Welcome

For years now I have wanted to start a blog. I struggled with actually taking the step to get started. I struggled with comparison and comparing myself to the other mom bloggers with the well put together sites and the perfect family photos. I struggled with feeling like what do I have to say or add to the wealth of other blogs out there. I felt like I didn't know how to even start a blog and for awhile I didn't think I had anything to say that hadn't already been said but I was encouraged at a Beth Moore conference a few years back where she talked about embracing your place in the Gospel story and opening up and sharing your story because we all have a unique story to tell. 2020 was quite a year but one of the best things that came out of it was my renewed love for writing. I used to love to write growing up and as I got older and was required to write papers for school, while my classmates dreaded it, I actually enjoyed it. I graduated and was no longer required to write, life got busy with work and eventually children and writing got put on the backburner. With all that was experienced over the last year, I began writing again and had opportunities to share my writing. I began to pray and I felt God calling me out of my comfort zone and telling me I also have a unique story to share and a unique way of sharing it so why not share my story and do this blog. He led me to the scripture in Ephesians 5 (vs 1-2) about living in love. How often do we tell people we love them, which is good to say, but we don't really say much "you are loved". Living in love is a state of being, there's a confidence associated with it. As moms we tell our children how much we love them and we care for them and nurture them and God does the very same thing for us as His children. That's incredible! Because of His love for us we can live and walk confidently even through the challenges and struggles and feeling unworthy and not "enough". Motherhood is a constant pouring out of yourself and sometimes we lose ourselves and forget that we are loved and cherished as much as we love and cherish our children. Thus began my idea for this blog. So a little about me and my family, Five years ago my family and I moved to Tampa from our hometown of New Orleans. I was pregnant, had an active toddler and was in a new city where we didn't know anyone and I became a stay at home mom. Before moving I had been a full time working mom, a part time working mom and had also been in school to be a counselor. I was and still am pretty passionate about counseling but God, as He tends to do has shifted the focus a bit there. I prayed and I began to learn what an awesome calling and challenge motherhood is and while I may not impact thousands I am impacting two precious gifts ( or however many more gifts he allows :) ) who will also make their mark as they make an impact for the kingdom. And that is a high calling. I still love do to counseling just in a different way. In praying God said what are you passionate about, where do you see a need, and use that to build up others. I'm passionate about my children and raising them up to have a heart for God, who stand up for their convictions and seek to fulfill His purpose for them, and in having to start from scratch when we moved and creating a new "village" after our move I love and have been so encouraged in talking with other moms and encouraging and building each other up who want the same for their kids as we raise up the next generation .My heart is to encourage fellow moms, and have learned and been thoroughly encouraged in talking with fellow moms right there in the struggle with me and those who are way past the phase I am in and learning from their stories and tips and just being there for each other on those difficult days filled with tantrums and disciplining ( or lack thereof ). Unlike having a 9-5 where you can clock in and out parenting is a 24/7 job, well calling that you put in overtime for and you have some days that are as perfect that you can get on this side of heaven and other days where you want to throw in the towel and those days the encouragement from the word, and my mommy village has kept me going. I have been participating in a moms group at our church for the last five years called mothers of preschoolers. It has been such a tremendous blessing as it is a place where moms can connect with one another just as I was describing earlier. For the last three years I've assisted on the leadership planning team for our MOPS group which was a big part in my developing a heart to encourage fellow moms. In continual purposeful prayer I felt God tugging at my heart to start sharing my story to help other moms and to foster a community where moms can openly share their struggles, triumphs, and helpful advice. I'm in no means an expert in parenting or anything being only 7 years in and have made mistakes and am still learning . So my next question then became so how do I do that? How do I share my story and create this community of support? Well In our highly technological society of today, the idea to start blog has also been on my heart. I felt a calling to do this blog where I can go deep and share stuff that I wouldn't necessarily share over social media like my struggle with correct godly discipline of the kids, and even going through a mild form of post partum depression that I had after having my oldest who is now 7, which is something many moms struggle with but don't talk about much. Also while this isn't a blog specifically for African American moms, I didn't really see many blogs by moms of color. Mental health is also something in the African American community that while it is becoming less of a topic associated with stigma, it still has a history of being overlooked or not really discussed. With my love for counseling and mental health and own challenges there this blog will also talk about various mental health topics and other unique challenges moms of color face.

I have also made some amazing mom friends who do awesome things and have faced and overcome their own challenges from owning their own businesses, podcasts, homeschooling, miscarriages and infertility, and fostering and adopting children, and and they will periodically share their stories here as well.

So If you're looking for picture perfect Pinterest projects and lists and tips and strategies for perfectly well behaved kids and a well kept home then you've come to the wrong place with this blog because I'm just not that mom. Even if you are the "perfect mom" with a well kept home and dinner on the table at 5 every day with kids who never misbehave then you can let your hair down and release being "perfect" for a little while here. For my fellow mommas trying to hold it together on those challenging days or if you're in a challenging season with child rearing, you can come here for encouragement, a good laugh, a cry and some empathy from us who have been there and are there in the trenches with you in the real life day to day struggles that come with parenting and on those days when the kids are driving you crazy. There is a brokenness that comes along with realizing that I as a parent am a sinner and I have passed that down to my offspring as my parents have passed it down to me and the generation before that passed it down as well. The hope however is that God is there. He's there in the challenging moments. He's there in the good moments. He's there to help us and welcome us with open arms and give us rest in that He loves us as we are, even in those hard and messy and challenging moments. He also loves our children and will help us to be the parents He has called us to be. So welcome my dear mama friend, and remember, You are enough and you are deeply loved.