ABOUt me

Hey, I’m Manda

I’m a neighbor, question-asker, and cheerleader of the underdog who spends her days writing, speaking and adovocating.

In 2015, I married my husband, Eric, who I call E.

We have one biological son, Shia, and have been foster parents to 16 kids before him.

Together, E and I host A Longer Table Podcast.

We currently live in Los Angeles, California.

Right now, I’m most likely dunking Chips Ahoy cookies in milk or sipping on an iced mocha with extra whipped cream.

I’m almost always dreaming of a better world. One where marriages are thriving, people are tending to their soul, and foster care isn’t needed.

Want to know what energizes me?

Empowering the vulnerable and advocating for redemption. Seeing people own their full identity and do their inner work is about as beautiful as it gets in my eyes. Redemption takes many different forms, but you know it when you’ve experienced it in your own life.

IF WE’RE KEEPING IT PROFESSIONAL:

After earning her Bachelor's in Education from Bethel University, Manda taught in a Title I low-income public school system for four years. She then moved to Chicago and pivoted in her career by accepting a position to work for a multi-billion dollar company as the Global Media Manager. While she enjoyed all things media and public relations, and learned a great deal, she wanted to pursue the things she cared about most which led her to pivot yet again. She accepted an offer to work for her church at the time. As the First Impressions Director at Soul City Church, Manda was able to gain ministry experience that grew her passion for Jesus, vulnerable populations, and teaching—only this time to adults. It was during this period of her life that her writing became more known and she released her first book, Space, a 30-day devotional for women. The success of Space (October 2018) led to her book deal with Baker Publishing Group for Soul Care to Save Your Life (August 2022). Now, Manda lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son where she writes, speaks, and advocates. Foster care is not only part of their family's life, but a large part of her advocacy work. Additionally, she takes on short-term contracts to assist organizations in a specific area if it aligns with her mission in life; most recently, with an organization that exists to end homelessness in her city. Manda is forever learning, pivoting, and bringing integrity to all of her projects no matter the industry. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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LETTERS FROM ME TO YOU

I used to send hundreds – yes, HUNDREDS, of handwritten letters out to strangers I met online. Now I have children in my life who consume most of my time and attention, so I’ve switched to the next best thing: sending letters via email. There I candidly share about faith, marriage, motherhood, soul care, social justice… and occasionally the collision of it all.