Launch Day.

For many years, starting a blog has been on my personal goal list. I’ve started and stopped the process too many times to count. A lot of my professional experiences required me to curate content for brands, and I've helped friends get their businesses and blogs off the ground, only to find myself frustrated that I hadn't put in the same work for my own goals.

I know that helping others with their projects and launching ideas will always be a part of who I am. I thrive at organizing concepts in the infancy stages. My best friend calls me her personal "google" because I'm always putting the pieces together for the most random events, gifts, and ideas. I enjoy using my skills to help others; it comes quite naturally.

However, towards the beginning of October, the urge to finally put 100% into my idea, was weighing heavy on my heart. God was calling me to be my own cheerleader for once. So quietly, I started brainstorming with my husband and bounced ideas off one of my brutally honest friends (we all need one).

I got in a groove of planning content and writing, each day I became more excited about seeing this finally come to life. On November 4th, I got baptized and made a public declaration, that going forward I was committed to no longer allowing fear to get in the way of what was in my heart.

Almost immediately after I put this into the atmosphere, I was bombarded with obstacles that made me want to quit before I even started.

First, my husband accepted a role at work that would require him to travel Monday-Friday every week, through the end of the year. With him taking on this role, it meant I was becoming a single mom for the next couple of months. Let’s be real, taking care of four little people is no joke. My energy and time disappeared, and I felt like this little project was being deferred again.

Then my two-year-old daughter stepped on my laptop and broke the screen. So my computer was out of commission for two weeks, and we had to spend a nice chunk of money to get it fixed.

The week after my computer broke; a woman at church approached me and said she wanted to get me a gift for the twins, but heard I only accept gifts that are name brand. Insert confused emoji face here. My kids pretty much live in Target clothes, so I didn't know what to say. I kept thinking to myself, what could I have done to make someone feel that? Her comment wasn't a big deal, but it was a trigger point for me. I hate being misunderstood or perceived to be anything that isn't welcoming, especially within my church community.

With all of this going on, plus 600 other random things, lousy communication habits began resurfacing in my marriage, causing some serious arguments.

I started to shut down and tell God how once again, the timing isn’t right. How can I encourage people in anything when things are all over the place in my own life? Feeling quite overwhelmed, I decided to pause, and ask God, why would you place this project on my heart again, knowing this season of crazy town was ahead?

Over the next couple of days, God began to break down how each of these moments held great significance and were not random at all. These obstacles and frustrating situations presented me with a timely opportunity for growth, before taking on the season ahead.

#1 STOP MAKING EXCUSES

Yes, I have four young children. Yes, I am exhausted most days. And yes, my husband is in a very demanding season at work. However, when I’m intentional with my time and our family schedule, I can always squeeze in the time I need to get things done, if it’s a priority to me.

It’s crucial not to spend your days merely responding to everything that happens. Set goals, be intentional, and take control of your time.

#2 STEWARDSHIP

I can be careless at times with my possessions and finances. I'm the person who follows a budget well and then all of a sudden the "treat yo self" spirit takes over me, and it's all downhill from there.

To build anything, you have to be disciplined, especially with limited resources. I was so irritated about my laptop breaking, but the truth is, it lives on the floor next to my nightstand most of the time. I've watched Zion mistreat it countless times. So there was indeed no one to blame but myself when it was time to spend an unnecessary $600 to get it fixed.

Also, I realized that resources aren’t just my material possessions, but relationships as well. I needed people in my "network" to help with different things I wanted to accomplish for the site, but I haven't been the best at maintaining those relationships. Granted life doesn't permit a lot of socializing right now. However, I found myself questioning friendships instead of recognizing that those relationships hadn't been managed well by me. Maintaining a healthy network is vital, you never know when you’ll need someone.

#3 YOU CAN'T CONTROL OPINIONS

When the woman at church approached me, I knew that there was no truth to what she said. I tried to brush the comments off and keep it pushing. However, I found myself so annoyed that someone would think that about me.

The truth of the matter is, I'm a recovering people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy and feel good about my place in their lives. While I was praying, I felt God say clearly…" where I'm taking you, there won't be room for the opinions to eat at you." Whether it be true or false, we can’t live to please people. We must live in the true identity that God has given us. Some people will love it, others will hate it, but it’s an insult to God, to be anything other than who He created you to be.

#4 PROUDLY SHARE YOUR TRUTH

When I felt tension bubbling up in my marriage, I immediately wanted to shut this all the way down. It’s so important to me not to paint a fake picture of who I am. I don’t want to read comments that say "goals" and be a hot mess in private.

My relationship has been through hell and back over the years, but we’ve fought hard to get to where we are today. The truth is, we have a great marriage now, but we also have hardships that we’re still learning how to work through every single day. We're starting therapy, we argue, I blocked Keenan for a day last week because I was irritated with him. We've just come way too far to throw in the towel on our love.

God has a funny way about Him; he uses the areas of your life that make you feel entirely unqualified and uncomfortable, to encourage others along the way.

None of this is revolutionary thinking, but these are principles that we need to remind ourselves of daily. Whether you’re building a business or taking care of the kiddos all day – resistance and obstacles are always around the corner. Especially, after you take a stand for change or step out and start something new.

DON’T LET BARRIERS DETER YOU FROM GRABBING HOLD OF THE GOOD PLANS GOD HAS FOR YOU.