A note from Julia Stevens, the heroine in High Exposure: 

Picture this: You have a plan for your life—you’re a professional skier, on the way to the Olympics! You have a handsome man. A happy family.

Then, in one devastating moment, your life crumbles.

Death. 

Plans change. 

Loss of a relationship. 

Has that ever happened to you? There you are, living with a full, bright future, perfectly curated plans, and life smacks you in the face?

It might look different for all of us, but that’s what happened when my sister died. She was my best friend. We grew up together, then she died a tragic death. Life stolen too early. So much potential, lost.

I did the only thing I could—I tried to flee the pain. Surely, if I run, the pain will go away! This worked really well…until it didn’t.

I came to the end of my rope and had to face reality. There must be some truth to the old adage—you can run but you can’t hide. I was running, but I couldn’t hide.

I came to Silverberg, Colorado, and all the things I’d been running from were now my present reality. Snow? Check. Skiing? Check. A happy family? Check. Faith? Check.

God must’ve known I needed to face this pain to work through it. 

So, here’s what happened. I arrived in Silverberg. Got stuck in the snow on my first day. A grumpy, handsome man named Cade rescued me. Then I found a dead body.

Everyone tip-toed around this death, and it made me curious, suspicious even. 

I wondered: could this death be the catalyst to my new life?

So, I took the first tentative step in the journey—researching this death, trying to figure out why this man died and why these secrets festered in this small town. As I braved each day—starting with a warm cup of coffee and layers of winter clothes, my heart began to thaw. I started to open up to Cade, to trust him. I became friends with his family and remembered the beauty of familial relationships. One step at a time, I embraced each new adventure. 

Have you ever backcountry skied? Snowmobiled? Ice skated? Ice climbed? Let me tell you: these are thrilling, scary activities. There’s a majestic awe standing at the top of a mountain. All around, the undulating peaks and valleys magnify the great world around us. They made me feel small. They made me see God differently. I saw his creation and its sheer beauty.

I got back in touch with pieces of my life I’d buried so deep I didn’t know they existed anymore.

I kept searching for answers—both in my life and for the man who died. And I kept running against obstacles—danger and threats and secrets. Someone was after me! Why? I couldn’t figure it out, despite how much I tried. Turns out, there was a meth ring in Silverberg, and I had angered someone. I became the target! 

Don’t worry, Cade protected me and solved the case. He has his own journey of trusting God, too. I’ll let him share that some other time. I’ve learned we’re all on a journey. Oh, we have different circumstance and things to work through, but life is a journey.

I wish I could tell you I healed by sitting around thinking and waiting. Or by running from my pain. The reality for me was much bigger—it turned out to be a process of learning to trust, learning to let go, learning to see that God was still working in me, despite the fact I’d fled.

Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar situation. (Let’s hope not: I don’t recommend trying to dodge a meth ring). But you know, maybe life smacked you in the face. Something unexpected happened and you’re trying to figure out what to do next. I invite you to step into the process. He gently draws us back to him; he works through our pain. Oh, dear friend, it takes time, and it hurts. The opening of my soul was like pouring salt in an open wound. It might heal, but not without pain racking my body first. But he cares for us. He continues the good work he starts in us. There’s always hope. 

You might be wondering—what happened between Cade and me? Well, you’ll probably want to read about in High Exposure. But I can leave you with a little tidbit…our journey was thrilling and adventurous and scary and beautiful. Just like life. Just like I hope and pray for you.

Julia

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Until next time, may your reading bring both light and encouragement.

Happy reading!
~ Danielle.