Forgiving the Inexcusable...

There are some quotes that stop you in your tracks, and this is one of them.

Forgiveness sounds beautiful when we're talking about minor offenses. It's much harder when we're talking about real hurt. The kind of hurt that leaves scars. The kind that changes relationships, breaks trust, and leaves you asking, "How could they do that?"

If you've lived very long, you've been hurt by someone. Maybe it was a friend. Maybe it was a family member. Maybe it was someone you trusted completely. The details may be different, but the pain is something we all understand.

I've learned that forgiveness is one of the hardest things God asks us to do.

Not because we don't know we're supposed to forgive, but because sometimes the hurt feels too deep. We replay conversations in our minds. We relive disappointments. We carry wounds long after the moment has passed. Sometimes we convince ourselves that holding on to the hurt somehow protects us from being hurt again.

But the truth is, bitterness doesn't protect us—it imprisons us.

Over the years, I've had moments when I had to choose forgiveness even when every emotion in me wanted to hold on to the offense. I've had to remind myself that forgiveness is not saying what happened was okay. It's not pretending the hurt didn't exist. It's not giving someone permission to continue hurting you.

Forgiveness is choosing to release the debt.

It's placing the situation into God's hands and trusting Him to handle what I cannot.

As a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, and simply as a person trying to walk faithfully with Christ, I've learned that relationships can be messy. People will disappoint you. They will say things they shouldn't say. They will make choices you don't understand. Sometimes they'll never apologize. Sometimes they'll never acknowledge the pain they caused.

That's when forgiveness becomes less about them and more about your obedience to God.

When I think about all the grace God has extended to me, it changes my perspective. There have been countless times in my life when I didn't deserve His mercy. Times when I failed. Times when I made mistakes. Times when I fell short of who He created me to be.

Yet God never turned His back on me.

He didn't make me earn His forgiveness.

He didn't keep a running list of my failures.

Through Jesus Christ, He offered forgiveness freely.

And if God can forgive me for all the ways I've fallen short, how can I refuse to extend forgiveness to others?

That question isn't always comfortable, but it's necessary.

The older I get, the more I realize that forgiveness is not usually a one-time event. It's often a daily decision. Sometimes you forgive someone, only to wake up the next day feeling the hurt all over again. In those moments, you choose forgiveness again.

And again.

And again.

Not because the pain magically disappeared, but because you've decided that Christ's example matters more than your feelings.

One of the greatest lessons I've learned is that forgiveness doesn't free the other person nearly as much as it frees you.

The moment you stop carrying the weight of bitterness, resentment, and anger, something changes. The burden becomes lighter. The wound begins to heal. The peace of God has room to work in your heart.

I've also learned that forgiveness and trust are not the same thing. Some relationships can be restored. Others require healthy boundaries. Wisdom and forgiveness often walk hand in hand.

But regardless of the outcome, God never gives us permission to hold on to unforgiveness.

As Christians, we're called to something different from the world. We're called to love when it's difficult. To show grace when it's undeserved. To forgive when it feels impossible.

Not because people deserve it.

But because we serve a Savior who forgave us when we didn't deserve it either.

The cross is the greatest example of forgiveness the world has ever seen. Jesus looked at those who mocked Him, beat Him, and crucified Him and still chose forgiveness.

If He can do that for me, then surely He can help me forgive those who have hurt me.

Maybe today you're carrying a wound that you've held on to for years. Maybe every time you think you've moved past it, the pain resurfaces. Maybe you've been waiting for an apology that never came.

Can I encourage you to give that hurt to God?

Not because it's easy.

Not because it's fair.

But because your freedom is worth it.

Forgiveness doesn't change the past, but it does keep the past from controlling your future.

And sometimes the most powerful testimony of God's work in our lives isn't what we've overcome—it's who we've chosen to forgive.

After all, every single one of us is living proof that God specializes in forgiving the inexcusable.

Becoming Who God Created You to Be...

Have you ever noticed that the closer you get to something God has called you to do, the harder the battle seems to become?

The doubts get louder. The obstacles seem bigger. The discouragement appears out of nowhere. Relationships get strained. Fear creeps in. You begin questioning things you were once confident about.

That's not a coincidence.

Satan is afraid of you becoming everything God meant for you to be.

He knows he can't take away God's promises, but he will do everything he can to convince you to walk away from them yourself. He wants you distracted, discouraged, offended, fearful, and exhausted because a believer who understands their purpose is a powerful force for God's Kingdom.

When I look back over my own life, I can see moments when the enemy tried to convince me to quit. There were seasons filled with uncertainty, disappointment, and challenges I never expected. There were times when I wondered if all the hard work, prayers, and waiting would ever amount to anything.

But God was working even when I couldn't see it.

Many of the struggles that felt like setbacks were actually preparation. The difficult seasons strengthened my faith, deepened my dependence on God, and helped shape me into the person He was calling me to become.

I've watched this unfold in our family as well. I've seen God guide Tim through unexpected changes, closing one chapter and opening another. What once looked like a painful ending turned into an opportunity for growth and blessing. Looking back, it's clear that God's plans were always greater than what we could see in the moment.

The enemy wants you focused on your current struggle. God wants you focused on your future purpose.

Don't let temporary battles convince you to abandon eternal promises.

If you're facing opposition today, maybe it's because you're moving in the right direction. Maybe the resistance you're feeling is evidence that God is doing something significant in your life. Maybe the enemy sees the potential God placed inside of you and wants to stop it before it fully develops.

Don't give up.

Keep praying.

Keep trusting.

Keep showing up.

Keep becoming.

God created you on purpose, for a purpose. He has equipped you with gifts, talents, experiences, and opportunities that nobody else can fulfill exactly the way you can.

The enemy may fight against that calling, but he cannot defeat God's plan unless you stop pursuing it.

So stand firm in your faith. Walk boldly in your calling. Trust God's timing. And remember that every step of obedience is a step closer to becoming everything God meant for you to be.

The very thing the enemy fears most may be the person God is transforming you into right now.

(Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10)

USA Junior Nationals 2026 Champion...

Today was an incredible day for our son, Tim, as he stepped onto the platform for the first time as a Junior competitor at the USA Junior Weightlifting Nationals in Colorado Springs.

He walked away the Champion in the 71kg Junior Men’s Division.

His results on the day:

Snatch: 98kg, 101kg, 104kg (attempted, but missed)
Clean & Jerk: 120kg, 124kg, 130kg (PR)
Total: 231kg (PR)

And the medals:

🥉 Bronze in Snatch (101kg)
🥈 Silver in Clean & Jerk (130kg)
🥇 Gold in Total (231kg) — making him the overall National Champion of his division.

To say we are elated is an understatement.

Tim has worked incredibly hard to reach this moment. In many ways, this has been years in the making—stretching back to his foundation in the sport he trained in before weightlifting, where discipline, perseverance, and grit were first forged.

To think that less than three years ago he made the transition into Olympic weightlifting, and today he stands as a USA National Champion, is nothing short of remarkable.

We are beyond proud of the young man, athlete, and competitor he has become. This is only the beginning.

Lift Day...

Lift Day...

Today, in Colorado Springs, Tim lifts at 2:00 PM local time (4:00 PM Eastern) for all of you back home cheering him on. The event will be available to stream online, though there may be a viewing fee—please check for the official broadcast details at USA Weightlifting National's Event page. There is a link as you scroll down the page for livestreaming. 

We’ll continue to update this blog with how Tim performs once his session is complete, so stay tuned for results and highlights.

As a first-year Junior, Tim is excited for the opportunity to compete alongside some incredible lifters today. More than anything, he’s looking forward to learning from the experience—watching how other competitors do, and continuing to grow in the sport he loves.

Seek First the Kingdom...

In a world that constantly tells us to chase more—more success, more money, more recognition, more security—Jesus offers a different path. In Matthew 6:33, He gives us a simple but life-changing instruction: seek the Kingdom of God above all else.

That sounds straightforward, but living it out can be challenging. We often find ourselves worrying about tomorrow, trying to control outcomes, or striving to make things happen in our own strength. Yet this verse reminds us that our first priority is not to pursue the things we think we need. Our first priority is to pursue God.

Seeking God's Kingdom means making Him the center of our lives. It means desiring His will above our own, trusting His plans above our fears, and choosing obedience even when the path ahead isn't clear. It means asking not, "What do I want?" but "Lord, what do You want for me?"

Jesus doesn't promise that we will receive everything we want. He promises that God will provide everything we need. There is a difference. Our Heavenly Father knows our needs better than we do, and His provision often comes in ways we never expected. Sometimes He opens doors. Sometimes He closes them. Sometimes He gives us strength instead of an immediate solution. But He is always faithful.

Looking back on my own life, I can see countless examples of God's perfect timing. There were moments when I didn't understand why certain prayers weren't answered the way I hoped. Yet later, I realized that God was working behind the scenes, preparing something better than I could have imagined. What felt like a delay was actually divine direction.

When we seek God's Kingdom first, we can rest in the assurance that He is taking care of the details. We don't have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We can trust the One who holds the world in His hands.

Today, whatever concerns may be occupying your mind, bring them to the Lord. Place Him first. Seek His Kingdom. Walk in righteousness. Trust His timing. And remember that the God who calls you to follow Him is also the God who faithfully provides for every need.

Prayer:

Father, help me to seek Your Kingdom above all else. Teach me to trust You more fully and to walk in obedience to Your Word. When I am tempted to worry, remind me that You are my provider and that Your timing is perfect. Give me a heart that desires You above everything else. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Work Is Done—Now We Wait...

There comes a point in every competition where there is nothing left to do but wait.

The training is done. The preparation is complete. The countless hours in the gym have been logged. The early mornings, the sore muscles, the victories, the setbacks, the lessons learned along the way—all of it has led to this moment.

Tim has acclimated as much as possible to the altitude here in Colorado Springs and has completed his training hall sessions. Tomorrow at 4 PM Eastern, he will step onto the platform for his first USA Weightlifting Nationals as a Junior competitor.

As a parent, these moments are bittersweet. For months, we've watched him prepare for this competition. We've seen the discipline it takes to pursue excellence. We've watched him push through difficult training days, trust the process, and stay committed to his goals.

Now there is no more training to squeeze in. No more adjustments to make. No more preparation left to be done.

Now we wait.

And honestly, waiting can sometimes be harder than the work itself.

But there is a peace that comes from knowing you've done everything you can do. Tim has put in the work. His coach has guided him. His training partners have supported him. Our family has done everything possible to help him get to this point.

The rest is in God's hands.

No matter what happens tomorrow, I am already proud of him. Not because of the numbers on the bar, the medals, or the final standings, but because of the young man he has become through this journey.

Just a few years ago, Tim made the difficult decision to leave the only sport he had ever known and start over in Olympic weightlifting. That decision took courage. Since then, he has learned, grown, and achieved things many people thought were out of reach.

Tomorrow is another opportunity—not just to compete, but to see the fruit of all the hard work that has been invested over the past year.

So the rest of today, he rests. We enjoy the moment. We take a deep breath and soak it all in.

The work is done.

Tomorrow, he lifts.

What Real Freedom Looks Like...

When I first read that statement, it reminded me of how differently I define freedom today than I did when I was younger.

There was a time in my life when I thought freedom meant being able to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, with no one telling me what to do.

If I wanted to party, I partied.

If I wanted to hang around the wrong crowd, I did.

If I wanted to smoke, use foul language, or make poor decisions, nobody was going to stop me.

At the time, I called that freedom.

Looking back now, I realize I wasn't free at all.

I was allowing my choices, my wounds, and my circumstances to control me.

The truth is that just because we can do something doesn't mean we should do it.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:23:

"Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up."

That verse has taken on a much deeper meaning as I've grown in my faith.

God gives us free will. He doesn't force us to choose Him. He doesn't force us to make wise decisions. He allows us to choose.

But every choice carries consequences.

Some choices move us closer to God.

Others pull us farther away.

For many years, I made choices that weren't helping me become the person God intended me to be. Some of those choices were rooted in pain from an abusive childhood. Some were rooted in wanting acceptance from the people around me. Others were simply selfish decisions.

Thankfully, God didn't leave me there.

As He began healing my heart and transforming my life, I started to understand that real freedom isn't found in doing whatever feels good in the moment.

Real freedom is found in having the wisdom and strength to choose what is good for you, even when it's harder.

It's choosing forgiveness when bitterness feels justified.

It's choosing integrity when cutting corners would be easier.

It's choosing God's way over the world's way.

And sometimes it's choosing to walk away from things that aren't necessarily sinful but simply aren't beneficial.

I've learned that some opportunities aren't helpful.

Some relationships aren't healthy.

Some habits aren't productive.

Some activities aren't drawing me closer to Christ.

Just because something is available to me doesn't mean it's adding value to my life.

Today, when I look at the life God has blessed me with—a strong marriage, a family I cherish, a business Scot and I have built together, and the incredible son He entrusted to us—I can see how many blessings came from choosing God's path over my own.

Were those choices always easy?

Not at all.

But they were worth it.

The older I get, the more I realize that freedom isn't the absence of boundaries.

Freedom is having the wisdom to know which choices lead to life and which ones lead to regret.

God's boundaries aren't there to restrict us.

They're there to protect us.

They're there to help us become everything He created us to be.

So the next time you're faced with a decision, don't just ask yourself, "Can I do this?"

Ask yourself:

"Will this help me become the person God is calling me to be?"

Because everything may be permissible.

But not everything is helpful.

Waiting Different...

Waiting is one of the hardest things God asks us to do.

We live in a world that pushes speed—quick answers, fast fixes, instant results. And when life feels heavy, when prayers seem unanswered, and when doors stay shut longer than we expected, it’s easy to question if God sees us at all.

I know that feeling.

There have been seasons in my life where I cried out to God, desperate for healing, desperate for peace, desperate for Him to move. After walking through years of emotional and physical abuse in my childhood because of my father’s alcoholism, there were wounds I carried far into adulthood. For a long time, I wondered why healing didn’t happen faster. Why freedom seemed so far away.

But looking back now, I can see that God was never late.

Not in my pain.
Not in my healing.
Not in my freedom.

He was working in the waiting.

What felt like silence was actually God rebuilding me from the inside out. He was teaching me how to trust Him, how to surrender, and how to let Him heal places in my heart I had kept hidden for years. The freedom I found in Him didn’t happen overnight—but it happened in His perfect time.

And because of that, I wait differently now.

When I look at Scripture, I’m reminded that God has always worked this way. Abraham and Sarah waited decades for their promise. Joseph endured years of betrayal and prison before stepping into his calling. Lazarus’ story looked finished until Jesus showed up and changed everything.

To man, it looked late.
To God, it was right on time.

That truth has changed the way I walk through hard seasons. Waiting no longer feels like punishment—it feels like preparation. It doesn’t mean I always understand it, but I trust that God is doing something bigger than what I can see.

Even now, in the unknowns of life, marriage, motherhood, business, and watching our son step into adulthood, I’m learning that God’s timing can be trusted. Every closed door, every detour, every delay has purpose.

So if you’re in a waiting season today—waiting for healing, restoration, direction, or breakthrough—hold on.

God hasn’t forgotten you.
He isn’t behind.
He’s not late.

He’s working.

And when you truly understand that, you wait different.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being faithful in every season—even the waiting ones. Thank You for the ways You have healed me, carried me, and restored what was broken. Help me trust Your timing when I cannot see the full picture. Strengthen my faith while I wait and remind me that You are always working for my good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tim Found His Name...

Tim found his name on the board. Such an exciting time to be alive and thriving and going after goals and achieving them here in 2026...

Tim is really looking forward to stepping onto the platform again at USAW Junior Nationals 2026 this year. It will be his first time competing as a Junior.

Prayers that he meets all the goals he has set for himself at this year's Nationals. Also, prayers that his sinuses settle down and don't affect his ability to lift the numbers he's aiming for.

We love being part of the weightlifting community and seeing so many people we know succeed at their meets. It has been such a joy to be involved in this sport and to get to know so many wonderful people. We feel more connected to this sport than we ever did when Tim was competing in the sport side of TaeKwonDo.

Life has a funny way of working out the way it's supposed to, exactly when it's supposed to. I'm so thankful to God, whose timing is always perfect.

Pictures from Yesterday...

Here are some pictures that I was able to get as we drove into Colorado Springs yesterday. These were taken as we were almost there.

Left side of the vehicle. It had mostly blue skies and white puffy clouds.

Right side of the vehicle. You could see the pouring rain off in the distance.

It's so good to be here and to be well rested.