This is for my organized-yet-overwhelmed friends who can color-code a planner but still can’t remember why they walked into a room. If your house is a mix of sentimental treasures and half-finished projects, and you’ve ever lost your reading glasses while wearing them, we’re already kindred spirits.

So if you're embracing the beauty of midlife, loving what lasts, and repurposing what you can (including your expectations), then let’s do this together. Messy can still be meaningful, and life can be beautifully repurposed.

Michelle

 

Bio

Life doesn’t always go as planned, but Michelle Rayburn has learned that some of the best stories come from life’s unexpected twists. She’s passionate about repurposing—not just furniture and flea market finds, but also setbacks, disappointments, and the everyday chaos of midlife. With a little creativity (and a lot of grace), she believes anything can be transformed into something meaningful.

Fueled by iced coffee, dark chocolate, and the occasional afternoon spent in a the hammock with a good book (laundry can wait), Michelle is a writer, podcaster, and self-proclaimed queen of lighthearted sarcasm. She speaks fluent “boy mom humor” and believes that laughter is a midlife survival skill.

With an MA in ministry leadership and counseling, she helps others find the treasure in life’s challenges—both practically and spiritually. She’s the author of several Christian living books, including The Repurposed and Upcycled Life: When God Turns Trash to Treasure and the multi-award-winning Classic Marriage: Staying in Love as Your Odometer Climbs. Her work has also appeared in Christian magazines.

Married to Phil for 35 years, and counting they’ve successfully launched two sons into adulthood—a milestone that calls for celebration and a long nap. Thankfully, she’s gained two wonderful daughters-in-love along the way, balancing out the family dynamic with a little extra estrogen.

If you love humor, honest conversations, and the reminder that life (and faith) can be beautifully repurposed, you’re in the right place. And if you bring chocolate, she just might share.

 

The Rest of the Story

Michelle and Phil live in a unique home that's not your typical suburban house - it's actually a former little country church with a parsonage attached! The church half is over a century old, while the rest of the house is slowly but surely coming out of its '70s and '50s decor with ongoing updates and renovations. And with Michelle's love for trash-to-treasure decorating, you can bet that the place is filled with creative makeovers of what most people would consider junk.

As a mom of two boys, Michelle has had her fair share of the testosterone zone, but that's why she loves speaking at women's events - it's a chance to escape and get a good dose of estrogen and female companionship. Plus, let's be honest, it's nice to talk about something other than sports and video games for once.

Now, onto some random facts about Michelle.

Did you know that she once contributed to the family food supply by shooting a 6-point buck during rifle season? Talk about providing for your family! And as an avid reader, it's not uncommon for her to go through two books a week, often read by flashlight in bed during the wee hours of the morning.

Oh, and here's a fun fact: Michelle gave birth to her two sons on the same day within eleven minutes of the same time of day - but they're not twins. How? They were actually born two years apart. And when her boys were small, she would spend some evenings in her woodworking shop in the basement while her husband watched the boys. The "solitude" of the router, table saw, and hammer were a welcome break after a long day with the kiddos.

Despite all of this, Michelle may sound like a total tomboy, but don't be fooled - she's actually quite girly. Bugs? Yuck. Outdoors? Not her thing. Changing a tire? She couldn't tell you where to begin. Give her some dark chocolate and a good book instead, and she'll be perfectly content.