For 363 days a year I tell myself to be strong and grateful. Sometimes I have tough days and moments, but I pull myself together and move forward. Every year on April 21 and Mothers Day I give myself a pass to be weak, to think all the thoughts and feel all the feelings that come with losing a parent. After 15 years without my mom three feelings are most prominent. I’ve shared a raw picture of what that looks like and why in words below.
On most years I spend the anniversary of her death with family or doing something active, but in the midst of the pandemic and sheltering in place I’ve been coping in a cycle: think, pray, cry, sleep, eat, repeat, but this too shall pass.
Read MoreI recently took my body on a journey to experience STEP Xtreme, a full body fitness class in Mission Viejo, CA. I was gifted four free classes and decided to give it a try. Although I had taken a step class before, it was far different from what my body had previously endured as I worked through 60 minutes of movement including stepping, climbing, jumping, squatting and most importantly SWEATING. Pushing through each sequence of the hour-long High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) I got a full body workout including cardio, weights, resistance training and more.
The workout definitely pushed me past my comfort zone and challenged me to keep the beat, lift higher, push harder and grow stronger.
Read MoreChristmas changed for me before I entered my teenage years, not because I discovered that Santa Claus wasn’t real but because my mother’s death was. In her absence the holidays have continued to bring excitement and happiness but still haven’t been the same.
I can’t remember ever believing in Santa or reindeer. I’ve always known the true reason for the season, that the presents under the tree were from my parents and that family was and always will be the best gift I could ever ask for.
Read MoreTen weeks ago, I began a journey to connect with God, my new church home and community through a program called Rooted.
I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Part of me wanted to discover that I’ve been missing something significant in my walk with Christ. Another wanted to be reassured that I am on the right track and that God is pleased and still using me for His will.
I also had a strong desire to find the community I had heard so many pastors preach about.
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