Some Stories Do Not Start When We Think They Do

This is my first blog post of the year, and there is something intentional about how a year begins. First words matter, not because they define everything that comes next, but because they reveal how grounded we are willing to be as we step forward. As I enter 2026, I am not chasing momentum. I am choosing anchoring. And in one week, next Tuesday, I will celebrate another birthday, a moment that always invites reflection before celebration.

Birthdays have become less about arrival for me and more about awareness. They ask quieter questions like " What has been forming beneath the surface?" What have I been faithful to in silence? What am I still becoming?

Long before I ever had language for healing or imagined writing anything beyond a journal entry, I was taking notes. Quiet ones. Half sentences. Thoughts I could not shake. Moments that did not yet have names, but felt important enough to write down.

A quiet beginning to the year.

At the time, it did not feel like a purpose. It felt like survival. I was trying to breathe. I was trying to make sense of what God was doing in me without needing to explain it to anyone else.

When I look back now, those notes stretch further than I realized. The earliest one saved in my phone is dated July 23, 2022. I was not calling it healing then. I did not know I was at the beginning of anything. I was writing because something in me needed room.

But God was already planting.

In March of 2023, that quiet planting became clearer. Not louder. Just clearer. The instruction was steady and unmistakable. All of this will become a book.

I did not announce it. I did not rush to share it publicly. I did not look for validation. I kept writing, abiding, listening, and surrendering. I trusted that obedience in private mattered more than recognition in public.

Months later, without context or prompting, my aunt sent a message saying she was hearing a book with my name on it. She did not know what I had been stewarding in silence. She did not know about the late-night notes, the journals tucked away, or the nudges God had been whispering for nearly two years. She was confirming and watering what God had already planted.

As I step into a new year and toward another birthday, that moment lands with new clarity. It reminds me that some assignments begin long before we recognize them. Sometimes, we are already doing the work before we accept the title. Sometimes clarity catches up after obedience.

This is where success looks different than we have been taught.

Success is not a finish line you cross and then rest. It is a process. A posture. A series of daily choices that shape who you are becoming. Growth happens when you embrace the journey, not just the outcome. Healing works the same way.

When we stop living in survival mode and start anchoring ourselves in truth, we create space. In that space, we hear what God has been saying all along. Not because He just started speaking, but because we finally slowed down long enough to listen.

Let’s slow this down and make it real.

Growth does not happen because you finally feel ready. It happens because you choose to show up consistently with what you have. Success, healing, and purpose are not separate lanes. They intersect when intention meets obedience.

Here are a few grounded practices to support what God may already be stirring in you this year.

Begin with vision, not pressure.

Give yourself permission to imagine again. DREAM! A vision board, a written list, or even a single word for the year can help you stay anchored when distractions compete for your attention. Let vision be something you revisit, not something you rush to complete.

Create a morning rhythm that centers you.

This does not need to be elaborate. Prayer. Quiet reading. Sitting with your thoughts before the noise of the day begins. To make it even simpler, give God the first 10 minutes of your day uninterrupted. The goal is not productivity. The goal is presence and abiding. Start your day rooted, not reactive.

Choose community intentionally.

Growth accelerates in the right rooms. Surround yourself with people who stretch you, encourage honesty, and respect your process. Alignment matters more than proximity.

Commit to learning as a lifestyle.

Growth does not stop once you know better. Books, conversations, podcasts, and lived experience all sharpen discernment. Stay teachable.

Celebrate progress without waiting for arrival.

Honor small wins. Acknowledge consistency. Progress deserves recognition long before the finish line comes into view.

Success is not a sprint. It is a steady walk. Pace yourself. Ask for help when you need it. Rest without guilt.

Reframing Challenges as Teachers

Setbacks have a way of testing what we believe about ourselves. I have had moments that made me question the path, the timing, and my own capacity. But over time, I learned this truth. Challenges are not interruptions. They are instructors.

When something does not go as planned, instead of asking why this happened, ask what this moment is teaching you. Each delay sharpens discernment. Each disappointment reveals resilience you may not have recognized otherwise. My pastor used to say, "Every delay works in your favor," and life has reaffirmed this time after time.

One practice that has helped me is writing after the moment passes. Not to judge myself. Not to rush the resolution. To reflect. What did I learn? What shifted. What do I see differently now?

That is where journaling becomes powerful. Not as a task. Not as a prompt-driven obligation. But as a space.

Journaling as a tool for self-reflection and growth

A Journal That Meets You Where You Are

That is the heart behind The Audacity to Heal Journal.

It is intentionally blank. No prompts. No instructions. No expectations. Just quality pages and space to meet God and yourself honestly. Whether you are writing prayers, processing setbacks, recording lessons learned, or capturing quiet thoughts you do not yet have language for, the journal does not rush you. It simply holds space.

If you process through writing, reflection, or silence, this journal may serve as a companion to your healing rather than a guide telling you how to heal. It is there when you are ready. No pressure attached.

Your Next Step

Here is what I want you to do before you leave this space.

Choose one practice. Just one. Write a sentence that names where you are right now. Commit to a morning pause. Reflect on a recent challenge and name what it taught you. Begin documenting lessons instead of dismissing them. Then come back.

This blog is not a destination. It is a place to return when you need grounding, perspective, and a reminder that becoming takes time. We talk about healing, faith, success, legacy, and the quiet work that happens behind the scenes long before fruit is visible. That's what the bible calls abiding.

Know this: You are not late. You are not behind. You are in process.

And this space, this blog, is here for the journey. Come back often and be sure you're locked to our growing community! Until next time, " Take what you need, leave what you don't, and be sure to share this with someone who may need it too!" I love you, and I'll talk to you later.

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