A heartfelt reflection on faith, resilience, and community in the midst of life’s storms. Carrying the Weight: Finding Grace and Strength in Life’s Heavy Lifting explores how we can find light, connection, and hope even when life feels unbearably heavy.
Author: gr8ful_collette
Run the Race Marked Out for You
A Poem on Hebrews 12:1 Life often feels like a race filled with distractions, comparisons, and burdens that slow us down. Hebrews 12:1 reminds believers to run with perseverance, fixing our eyes on God rather than the world around us. I wrote this poem to encourage you to release what weighs you down and embrace Read More
New School Year, Old Wounds, and the Work of Letting Go
Back to School and Back to Myself The start of the school year is one of those natural times to reframe and make adjustments—to reflect, plan, and set intentions. When you work in a school, your ambition is often fueled by your mindset, and I’m going into this year knowing it will be challenging on Read More
When Faith Feels Distant: Follow the Best Path
Starting My Mornings With Intention Lately, I’ve been starting my mornings with Scripture—a habit that’s been established, broken, and renewed at various points in my adult life. Over the past nine months, I’ve been working intentionally on building a meaningful morning routine. It’s included meditation, visualization, affirmations, reading, and journaling. But during this time, my Read More
50 and Becoming: How I’m Claiming Peace, Power, and a New Way to Live
A Birthday at the Edge of Then and Now Last week, I celebrated my 50th birthday in a beach house with my husband, my two sons (22 and 19), and my 12-year-old daughter. It was the same stretch of sand I used to visit as a teenager—back when my best friend and I would bake Read More
Keeping Score: What Happens When Family Love Isn’t Equal
How the idea of fairness shaped my relationships—and what I’m learning to let go of The Myth of Fairness Growing up, we’re taught to keep score. Whether in school or at home, fairness is emphasized: everyone should be treated the same, loved the same, and given the same chances. Playing favorites is frowned upon. We’re Read More
6 Years Sober…What a Trip
Last Thursday I celebrated six years of sobriety. These landmarks always lead to reflection and as I looked back, from my first post six months in to my journey to my most recent, which was too long ago, I felt like a parent watching her child grow. My first posts were a mix of gratitude Read More
These Boots Were Made for Crushing Dreams
My husband likes to call me a dream-crusher. I say I’m a realist. Of course it’s more fun to be the dreamer; to have big plans that propel you through the muck of daily life. But I get uncomfortable with the nebulous nature of dreams. These aspirations that float so high above our heads. These Read More
Take 5 Minutes to Read What it Took me 5 years to Figure Out
As I celebrate five years of sobriety, I realize I have been on the ride of my life. Lots of ups and downs but a life-changing upward trend. I want to share my journey over the past few years, especially with women readers in or nearing the second half of their 40s. I felt like Read More
Celebrating 5 Years Sober: Thank you, Regret
“To live without regret is to believe we have nothing to learn, no amends to make, and no opportunity to be braver with our lives.” This line from Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart has been sitting with me lately. As I celebrate 5 years of sober, mindful living and I believe that regret played Read More