Saturday Snippets

Will Guidara wrote about a restaurant review saying Eleven Madison Park could use "a bit of Miles Davis," emphasizing the musician's gift for endless reinvention.  They took that to heart and created a sign with 11 words (for 11 Madison Park) they wanted to live by, crafting it from words frequently used to describe Davis and his music!  (See my last Thankful Thursday post).

So here is my T-Swift inspired version of that with 13 things I'd like to embrace and grow in... (13 bc it's T-Swift's favorite number and birth-date), and it's all words that have been used to describe Taylor and/or her music! ❤

I started with a much longer list (all good), including all the words and phrases below... then I narrowed it to my personal top 13 above, which will be on my wall someday soon.  My favorite one, ironically, is "polarizing."  A reminder to know my worth and live by my values - not with aggressive bravado, but powerful self-acceptance and an unapologetically Christian worldview!!  ❤

On a related note, Go Chiefs in the game tomorrow! =)  Because JEM's Super Bowl party will be extra fun for me if they're in it. lol  Yay, Taylor and Travis and Jason!!!

Speaking of sportsy things, best wishes to the Mini Miss K at her volleyball tournament in Arkansas this weekend!  Here's a few pics Rach sent of them having a shower for Coach Erin!

Super random fun fact I learned on the Smartless podcast - Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato were both regulars on Barney back in the day! lol  Much like JT and Britney and X-tina on the Mickey Mouse Club, stuff like this makes me happy.

HBD to Tiffany today... here's a happy pre-pandemic pic of us at 522! =)

I'll end with this sermon quote which spoke volumes to me this week:

"God cannot be the source of our strength if He is not the source of our standards.  I will not negotiate with what God has called me to trample on, and I will not converse with what God has called me to crush.  We've got to stop it at the source and draw a bloodline in the name of Jesus and say, 'This stops here.  These are my standards; I will not apologize.  I may not always live up to them, but I am pressing toward the mark of the prize of the high calling.'  I have a high calling, and I will not live with low standards!" -Steven Furtick

❤

January Reading!

2024 is off to a great start, and January has been a fantastic month for book reading and listening! ❤

1.  Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear

Biggest Takeaway:  "The biggest barrier to positive change... is identity conflict." ~James 
Our identity must align with the habits we want to build.  Our perspective on who we really are matters enough to make or break any goal we set (more on that HERE).

2.  Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan

Biggest Takeaway:  "Learn to say no. And when you do, don’t complain and don’t explain. Every excuse you make is like an invitation to ask you again in a different way.” -Kelly

3.  Lost Things: Fighting and Loving and the Death of an Ideal by Levi Wilkins (full post HERE)

Biggest Takeaway:  "Now is the time to forgive. Now is the time to live. Now is the time to do something you always wanted but never thought you could... and at the end of all this, there's more beauty to be found than we can even imagine."  ~Levi

4.  Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara

Biggest Takeaway:  “If you don’t understand the importance of your work, the nobility of what you put out into the world every day, it’s very hard to be the best version of yourself consistently."  ~Will

LOVED this book and may have to do a separate post on it soon.  It applies to every realm of business, and the idea is to be dedicated to excellent work because you genuinely care about people.  Going above and beyond in serving others, raising the standard, seeking out ways to surprise and delight people, and creating a culture of excellence where it is cool to CARE about the details and the people you serve - yes, please to every bit of that.  It made me want to work for him... then want to lead a team in the way he does... then it had me thinking about how very different the world might look if hospitals and health care teams would apply his philosophy.  Highly recommend this one!

5.  Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink

Biggest Takeaway:  "Intrinsic motivation - the drive to do something because it is interesting, challenging, and absorbing - is essential for high levels of creativity... Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives."  ~Daniel

6.  Becoming More: You Can't Get to Better Until You Get to Different by Dianna Kokoszka

Biggest Takeaway:  "Are you ready to commit to growing in purpose, confidence, gratitude, generosity, and presence? When you honor yourself and others, you increase your energy.  The right energy empowers the transformation... By nurturing and maintaining liberating energy, you can shape a fresh narrative and craft a new story for your life!" ~Dianna

Dianna's personal story is inspiring, and a big section of this book aligns with Hero on a Mission, so I loved that!  It made me smile  and think of Chet Lee every time I heard a BOLD law, and I loved the emphasis on personal responsibility and power, and on choosing liberating over limiting beliefs and energy!  I listened to this audiobook pretty quickly, but I plan to slowly keep reading through my physical copy of this one to get more out of the illustrations and be able to highlight and take notes!

❤

Thankful Thursday #172!

"You are living a brand new kind of life that is continually learning more and more of what is right, and trying constantly to be more and more like Christ who created this new life within you...  Let the teaching of Christ and His words keep on living in you.  These make your lives rich and full of wisdom. " ~Colossians 3:10, 16

*One of my low-level goals is writing 52 Thankful Thursday posts in 2024, which means never missing a Thursday.  Brace up - this is a long one! lol

Today, I am thankful for...

1.  God's creativity and all the fantastic metaphors/illustrations we find in creation... my latest audiobook included a section on "the meeting of the waters" in Brazil, and I had to pause the book to search for photos and read articles as I was totally fascinated by this phenomenon.  The Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes Rivers meet up and then flow side by side for almost 4 miles without mixing... their waters are at different temperatures, composed of different materials, and moving at different speeds.  Their contrast in color can be seen from outer space.  Eventually, they encounter big obstacles that form heavy eddy currents, and those currents churn these smaller rivers together into the powerful Amazon River.  So many thoughts - on being separate and distinct while flowing together, on marriages, on families blending, on obstacles being a catalyst that stirs things up and unifies us - I'm not 100% clear on all the metaphorical implications yet, but I so love that this really exists, and I'd love to see it in person someday! ❤

2.  Both of our jury trials for this term settling... that last-minute news will always bring me joy (and always make me think of Liar Liar)!  Also grateful for Judge being thoughtful enough to text and let me know not to worry about switching my clients' schedules around next week!!

3.  For feeling inspired... by Will Guidara's book Unreasonable Hospitality + The Bear on Hulu + Eleven Madison Park (the award-winning NYC restaurant that inspired that book and show by combining hospitality with excellence).  This pic = the 11-words/phrases that the EMP restaurant lives by, inspired by Miles Davis (which he explains in the book).  I'm 100% creating my own list, potentially inspired by T-Swift. lol

4.  John Eldredge, for the thousand ways he has added value to my life and legacy.  His whole "bring the opposite" thing is sticking with me and proving very helpful!  The spiritual warfare targeting me had ramped up recently (for reasons I now understand).  In a word, I have felt fragmented over the past couple weeks.  I've learned a lot in school and read a lot of life-changing books, but I've struggled to remember any of it in the counseling room with clients... I am dealing with some stark value contrasts and some clients who aren't sure what they want help with, and I have felt increasingly overwhelmed and frazzled and anxious and inadequate, which is obviously not the warm + competent vibes I'm trying to bring into the the therapy setting!!  So I am praying for  peace and for integration - that the Holy Spirit would bring to mind the things I've learned and studied, particularly whatever would be most helpful for the client in that moment, allowing me to offer a redemptive response!  *I've also thought a lot about how the opposite of gluttony is moderation/temperance... yet for me, my internal struggle is with feeling empty on a deeper level, so I'm praying for the fullness of Christ -- that my heart and soul would be filled, whole, and complete, resting in God's abundance.  Bring the opposite - YES, Jesus!!

5.  This book.  It's been excellent.  (I had to present on chapter one last night, which forced me to fully read it, and it was worth my time and energy)!

6.  My Internship classmates and professor.  I explained to the group that I'd been feeling fragmented and struggling to focus well lately, and that I was grateful for the reminder to pray for our clients and focus on building a caring relationship rather than feeling rushed or focusing too much on technique - trusted relationships matter most, and I can do that - I CAN DO THAT.  While I was lamenting the hard stuff, Stevie sent this five-word message... and it was worth taking a screenshot (even with my chandelier reflecting off the computer screen).  Sometimes that's all we need to hear...

7.  Didn't know till I got to number 7 whether I was going to share this... but I've covered everything else and it's the perfect number, so here we go. lol

I have officially been matched with two placing families through Nightlight Christian Adoptions, so things are finally........ finally moving forward here!!  Of course, there are several big decisions and various unknowns ahead, but this part has been especially difficult and entirely outside my control, so being individually considered and chosen by two Christian families is pretty major and very worth celebrating! ❤❤❤  (I'll share a separate post with more info sometime soon.  For today, just YAY.)

I originally created this page for a profile book mid-2021, then reworded it last year for the embryo adoption, then everything was on pause for surgery, then it took three more months to find a match.

No, wait, there's more. lolol  Reaching this matching milestone has not been a short or simple path.  And I'll strongly emphasize that there are no guarantees moving forward, other than that God will remain faithful and true!!  Prayers very much appreciated for wisdom and support and a healthy pregnancy, Lord willing.  I have wrestled and struggled and prayed over this decision more than most people will ever know, particularly through the past year... and none of that was wasted.  (The only way out is through.)  Our waiting seasons matter, and I feel that so deeply right now.  I'm also fully thankful for those who have walked closely with me through it all, and who will continue to do so whilst I wrestle with new stuff as life moves forward - still taking it one step at a time, but the future just got a little more interesting. ;-)

God knows what He is doing, and He is with us and for us!

You are not alone, friends.

❤

Going Through

Happy Sunday, blog-reading friends & fam!  Potential icy weather coming our way in Oklahoma tonight... I'm only sad about that if they don't close the courthouse. lol

Here's Mom and I on her birthday this past Thursday... After a long year that included multiple hospital stays, sepsis, and radiation treatments for her, I feel very grateful she's doing so well now, and we're looking forward to celebrating her 70th next year!!

Mamaw with Rach and her grandkids!

Our waiter finally came back, and we got a pic of our whole group... terrible lighting, but it was lovely having the private room at The Ranch in Norman!  (Bill and Jill were at the hospital for the birth of their great-grandaughter, who now shares a 1-18 bday with Mom)!!

Highly recommend... even though my recommendation is based mostly on their side dishes, desserts, and typically great service (I don't really care for steak)!

A bday cookiecake for Mom... if you're into that sort of thing. ;-)

Just a meme I saved as a good reminder for myself this week!  I set big goals and then find myself feeling discouraged and wanting to shortcut the process in several areas, but slow progress lasts longer, and God is with us through the process. #growslow (More on this idea below).

Cute pic of Tate playing in the Bixby snow last weekend!

And Parker E. living a very hard life being forced to wear her cute snow hat to stay warm! lol  Her strong-willed spirit brings me lots of joy!

Random fun fact:  I hear this in my mind several times a week, always in the voice of Michael Caine, aka Nigel Powers, aka "Dougie and Austin Powers' Fahzha!" lol My knowledge of stupid movie quotes is surprisingly high!!

Finally, here's my second video for this month.  I'm trying to practice and grow in my willingness to share things like this... for the first six months, most of my videos will just be shared here on the blog, then July - December will hopefully include a few for FB or the Oak Haven page with a slightly wider audience (and a bit more prep time). 

 It's pretty basic, but I do love this idea and illustration.  For the videos, Jon Acuff's quote has been helpful to me: "90% perfect and shared with the world is better than 100% perfect and stuck in your head."  I'll apply that to book writing in 2025!  

The valley is not our endgame - so here's to facing the hard things, doing the work of going through the process, trusting God to walk with us and lead us, and believing there are far better things ahead!!!

❤

Thankful Thursday #171

"Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow."  ~James 1:17

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  Mom... and all she does for our whole family... and getting to celebrate her birthday tonight with the fam!! ❤

2.  The restful movie nights that come with crazy cold weather. lol

3.  Two fun lunches at La Madeleine last week (one with Kristin and one with Mom)!

4.  Michelle (birthday earlier this week) -- and the fun way God timed us being at CCU together -- and her connecting me with Amy S. and Jonathan N. and Amy H. and Oak Haven! =)

5.  God's faithfulness.  After really fighting to stay on top of depressive thoughts in December, I'm now in a spiritually rich season and feeling very grateful that Jesus feels close!

6.  Sarah Elizabeth, who had her third interview yesterday for a doctoral program to become a nurse anesthetist!  She's waiting to hear back from this one, but either way, she'll be starting graduate school later this year, which is exciting!!  I'm also grateful that God is healing Eric (her younger brother) and graciously giving him another chance to take responsibility and turn things around.  And I'm grateful to have friends who are also pursuing big dreams and working to set good boundaries and create a meaningful life and a brighter future for themselves and their children! ❤

7.  Speaking of, I'm thankful for Chet Lee (who celebrates his half-birthday today - 35.5 - get excited) and the entire Wilson fam, who are the very cutest here!

❤

Bring the Opposite

I'm in an interesting season where my heart feels like a sponge soaking up so many good things God is speaking.  It feels like I am hearing from Him more clearly lately, and He has a lot to say, and I love that!!!  In the effort to hold onto it, here are three key things I've heard lately:

1.  "Bring the Opposite" -- (from John Eldredge) -- We walk in the authority and strength of Christ, far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion of our enemy.  When we are struggling with any sin or assaulted by any warfare, we pray the opposite against it.  So if the world feels especially dark, pray for the light of Christ to shine in you and through you.  If you're struggling with rejection, pray for a deeper sense of belonging to Jesus and with the people you love.  If you feel fear, bring God's protective strength against that and pray for God-given courage.  We bring God's River of Life against death, the purity of Jesus against lust, holy passion against spiritual apathy, God's hope against despair, the joy of the Lord against depression!  When we face confusion and chaos, we bring God's creation order against that.  When we are assaulted by a spirit of hatred either toward us or in us, we pray the unfailing love of God against that. When we're angry, we ask the Holy Spirit to govern our minds with peace.  When we feel helpless, we bring God's power and strength into that.  A pretty simple yet powerful concept:  Think about what you're dealing with lately (which reflects what is coming against you spiritually), and bring the opposite against it in the name of Jesus!!

2.  "My Time is Not Short; Yours Is" -- (from Allen Arnold) -- Revelation tells us that Satan is "enraged because he knows his time is short."  He attacks us with the same subtle message, a frantic, pressure-filled idea that we are already verrry behind, that we're running out of time, that there isn't enough time left for ___.  Allen talked about feeling the enemy attack him with that and responding with a simple, "No, my time is not short; yours is" and moving on with his day.  That was such a gift for me in this season -- with 40 approaching, the pressure of that timeline message has been crushing for me lately, but I wasn't recognizing it as spiritual warfare until yesterday.  Gracious, that is not coming from God - even if I died tomorrow, my life has meaning, and the timing of its ending would be ordained by a trustworthy God, and I would have all of eternity in heaven to learn new things, cultivate great relationships, and live a free, beautiful, full, abundant life walking with and reigning with Jesus - our souls are immortal, and eternal life belongs to us in Christ -- we have all the energy and grace we need to obey Him today, and our time is not short, friends.  So be encouraged -- God is sovereign and His timing is good and right and gentle; walk in step with Him and stay in peace as you move forward and keep growing -- bring God's order and peace against the enemy's chaos and pressure -- your life is not off course, and you are not running out of time - he is!!

3.  "Root Days and Fruit Days" -- (from Steven Furtick) -- Holly mentioned that the lengthening width of the tree branches mirrors the tree's roots expanding underground - Steven rephrased that as "your roots determine your reach."  We will all have hard days of challenging growth where our roots go down deeper in Christ... and that leads into victorious days of a productive and fruitful life that draws others to Jesus.  Throughout our lives, there will be root days and fruit days -- days of pain and internal growth and days of joy and external fruitfulness.  Both have great purpose and keep our lives balanced -- the depth of our roots will determine the reach of our fruit -- (I'm aware that it's a cliche metaphor, but God is using it in a fresh way for me right now!) ❤

"Plant your roots in Christ and let Him be the foundation for your life." ~Colossians 2:7

Hope at least one of these ideas sticks and encourages you today. ❤

Lost Things

Well, I finished Levi's book tonight (late Monday night), a perfect end to a restful 3-day weekend.

Levi Wilkins:  A beloved husband, father, friend, mentor, firefighter, author, mountain climber, marathon runner, stage 4 adrenal cancer survivor, a fellow Oklahoman, and a brother in Christ.  I knew of him through my cousin, Ashley, and I prayed and donated to their family during his arduous cancer journey.  Having never met the Wilkins fam in person, I felt connected after following his blog for a couple years...

I was shocked and sad to hear that Levi was killed in a mountain climbing accident in September 2023.  The more I've reflected on that, particularly after reading this book, the more I see God working through this story.

While battling cancer, Levi wrote several essays he intended to publish in a book.  Posthumously, his friend, Doug, took on finishing that project for him, adding forewords and reflections by close friends, along with the eulogy speech and a few photos at the end of the book.  

Levi's words are thought-provoking, poignant, real, funny, and inspiring.  In the midst of deep suffering and internal wrestling, he consistently returns to the light of Christ and the hope of the Gospel.  These essay chapters are not in chronological order, but in the order Levi wanted them read... it adds an interesting element, like watching a show that flips back and forth between different years and seasons in the character's life.  All things considered, this book is rich and hopeful, and I highly recommend it! ❤

Levi's wife and children visiting the place where he fell...
Praying for God's abundant grace in their lives!

Some highlights and favorite quotes:

A climbing friend describing him: "he continued to live his life in big, awe-inspiring ways; not flippantly approaching risk, but embracing it boldly and responsibly."

Levi's introduction:  "I was not supposed to be a patient or victim. In fact, I was the guy who swept into other people's lives when they had problems, and then I made things better... But then: cancer... May these notes enable you to continue placing one foot in front of the other when the unexpected happens in the midst of this crazy, beautiful, heart-breaking thing we call life... To those curious souls who are either bold enough or naïve enough to look into the dark night of the soul and search for the light within: read on."

Awaiting the first surgery:  "I have fought it my entire life, but now my struggle is at an end. I am called to love Him more... At ten o'clock last night I gave up the thing that is most dear to me - my family - in exchange for Christ. He is taking care of them anyway, and much more so than I ever could.  I will lie down on that cold operating table tomorrow morning in peace... To the pure, all things are pure."

"This week, I've been broken by both pain and despair... unable to help my family move through life, I felt discarded because of my brokenness, an island of purposelessness amidst the swirl of a family's life... I try to wrap up all of my thoughts with a neat bow on top just like my writing, but the truth is sometimes I'm just shattered inside, despite all desire to the contrary. But I think the Gospel has a lot to say about broken things and purpose."

"I found that the hardest part of the whole experience was looking out at the huge monstrosity that is the suffering ahead. I could handle this moment's suffering easily enough, but not all of it at once... Maybe I should stay there, then, and not let my head get the better of me by trying to melodramatically bring all of the oncoming suffering into the field of view all at once."

"'So what's it like having Stage 4 Cancer?' Nobody has asked me this question. I'm going to answer it anyway." lol

"I'm not worried this is the end or anything.  It feels more like a bump in the road, an inconvenience that we'll make it through... But what if this is it?  What if this is how my story ends?  It's a shitty ending, really.  Totally unoriginal. He died of cancer. Oh, how sad."  *I love that he overcame cancer and got a better ending. He loved others well and lived with an adventurous and ambitious spirit. He wrote an inspiring book, and he died doing something he loved, climbing a mountain with friends!

"It's easy to look at the pale, drawn faces and the IVs filled with poison and see only death at work here, but the truth is that a lot of life happens here, too.  It's just harder to see - So here's to hoping things aren't as they seem, that there's radiance and beauty hidden just beneath the surface... I think it's there, and I sure hope to see it."

'That really is its own form of suffering - just a fear that I'm forever somehow just diminished. Like I'm less me than I was before."

Planning his next climb:  "I know it's ambitious. A lot of things have to fall into place just so for me to beat cancer and have time to get into shape to make that happen. But if you only ever make little plans, how are you ever going to do great things?"

"I'm scared of my upcoming surgery - after all, my pancreas, stomach, intestines, kidney, and adrenal gland are all up for grabs - but I'm trying to hope.  I'm trying to remember that, despite the indifference and occasional darkness of life, there's meaning in every moment and that, when death finally does come, whether it be soon or far off in the future, there's goodness on the other side. After all, the stars burn brightest in the blackest of night."

Mid-way through chemo:  "So when I say I'm doing well, I really mean it.  Even cancer people are allowed to have good days! I'll admit, at first I did feel an obligation to be defined by and dedicated to this cancer thing.  But I read somewhere that it's okay to be okay.  So I've given myself the freedom to do just that... And when I'm in the mist of one of these valleys, I'll be honest with you if you ask about it.  Because that's the main thing that cancer is teaching me - how to be honest and authentic, both with myself and others."

"The thing about fear is that it disturbs our ideas of what should be... but I'll bet God knows better than we do what should be, and He's driving this ship whether we like it or not."

"My body is dying, and quickly, but my soul has never been more alive.  Today, I am thankful for my wounds."

"I've spent a lot of time in this place, and right now I'm tired of it.  But thank God that all storms pass.  And in the meantime, I hold fast..."

"This all comes to an end someday, and whatever it is you think happens afterward begins. I don't say it to sound morbid, I say it to bring hope. Now is the time to forgive. Now is the time to live. Now is the time to do something you always wanted but never thought you could. Money comes and goes, jobs are fleeting, and the grass on your front lawn will keep growing back.  So take a risk and love people and be vulnerable with them.  Don't just exist, but live abundantly.... This is your one and only shot. Make it count."

Victory:  "An hour ago I rang the bell at the cancer center, meaning I'm finished with treatment... Everything has changed for me this morning, but for all these people it's just Wednesday... Life is funny like that.  Every day is somebody's biggest day ever, and every day is just another day for so many other people. It's all just part of the beautiful, chaotic life that we lead... I love it all so much, and I'm so glad I get to see more of it."

In his third round of chemo:  "Is that sad, or is it the grace of God that such suffering no longer seems extraordinary?"

Awaiting surgery:  "I think that maybe now, sitting up in the middle of the night because I can't sleep for thinking about all the terrible things that might occur two days from now, God is asking me to believe in stupid things too.  He's asking me to believe that good still happens in a broken world and that, at the end of all this, there's more beauty to be found than we can even imagine.  He's asking me to believe that He is for me and that I am loved despite my deepest doubts and that He can see me through even this.  He's asking me to believe that He is so good that one day we'll look back on this shit world and it won't even matter that much in comparison to the glory that surrounds us."

~Levi Wilkins

❤

Monday Memes + Identity Video

Happy ice-cold Monday and Martin Luther King Jr. Day!! ❤  

(Pursing your dreams while keeping Jesus first)

Lol boooo insurance rules!

❤

It all matters.

The comments on this post were hilarious!

Facebook is showing me that Tulsa got sooo much more snow than we did here... lame.  (But yay for all my friends with little kids enjoying that there!)  I adore being snowed in and was all prepared for it, but no such luck - it snowed for a couple hours yesterday but none of it really stuck.  Me during that two hours:

Yes to this! #becomingmore

One for Chettles lol

Something Sarah and I talked about last week... *Please be praying for Sarah and her family as this has been an exceptionally hard week for all of them.

Ashley Campbell posted this and wrote about wanting to teach her children this concept - that it's okay to mess up and fail at things and then keep moving forward - basically not to expect perfection from themselves, but to keep getting back up and keep trying new things without letting fear stop them!

Let emotions subside, and then decide.

I verrrry seriously need Mark Zuckerberg to stop the algorithm that keeps sending me animal rescue videos... a deer or moose trapped in the ice, a beached dolphin, a baby fox tangled in a net, etc. ad nauseum.  I get sucked into those every time, but they're always long and hard to watch, and even though they usually end well, it makes me sad to think about the animals who didn't get a lovely rescue video.  So I'm working on saying "NOOO!" and scrolling right past those. lol

I think this is oversimplified, but I do think parents regulating their own emotions and learning to stay calm when kids are upset goes a very long way.

Lol at very precedented events

I so remember this toy... fun!!

Oklahoma weather last Thursday... so crazy!  Also, yay David Payne!

It is obnoxious that they're putting certain games only on streaming services now.  Not that it affects my life much, but Mom and Dad do not appreciate it!

Yes to this - they are two very different things, and boundaries should always be respected!

On a more serious note, one of my 2024 goals is to share 24 new videos, two per month - sometimes here, sometimes on Facebook.  This is Video #1, reading my newly-revamped "Empowered Identity" thoughts for 2024, a 7-minute video I will listen to every morning as I get ready for the day ahead!  I'm in a great routine with this already, but I had 14 separate videos - 2 for each day - in 2023.  So this will be a far more cohesive and integrated version with the best parts of those older videos along with a few new things God is working on with me.  I'm praying it helps me keep growing and stay focused through the year ahead!! ❤

The picture quality is rough, so here's the written version:

❤