Hey y’all, I’m Tina ~ a lifelong lover of stories, Southern skies, and the sacred weight of words.

My roots run deep in the legal field. I started out in the U.S. Army as a legal specialist and went on to serve as a legal secretary, paralegal, transcriptionist, and now, a court reporter. I’ve worked across nearly every corner of the courtroom without ever needing to wear a robe. These days, I put those years of experience to work by capturing testimony with care and clarity — because words matter, and how we record them matters even more.

When I’m not behind a keyboard, you’ll likely find me barefoot in the flower beds, coffee in hand, while Otis (my stubborn French Bulldog) does his best to undo my hard work. Or I’m in the kitchen whipping up something from scratch — because I still believe in handwritten letters, home-cooked meals, and the kind of faith that grows deep roots, even after the fire.

And that faith — in Jesus — is the reason I started The Truth and Tallow.

Because I’ve been through fire. More than once. And I’ve learned that the fire wasn’t the end of the story — it was the beginning of freedom.

This space was born from lessons only learned in battle — the kind of spiritual warfare that doesn’t make it into most Sunday sermons.

I love the churches I’ve been part of. I love the pastors who poured truth into me.

But some of the hardest, holiest lessons I’ve learned came when I was alone — face down in prayer, fighting battles nobody else could see.

That’s the heart behind The Truth and Tallow:

Real stories. Raw truth. Rendered slowly through the heat of experience and the hope of redemption.

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives… to comfort all who mourn… to give them beauty for ashes…”

— Isaiah 61:1–3

If you’ve ever walked through fire, felt the weight of silence in church pews, or found unexpected strength through the Holy Spirit alone — you’ll feel at home here.

Truth be told, this space is for you. It’s a place where those roots get shared — one rendered truth at a time.