Anchored To Hope

Today I had the privilege of watching the beautiful view from our bedroom, and to watch Bella see a butterfly for the first time. We watched it sit on the blossoms and then all of a sudden, to Bella's amazement,  it flew!! Bella couldn't believe it! The butterflies flew up and down and all around the garden. They flew where ever they wanted with abandon. The colours were bright and beautiful, they were free. In that moment I heard a whisper into my soul. I love these whispers, they have sustained me. Jesus quietly spoke to my heart and revealed to me that as caterpillars, the butterflies lived a completely different life. They didn't know at the time that a transformation was taking place, and in the cocoon, in the darkest time when the world seemed the most bleak, that's when the greatest change of all was taking place. In our cocoons, trials, suffering , the fire refines us. It burns away garbage and whatever it leaves becomes invaluable and strong. The pain in ...

It is no surprise my Bella is beautiful, she has a pretty beautiful daddy ;) She lives up to her name in all senses of the word. We chose her name because my Mum, Annie, was given an endearing name by my Dad - "Annabelle". It's his name for her. My niece is called Anna, so when we had a girl we loved Bella, and also named her after my Mummy and Daddy's love story. Her name is beautiful, just like her. So here is where my thoughts always seem to go to since having a daughter and a growing son, how do I protect my children and raise them to know true beauty in themselves, and recognise it in others? We are a product of our surroundings. Survey and research says you are most influeced by the 5 closest people in your life. You learn, copy, and become like those 5 people. Now I'm not gonna sugar coat it, I've had 2 kids and a whole lotta brain-medication that has completely changed the condition of my body, pre-motherhood. As Somewhat of an athletic and sports ...

The night before: Thrive in the storm Hello Beautiful ones. I'm glad you found me, and I pray these words somehow bring comfort and hope to you on your journey. It has been some time since I've shared on my crazy brain and where it is at ;) Here is a little follow-up for those of you reading who do suffer anxiety, dissociation, depression. Never alone ;) xx Sam turns 7 tomorrow. I never would have thought this would be me 7 years on. An absolutely beautiful ( in every sense of the word) little 1.5 year old baby girl playing with and cuddling my legs, while I watch my almost 7 year old champion crack up laughing at funniest home videos, and me, almost comfortable in my own skin. Almost "ok" with the unreality that use to haunt me every moment of every day. God has taught me perfect ( well how to have a lot of) peace. The answer wasn't to fix me, but to allow me the honour of taking the journey God thinks is best for me. For now, it looks like this- it looks lik...