Hello Dear Friend!

I realize my interaction in this space has been very sporadic to say the least and for that I do apologize.  Life has been hard #butGod has been so faithful to carry me through to where I am today.

God is turning my Pain to Empowerment! I am grateful to be in this amazing place in my life. A place where my health is restored, my hope is alive, and my JOY is abounding once again.

I briefly shared a few posts regarding my health journey, but then went dormant due to my need to focus inward and truly heal my body, mind, and spirit. It’s been over a year-long journey and one I am so immensely proud to have endured!  However, I am ready to embark on the next journey God has for me and look forward to returning to this space once again, on a more regular basis in 2023.

Thank you for not giving up on me, and for privately encouraging me during my journey. The love, support, prayers and encouragement I’ve received from you all have meant the world to me and are forever etched upon my heart with gratitude.  Thank you. ♥

I recently read a post by Gabby at The Hospice Heart, who I started following after the loss of my Mother. I encourage you to read the post I linked, as it discusses a conversation she had with a 99 year old woman where she asks, “If you could give your younger self some advice, based on everything you have learned over your ninety-nine years, what would it be?” I cried as I read this post because it really struck a nerve for me.  I have told my husband that losing my parents has been two of the hardest losses of my life. However, in losing them, it also challenged me to be the woman I believe God has called me to be, not the woman my parents wanted me to be.

For those of you in your forties (like me!), you may relate to the “older generations” mentality regarding counseling and/or therapy. I grew up being taught I could be anything I wanted to be as long as I set my mind to it.  My dad wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer. My mom saw my teaching abilities so thought I should be a teacher. Ultimately, I ended up getting my B.A. in Psychology, much to both of their dismay. Neither of them embraced the world of psychology, much less my desire to be a counselor.  While they never explicitly told me I couldn’t or shouldn’t pursue the field, they questioned my choice and never could fully embrace or accept it with complete understanding. My heart’s desire is simple: I want to help people! My parents couldn’t grasp how that encompassed my Psychology degree, especially when I never pursued my MA nor my license to be a counselor.

Fast forward six years after my dad died, and three years after my mom died and here I am pursuing a field neither of them understood nor supported. Going back to what I once said to my husband, which is that I finally feel free to pursue the calling God has placed on my life, after losing both my parents, which I never felt I could do when they were alive. It’s surreal.  Gabby’s post really stirred in me the reality of exactly where I am and how much healing God has done in my life.

I grew up in a Christian home and was filled with the Holy Spirit at the age of 4. I have always had the deepest desire to serve God, and to follow a career path that would honor Him completely. As stated above, my heart’s desire is to help others.  However, I spent all of my twenties and thirties trying to please my parents and whomever was speaking into my life at the time.  When the two strongest voices in my life (Dad and Mom) were silenced, it caused a warring within me that I never expected, yet one that has since brought immense peace and comfort.  Never before was I free to choose my own career/ministry track. Instead, I felt bound to whatever my parents spoke into my life. Now, I am free to unabashedly pursue the calling God has placed on my life to help others! It’s quite liberating and honestly a little scary too.

I am currently working on a certification program called MBSR™ (Mind Body Spirit Release™) so I can become a practitioner who helps others heal from their past pain and traumas.  In the meantime, I’ve been working with my FDN Practitioner Sarah Phillipe, who specializes in Reversing Breast Implant Illness. Sarah has helped me heal my body from the inside out and completely change my life. Together, now that we are friends, we will be launching an Emotional Support Group to help other women learn to love their very good bodies, the way God created them. The movement Sarah and I are working on together focuses on Empowering women to turn their pain to Empowerment. Sarah will continue to focus on the physical aspect of healing the body from the inside out.  I will be focusing on the emotional aspect of healing our minds and hearts and learning to love our very good bodies, just the way God created them.

Never could I have ever imagined embarking on this journey. It has truly be orchestrated by God, who in His infinite wisdom placed me under the care of Sarah, also a fellow Believer, and then birthed in me the desire to help other women walk this journey from pain to empowerment.

I cannot wait to share more with you as we launch our Emotional Support Group. So stay tuned & please spread the word to any other woman you know who might be struggling with body image (don’t we all?).

I look forward to connecting with you again soon in this sacred space.

With Love,