I’m a party person. I love celebrations of any kind. I even like hosting them. I plan and plan for weeks until things are just right. Then the day comes and even if everything is just as I imagined, nothing seems to feel right. It’s like the image in my head is totally different than the reality of it. Have you ever experienced this?
If so, you know what being let down feels like. It can be pretty difficult to keep your head up. I have a scrap piece of paper on my desk at work that says, “Jesus always had time for people.” Do you know why it is there? Because it’s not about the party favors, or the food. It’s not even about the invitation list or number in attendance. It’s about who is in attendance.
Every single person that shows up for the party, even if it is only one, is worth a huge celebration. They are important. Of course, they are, you invited them! And just because a feeling left you unfulfilled doesn’t mean they should be dismissed. This is the same idea in which we are received into God’s family.
Can you imagine the elaborate plans that he has set into motion? Jesus says that there is plenty of room for everyone. But can you imagine how disappointing it is when maybe only half of the guests show up? Yet, Heaven rejoices over each one of us that does come and doesn’t dwell on who hasn’t shown up.
If you think that you are not important or that you can’t live up to someone’s standards, then remember that you were so important that God sent his son to die for you. That my friend’s is a crazy amount of love, a crazy amount of value placed on you. You are like a precious gem, a priceless treasure, a one of a kind, and because you are, you are so incredibly loved!
When I was in about the 3rd grade my biological father, who I didn’t see very often, took me to a church. I didn’t know anyone there. I didn’t know church. And I definitely didn’t know Jesus. I was given a Good News Bible and told to stand on the stage with a bunch of other young children. Then we read Matthew 5:13-16.
I had that Bible all throughout my childhood. I would often read from it even though much of it was confusing. When I was about 15 years old, I started having horrible nightmares. I saw dead people everywhere. Skeletons and graveyards. And I felt an incredible tug-o-war going on in me. Like physically.
For about 6 years, I set aside that Bible. In that time, I was swallowed whole by destructive behaviors. Then I returned to church with not just an intrigue, but a passion. Out of that return came the final stages of what I believe was a call on my life to minister. Oh, and that’s a whole other story!
I have often wondered about my journey. I see now moments of God’s presence all along. What I have never wondered about is why my father took me there that day. Or what it must have been like to be the Sunday School teachers who had to face his determination that I be included in the services very public events.
My father was not a good man. He was filled with bitterness and hate. He was abusive. He was self-serving at greater levels than most people ever know or experience. He was a victim of his father’s choices. His father was a bigamist. He was a product of his mother’s hurt and anger. And yet, I have never considered that what he gave me that day was the greatest gift he could have ever given. My mother and him gave me life, but he gave me Jesus.
If a father was ever going to give an inheritance to his children, this is the greatest by far. Within this gift, I have found healing. I have found joy and peace. I have found life. But the work was not mine or my fathers. All that is done in my life is done through God who sought me first (John 15:16). Which makes me wonder how many people go through life ignoring the signs or the tug in their hearts? How many justify self over spirit? Or self-sufficiency over dependence?
Here is the thing though. I did many things on my own throughout that space. I successfully raised children to be decent, contributing members of society. I studied English Literature. I wrote several books. I volunteered countless hours for local causes. It is likely that this resonates with some of you. I was even a happy person. But I was not complete.
Wounds from my childhood, unhealthy adult relationships, my own bad choices, and the consequences that followed all lingered somewhere below the surface. Until I was able to do what Romans 12:1-2 say, I was not complete. I want to say more today, but I think it best not to. Instead, I pray that an empty space is left within your mind and that you will take the time to consider how best to fill it up.
The rain outside falls heavy on my mind. The dampness it brings seeps into my soul bringing a heaviness that bogs me down. The dark skies creep through the walls of my house and into my heart. I race around inside turning on every light. I turn on upbeat music. I force myself to think happy thoughts. Within the hour, I am curled in a ball, crying. My last-ditch efforts to pray were futile. And now my soul is filled with not just sadness, but darkness that will linger on for the remainder of the day.
Weather has a strange power to impact us this way. It is called SAD or Seasonal affective disorder. I’m not a psychologist so I’m guessing there are more disorders or diseases that are greatly influenced by weather. But that isn’t what the point of this blog is today. Yes, it is part of it, but there’s more.
This story is me. It was my life for years on end. Far too many to count. I would eaves drop when I heard people talk about different treatments. I couldn’t afford to see a counselor or psychologist. I was often suicidal and so some anti-depressants scared me. My mom once reminded me after the birth of my first daughter that I used to dress nice and wear make-up, which I had stopped doing. In a way she was reminding me of routine. The truth of the matter was that I had depression. Each of these activities were helps, but they were not cures. And I was tired of being beaten by some force in my life that I had no control over.
When I saw experts, we treated the depression. We would hash through the stuff in my life that felt oppressive. But and this is a big but – so pay attention. We did not do a few things. If we touched on the events in my life that were traumatic, we didn’t get to the roots. If we talked about childhood influences, we didn’t discuss how they were still feeding my self-identity. If we talked about faith, we didn’t begin to reach the power and depth of the Holy Spirit. And each of these things were not just moments or pieces of my life that impacted me, they were what every aspect of my life was built around.
I am not pointing fingers here I am just stating a fact. Nor am I downplaying the field of psychology. But there are limitations in every area of life. As well as the fact that not all areas address the wholeness of humans. We are complex and as many doctors have said to me, it is a practice. There is no one size fits all in any area of healing, mine included. So, what do we do with this information? How do we go about finding transformation or healing if we can relate to the opening paragraph?
I want to go just for a minute to Scripture. Jesus talks about transformation that occurs in the mind (Rom. 12:2). Jesus knows full well what social and cultural influences are and how they impact us physically, mentally, and spiritually (Zech. 1:4). Jesus also is not unrealistic when he says that healing is not only a reality, but it is so complete that it is freeing (Luke 8:26-39).
If you are stuck in these dark places you need to pursue it. There are many who do healing care that goes deeper than counseling. There is value in returning to your roots, even if your roots take you back to the moment of birth in which you can begin to see beyond any doubt that you are wanted and loved. You need to determine what triggers your oppressive thoughts and behaviors. And you need to find the way out from under these things. One of the first things you can do is consider what is important for you, are you not just religious but spiritual? Does clinical expertise have value for you or is guidance a better option? Do you have deep-seeded trauma in your past? Will it be important if you uncover these events in the context of faith? What profession are you in? Does Satan or evil forces have a stake in keeping you oppressed?
Above all you need to remember this: you are the most amazing human being! You are not like anyone else, and you will never be because you are unique! Your life is precious and valuable to the world. You are beautiful YOU! And that is why I love you.
Blogs serve a multitude of purposes. Mine typically is to get you thinking about how you do life. The goal in that is to encourage you to seek change if life is a struggle or leaves you downcast. One way I have tried to do that is to make myself somewhat vulnerable through telling of my own stories. But I realize that sometimes that leaves people thinking I have it all together. HA!
In each of my blogs, I end with thanking you for letting me journey with you. That’s because I am on the same path you are. We’re all faced with picking and choosing which direction to go not just in the tough moments, but in the good as well. But it’s not these moments that I am focused on when I talk about transformation. These are the journey that we all must take and which we don’t get to decide the outcome even if we put a large amount of effort into planning. But determining how we face them is the place in which I am most concerned.
I often talk about our “stuff” that we bring with us. Did you know that your “stuff” helps you determine your response to the events in life? Not just how you feel about it, but how you will act towards it as well as in the wake of it. When I bring up the topic of transformation, I’m not just talking about feelings and emotions. Yes, that is part of it, but I’m also talking about the logic and the reasoning. I’m also addressing the spiritual.
Each of us live in these spaces. Some in greater ways than others. If you could divide yourself into these areas which would you find you lean into more? The terms self-aware, finding yourself, true self, are tough words in some circles. They suggest self-centeredness. In reality they are normal and healthy. Every person comes to a place where they must decide who they are. I’m talking about in a greater sense. We’re not loners. Learning who we are means more than internally. It determines how we engage with our world.
Jesus knew fully who he was and because of this he used his strengths to face his challenges. He also knew fully who others were. He either pointed it out to them as fault or used their fault to encourage them to change. Why? Because when we stay stuck in the negative thoughts and patterns that we learn it hinders our work and interaction with others. Jesus was about blessing. And he was about healthy mentality even in the worst of times. He didn’t do this on his own, he tapped into the resource of His Father, our Father, God.
When you decide which area you lean into: the logical, the emotional, or the spiritual, then you can look at the reasons why you do. You can also begin to distinguish the unhealthy patterns from the healthy. Let’s say you are more spiritual. You make a bad decision which ultimately causes you to go against God’s word, or sin. You respond by sincerely admitting your behavior to God and ask him to heal you. Or you punish yourself by condemning your lack of faith, your lack of discipline, or some other weakness. This can be done in each of these areas.
What I hope you see is that the way you respond to these situations develops who you are. If you are more apt to punish, then you may create unhealthy thought patterns. These lead to unhealthy behaviors. Oddly enough when we live this way on a regular basis we often get caught up in the cycle of unhealthy patterns. Real transformation occurs when we begin to be aware of ourselves, humble our “I can fix this” mentality, ask for help and receive grace.
Some days the block of cement that sits on my shoulders is greater than the strength in my legs to lift me up. When I returned to get my education, my husband and I sat down and made a list. Things like who was I, what was I specifically interested in, what sort of careers would I be interested in? I think that all of those answers came back to volunteer work. The truth of it is that this is one of the most rewarding things we can do as individuals but sustaining oneself on volunteer work is impossible!
So, I chose a career that would help to support us financially. The decision to follow my path would fit into his schedule as well as that of our large family. He made a career change that was a financial strain, but that my income would eventually compensate. Then Covid hit. We made choices as a family and my career was over before it really got started. Hanging over our heads was debt. Not just I spent too much on my credit card kind of debt, but huge bills that we had incurred during my education.
Can you relate to the seriousness of something like this? Where do you go from a place that is daunting or heavy? How does this really fit into the idea of transforming one’s thoughts and behaviors? Well, let me start by dissecting it piece by piece.
First, create different spaces. I know life, job, and dreams all can get lumped together at times, but they aren’t the same. Create different ways to categorize your life. My life is the best it has ever been. I am achieving great strides in many areas. Dreams that I had not considered in the past are slowly becoming a reality. These are just examples, but there is a point. When we are able to separate life, and failure creeps in it stays in its lane. Just because we are not achieving goals in one area of our lives, does not classify us as failing. Of course, not achieving never means that, but in my western mindset this idea is prone to seep in from time to time.
Second, do not become idle. I am not saying replace one thing with another but in a sense yes. In the northern US when it is winter it is a waste of time to plant a garden. The frigid temperatures freeze any seedling, most likely before it sprouts out of the ground. You just wouldn’t waste your time with this type of activity. But you might start a seed garden inside or begin to plan for the spring planting season. Keeping the focus on those activities that feel crushing might be necessary but limit the time you must do them to a reasonable amount, and then find other activities that will build you up. Do not sit around in the negative, or the overwhelming status of one situation! I promise you nothing good will come out of this, your brain just can’t “be happy and not worry” if you’re stuck in the quicksand 24/7.
Third, praise the little things. Inflation has hit really hard for some this year. It is sort of glaring at us in the face, mocking our every effort. That makes it hard to enjoy paying the electric bill. I heard this piece of wisdom years ago and it has stuck with me. Be grateful and thankful for the little stuff like paying your electric bill. Why? Because you were able to turn your lights on last month, or use your stove, or run your AC. Whatever your little things are, catch them. This doesn’t just mean things, it means you. Maybe you smiled at someone today and they returned it. I don’t know what your little things are, but what are the things that bring joy? If that concept is too big, what things brought joy today?
I’m cheering for you, my friend. As always, I am grateful that you allow me to travel on this journey called life with you.
Minutes with Monica podcast, monicaswank.org, inspirational devotions, blog, and YouTube channel is embarking on its second year. It has gone through changes. I regularly have listened to those who are engaged to determine the best way to proceed. Some options available to you have taken longer to get up and going than others, but that’s what makes doing something new fun, exciting, and best of all challenging.
This last year has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. On top of all of these things, I have published a workbook to help individuals and groups with transformational growth, encouraging them to experience healthier living. I am currently working on editing and republishing the original book True Dependence that was published in 2007, as well as working on another book. All of these things take time and energy, but they don’t diminish the reality of life. And that’s what I wanted to talk about today in my blog.
These “things” that I do regularly are because I believe in the transformation of our lives. I believe that we have the ability, as proven through science and faith, to change our negative pattern of thinking. I believe that we can experience joy in a way that it is not stolen away in difficult moments. In fact, my tagline is, “Beyond Faith to Life Transformed.” Why? Because I also believe that faith is something we do, but when we live life in the way we were created to, we experience it with purity, peace, and untainted joy.
I don’t just believe these things; I have personally experienced them! This is the real me. Not the author, speaker, or spiritual mentor. This is the me that stands behind all of the work. My closest friends know my life has been a hot mess in the past. My parents probably are thrilled to see that I didn’t get stuck in the vicious circle of self-destruction I spent so many years living in.
Living life is not easy! The junk that has held us down in the distant past often still has roots that like a weed only take the right encouragement to put a strangle hold on us again. My faith tells me that is because Satan seeks out to destroy us. According to 1 Peter 5:8-10, he was given the freedom to roam back and forth seeking out those of us who are willing to be tempted. This isn’t just about being drawn into sinful behavior. You see Satan’s goal is to draw you into a place in life that is fulfilling, that brings contentment, and yes, joy. But if you read the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3, you will find that while Satan believes he is like God, he falls short. Life for these two original humans was complete because it was in harmony with God. When they moved away from that, the completeness was changed to one of an appearance of completeness.
This is where we live life from until we make a decision to change it. For me that comes first in realigning ourselves with God through a relationship with Jesus. This is the foundation. The strength to do the rest comes from this place. And the permanence of change. In the last year, I have faced those who think I leverage myself from a higher place than them. Maybe it is because of my faith, or maybe because they have been a witness to my life in the last twenty years. Either way it leaves me feeling completely elated. You’re probably thinking, “wait what?” In all of the areas of spiritual care that I offer, my goal is to help others achieve life-changing transformation that gives them true joy and peace. My life journey has been filled with bad decisions and self-imposed heartache among other things. If people are recognizing happiness and goodness in my life, then it simply gives testimony that change is possible! Remember, I am your greatest cheering section, I know beyond any doubt that you can do this!
As always – thank you for allowing me to take this journey with you as we travel along the road of life. -blessings
What are you struggling with today that is sapping your self-confidence? I equate this to the conversation that you have in the mirror. It’s the only place that others can’t really get into. It’s where you let your thoughts flood you – good and bad. While no one has access to this space, we often give open invitations. Voices of those who have influenced us flood into this space not always as their own but transformed into our own internal voices.
If they’re negative voices, they play on us all day long. Small things can become big. Mistakes can translate to self-shame. If they’re encouraging, positive voices they build us up to face the challenges of the day.
Have you ever weeded a garden? It is a constant effort. Our negative internal voices are the same way. And if like weeds we head them off early, then the fruit bursts forth. If, however, the weeds are allowed to take root and grow wild before we tend to them, they can often choke out the good.
You are stronger than you realize. What do you think when you see a woman wearing dark red lipstick? She’s bold. She’s strong. Something in her exudes confidence. When I sold make-up and women were drawn to that color, I would tell them you have to put it on, look into the mirror and say to yourself “I look great,” then walk away and not look back. It’s the same concept with those things that sap our energy.
It’s not just about positive thinking. It’s about healthy thinking. It’s about not comparing yourself to the person next to you. It’s about feeling good in your skin even when the world is not your friend. It is the power of attention to self or self-awareness. But we can’t stay in this place if we want to find health. Dr. Daniel Siegel says that we need to build inner resources, to develop an internal safe place, and then widen our tolerance so that we are not bombarded daily with the things that tend to impact us negatively.
I can’t offer you a safe place, but I can tell you mine. Sometimes the problem is bigger than us and so just handing it off is alright. Why? Because in a way we develop that safe place. The Twelve Steps of AA are similar. It is believing that God can restore us. This is an active decision in which we determine that God can overcome some obstacle in our lives with more control, more ease, and more wisdom than we can do in the moment. Making a conscience effort to hand it off is not really any different than going to the doctor. The only thing that makes it a safe place is when it is consistent and trusted. We can’t ask God to step in only once in a while. We also can’t ask him to step in, then not allow him to do the work. When we hand something over to another person, we don’t come take it back unless they prove themselves unworthy of the work.
The same should be with God. Using him as a safe place can teach you to trust not only him, but yourself as well. You have made a healthy choice to ask for his help in your weakness, in my eyes that makes you strong. And if you should need more resources there is a whole book full of them.
As I sit here and write this blog, I am preparing for an online class about self-talk. These thoughts keep coming to mind. We have this uncanny ability to place blame. Okay, hear me out. I was thinking about how we have shifted one of the greatest commandments that Jesus gave. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:39) Here’s the part about shifting. We (alright me) often think that if we as neighbors loved each other better we wouldn’t be killing each other. Or on a much lesser level, we wouldn’t be so petty.
I mean as neighbors we’re supposed to take care of each other. We’re supposed to see to each other’s needs. During the Covid shutdowns or other extreme situations we remind each other and ourselves to take care of the elderly, take care of the children left at home alone, take care of the needy. I see this in so many different ways at all different times. But it is contrasted by the media overload of mass killings, or riots, shoots, and other acts of violence that one or more humans inflict on one another.
We’re not probably much different in the way we try to make sense of these scenes. I feel inadequate at how I process them. On other occasions, I feel very intelligent and wise in my suggestions. But what if it’s all wrong? What if we are viewing life from a skewed viewpoint? In all actuality if you believe in the truth of the Bible then you would know that we really do live this way. Our view is limited and skewed by self-centeredness.
We get that selfishness comes from seeking our own benefit before others, but does self-centeredness also mean loving ourselves so poorly that it warps our view of how to love our neighbors? No, really? What if the verse isn’t about our neighbors as much as it is about our own self-love?
How do you look in the mirror? Is your view warped by all the things that are wrong with you? How do you make mistakes? Is it impacted by all of the negative voices that mocked you as you not only made childhood mistakes, but strived to correct them? Is your image from the perspective of God? Think about this a little deeper than the surface for just a minute. God loves each individual person with so much passion that he hears our unique tones, voice inflections, and speech styles as we cry out in prayer. God loves us each with such tenderness and mercy that he has spent thousands of years making every effort to protect us from evil (and if we’re honest, ourselves).
When each new human baby comes into the world, God breathes into them the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). Some receive it and others are received back into his hands to be cradled with a love that will far surpass that of an earthly parent. There’s a beauty in the moment that a new life begins. Into that moment, God smiles because his creation, the same one that he called “very good,” continues on.
So, what if we changed the way in which we saw ourselves? I’m not talking about conceit. I mean what if we truly loved who we were? What if we were valuable in our own eyes? What if we saw our unique design as something beautiful to be given away for the benefit of the world? And what if this is the same lens in which we saw our neighbors. It just might be that much more difficult to hurt another person if what we saw is their beauty radiating back at us. I love you my fellow life sojourners. I pray blessings for your journey.
Check out the home page of my website monicaswank.org to join the discussion on self-talk tonight, August 1st.
I have been thinking about a common human response quite a bit lately. I have no proof behind it, but it seems to make sense. In a way, it works itself out to be true many times. Yet, at other times it is totally unwarranted. Jesus said it best when he said that “a prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home,” (Mark 6:4, NIV). Why is it that blogs are so widespread and accepted? Why is it that the same is not always true within your own closely knitted groups?
Yes, I know this isn’t always the case, but that leads me to another thought. Why is my ministry so hard to explain to my family and friends? Yet, others embrace it whole-heartedly? This leads me to what made it this way for Jesus (I’m definitely not equating myself to the Lord). I think a few things happen. To those who know us it is hard to grasp who we truly are. Our family always sees us through the lens that they built early on as we were growing and maturing into our own person. They have seen our not so pretty moments and triumphed with us in others. But those moments connect personally for them. When we present an idea that is new or foreign to them it is harder to embrace or even comprehend.
I am speaking here mostly as a mother not as a daughter. While I love watching my children become their own persons, I don’t necessarily identify with their changes. I suppose partly because they have developed new systems of thinking, new rules and disciplines for their own lives, and practices that align with their beliefs developed outside of the home.
I want to be clear here, this is exciting! We should jump for joy when this occurs because we have raised adults to be their own people capable of leading healthy, productive lives away from us. But there’s a catch here.
These same individuals may not be the ones who support us the most or even understand what we do. These thoughts came out of a personal place, but the more I thought about it, I realized that some of you might need a boost in life to pursue your passions. My work is helping individuals to become better people, not for others but for themselves. I help others to transform negative thinking into thoughts and actions that promote health in their lives. When this occurs, I am blessed by watching them take that deep breath as they realize that there is peace they have not experienced before.
Who are you? What passions lay at the core of your being waiting to escape? Are you living out who you were intended to be? I truly believe that we each have this place within us. Before you took your first breath, God placed within your soul a desire that is unique only to you. Yes, there might be thousands of scientists, or historians, or parents, or …, but there is only one you! So, if others who have supported you throughout your life are not your best cheerleaders, or don’t fully grasp your passion, don’t give up!
There is a hole in the world that only you can fill. I promise. I do not believe in things that cannot be proven, simply because I don’t have time for it. So, my words of encouragement today are not empty, they are not some repeat of someone else, they are genuine. They are born out of my own life in which I have continued to push forward personally as well as witnessing seven incredible kids become adults and push forth in unique ways into their portion of the world. God didn’t make mistakes! You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:9).
I am an observer by nature. Yes, I know if you research my name what you would come up with fits me as a descriptor quite well: advisor, counselor. However, before these things I am a people watcher. I hear and see the way individuals respond in specific situations. This is not the end. I process these things in my mind making the best attempt to understand why they act or react a certain way. I have done this my entire life. How ironic that I would find myself in a career as a spiritual advisor.
My point in all of this is that I see advertisements for those that teach positive attitudes, healthy thinking, or development into a strong leader. You hand over the cash and they make you into something great. Why do I know this, because this is my field. I follow leaders in psychology and spirituality that teach transformation of thoughts. But I am amazed at the number of people who follow these get healthy programs at a distance and are then dismayed at the outcome.
I hope you don’t feel like I am picking on you today. I also hope that you don’t think I am saying these individuals who promote this are wrong. Take it from someone who without discipline falls very easily into the negativity trap, there is healing in the work that these individuals offer. But there is a right and a wrong way.
I cannot teach you to think positively, to be a strong leader, to develop right or healthy thinking without first engaging in your life. Who are you? Who has played a substantial role in your life? What events or experiences have shaped the way you receive and process information? Without these clues as well as others there is no way to shift thoughts and behaviors. And there is so much more that goes into this such as what are my qualifications, because we all have limitations.
But you can learn these things. You can transform who you are. You can live a healthier life filled with peace. Why do I know this? Because the educated side of me has learned it. The spiritual side of me has experienced it and my physical as well as my psychological side is a living testimony. Let me start with a basic idea. This one is personal for me. Say you (or I) tend to have some anger issues. Unfortunately, this emotion rears its head at some really inopportune times which often are the same ones we would like to forget. This example is always why buying into a program without engaging in some other way with the leader of the program is often ineffective.
At the very basic level what we need to consider is what is behind the anger. It is a natural emotion, but unhealthy displays or uncontrolled outbursts are not. You see every thought drives a physical reaction. Are there things in your past that cause this emotion to surface irrationally or cause a reaction that impacts others in hurtful ways? Are there individuals who have modelled this behavior for you? If so, there is a need to realign the interpretations you have developed from years of repetitively misfiling it. What of the spiritual side of it? How does your relationship with God figure into these bursts of uncontrolled anger? Is guilt an underlying factor? Learning how to accept the grace of God while removing unhealthy anger responses are just as valuable.
You see my friends there is a way to better living, it just isn’t a one-time event. In fact, if you fall into this belief then you may actually create more anxiety, more anger, more guilt if you don’t overcome certain behaviors than from where you originally started. I speak about transformation of mind, of behavior, of life regularly. I can do so because I have experienced it. I know that peace-filled living is out there for you and me because I live it daily. In the midst of financial burdens, loss of family members, broken relationships, mom of teenagers (I just had to say it) there is hope. It comes ultimately through Christ, but it begins with you.
As I say each week, please reach out to me for more information. Visit my website or email me at contact@monicaswank.org. I love you and am grateful for you letting me journey through life with you. Until next time – blessings.
Monica Swank 