Why I’m Writing Under a Pen Name

Greetings, fellow traveler. You are welcome here. Pull up a chair and get comfortable. We’ll talk about life, purpose, and the lessons that have shaped us. Some of what I share may feel familiar, some may be new, and some are the kinds of experiences people rarely talk about openly. But everything you read here is honest. Nothing is embellished. Every story comes from my own life.

Some moments were strange. Some were painful. Some were hard to understand until years later. But all of them point toward God’s faithfulness, and all of them carry hope. My prayer is that what you read here lightens your load, strengthens your faith, or simply helps you feel less alone.

I’ve wanted to write these stories for more than thirty years. The desire was always there, waiting for me to grow into the courage and clarity needed to tell them truthfully. I needed time to face my own blind spots, heal from certain wounds, and see the lessons with enough distance to share them responsibly. Over the years, I’ve learned things that reshaped how I understand this life and what God is doing in it. If even one of those pieces fits something you’ve been searching for, I’ll be grateful.

Some of what I’ll share is deeply personal, and some parts of my story involve others whose privacy deserves to be protected. That has created hesitation in the past. I’m not looking for attention, and none of these stories exist to bring glory to me. For all these reasons—and a few practical ones—I’ve chosen to write under a pen name.

A pen name allows me to write openly without creating problems for anyone connected to my story. I’ve lived through difficult seasons—strained relationships, spiritual battles, wounds, and the slow work of healing. I want to speak plainly about what God has done in my life without exposing or embarrassing the people involved.

Some experiences include family members or former spouses, and sharing those details under my real name could create unnecessary conflict for them or for the people they love. That isn’t my aim. I’m not interested in stirring up old pain or assigning blame. My goal is to tell the truth about God’s work in my life and to offer clarity to anyone walking an earlier stretch of the same path.

So you know what to expect, this blog will cover parts of my life that include supernatural experiences, moments of discernment, dreams, questions about identity, seasons of healing, and times when I’ve had to stand firm in spiritual warfare. I will share these things honestly, but always within the boundaries of Scripture. I’m not here to sensationalize anything or build a platform on dramatic stories. I’m simply telling the truth about what I’ve walked through.

I do not hold a seminary degree, and I’m not writing doctrine. My life is my testimony, and Scripture is the foundation beneath it. My hope is that as you read, you will begin to recognize God’s presence in your own life—maybe in quiet ways, maybe in ways you’ve overlooked, or maybe in ways you haven’t had language for yet.

At the heart of this blog is a simple goal: to affirm that the supernatural does exist without exaggeration or fear, and to help you understand what you’re experiencing through the lens of God’s goodness. The world is not as quiet spiritually as we tend to assume, but God is steady, faithful, and present in the midst of it all. My aim is to point you toward Him, not toward the experiences themselves.

These stories don’t imply that every experience in life carries a hidden or mysterious meaning. Many things happen simply because of our choices. And some things just happen in the normal rhythm of being human. The stories in this blog are ones where meaning eventually became clear—but they are the exception, not the rule. Most of my days are ordinary, quiet, and uneventful.

I’m not claiming expertise or special insight beyond what God has revealed to me personally. I’m sharing these moments because they have shown me the kindness and nearness of our Creator, and I hope they encourage you in the same way. If something in my story resonates with your own walk with Him, then this writing will have served its purpose.

This is not a platform for spiritual spectacle. I will treat these subjects with humility and reverence, avoiding sensationalism or anything that distracts from who God is. The emphasis belongs on Him—not on the gifts, not on the experiences, not on the unusual moments. We don’t pursue the gifts; we pursue God. And sometimes, in telling the stories of His gifts, we learn more about His nature and His love for us.

Why write now? The nudge has been there for years. I’ve sat down to begin more than once, but the timing was never right. My thoughts were tangled, and I didn’t yet have the clarity or maturity to tell the story in a way that honored what God had done.

During some of the hardest seasons, I kept journals simply to clear my head and to document what I couldn’t make sense of at the time. Those journals have waited quietly for this moment. With distance and healing, the events make more sense now, and the larger picture has begun to unfold.

Healing had to come first. I couldn’t tell the story until the fruit was ready—until the lessons had settled, and my perspective had been shaped by God rather than by pain. A recent encounter with Him became the turning point. It was the final confirmation I needed to begin the work I had been avoiding for so long.

And now, with a pen name providing the privacy and freedom I need, the last barrier has been lifted.

Marin A. Welles is the name I chose because I like it, simply. It also holds personal meaning connected to my life story, and it serves as a reminder of who I am in God.

Marin is often associated with the sea. In Scripture, the sea can represent depth, uncertainty, or chaos—and also the places where God shows His power and brings His people through safely.

Alona is a name that appeared in a recent dream. It is the feminine Hebrew form related to “oak,” as in the Oaks of Righteousness. It represents strength, steadiness, and identity rooted in God.

Welles brings to mind places of replenishment and restoration—wells of water, truth, and provision. God often meets people at wells, providing what is needed and drawing up what has been hidden beneath the surface.

For me, the name as a whole reflects a simple truth:

a life brought through deep waters, rooted in God, restored beside His living water.

It reminds me of the identity God has been shaping in me over the years, and it gives me the privacy and clarity I need to write these stories with honesty and safety.

Moving forward, I’ll be sharing stories from my life—some gentle, some deep, all honest. We’ll move at a steady, safe pace, beginning with everyday encounters and gradually working toward the heavier parts of my testimony. Some topics are light, and some are difficult to revisit. I’ll be fair to my own soul in the process, giving space for grief where it’s needed and letting God address any layers of guilt or shame that surface as I write.

This blog is grounded in truth—real truth, not personalized versions of it—anchored in Scripture, humility, and clarity. I won’t overreach, exaggerate, or force meaning onto something that doesn’t carry it.

My hope is simple: that these stories help someone feel less alone, less confused, and more aware of God’s steady presence in their own life.

Before we begin, I want to say thank you. Sharing these stories is vulnerable, and I’m grateful for your willingness to sit with me in a spirit of honesty and grace. My hope is that as you read, God will use these words to encourage you and draw your attention more fully to Him.

Do you mind if we pray? My prayer is simple:

Father in heaven, I ask that You use every word in this blog for encouragement. Anchor Your Holy Spirit in the midst of it. Be in the room with me as I write, and with the reader as they read. Give each of us a deeper understanding of You. Show them Your love and Your personal, passionate commitment to their life. All glory to the One True God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

With that foundation laid, I invite you to walk with me through these real, unpolished accounts of a faithful Savior who meets us in the everyday details of our lives.

Thank you again for being here.

~Marin