We needed a shed.

When I was 26, my wife Helene and I bought our first house. It had a nice yard and I needed a place to keep the lawnmower. Carrying a machine with a blade up from the basement wasn’t a great option.

We needed a shed.

We had enough money to buy the materials, but not enough for someone to build it, so I decided I could do it. I had some experience building, growing up I pretend-helped my dad do tons of renovation projects and in college I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.

I could swing a hammer and knew that it looked cool if you held the nails in your mouth; beyond that I was a novice. 

But, necessity and desire came together and I decided I could do it. So, I dug and set the foundation, leveled the floor, raised the walls, framed in windows and shingled the roof. All by myself. The shed looked great! And it was square! But more importantly, I realized I was a builder.

I was never trained to be a builder. I certainly wasn’t credentialed, my college degree was in molecular biology. But I decided to start. The necessity of the next step and a willingness to learn got me through.

Finishing that shed led to me remodeling 9 rooms, each one a little more complicated than the last. I got a lot better at it.

And honestly, it led to me starting CappaWork. I was not credentialed to design a planner, I did not know how to make a website, or what tech stack to use, but I did know I could figure it out.

If you sit quietly for just a moment, I bet there is something you want to start, but are hesitant to. Maybe you don’t feel qualified, or that someone else could do it better. Maybe you’re not sure of the steps after the first one.

Well, this is your encouragement to just start. Take that first step!!! Open your ears to the joint call of necessity and desire and just get moving. You can figure it out! And heck, maybe this will be your first shed. I was proud of that shed. 🙂

This weekend I wish you courage! The bravery to look foolish and make mistakes, the aptitude to be able to just figure it out. I pray your spirit is filled with the same joy that makes the autumn mountains burst into song and the trees clap their hands.

Much love,

Nate

P.S. Shoutout to my incredible friend Andy, who inspires me to keep starting. His “(Almost) daily &D" project is awesome.