Dear reader,

It felt simple and appropriate to Write this news to you in a letter. That’s how you and I have been communicating all these years. I love knowing I can come to this corner of the Internet and find you here ready for any mess of words I’ve got.

It was October 2014 when this news began to evolve. I’d just turned in the final edits for my first Book and I was ready to start book #2. I remember sitting down on the couch in my co-working space at the time. I had my iMac on my lap, triumphantly typing out what I thought would be the first few sentences to this next story. I would learn in the days and weeks ahead that it wasn’t time to write book #2 because I hadn’t yet learned how to live out what I was planning to write about. In that moment, I could tell God wanted me to learn my biggest life lesson yet: less words, more work. Live a good life, don’t just talk about it.

I got a big, fat “not yet” from God when it came to this second book and I wanted to ignore it so badly. I want you to know there is beauty and purpose in the “not yet” moments you encounter with God. Don’t ignore the chance to grow and develop. Soak in the “not yet,” gain all the wisdom you can, and then say, “yes” when the time is right to finally begin.

The months following me putting my pen down were some of the hardest and the best months of my life. I did so many things to build a life I wanted: planted a garden, went on bad Tinder dates, figured out how I like my eggs, broke away from friendships, established new ones, went to therapy, learned to be honest, said “no,” read my bible for more than 5 minutes a day, figured out how to pray, showed up for my neighbors, and discovered what forgiveness feels like. I fought for so many things that I know now to be invaluable: a sense of rootedness, a place on the map to call home, discipline, and relationships. I would say the biggest thing I possess today is a real, honest faith with God, rebuilt from the ground up and finally, completely mine.

…

After several hard and good years of living this story, writing dozens and dozens of draft pages, I am so thankful to introduce to you my second book, available August 28, 2018, in bookstores across the country:

You Are Here: Lessons in Showing Up for Your Life with Faith Over Fear (working title)

Life can be scary. Adulting is hard. And in the chaos of building a life of your own, it’s all too easy to let Fear take over and become the leading character in your story.

I know this because I have struggled with fear my entire life. I’ve given it different roles and I’ve let it reside in my presence under different names. But in the last 3 years, I learned the one choice that makes all the difference between living out of fear and living out of faith: the courage to show up for your life, with the confidence that God will meet you there, day after day.

Our hyper-connected era has led us to believe life should be a highlight reel—where what matters most is perfect beauty, instant success, and ready applause. And yet, nothing about faith, relationships, or character is instant. The life worth living isn’t a highlight reel—it’s made out of small acts of truth and kindness on repeat. This is what gives us roots to belong deeply to God and to each other and to become who we most long to be.

I want to tell you the truth I encountered and how I learned to fight back at fear and step out in faith, and show up for life.

….

I couldn’t be more excited to tell you this news and start this journey with you! We’ve got a long road of writing and editing ahead but I wanted to create a space where you and I could collaborate and commune. I am designing this closed group to be a place to connect with other readers, share stories, and receive news about the book as it makes its way to publication. I’d love for you to join me!

In the next few months, I’ll be continuing to write my heart out. I’ve started a love letter wall in my office space that is in plain sight as I sit with my computer every day and think about these words. I would love for you to write me a letter of encouragement to keep going and keep pushing fear out of the way. I would love to hear your story of kicking out fear and showing up for your life. I will add it to my writing wall and your words will be the words I look at as I try to write the best words in the world to give back to you.

You can mail all letters of encouragement to:

Hannah Brencher

535 Gresham Avenue.

Atlanta, GA.

30316.

Thank you for standing in my corner. Thank you for cheering for me. Thank you for showing up to this space again and again. It means so much.

Stay golden & keep fighting.

tying you closer than most,

hb.