002 A ROCK You Can Cling To

What is the thing that guides you in your decision-making when the world and its demands are swirling at a rapid pace all around you?

Where do you look for guidance when you’ve lost your way?

What is the one thing (belief, tenet, core value) that you know to be true and know will not fail you? 

When you’re contemplating suicide in 100+ degree weather on the I-10 pedway overpass in Houston after the brutal mess of a divorce, job loss in the 2008 recession, an abrupt stoppage of depression meds, toxic dating relationships, alcohol abuse to numb any semblance of actual feeling, and recreational cocaine use…you need an anchor; something that grounds you. Firmly.

A ROCK, if you will. 

I promise, I won’t get preachy…but a belief in God and HIS ability to get me out of the desperate hole I had dug for myself was mine. More on these ugly chapters later…but to summarize: I hit rock bottom and humbled myself. I moved back home and slowly climbed my way back to some semblance of normalcy and a rather average life; living with my mother, at first, and working retail in cosmetics. I painted happiness on faces that weren’t…and listened to the most gorgeous creatures on earth belittle themselves and bemoan every tiny flaw. It was in these moments that a whisper of coaching and the career and life that I knew I wanted started to appear.

All the lipstick and mascara in the world will not fill the hole of sadness, depression, and self-sabotage that resulted in substance abuse and bad decisions. This is the starting point for a much larger conversation, but I’ll nut-shell it to say that I got some Jesus back in my life, and things started to change.

If you’re curious to know more about the Jesus piece (or…Jesus peace :) …hit REPLY, and I’ll share more with you.

This Week’s Challenge:

Ask yourself some serious questions…

What facade or mask are you hiding behind?
Where does your true power and strength come from (God, faith, spirit, nature)? 
What false identities can you drop and stand in truth? (not yours or mine, but the truth)?

By the way, leaning on God is hard. He’s not a magic genie granting wishes. It’s not always popular (most won’t even get this far and will unsubscribe immediately… I’m totally fine with that).  My simple, human mind can hardly wrap itself around even a sliver of the entirety of His greatness. But, each day, I try.

And I’ll keep trying…because there’s work to be done, people to connect and conversations worth having. Stick around.

[If you have suicidal thoughts, please call or text 988 for the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Their website is located HERE] 

There is always, always HOPE.

Resolutely Yours,

Kristie