About Maree Dee

Maree Dee is a Writer | Speaker | Mental Health Advocate | Ministry Leader—passionate about encouraging and equipping others to embrace life in the midst of the unexpected. She is a warrior who doesn’t give up when the journey gets tough. Maree believes that together with God, we can all find incredible joy along the way, even when surrounded by tremendous pain.   

Maree Dee writes biweekly on her website and has been a guest on various sites. On Fridays, she co-hosts a blog linkup, Grace & Truth, and she would love to have you participate. She is published in the books—Extinguishing the Spirit of Fear, Prayer: Approaching the Throne of Grace, and  Perseverance: 30 Devotions for Faith that Moves Mountains.

In addition to writing, Maree Dee is the Founder of Embracing Faith & Mental Illness and Co-founder, leader, and speaker at Circles of Hope, a mental health ministry. Maree is a devoted and experienced advocate for families with mental health challenges. She knows firsthand the pain of watching family members struggle with mental illness and the helpless feelings that can leave caregivers lost and without hope. Maree strives to educate, support, and teach life-changing skills in a faith-based environment.

Visit our Embracing Faith & Mental Illness page to discover four unique ways caregivers can participate.

Now Let’s Get a Little Personal, Informal, and Fun 

Maree Dee’s Family & Friends

God has blessed her with a beautiful family, incredible friends, a handsome husband of thirty-two years, and three exceptional children. Plus, she has a few kids she loves to call her own. 

Her Passion

Maree finds her passion in helping people. She frequently discovers herself fighting for the “underdog” against all the odds. True, she is small in stature, five feet to be exact, but don’t let that fool you. Maree can fight like a mighty warrior against injustices and causes close to her heart.

Her life before writing was quite different than today. Maree co-owned a successful Certified Public Accounting practice. While working as a CPA, she co-led mission trips to foreign countries, directed Bible study groups, served on non-profit boards, co-led Girl Scouts, and volunteered in numerous capacities.

She doesn’t have life mastered and is a work in progress, accepting God’s grace and mercy daily. You will always find her in the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and discovering crucial ways to embrace the unexpected. She continues to exhibit her genuine care for others.

What Does Maree Dee Love

She loves to share life with others,  her family, friends, and strangers she meets along the way. Maree wants to know YOU! She will probe to discover what makes you tick, brings you joy, and hurts your heart. 

Maree’s favorite activity is flying down a snow-capped mountain on skis. She is continuously in awe as she rides up the lift of all God has created. The ski slope is one of her favorite places to meet God.

She is a wanna-be hiker, but the paths must be wide and void of snakes. She isn’t the best hiking partner because you might have to carry her off the trail at the mere rustle of a bush. Her daughter, Marie, can attest to this.

Although she can’t carry a tune, she loves to sing and dance around the house when no one is looking. Music feeds her soul.

Planning is her forte. Ask Maree what she has planned on any given day; she probably has a layout. Funny, she likes things orderly, predictable, and consistent—which life is not. 

Most of all, Maree loves God! He is her best friend and companion. She knows He will never leave her and depends on Him as she embraces the unexpected in life.

Why Does Maree Dee Write & Speak

The simple answer to why Maree writes and speaks is because she wants the pain she has experienced to be used by God, not wasted. She knows God can and will bring beauty out of ashes.   

Many years ago, God began whispering to her, “Maree, I want you to write and tell our stories.” At first, she argued with God because it made no sense. After all, she was that little girl who wouldn’t even raise her hand in class. Plus, she is a recovering perfectionist, and hitting the publish button on an imperfect article was terrifying. Plus, she didn’t have a fairy tale ending. 

However, the people who traveled before her on similar paths have inspired her. Tears fill her eyes, and her heart swells with gratitude as she ponders the brave souls who have helped pave the way to how to embrace the unexpected bravely.

We all must keep sharing our journey!

Maree Dee’s Life Verse

“Be still and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10

Where Does Maree Dee Struggle

Although she has made tremendous strides, being still does not come easy. God has put this verse in her heart year after year, reminding her to sit still with Him. He nudges her often to stop long enough to notice and enjoy the present moment.

One of her most significant challenges is balancing all she wants to do with the number of minutes in a day. However, she is learning the beauty of the word “No.”

Of course, these are not the only areas of struggle for Maree. On the pages of this website, you will meet other challenges as she shares with honesty and vulnerability.  

Her Unexpected Life

Maree is an example of a life that wasn’t anticipated. At three days old, she was adopted, embraced, and loved by a forever family. 

She has endured many painful, unanticipated circumstances and losses, which you may discover throughout her blog. However, the most heartbreaking, unexpected pain for her has been watching family members suffer from mental health challenges while leaving her feeling utterly incompetent to wipe away the tears and pain. 

Nevertheless, through her life experiences, she has discovered that nothing is impossible with God, and He will never leave or forsake us. She has learned to count the little blessings along the way, often producing mighty big miracles over time.

We Will All Face the Unexpected

Our stories may not be the same, but we ALL will face the unexpected in life. The choice is ours on how we will persevere. We can choose to grab God’s hand and lean on each other or rely solely on our strength, which will always wear out.

United, we can uncover ways to persevere and find peace, joy, and unexpected everyday blessings. 

Maree Dee’s Hope for You 

She hopes you will join her on a journey to embrace life in the midst of the unexpected. Together, we will never give up. Let’s encourage each other, strengthen our faith, and do life together. 

"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." 
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

You Are Invited to Join Me on This Journey.

Let’s Do Life Together!

Embracing the Unexpected Community

Subscribe today and never miss a blog update. As a welcome gift, you will receive access to our private library, which includes a powerful prayer packet with worksheets for using the prayer acronym T.R.U.S.T. and more.

Email – Maree.dee@embracingtheunexpected.com

Embracing Faith & Mental Illness Community

Embracing Faith & Mental Illness is a Christ-centered online community for people who care for someone with a mental illness. We have four unique ways for caregivers to participate. You choose what works best for you.

Click here to discover four unique ways for caregivers to participate.

Disclaimer

The names of people and places close to Maree Dee are most likely fictitious out of respect for privacy. These individuals have amazing stories filled with struggles, hope, and triumphs, and her desire is one day, you will personally hear from each of them. 

Maree will share things that have worked well for her. However, she is not a professional, nor can she take the place of one.

Photos by Hilde Nester Photography