About Niina

Mess & Majesty Blog

Welcome to my trove of messy musings for God's majesty. This is the space I use to embrace the paradoxical life of faith and suffering. More often than not, God refines me in "the furnace of affliction" (as Isaiah 48:10 puts it), and I've struggled with it. But my paradigm is shifting. This world is not my home. All that is endured in this life prepares me for eternal communion with Jesus in next one. I don't have it all figured out, I probably never will. So I trust the Sovereign One, full of power and authority over every dominion, who will one day return and make all things new. Until then, I write for His glory.

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My Expat Life

My family traded the food carts of Portland, Oregon for the street foods of Thailand in 2015. Over the last decade, we have endured a year of national mourning, a global pandemic, and most recently, survived a flood so astronomical it only happens once every 300 years. Our family was stranded 3 days on our second floor with 7-8 feet of water in the house just before Thanksgiving 2025. The Lord literally wiped our slate clean. He has not released us, so we keep calm, press on, and rebuild. This expat life feels complicated, but I'm trying to embrace my lot and find delight along the way.

My Crew

My husband's laugh has been the soundtrack of my life for nearly 18 years. I love him more every day. We have a Little Women vibe happening in our home with three daughters (ages 5, 6 & 16). I adore my little family, even when emotions and hormones run high.

"Take the very hardest thing in your life - the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there He can bring your soul into blossom."
~ Lilias Trotter ~