Journey along with me on this blog as we find freedom in our daily lives!
Letting go of others’ opinions
2018 was a pivotal year for me where my perspective on others started to shift. As we have walked through this season, one of the fun lessons was learning to let go of what others think. A lot of people care about what others think and I’ve been one of those people. People love to ruminate on what others say and let that affect our actions. I’ve come to realize I shouldn’t care about others’ opinions of me, but care about Jesus opinion of me. His opinion is what matters most. So why do we care so much? Because it’s human nature to want to be...
read more4 Ways to Find Freedom
In my 20’s, I tried everything I thought would bring me happiness. I tried to fill a void with sex, food, alcohol, and shopping. Oh how I wish I had the money I spent after my divorce. Part of it was having the freedom to shop after being financially abused and part of it was being careless. This is where my journey veered into finding freedom. I wanted to be free from the things poisoning my life on a regular basis. Now, there is nothing wrong with shopping, sex in the right context and food. But when those things are controlling you, it can...
read moreBeing present with my family
Each school year, I go and go until I crash. Being a doer doesn’t always make me present with my kids. One of my biggest struggles is being present with others instead of spinning my wheels on my to-do list. As summer approaches (hello Colorado snow in May), our family hops off into adventures. We have decided to do a digital detox again which brings us back together as a family unit. Being present and creating adventures What I love about about unplugging is how it pushes me to be present with my kids. Taking a step back from the news,...
read moreSafety Planning
These statistics are alarming to me. Domestic violence happens every minute to 20 people in the US. Domestic abuse happens to 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the US. When you hear those words, what do you think? I think about the women and children at the local shelter where I volunteer. They risked their lives to become safe. Safety planning is so important to bring more people to safety. What is safety planning? Safety planning is coming up with a plan in order to escape violence. Whether you’re leaving your residence or the residence of the...
read moreHow self-reliance can become God-reliance
I am survivor. I am a doer. I’m also self-reliant. Survivor is a badge I wear proudly. Surviving multiple things such as domestic violence, health issues, and upheaval of community has lead me to become self-reliant. Most of the time, I’m pretty proud of my self-reliance. While being self-reliant, I’m also a doer. Doer’s have a hard time sitting down and not doing anything. These fine qualities can help you navigate life well, but if you’re unhealthy, they can become very detrimental. Being self-reliant in this culture is something people...
read moreFinding freedom during health issues
A few weeks ago brought another health challenge. As we walked through another possible surgery, I kept thinking of all the amazing gifts we’ve been given. My family and I can walk, talk, see, and hear. The older we get the more our bodies can resist harder workouts. I love to workout, but sometimes we’re reduced to walking. And guess what? That’s okay. I can still hike, snowshoe and ski, but in the midst of health hardships, how do you keep going? Put one foot in front of the other. You get up each day and make the decision to keep moving...
read moreFinding Freedom
Finding freedom is a topic near to my heart. Freedom is something I’ve always craved in order to live life my way. But I realized my way wasn’t getting me too far. Most people long to be free. So many long to have an abundant life. What if there’s a different way to gain freedom? Join me as we discuss what it means to be free and have an abundant life this month. What is freedom? What is freedom? Freedom, in the simplest terms, is the state of being free instead of imprisoned or enslaved. It is the right to act, speak, or think as one wants...
read moreThe Backside of the Mountain
Recently I met with a dear friend and we caught up. She wanted to get together and hear how life was going. This is a trust-worthy person because she is a mentor and cares with kindness. As we caught up, she kept saying this phrase which I had never heard before. She said ‘you’re on the backside of the mountain’. She explained you’ve been strategically placed in solitude in order to prepare you for His work. The backside can also be a place of transition and pruning. Yikes! Those are all the words I’ve been fighting against for the last year....
read moreGrowing into 2019
Here comes 2019! 2019 is going to be a year filled with anticipation and hope. Hope of how we’ll continue to grow during the good and the bad times, and for all the adventures ahead. However, 2018 was a year of growth for me and my family. Each area of growth has led us to hope for the good each day. We grew spiritually. Being a part of BSF each year, studying Romans and listening to Alisa Childers podcast has led to incredible growth. The amount of direction and pruning has been overwhelming, but also welcoming. We also took time to really...
read moreGiving All Year: Our Holiday Traditions
It’s the most wonderful time of the year again. Andy Williams sang it best letting everyone know there will kids jingle belling, parties for hosting and hearts will be glowing. Loved ones will be near and it will the happiest season of all. I’m going to be super honest here and say I only care for certain parts of the Christmas season. What? Yes, it’s true. Hang with me here. There’s too much pressure to get Christmas right. We stress at getting all the gifts ready, Christmas cards out the door, baking cookies, and not to mention teacher...
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