Hard to believe it’s been a year since I took a step of faith and left my national radio show (and steady paycheck) after 12+ years as the host of “After Hours with Amy Lawrence.” It was a drastic life change in a variety of ways, and yet it wasn’t even the most significant shift of the last 12 months.
The choice to walk away from my radio gig wasn’t made lightly. The move was covered in prayer for a couple years, even before I got married. I honestly don’t regret the decision. I knew it was the right thing for me. And when my former company laid off 90% of the employees associated with the network in December, it was further confirmation. If I had accepted the contract offer on the table at the end of 2024, my path over the last year would have gone in the opposite direction.
Has the road been easy? No. Has it always been smooth? Definitely not. Have I struggled with the transition? Absolutely. Have I cried a bunch of tears? Oh, yes.
But unequivocally, even if I could, I wouldn’t go back and make a different choice. Through all the changes and challenges of the past year, I’ve learned valuable lessons about commitment, determination, faith, even disappointment. I’ve learned a lot about what I want for my professional and creative future. And I’ve learned so much about LOVE, believe it or not. We’ve all heard the adage referring to love as an action, not simply feelings and emotions. Never has that truth been more evident to me than in 2025 after leaving my job.
Love means investing in the long-term. For me, taking a few steps back and sideways is how I found a new way forward. I worked late nights and overnights for the better part of 20 years between ESPN Radio and CBS Sports Radio. It was amazing! My favorite shows are always in the wake of big events and fantastic finishes, like NFL Sundays and championship clinchers. I grew into the host I am today, developing my own personal style and learning to connect with the audience.
I was single for most of those years and found a schedule that fit my career and priorities. My husband and I even managed opposite schedules for two years as a couple. He was willing to continue if that’s what I wanted. But thinking long-term, knowing our desire to explore adoption, overnights weren’t sustainable. I needed to be mentally and physically healthier and more present as a momma.💗 Leaving overnights was an investment in our family.
Love requires daily pursuit. Walking through the adoption process over the last year has taught me this in a tangible way. I started researching adoption last March, soon after I left overnights. We initially talked about foster-to-adopt, so I jumped into reading and reaching out for information. I talked to a friend who had walked that road. My nights and brain were filled with a different kind of content than what I used the previous 13 years. Every day, I would bombard my husband with what I learned while he was sleeping, ha.
When it became clear we weren’t eligible to foster in New Jersey, I turned my attention to adoption agencies. There are countless options and methods to explore, whether domestic or international, small private or nationwide, faith-based or not. It took several more weeks to filter through the possibilities to see what was available to us. And I followed the maze to a lot of dead ends before we found the right fit for us. By mid-May, we had signed with an agency; but the real work was just beginning. Since then, not one day has passed without conversations about the adoption, critical decisions, education, applications, document-gathering, calls, emails, uploads, plans, prayers, even tears. This process has been a daily part of our lives for the past year.
Love calls for going all in. As we were signing the contract with our adoption agency, I was in the mix for a new job. Not the kind of position I’ve held in the past…this was my dream job! I dove into preparing for my first interview, using every bit of my wisdom and experience to craft a unique presentation. I spent hours reading and taking notes about the company’s history and horizons. For the second round, I paid meticulous attention to detail and tried to anticipate every possible question I might face from seven people over seven hours. In the waiting, I reached out to industry contacts and asked for their support (which I rarely do). And we prayed and believed God would move this mountain if it was His will for us.
For three months, I poured heart, soul, mind, body and spirit into chasing this dream. It was pointless not to “get my hopes up.” I couldn’t hold back; instead, I immersed myself in the possibilities to make sure I was at my best throughout the process. So I dared to dream REALLY big. And when the call finally came, as kind and complimentary as it was, there was no softening the blow. I was devastated. Even now, it hurts to think about falling just short when my dream was within reach. But I have no regrets. I gave all of me and will be ready when the next opportunity comes around.
Love necessitates sacrifice. I often use one particular phrase in coaching and mentoring students and young broadcasters and in talking about incredible athletic feats on my radio shows. “Anything worth having is worth sacrificing for.” When it comes to relationships, love often means putting the needs and wants of others in front of our own. As we spent last summer in limbo, we started prepping for a move since we would need to be ready if the job opened up. As we waited and prayed, all the family reasons for a move, regardless of work, came into focus. I’ve already shared why relocating to Texas was tough for me, but I have no doubt God called us here for our moms and family (present and future). We especially want our little one to grow up knowing her grandmothers and siblings and spending quality time with them.
Love is rarely a linear journey. It comes with zigs and zags, twists, turns and pivots. Love is a choice, often a difficult one, when my emotions don’t instantly get on board. Love can’t be selfish because it won’t last. Love is challenging and can be all-consuming. Practicing love, essentially putting my money where my mouth is, has stretched me more than I could’ve imagined when I left my job 12 months ago.
From the Bible, I cherish a couple verses to keep me on track. 1 John 3:18 counsels us: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.”
I John 4:18 reminds us “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.” And from I Timothy 1:7, we know “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Even though I don’t know where this road is leading us, even though I still have so many questions about the next phase of my career, even though I haven’t seen my dreams come true yet, I am confident God’s love never fails. I am so thankful for the example of the perfect love of Jesus as I learn more about walking in love this side of heaven.❤️
Play by Play Day by Day with Amy Lawrence 