Double Portion Inspiration

  A few weeks ago, I shared my cancer journey. Did you get a chance to read it? If not, here's the  link . As a result of the diagnosis and the surgeries that followed, my body was thrust into menopause . It was a shock to my system. Many women I know are either in this season of life or close to it. I wanted to share some of my challenges to let the guys in our life know what the heck is going on.  Just know, this can be a sweet time in a woman's life or it can literally be hell on earth . (Most likely, it's hell on earth).  For simplicity sake, menopause is the time in a woman's life when there is a decline in reproductive hormones. A woman normally reaches menopause in her 40's and 50's.  Ok guys, here's 5 things to remember: She's probably HOT !  Meaning temperature hot. Personally, the hot flashes are the worst part of menopause. It's not just a typical hot either. It's an internal flame that comes out of nowhere and literally stops my abili...

Two years ago, cancer found me. I became a part of a club that I didn't want to join. It's a diagnosis I never wanted to hear. So many people I know have overcome cancer and so many others have succumb to it. It's taken me nearly two years to share my story on this blog. I'm still moving through the cancer process but I'm so thankful to still be here! After waking up in the worst pain of my life in November 2018, Alton rushed me to the emergency room. I was quickly discharged after the physicians told me that a mass on my ovary needed evaluation by my gynecologist. That visit with my doctor never came. After passing out later that evening, the following day I ended up in an ambulance going in and out of consciousness. My daughter was home when the ambulance arrived. I vaguely remember seeing her sobbing and as any mother would do, I gently whispered, "I'm going to be ok." She knew that my situation was dire yet somehow I didn't even ...

Is it over yet?  Has this all been a bad dream?  Will I wake up and life will return to normal?  Will I be able to go to the mall again? NOPE, not a bad dream. This is REALITY!  It's been a rolling change but we have entered a brand new way of living. 2020 has ushered in a new era. A new level of sensitivity to frailty. It has also expanded our level of understanding how connected we are as a globe. It's not us vs them. It doesn't matter if you are a parent in Spain, Bangladesh or the U.S., you are trying to figure out the best way to protect your family from COVID19. I'm adapting to this "new world" by learning breathing exercises to help cope with stress. I notice that certain conversations, social media post or news stories can start my heart beating faster. In my head I think that I'm calm. My outward demeanor is relaxed and tranquil.  My inward body tells a much different story. Lessons From A Retainer Unfortunately, I had to star...

Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and will likely cause pain. For some, it’s an emotion they feel daily. Everyone feels fear and everyone gets anxious at some point. Unfortunately, our world today nurtures an atmosphere of fear. Whether it’s through social media or news outlets, we’re bombarded with fear and anxiety. Often the two emotions travel together. If you’re not careful, instead of the emotions coming and leaving quickly, they will linger and before you know it, you are dwelling in both the emotions. Over the past few years, I’ve learned how to overcome fear. Not manage it but OVERCOME it! Its been a process but if you follow these four steps, I promise that your fear will subside. 1. Read the Bible - it is full of scriptures that help combat fear. 2. Pray - share with God what you’re feeling. Be open and honest. 3. Be thankful and focus on the good in your life - what yo...

We often pray for physical healing either for ourselves or someone we know. We all know someone that stands in need of physical healing. Whether its cancer, mental illness, dementia, lupus or diabetes, the list of areas where individuals need healing is overwhelming. The list of physical illnesses seem endless. We pray on behalf of our sick loved ones because being ill is difficult and takes its toll on everyone around. Praying for physical healing is powerful and a necessity but what about praying for your soul ? Have you prayed for your soul lately? Have you asked someone to pray for your soul? If you’re physically sick, I’m sure you ask them to pray for your healing, so why aren’t we just as quick to ask them to pray for your UNHEALED SOUL ? Your soul is the part of you that encompasses your mind, will and emotions. The soul is typically an area we refuse to address. It’s that part of you that can lash out in bitterness, anger and rage almost on a dail...

Prayer is a conversation with God. It's an opportunity for us to talk to Him and for Him to talk to us. It's two-way communication and it should be continual as you move throughout each day. The God of the Universe, provides us the magnificent opportunity to have a conversation with Him! He wants to hear about our joys and victories and comfort us when life gets downright difficult. Here's the thing though, DON'T pray and then worry. It's like oil and water. They don't mix. They were never meant to exist together. If you're going through a difficult time, please pray about your situation and give it to God. He wants to take the cares of your world away but you must release it to Him. If you keeping worrying about the situation then you're doubting his ability to handle it. Philippians 4:6-7 shares the following: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to G...

If you knew, in just a matter of hours a brutal beating of your body would take place, what would you do? If you knew that you would have one last meal with your friends before your horrific death, what would be your demeanor? If you knew, in only hours, your head would bleed profusely due to a crown of thorns being jammed into it, how would you react? If you knew your mom would have to witness your back being ripped open and your hands and feet nailed to a cross, could you even sleep? What about if you knew, your shed blood and broken body would redeem people who would never even say thank you. How would you respond? If you knew ...... I've wondered about the answer to those questions. Today in church our teaching Pastor taught about the excruciating pain Jesus endured before dying on the cross. Simply, it was difficult to hear. It birthed inside of me a spirit of gratitude for His supreme sacrifice. To know that His passion for us was so strong and deep...

BEFORE I've always embraced my body's curves and edges. A little extra love handle never really freaked me out. I'm comfortable in my own skin and I don't feel the need to be the skinniest chick in the crowd. I exercise, eat fairly healthy and take care of my body. Last year during a routine physical, I was made aware of my blood pressure being on the high side. It wasn't crazy high, but it was elevated. My physician asked me to eat less sodium, continue to exercise and return in three months for a follow up to see if it would make an impact on my numbers. In a matter of minutes, I quickly realized why high blood pressure is called the "silent killer". AFTER I didn't feel sick or anything. I needed to lose weight to help combat this concern. It was time to take action. Over the next few months, I implemented a few things that made a tremendous difference. Before I share, realize there's no silver bullet with weight loss. You'...

U. S. Flag Everyday we are bombarded with images of division and evil in our country. Sometimes you walk away from the television wondering, are we really one nation under God? Why does it seem like we are moving further and further away from God? I now realize, from my own personal journey,  one important fact. To be healed from your past, you must confront the painful areas that are buried deep.  That's true in my life, your life and it's true for our country. The journey to uncover and deal with your past can be dark, often hurts and maybe full of tears. However, it's all necessary to adequately complete the healing process. Three years ago I found myself in a broken place. During a women's conference I attended, God brought me to my knees. It was sudden and unexpected. There was a broken area of my life that I never confronted. My way of coping was to bury my feelings and not deal. God had a different plan. In that moment during the conference, the ...

What a difference a few days make. A few weeks ago I shared a testimony about God's grace in a very difficult situation. No worries if you missed it.  Read it here. I'm overwhelmed by the number of calls, texts, emails, prayers and well wishes we've received. I fully realize why God never intended for us to do life alone. We needed a village around us and we got it. Almost everyday there's someone asking about Jordan which is wonderful. That means that he's still thought of and prayed for. I wanted to provide an update because I realize that not everyone is connected to our Facebook page. Walking in with bandages. We followed up with the burn center on Wednesday. Fortunately he was able to have all of his bandages removed! This is what we prayed for. Now that the bandages are gone, we can focus on his total and complete healing. Beyond the physical pain of the experience, the hardest part for Jordan is the limitations on his outdoor time. Since his d...

I don't care how much you may try to avoid a tragedy, it might just find you. Few of us go through life without experiencing some type of tragic event or loss. It comes out of nowhere. It's never expected. It has a way of finding you whether you open the door, answer the phone or say hello to it. Recently I returned home from a 10 day vacation. Our family time away started in West Palm Beach with us cheering on our youngest in his rookie baseball state tournament. We were on such a high because the boys dominated and won their district championship that allowed them to advance to the state competition. Unfortunately our state appearance ended quickly. Oh well. Despite the sweltering heat and game losses, we had a blast! Accidental country girls! We then traveled from the Palm Beach area to our yearly vacation with my sister and her family. Just two hours north we would find the wide open fields of ranch living. Beaches, city lights, and a vibrant night life gave...

Roslyn and I love to pray for others.  It's a pleasure for us to agree with people about their individual requests.  When I reviewed some of the recent prayer requests from friends, family, and associates, I realized that many of them had a common theme.    They needed healing !   Psalms103:2-3 shares:   Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases ...   This simple verse is powerful!  For many of us, it's easier to believe that our sins are forgiven but we struggle with the latter part of the verse where it shares that the Lord heals ALL our diseases.    WHY?   Our healing is a finished work of the cross.  By HIS stripes we are healed!  Don't doubt it.  Declare it in your environment, despite how you feel or the diagnosis you may have just received.  Let the following scriptures minister to your needs....

  Today I thought I would share my story on "Awareness Wednesday".  I normally don't get this personal on the blog but the more I share with others about my health challenges from 2012, I realize it's a common battle that several women face. My journey began on January 1, 2012.  I distinctly remember being positioned on my mom's couch in the fetal position.  The position helped to minimize the pain I was feeling on a day when I should've been out catching the final hours of New Year's day shopping.  For some reason, my monthly feminine occurrence was heavy and the stomach cramps were brutal.  I wasn't quite sure why a monthly occurrence was different this time around but it was noticeably different.  With each passing month, my symptoms became worse.  I didn't take the time to see my gynecologist because I just figured it was the result of getting older. By October of that year, I'm sure my sister was tired of...

In recent months, so many loved ones have passed away.  Not only my friends and family but the loved ones of those I know.  It's heart breaking to hear of another friend that's lost someone near and dear to their hearts.  Until you've lost someone close (especially a parent), you can never understand the grief that one feels during that season of life.  Unfortunately I've lost a parent and it's a "club" I never wanted to join. I was always a daddy's girl.  My dad was my hero.  When he became ill, it rocked my world.  I had to move from believing God was a healer to knowing without a shadow of a doubt that He was my father's healer.   God showed His awesome power, time and time again during dad's health challenges.  That's why when he passed away, it was devastating. I was mad at God. We prayed, we believed, we fasted and he passed away.  Even though God  worked miracles in dad's body in the past, right now, ...

This weekend was my subdivision's garage sale.  We have it every six months and I force myself to participate.  I wake up early in the morning to open up my garage doors and sell my unwanted items.  I love to hate this event every 6 months.  Taking part, forces me to declutter .   I actually took off work on Friday to clean and go through every room.  I wanted to find items to take to the garage.  From clothes to toys to books and dvd's, there was plenty to include in the sale.  I quickly realized that it was going to be chaotic and disorganized before it was clean.  It's the part I hated most about the process.  In the midst of trying to get the house clean, tidy and organized, things got messy . What a beautiful lesson!  That's how it is with our lives.  God desires to lead us gently to a place of self discovery.  Nudging us along to clean us up, uncover the dark places and bring li...

Do you feel like your prayers aren't being answered?  There are seasons in our lives when God sits silent even after constant pleading.  It normally happens when He's ready to move you to another place of knowing Him and His ability.  It can be a difficult process because we long to hear him speak words of wisdom, comfort and peace. In those times, patiently wait.  He will answer in His timing (which is always perfect). Here are 4 tips that have helped me in my prayer life:     1.  Be specific.   Early in my twenties, I wanted to marry. My twin sister married her high school sweetheart immediately after we graduated college and it increased a desire for me to find my soul mate. Before her marriage, we were always together. Childhood.  High school.  College. She was always there.  Now she was leaving college with a new car, fiancee, and an exciting career. On the other hand, I was heading ...

TYLER RETURNS TO THE PITCHING MOUND My weekends are usually normal:  yoga, baseball, church, and grocery shopping are the mundane routine.  But, this weekend my family celebrated two huge milestones:  Birthday party for my youngest son (he's now 8 yrs old) My oldest son returned to pitching  (after being away for 7 months) My oldest son, Tyler,  suffered an elbow injury in baseball back in Sept 2012.  He was not able to pitch, throw or bat for several months.  Although I selfishly enjoyed time away from the ball field, it was gut wrenching to see my son crave for the sport he is so passionate about. Family vacation  - Tyler in cast We spent numerous amounts of time in the doctor's office trying to understand why he was in so much pain.  His x-rays initially showed inflammation but thankfully, no injury was sustained that needed surgery.  The doctor suggested he rest and take time off for about six weeks.   Unfort...