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5 In Faith/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Moving/ My Journey

5 ways to Cure a Lonely Heart

 

Feeling lonely?

I am too. 

Though we are the most interconnected generation of all time, we are the loneliest generation as well.

We have hundreds, maybe thousands of ‘friends’ on social media, but rarely spend time with people one-on-one, eye-to-eye, really getting to KNOW each other. 

This pandemic’s made it worse! We are currently asked to STAY HOME and STAY APART. 

We may text and comment on pictures, but rarely have a heartfelt, deep, face-to-face conversation. And when was the last time you HUGGED someone (besides your children)?

After moving to Minnesota, I’d been feeling lonely. My loneliness was causing me to be on social media MORE, but that pseudo-connection left me feeling emptier and lonelier.

We now live in a world that makes it possible to live void of human contact. We can live a virtual life. VIRTUAL connections are not a SOUL connection.

The same technology that promises to help us be more connected than ever is – in some ways – making people more disconnected that ever.

My loneliness caused me to spend the day in tears.  I had left all my friends 3 years ago when we moved from the Chicago area to Colorado. Then I left all my new Colorado friends to pursue an adventure in Minnesota. (Click here to read about it)

My husband saw me and listened to my sadness …  then encouraged me to do a few things that he thought might help. (Husbands love to FIX things.) At first, I didn’t want him to FIX it…I just wanted to FEEL it.  Then, I slowly acted on his suggestions and it really DID help! If you find yourself feeling lonely, these ideas might help you too:

  1. Reach out to old friends.

I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to catch up with people who know you and love you. Do it. Call an old friend today.

It’s important to choose a handful of friends that are “lifers” … friends that you want to stay connected with for life. Those are the friends you need to continue to check-in on and reach out to.

Call one (or five) old friends and tell them you are LONELY!  Letting someone know how you feel invites them to encourage you, pray for you, check in on you, and spend time with you.

I was feeling sad that very few friends had reached out to me, then I began to realize I had not reached out to anyone either. I have one friend who lost her father, another friend just went through a divorce, another friend moved across the country. I had not reached out to ANY of them!!!!

Wow, I was throwing myself a pity party, then realized I was not doing what I wanted others to do for me!

2. Reach out to new friends.

I had very few people in this new state that even knew my name. But the few that knew me, I contacted. One was my neighbor…we just sat on each other’s porches and talked while our kids played. I invited the one other lady I knew out to dinner. It was refreshing to chat with other ladies and begin to build friendships.

When we sow genuine seeds of friendship – love, encouragement, time, and affirmation – we WILL reap a harvest of good friends.

3.  Get outside

Get OUT of your house!

Take a walk, soak in the fresh air.

BONUS: PEOPLE are outside!

This might sound silly, but I intentionally went on walks and bike rides with my kids around my new neighborhood JUST to meet our neighbors and find potential friends.

My first good friend in Colorado was someone I met at the playground when our kids were playing together.

So…get outside!

Since it’s winter in Minnesota and harder to be outside…I’ve found places to go INSIDE! The library, classes at the gym, my church, and a Bible study.

I was actually writing this post from the cafe inside my local gym. As I’m typing, a lady from my church recognizes me and says hello. We talk for a few minutes and she asks me what I’m writing about. I was so embarrassed to answer honestly, but took a deep breath and said: Loneliness.  She then INVITES me to her house. This is exactly what I needed and would not have had happened if I’d stayed inside – wallowing in loneliness.

Movement creates opportunity!

Get out of your house. Smile. Be friendly. Stop and chat with people.

4. Start a Gratitude List

Start writing a list of things you are grateful for. I’m currently writing a list of 1000 things for which I’m thankful based on the book One Thousand Gifts gifts.

If you look for the good, you WILL find it!

When I began to focus on the things I DO have rather than what I don’t, my attitude began to change. My shift in perspective caused my heart to mend.

5. Connect with your Heavenly Father.

We are never really alone. Our Heavenly Father is always ready and willing to spend time with us, comfort us and heal our wounded hearts. It’s easy to forget that God is with us all day long…ready to listen and connect. He’s the one Friend that will never leave or disappoint us.

…But I am always with you.
    You have held my hand. Psalm 73:23

…You can be sure that I will be with you always… Matthew 28:20

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18

So don’t worry, because I am with you.
    Don’t be afraid, because I am your God.
I will make you strong and will help you.
    I will support you with my right hand…Isaiah 41:10

The closer we get to God, the fuller our hearts will be and the less lonely we will feel. However, it’s okay to ask Him to provide us with strong friendships! He’s the one who said:

“It’s not good for man to be alone!” (Genesis 2:18)

 

If you’ve moved recently,  I wrote a post called “LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE” with some similar but additional ideas and encouragement. You can click here to read it.

If you are feeling lonely, call me or send me an email! I’d be happy to chat with you!

If you’ve found something that has helped you overcome loneliness… leave me a comment!

For an awesome, encouraging book, check out: You are Never Alone by Max Lucado.

January 19, 2019 By
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2 In My Journey

A look at my 2018 Goals!

Exactly one year ago, I posted a list of goals for 2018….Below my 2018 goals are listed with details about what was accomplished.

1. Personal Goals

  • Market my book:
    • UPDATE: Before we moved to Minnesota, I was able to get my book (Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore) into four stores!
    • I’ve done two book signings and several readings.
  • Continue writing:
    • 2 posts per week for this blog
      • Update: I’ve done at least two posts per week since I launched!
    • Bible Studies for the Help Club
      • Update: Still writing for the Help Club.
    • Articles for Homefront Magazine,
      • Update: I’ve written 2-3 articles for Homefront and will continue when needed.
    • Write new drafts for my next children’s book
      • Update: on hold until I get to know Minnesota better.
  • Explore new places 
    • Update: Though I thought 2018 would be full of Colorado explorations…it turned out to be a year of Minnesota adventures.
  • Keep learning – podcasts, classes, books, etc
    • Update: Regularly listening to podcasts, reading books and taking online classes.

2. Marriage Goals

  • Go on a monthly date with my husband
    • Update: We’ve been on a date each month this year.
  • Go on an overnight with just the two of us
    • Update: Ted and I set a getaway RECORD this year. We took long weekends to Minneapolis to go house-hunting in May and June, then went to California in December for an actual GETAWAY! Thanks to my in-laws for keeping the boys!

3. Motherhood Goals

  • Stay ENGAGED, present with my sons – enjoying each moment (It’s going by so quickly!)
    • Update: This is always a work-in-progress!
  • Spend one-on-one time with each one
    • Update: Went on “dates” with each one of them throughout the year.

4. Ministry Goals

  • Build relationships with kids and volunteers
    • Update: LOVED the people I served at New Life. The people there were like family and I cried my eyes out when we moved.
  • Invest in current volunteers
    • Update: I was doing this with   conversations, cards, and time together.
  • Personally invite 50 more people to serve
    • Update: I did not keep track but I did invite at least one person to serve every week until we moved.

That’s my update! It really helps to WRITE your goals down and review them throughout the year.

If there are things that you want to do but haven’t yet accomplished, let me encourage you to WRITE those things DOWN, ask someone to keep you accountable…and pray for strength and favor to accomplish your goals. YOU CAN DO IT!

December 28, 2018 By
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3 In Marriage/ My Journey

The Story of Us – Our Wedding Day!

I knew from our first date that I wanted to marry Ted Egly.

We got engaged, chose our day and it was here… the day I’d dreamed about my whole life.

Our wedding day: November 17, 2001.

Friends and family had gathered from all over the country, and the morning started with many of us gathered to finish decorating the church and preparing food for the reception.

Thank you to my mom and step-mom for delicious food and the beautiful display!

After wrapping up the last minute details…we got ready and broke a “wedding day rule.” Ted and I chose to see each other before the actual wedding. I LOVED breaking this rule because it was the first most memorable part of our day.

Ted was waiting for me at the front of our wedding chapel, all by himself. I walked down the aisle alone to just Ted. No one else was in the chapel. As I walked alone down the aisle, I was so nervous I could hardly breathe. This was really happening! When I got to the front, Ted held my hands, and we got to enjoy a few minutes together before our big day. We pushed “pause” on all the craziness of the day, to connect and speak a few words to each other….our last words before becoming husband and wife. The moment with just the two of us was unforgettable, and one of my favorite moments of the day.

After that, everything happened so quickly. We were joined by our photographer and all 18 of our bridesmaids and groomsmen. Yes … 18. I have FOUR natural sisters, TWO step-sisters, TWO cousins that are like sisters, and ONE (soon-to-be sister-in-law). Add that up, and you’ll see that I have NINE “sisters.” Ted had no brothers. Thankfully, he has a lot of great friends.

Our Bridal Party

We chose to take pictures BEFORE the wedding, so afterward we could enjoy as much time as possible with our family and friends.

At 2 PM on November 17, 2001…it was time for me to walk down the aisle.

Because I had just had a ‘practice’ run a couple of hours ago, I was no longer nervous or jittery!  I was relaxed and enjoyed this second walk down the aisle. I DELIGHTED in every step. I soaked it all in. I tried to look around and see each of the 200+ people who came to celebrate with us. I wanted this time to freeze so that I could fully absorb how special this day was. Walking down the aisle, surrounded by all the people I love, was the second sweetest moment of the day.

I LOVED this moment

We said our beautiful vows and enjoyed an incredible ceremony. I loved every second of it, but when Pastor Randy announced us as Mr. and Mrs. Ted Egly…that was the best, sweetest part of the day! This is the moment I’d waited my whole life for, and I was the happiest I’d ever been.

The world’s happiest bride!

We turned toward our guests, and walked down the aisle side-by-side…as husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Egly! Our bridesmaids and groomsmen followed close behind, and we had a few minutes to celebrate with them, right outside the doors of the chapel. This was another incredibly SPECIAL moment that day.

After the ceremony, we all gathered for the reception. We had some yummy appetizers and cake, fun and memorable speeches and toasts, and then we danced and danced (another favorite part of the day)! Our first dance was to the song, What a Wonderful World by Louie Armstrong. We also took some dance lessons before our wedding, and had fun practicing some of what we learned.

It was a day for the books. A day I will NEVER forget. Though so many things were ‘perfect’ that day and I loved SO many moments, there were a few things that went wrong…

The Pastor who married us wasn’t registered in our state and could not sign our marriage certificate. Thankfully, we were in Tulsa, OK, which meant that half of our guests were pastors. Pastor Hagin signed our marriage certificate.

We also ran out of drinks. (Where was Jesus in that moment?) But I’m not talking about wine. We ran out of all liquids. Jake Blonsky, our Best Man, gave a speech and toasted us with a pitcher of salsa. Since many of my guests and I would choose a good salsa over water, we survived.

As we were leaving our reception, I realized that I had barely eaten anything all day. I grabbed an hors d’oeuvre and put it in my mouth. “Crunch” – I bit into a raw onion in that first bite of food. We walked out to the car as our guests were shouting: “Kiss! Kiss!” Ted did kiss me and got to taste the onion I had just eaten! Mmmm…WELCOME TO MARRIED LIFE, sweetie. He still remembers that moment with “delight!”

Our wedding was one short day, but marriage is a lifetime. Though our wedding was fun and had many memorable moments, the most important part was the person I married. That’s the ONE part of the wedding you do NOT want to mess up. I’m thankful I married a man of faith, honor, and integrity. I’m grateful for my husband.

Thank you, Ted Egly, for loving me through thick and thin, good and bad. Fresh breath and onion breath.

Happy 17 years!

And if you are interested, here’s an open letter I wrote to my newlywed self.

If you were at our wedding, leave a comment with a memory you have of the day!

PS – Sorry for the blurry pictures. When I get a chance to upload the original wedding photos…I’ll include those!

November 17, 2018 By
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13 In Family/ Marriage/ My Journey

A letter to my newlywed self

Dear Kathryn,

Welcome to marriage…it’s going to be an incredible adventure that will challenge you to become the best version of yourself. Here are some things to keep in mind as you journey together into the future. Twelve tips for ‘happily ever after…’

1. Please remember that YOU ARE ON THE SAME TEAM!

Don’t try to WIN a fight and don’t get so defensive. Remember he loves you and wants the best for you.

In fact, when you are fighting, instead of trying to come up with all the things he’s done wrong (to justify your anger), think of all the things he’s done RIGHT and it will change your attitude.

2.  Don’t let little things become BIG things.

Don’t fight over something that is fixable. You are going to get mad at Ted for stealing the blanket at night. Don’t get ANGRY, just GET ANOTHER BLANKET!

3. Choose friends wisely!

Be careful about choosing your closest friends. Your friends, and their marriages, will impact YOU and your MARRIAGE! Choose friends who fight for GOOD marriages. If your closest friends are criticizing their spouse, it’s easy to do the same. Choose friends who speak highly of their spouse (when they are around AND when they are NOT)!

4. Get some counseling.

You are coming into the marriage with some baggage. Talk this through with a trusted counselor who shares your values. It will do you, and your marriage, some good.

5. Say THANK YOU!

Be grateful and don’t take things for granted. Thank Ted for working hard, thank him for the things he does around the house, thank Him for his integrity. Thank him for loving you well. Be thankful, stay thankful. Tell him THANK YOU for the big things and the little things.

6. Be your husband’s cheerleader! (Not his critic)

He may not have anyone else encouraging him. Always cheer him on!

Don’t ever say things that make him look bad or mock him in front of others. You are the LAST person who should ever do that, and it will make you both feel bad.

“Be a raving fan publicly but an honest critic privately.” – Andy Stanley

7. On listening…and responding

Listen without formulating a response. Listen to UNDERSTAND.

Don’t say “You ALWAYS” and “You NEVER!”  Don’t blame.

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply…seek first to understand, then to be understood.” – Stephen Covey

8. The ‘D’ word…don’t use it.

Remove the word ‘divorce’ from your vocabulary. You may want to sleep in another room some nights and work things out in the morning. You are in this for the long haul.

9. Don’t say: “That’s just the way I am.”

We can ALWAYS learn, grow and become better.

10. Always be kind.

Sometimes you’ll be tired or irritated, but you don’t have to be rude. Be kind.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

11. Respect

You were raised in a house full of women and don’t know how important “respect” is to a man. Do some research on this word, and apply what you’ve learned. (Spoiler Alert: Your future involves a house full of MEN)

12. When going through a hard time…keep going!

Tough times will come, fight the problem and not each other. It will get better.

There’s a rainbow in every cloud. – Maya Angelou

Love,

Kathryn –

17 years later, I still do NOT have all these tips mastered. I’m a work in progress.  I’m still softening my rough spots and learning to love Ted. But those are some things I wish I knew from our first day of marriage!

What tip would have helped YOU as a newlywed? Leave a comment!

Most importantly, if you’ve found this post helpful, please share it on Facebook or Twitter.

November 12, 2018 By
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3 In Faith/ Family/ Motherhood/ My Journey

What I learned in going back to work after being a full-time mom

Facebook memories let me know that today would have been my one-year “anniversary” of working at New Life Church in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Michelle Anthony is the Family Ministry Pastor at New Life, and in the summer of 2017, I asked her if we could meet so I could share some ideas on how to grow our volunteer team. At that meeting, she asked if I would go from being a volunteer to joining the staff.

 

As always, my first reaction was to say “no.”
 – I’m a mom with four kids, do I have enough ‘gas’ in my tank to do more?
 – I’ve been a full-time mom for 6 years, do I have marketable skills left?
 – With a church this size, will I have a voice?  Can I really make a difference?

 

I told her to give me a few days to pray about it and talk to Ted.

 

Ted encouraged me to go for it. It would be a part-time role, and he thought I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. I prayed and felt good…nervous…but good.

 

So, I said yes.

 

I’m SOO very glad I said yes! It was an HONOR to work with amazing people, being a part of helping kids know Jesus and grow in their relationship with him. I also loved having the chance to bring to fruition those ideas I shared with Michelle at our initial meeting.

 

Years ago, I was a children’s ministry director of a smaller church and wore a lot of hats – greeter, teacher, worship leader, curriculum writer, curriculum prep, shopper, event planner, event host, etc.

 

When working with a larger team at a mega-church, each of us could specialize in our gifts. I enjoyed the opportunity to focus on one service (Friday night), and one theme (volunteerism), while supporting others in the church in what they did. We all worked together with one mission.

 

I loved being a part of the New Life church staff. Some days I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to do what I love!  Before I started, I was SO nervous; but 9 months later, when we found out we were moving, I mourned having to say good-bye!

New Life Family Ministry Team

Working again gave me confidence that the gifts God placed in me a long time ago did not disappear as a stay-at-home mom.

 

Mamas, the work you do at home is INCREDIBLY important. Stay engaged there. Be the best mama you can be for those children, cherishing the fact that you get to invest in them, mold their beliefs, and watch them grow!

 

Your time as a full-time mother is not causing your gifts to depreciate. Changing diapers and chasing after toddlers will NOT eliminate all your marketable skills. Your gifts will only grow stronger. Focus on the task of being a mom and a wife! Know that in the future, you will have opportunities and new ways to use your God-given gifts. God will EQUIP you to do whatever He calls you to do!

 

I’m so grateful to be home full-time again right now. Moving while Mommin’ is hard and all-consuming. The kids just started school, and I have 100 things on my to-do list. This blog post is NOT on that list…so I’m going to run now… thanks for reading my thoughts for today!
September 13, 2018 By
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4 In My Journey/ Welcome

Happy Birthday to the Blog!

Somehow, one full year has passed since I started this blog. I wouldn’t have even realized this if it weren’t for facebook “memories.”

Before I launched this blog, I remember feeling afraid. I didn’t know if I could do this.

  • I’m not very tech-y. This computer stuff is forcing me to learn a new language.
  • I’ve never considered myself a writer and I didn’t know if I had anything to say that people would care about reading.

However, I launched this with unanswered questions. With the fear and unknowns still lurking.

Faith isn’t figuring out what we’re able to do, it’s deciding what we’re going to do – even when we think we can’t. -Bob Goff

Have I messed up? SURE!

Have I felt overwhelmed at times? Definitely. 

Have I written things I’d change now. Yes!  

Do I always know what to say? NO!! 

There was a time this year that I was stuck. Not inspired. Nothing to say. I wanted to write SOMETHING, but I sat in front of my computer with nothing.  I walked away, discouraged, wondering if I made the right choice starting this journey.

But then…

I took time to read, took time to listen and learn…and the inspiration came back. I’ve found that as long as I take time to receive and allow others to pour into me, I’ll have something to give to you!

I think that’s how life in general is.

We need to take time to rest, to receive, to listen and learn or we get discouraged and burned out.

I have NOT perfected this “resting and listening” thing!!! I’m taking it a day at a time. If I fail today, I get a new start tomorrow! (We all do…YAY!)

So, the question is, one year later, am I glad I started this blog, this journey?

100% Yes!

If you are reading this, THANK YOU! Thank you for taking this journey with me! Thank you for your support and encouragement; for commenting, liking, and sharing. It means so much. I’d love to hear from you. What have you liked reading on here? Do you have any questions? Any feedback on what you’d like to me to write about? Please leave me a comment!

September 1, 2018 By
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3 In Faith/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Raising boys/ Traveling

Feeling overwhelmed? Read this!

Lately as I’m approaching my bed to sleep at night, a wave of fear sweeps over me. I’m afraid to lay down in the dark because that is when the thoughts begin…thoughts of –

  • things I’ve done wrong and should have done differently.
  • thoughts of something bad happening to my kids
  • thoughts of them getting hurt or dying

Negative, painful, fearful thoughts were weighing me down, making my chest ache. I felt like I was suffocating. I could barely breathe, let alone sleep.

I know I can do something about this. I didn’t need to hold on to these fears and anxieties. I needed to purposely, actively, STOP the bad thoughts filling my mind.

The Bible tells us to:

“Cast ALL your ANXIETY on Him because He CARES for YOU!” I Peter 5:7

I began to pray over my worries and stresses. I prayed Psalm 91 for my children: “… With LONG LIFE with I satisfy him…”

Prayer allowed me to cast my anxiety on HIM. I was literally handing my worry and fear to God.

After just a couple of minutes of prayer, I honestly felt God take the heavy burden off me and carry it for me.

I “saw” (not literally, but in my mind) Him take the “backpack” that was weighing me down and place it on His shoulder!!!

Suddenly, the weight was lifted.

The fears and anxieties were replaced with joy and peace!

I could breathe. I could smile. I could rest!

Friends, give Christ your burden. Your fear. Your anxiety. Your negative thoughts. He wants to carry the load for you! Hand it over to Him in prayer.

The following Scriptures have helped me tremendously. Feel free to print these out and lay them beside your bed. Try to memorize one or two so that you can repeat them when you are feeling anxious or afraid:

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;  he delivered me from all my fears.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

You can also read Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 for further encouragement!

Do you have a favorite scripture, a quote, a book or something that has helped you when you are faced with fears and anxiety? Please share!

Another suggestion is to fall asleep to the sound of music. I love to play this song just before I go to sleep:

August 21, 2018 By
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4 In Faith/ Family/ Finding our place/ House Hunting/ Minnesota/ My Journey

Miracles in Moving

Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you’ve got all the answers, then don’t call what you do faith.” — Dr. Brené Brown

I’m so thankful that I have a God I can trust.  I look back on my life and see His faithfulness over and over.

However, entering new territory, heading toward the unknown, is still hard. Every time.

Why? Why do I fear? Why don’t I rest in the fact that the same God who provided for me throughout my life, will continue to be by my side?

He is faithful, so why do I worry?

There’s a story in the Bible about the Israelites traveling to an unknown place.  I can’t imagine being a mama back then – with no restaurants or grocery stores – no guarantee of food for my children. However, day after day, God miraculously provided food for them. Each morning, there was fresh “manna” on the ground. They ate all they wanted.

However, they weren’t sure the food would always be there. God provided yesterday, He provided today, but would He provide again tomorrow? And every.single.day. after that?

Would He always be this good?  

Since they weren’t sure, they began to gather as much as they could and store it in their tent for the days to come. However, the food they stored would be rotten by morning. They’d go outside to discover that God had, once again, provided fresh “manna” for them to eat. They slowly learned to trust Him, one day at a time. You can read the story in Exodus 16.

This season has a made me realize – I’m just Iike those Israelites!

I can look back and see how God provided for me (over and over) but I STILL say: “God, will you do it again? Will you be as good tomorrow as you were today?” In my heart, I know He will. But the trusting day-by-day is so hard.

 I reflected back on how God miraculously provided for us in Colorado, but wondered if He would do the same in Minnesota?!

For instance, we had to sell our house in Colorado before we could make an offer on a house in Minnesota.

The waiting, day after day.

Will we get an offer…WHEN will we get an offer…PLEASE someone…give us an offer!

The waiting, the trusting…was HARD.

We DID get an offer –  A FULL PRICE OFFER!

However, the family who wanted our home, wanted it in less than 30 days.

We had not yet decided on a house OR a mortgage company.

Ted and I talked, prayed, and chose our home Minnesota home, while I interviewed mortgage companies to find the best rate.

Once those big items were decided, we had only 2 and a half weeks before we had to be out of our Colorado house. The mortgage company needed almost 30 days to close on our loan. We’d be in limbo for about 10 days.

Ten days where we’d be ‘homeless’ – 10 days between the time we needed to be out of our Colorado home and close on our Minnesota home.

We asked the Minnesota homeowner if we could get a ‘pre-occupancy’ agreement – letting us move in early. We’d essentially “rent” the home from him until we close. This would save us from having to stay in a hotel for those 10 days, and even more important, we wouldn’t have to move our things TWO TIMES (from our Colorado home to storage, then from storage to our Minnesota home). That would be a lot of extra effort and EXPENSE!

The homeowner said NO. He’d had a bad experience with this before and he would not let us in early, even though he was no longer in the house – the house was EMPTY!

We asked the family purchasing our Colorado home if we could stay for 10 extra days. They said, “no, we have everything on a specific timeline.”

This was so discouraging.

So I prayed. I asked a few others to pray. Ted talked to our realtor to see if he could get the Minnesota homeowner to change his mind.

We waited.

I tried not to get anxious as our moving day approached.

Well, moving day came. Our movers asked us where they’d be taking our stuff. I gave them our new Minnesota home address…in faith, praying we’d have favor and could move our stuff in.

As our movers were finishing and Friday was coming to a close…we heard back from the Minnesota homeowner.

He would let us into his home early!!!

The movers left our home Friday and we met them at our new home on Monday morning at 7:30 AM!

Our Miracle Home in Minnesota!

Thank you God for answered prayer.

Thank you to our realtor who negotiated on our behalf.

Thank you to those who encouraged and prayed for us!

I’m thankful that I follow a God who provides, day after day, year after year, generation after generation.

If you are going through a tough situation, and wondering if God is with you, read this verse:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV

PS – The homeowner really DID have a BAD experience and it’s a MIRACLE he let us in early! Someone had moved into this home a year earlier, requesting a “lease-to-own” deal. After moving in, he didn’t pay rent and did damage to the home and he couldn’t get the renter out. The floors had to be refinished, carpet replaced and walls painted.  What a mess! Somehow, in spite of this, we were allowed in early! Amazing!

Feel free to leave a comment about how you’ve seen God provide for you!

 

August 15, 2018 By
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9 In Colorado/ Faith/ Finding our place/ Inspiration/ My Journey

All of My Feelings were Hurting!

Recently in the middle of the bedtime craziness, my youngest son Luke cried out:

ALL OF MY FEELINGS ARE HURTING!!!!

I tried not to laugh and was able to comfort him that night with a hug.

However, his words stuck with me because throughout the last couple of months, I completely understood what he was talking about:

ALL of MY feelings were hurting! I was feeling sad, mad, worried, anxious, and fearful.

  • Sad that I have to say goodbye to people and a place I love
  • Mad that a job was moving us to Minnesota
  • Worried that we wouldn’t sell our Colorado home or find the right house to purchase in Minnesota
  • Anxious about all of the changes and everything that I needed to do to move across the country
  • Fearful of the unknowns

Then I read Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud.  It was full of truth and ENCOURAGEMENT and was the exact book I needed during this transition! He put into words everything I needed to hear.  I didn’t know if it was okay that ALL of my feelings were hurting. People move EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. NBD!

And then I read:

“When you don’t feel your feelings, you remained tethered to them in some way” Dr. Henry Cloud.

This gave me the freedom to FEEL all of the feelings, to process them, write about them, talk about them, cry over them and pray about them. I also allowed others to pray for me, hug me, remind me of God’s truth and encourage me.

“To the degree we were invested in something that’s ending, we will have to work the grief through our system in order to be ready for whatever is next…

“When you feel grief, you are saying: I am looking this reality right in the face and dealing with it. Grief also means I am getting ready for what is next, because I am saying goodbye to it.” Dr. Henry Cloud

I said Good-bye.

After processing all of the feelings, I said goodbye. Goodbye to the sadness, anger, worry, anxiety and fear. I also said goodbye to the priceless Colorado adventure and looked back with gratitude!

Then I said Hello!

Feeling the feelings and processing them allowed the closure I needed to end that glorious chapter and to say hello to a NEW one!  New friends, new opportunities, new memories and experiences.

I will take my memories, my friendships, and what I’ve learned and build on that in our new place. I will discover new things and develop new relationships.

Treat endings with respect.

“Look at the experience, break it apart. What was good about it? What did I learn? What skills did I attain? New knowledge? Take all of that and make it a part of you. It becomes part of who you are. You are now smarter and wiser for having that experience.”

“Face your grief, work through it and let it equip you will make for a good necessary ending.” Dr. Cloud

Thank you Dr. Henry Cloud! I LOVED your book (especially Chapter 12 – Embrace the Grief: The Importance of Metabolizing Necessary Endings!) It said everything I needed as I ended one chapter to begin a new one.

If you are about to have an “ending” of some sort (or know you NEED to end something) – I highly recommend you get this book!!! And maybe start with Chapter 12.



(Affilate Link)

Have you read this book? If so, did you like it too? Leave a comment!

July 29, 2018 By
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15 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Family/ Finding our place/ Moving/ My Journey

Life is Either a Daring Adventure or Nothing – Helen Keller

When we moved to Colorado, we thought we’d be staying here forever.

Ted found a good job.

We found a beautiful home.

We met so many new (and old) friends.

I began a job that I love at an amazing church.

I’ve become a writer in Colorado:

Our family has thrived here, and we absolutely love this place. There is so much beauty all around us every day. It’s soul-filling.

However, changes are ahead.

We are about to embark on a new adventure: We are moving to Minnesota.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. – Helen Keller

My husband has accepted a job with Target Corp. He will be working in Executive Leadership Development at the Target headquarters in Minneapolis.

Until a couple of weeks ago, I had never been to Minnesota.

The only two things I knew about Minnesota were:

Minnesota was not on our radar. It was not in the plan.

I guess sometimes we go off script and follow the adventure of the unknown, unfamiliar.

After I went through the stages of grief, I’m choosing to move forward in joy, trusting we will find and create beauty in a new place.

Though we chose Colorado as our place, my true place is with my family. Wherever they are is home. Where they are is my place. They are my people.

My people. My place is wherever they are!

 

My favorite quote over the last couple of weeks has been:

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Thank you Dr. Suess!

Our friend and pastor, Daniel Grothe, reminded my husband that when we moved to Colorado, we were ALL IN! He recommended we have the same attitude in Minnesota. Be ALL IN.  This is such a good reminder, such wisdom. Thank you Daniel!

I’ll be re-reading the book: This is Where you Belong: Finding Home wherever you are. I’ll also refer back to this POST: 8 ways to LOVE where I LIVE – as we adventure into a brand new place.

I’ve begun following the Twin Cities Mom Blog, and other blogs and checking out Pinterest to see all there is to do in Minnesota.

I’m looking forward to:

  • meeting new people,
  • finding a good church,
  • discovering the best places to eat,
  • learning how to stay warm in winter,
  • exploring this beautiful state!

Have any of you been to Minnesota? What can you recommend we do and see? Where should we go?

July 9, 2018 By
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