Wellness is an important part of my journey. As a young widow, I was determined to be healthy for my kids, so they wouldn’t lose another parent. But I would go to extremes. I pushed myself too hard, and eventually my body crashed. It has taken me a long time to have a healthy view of wellness and to see it as an act of worship.
The Bible says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20
God gave us our bodies. They are His temple, and He wants us to take care of them. That is an act of worship! This can be easier said than done sometimes, as we get busy with life, stressed about various things, have little to no energy or are overwhelmed by the endless fad diets and exercise programs out there. Or we just don’t want to change our habits.
Read more...I started this blog a year ago on September 1st! It’s hard to believe it’s been a full year, and I am so thankful for the way God is using it.
Much of what I share are things that I have learned and am continuing to learn as a widow, and a child of God. He has done so much healing in my life, and if someone else can benefit from my experiences and the lessons I have learned and am learning, then praise God!
To celebrate one full year of this blog, I am doing a giveaway! To enter you just need to SUBSCRIBE TO THE BLOG. If you are already subscribed, then you are automatically entered into the give away. For a bonus entry, leave me a comment over the next two weeks on any of the blog posts.
Read more...We are getting ready to send two kiddos to college at Cedarville University in Ohio. It’s hard to believe that we are at this point in our parenting journey, but we couldn’t be more excited for them. This is why we raise them - to go out into the world and thrive. Jon and I met at Cedarville and graduated from there in 1998, so it’s wonderful to have my kids go there too.
The last couple of weeks have been a flurry of Amazon orders, Walmart runs and checking things off our lists. Since we are in the throes of packing, I thought I would share some things that aren’t usually on a normal college supply list, but we have found them to be necessities.
Read more...Moving Forward as a Widow
Moving forward as a widow requires courage and intention. Here are a few ways to help you move forward in acceptance:
1. Acknowledge Your Journey: Recognize and honor the journey you've undertaken. Every tear, every moment of pain has brought you to this point of acceptance. It is a difficult road to travel, and it’s important to acknowledge the enormity of what you have gone through.
2. Prioritize Self-Care: This is one that I did not do well in my journey through grief until I was forced to. I had been burning the candle at both ends for too long, and it caught up to me. Be sure to listen to your body, rest when needed, exercise, spend time in nature and do things that fill your cup.
3. Seek Support: Engage in support groups or counseling. Sharing your journey with others who understand can provide comfort and a healthy outlook. Staying involved in my local church and getting one on one counseling was vital to my healing. It helped me gain perspective, understand unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors I was unaware of and change them, and see how the Lord had been working in my life, even through my overwhelm.
Read more...I don't normally post more than once a week, but today is the anniversary of Jon's passing, so I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the changes that have occurred over the years.
It’s been 15 years since Jon passed. SO much has happened in 15 years.
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