Every Day is a New Beginning: Embracing Life's Journey
7/27/20262 min read
Today we're heading back to New York, where I'm from. It's an 8½-hour drive with six kids, and I'm doing it by myself. My kids are amazing, but I'm exhausted. Sometimes I get tired of carrying everything on my own.
But maybe this is exactly where God wants me. Maybe He's teaching me that I can figure it out, trust Him, and still find joy in the middle of the struggle. That's what I'm going to keep trying to do.
This Saturday I'll be giving my motivational talk at an incredible camp in Utica, New York, for teenagers ages 13 to 18. I've been speaking there since 2012, and it's become a place that feels like family. I'm good friends with the director, I've watched her daughter grow up, and I've gotten to know her husband over the years. They are wonderful people.
Looking back, I can see how God has always placed me exactly where I needed to be. Through the relationships I built at that camp, I was given the opportunity to speak at the New York State Capitol in front of more than 1,000 people. That's something I'll never forget.
When life gets hard, I try not to focus only on what's gone wrong. Instead, I remind myself of everything that has gone right. God has blessed me far more than I deserve.
The car accident, the coma, the brain injury, and so many other difficult moments are part of my story, but they don't have to define today. The past is behind me. Every morning is a chance to begin again.
In a strange way, my brain injury has taught me something valuable. Since my memory isn't perfect, I'm reminded that every day is new. I don't have to live trapped by yesterday. I can choose to move forward, one step at a time.
I'll do my best to keep posting while I'm on this trip. Life has a way of getting busy, especially with six kids, but I want to keep sharing this journey. If my story encourages even one person to keep going, then every mile is worth it.