laughing and playing games with friends, but make no mistake; I also like playing to win.
“Get to know ‘me’ not just my resume”
WHO AM I?
That’s complicated to answer, but I’ll hit the highlights. I’m a self-proclaimed Bible nerd (not at all to be confused with being an expert). I simply mean that I totally geek out over all Bible-related things.
I love words. Reading them. Writing them. And studying them—particularly as they relate to scripture and bringing it more alive.
People are often surprised to learn that I’m an extreme introvert. I don’t mean that I’m uncomfortable in groups or that I don’t like being with people, just that I really need significant alone time to recharge. Home is my favorite place. I love time at home with my family and our dog, Wynnie, most of all.
But when I’m not “introverting,” I love the mountains and hiking, watching Broadway musicals, traveling, enjoying good food, and playing Monopoly™ Deal with friends.
WHY I DO WHAT I DO?
When I developed a personal relationship with Jesus in my mid 30s, it was the first time I ever felt truly known, accepted, and understood—like I belonged. Like I was finally safe.
I desperately want others to feel that too.
Despite growing up in a “Christian” home, I somehow missed what it meant to be “saved” but more importantly what it was like to be seen, known, and loved by Jesus and to actively do life with Him.
I knew if I’d missed it, other people were missing it too. I vowed to help anyone I could find what I’d found in His Word and through His Holy Spirit.
In the Christian world, people often say “Peace is a person.” That is true, yet I’ve discovered that finding peace is a process that requires fully embracing the hard things in our lives, recognizing hard things we may not understand in other people’s lives, and using both of those things to grow.
As my own healing continues to come, so does a deeper compassion toward and connection to other people’s experiences and pain even when we are vastly different from each other.
I’ve learned that genuinely caring about people leads to curiosity. That curiosity leads to compassion, and that compassion is the glue that connects us. Unlocking that connection has become my passion.
Aligning that passion with the Lord has become my purpose.
Scripture says that Jesus was “moved by compassion.” I believe that we should be too.
WHY I DO WHAT I DO?
When I finally developed a personal relationship with Jesus in my 30s, it was the first time in my life that I felt known and understood—like I belonged. Despite growing up in a “Christian” home, I had totally missed what it meant to be “saved” and follow Jesus.
I knew that if I’d missed it, others could be missing it too, so I vowed to do whatever I could to help others find the acceptance, guidance, and peace I’d found in walking with Him.
I’ve discovered that finding peace also means facing trauma. As my own healing came, so did a connection to others’ pain. That connection has become a passion for bringing healing and biblical reconciliation to those around me.
AND NOW, THE BIO.
Candace has been a guest contributor for the Proverbs 31 Podcast with Lysa TerKeurst and a guest teacher at a number of churches in the Charlotte, NC area.
She’s been a contributing ghost-writer for traditionally published Christian non-fiction works on prayer as well as spiritual warfare.
Since 2009, Candace has led Bible studies and prayer groups, written Bible studies, mentored women, and led a wide variety of community events.
She’s passionate about community reconciliation and spends much of her time working with underserved families both personally and through her on-going involvement with a variety of non-profit organizations.
She has led collaborative community events with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, Civil Righteousness, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dream Center, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Additionally, she’s served on Advisory Boards and committees for non-profit organizations, including ScreenStrong and the Isaiah 117 House.
That community experience along with her Native American heritage and her diverse professional background in public and private sector work bring a unique perspective to all she does.
Additionally, she holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She and her family currently live in Charlotte, NC.
AND NOW, THE BIO.
For more than a decade, Candace has led Bible studies and prayer groups, written Bible studies, mentored women, and led community events.
She’s actively involved in community reconciliation work and serves as an advocate for underserved minority families.
She recently founded her own non-profit, Reconcile America, aimed at inspiring, equipping, and empowering Believers to follow Jesus’ early Church model to become agents of reconciliation, healing, and peace in their communities.
Candace has been a guest contributor to the Proverbs 31 Podcast with Lysa TerKeurst and has been a speaker and leader for numerous collaborative community events with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, Civil Righteousness, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dream Center, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as well as several racially diverse churches in the Charlotte, NC, area.
She has a BA in Broadcast Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And lives in Charlotte, NC with her two children and their Bichapoo puppy.