"You have the capability to change your life all with a simple shift in perspective,"

Quote by Demi Lovato

WHAT OTHERS SEE

You are a force to be reckoned with.

You are not someone that people take lightly.

They often call you intimidating and unapproachable.

People look at you and see a heavenly strength and perseverance.

They see someone that has walked through fires and been pulled through flames.

They see someone who has caught your breath time and again with all the strength you had left to muster.

They see you continuing to put your heart on the line even though it’s been crushed time and again.

People see you trying every single day even though you have failed on many occasions.

They remind you that you are a survivor.

You are a beautiful light full of forgiveness and grace.

You are kind.

You are smart.

You are important.

You are loved.

WHAT YOU BELIEVE

You fight feelings of not being enough.

You feel weak, lost, disposable and marginalized.

You feel the storm you’re currently in will soon engulf you.

You want to be a spirit that others are drawn to but more often than not, you feel rejected.

You have so many questions and no patience to wait for the answers.

You don’t know where you’re going, but you know you can’t stay where you are.

You always believed you would do something special. Something out of the ordinary and unexpected; but you are not wickedly smart, beautiful or talented.

You are cursed in love and will die lonely.

You are broken.

So, you pray.

You beg for God to hear you.

You ask out loud if he’s even there?

The ocean isn’t big enough to hold all your tears.

WHAT GOD SAYS

As you drift off to sleep something very small and still inside of you says:

You are beloved.

You are a masterpiece.

You are chosen.

You are forgiven.

You are worthy.

You are redeemed.

You are a child of God.

I give you everything you need.

---

This is an actual entry from my personal journal the summer of 2021. There were only a handful of people that knew the betrayal, horrors and intimate details of the trauma I was navigating. I was suffering from severe PTSD, depression, trust issues and anxiety.

What Other's See are handwritten messages received from that tiny circle of family & friends that were my life support.

Here I am today, early fall 2022 with an extreme shift in perspective. In the greater scheme of life, a short 18-months later, the path before me appears completely different than it did back then. I can't begin to image how the road ahead will continue to unwind, the valleys or peaks that might appear, or the rivers and oceans that must be crossed. But I do know this.....

• The bond that was strengthened between family and friends, far exceeds what I knew my heart was capable of.

• The support I received professionally and personally humbles me in ways I can't express.

• The protection, provision, and prosperity that I have received through my faith leaves me speechless and in awe of God's grace.

• The platforms that I have been given to turn my tragedy to testimony leave me giddy with excitement for all the good yet to come.

What I couldn't see in the summer of 2021, was the bridge that was burning was lighting the way for a brighter tomorrow.

When you can't see a way past your tears, trust that God will make a way.

Don't stop until you're proud.