Growin' & GLOWIN'!

I’ve shared with you how things went left, but now I have to tell you how they went right. Things really do work together for good for those who are called according to purpose (Romans 8:28).  The biggest lesson for me through all of this time was and is still Trust. During this time, there have also been lessons in Obedience, Self-Worth/Image and of course, Faith. I have no problem putting my faith in God, but do I trust, do I believe that He is going to do what He says? That's the real tea. Trust is first because there are so many layers to trust that have applied to my life in this time. I’ve had to trust that God really does have my best interest in mind, even when it didn’t appear to be true. I’ve had to trust (and still do) that God will do what He says He will, and that His words are in fact true, even when I have grounds to be skeptical. I’ve had to trust myself too. I’ve had to trust in my relationship with my Heavenly Father; trusting that it is real, that it is valid, an...

Getting back into it...  From the time that I purchased my house, I knew that once I moved out of it, I was gonna rent it out and then will it to my kids. I never intended to sell it. I kept asking God, "Sir, what are we gonna do about this?" and I wasn't hearing a single peep. Then, all of a sudden, He spoke! And I did not like what I heard one bit! So, like we do, I boxed that idea out of my head, because I wasn't doing that. And, like God does (at least with me He does), He challenged me. "Oh, you say you're not doing it?" Boom. The ceiling started leaking. Water was running down through the walls and into my kitchen. Ceiling damage, on both levels, and wall damage. Oh you know I'm looking at God like "oh word? That's how it is now?" It turns out that the HVAC system that I had replaced wasn't installed correctly and therefore it wasn't draining properly. Since I hadn't been using the AC due to fall and winter, as far as ...

Before I get into the shenans of 2023, let me scoot back to June 2022. I was in Raleigh, NC for a concert and “something” happened. I didn't know it at the time, but this was going to change a lot of things for me. I was extremely optimistic, very prayerful and SUPER determined to be careful. Basically two months later, everything came crashing down with the biggest disappointment I have faced to this day. You talking about being shook? Baybeee, I was crushed. Initially, I thought God was delivering a promise to me that He made me in 2019.  I spent pretty much the whole time in His face double checking to make sure that I was in His will. I was trying to make sure I wasn’t going ahead of Him, that I was proceeding with caution, and that I was doing what He wanted me to do. When everything fell apart, I was sick, because I had been given so many green flags, and so many confirmations. I was so very confused. And hurt. I felt like God was literally playing with me, with my emotions. ...

So the story continues... October was ending and I was nervous again. I reached out to some company that I thought could offer monetary assistance with mortgages and other housing needs. I found them through internet research, read up on them, looked up their government designator and decided they were legit. Well, "the only assistance we can offer you at this time is planning assistance. We can plan a budget with you..." Ma'am. That's not what I need. Thank you. What I need is income. “God, what are we doing here?” is what I was thinking as she was telling me all the un-useful things she can help me with. So, that was a dud.  It's finally November. We’re three months into this entrepreneurship journey, and I’m looking like “uh, sir? Is this what you had in mind?” Because at this point, I haven't paid my mortgage or my car in 3 months, and my house don't have a garage for me to hide my car in. It's getting realer by the day. I believed in what God show...

I am literally buzzing from that amazing weekend I had with my three best girlies at the time, and the cherry on top was God answering my prayer. My “I don’t feel like I’m doing what you want me to do anymore, so what’s next?” prayer. He led me to the door and showed me what was behind it. It was scary and exciting and a little bit crazy, but aren’t your dreams supposed to frighten you a little bit? That’s what “they” say. “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough”. Well, it was massive and very scary to say the least. I was ready to run straight into it though, because I knew God gave it to me. And, in the Bible, there are countless times that God had people doing things that seemed crazy to the onlookers. Me and God had been rocking with each other for quite some time, and he had established with me that I could trust him to lead me. I had already been living a submitted life and decided that I’d live according to His will, so after my birthday weekend, I was READY. I w...

So, yeah, this story starts at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. I was excited for a new year, but simultaneously, I was feeling some… Is disdain the word? Something like joy and excitement but laced with a little dread. Yeah, something like that. So, you know, it’s time for me to start getting things in order, so I began organizing and thinking about the systems I wanted to put in place. I decided that I was only working during work hours, so I had to figure out how to get the “extra” stuff done during the day. Once I felt I had my systems in place, I was able to switch gears to other things on the task list, like creating my “Welcome to Class” letter, and updating my syllabi. The basic beginning of the year stuff. Okay, so the kids have arrived and I started teaching the systems and setting the policies in place and everything was going well. Like, very well. I figured since it was my 6th year, it should be smooth, and it actually was. Parent communication was going well, ...