Brave Heart, Brave Soul. She who is brave is free.

“The body remembers. Stuffed until an event, a sound, a sight, a touch, a word or a person awaken them.” ~ Unknown   The tale I'm about to tell you is dark, suppressed underneath the depths of one little girl's soul for decades....an account almost too disturbing to tell. At first the darkness gave me no choice. The truth screamed to be heard but today I hold the pen in my own hand as her cries for help no longer fall on deaf ears. The truth inside me has surfaced, forming into words. See, she no longer begs, she demands her story to be told. And after all this time, what I know to be true is this...sometimes we have to take the first step, say the words out loud and let them fall where they will. And so, with courage and bravery today, I’ll not only confront but pen an open letter to the thief who stole her young stainless heart so long ago.    There’s no question my story is dark. The tale I have to tell you is one of betrayal and brutality. It’s dastar...

“Make your heart the most beautiful thing about you.” `Unknown If I told you my story without leaving out any of the sorted details, you'd probably think I was crazy or certifiably coo coo.  And I really wouldn't blame you. After all, some of my chapters are a bit far fetched. Page after page filled with nothing but drama, loss, dismay and dark humor. I mean seriously, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. My life, well it’s been action packed from the get-go. My mama can sure attest to this fact too. The night I came into this world was just as eventful. As usual, I was running late. Seriously, even in the womb I was stubborn. So much so, despite being two weeks behind schedule, my mama was unconvinced she was in labor. As her contractions worsened, mama swore up and down she was in false labor. I had other ideas. I was coming into this world, like it or not, head first. Mama might a had doubts but her nurse had none. I was on my way. And like a good southern woma...

"You will never look more beautiful than when you stumble from the destruction, and smile at surviving the chaos.” ~ Madalyn Beck Have you ever seen a lantern glowing brightly in the darkness of the night? Ever thought to yourself how exquisite this firelight inside was against the backdrop of nightfall? I’m often taken off guard, left breathless in fact every time I catch a glimpse of the Tangled lanterns inside Disney’s Fantasyland. Besides simply being stunningly beautiful, they’re gracefully illuminating, enlightening and inspiring. I’m reminded each time I pass by of God's grace and goodness surrounding my own life. In many ways I’m taken back to the very moment breast cancer's shadow swept across my chest. As I watch each lantern twinkle, coming to life as the darkness of night breaks out across the sky I hear these words whispered in my ear…”Let the lights guide you home Christie.” I tell you this with a heart full of awe and gratefulness, on those part...

"And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted."  ~ Tangled As children we're afraid of the dark, at least I was anyway. Growing up an only child I didn't share a room with anyone. It was just me, and the quiet of my room filled with toys, stuffed animals and dolls surrounding me. As you can imagine, my imagination sometimes got the better of me. After I brushed my teeth, put on my Strawberry Shortcake night gown or dare I say Wonder Woman underroos I'd grab my favorite stuffed animals and dolls and climb into bed ready for goodnight kisses and prayers. Before my mama and daddy could leave, they'd check and recheck under my bed, above my canopy and inside the closet for all those mysterious monsters I was convinced were ready to pounce once the lights went off. OK so full disclosure, till this day I can't sleep without the bathroom and closet doors in our bedroom closed. I know, silly right? I absolutely understand that nothi...

What a beautiful mess we are in God’s sight, beautiful in our imperfection and fears. I know I am not strong enough to rise above each and every struggle I face; at least not alone anyway. Lately I have been reaching deeper than ever before into my faith, believing my anxious heart can see past the unsure moment of now, knowing I have nothing to fear despite the voices of uncertainty closing in on me. Nothing can separate His love from my life, even when I doubt Him; He is there with me, holding my life in His hands even when I am running full speed in the other direction. The world’s dreams slip like water through my hands on a daily basis but does that mean I am empty, that I have nothing left to hold on to? Sure I have been to the darkest of places too many times to mention. Sometimes I can see the darkness coming; sometimes it sneaks up on me. Either way I am generally frozen as the sky begins to grow dark and the clouds roll in full of worry, fear, despair and chains eager to ...