20/20 Vision

So . . . I went for a little walk last month. On the first Saturday of 2019, I arose as usual, laced up my tennis shoes and decided that it was a beautiful day to walk a half-marathon. No hoopla. No cheering crowds. No medal to commemorate this achievement. Nope. Just a simple walk by myself up and down the hills of my neighborhood that took just a little over 4 hours to complete. But why?

Because I have a goal - a lofty goal! Before I venture forward and talk about my dreams for the future, please allow me to share some of the highlights of our family from last year. 2018 was an incredible year with memories to last a lifetime!

In the spring, after 5 long years of discipline and training, David was selected to compete on American Ninja Warrior, Season 10! We traveled to Indianapolis, IN in April to cheer him on. Our whole family was so proud of him as he advanced to the city finals and we were able to watch him when it aired on national TV in the summer. Ninja Pastor D-Wom was incredible, and we were amazed that God gave him opportunity to shine in front of all America! We're thrilled to be on Team D-Wom!



Then in the summer, after being together for 5 years and growing in their love for one another, Tim and Heidi were married in August (just shy of 6 years as a couple). It was a beautiful, fairytale wedding in the most perfect setting imaginable! What incredible joy I had as a mom as I witnessed my only daughter commit her life to the man of her dreams. The joy was multiplied as Jason walked Heidi down the aisle wearing his dress blues, David performed the ceremony, and Danny and Chris escorted me to my front-row seat. Words cannot describe the emotions of that day for me! I treasured every beautiful moment!

 



 

A few months later, in December, after 5 years of being together, Jason and Cortnie welcomed sweet little Felix Alexander into their family. Evan became a big brother, and Olivia now has 2 baby brothers to play with in the California sun! They became a family of 5, and I am now a blessed GrandMama with 6 precious grandkids. Life is grand!





 

Over the course of nearly 5 years adjusting to life post-Marine Corps, Chris is now excelling in a more than challenging and stressful profession. He has been OTR driving for the past year and a half. I have so much respect for him and the behind-the-scenes sacrifices he made for his family in 2018. We are truly grateful!

 

And most recently, after more than 5 years of planning, preparing, studying, working and praying, David and Brittanica just launched a new church plant, The Grid Church, Chicago a few weeks ago. I was thrilled to witness their grand opening!

 

 

And then there's me! After more than 5 years of struggling mentally, emotionally and physically through the changes that occur mid-life, I am finally better. There's so much more to the story, but simply put I feel happy and whole again. Thank goodness!

Which brings me back to the focus of this post. Most often when I am quiet, it's because I'm hiding. I don't want people to worry about me, especially when I know that I'll eventually be ok with God's help. But this time was different. Quietly, over the past year when I was silent on this blog (and I apologize for that!), I was laboring hard in secret to regain control of my life. And it worked! 

 

Did you notice a recurring theme above that ran through the events of our family in 2018? A timeframe?

 

5 years! 5 years training to become a Ninja. 5 years of relationship before committing for a lifetime. 5 years of relationship and marriage as children are added to the family. 5 years struggling professionally and adjusting to career changes. 5+ years of grueling labor to birth a new church in one of the hardest cities in America. And for me personally, 5 years of walking through one of the hardest seasons of my life and the emptiness it held - midlife.

 

5 is the number of God's grace. Whether it's 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 years - or for me, 5 children - I've learned that we are all weak, no matter how strong we think we might be, and we all go through seemingly unmanageable seasons. We all need God's help, His favor, to see us through the changes every season of life brings. We need faith. Vision.

 

We need 20/20 vision.  As I look back over my lifetime, I can see the hand of God and His grace in absolutely every detail of my life and that of my children. It helps me now and gives me confidence that the God who helped me before will help me again. Looking back helps us as we look forward

 

In 2 months, I will celebrate my 60th birthday!  And I am actually quite excited about it! It may seem silly, but as I have reflected on my life over the past year, it seems that my "seasons" can pretty well be summed up in 20-year increments.

 

The 20 "GROWING" years (ages 0-20). A little girl who loved dolls, jump rope, jacks, hopscotch, books, school, friends, my mom, and . . . more than anything else . . . ballet!

The 20 "QUIET" years (ages 20-40). A young woman hiding a lot of pain whose main focus was to love, nurture and protect these 5 precious babies entrusted to my care: Danny, Jason, David, Chris and Heidi. Be still my heart.

The 20 "VOCAL" years (ages 40-60). A mature woman who watched babies grow into incredible teenagers and young adults. I am so proud of each one of them! God did an amazing work of healing and restoring my heart from the pain of past hurts. I found my voice and gained confidence in speaking the truth.

I watched these 5 . . .

grow into these wonderful adults!

So now, the question for me is, "WHAT'S NEXT?" What is the theme for my future?

 

I want the next 20 years to be the "GIVING" years (ages 60-80+). May the steps I begin (quite literally!) in 2019 blossom and grow by the year 2020!

 

I'd love to travel, and talk, and share about the grace and faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. I'd love to write more and spend quality time with family and friends. I'd love to birth Hearts and Pearls Ministries and help as many mamas as I can mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I'd love to have the resources to financially meet the needs of as many people as possible. I'd love to have the ability to travel from coast to coast and spend time with my kids and grandkids. I'd like to restore hope to the hopeless, peace to the restless, compassion to the hurting, and healing to the wounded. I'd love to be the voice of encouragement and inspiration in a world that is weary and disillusioned. I want to tell the world that Jesus cares!





"How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!" Romans 10:15

And, with that in mind, I'm starting by going for a walk. A walk that celebrates LIFE!

 

I will share more details in my next post, but simply put, what happened to me last year - 2018 - was really quite remarkable! In the midst of my mid-life struggle that had been going on far too long, I came home from church one beautiful Sunday afternoon last April and felt compelled to go for a walk. I strapped on my tennis shoes and went on a one-mile walk. I breathed in the warm spring air, and I felt better! The next night after work, I went out again and walked for 2 miles. The next night, 3 miles. And lo and behold, I could think again. It seemed impossible that after years of sadness, depression and questioning what the rest of my life was going to look like that all of a sudden the questions were gone! Over the course of the next month, I came back to life! There's more to the story, but for now I'd like to tell you how I plan to celebrate my 60th birthday.

 

I'm going to walk/run a marathon! In my neighborhood, with as many or as few as would like to celebrate with me. You all are invited! Once again, you might be wondering WHY?

 

Because it's symbolic. We all go through seasons of life as we walk from birth to death. Life is a marathon that can be exuberant at times as well as excruciatingly painful at others. Sometimes it seems impossible, just like walking a marathon! We need God's help through it all.

 

And I have asked God to help me as I've been preparing to walk/jog this marathon. As I mentioned before, the training actually began last May. After I was comfortable walking 3 miles, I added a mile each month until I was walking between 9-10 miles/5 times a week by November, 2018. At that point, I wanted to walk a half-marathon the beginning of January, 2019, which I did as shown in the opening photo. Believe me, I couldn't believe that I actually did it! The plan now is to add 1 mile every 3 weeks with hopes of reaching 16 miles by the end of March. Then hopefully, 26.2 miles in mid-April!

 

This happened last Saturday!

Woo-hoo! 14.5 miles in 4 hours and 10 minutes (about a 17-minute mile). Not super fast, but I did it! (In case you're wondering, the app on my phone interprets the hills I walk as flights of stairs.) Not too shabby for an almost 60-year-old gramma! Next goal: 15.5 miles the beginning of March. I can only do this with God's help!

 

And so my dear friends, there's the update on what's been going on in my life in 2018. Crazy, right?! Thank you for your enduring love, encouragement, and friendship through the years. In times of my nonstop chattering, thank you for listening. In times of my quietness, thank you for caring and understanding. In times of my joy, thank you for sharing it with me. In times of my sadness, thank you for carrying the burden with me. In times of sharing my dreams, thank you for supporting me. And in times of crazy goals like this one, thank you for encouraging me!

 

Let's make 2019 a CELEBRATION OF LIFE!

 

And 2020, we're coming for you with CLEAR VISION for all God wants to do! 20/20 vision!

 

With all my love and a heart full of gratitude, my dear friends,

Teresa/MamaT/GrandMama-T

May The Lord bless you and protect you.

May The Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.

May The Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.

Baby Teresa learning to walk. I'm still holding my Heavenly Father's hand and learning!
Pearls in the making!



Goodness, Mercy and Coming Home

Life is like a puzzle - each piece fitting together perfectly to form a beautiful picture. And when we trust God with our journey through life, He fits each piece of the puzzle together to form something more beautiful than we could ever imagine.

 

The problem, though, is that each piece of the puzzle in itself does not make sense. Some pieces are blank - just a solid color (representing seasons of emptiness and loneliness - wondering where God is); some pieces are full of beautiful colors (representing seasons of experiencing the blessing of God, joy, and fruitfulness); some pieces are ugly (representing seasons of chaos, questioning, and confusion). But each piece is necessary, though, to make the puzzle complete.

 

And when it comes to the puzzle of life, we need to have faith that the God who created us will sustain us. He is good, all the time, and His mercy is with us continually - helping us and guiding us through each stage. Even when it's confusing, He can be trusted. 

 

Today, I'd like to share with you some of the puzzle pieces in my life's journey. Trust me, it has definitely been a faith walk. Hang with me.

 

For the first 15 years of my adult life, I was a stay-at-home mom. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of loving, caring for, and teaching my 5 children (4 sons and a daughter). Then, 24 years ago, my world crumbled and I found myself as a single mama needing to provide for children ranging in age from 15 years old to a baby girl. I needed a job. 

 

I knew that I would enjoy retail, so I went to work for Foley's (later to become Macy's) in Arlington, TX. I worked there for 3 years.

This was my first job outside of the home, and I worked for minimum wage. The days were long and exhausting, but I enjoyed it. This is where I learned how to provide exceptional customer service. And even though my heart longed to be home with my children, God helped me. His goodness and mercy helped me each and every day.

 

One day a customer recognized my heart and compassion for people. (God gave her insight into my soul that day, and I believe He sent her into the store to encourage me in my next career steps.) She suggested that I go to nursing school. My heart leapt as that had been a heart desire from childhood. I knew that with 5 children at home, though, going to school for 4 years was impossible. But becoming a medical assistant was not.

 

So I enrolled in Bryan Institute as a full time student to make the dream come true and continued working at Foley's part time.

I truly loved going to school. And I knew that God could not only use my heart in the medical field, but working a job in the medical field would help provide a better income to take care of my family. I was 38 years old with 5 children at home, and I was in class with 18, 19 and 20 year olds. I asked God to help me graduate as valedictorian, and He honored that request. What a miracle! Between being a mom, working, going to school, and studying, I slept about 2-3 hours a night. But God helped me, and His goodness and mercy sustained me.

 

This is a picture of what my children looked like when I graduated.





Danny-18; Jason-15; David-12; Chris-6; Heidi-3. Adorable, right?




After graduating, I worked in a family practice clinic with both front and back office responsibilities as well as working part time in an ob/gyn office. During that time, I also learned medical transcription as I thought doing so would help provide additional income working from home. I worked in both clinics for 2 years. Although I loved working in the medical field, I still longed to be with my children, especially my 2 youngest.

 

So, I birthed a lower elementary school under the umbrella of Gateway Institute, an advanced school of grades 7-12. (It seems that I've been a dreamer and a visionary for quite some time!)



Here, I taught reading, writing and basic skills to children in grades K-3. I had a heart for children and had also desired to be a teacher since childhood. (Yes, I wanted to be both a nurse AND a teacher!)

I was privileged to spend the next 3 years with these babies (especially my 2 youngest children, Chris and Heidi). While teaching at Gateway, I continued doing medical transcription from home every night. (And yes, I still slept only about 2-3 hours a night.) And even though it was hard, I wouldn't trade those years for anything. God's goodness and mercy helped me each and every day.

 

And then the biggest surprise of my life happened.

 

In August, 2000, I was given the opportunity to work at the Assemblies of God National Offices in an administrative role in the National Youth Department. What an incredible dream come true, even though it was completely unexpected.

 

So, we packed up and left everything we had ever known as a family to follow after God's plan for us and moved from Dallas, TX to Springfield, MO.

Assemblies of God National Leadership and Resource Center (NLRC), Springfield, MO

While I had never served in an administrative capacity up to that point, God gave me an incredible supervisor who believed in me and allowed me to learn and grow - professionally, personally and spiritually. I spent 17 years working in 3 different offices. Those years were amazing. I met and served people from all over the world, and my time there was wonderful.

 

And, because I still needed to provide for the needs of my children, I worked part time at Macy's for 12 years after moving to Springfield.

 

Once again, even though the days were long and it was hard, God's goodness and mercy helped me.

 

And then we arrive at my journey of the past 4 months - leaving the safety and security of life as I had known it working in Springfield and moving to Chicago to be near my children and grandchildren - and then the move back to Springfield just a few short weeks later. It all seemed so crazy and confusing, but I was happy to be home. And many of you have asked what I am doing now.

 

I am happy to tell you that I began working for Mercy Hospital back in August.

What an incredible blessing and gift from God! God has placed me in a clinic where my compassion for people is used fully every day.  

 

It seems that God has taken me on a 24-year journey and has brought me full-circle. God has taken everything I've learned - customer service skills from working retail at Macy's, medical assisting skills learned from the degree earned as well as working in clinics, teaching skills learned while working at Gateway Institute, and administrative skills learned while working at the Assemblies of God National Offices - and has married those skills with my personality and heart for people into a job, a ministry, for me in this season of life. And to top it off, I've always tried to extend mercy to everyone I meet, and now I'm working for MERCY. How cool is that?

And to top it off, last weekend I shared my vision for Hearts and Pearls Ministries as I entered the contest with Chip Gaines of HGTV's "Fixer Upper." Goodness, Mercy, and Coming Home! 

While I was not selected as a finalist in the competition, I am not discouraged at all. I did the hard part of gathering up my courage, doing the video, writing it down and getting it out there for the world to see. Someone (or "someone's") will catch the vision and potential of this ministry and will latch on to it. I believe that God will provide for the birthing of this dream to become a reality. Many hearts across our world need to be mended, families healed, physical needs met, and freedom and dignity restored. I am the dreamer, the voice of the wounded - God will get the glory. God wants to show his goodness and mercy to all hurting families, especially single mamas and their children - and He wants to turn hearts toward home.

 

In the same way that God has healed me and my family and has done mighty miracles for us, He can do the same for multiplied hundreds of other families. I would love for you to join me in praying for, investing in, and reaching those hurting families.

 

In spite of all the questions that were going on in me for the past several months/years, I believe that each experience has been a piece of the puzzle for my life - for a beautiful life full of grace, hope, goodness and mercy. And even though life has zigged and zagged, has been messy and hasn't looked very beautiful, when God fits all the pieces together it looks something like this:

God's plans are to prosper us and not harm us - he wants to give us a hope and a future; to show us His love now until we are home with Him in Heaven.

 

And so, friends, thank you for letting me share some of the pieces of the puzzle of my life with you today. Whether we are young or old, it's encouraging to know that God truly is fitting every experience - every puzzle piece, no matter how confusing - together to make a beautiful life. I'm so thankful that in each season, God's Goodness and Mercy follows us all the days of our life until He takes us Home. If you also are in a season of confusion, wondering how all the pieces of your life are going to fit together and make sense, just hold on and trust that God who knows you best and loves you most is at work behind the scenes desiring to give you a prosperous life. He is the Master Puzzle Solver.

 

Thank you for your love, prayers, support and encouragement; your friendship means the world to me. And thank you for continuing to pray for Hearts and Pearls Ministries. The best is yet to come!

 

With a heart of love and gratitude,

Teresa/MamaT/GrandMama-T

 

May The Lord bless you and protect you.
May The Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May The Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.




Hearts and Pearls Ministries - Serving families with hope and love.

 

Bosom Buddies and the Gift of Grace

Colton's Steakhouse, comfort food at its finest.

"Meet me at Colton's for lunch. Get started on the peanuts, and I'll be there soon." This sweet invitation a few days ago from a dear friend, a bosom buddy, was honey to my soul.

She had no idea.

Even though we had spent time talking on the phone a few days prior to our lunch date, she had no idea how much I was really hurting. She had no idea that I hadn't really eaten much for days, and that even the thought of food made me nauseous. As I stared at the bucket of peanuts on the table, I tried so hard not to let the tears fall.

 

And then she walked up to the table.

 

My dear friend of 16 years who knows me so well smiled as she gave me the warmest hug ever, and it was all over. The tears came. My thoughts and fears came bubbling up out of my heart in words that I could only say to a friend who I knew accepted me. She allowed me to voice my doubts, fears and questions about my future without judgment. She offered no easy solutions, no "this is what I think you should do, Teresa." Nope. She just listened. With warmth, love, compassion, trust, and grace. Because that's what bosom buddies do . . . they believe in us no matter what, and extend to us unconditional love and grace. By the end of the meal, I felt so much better. I was renewed and strengthened once again in my faith. Sometimes a meal with those we love does as much to feed our soul as it does to nourish our body.

 

How incredibly thankful I am for the wonderful friends God has blessed me with over the years. Friends who have been with me through the highs and lows of life, the joys and sorrows, the blessings and the losses, the victories and the defeats. Close friends . . . bosom buddies. Those who continually point me to Jesus in every season of life. I am reminded over and over each day that we need one another.

 

We need to have friends.

And we need to be a friend.

We need friends who encourage us and extend grace to us during times of testing and questioning.

And we need to be the kind of friend who encourages others and extends grace also.

 

Because everyone has a story, a struggle, a burden that is too heavy to carry, and everyone needs grace.

 

The incredible gift of grace. Where would we be without it?



Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God and is demonstrated by forgiveness and salvation.

Grace is the love and kindness of God shown to all of us.

Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues.

Grace is extravagant demonstrations of care and favor.

Grace is most needed and best understood in the midst of suffering and brokenness.

Grace transforms our desires, motivations and behavior.

Grace brings life and strengthens the heart.

Grace is unconditional love.

 

How thankful I am for the love and grace of God!

 

God's grace has been with me and my family every day and in every circumstance over the years. His grace has always been there in every time of need. His grace has restored and strengthened each one of us in unimaginable ways. We are a picture of God's healing power and His Amazing Grace. And even when things don't make sense, we have learned to rest in the grace of God.

 

When I began this blog journey 2 months ago, I really had no idea the direction it would take. I had topics and titles in mind that I wanted to explore. I wanted to tell the stories of God's grace and faithfulness in our family for my children and grandchildren to read and remember. I wanted to brag on God, and I wanted to have it written down for all to see. And my hope and prayer was that anyone reading about these "pearls" - these stories of pain becoming beauty - would be encouraged and inspired in their own life situations. I truly did not expect this to become a daily/weekly journal of my current life events. And I certainly never expected to be writing about the twists and turns and questions and confusion of the past couple of months. But you know what?

 

I think this is exactly what the Lord had in mind. Through each season of life, we all have unexpected opportunities to experience the gift of God's grace. And the gift of friendship. We need both.

 

So . . . kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, family, friends near and far/old and new, please be encouraged today with this post no matter your age. Please, be a friend - a true friend. The friends that God brings into your life are gifts - they need you and you need them. You will have a few bosom buddies in your life - treasure them.

 

Take them to lunch.

Have fun.

Listen with your heart.

Be the world's biggest encourager. Use words.

Care and stoop and rescue.

Be honest and loyal.

Love unconditionally.

Extravagantly demonstrate your care for them.

Pray with them and for them.

Accept the grace of God for yourself.

And then extend the gift of grace to all you meet.

And so, my precious friends, because of your love, acceptance, support and encouragement, I consider myself to be one very rich lady! You are my heart. Thank you once again for your prayers.

 

Much love,

Teresa/MamaT/GrandMama-T

 

May The Lord bless you and protect you.
May The Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May The Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.

God's grace is enough, even in our weakness. Beautiful pearls are in the making.



Stuttering, Hiccups, and Swirling Waters

Yes, I believe every word of this scripture. It has been a lifeline of hope for me during my lifetime, especially in recent weeks.

 

Faith. The foundation of our walk with God begins with faith. And hope. And trust. Even when circumstances in life shake us to our very core . . . we cling to the Lord, trusting that He has everything under control.

 

Moses and I have become best buddies in the last couple of months. I feel like I understand him a little better than I did previously. Moses was a man who was selflessly devoted to the Lord, but he knew his weaknesses. He struggled with anger. He knew that God was going to use him to deliver the children of Israel out of bondage, but he didn't know how. He felt insecure and inadequate. He stuttered. He asked God to choose someone else.

 

How did Moses go from that to standing before Pharaoh and exclaiming boldly, 

"Let my people go!" No stuttering there!

 

And then to this at the parting of the Red Sea . . .   



"Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord which He will show you today."

 

Again, no stuttering. Moses, knowing himself all too well and understanding his weaknesses, took hold of the mighty hand of God and trusted Him. He took God at his word and realized that God was doing the delivering. Moses did not part the waters, God did. Moses was His servant. And God strengthened him and used him.

 

While I don't suffer with a speech impediment, I do realize that sometimes in life there are hiccups. And it's not the end of the world. Hiccups slow down our ability to talk and interfere with us being able to communicate clearly, but - not to worry - our full voice of clarity and confidence will return.

 

As I tried to explain in my last post, the past 4 years have been incredibly difficult for me. As I have struggled to know the will of God in my life, I have been "hiccupping" all over the place.

 

"God, I miss my kids and my grandbabies."

"God, should I move to Chicago?"

"God, should I stay in Springfield?"

"God, should I get a new job?"

"God, I don't know what to do."

"God, I'm so confused."

"God, please just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

 

And guess what? God was silent. God was never far, but He was silent.

 

And I just figured it out 2 weeks ago. God was asking me what I wanted to do.

 

I've always had a tender heart regarding the things of the Lord, and I just wanted Him to give me clear direction as to what I was to do. And all along, God was asking me. In the same way that I want my adult children to be happy, I can't tell them what to do in life anymore. They have to figure it out for themselves. They have to hear God's voice for themselves. And many times, God gives us choices.

 

I went to Chicago to be near some of my children and grandchildren as well as to help my son with his new church plant. Without going into much detail, the job that I took in Chicago did not turn out exactly as it was presented to me. Working long hours, working every weekend (every weekend), and not at all the pay that I expected. So, I would never see my kids. I would not be able to help with the church. And the most practical aspect of all, there is absolutely no way I would ever be able to live on the income I most likely would earn. This was quite a shock to say the least. So, on a very real level, I need to live. Also, I simply know that I don't belong in Chicago. Staying there longer will not change this simple fact. "Teresa, what do you want to do?" God knew all along.

 

I belong in Springfield. And I'm not stuttering or hiccupping anymore. My voice is clear and strong for the first time in years. This is where I want to birth the dreams and plans I believe are from God. These dreams are my Promised Land.

 

I've learned that our journey to the Promised Land is not simply a destination, a geographical location . . . it's a destiny, a calling. God wants to fulfill His purpose in our lives no matter what turns we take in life, and He will always put us back on track. And while it may look like we're at a dead end road, a Red Sea scenario, I do believe that God is swirling the waters. He wants to part the seas and do whatever miracles need to take place in our lives to bring about deliverance. For us individually, and for our families.

Probably one of the hardest things for me during this time is that I don't feel very "courageous" or full of faith. But I'm learning that this is exactly what faith looks like - sometimes spectacular and amazing, sometimes a little messy and confusing. It's a journey. It's the "confidence in what we hope for and the assurance of what we don't see." My theme song for the past 2 weeks has been an old song by Andrae Crouch, "Through It All."

 

I've had many tears and sorrows,

I've had questions for tomorrow,

there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.

But in every situation,

God gave me blessed consolation,

that my trials come to only make me strong.

 

Through it all,

through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus,

I've learned to trust in God.

 

Through it all,

through it all,

I've learned to depend upon His Word.

 

I've been to lots of places,

I've seen a lot of faces,

there's been times I felt so all alone.

But in my lonely hours,

yes, those precious lonely hours,

Jesus lets me know that I was His own.

 

Through it all,

through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus,

I've learned to trust in God.







I'm holding on tightly to the hand of God, keeping my eyes on Jesus, and simply saying, "God, through it all, I trust You." I know that one day all this will make sense.

 

And so, dear friends, this is the update on my life as God continues to make pearls in this very difficult, emotional, and humbling time of life. I pray that if any of you are also going through similar journeys, you will be encouraged that you're not alone. God is helping all of us in each stage of life - through the stuttering and hiccupping, the swirling waters, and the parting of each Red Sea. We're on our way to the Promised Land.

 

Thank you so much for reading and for the outpouring of love, support and encouragement. Your prayers and friendship mean the world to me. As always, you are my heart.

 

With much love and a heart of gratitude,

 

Teresa/MamaT/GrandMama-T

 

May The Lord bless you and protect you.
May The Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May The Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.

One tiny, precious pearl among many-the product of pain. Conceived through irritation, born of adversity, nursed by adjustment.