As I learned how to think deeply about my feelings I was able to identify their roots. Coming to the realization about my feelings are not facts was quite the shift for me. I had spent decades listening to my feelings and allowing them to lead me.

Today, I don’t have to think through the steps of how to filter, I just do it. I have a thought, and I quickly compare it to what is true. I am still a work in progress and have bad days, but now I have the tools to be able to shift my focus from me to the Truth.

During my healing journey, I have learned that my worth, value, or love is not defined by what I do or how hard I try…It even isn’t defined by what others have done to me. Instead, I know I am defined by the One who created me.

There is always something to be thankful for, even when life throws a curveball. Having an attitude of gratitude will help you manage and cope with whatever difficulty you’re facing.

Finding strength to get through some days is exhausting. As time goes on, those days get farther apart. You have to give yourself grace and just breathe. Always remember it's a marathon and not a sprint.

I had so many family and friends that were throwing me life jackets and trying to direct me back. I reached for them and they were able to help me maintain a float. But I knew there is only one Savior, one person that could sit me on that rock.

I am wired to be selfish. In some ways, we all are, but with my beginnings and the anger I had about my childhood, I couldn’t be who I wanted to be. In my heart, I wanted to be generous, but I was afraid, not a little afraid, a lot afraid.

Emotions from grief are messy and often leave the widower crippled with pain. We become angry at the person leaving us, mad at ourselves as we could have done things differently, or even angry with God because He could have done something to intervene.

I'm depressed. I say that as a way to help someone understand that depression is hard, it's debilitating. Depression has made me not want to accept what's ahead for my life; it's caused me to halt. I'm unable to do things I did because fear has crippled me.