adoption · church · courage · faith · family · God · godliness · hope · humility · inspiration · leadership · legacy · Love · motherhood · Ode · redemption · Resilience · service · Sisterhood · Testimony · Waiting · wisdom · Worship

when her name is Courage (an ode to a friend for mother’s day)

I do know a friend whose name is actually Courage.

I thought she was kidding at first,

anyone would merely dream of displaying such formidable surname.

It was 2013 when I met her and became friends

as we served together in a restaurant at a church.

cancer · faith · family · fear · Forgiveness · God · Grief · humility · inspiration · legacy · Love · mom · Nostalgia · Ovarian Cancer · pride · redemption · Resilience · this is us · wisdom

Dr. K’s Best Medicine: Take Your Own Advice & Make Lemonade

NBC’s This is Us has been renewed for two more seasons! (Yippee!). But there’s a reason why this show has captivated the hearts of many, including my own. Here’s my take on the latest episode “The Big Day,” although I really missed the grown up Big Three, this prequel to the pilot episode gave us a window to peek into the depth of Dr. K’s grief over the death of his beloved while further explaining to us his “when life gives you the sourest lemon” philosophy.
**Spoiler Alert** Don’t read if you haven’t watched the episode and don’t want to know what happens!**

contentment · faith · family · Friends Tv Show · God · godliness · inspiration · Looking For America · mom · Nostalgia · Resilience · Switchfoot · Thanksgiving · this is us · Where The Light Shines Through · wisdom

When We Don’t Feel Like Giving Thanks

I feel like this year’s Thanksgiving Scrooge.

My husband lately has been bugging me to write. But I haven’t felt like it. I feel internally yucky. I feel like I shouldn’t share my internal yuckiness because I don’t want to be contagious or give anyone a reason to complain about their miserable lives. So I opted to abstain from writing… and letting you in on my misery.

Then the Lord reminds me of this verse in 1 Timothy because I’m pretty sure when Paul penned this to Timothy, his circumstances alone didn’t give him a reason to rejoice. But he did anyways. Despite the persecutions, the incarcerations, and the beatings, Paul somehow trusted God and all His promises.

As we prepare a marvelous Thanksgiving feast, my prayer for everyone is that we don’t miss these ingredients that will make our times memorable for a lifetime.

faith · family · fear · God · inspiration · legacy · mom · motherhood · Story-telling · Testimony

For He Who Promised Is Faithful: The Story of Joshua Isaac

**This story is the inspiration of this blog**

It’s been written to give you hope when you feel forgotten.
It’s been written to inspire you to be open for God to change your heart and transform your mind.
It’s been written to remind you that what you want isn’t always what you need.
It’s been written to encourage you to stay the course,
for He who promised is faithful!

faith · Friends Tv Show · God · humility · inspiration · leadership · legacy · perfection · success · Switchfoot · Travel · Where The Light Shines Through · wisdom

How to Travel Light in a Heavy World: Wisdom and Worldly Success

I told myself in order to be successful, I had to be perfect.

But that was a lie. In order to be successful, I must be wise.

Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc, Friends) once said,

When the package is this pretty, no one cares what’s inside.

I know one person who cares.

His name is Jesus.

911 memorial · family · friends · inspiration · legacy · New York · Nostalgia · Resilience

9/11: It’s Been Fifteen Years…

For me, it was another day being a sophomore in high school. It was the start of the school year in a new private school. I didn’t speak English very well, but that didn’t stop me from excelling in school. This language barrier, however, did stop me from making friends.

I was sitting in English class when the second plane collided with the South Tower.

fading west · Getaway · inspiration · Switchfoot · Travel

fading west: where i belong

Finding inspiration can be the beginning of something great that only God can use for the sole purpose of expanding His kingdom. He created us with different gifts so that we could be the blessing others can experience as we live in the here and now. God had used Switchfoot to further my search of Him; their songs have carried a tune in my hopes, my fears, my dreams, my joys, and my sorrows. Through their songs, I have experienced both laughter and tears in my journey of faith.