Love Yourself

Loving yourself is easier said than done.

Sometimes we're so busy taking care of everyone else, meeting expectations, trying to get everything done, and dealing with whatever life throws our way that we forget something pretty important: We need to take care of our own hearts, too.

We need to learn to appreciate our own efforts, celebrate our own progress, forgive ourselves for our mistakes, and give ourselves the same kindness and grace that we so often extend to others.

We need to remember that our worth isn't determined by how much we accomplish, how many people approve of us, how we look, or how well we measure up to someone else's expectations.

Our worth was established by the One who created us.

You are valuable. You are loved. You matter. And you don't have to earn your worth because God already considers you worth loving.

God accepts you right where you are. He loves you just as you are, but He loves you far too much to leave you there. He desires so much more for your life than simply getting by. He wants you to grow, to heal, to experience His goodness, and to become the person He created you to be.

Think about that for a moment.

God knew you before you were ever formed in your mother's womb. He knew your days before you lived a single one of them. He knows your struggles, your hurts, your mistakes, your dreams, and even the things you have difficulty seeing in yourself.

And yet He loves you!

His plans and purposes for your life are greater than anything you could ever imagine for yourself.

Why can I say all of this with so much confidence?

Because I'm living proof that God can take a life that feels completely broken and turn it into something beautiful.

I've lived it. I've experienced it firsthand.

There was a time in my life when I didn't know how to love myself, didn't recognize my own worth, and couldn't see a way forward. I had been through more trauma in my younger years than I knew how to process. I didn't have the help I desperately needed, and eventually I found myself in a very dark place.

Before God truly changed my life, I was such a mess. I couldn't see straight, and honestly, I had lost my will to live. I had even made a plan to end my life.

But God!

He placed some wonderful Christians in my life who became instrumental in helping me find the path toward healing. Their willingness to be there, to care, and to help opened doors that I couldn't have opened on my own.

What began with local counseling close to home eventually led to residential counseling away from home. It was there that some of the deepest work of healing began. God used the people He had placed around me, along with the help I received, to put me in the right place at the right time.

It absolutely rocked my world!

My life changed in ways I never could have imagined. I went from being someone who didn't want to live to someone who genuinely loves life. Someone who loves her family, appreciates the blessings God has placed in her life, and loves God more than anything else.

Do I have everything figured out? Absolutely not! I'm still growing, still learning, and still discovering things about myself along the way. But I'm no longer the person I once was, and I am forever grateful for what God has done in my life.

If not for Him, there is no telling where I would be today.

And that's why I want to encourage anyone who struggles with loving themselves or recognizing their own worth.

Don't let your past define you. Don't allow the mistakes you've made, the hurt you've experienced, or the opinions of others to convince you that you're somehow less valuable.

You are not your past. You are not your mistakes. You are not the things that have happened to you.

You are someone God created, someone He loves, and someone whose life has purpose.

Sometimes learning to love yourself means giving yourself permission to heal. Sometimes it means accepting help when you need it. Sometimes it means forgiving yourself and moving forward instead of continually beating yourself up over things you cannot change.

And sometimes it simply means looking in the mirror and reminding yourself that you matter, even on the days when you don't feel like you do.

If God can take someone like me, who had reached a point where she no longer wanted to live, and help her discover a life filled with love, purpose, and hope, just imagine what He can do in someone else's life!

So the next time you question your worth, remember this:

You don't have to wonder whether you matter. You don't have to earn God's love. You don't have to become someone else to be worthy of love.

God already knows you. God already loves you. And He has a purpose for your life.

So give yourself a little grace. Appreciate the person God created you to be. Keep growing, keep healing, and don't give up on the life He has given you.

Because you matter. Your life matters. And the answer to whether you are worthy of love is a great big YES!

Healing Takes Courage

I've had the opportunity, and probably you have too, to walk this quote out in my own life and alongside loved ones.

Life has certainly had its share of ups and downs for me. I've had plenty of curveballs thrown my way over the years. I'm sure there are some people who go through life with very few interruptions to their routines, but I'm definitely not one of those people! 😂

More recently, though, I've found myself walking alongside loved ones as they've gone through their own physical healing journeys. My mom with her more recent surgeries and Tim with his elbow surgery are two examples that come to mind.

I'm here to tell you that healing most definitely takes courage. And we all have courage within us, even if we sometimes have to dig deep to find it.

I've watched my mom more than once as she's worked through the healing process following surgeries related to her arthritis. It takes a special kind of courage to face those challenges time and again. She's a trooper, for sure!

Then there's Tim and his most recent elbow surgery. There's just something about watching your child go through the process of healing from an injury. No matter how significant the injury might be, the feelings you experience as a parent are much the same. You just wish you could take it all away from them. You wish you could twitch your nose like Elizabeth Montgomery on Bewitched and magically make everything better. Wouldn't that be nice? But that's not real life.

I've been there every step of the way with both my mom and Tim as they've navigated their healing journeys. For Mom, as she gets older, it sometimes seems like her healing journey never ends because there's always another challenge to overcome. For Tim, it's been more of an injury-by-injury situation, with some downtime between the challenges he's faced.

I've walked through so much of it with them, though, and in some ways, I feel like I've experienced a little of their healing journeys myself. When you love someone, you don't just watch what they're going through. You feel it right alongside them.

Of course, I've also had my own physical healing to deal with recently. I've been healing from an infection following a tick bite. It's been a little scary because there are so many things that can potentially happen as a result of tick bites. Having to keep a close watch on my health for 30 days to make sure there aren't any additional issues is a bit of a pain. It means being more aware of things than I normally would be and paying attention to changes I might otherwise overlook.

And then there's emotional healing.

That's the kind of healing that isn't visible to others. It often has a depth to it that's difficult to put into words. I've experienced that kind of healing too. Sometimes things from our past, or circumstances we've walked through, have a way of resurfacing. Just when we think we've moved beyond something, we find ourselves having to work through it again.

Emotional healing can sometimes feel like a never-ending process. There aren't always visible signs of progress, and sometimes the hardest battles are the ones nobody else knows we're fighting.

But here's something I've come to appreciate: Healing takes courage, no matter what kind of healing we're facing.

It takes courage to get up and face another day when your body is hurting. It takes courage to keep going when recovery feels slow. It takes courage to face the things that have hurt us emotionally and allow ourselves to work through them rather than simply push them aside.

And sometimes, it takes courage just to admit that we need healing in the first place.

I believe that God gives us the courage and strength we need to walk through these seasons of life. He doesn't promise that every journey will be easy or that healing will happen on our timetable. But He does promise to be with us along the way. We don't have to figure it all out on our own.

God can use even the difficult seasons of our lives to grow us, strengthen our faith, and draw us closer to Him. He can take the things we've walked through and use them for our good and His glory.

More than anything, I give God the glory for all He's done in my life and for everything He's brought me through to bring me to where I am today. I'm thankful that I'm walking with Him, continually growing in my relationship with Him, and doing my best to live the way He wants me to live and do the things He wants me to do.

I'm so thankful for His goodness and mercy toward me. I'm thankful for the time I have to spend growing in Him through His Word, prayer, Bible studies, and reading Christian living books. We have so many wonderful resources available to help us grow in our faith and navigate the different seasons of life.

The more I grow in Him, the more I realize just how much I need Him. And that's okay! We were never meant to walk through life in our own strength.

So, whether you're facing physical healing, emotional healing, or walking alongside someone you love as they navigate their own healing journey, remember that it takes courage.

Sometimes that courage is easy to find. Other times, we have to dig a little deeper.

But, it's there.

Healing takes courage, but we don't have to find that courage all by ourselves. God is right there with us, every step of the way!

Your Faith Voice

"Your faith voice is what brings true adventure into your life!"

I saw this quote posted by a man of God whom I have so much respect for. I have grown tremendously in my own faith walk through his teachings over the years.

I've been pondering this quote for several days now, and the more I think about it, the more I realize just how much meaning there is behind those few words.

Your faith voice.

What does that really mean? Is it simply the words we speak, the things we say about God, or the encouragement we offer to others? Or is it something much deeper?

I believe it's all of those things, but I also believe our faith voice is reflected in how we live our lives. It's what comes out of us when life doesn't go according to plan. It's how we respond when things are uncertain, when we're faced with challenges, when we don't have the answers, and when we have to trust God with things that are completely outside of our control.

It's easy to talk about faith when everything is going well. It's easy to say God is good when we're standing on the mountaintop and everything seems to be falling into place. But what about those valleys? What about the seasons when we are waiting, praying, questioning, and trying to figure out what God is doing?

That's when our faith voice really matters.

Over the years, I've learned that walking with the Lord doesn't mean having everything figured out. In fact, sometimes it seems like just when I think I have things figured out, God reminds me that I'm not the one in control!

And honestly, that's part of the adventure.

When I look back over my life, I can see so many times when things didn't unfold the way I expected. There have been seasons of uncertainty, unexpected circumstances, difficult decisions, and things that required me to trust God beyond what I could see in front of me.

I've also learned that faith isn't necessarily about knowing what the next chapter holds. It's about knowing Who holds the next chapter.

I think sometimes we get so caught up in wanting God to show us the entire picture that we forget He often asks us to trust Him one step at a time. We want the roadmap, the timeline, and maybe even a little reassurance that everything is going to turn out exactly how we hope it will.

But that's not always how He works.

Sometimes He simply asks us to take the next step.

Sometimes that step requires obedience. Sometimes it requires patience. Sometimes it means letting go of something we've been holding onto. And sometimes it means standing firm in what we know to be true about God, even when our circumstances are trying to tell us something different.

That's where our faith voice comes into play.

I don't want my faith to be something I only talk about. I want it to be evident in the way I live. I want my first response to life's challenges to be prayer rather than worry. I want to be someone who encourages others, speaks life, and points people toward the Lord. I want my decisions to reflect that I trust Him, even when I don't understand what He's doing.

Does that mean I always get it right? Absolutely not!

I'm human, and there are times when worry, frustration, and questions get the better of me. There are times when I have to stop, take a step back, and remind myself of what I already know about God's faithfulness.

But that's part of growing in our faith. We learn. We mature. We recognize those moments when we need to shift our focus away from what we see and put it back on the One who sees the whole picture.

One of my favorite reminders is found in 2 Corinthians 5:7:

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Think about that for a moment. Walking by faith means we don't have to see everything to take the next step. We don't have to understand every circumstance to trust the One who is leading us.

And perhaps that's where the adventure really begins!

I don't believe God calls us to live a life consumed by fear, constantly playing it safe, or needing to know every outcome before we're willing to move forward. He calls us to trust Him. He calls us to grow. He calls us to step out in faith and believe that His plans and purposes are greater than anything we could come up with on our own.

That doesn't mean every adventure will be easy. It doesn't mean there won't be detours, disappointments, or unexpected challenges along the way. But it does mean we don't walk through any of it alone.

The older I get, the more I appreciate that my relationship with the Lord is not about reaching some destination where I suddenly have everything figured out. It's about continuing to grow, continuing to learn, continuing to listen, and continuing to trust Him with whatever comes next.

I want my faith voice to be stronger than my fears. I want it to be rooted in God's Word rather than influenced by the circumstances surrounding me. And I want the way I live my life to reflect a genuine trust in the Lord.

So, here's something I've been thinking about, and maybe it's something worth pondering for yourself, too.

What is your faith voice saying?

When life gets difficult, do your words and actions reflect fear or faith? When God opens a door, are you willing to walk through it? When you don't have the answers, can you still trust Him?

Our faith voice isn't just about what we say when things are going well. It's about who we are and how we respond when life gets challenging.

I don't know about you, but I want to keep growing in my faith. I want to keep saying YES to God, even when I don't know exactly where the road will lead.

After all, the greatest adventure isn't knowing where you're going. It's knowing Who you're following! And that, of course is what brings true adventure to your faith voice, don't you think? 

Busy Times

This week has seemed like a whirlwind!

We went to Kentucky last weekend and were able to accomplish so much in the way of getting things taken care of at Nan and Pop's house. Our hope is to get the house on the market as soon as possible, so every trip up there brings us a little closer to that goal.

This weekend has gone by quickly too, especially after a week of dealing with a tick infection on my right lower calf and Tim battling a viral infection that had him quarantined upstairs.

We also had a commercial project in an empty building on Friday, and Tim was able to help manage the hose line. Getting out of the house, enjoying some fresh air, and working up a sweat felt good after being cooped up for a few days. Sometimes a change of scenery and getting back to a little normalcy can do wonders for your spirits! 

With everything we've had going on, it's easy to see why there's been a little lapse in my posting like I usually do. But I didn't want the day to get away from me without welcoming in a new month.

I still can't believe it's November already! This time of year always seems to fly by so fast💨. Before we know it, we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving, then Christmas and heading into another new year.

I have some ideas for new posts that I hope to share throughout the week ahead. I'm always looking for things to share that might encourage someone along the way, but I also want to share more about my faith and my own growth in my walk with God.

One thing I've come to realize is that no matter how long we've been walking with God, there is never a point where we've completely "arrived." There is always room to grow, learn, be challenged, and draw closer to Him.

And that's something I want to continue doing, both in my life and here on the blog❤️.

For now enjoy my heart in the sharing of the image above. Love to you all and I look forward to sharing more with you soon.

Update: Tim's PT Yesterday

Update: Tim's PT Yesterday 

Tim had another good physical therapy (PT) session yesterday! He's a little sore today, but we're pretty sure some of that soreness is from PT and the rest is from his lower-body workout at the gym yesterday😂. He's still finding ways to get his workouts in while giving that right arm the time it needs to heal.

He's glad to be making forward progress, and we're encouraged to see how things are going. After dealing with elbow pain for so long, it's exciting to see him making progress toward getting back to doing what he loves.

The hope is that around Thanksgiving, he'll be getting to the point where he can start doing some weightlifting again. Of course, that will depend on how his recovery goes and what his medical team says he's ready for, but we're hopeful that he'll continue moving in the right direction!

His physical therapist is very knowledgeable and specializes in working with elite athletes, which we're excited about as Tim works toward getting back to weightlifting. We know rebuilding strength and getting back to where he was before all of this happened will take time, patience, and a lot of hard work.

We're looking forward to seeing what the coming weeks hold for Tim as he continues with PT. One session at a time, one step at a time, and celebrating the progress along the way!

This is just another chapter in his weightlifting journey, and we're hopeful for what lies ahead❤️!

Pilot Mountain

What A Weekend!

Whenever we drive up to Kentucky to visit family, we always pass by Pilot Mountain. I love the beauty of that mountain and am always on the lookout for a good opportunity to get a photo of it. There’s just something about the view that catches my eye every time we pass by.

Our goal this weekend was to work on Scot’s parents’ house. Since they’ve both passed away, we’ve been working to get everything out of the house and garage so we can eventually get the property sold.

It’s a constant work in progress, but we made some great headway this weekend! Two truckloads went to Goodwill, and we filled three trash cans with things that needed to be thrown away. Every little bit of progress gets us closer to getting this chapter wrapped up.

Of course, the weekend wouldn’t be complete without an unexpected adventure! Somehow, I picked up a tick that crawled up my pant leg and embedded itself in my right calf. I had the worst reaction to a tick bite that I’ve ever experienced. When I got home, I went straight to the doctor and was prescribed doxycycline because the bite had become infected.

Thankfully, the doctor wasn’t overly concerned about Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever at the time, but she told me to keep an eye on it and come back if it got worse. After several doses of the antibiotic, it’s already looking better. I’m certainly hoping that continues!

Tim was limited in how much he could help because of his elbow, so it was up to Scot, Jeff, Debbie, and me to get as much done as we could. Debbie and I worked inside the house while Scot and Jeff tackled the garage. Scot and Jeff were both able to bring a truckload of tools back home, which was another big step forward.

There’s still a TON left to do, but it felt good to put a dent in everything this weekend. Sometimes, when you’re dealing with a project this big, you have to celebrate the progress you make rather than focus on everything that’s still waiting to be done.

We’re hoping to head back up the weekend of November 6th to keep chipping away at it. Now that we’ve got the ball rolling, we want to keep that momentum going and get as much accomplished as possible before the snowy season sets in up there.

One weekend at a time, one truckload at a time, we’re getting there!

Senior Worlds in Ningbo, China 🇨🇳

Senior Worlds in Ningbo, China🇨🇳

We’re l👀king forward to watching the World Weightlifting Championships starting October 27! We always enjoy watching the world’s weightlifters compete and seeing how everyone performs on the international stage.

One of the things we love about this sport is getting to watch so many talented athletes push themselves, hit big lifts, and accomplish their goals. We’re always cheering them on!

We’re also thankful for our WH membership, which allows us to watch the sessions whenever it works for us. With the competition taking place in China, that means we don’t have to be up in the middle of the night to watch everything live! 😂

We’re excited to follow the competition and see what these athletes accomplish. Let the lifting begin!

Here is the USA Lifters Schedule adjusted to our time zone:

You might have to click on it to be able to read it clearly.

Update on Tim's Elbow: One Step at a Time

Update On Tim's Elbow: One Step at a Time

Tim’s stitches are officially out! 🙌 It may seem like a small milestone to some, but after everything he has been through with his elbow, it’s another step in the right direction.

He’s still limited to lifting no more than 5–10 pounds with his right arm, so he has to be patient and follow the restrictions given to him. For someone who loves Olympic weightlifting and has worked so hard to get where he is today, having to slow down and let his body heal has not been easy.

Now, the real work begins with physical therapy. The goal is to rebuild his strength, get him back to where he was before all of this happened with his elbow, and then continue building from there.

Tim is so glad to finally be getting to the other side of this, and Scot and I are excited for him. We know there's still work ahead, but we're thankful to see him moving forward.

Watching your child work toward something they love and then having to step away from it because of an injury is hard. As parents, we want to see our children succeed, accomplish their goals, and keep moving forward. Sometimes, though, the road to those goals takes an unexpected turn.

This journey has been a reminder that progress doesn't always happen as quickly as we'd like. Sometimes progress looks like a new personal record. Other times, it's getting through surgery, having the stitches removed, or being able to straighten an arm a little more than you could before.

Not every victory comes with a medal. Some victories happen quietly, one small step at a time.

For now, Tim's focus is on healing, showing up for PT, and doing the work necessary to rebuild. We don't know exactly what the road ahead will look like, but we're encouraged by the progress he's making and excited to see what comes next.

We're learning to appreciate each step along the way instead of focusing only on the finish line. And if there's one thing this journey has reminded us, it's that sometimes the small victories are the ones worth celebrating the most. 

Jesus, the Bread of Life

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to look for fulfillment in all the wrong places?

We look for happiness in the things we own, satisfaction in the things we accomplish, and comfort in the people around us. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the blessings God has given us, but none of these things can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts the way Jesus can.

In John 6, Jesus had just performed the miracle of feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Can you imagine witnessing that miracle? People had seen Him provide food for a multitude, and they continued looking for Him.

But Jesus knew they needed to understand something much greater than the miracle of a meal. They were focused on what He could provide physically, while He wanted them to recognize who He was and what He came to offer them eternally.

That's when Jesus declared that He is the Bread of Life.

Just as our bodies need food to survive, our souls need Jesus. We can fill our days with responsibilities, surround ourselves with people we love, work toward our goals, and enjoy the blessings of this life, yet still feel an emptiness that none of those things can fill.

Only Jesus can satisfy the deepest hunger of our souls.

I think it's easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life. We have things to do, places to be, responsibilities to take care of, and people who depend on us. Before we know it, we've spent more time tending to everything around us than tending to our relationship with the Lord.

Yet He is the very One we need most.

I've learned that life doesn't always go the way we expect. There are seasons of joy and seasons of uncertainty, times when we feel strong and times when we need to lean on the Lord more than ever. Our circumstances may change, and the things we once depended on may not always be there, but Jesus remains faithful.

This verse reminds me that I don't have to look to the world to find what only He can give me. I can come to Him in prayer, spend time in His Word, and trust Him with the things I don't understand. I can bring Him my worries, my disappointments, my questions, and my gratitude.

Coming to Jesus doesn't mean every problem will disappear or that I'll never experience another difficult day. It means I have a Savior who offers me something this world cannot: a relationship with Him, the hope of eternal life, and the assurance that my circumstances don't have the final say over my faith.

I don't want to become so focused on the blessings in my life that I forget the One who blesses me. I don't want to seek His hand without seeking His heart.

I want to know Him more, trust Him more, and make spending time with Him a priority, not just when I need something, but because He is my source of life.

Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is not simply a temporary source of comfort for a difficult season. He is the One my soul needs every day.

What about you? Are you looking for satisfaction in the things of this world, or are you turning to the One who offers you life that lasts forever?

My prayer is that we never become so busy searching for what we think we need that we overlook the One we need most.

Because the things of this world can never take the place of Jesus.

Have Fun, Get Organized & Enjoy Life!

My home is always a work in progress. I'm constantly going through things and making my donate piles, throw-away piles, and keep piles. My problem, and maybe yours too, is that my keep pile always seems to be bigger than the other two combined! 😂

That means I have to get creative about organizing the things that stay. I want our home to feel cozy, comfortable, and inviting rather than leaving me stressed because things don't have a rhyme or reason to where they're placed.

I'll be the first to admit that organizing isn't one of my strongest suits. Of course I do like everything to have a place and be put in it. It's figuring out the best placement that's a challenge for me, but over the past couple of years, God has been showing me what's truly important to keep and what I can let go of. More things that we don't really need are leaving our home, and the things that remain need to have a place where they belong.

I'm learning that it's not just about getting rid of stuff. It's also about being intentional with what we choose to keep.

When your budget doesn't allow you to purchase the furnishings or storage solutions you'd really like to have, you have to get creative. And while creativity doesn't come naturally to me, research does! These days, research is my friend. I'm always looking for ideas and practical ways to make our spaces look and feel better without spending a ton of money.

I'm learning to work with what we have, make a plan, and tackle things one step at a time.

One of the things I want to change is how comfortable I feel inviting people into our home. I don't generally have many people over beyond family and close friends, partly because I'm not happy with how some of our spaces look and function. I'd love to change that. I want to be able to entertain, enjoy fellowship with others, and have a home that feels welcoming.

I'm not trying to create an immaculate masterpiece. That's not the goal! I simply want our home to feel more intentional, with things in their proper places instead of looking as though they've been put somewhere just because there's no room in the inn. 😉

Pets add another layer to the challenge, but my guys hear me say it time and time again: "One day at a time, and we will get there."

And we will.

I'm thankful that we aren't people who hold on to things just for the sake of holding on to them. These days, we're learning to ask ourselves whether something has real value or purpose in our lives before deciding to keep it.

Over the years, we've helped friends move their parents and sort through their belongings. We've also experienced the loss of loved ones and the difficult task of going through their things, deciding what to throw away, what to donate, and what to keep or sell.

In some ways, we've become pros at sorting through other people's belongings. But that's not something you really want to become a pro at doing.

Those experiences have changed the way we look at our own home and everything in it. We've seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be for loved ones to face a lifetime of accumulated belongings, especially when they're already dealing with grief.

We don't want to leave Tim with that same burden someday.

That doesn't mean we have to get rid of everything or live in a bare, empty house. It means being thoughtful about what we keep and recognizing that a simpler life can leave us with more time and energy for the things that matter most.

Life goes by fast💨, and I don't want to spend so much of it managing our stuff that I forget to enjoy the life God has given us.

When you reach a certain age, you begin to see just how precious and short life really is. You start thinking more about the time you have with the people God has blessed you with and less about the things you own.

I want Scot and me to enjoy the years ahead of us. I want to make memories, welcome people into our home, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy this season of life without constantly feeling like there's something else around the house that needs to be dealt with.

We want the years ahead to be some of the best years of our lives, and that means making some changes now.

So, we're working on it. We're sorting, donating, organizing, researching, and figuring out how to make our home work better for us without breaking the budget. We may not get everything done overnight, but that's okay. Progress is progress!

My encouragement to you is this: Don't keep putting off getting things in order until tomorrow. Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us. You don't have to tackle everything at once, and you don't have to spend a fortune to make a difference. Start with one drawer, one shelf, one closet, or one room.

Do what you can today to make life a little easier for yourself and the people you love.

Because at the end of the day, it's not about having a perfect home. It's about having a home you can enjoy and a life you have time to live.

Make room for what matters. Let go of what doesn't. And don't forget to have fun while getting organized so that you can enjoy your life for years to come!