A Message
To My Kids
To the first one who called me mom. Thank you for the grace you extended me as a young mom who was trying to figure out life and me and us. You amaze me with your insight into people and being a voice for those who are “different” and who do not have the same voice. Your love for diversity and the less fortunate inspires me to stand up for right. You are the best daddy in the world. Your love and compassion for Bo are unmatched. The way you protect and defend shows me your heart. Success can be defined by many in a way that I do not agree with. You redefine success, and others should stop and take notice. You are successful because you have a heart for the world, and that Is the ultimate success in a place that needs to be encouraged and loved.
One of my prayers for you: Believe in yourself and Continue being a difference maker! Do not compare yourself or your life to others for comparison is the killer of joy!! Remember each day to take one more step further and you will own that company where you can impact and minister to those who need it at the perfect time. “at age 23 – J.K. Rowling was broke, Tina Fey was working at the YMCA, Oprah had just been fired as a T.V. reporter and Walt Disney had declared bankruptcy. It is going to be okay!”
Your insight. Your desire to learn and grow. Your strength of seeking first to understand. You are slow to speak while listening. An attribute I admire, and many should learn from. You are so incredibly beautiful on the outside, but the fantastic surprise when someone takes the time to get to know you and see beyond the external beauty they will see wisdom, understanding, substance, brilliance, and deep, loyal love.
Thank you for being you. Thank you for including me and letting me tag along during the loneliest time of my life. Thank you for seeing what I do and where I add value. Thank you for taking the time to call me and encourage me during my long days on the road, knowing when I need that pick me up. You have been by my side from the beginning of growing ARYSE. Working alongside your mom in business is not always easy, but we worked on it and learned through it, and that is what will allow us to work together with Hello Beautiful! You have been my biggest cheerleader with business and life. You have worked hard during lots of transitions in our family, helping maintain traditions and time with each sibling. Use this platform to share your stories because you will reach many young women out there who need to hear the truth.
One of my prayers for you is that you keep fighting for who you are and what you want and what you know. That you will continue to embrace your strengths and so you can be YOU as God fully intended you to be. Do not let anyone knock you down or doubt your worth! “How cool is it that the same God that created mountains and oceans and galaxies looked at you and thought the world needed one of you too!”
In the blink of an eye, there was a new life in front of us, and everything for you changed. Maybe it was different than we planned, but God knew you belonged in our tribe. Your last year has been challenging and full of life changes, but we have you, and we will walk beside you. Never doubt if we love you or believe in you. It is not about getting knocked down but how you get back up. Go out and take risks because you will always have a soft place to land with us. You are smart and creative and will be successful in whatever you do or the company you start. Not many young girls can help their mom create a successful company where English is not their native language. Celebrate the things you have accomplished in such a short time and use those to build confidence as you determine your next steps with your career and life. You are an amazing mom to Bo and a new sister to Brea. Your impact goes beyond our walls. We learn so much from you, and you make our family better.
One of my prayers for you is that you will see how much we love you and how much Jesus has your heart. “The hardest storm. Sometimes the hardest storms to get through are the ones your soul needs the most. And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. But, survive, you did. And one thing is certain: When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm’s all about.”
To the child who never lets me settle for easy and simple. Your endless ideas and your insight make me better. You research and learn and explain the things you discover to me when I do not have the time to learn on my own. You take me to a depth level I could not do on my own, and in the most unexpected moments, you say the most encouraging things to me to keep going strong on this journey. Do not lose your fire for ideation and innovation while still working on enjoying today! I know you want to know where you will be in 10 years and what life will look like, but right here today is where God wants you to be!
One of my prayers for you: enjoy the moment and celebrate the wins along the way. As someone once said, you are the next Warren Buffet, and we better be ready for the ride. Use your gifts and talents to be right where God wants you to be and continue to be patient with me as I learn from you. Keep learning and growing and sharing your ideas. Continue studying the word, and God will continue to order your steps. “One day, people who never believed in you will talk about how they met you!”
Someone once told me they loved meeting you and didn’t want our dinner meeting to be over because your spirit is so sweet. Your eyes show your heart and the amazing gifts that you have. I cannot say it better myself. Baby girl, you have been my plus one to so many things in the last few years. You have been in multiple athletic training rooms and sat in endless meetings to travel the nation with me. You have been through hard times and could be the victim or a mean girl, but you have chosen to rise above and be kind in the midst of it all. I am so thankful you have introduced me to the world of music and theatre. Watching you stand on stage in front of hundreds never wavering, your confidence shining. The sound of your voice as you prepare for auditions fills our home, and your hard work and determination to never settle at age 14 inspires me to work even harder. Do not let anyone put out your light or break down your confidence! Do not let the challenging things in life harden you or make you bitter. Continue loving those babies and children who were born with disabilities. Brea, thank you for being beside me and understanding why I leave and travel for work. Thank you for helping me navigate through Our new reality and for your vast forgiveness as I fall short.
One of my prayers for you: That you will continue loving those in this world the way that Jesus loves you and care for those who need to feel loved. That you will not lose your confidence and strength. That you will not shrink down for others.
The Waitress, You Matter To Me. “dear baby, I hope someday somebody wants to hold you for 20 minutes straight. They don’t pull away, they don’t look at your face, and they don’t try to kiss you. All they do is wrap you up in their arms and hold you tight without an ounce of selfishness to it. I hope you become addicted to saying things and having them matter to someone.”
For she is fearfully and wonderfully made. Sweet Bo, when I see your daddy carrying you up the stairs and look at your amazing eyes and see your huge smile, I am continually reminded that God’s plan is always better than our own. Know you are loved, and this tribe will be here for you always. I pray you will know your strength and value and intelligence. That you will not allow the outside opinions and views to change you. Bo-to live. Your parents chose life the most amazing gift anyone can give. Gianna-the Lord is Gracious. He extends His grace to us every day. I believe He will use your story and your life to impact others and in return, give hope to a struggling world. I cannot imagine our home and life without you. Without your giggles and smile and sweet cry. We love you with everything we all have.
My prayer for you: “children have this amazing way of becoming who we tell them they are. If we tell them they are strong, they become strong; If we tell them they are kind, they become kind. If we tell them they are capable, they become capable.”