If you have been subscribed for awhile, thank you for your patience. If you’re new, welcome. You may have noticed this space has been really quiet since the first “soft” launch. I intended to build up a month’s worth of material before having an actual launch, but life had other plans.
The original name “Brick by Brick”, was meant to capture the journey from deserts in Iraq as a skeptical deist back home to a devout Catholic. The truth is, that story, while it needs to be told, was too heavy to lift. I intended “Brick by Brick” to make the load lighter. It didn’t. It felt like I was lifting the whole village.
I couldn’t get the words on the page, while other parts of my faith needed to be addressed and I didn’t have an outlet to discuss them-- other than “Brick by Brick”. The name became a trap. I was so focused on telling my past that I couldn’t write about living in my present. My life was moving forward while I was trying to write a memoir.
That is why I am no longer trying to rebuild “Brick by Brick”. I am now simply going to try and be faithful. Faithful to God and His unchanging truth. I will discuss my journey to Him, which involves some story telling of the past, but isn’t the past. This story of faith isn’t mean to be in the past, it is an active, living and breathing story that grows every day. It writes itself every minute that I find myself looking to and away from God in my struggles.
The new name, Faithful Quill is on a new mission. Anchored in God’s unwavering truth and committed to showing up. Writing about what matters in the moment, not what mattered back then.
You will notice older articles are still here. They still have meaning and “Brick by Brick” isn’t gone forever. It might reincorporate as a series in this newsletter. But, for now... this is a new beginning. This is the true launch: Bi-weekly articles exploring faith, resiliency, and the stories that helped rebuild me into a Faithful, God-fearing Catholic standing here today. No more long silences, or timid “soft” launches.
If you ever felt like you were in a season of silence, or you are just ready for a new chapter, this space is for you. Whether you’re a Veteran, On Active Duty, a Civilian, laity or religious, protestant or Catholic, welcome and thank you for being here.
Let’s begin again.
This isn't just about a newsletter or substack and its brand. this is about trading in that heavy past for a more faithful present. I'd love to hear from you. Have you ever had to tear something down in order to build something more true?
Yes, he is a Doctor of the Church and a patron of writers.