If you would have told me ten years ago this is what my life would be, I would never have believed you. As a mother of five with two special needs children, I have experienced the joys and heart breaks motherhood brings. I've had my ups and downs, my supermom moments, and the times I would consider a failure. Through it all, I have learned to depend completely on the Lord day by day to fulfill the ministry He has called me to in this season of motherhood. I have always wanted to be in ministry, specifically ministering to youth. As… Read More
Children
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I've been writing notes on a napkin and putting them in my kids' lunchboxes for years. Some are funny, some are serious. But to me, it's just a way to tell them I love them and to make them smile, think, laugh or blush at the school lunch table. One day, I took a picture of a napkin I thought was clever, and posted it on my Instagram account to share with my buddies. I had no thought of it going viral, but it did. Apparently, it reminded people of things their family used to do to make their day brighter.… Read More
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Lucky. We can all apply this word to our lives in one sense or another, but for me, the definition has radically changed recently. I am a junior in college, majoring in occupational therapy. I have always had a heart for helping others, but it wasn't until last year that I found the true avenue for my passions. It started when I followed a family on Instagram who had adopted three kids, two of which have Down syndrome. I felt naturally drawn to this family and knew in some way, I was meant to be a part of their lives.… Read More
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In 2017, my oldest daughter started kindergarten. The school she attends has the highest poverty rate in our district, where 75% of the students receive a free or reduced lunch. So, there is a lot of need. A month into the school year, I sat down with the principal and asked, "How can we help? What is something you are struggling to cover?" Her instant response was, "We need milk." I didn't totally understand, but she explained. While most of their students get a free or reduced lunch and even breakfast before school, milk during their snack break was not covered by the… Read More
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I come from a very musical family. I wasn't blessed with the gift of singing, but I was rhythmically inclined. My mother was a great dancer, and she showed me a few moves. Then, I discovered Michael Jackson and James Brown. I studied their moves and worked to perfect my gift. Growing up in Queens at the time, Hip Hop was a bit combative. I started to learn how to battle rap and dance. It was a way for me to express myself. It wasn't long until I became a part of that culture and fluent in its artistic language. In my late teens, I left New York and moved to… Read More
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I was 46 years old and with my only child entering high school, I was praying about what I should do with the second half of my life. As a teacher and educator, I volunteered at my daughter's school, and one day I picked up a magazine to read while I was waiting for my next student. I was looking for a pumpkin cheesecake recipe in a magazine when an article called 'Lessons in Love' caught my attention. There was an older lady standing there with a child, both holding school supplies and backpacks in their hands. It was Agnes Stevens and… Read More