Archives For nashville

When Blinders are Removed

November 29, 2020

Six years ago. It was 2014. I felt so alone. We had just moved to Nashville a year earlier. It wasn’t just the move though. It was that before we moved it was like the enemy had his bow aimed at my heart. Arrow after arrow would come screaming and piercing. First there was the friend who told me “I really don’t care about you.” Then 5 months later there was the history bomb that dropped about my existence. My friend may not have cared about me but God did! Thankfully I found out that my life was saved from abortion.

I would say that I was living my life in a little box. I could look out and watch everybody else living a joy filled life. And I could encourage them and applaud them, but I was stuck in my little box. Alone. Raising 6 kids.

So you know, I was not alone. My husband worked dutifully. But I felt alone. Never clinically diagnosed, but I would say I was depressed and filled to the brim with anxiety.

My faith was incredibly strong. Or at least it was growing. Being alone can sometimes be a good thing. I was hesitant to make friends. So I didn’t. But I had God! I could lean into Him and be comforted by the only One who can comfort.

So I was the mother of six children and felt completely deserted. At the time I 100% believed it was my fault. That my faith must be lacking. We even began seeing a christian marriage counselor. Because, remember, in my head it was my fault. My weak faith was causing our marriage struggles. My children were eleven and younger. How my attitude must have crushed them brings me weeping to my knees. Those six kids (we have eight now) are 7-18 years old now and faith filled to overflowing, but I know that my attitude must have left some sort of mark on them.

One thing that we would do was we would return to Charlotte, NC every once in a while. That would fill my heart each time. I had friends there! Especially my new pro-life faith filled friends. We would gather, have dinner, and chat forever. I’ll never forget when a friend and I sat on her back porch making fun of those other people in Nashville. These were possible friends, yet they posted far more about their businesses than they did about sidewalk ministry. And sidewalk ministry was my newest passion! Every single Saturday we would head out to Welshwood in Nashville and proclaim the gospel and pray that God would use these broken vessels to save innocent lives.

Another thing that helped me get through was I focused on paying off our debt. There’s something about having a goal that is really good at keeping me distracted. So I had a great time focusing on our debt snowball.

A year later I was on Instagram and noticed a fellow sidewalk counselor from California was posting. She was in the same business as the Nashville sidewalk counselors. I actually had the opportunity to meet her when she was driving through on an RV trip. However, I had no desire to make friends and I was weary. I skipped out. Plus it was our wedding anniversary so it was a perfect excuse to stay home.

As the days went on so did I. Always wondering why the cloud of abandonment and loneliness followed me around constantly. I’d get brief moments of happiness. I look back on my pictures and wonder how was I so happy in the photos, but inside I was sinking down, down, down.

March of 2015 that California girl was posting about how she was expecting baby number seven. At that same time I had a doctors appointment and I asked if I could still have another baby. She looked me dead in the eyes and said “with your anxiety??”

I had never said anything to her about what I was struggling with simply because she was not the kind of “doctor” that would have any knowledge on anxiety. So yeah, I left determined to prove her wrong. My new friend in California looked so sincerely happy and full of life. I wanted that. On April 1st she posted about the supplements she was taking. Without even speaking to her I followed a link and ordered. I told no one except my husband because I had spent all of this time making fun of the sellers of this product. My friend in Charlotte, I certainly was not going to tell her. So I kept it to myself. The day the test came back positive for baby number seven was the day the package of Plexus Slim arrived on my doorstep. I had no desire to lose weight, obviously. I just wanted my joy back. Maybe, just maybe it wasn’t a lack of faith. Somehow, though we were heavy into paying off debt, I found just enough to purchase this one product.

A couple weeks later I noticed I wasn’t sad or discouraged anymore. I had a smile on my face again and not just for photos. I still didn’t tell anybody, though, because what if. What if people thought I was just trying to sell them something again? So I stayed silent.

About three months later I finally posted on social media because why not. I had been a part of multiple direct sales companies and my only customers ever were my grandmother and my mother in law. So yeah, wasn’t expecting anybody to be interested. At that exact same time I am proud to say that our debt had been completely paid off! Maybe it was that happiness that caused me to share. All I know is that seven friends joined with me that week. They, too, were looking for some help. I knew this helped me, but I certainly couldn’t explain why.

One of the biggest lessons I learned was that when we struggle it could be one of three things. It’s either body, mind, or it’s spiritual. It could be multiple. For me, I thought for sure it was my spirit, had no idea it was my body. I also wasn’t expecting something so simple to affect so much. Because my body was hurting it was damaging my mind/thought life. And I have no doubt the enemy saw a terrain ripe for play.

One year after I posted on social media for the first time I realized how the Lord was using me in this business that I had spent so much time demeaning. My Plexus team now has thousands of ambassadors/customers. The Lord has blessed us with an income I never could have imagined. All because He saved a broken girl from the valley. I felt tugged, I listened to the Spirit and thought “what if?”

I also became a Natural Health Professional and I’m currently finishing up my ND program (doctor of naturopathy). I have had clients that I have assessed recently and was able to say that they 100% needed the Plexus products and I was able to guide them to which ones they needed. What a crazy unexpected blessing! He changed my life and now He is willingly using me to help change others. This is so incredibly humbling when I spent so long feeling like a nobody. I am now the mother of EIGHT beautiful blessings! I was never a nobody ❤️

With all of that being said, I want to put this offer out to you. Plexus has a superb offer right now where you can sign up for ONE PENNY. In my debt pay off days…what I would’ve given for a deal like that. I could’ve tried other products that I needed. However, this offer ends November 30th at midnight EST. I feel like the godmother warning Cinderella of the impending time. If you have any questions I would be honored to help you. If you live local to me talk to me about a health assessment. If the Lord is allowing me to serve Him in this way to help His children to tend to their temples then Lord, here I am, use me.

As always, no matter what you may be struggling with feel free to message me and let me know if you’re in need of prayer. Let’s be the body and serve one another.

Many Blessings ?

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After moving to Tennessee I can’t tell you how excited I am to see all my homeschool friends again from Charlotte at the Teach Them Diligently Convention in Spartanburg, SC. As I’ve said many times before this is the highlight of our year. We get encouraged in parenting, in our marriage, in homeschooling and it’s a great time to just fellowship with our sweet friends, old and new.

Can I encourage you, if you’ve been on the fence, to go ahead and get your family tickets this year? There are four locations to choose from.

Nashville, TN
Spartanburg, SC
Washington, D.C.
Dallas, TX

And you only have a couple more days to get the early bird price of only $45 for the entire family! For that cost you’ll get 2 1/2 days at the best homeschool convention around, inspiring speakers to listen to, a large vendor hall to shop in and many new friends to make!

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The children’s program is stellar. My kids absolutely love it and meet so many like minded friends. They are so excited to see their friends they made last year that they’ve become pen pals with.

My family will be at the Nashville and Spartanburg locations and we really hope we get a chance to meet you! In Nashville my husband and I will be there helping to represent Cities 4 Life. Come by and say hi!

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Did you know that when you register you will receive 3 months free of the Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Planner? Definitely something you need to check out.

Or how about, if you sign up a group of ten or more your cost is only $35/family instead of $45.

Well hurry up! You have til the end of the day December 31st!

See you there!

Blessings!

Trusting Him to Move

December 16, 2013

I told you about this story in a previous post but I want to tell you all the details because it’s just that good.

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When we were looking for a house in Nashville we weren’t sure if we were going to rent or buy. We honestly had no idea what kind of money we were going to have at the end of the transaction. We decided to look mainly at rentals because of our recent experience of being trapped in a house that had lost a large amount of its value and was surrounded by foreclosures and shortsales. And, let’s be real, we don’t know anything about Tennessee, we need time to look around.

 

So we looked at so many rentals. My favorite one was one that was half the size of our current house. It was precious, I loved everything about it. Unfortunately, it went under contract that same day.

 

We looked at many others but there was always something that turned one of us away. I would say, “too big.” He would say, “too far away.” And this went on and on and on. We finally came to one that was a great price for a beautiful house. It had a great backyard for the kids and was out in the boonies which made my lil country heart happy. We walked through with the owners and decided to sleep on it. The landlords were so sweet. The next morning we submitted our application. That night we were at the house to show the kids. In case the landlord was going to be showing the house to anybody else we decided to call and let them know we’re looking around the outside just to show the kids since we didn’t take them in the previous night. The landlords told us they’d be right over in twenty minutes and they’ll let us all walk through the house.

 

That was so kind of them! To drive all that way to let us in. We thanked them profusely. My lil three year old loved the emptiness and went crazy running around the inside and through the backyard. I took a bazillion photos so I could plan how to arrange furniture and such.

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Two days later, hours before we were to leave town, the landlord called to say we’ve been declined. Though he did not say it was our family size we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that is why he turned us away. But to say that it was because of our family size when admit discrimination and be grounds for a lawsuit. We’re not those kind of people. But I have repented of the thoughts I did have.

 

Our hearts shattered. We had nowhere to live and no time left to find a house. We tried to see if we still had to sell our house. After a brief talk with a friend he told us there was no way out.

 

My husband and I spent our last night in Nashville awake. Our minds reeling. Regret coating our thoughts. Feeling betrayed by a stranger.

 

In the wee hours of the morning we both began heaving tears. Broken and feeling like we’d failed our family.

 

Then we prayed. We lowered ourselves and allowed Yahweh to lead us. We admitted that on our own we are helpless and hopeless. That if He wanted us there like we believed He did that He would make the paths straight.

 

Our hearts were softened and we got online to relook at all the houses we had been in that week. As we were looking at one in particular I saw something in the neighbors driveway. We decided to go back to that one. It was a Saturday so there was no possible way of getting a realtor to take us inside the house. Instead we went to the neighbors house. And sure enough what we saw in the driveway was indeed a large van. Complete with a gaggle of little feet stickers on the back window. The neighbors have seven children and they homeschool. A couple doors down? Homeschoolers. A couple more doors down? More homeschoolers. And not long after we moved in we discovered we had a mutual friend whom I adore with our next door neighbors!

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What we thought we were missing out on when we were declined on the first house was Yahweh redirecting our steps to something better. And the price had just been lowered on the house. Something that was going to help us immensely. The downside? The inside of the house is yellow. Yes folks, yellow. And don’t tell me it’s cheery. You’re talking to a cool color person. But I am THANKFUL we have a house to live in! And they don’t mind a large family renting. Let me tell you, we’re going to keep that house nicer than we kept the one we were paying a mortgage on.

 

I’m so thankful Yahweh knows better than we do. So thankful that He was watching as we wept and prayed. Thankful that He is always taking care of us if we’re willing to follow Him.

 

Each step of this journey has been filled with eucharisteo. Sometimes it’s hard to see at first but there’s such a bigger picture. So now I will get accustomed to my temporary little yellow house. May it constantly remind me to rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction and constant in prayer.

 

[edited: When we moved in the majority of the house had been painted to a much more enjoyable color. There’s still a good portion of yellow but not like living inside a bottle of mustard anymore.]

 

Blessings!

Divine Meetings

December 14, 2013

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We didn’t know where to move. To stay in South Carolina. To return to Ohio. To find land in North Carolina. We simply did not know where our next steps were supposed to be. I want to let you in on how we were able to know that Yahweh was leading us to Nashville. And how we fought the enemy, knowing that he doesn’t want us out there. This will be more of a timeline because I could write a book about every obstacle.

When listing our house we weren’t too enthusiastic knowing we were up against new builds. Five months earlier our realtor had encouraged us to short sale.

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I’d Do It Again

December 13, 2013

Over the past six years we’ve looked for other houses to move to. We’ve looked for land. There are times we wanted to throw our hands up and move back to Ohio. We’ve had our joys but we’ve also had some really rough times. However, I would do all this all over again. Every scowl, every tear, every hurt was making us better.

 

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

 

I’m going to be open with you. My husband and I went through a really rough valley moving to South Carolina. This was the first time we were away from family. We were fully relying on each other. The sad part is, we weren’t fully relying on God. Our faith was tested in ways we hadn’t experienced before.

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