Breathe, Pray, and Let Go!

I woke up from in the wee hours of the morning unable to fall back asleep earlier, and this Scripture immediately came to my mind:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” — Philippians 4:6

I know when life's trials hit, it is easy to feel anxiety, doubt, worry, and stress.

After praying over so many needs, I felt these simple words in my spirit:

BREATHE.

PRAY.

LET GO.

Just breathe.

Remember all the times God has seen you through a dark place before. Remember the prayers He has answered. Remember the doors He opened. Remember the times you thought you weren't going to make it, but somehow—God brought you through.

Breathe. Then pray.

Tell God exactly what has you worried. Tell Him what hurts. Tell Him what you don't understand. Tell Him what you are afraid of. Ask Him to take over the situation.

Pray.

And finally… Let go.

Give God every care, every concern, every fear, every unanswered question, and every situation you cannot control.

Then trust Him to handle what you cannot.

I'd love to tell you that going through tough times is always easy for me. I'd love to say that I always handle every trial with grace and faith.

But that wouldn't be honest.

I'm human.

Sometimes my emotions act up first. Sometimes I complain. Sometimes I crumble. Sometimes I start to fall apart.

But I've learned that I don't have to stay there.

I can shift my focus.

I can turn back to God's Word.

I can pray.

I can praise.

I can breathe.

And I can let go.

The only way I make it through the difficult seasons and find my peace again is by turning my focus completely back to Jesus.

This is something I've had to learn and grow in over time.

Maybe you're in a difficult place tonight.

Maybe you're carrying something nobody else knows about.

Maybe you're dealing with sickness, loss, disappointment, family struggles, financial pressure, difficult decisions, or simply the exhaustion of trying to keep going.

Maybe the enemy has filled your mind with lies telling you that nothing will ever change.

Shift your focus.

Don't focus on what the enemy says.

Focus on what Jesus says.

Don't focus on what you cannot do.

Focus on what God can do.

Don't focus on how big the battle is.

Focus on how big your God is.

And tonight, whatever you have need of, call upon the name of the Lord.

BREATHE.

PRAY.

LET GO.

Then keep your eyes on Jesus.

You may not see what He's doing.

You may not feel what He's doing.

You may not understand what He's doing.

But God is working. He never stops working.

Keep your focus on Him.

Because when your focus shifts back to Jesus, you may discover that the situation hasn't changed yet—but you have.

And sometimes that is where the breakthrough begins. I'm praying and interceding for you.

Whatever you're facing, give it to Jesus.

Shift your focus.

Breathe.

Pray.

Let go.

And trust the One who has never stopped working.

It is Your Choice!

There are so many struggles we face in today’s world.

Unexpected sickness. Unexpected trials. Unexpected loss. Difficult decisions that others may not understand. Moments when we are simply struggling to keep going while the enemy fills our minds with lies, distractions, fear, doubt, and discouragement.

Sometimes life gets so heavy that we become so focused on the problem that we lose sight of the One who holds the answer.

But I believe we are in a desperate hour where a FOCUS SHIFT needs to take place.

In the middle of the toughness of life, the pain, the disappointment, and even the ugliness of circumstances, we have to shift our focus back to Jesus and the power of His Holy Spirit.

Because when our focus shifts back to Him, something changes.

God moves.

Lives are changed.

Faith rises.

Prayer becomes deeper.

Praise becomes stronger.

And we begin to remember that what we are facing is not bigger than the God we serve.

The enemy has so many people bound by hindrances and distractions that we have become exhausted from fighting them. Some have become so discouraged that they've simply stopped trying to push through.

But what if we shifted our focus?

What if instead of staring at what the enemy is doing, we started looking at what Jesus is able to do?

What if we stopped focusing on how impossible the situation looks and started focusing on how powerful our God is?

People will tarry in prayer when they believe God is still able.

People will praise Him in the middle of the storm when they remember who is in control.

People will keep pressing when their eyes are fixed on Jesus instead of their circumstances.

The Lord has been dealing with me about this focus shift all year long. He has been molding me, teaching me, and reminding me over and over again to shift my focus back to Him.

And I've learned that when I do, it becomes a whole lot easier to push through and carry on when the unexpected happens.

God is teaching me to give Him my all—even when others around me aren't giving Him their all.

Because:

Their praise doesn't determine your praise.

Their prayer doesn't determine your prayer.

Their peace doesn't determine your peace.

Their focus doesn't determine your focus.

Their walk doesn't determine your walk.

Your relationship with God is your responsibility.

Your praise is your choice.

Your prayer is your choice.

Your focus is your choice.

And sometimes you have to make the decision to keep seeking God even when nobody else around you is doing it.

I Pressed On!

There have been seasons in my life when I have struggled more than people knew.(especially with depression and anxiety). I would hide behind my smile and laugh, making everyone else life, while I was "dying and numb on the inside"... yet ironically, my laughter and God can continually renewing my joy is what has pulled me through because the joy of the Lord is our strength.

There have been days when getting through the day felt like an accomplishment. Days when my thoughts were heavy, my heart was tired, and I wondered how much longer I could keep fighting (those days could come again, but I know how to fight).

But somewhere along the way, God gave me a motto that I carry with me: “You may see me struggle, but you’ll never see me quit.”

That doesn't mean I never cry.

It doesn't mean I never get discouraged.

It doesn't mean I always feel strong.

It means that when I'm weak, "I know where my strength comes from."

There is a difference between struggling and quitting.

You can struggle and still pray.

You can struggle and still believe.

You can struggle and still take one more step.

You can struggle and still hold onto Jesus when you don't understand what He's doing.

Sometimes pressing on doesn't look like accomplishing something huge.

Sometimes pressing on looks like getting out of bed. Sometimes it looks like making it through one more day. Sometimes it looks like saying, "Jesus, I don't have much left, but what I do have, I give to You.”

And He meets us there.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us that "“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart."

He doesn't run from our broken places. He comes near.

So if you're struggling today, please don't mistake your struggle for failure. You may not be where you want to be yet, but "where you are today is not the end of your story."

The enemy would love to convince you that your current situation is your final destination. It isn't.

Keep pressing.

Keep praying.

Keep reaching.

Keep believing.

And if all you can do today is take one more step, **take that step.**

You don't have to see the whole road. You just need enough faith to keep moving toward Jesus.

Because God is not finished with you.

"You may see me struggle, but you'll never see me quit."

Not because I'm strong enough on my own... but because I know the One who is!! 🩷🙌

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 3:14

Still Becoming, Part Two!

Still Becoming... Part 2 (because there is so much about this journey I want to say that hopefully encourages you to keep going)!

My second version of my "weight loss" journey... learning how to eat smaller portions and not another bite when I am full, learning how to push through the plateaus of life, learning what exercises worked best for me, learning how to be able to walk longer distances again.

When I turned 40 in April 2024, I decided to hit the **reset button** on my life.

I knew I needed to make some changes—not just physically, but in so many areas of my life. I wanted to become the best version of me that I could be, and I knew it would take work, discipline, prayer, and most of all, God.

Over the past 2½ years, I've lost **150 pounds.** 🩷🙌

But let me tell you… it hasn't been easy.

There have been plateaus. There have been times when I was doing everything I knew to do and the scale wouldn't move. Times when I felt frustrated and wondered if all the work was really making a difference.

But I've learned something about plateaus:

**Just because you can't see progress doesn't mean progress isn't happening.**

And when I look back, I realize just how much God has allowed me to experience that I never thought I would.

I went **zip lining for the first time.** 😳

I faced fears I never thought I'd face.

And I even rode **all 11 roller coasters at Six Flags!** 🎢🙌

Those things may seem small to some people, but for me, they represent freedom. Freedom that I didn't have before—not just because of the weight I lost, but because I started facing fears that had held me back.

And then there are the things only God could have orchestrated.

I truly believe God **divinely connected me with a doctor** who cared about ME. Someone who didn't just rush me out the door saying, “This is what you need to do.”

He listened.

He cared.

He helped me find a solution.

And for me, that solution did not include surgery. I never had peace about taking that road, and I believe God honored that.

Since January 2025, my **A1C has been 5.0.** My cholesterol is now normal. And I went from **50 mg of blood pressure medication to 12.5 mg a day. Also, my asthma is in full and complete control and my respiratory sickness issues have been few and far between the last year especially.

I don't take any of those things for granted.

I'm thankful for every bit of progress. 🩷

But I'm also thankful for the plateaus.

Because the plateaus taught me how to **keep going when I couldn't see the results.**

And honestly, that's true spiritually, too.

There have been seasons when life felt upside down, when distractions came, when the enemy tried to steal my peace and get my focus off of God.

But I've learned to recognize his game.

I stop.

I refocus.

I look back at the goodness of God.

And somehow, that peace and calm begin to return.

Jesus promised He would never leave us comfortless. He gave us His Holy Spirit—the One who walks beside us, comforts us, guides us, and helps us.

And lately, the Holy Spirit has reminded me that I need to remind others:

**He's still here.**

Even in the plateau.

Even in the waiting.

Even when you don't see the results yet.

Even when you're tired.

**Keep going.**

God wants our best—not because we have to be perfect, but because He created us for more than simply existing.

I'm still working on me.

I'm still growing.

I'm still learning.

I'm still facing fears.

I'm still becoming.

And I'm so thankful that God has been with me through every pound lost, every plateau, every tear, every victory, every fear faced, every door He opened, and every new beginning.

The goal was never just to become a smaller version of myself.

It was to become the woman **God created me to be.**

So if you're in a plateau right now—physically, spiritually, emotionally, or in any area of your life—

**DON'T QUIT.**

Keep praying.

Keep pushing.

Keep trusting.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

You may not see the progress yet, but **God is still working.**

And so am I. 🩷🙌

**Still becoming. Still growing. Still pressing forward.**