When There Is No Ref to Stop the Fight...

When There Is No Ref to Stop the Fight...

Before the main event event started last night, I already knew the verse I wanted to share today:

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called..." — 1 Timothy 6:12

This has always been one of my favorite Bible verses.

Watching the UFC fights reminded me of something. Everyone waits all night for the main event. The anticipation builds, the introductions are made, and then...just like that, it was over. A minute and nine seconds into the fight, the referee waved it off after Conor McGregor suffered a devastating knee injury.

Just like that, the fight was finished.

It was disappointing for everyone who had waited hours to watch.

But life isn't like that.

There isn't a referee who waves it off when things get hard. There isn't someone who steps in and says, "That's enough. You can stop fighting now."

When grief hits...
When relationships fall apart...
When finances get tight...
When your health declines...
When disappointment knocks the wind out of you...

The fight continues.

The Apostle Paul wasn't talking about a physical fight in 1 Timothy. He was talking about a spiritual one. Every single day we are faced with choices. Will we trust God or our fears? Will we walk in faith or surrender to discouragement? Will we forgive, love, persevere, and obey even when it's difficult?

That's the good fight.

Notice Paul didn't say to fight every fight. Not every argument deserves your attention. Not every offense deserves a response. Not every battle is yours to win.

He said to "fight the good fight of the faith."

The enemy would love nothing more than for us to become distracted, discouraged, or defeated. He wants us to quit before we experience what God has planned for us.

But God calls us to keep going.

Sometimes fighting the good fight looks less like throwing punches and more like getting out of bed when your heart is heavy. Sometimes it looks like praying when you don't feel anything. Sometimes it's choosing forgiveness instead of bitterness, peace instead of revenge, or hope instead of despair.

Those may not make headlines, but heaven notices.

The beautiful part of this verse is that it doesn't stop with fighting.

It says to "take hold of the eternal life to which you were called."

Our hope isn't rooted in temporary victories or earthly success. It's rooted in Christ. This world is not the finish line. We live with eternity in view, knowing that every hardship, every trial, and every faithful step is preparing us for something far greater than what this life has to offer.

So if you're tired today...

Keep fighting.

If you're discouraged...

Keep trusting.

If you've been knocked down...

Get back up.

The fight may be difficult, but it is worth it because we already know who wins in the end.

"Fight the good fight.

Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called."

Don't quit before God finishes what He started in you.

Everything You Need Is Already in Christ...

Every once in a while, you read a statement that is so full of biblical truth that you have to stop and read it again.

This quote from Nancy Dufresne did exactly that for me.

I've listened to Nancy teach for a while now, and one of the things I appreciate most about her ministry is how she continually points believers back to who they are in Christ. She has spent decades faithfully teaching the Word of God with clarity and helping Christians understand that victory isn't something we earn—it's something Jesus already purchased for us. 

Think about her quote for a moment.

Everything God dreamed.

Everything God planned.

Not some things.

Not most things.

Everything.

Before you were ever born, before you ever made your first mistake, before you ever wondered if you were enough, God had already prepared everything you would ever need. But He didn't place it in your talents. He didn't place it in your bank account. He didn't place it in your education, your career, or your own strength.

He placed it in Christ.

Then comes the beautiful part.

God didn't leave Christ at a distance.

He placed Christ in us.

And He placed us in Christ.

That changes everything.

So many believers spend their lives praying as though God is withholding something from them.

"Lord, give me peace."

"Lord, give me strength."

"Lord, give me wisdom."

"Lord, help me overcome."

Yet Scripture paints a different picture.

Paul writes:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."
— Ephesians 1:3

Notice the tense.

Not will bless us.

Not might bless us.

Has blessed us.

Everything we need has already been provided through Jesus Christ.

That doesn't mean we never face challenges. It doesn't mean life is easy. It doesn't mean we never experience disappointment or hardship.

It means we never face those things alone.

The same Christ who conquered sin, death, fear, lack, and every work of the enemy now lives within every believer.

When we truly understand that, our prayers begin to change.

Instead of begging God for something He has already provided, we begin thanking Him for what already belongs to us in Christ.

Instead of living from a place of lack, we begin living from a place of inheritance.

Instead of striving to become accepted, we rest in knowing we already are.

One of my favorite verses is Colossians 2:10:

"And you are complete in Him..."

Complete.

Not incomplete.

Not waiting for one more breakthrough before God can use you.

Not waiting until you have everything figured out.

Complete in Him.

That doesn't mean we've arrived spiritually. We all continue growing in our knowledge of Christ. But our identity isn't based on how mature we feel today. It's based on where God placed us.

In Christ.

Maybe today you've been feeling inadequate.

Maybe you've been focusing more on what you lack than on what Christ has already supplied.

Maybe you've been trying to carry burdens that Jesus never intended for you to carry alone.

Remember Nancy Dufresne's words.

Everything God dreamed and planned for His children is found in Christ.

And if you belong to Jesus...

You're already in the right place.

Stop looking everywhere else for what God has already placed within your reach.

Look to Christ.

Because when you have Him, you have everything you need to fulfill the purpose God has for your life. 

"Christ in you, the hope of glory." — Colossians 1:27

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Let's Pray This Together

Father, thank You that You have already provided everything I need through Jesus Christ. Help me to stop living from a mindset of lack and begin living from the truth of Your Word. Open my eyes to understand more fully who I am in Christ and all that belongs to me because of Him. Teach me to rely on Your strength instead of my own and to walk confidently in the inheritance You have already given me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Your Identity Is Your Greatest Strength...

In a world that constantly pressures us to compare ourselves to others, one of the greatest gifts we can possess is a clear understanding of who God created us to be.

Know who you are—and know who you aren't.

There is freedom in that.

When you know your identity is rooted in Christ, you stop chasing approval. You stop trying to fit into places God never intended for you. You don't have to pretend to be someone else because you know the One who made you.

At the same time, recognizing who you aren't is just as important. We weren't all given the same gifts, the same calling, or the same assignments. God didn't ask us to copy someone else's life—He asked us to faithfully live the one He designed for us.

Command respect, but always give respect.

True strength doesn't demand attention. It earns it through character, integrity, humility, and consistency.

Jesus, the King of kings, humbled Himself to serve others. He washed His disciples' feet, welcomed the overlooked, and loved the unlovable. If our Savior could lead with humility, so should we.

Respect isn't weakness. It's evidence of a heart that understands every person is made in the image of God.

Know when to stand up—and know when to bow down.

There are moments when our faith requires courage. We must stand firmly for truth, even when it's unpopular. We should never compromise God's Word to gain acceptance from the world.

But there are also moments when the wisest thing we can do is bow before the Lord, surrender our plans, admit we don't have all the answers, and trust His direction.

The strongest people are often the ones who spend the most time on their knees.

As our family has watched Tim's athletic journey—from eleven years in Taekwondo to becoming a Junior National Champion in Olympic weightlifting—we've learned that confidence and humility can exist together. Every medal, every personal record, and every accomplishment has come through countless hours of unseen work. Yet we've continually reminded him that while victories are wonderful, they never define his worth. His identity is found in Christ first, not on a podium.

That's a lesson all of us need.

Be equal parts humble and unapologetic about your anointing.

Humility doesn't mean pretending you aren't gifted.

It means recognizing that every gift, every opportunity, every success, and every blessing comes from God.

Don't apologize for the calling He's placed on your life.

Don't shrink your light because it makes others uncomfortable.

Don't hide your gifts out of fear of criticism.

Walk confidently in what God has called you to do—but never forget Who gave you the ability to do it.

As Paul reminds us:

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago." — Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

You don't have to become someone else to fulfill God's purpose.

Simply become more like Christ.

Know who you are.

Know who you aren't.

Stand when God says stand.

Bow when God says bow.

Lead with humility.

Walk boldly in your God-given calling.

Because the safest place to be is exactly where God has called you to be. After all—Your identity in Christ is Your Greatest Strength!

The Kindness You Carry Matters...

The Kindness You Carry Matters...

You may not realize it, but the way you care, the way you listen, and the way you make people feel safe leaves a little more kindness in this world.

That matters.

In a world that can feel rushed, harsh, and disconnected, simple acts of kindness can make a bigger impact than we often realize. A listening ear. A comforting word. A moment of understanding. A safe place for someone to be honest about what they’re carrying.

Sometimes we underestimate those things because they seem small.

But God doesn’t see them as small.

I’ve learned through my own life that people are often fighting battles we know nothing about. Walking through grief taught me that. Losing loved ones showed me how deeply a kind word or someone simply showing up can make all the difference. In those hard seasons, I found out quickly who could sit in the silence, who could listen without trying to fix everything, and who could simply make space for pain.

That kind of presence is a gift.

Motherhood taught me this too. So much of raising a child—especially through years of homeschooling—isn’t just about teaching lessons from books. It’s about creating a place where they feel seen, heard, and safe. A place where they know they can fail, grow, ask questions, and still be loved.

Marriage has taught me the same. Listening matters. Patience matters. Grace matters.

Even in business, I’ve seen how kindness can change everything. When people feel cared for—not just as customers, but as people—it leaves an impression far beyond the service itself.

That’s because kindness reflects the heart of God.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another…”

Kindness isn’t weakness. It’s strength. It’s choosing gentleness when the world pushes hardness. It’s making room for people when life has made them guarded.

And the truth is, some of the greatest ministry we will ever have won’t happen from a stage—it will happen in the everyday moments of caring for people well.

A conversation.
A prayer.
A meal.
A text.
A hug.
A moment of simply listening.

Those things matter more than you know.

So if you’re someone who cares deeply…
If you’re someone who listens…
If you’re someone who makes people feel safe…

Don’t underestimate the warmth you carry.

God can use your kindness to heal places in people you may never even see.

And in a world desperate for light, your warmth may be exactly what someone needs to keep going.

The Difficult Road Wasn't the Wrong Road...

If you had asked me years ago what kind of life I wanted, I would have described a road that was smooth.

A road without heartache.

A road without brokenness.

A road where answers came quickly and faith came easily.

Instead, God led me down roads I never would have chosen.

Growing up in a home with an alcoholic abusive father wasn't the road I wanted.

Walking through the healing process at Mercy Ministries wasn't the road I expected.

There have been seasons of waiting, disappointment, difficult decisions, and moments when I wondered why God wasn't taking the easier route.

At the time, none of those roads felt beautiful.

They felt exhausting.

Lonely.

Confusing.

Sometimes they even felt unfair.

But I've learned something over the years:

Just because a road is difficult doesn't mean you're headed in the wrong direction.

In fact, some of God's greatest work happens on the roads we would gladly avoid.

When I look back now, I don't just see the pain. I see God's fingerprints.

I see how He used broken places to teach me what His grace really looks like.

I see how He replaced fear with faith.

I see how He taught me that my identity wasn't rooted in where I came from, but in whose I am.

If my life had always been easy, I don't know that I would have learned to trust Him as deeply as I do today.

That's the strange thing about faith.

It grows best in places where we have no choice but to depend on God.

God Rarely Chooses the Easy Road

Think about the people throughout Scripture.

Joseph's road went through betrayal, slavery, and prison before it reached the palace.

Moses spent forty years in the wilderness before leading Israel to freedom.

David was hunted before he wore a crown.

Ruth experienced devastating loss before becoming part of the lineage of Jesus.

Even Jesus walked the road to the cross before there was an empty tomb.

The difficult road wasn't evidence that God had abandoned them.

It was the very road He used to fulfill His purpose.

Why should we expect our journey to be any different?

We Want Deliverance. God Wants Transformation.

So often, when I was younger, I prayed, "Lord, get me out of this."

Sometimes He did.

Other times, He's said, "Stay close to Me while I bring you through it."

Looking back, I'm thankful He didn't answer every prayer the way I wanted Him to.

If He had removed every hardship, I might have missed the lessons He wanted to teach me.

I might never have discovered that His strength really is made perfect in weakness.

I might never have experienced the peace that only comes when everything else has been stripped away.

The destination God was leading me toward wasn't simply a better life.

It was a deeper relationship with Him.

And that is far more beautiful than an easy road could ever provide.

Don't Despise the Road You're On

Maybe today you're walking a road you never imagined.

A road marked by grief.

A broken relationship.

Financial struggles.

Health concerns.

Unanswered prayers.

Or simply a season where God feels quiet.

Can I encourage you?

Don't mistake difficulty for God's absence.

The road may be steep.

It may be long.

It may not look anything like you planned.

But if you're walking with Christ, you're never walking alone.

One day you'll look back and realize that what felt like your greatest obstacle became one of God's greatest tools in shaping your faith.

Paul reminds us in Romans 8:28:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Notice that Scripture doesn't say all things are good.

Some roads are painful.

Some chapters are heartbreaking.

But God is able to redeem every mile for His glory and our good.

The difficult road isn't always the destination.

Sometimes it's the place where God molds our character, strengthens our faith, and teaches us that His presence is enough.

And when we finally arrive where He has been leading us all along, we often discover that the most beautiful destination wasn't a place at all.

It was becoming more like Christ.

Because in the end, that's the destination God has always been after.

Don’t Stop at the Breaking Point...

Don’t Stop at the Breaking Point...

Most people never experience their breakthrough because they stop at their breaking point.

That hit me hard because it’s true.

Breaking points are real. They are the moments when you feel stretched beyond what you think you can handle. The moments where you’re tired, emotionally drained, mentally exhausted, and ready to throw in the towel. The moments where quitting feels easier than pressing forward.

I’ve had those moments.

There were seasons in my life where the weight felt heavy—walking through grief after losing loved ones, navigating difficult and unhealthy relationships, homeschooling for years while carrying the responsibility of shaping my son’s future, helping do my part in building our family business, and trying to keep everything together at home.

There were times I felt like I was at my limit.

Times I questioned if I could keep going.
Times I wondered if the sacrifices were worth it.
Times I felt like I was breaking under the pressure.

But I’ve learned something: God often does His deepest work in us at the breaking point.

It’s where pride gets stripped away.
It’s where dependence on Him becomes real.
It’s where faith gets tested and strengthened.

Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

That means your breaking point is not the end—it may be the very place where God is preparing your breakthrough.

I’ve seen this in my own life. The hard decisions to walk away from unhealthy relationships felt like breaking. The long days and sacrifices of homeschooling felt like breaking. The pain of loss felt like breaking. Even the uncertainty and stress of building a future worth having from the ground up felt like breaking.

But every one of those moments produced something.

Strength.
Wisdom.
Discernment.
Perseverance.
Trust.

And looking back now, I can see that if I had quit in those hard seasons, I would have missed what God was doing on the other side.

Sometimes breakthrough doesn’t look like instant change. Sometimes it looks like becoming stronger. Wiser. More grounded. More surrendered.

Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

That’s the key: Don’t Give Up!!!

Your breaking point may feel like the end, but with God it can be the beginning of your breakthrough.

Hold on.
Pray harder.
Trust deeper.
Stay faithful.

Because what feels like breaking may actually be God building something in you that you’ll need for where He’s taking you next.

More Than a Medal: The Reward of Choosing the Hard Road...

Athletic Lab made a post on instagram that I wanted to share with you all here:

More Than a Medal: The Reward of Choosing the Hard Road...

There are moments as a parent when you stop and realize just how far your child has come.

This week, Athletic Lab recognized Tim for becoming the 2026 USA Weightlifting Junior National Champion in one of the most competitive junior divisions in the country. Reading those words was incredibly humbling.

It would be easy to focus on the gold medal. It would be easy to celebrate the personal records—101kg (222 lbs.) in the snatch, 130kg (286 lbs.) in the clean & jerk, and a 231kg (509 lbs.) total. Those accomplishments deserve to be celebrated.

But the medal is only the final chapter of a much longer story.

Three years ago, Tim made one of the hardest decisions of his young life. After dedicating eleven years to Taekwondo and earning his 3rd Degree Black Belt, he chose to step away and start over in Olympic weightlifting.

Starting over isn't glamorous.

No one hands you success because of what you've done before. You become a beginner again. You have to learn new techniques, build new strength, earn the respect of new coaches, and prove yourself one lift at a time.

There were sore muscles, missed lifts, frustrating training sessions, and competitions that didn't go the way we hoped. There were moments when progress felt painfully slow.

Then there was last year's Junior Nationals.

Many people don't know that Tim actually blacked out and passed out on the competition platform after one of his lifts. It was a frightening moment that none of us will ever forget. Instead of allowing that experience to define him, he went right back out on that platform and made the lift he had blacked out on.

That's what champions do.

They don't let one bad day, one setback, or one scary moment determine the rest of their story.

This year, Tim returned to that same national stage—not just to compete, but to win.

He hit a lifetime personal record in the clean & jerk to secure the overall Junior National Championship.

What a difference one year can make.

One thing that has made this journey special is the people who have poured into him. Athletic Lab and Coach Jarrod Nobbe have believed in Tim, challenged him, and helped develop him into the athlete he is becoming. Great coaches don't simply produce stronger athletes—they help shape stronger people.

As proud as I am of the title, I'm even more proud of the young man behind it.

He's learned that success isn't built overnight. It's built in thousands of unseen moments when no one is watching. It's built by showing up when you're tired, staying humble when you win, and refusing to quit when things don't go your way.

Those lessons extend far beyond sports.

Whether you're chasing a dream, raising a family, growing a business, or simply trying to become the person God has called you to be, the path is remarkably similar.

You keep showing up.

You keep doing the work.

You trust God with the outcome.

Galatians 6:9 reminds us:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Tim's gold medal didn't begin in Colorado Springs.

It began years ago with a decision to take the harder road.

It continued through every practice, every sacrifice, every disappointment, every personal record, and every lesson learned along the way.

The medal simply revealed what had already been forged long before he stepped onto the platform.

Sometimes the greatest victories aren't the ones hanging around our necks.

They're the character, perseverance, and faith that God builds within us while we're pursuing them.

And those are rewards that last a lifetime.

#OlympicWeightlifting #USAWeightlifting #JuniorNationalChampion #Faith #Perseverance #HardWork #NeverGiveUp #Parenting #AthleticLab #TrustGod

Stay Humble...

Stay Humble...

None of us sit high enough to look down on anybody.

That’s something life has taught me over and over again.

When I look back on my journey, I see how many times God has had to humble me—not to tear me down, but to shape me. Through marriage, motherhood, homeschooling, loss, and building a business, I’ve learned that none of us get through this life on our own strength.

I’ve walked through seasons that broke me. Seasons where I had to let go of relationships that were unhealthy and harmful for me spiritually and emotionally. That wasn’t easy. Walking away from people you love, or people you’ve known for years, can feel like losing part of yourself. But sometimes humility means admitting that not everyone can go where God is taking you.

I’ve had to deny myself. I’ve had to lay down pride. I’ve had to admit when I was wrong. I’ve had to forgive when it hurt. I’ve had to keep my mouth shut when I wanted to defend myself. And I’ve had to trust God when I didn’t understand why certain doors closed.

Homeschooling my son for 12 years taught me humility too. There were days I questioned if I was enough, if I was doing it right, if I was preparing him well for life. But God showed me that faithfulness matters more than perfection. It wasn’t about me having all the answers—it was about trusting Him to lead.

Walking through grief after losing loved ones humbled me deeply. Loss has a way of stripping away what doesn’t matter and reminding you how fragile life really is. It teaches you compassion because you realize everyone is carrying something.

Even helping build our family business has been humbling. It takes sacrifice, hard work, and perseverance. There’s no room for pride when you know the only reason you’ve made it through hard seasons is because God sustained you.

Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

That verse reminds me that no matter what I’ve overcome, no matter what I’ve accomplished, I’m no better than anyone else. Everything I have is because of God’s grace.

The truth is, we all have struggles people know nothing about. We all need mercy. We all need grace.

And if God has brought me through anything, it’s not so I can stand above someone else—it’s so I can reach back and help pull someone else through.

Humility keeps your heart soft.
Humility keeps you teachable.
Humility keeps you dependent on God.

Because the ground at the foot of the cross is level.

None of us sit high enough to look down on anybody.

So stay humble.
Because without God, none of us would be standing where we are today.

One Bold Move: How God Rewrote Our Son's Story...

One Bold Move: How God Rewrote Our Son's Story...

Three years ago this month, our family made one bold move that completely rewrote our son's story. After 11 years in Taekwondo, we walked away and stepped into a brand-new adventure: Olympic weightlifting.

It wasn't our decision—it was Tim's.

After all, it's his life.

We gave him the time and space to decide what he wanted to do next. When he told us he wanted to pursue Olympic weightlifting, I immediately went searching for the right coach and the right gym where he could grow and thrive.

When you have a child who is incredibly focused and driven, they'll stop at nothing to pursue their goals. But they also need the right people guiding them.

God led us to exactly that.

Tim's coach has been everything we could have hoped for. Not only has he invested in Tim, but he's also connected to Olympic-level coaching, giving us confidence that if Tim ever needs to take the next step, he'll be guided by someone who truly has his best interests at heart.

Even more than that, we've discovered an incredible community.

In Olympic weightlifting, people genuinely want to see one another succeed. They celebrate each other's victories, encourage one another through failures, and understand that every athlete is on their own journey. It's authentic, uplifting, and something we are incredibly thankful to be a part of.

Looking back, allowing our 15-year-old son to make what many would consider an "adult" decision wasn't easy.

But we listened.

We trusted him.

And we took the risk with him.

Many parents struggle to give their teenagers that kind of ownership over their lives, but we realized something important: one day Tim would have to live with the consequences of his decisions—not us. Our job wasn't to control every step. It was to guide him, pray for him, and support him as he learned to make wise choices.

That one decision changed everything.

Three years ago, our lives were filled with stress.

Today, there's peace.

In our previous athletic environment, there was constant pressure. If you didn't win gold, you often felt like you had failed—even if you stood on the podium. Sometimes even winning wasn't enough because someone always found something you should have done better.

Weightlifting has been completely different.

Here, every competition is another opportunity to learn.

When Tim misses a lift, his coach doesn't tear him down. He reminds him, "The lifts are coming. You'll make them."

Those words matter.

Instead of fear, there's confidence.

Instead of pressure, there's growth.

Instead of feeling defeated, there's hope.

A tremendous weight has been lifted from all of us.

Looking back, I honestly don't know how we stayed where we were for as long as we did. The only reason we did was because Tim still wanted to keep going at the time.

As a parent, hindsight is powerful. There are moments when I wish we had recognized sooner just how much it was affecting him and had been willing to walk away earlier. But God, in His perfect timing, allowed everything to unfold exactly when it needed to.

What felt like everything falling apart was actually God opening the door to something so much better.

Today, we have our son back.

He's genuinely happy in a way we haven't seen since before his competitive Taekwondo journey began.

He's become an incredible young man.

At just 18 years old, he's experienced challenges that have shaped him with a maturity far beyond his years, and we couldn't be more proud of the man he's becoming.

This year he accomplished one of his biggest goals.

He became a USA Weightlifting Jr. National Champion. 

Ironically, that dream didn't come true in the sport where we once imagined it would.

It came through having the courage to walk away and take an entirely different path.

If there's one lesson we've learned over these last three years, it's this:

One bold move really can rewrite your entire story.

Sometimes the greatest blessing isn't holding on tighter.

Sometimes it's having the faith to let go, trust God, and walk through the door He's opening.

Our son's life is living proof.

He took the risk.

And God wrote a better story than any of us could have imagined.

Maybe you're standing where we once stood.

Maybe you're exhausted from carrying the weight of a situation that no longer brings peace. Maybe you know something needs to change, but fear keeps whispering, "What if it doesn't work?" or "What if we make the wrong decision?"

I've learned that staying where God is no longer calling you can be far more costly than stepping into the unknown.

Change is rarely comfortable. It often requires courage, trust, and a willingness to leave behind what's familiar. But sometimes God uses those moments of uncertainty to lead us to places we never imagined possible.

If you're struggling today, don't let fear be the loudest voice you hear. Pray. Seek God's wisdom. Listen to the people He has placed around you. And when He makes the next step clear, have the courage to take it.

It may not happen overnight, and the path may not look anything like you expected. Ours certainly didn't.

But God is faithful.

Three years ago, we couldn't see what He was doing. Today, we can look back and see His fingerprints over every step of the journey.

Your story isn't over.

The chapter you're in today doesn't have to be the chapter that defines the rest of your life. God specializes in bringing beauty from brokenness, purpose from pain, and hope where it once seemed impossible.

So if He's calling you to make a bold move, trust Him.

The step you're afraid to take today may be the very step God uses to rewrite your story tomorrow.

Denying Yourself, Taking Up Your Cross...

Denying Yourself, Taking Up Your Cross...

Jesus never said following Him would be easy. In fact, He made it clear in Matthew 16:24: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

That verse sounds simple when you read it, but living it is another story.

There was a season in my life in my early to mid twenties where following Jesus meant walking away from what was familiar. It meant denying my own feelings, my own desires, and sometimes even the relationships I thought I needed to hold onto. But the truth is, not every relationship is healthy, and not every connection is meant to go where God is taking you.

There came a point in my life when I had to make hard choices—choices that hurt. I had to burn bridges with relationships that were toxic, draining, and harmful to my spiritual growth. Relationships that kept me tied to old mindsets, old wounds, and old ways of living. It wasn’t easy. It felt lonely at times. It felt painful. But obedience often does.

Denying yourself isn’t just about giving up obvious sins. Sometimes it’s giving up people, patterns, and places that keep you from fully walking in what God has for you.

For me, taking up my cross meant trusting God enough to let go of what was unhealthy, even when I didn’t know what was ahead. It meant choosing peace over chaos. Choosing healing over dysfunction. Choosing obedience over comfort.

And in those moments, I learned something powerful: when God asks you to lay something down, it’s never to harm you—it’s always to protect you and prepare you.

Following hard after Jesus has cost me things. It has cost me relationships, comfort, and sometimes understanding from others. But what I gained has been far greater—peace, clarity, healing, strength, and a deeper relationship with Him.

Not everyone will understand the boundaries you set or the doors you close. Some may call it harsh. Some may call it selfish. But when God is calling you higher, you cannot stay chained to what is breaking you.

Taking up your cross is personal. It looks different for all of us. But one thing remains the same: it requires surrender.

And I’ve learned this—anything I’ve had to give up for Jesus has never compared to what He has given me in return.

Sometimes following Him means walking away.
Sometimes it means standing alone.
Sometimes it means burning the bridge so you’re not tempted to go back.

But if it means getting closer to Him, it’s worth it Every Single Time!