Living Out My Calling

There have been major changes in our world as well as my life since my last blog post.

In 2018 I resigned my position as Executive Director of Starting Point and went full time into ministry with Authenticity & Grace at the start of 2019.

Authenticity & Grace’s mission is to help women LIVE FREE in Christ by preaching the Good News, proclaiming freedom to the captive, recovery of sight to the blind, and setting free the oppressed through coaching and public speaking. (Luke 4:18-19)

There were so many long and dark years when I didn’t really think freedom was possible. So to be living in freedom, doing what I love, and for God to be using my pain and suffering to help other women is evidence of how He makes beauty from ashes. (Isaiah 61:3)

Life still has its challenges and stressors. COVID has impacted the public speaking aspect of the ministry. My husband and I have moved 2 times during the pandemic. But through it all, God has been guiding and providing me with the resources I need to fulfill my calling to work toward the vision of Authenticity & Grace.

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Vision Statement

Authenticity & Grace works towards creating a safe, authentic, and grace-filled place where women are encouraged and inspired to break free from the prisons that are holding them captive. We do this through preaching the gospel, coaching, inner healing prayer, and sharing our stories of healing and recovery. Authenticity & Grace sees a world where women no longer bow down to the world’s idols and instead stand tall as unique daughters of the King. Authenticity & Grace believes women can be set free from the unhealthy habits, emotions, lies, and wounds that keep us oppressed so we can LIVE FREE in Christ.

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It’s vital to me to pursue what God wants for Authenticity & Grace and not fall into the trap of defining success by what the world says. I am excited to see where He leads as I follow Him on this journey!

God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful.

-Mother Teresa

Daring Greatly

My lifelong dream has been to help women find freedom in their relationship with food and their bodies.  

How could I possibly help others though when I didn’t even know how to help myself?

I vowed to never stop fighting for freedom even when I didn’t always believe freedom was possible.

I didn't give up. Thanks to a team of professionals, my family, and the healing power and grace of Christ, I was able to break free.  That’s not to say there aren’t days where I struggle, but I no longer live in the prison of ED & The Gang. My heart overflows with gratitude and joy for the life I now live!

I started Authenticity & Grace in 2016 to share my story.  The dream that started in my heart during college has been growing into a deep passion to not just tell my story, but to actually help others break free and experience freedom.  Last year, I spent time in prayer and did research to figure out how this might look for me.

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The BIG NEWS is, I am taking classes to become a Certified Health and Life Coach. The plan is to do this while I continue in my current position as Executive Director of Starting Point.

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In December of 2017, I started classes at the Health Coach Institute (HCI) and am hoping to complete the course by the end of this summer! In April, I will be attending an HCI Live Event in Phoenix, where I will be able to meet other students going through the program and get hands-on training to become a health coach!

There have been so many emotions during this new journey!  I feel excited, but there is also fear of failure. ED & The Gang kept me from trying new things before, and I am committed to not letting the fear keep me from stepping out and following my dream.  

My own work with a Coach made such a major impact on my journey, and I am excited to help others as a coach.  I want to call myself a Freedom Coach because it's not about molding one's body to fit worldly beauty standards, but to help others be the unique individual that God created them to be.

As a Freedom Coach, I want to help women who are trapped in unhealthy relationships with food and their bodies, so they can break free from diets and disordered eating to live in freedom with authenticity and grace.  

Live Free with Authenticity & Grace

The Gift of Self-Care

Today and tomorrow are designated self-care days for me.  My work schedule along with the many medical appointments for the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have left me feeling depleted and tired.  My Occupational Therapist (OT) told me our brains are like a gas tank and it’s important to make sure I don’t run out of gas. My previous head trauma leaves me with a smaller gas tank than others.  When I take the time for self-care I find I am much more productive, content, and energized in my everyday life.

Self-care is new to my life.  I have desperately wanted to do self-care days in the past, but I was never able to have them because ED & The Gang would never leave me alone.  Their lies and attacks would be too painful and I would try to escape their attacks by using destructive behaviors.

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One of the best gifts of ED recovery has been the ability to have these self-care days.

 ED & The Gang’s voices aren’t there like they used to be and even if one of them tries to pull me down, I have the tools to recognize and defeat them!

It has been fun to explore new and fun self-care ideas as I have progressed through recovery. What self-care looks like will be different for everyone! 

Here are a few of my favorite self-care activities!

Snuggling with Moosie and Keira

Sitting on my back porch with a good book

Taking a walk

Lavender baths

Putting lotion on

Being all alone for the day (This is the introvert in me.)

Deciding not to do anything on my to do list for a day and only what sounds restorative

Listening to music

Dancing around my house when no one is watching

Watching a good romantic movie (North & South (BBC), Leap Year, Pride & Prejudice - the one with Colin Firth)

Binge watch Frasier!  (Niles is my favorite.)

Drinking a cup of coffee

Journaling

Home Spa Day

Sitting outside and feeling the wind against my skin

Catching up on my favorite blogs

Trying a new hair style

Enjoying a good meal or dessert

Doing my nails and toenails

Scrolling through Pinterest, Instagram…

My favorite is enjoying a beautiful view and reading/journaling when traveling

Hanalei Bay, Hawaii (2014)

What about you?  

Share your favorite self-care activity below!