New Journey, New Season...

"Sometimes you have to let go of what's so tightly in your grasp, to allow God to work and release something much better." 

That is on a 3x5 postcard on my bathroom mirror (along with favorite Bible scriptures and prayers) that I read each morning. 

Before you begin reading, grab something to drink and some a snack. This one may take a few minutes to read. But buckle in. This one is sure to bring you much joy, and prayerfully some wisdom and insight that will bless you and your family abundantly. 

This year did not begin according to our initial plans. Yet, in hindsight, how often do our years truly align with our expectations? Reflecting on past experiences, it's evident that life seldom unfolds exactly as we envision. If we're truthful with ourselves, we often find that our plans diverge from reality. That's certainly been my experience, and perhaps yours as well. 

Matthew 6:33 urges us to prioritize God's kingdom above all else, trusting that He will provide for all our needs. When we seek God first and foremost, we align our desires with His will, allowing Him to lead us towards fulfillment and abundance. When we place our faith in God's provision as we follow His lead in every aspect of our lives, we will want for nothing, and satisfaction will come in other ways we never imagined.  

As many of you know, we faced a significant scare towards the end of 2023 when that Ryan was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma Colorectal Cancer, and the subsequent period of waiting, surgery, and further waiting proved to be a trying time for us, filled with uncertainty and tests in our lives. During this season, we clung to the One we know as our Faithful Heavenly Father. He proved again, just how amazing He truly is, and how His Mercies endure forever if we will only remain faithful. 

Fast forward to January 4, 2024. This is the date we would find out just how good God truly is to us. We have always known He takes care of us, but this day would reveal something that could have only been orchestrated by the Master. 

January 4, 2012, at 8:15am, we learned that our precious Bridgette had passed away (inter-uterus). I can still remember that morning like it was this morning. There is a pain that surges through a mother when she hears the words, "I am so sorry." I remember the fear I had and the uncertainty of not knowing if God would need both of our daughters. I remember the questions, millions of questions, that ran through my mind in just a matter of minutes. The sinking feeling in my gut and the indescribable pain in my heart. It was the same pain I felt in November 2023 when the surgeon walked me into the little consultation room, all alone, and helpless, as he began with, "I am so sorry." 

But... God! 

1 John 5:14, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

This is the hope we have when serve God. I asked Him so many times to help me understand, but in reality, I ended up finding myself at the foot of the Cross praying for God to spare my husband's life. 

Fast forward to January 4, 2024, 8:19 p.m. Ryan would receive the call we had been desperately waiting on from the surgeon. He called to report that the test results revealed that the cancer was gone! 

Do you see the relevance? Do you see the irony of how God restored all the enemy tries to steal? 

The Bible is clear in John 10:10 that we are called to resist the devil, use our authority and stand our ground. We are called to guard what belongs to us and reclaim whatever the enemy has stolen. And that is exactly what happened 12 years and 12 hours later. God restored a renewed HOPE to our family. 

Fast forward to the current day.

In our pursuit of divine guidance, we turned to prayer even for seemingly small matters, such as our careers. Many of you are aware that I left a long-standing executive position at a company to establish my own consulting firm. However, my first client's workload quickly escalated to the equivalent of two full-time jobs, often demanding 65-70 hours per week. This contradicted the very reason I ventured into entrepreneurship to begin with - seeking flexibility and more time with my family. We were gently reminded of this, especially given the recent scare regarding my husband's health, which prompted a reassessment of my priorities. 

Consequently, I have concluded my contract with a remarkable company where compassionate individuals supported us wholeheartedly during our challenging times of Ryan's cancer. While it was a tough decision to part ways, we are confident that we are aligning with God's will. I find comfort in knowing that I departed from the company having created and implemented numerous enhancements, including both improved processes and new initiatives that had long been sought after. Witnessing the positive impact of my mentoring and coaching program, and observing the subsequent changes brought about, was particularly rewarding. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to these transformations. It is clear that God's presence and guidance were evident throughout this journey, manifesting in remarkable ways. 

Undoubtedly, change can be challenging, bidding farewell to wonderful colleagues is never easy, but reclaiming precious time with my family is invaluable. What's truly remarkable is that amidst this transition, God has blessed me with another exceptional client - one that resonates more closely with the original purpose behind establishing my business. This new opportunity promises to honor my commitment to a healthier work-life balance and is a testament to God's providence and faithfulness. 

All of that (above) to say this. Today, is day one for me (again). I made a commitment to God to take the first fruits of my day and immerse myself in His Word and work on 'me', again. I have felt, for years, that tug that God placed a calling on my life to write a book. I even received confirmation a couple of years ago that I have ignored. So, I will be working on this and taking on minimal new clients for a while. I am thankful for my newest client. She is beyond amazing, and I am looking forward to partnering with her and serving her and her employees, making their processes better. 

Over the next 30 days, I will be returning to blogging. In a concerted effort to get back into the groove of writing again, I purchased a new "Moments in Prayer Reflection Journal," a "365 Self-discovery Journal Prompts" book, and "Twenty-five Morning Meeting Questions," to spark my creativity. 

Ironically, my first question is to describe something you are good at. My first self-discovery journal prompt question is, 'what have been your current biggest lessons learned'.  And my first reflection scripture for prayer is, "Loving Our Enemies," Luke 6:27-36. WHOA! What a great place to start and I think the above captures the majority of all three. 

I invite you to join us in this next season of our lives. We continue to be humbled and deeply grateful for the ongoing support for those who follow and encourage us on our journey. My prayers remain steadfast for each person reading this, that you may experience abundant blessings from God. 

Remember, as I've always said, if you take nothing else away from my blog, I pray you will never forget that you are wonderfully and fearfully made (Psalms 139:14). 

Pretty words aren't always true, and true words aren't always pretty, but when the truth is spoken, it's always beautiful and that's what you get when you visit my blog. 

Life is messy.... thank God for Bounty Paper towels, Grace, and Mercy! 

P.S. Hopefully the next thirty days of writing will not be this long.

With love,

Candye ~

"...the battle is the Lord's" (I Samuel 17:47)