Masks Off

The crisp autumn air on my face awakens me. I breathe deeply, filling my lungs, and releasing the breath. Accepting the change of seasons. Life sleeps slowly into dormancy, but not without a brilliant farewell of harvest orange, neon red, and brown.

Life has moved quickly in 2022. The world relieved to progress beyond a global shut down. Masks off. Barriers removed. I see people’s faces. Some smiling. Some preoccupied and stressed. Most hurried about reclaiming the day to day activities.

I have written a book this year. Why? Healing. Growth. To help, educate, inspire, and empower others. Challenging myself to escape a darkness and bondage long time holding me captive in a prison of my own making. Mental illness. I believe I have finally broken free out of my shame and humiliation of my story. Who am I? I accept myself. I embrace my past as it has positively shaped my future.

I do not know what the future holds. I trust the One who gives me breath each moment. I choose to courageously walk forward in faith, eager to see the hand of God heal others, comfort them, claim them as His own, using me to be a light in the darkness proclaiming hope.

Life moves through seasons. Times of pain, illness, brokenness, despair, death.

Life. New life. Second birth. Transformation. Healing. Redemption. Calling. Purpose. Acceptance. Faith. We do not have to stay broken. Set free! Ready to walk boldly into the beyond.