The last two months have been a doozy for me. So many highs and lows. Although I may enjoy a good rollercoaster ride now and then, I’m definitely more of a Merry-Go-Round kinda gal for the most part. I like a smooth, predictable, slower-paced lifestyle. I used to think everyone wanted that, but I’ve learned that some folks truly thrive in a fast-paced, up and down world, filled with spontaneity and the unknown. They may crash and burn at times, but for them, the highs are worth the lows. Personally, I’m happy to be feeling more myself and off the rollercoaster of emotions I’ve been riding for the last few months. Whew.
Some of you know that I had been struggling with my mental health over the summer. I wrote about it in a recent blogpost The Important Work Of Healing. So many of you reached out to me to offer words of support and offer resources that have helped you in your mental health journey. THANK YOU. I am deeply grateful for that. When you are struggling in life, it helps so much to know you aren’t alone. It’s the power of friendship and community. I really don’t think I would have gotten better as quickly without my amazing husband and supportive friends and family. A good therapist and the right medications have been invaluable too. I still have to make daily choices to continue on my path toward better mental health, but I’m much more hopeful these days and I wanted to share that with you all. If you happen to be reading this and are struggling with your own mental health, my message today is:
Don’t be ashamed. You’ve done nothing wrong.
There is a way out. There is help out there.
Don’t give up.
And if there is anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to reach out. I mean it.
I just got back from a month-long tour as part of Christopher Cross’ band. Many of you have followed along and it was fun to have you with us virtually! We started Sept. 27th in New York City and made our way across the country to San Diego, CA. I jumped off and my dear friend Stephcynie came out to take my place and finish the tour. CC and his band and crew are continuing on through mid November so if you see them coming to a town near you, GO SEE THEM! It’s a fantastic show and I’m so grateful to Christopher for letting me be a part of his awesome organization. If you want to see more pics of my time on the road, go check out My Instagram.
Being out there was actually a great place for me to do a lot of my healing work. God’s timing never ceases to amaze me. If you have ever dealt with depression, you know that the inclination to isolate is strong. Socializing seems so hard. You barely have the energy to shower, much less go hang out with friends. But when you are traveling across the country in a bus, it’s pretty dang hard to isolate, unless you want to sit in your tiny bunk all the time. And I’m claustrophobic, so THAT wasn’t going to happen! Ha! So God put me in a situation with almost non-stop community - and not just ANY community, but a very supportive community. My road family is truly one of the most loving group of folks I know. Special thanks to my girl, Jewelee. She is a precious soul that was a beautiful gift to me on this journey. I also continued to see my therapist on Zoom, but having such wonderful friends surrounding me literally 24/7 was something God engineered so beautifully for me at a time I desperately needed it!
And speaking of community, now that I’m home for the winter, I’m looking forward to getting back to work with my women’s non-profit organization, God and My Girlfriends Ministries. We are ALL about the value and power of community and relationships. I love working with this group and am excited about some events we have coming up. Our annual Single Moms Christmas Ministry is right around the corner, which is something especially near and dear to my heart (I was a Single Mom for a few years!) If you know a single mom who you would like to nominate for our Single Moms Christmas Ministry this year, please email us at gamgministries@gmail.com and tell us about her! We are taking nominations NOW.
For more about our Single Moms Ministry: https://godandmygirlfriendsministries.org/single-moms-christmas-ministry
Also, our God and My Girlfriends Podcast is starting again with new episodes starting in November! The podcast is one of my favorite things to do so be sure and tune in if you can. It’s on I-tunes, Spotify, Amazon and all the regular podcast platforms. Be sure and subscribe to get each new episode when they come out!
For all the scoop with GAMG, follow along on our socials:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/godandmygirlfriendsministries
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/godandmygirlfriendsministries/
But besides all that, I’m really looking forward to just relaxing a bit and enjoying the holidays with friends and family…. oh and our new dog, Hank! Many of you know we lost our beloved dog, Charlie in October 2022. It took awhile for us to get ready to have another pet, but we met Hank and immediately fell in love. He was a stray picked up off the streets in Clarksville, TN. He’s about 1 yr old and a border collie/corgi mix. He has a LOT of puppy energy so he is keeping us on our toes already. I’m sure my socials will be filled with many pictures of our new little guy for awhile, so pardon all the puppy love. I’ll get back to my regularly scheduled posts soon!
That’s about it for now. Always grateful for you guys and your support of me and my writing here. This was a little different from my normal posts, but I felt like catching you guys up a bit. Thanks for following along and being a part of my life!
Love you dearly… Marcia