Sip, Shop, and Storytime: A Sparkling Author Afternoon

Have you recently gone through a difficult divorce? Are you still grieving that lost friend or family member? Did you just get a tough medical diagnosis? Have you recently had to move away from the only home you have known for years? There are so many times in our lives where we must be brave for ourselves or even for other people. Do you put on a brave face when you are dying inside? It is very easy to do. Sometimes we do it because we don’t want anyone to know our real stories. At the end of the day, we may only be hurting ourselves by keeping it all inside. If you want encouragement from 8 very brave women who have lived to tell their stories, check out this book in the Lightbeamer Series. https://amzn.to/3UJ8UV4

Do you ever have imposter syndrome? If you have, you know exactly what I’m talking about. That voice telling you that you can’t do something, or you’re not good enough or smart enough, or that what you’re speaking about you have no knowledge of. Don’t listen to that voice…

• You are good enough!
• You are smart enough!
• You are capable enough!
• You are knowledgeable enough!
• You are enough!

Walk into a room like you are meant to be there because you are. Speak up in instances where you have something to say because you do. Don’t listen to all of the background noise.

Do you ever feel sad or down because of something someone else has said about you or done to you? Do you allow that to hang around and affect your mood for the day or even longer? If so, then you are allowing someone else to hold the key to your happiness. Of course it is hurtful when you hear someone talking about you in a negative light. And it is sometimes heartbreaking when you go through trauma where someone has done something to you that you didn’t ask for. But, if we stay there in that pain and allow it to affect the way we view or treat others, then we have relinquished control of our happiness to someone or something other than ourselves. It is really easy to do, I have done it a million times. Being in control of your own happiness is easier said than done when you are hurting. It is a daily struggle that I found takes daily, conscious effort to get in the right mindset. The mindset that no matter what comes my way I am going to find good in it. The mindset that I am worthy and I am loved no matter what anyone else may say about me. Start today, fresh, renewing your mindset and taking control of your own happiness. You’ve got this!

Hey there! Did you catch the recent episode of the show where I talk about taking your time? If not, go to the Podcast tab and click the link to the replay of part 6 of the Truest You Series!

Don’t be in such a rush for everything! What is meant for you will get to you in the exact moment it is suppose to, and not a moment sooner. The end result may not be in your favor if you rush through something, so TAKE YOUR TIME! #takeyourtime #righttime #wait

It’s been a while.

I hadn’t planned to step away for so long, but as life often reminds us, sometimes we need to go quiet for a while to truly listen—both to the world around us and the one within. I’ve missed this space, and I’ve missed you.

The past months have been a mix of introspection, stillness, and yes—writing. Not the kind of writing that ends up neatly formatted in a blog post, but the raw, messy, soul-deep kind that slowly becomes a book. Or maybe more than one….

There’s something sacred about stepping away from the noise, away from constant updates and quick captions, to create something that asks more of me. Something that requires time, heart, and a lot of patience. Writing a book is less like building a house and more like growing a garden—you plant seeds, wait, prune, water, doubt, replant—and eventually, you begin to see what it’s becoming.

So, where have I been? In short: I’ve been writing. And wrestling. And rewriting. I’ve been letting stories stretch and settle. I’ve been exploring themes that scare me, excite me, and leave me with more questions than answers. I’ve been learning how to trust the slow process of creating something meaningful.

I won’t pretend it’s been easy. But it’s been necessary.

And now, I’m slowly returning—with new words to share, new lessons learned, and a deeper gratitude for the time it takes to make something honest.

If you’re still here, thank you. Truly. Your presence means more than I can say. I look forward to opening this space back up—sharing parts of this journey, inviting your thoughts, and reconnecting over the things that move us.

Fighting the good fight sometimes is exhausting. You do the right things when everyone else may choose the wrong things. You stick up for loved ones in rooms where people are talking negatively about them. You go out of your way to help someone in need, knowing they could never repay you. Maybe you stay up late with your children to finish that last minute project they told you about. All of these things are wearing you out and you are tired. Take a deep breath my warrior woman. Your load may be great, but God is greater! He will never give you more than you can handle, even if sometimes you feel like you are at a breaking point. I understand where you are coming from, but more importantly, He understands. You’ve got this!