Touch The Sky

For years, a nudge in my heart has urged me to write a book or start a blog. Multiple friends and family expressed that I should share what I’ve learned from the mentors I’ve had, from observing others, from what God has shared with me, or just the hard, difficult knocks of life.

I feel like I’ve gone through a blender and have been chopped to pieces and some might ask why start now, in the midst of the blending, and my answer is that it’s pure determination to prove to others that God loves me, is with me, and is for me, even when I’m sitting in the ashes.

In this moment, I am confused, I am sad, I am angry, and I have decided to be DEFIANT. Yes, that’s what I said, “Defiant,” which means openly resistant.

I’m openly resisting the temptation to be pushed down by life’s punches, I’m defiantly getting up, I’m openly resisting the thoughts that are contrary to the truth of God’s love, because without Him, the fire will consume me, I’m openly resisting the thoughts that say I can’t grieve the loss of hard business punches, or my mother or granddaughter passing away. I’m resisting the desire to stay, sad, angry, confused and bitter, and I’m choosing to have defiant HOPE.

I can’t choose the punches I’ve been hit with, but I can choose to get back up. I’m knocked down, but not knocked out. I’m not denying the pain, the confusion, the anger, or sadness I feel, and tears will still find their way into each day for a while, I’m sure of it, but I’m consciously making a choice not to be defined by the pain and to MOVE FORWARD.

Hope is a fist in the face of surrender. The staggering blow of a crushing loss hit me. I’m choosing to have defiant hope.

I’m choosing to respond by:

• Acknowledging the pain I feel and dealing with it.
• Determining my loss won’t define me.
• Choosing to throw down an anchor of hope, with buoyant confidence that God is with me.
• Relying on God’s love through His word and His people.
• Giving hope and love to others. The recipe for staying free of entrenched bitterness and being a true example of Jesus.

These are not easy choices to make, and I must choose this purposefully every day, but I’m determined to take my life and my family’s legacy to a HIGHER PLACE than ever before, redeeming our brokenness and recycling it into hope for our family.

For starters, I’ll share the story of my angel grandbaby, Tatum Sky, whose short life is the CATALYST for this blog and the reason I’m finally starting. The life lessons she taught and the people she touched in her short life will live on forever through my DEFIANT HOPE and determination to ensure her purpose and legacy live on as I, TOUCH THE SKY!