To the Girl Healing from a Traumatic Injury
It all begins with an idea.
In March of 2021, I was in a cheerleading accident that resulted in a severe concussion. To say that it was life-changing would be a understatement. I couldn’t drive for 10 months, and for the first full year of my recovery, I couldn’t run or lift weights—I couldn’t really exercise at all. I was in physical therapy, speech therapy, vision therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and was diagnosed with a cardiovascular autonomic disorder (POTS) caused by the trauma of my brain injury—I was a shell of myself and learning to trust my body again.
There was a time when I truly believed I would feel 60% normal for the rest of my life … but it’s been over 4 years since the accident now, and this is the most I’ve felt like myself since. If you’re discouraged in your healing … keep going. God is preparing you for big things, good things.
Know that you are made for so much more than what you can do at a workout, practice, or game. You are made to show the love and tenderness of God, to share your story, and to empower others to keep showing up in their recovery, too.
I want you to know that you’re incredibly brave. I’m proud of the person you are right now, regardless of where you are in your journey—healing is hard and not linear. So like the woman in the Bible (Matthew 9:20-21), keep reaching for the fringe of His robe, even when healing seems unreachable. You got this!
As always, this is a piece of my heart. Consider it yours. 🦋
To the Girl Moving Away From Home
It all begins with an idea.
I haven’t lived close to my hometown in 7 years. I grew up in Tennessee, went to college in Alabama, and am now living and working in Michigan. There’s so many things I wish I would’ve known before leaving…so here’s three things I wish I would have know before moving out of my hometown.
I wish I would’ve known that moving far from home meant something or someone would always be missing. When I’m in MI, I’m not anywhere near my family or roots because I grew up in TN…and when I’m in TN, I’m not anywhere near my community, the job I love, or the city I’ve made a life for myself in. It’s bittersweet.
I had no clue that I would form such a deep appreciation and love for where I came from. I’m always looking for reasons to go back (whereas before I was always DREAMING of the day I would graduate high-school so I could leave and never return lol).
I wish I would’ve known I could visit my tiny TN hometown for four days or four weeks and it would never feel like long enough (but would always be looking forward to going back to MI at the same time).
Leaving home to go back home doesn’t always get easier, but I’m so thankful to have three different places that I consider home. Grief and gratitude can co-exist.
As always, this is a piece of my heart. Consider it yours. 🦋
To the Girl Who Feels Overlooked by God
It all begins with an idea.
Joy. Love. Hope. Peace. The freedom to be able to dance in his presence and delight in his grace. To walk on water and dance on the waves. To twirl in His presence, trusting deep in your spirit that you are known. You are heard. You are seen. And you are loved.
God knows your name. He knows your every thought and the dreams you hide deep within your heart. He knows, so sometimes I think it’s okay that we don’t know. I think it is okay to not have all the answers because He does.
He knows your graduation date. He knows your wedding date, the due date of your first child if these things are in His plan for you (and if not, He has something better). He knows the exact address of the first house you’ll buy, and which side of the street it’ll be on. He knows where and how He will use you tomorrow, the next day, and the next day. He has intentionally and purposefully planned out each day of your life. He will place you somewhere in this world with a specific purpose, and it’ll be good. It’ll be satisfying. It’ll be worth it. And ultimately, it’ll glorify God, which is the reason we live and breathe.
So my prayer for you and I today is that we will not only be okay with the unknown but welcome it. Because the Creator, the One who taught the waves to pursue the shore and the One who knows every single name in this world knows—and that alone is enough.
As always, this is a piece of my heart. Consider it yours. 🦋
To the Girl Who Needs More Alone Time
This one thing helped me have more alone time.
More often than not, I give away a lot of my time and energy to others and pour my heart into different activities. Only when I’m on the verge of a meltdown, I realize that I haven’t had any time for myself.
If you are anything like me and have a hard time saying no or feel like there’s not enough time in a day to have 5 minutes to yourself, I’m going to share with you something I learned one year at summer camp: put YOU on YOUR schedule. Write down your self-care, personalize it, give it a set time, a set day, and then protect it. Do everything you can to make sure you have that time to recharge and rest.
You can use that time to read the book you love that’s been sitting on your shelf for months. You can go for a short run to clear your head. You can spend time in the word and in prayer. You can take a bath or go get a smoothie. You can love on your pets or take a nap. You can watch your favorite movie or go to a coffee shop.
Take care of yourself and put YOU on YOUR schedule. I’m rooting for you!!
As always, this is a piece of my heart. Consider it yours. 🦋