Resurrected Back to Life... & I Am Oh So Thankful!

Baptism at Gospel Light 11/7/2021

  Hey Again Fellow Afro.Euro.Americano Followers!!👋 This past week has been quite an eventful time in my life including many people that I know surrounding me. I'll start with a highlight. This past Sunday, I participated in my local church's monthly baptism and renewed my vows in life back to Christ. It was an exciting moment to have my entire church family and natural intermediate family come out to witness and support such an intimate affair. Pastor Capaci started off with my personal testimony and there was some laughter, tears, and joy all wrapped up in one as he delivered my short version of my story and life testimony with such passion. The way he was able to help connect my story with me to full completion was amazing. He has such a gift with his ability to speak and connect with audiences. I am beyond thankful for my local community that I've built over this past year of living back here in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  
 

Project Happiness

I also would like to touch on another fun and crazy event from this past week. As briefly mentioned in my last blog entry, I was hired as an academic specialist (K-12) for a local outreach program/after school program called Higher Impact Movement with Impact Academy. We serve over a hundred students in a variety of ways with access to food/snacks, youth sports, enrichment, small groups, and academic tutoring. It's all new and the daily schedule is a whirlwind for sure. Each day can become tiring but rewarding to connect with students on personal levels when helping them with a multitude of different needs. I was also placed on a schedule rotation to go out into some of our local schools to do guest speaking presentations for classes regarding life essentials covering a wide array of topics from overall health & wellness, drug and alcohol prevention, life coping strategies, healthy relationships and friendships and other subjects. I felt very productive and empowered by students' feedback to stay in this lane because these areas have helped engage many students to think better for themselves and rise above declining morals that can easily happen in our current culture climate throughout our ever-growing school systems.  

Before getting the opportunity with Impact Academy, I had been going through my own personal healing journey from my previous decade long relationship/marriage and past career path as a public school teacher. I've previously written about my experiences with my initial "KingdomofAndersonville" blog with WordPress, and I am beyond relieved to move past some of those trials with both of those areas of my life. Today, I am happy to report that I am so much more free to be my unique self who can look into the rear view mirror reminding myself that I am no longer emotionally or mentally stuck. It feels so great to be able to move forward with my life in the most healthy way into more grand opportunities. Prayer definitely does work so it is one of the reasons as to why I write until this very day.

Be Grateful

Prayer does work, but also spending time with my Heavenly Father has contributed the greatest with building my healthy mindset. The weekend before last, I was able to spend much more time with my natural, biological dad which was good quality time spent catching up and talking about life. We lost my step mother suddenly, and although the circumstances were solemn, we spent a great deal of time talking about her legacy, strengths, values, and humor. She was a great woman who got the blessing of seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren which some of us don't get a chance to see. I pray she rests well until we all meet up again. In the meantime, I'll be spending as much time as possible with my dad. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be able to say and do just that. Quality time is definitely my love language!  

Newman Family at Stepmom (Margie) Home-Going Celebration 2021

The strangest part about funeral services is that it always feels like family reunions. It was beautiful seeing everyone come together and rally around the memories of deceased loved ones. It is my prayer that funerals do not become the only source for family reunions or gatherings. It doesn't help with the current public outcry for covid-19 vaccines. We have family that treat other family members as diseased or infected for opting out of the first trial runs. It's a sad day to see family turn against each other over it and completely isolate from life connections leading to thoughts that maybe the only time they would be willing to connect over funerals when that time comes. I also pray this pandemic lets up with every fiber inside of me! 

I am so proud of the woman that I am becoming today, and I want to do the 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 year old versions of my pure justice by continuing to excel and grow overall spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, occupationally, and in my relationships/friendships. 

Thank you for taking the time to connect and grow with me on my journey to optimal health and wellness. I only want to continue to live out my best life and be the absolute greatest version of myself! ❤