Womb Woven and Wonderfully Made

I am letting go of Becoming Me ... and now writing at my new blog. I hope you will stop by and see me and learn why I have ... transitioned.

Drinking Sunshine

I know that I have not been around here much lately...there have been a lot of changes in my life and more to come. I'm excited to share details with you and will very soon. My latest post is up at (in)courage. I hope you enjoy it.

Recovery and Punctuation

Just a few weeks after my blog comeback, I started to experience excruciating pains in my neck and arm. Long story short, I am now in bed recovering from neck surgery. The spinal surgeon did a great job and I am healing. God has shown me so much during the past few months and I cannot wait to share with you. Hopefully I will be writing soon.

You can find my latest post over at (In)Courage. It's about the comma and spiritual growth. Odd combo, but I think you'll like the message.  

Take Fear Out of the Equation

http://www.tradingphrases.com

The stress of the unknown weighted me anxious. I had an opportunity to pursue...a decision to make. A stirring deep within concocted a desire to explore. I didn't know why, but I knew that I must.

I knew that good would come from the exploration. Earth-shattering change was not eminent. Altering my life was not required; but inspection, scrutiny and analysis of situation and self demanded action. Yet, I froze...suspended in a nebula of confusion and fear.

Questions that I did not want to answer hovered. Undesirable scenarios loomed. A visual of potential hurt feelings flashed in my mind's eye. Threats of failure danced around me. Doubts circled and sang what-if?

I  locked eyes with a Godly friend and whined
"I need someone to make this decision for me. Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"Explore it," she decided...quickly.

"I was hoping for a different answer," I sighed.

Then, she offered instruction. "Take fear out of the equation. Now, what do you want to do?"

I smiled. "I want to see what this is really about."

She returned my smile with one of her own, "Then, that's what you do."

So I explored. And I learned. And I grew.

In its unhealthy form, fear is, at best, an obstacle...at worst, it is an agent of paralysis and atrophy. When removed from the equation, fear is left without power and the right choice rises to the surface.

"And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Hush, be still.' and the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And then He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?'"
  -Mark 4:39-40

Being an Encourager

 (Warning, this is another one of those posts where I just "talk" to you)

Photo from Show Off Arts - Dayspring. com

 It was my first day on the job as the corporate communications specialist for a well-respected community bank. Two hours after I arrived, my new boss, Laura, announced that the bank's president and CEO had resigned that weekend. Fortunately, the resignation was not tied to even a scent of a scandal, which came as a relief to this public relations gal. But still, a rather monumental change in leadership had occurred and I felt uneasy.

Adding to first day nerves, the interim president and CEO summoned me to his office to discuss an upcoming publication.  Laura volunteered to accompany me to the meeting and I accepted her offer in an instant. I can be brave and independent, but at that moment I reeled with insecurity. I remember very little from that meeting, except for me trying to sound intelligent while I assessed the situation and proposed an idea.

On our way back to the marketing department, I asked Laura if she was fine with the way that I expressed opinions during the meeting ... remember, my tenure was all of four hours old.

Her sincere reply instilled me with confidence and became one of the most influential compliments I have received.

" Angela, you did great. You just make things better wherever you go."

Laura is an authentic encourager. That is how she works, leads and lives. Although our roles have changed and she is no longer my boss, she remains a friend and an inspiration.

The New Testament Greek word for encouragement is parakaleo, which literally means "to call along side." It was often used when writing about battle and meant to strengthen someone by bringing them the appropriate aid.


It is my heart's desire to encourage a wounded world. But, to be brutally honest (and I need to be), my motivation for encouraging others is sometimes blurred by selfishness and pride. Sometimes I encourage with the intent to receive some sort of emotional accolade in return.

Most of the time, I am genuine in my efforts. But there have been moments when encouraging felt like hard work ... and times when encouraging did not bring joy to my heart. I now know that if encouraging someone else does not bring joy to my heart (and I mean joy, not bubbly, syrupy, happiness - although encouraging others can lead to that as well) and if it makes me feel burnt out, then I am simply not doing it right. Oh, I may be doing and saying the right things, just not with the right motives.


The purpose of true encouragement is to affirm, console and  challenge others to keep going forward. As a Christian, I am called to encourage others in the faith. Spurring someone on so I can garner feelings of value is not how Paul intended his words written in Hebrews to be interpreted. Instead, I must humbly put the needs or others before my own ... love them ... and then inspire them as they continue the journey.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB.

Feel Me Better

He ran ferociously: elbows bent, fists clenched, feet flying and Batman cape flapping. Just inches from catching up to his big sister, a crack in the uneven sidewalk knocked him to the ground.

His jeans tore and his breath left him until his scream found voice and filled the air.

My knees were on the ground a mere second after his fall. He hoisted his body into my lap and open arms. Then, he wailed a solitary demand:

"Feel me better! Please, please feel me better, right now!"

I had not one item in my purse to help him...not a time machine, band aid, ointment or even a tissue. So I held him tight, wiped away the tears that trickled down his plastic mask and whispered that everything was going to be O.K.

His pleas continued. "It hurts...please do something to feel me better."

I reached into my mind's files of "Useful Mommy Tools" and pulled out numerous kisses that I applied to his quivering chin, muddy palms and bloodied knee.

He sniffed, gulped air, sighed and exclaimed, "You did it mommy! You feeled me better! - But, I don't want to run anymore, I just want to walk beside you."

Then, with his hand in mine we walked slowly home. My boy felt better. He also felt safe.


As I held my little man (who will be four next month), I remembered so many of my past falls... so many wounds that stole my breath and pinned me to the earth. I remembered the times that I pleaded for God to take the pain away and make me feel better.

I remembered the times when the pain remained...even grew despite my begging. But I also remembered being held close in the arms of God. I remembered the balm of His comforting truth and steadfast love bringing solace to my stinging, scraped spirit.

And, I remember those times of healing...of gingerly walking forward while clenching His hand; feeling safe...feeling loved...feeling better.

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ." - 2nd Corinthians 1:3-5 - NLT