For a long time, I was focused on getting through, caring for my family, meeting responsibilities, and doing the best I could with what I had. There were things I wanted for myself, too, but making room for them was not always easy.

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When I look back, I think about the people who helped me along the way. Some offered guidance. Others offered practical help or saw something in me that I could not yet see in myself. Their support made a difference, and it continues to shape how I show up for others.

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Writing my story gave me an opportunity to look more closely at my life and share parts of my story that people could not see from the outside. It also reminded me that I had learned things worth sharing.

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Now, I’m learning to give myself the same care and attention I have given to others. I’m asking what it looks like to be healthy and peaceful and how to love and serve without losing myself.

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My faith is part of that journey. I believe God has given me gifts, and I’m continuing to discover how to use them while also making room to enjoy my life. I’m sharing from a place of still becoming. I’m a woman, wife, mother, grandmother, and someone learning that my life matters too. There are still things I want to explore and create, and I’m giving myself permission to begin.