Today I’m not sharing the typical What I Wore Wednesday post. I’ve been wanting to share something that’s been on my heart and I thought there is no better time than the present.. and WIWW can take a back seat this week. So let’s talk about life… It can be quite a roller-coaster ride! Wouldn’t you agree? We have highs and lows, ups and downs. Then we laugh and occasionally cry. Life is incredibly hard! And today I wanted to encourage YOU by reminding you that, You’re an Overcomer! There’s a quote by Plato that says:
I wholeheartedly believe that, everyone is fighting a hard battle of some kind. Often we go about our day to day activities doing whatever it is that we need to do and sometimes we forget that there is a lot of hardship going on around us. Guilty as charged! Maybe you’ve lost your job, you’re dealing with a physical injury, received a diagnosis from the doctor that was completely unexpected, your facing infertility or your marriage is shaky. Today I want to remind you that you’re an overcomer. You can do it! Stay in the fight. We all face difficulties and challenges of many different shapes and sizes, but don’t give up, friend!
If you are a regular reader, you might know that I speak of my faith on occasion — and unapologetically. Why? Well, because my faith is what keeps me grounded. While I may not understand a lot about my journey or the trial and tribulations my friends and family face, I know one thing is certain: God has everything under control and because of that I will press on and overcome. I try to keep things uplifting and fun around here in sharing crafts, recipes, projects for my home, etc.; however, it’s a lifestyle blog and we all know that life is not picture perfect. We all have bad days, they’re inevitable. Booo!
Strength doesn’t come
from what you can do.
It comes from overcoming
the things you once
thought you couldn’t.
An inspiring singer (and one of my favorite christian contemporary artists) is Mandisa. She has a powerful voice and her music is uplifting, encouraging and will occasionally cause you to break out into a dance or two {smile}. Mandisa recently released a video for her song, “Overcomer.” This song talks about facing a difficult struggle and making it through. She has used pictures that tell a story of a few people who truly have overcome hardship.
People such as Robin Roberts: Anchor for Good Morning America was diagnosed with MDS or myelodysplastic syndrome. It’s a disease of the blood and bone marrow and was once known as preleukemia. After a bone marrow transplant she is a strong and thriving woman!
Gabby Gifford: American politician who was critically injured by a gunshot wound to the head while visiting with constituents in a supermarket. Her recovery is absolutely amazing!
Scott Hamilton: American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist faced. As a child he faced a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. It is said that a special diet and exercise cured the problem. At the peak of his amateur career Hamilton weighed 108 pounds and was 5″ 2.5″ tall. He eventually grew to a height of 5′ 4″. Later in life he also faced testicular cancer and a brain tumor. He fought with great resolve.
Hannah Curlee: Overcame obesity by losing over 120 pounds on the Biggest Loser. She now loves herself through health and fitness.
OVERCOMER:
Rising above life’s toughest challenges
This video moved me to tears… it reminded me that sometimes I make mountains out of my molehills while others are facing something much bigger, much harder. However, whether your struggle is big or small, I want you to know that I’m saying an extra prayer for you today. I want you to know that you are strong, talented, beautiful and able! We can overcome whatever comes our way.
Note: the video may not be compatible on all devices (i.e. phones, etc).
I hope you are inspired, blessed and encouraged. HUGS!
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Rachel @ Architecture of a Mom says
Thank you dear for your encouraging words. I needed that this morning as I face a difficult day. Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
Nancy at maddalee says
Hugs and prayers for you today, also, Kelly. Thank you for sharing.
natalie@thesweetslife says
such great encouragement! and love that you use this blog as a platform for Him!
Kristine says
good words. that song is my motto these days. 🙂
Gaye says
Very encouraging. Thanks.
cori says
loved your post today, kelly. something I definitely needed to hear today.
Melissa says
Thank you! I needed this so very much today. I happened to come across your blog when looking thru blog hops, but it is not really blog hops that I needed, it was this! So thank you again!!
I had a stroke in April 2013, I lost all mobility and function of my right arm and leg. Some days (today is one of them) I am so hard on myself about it. We have just moved, and I am so limited to what I can do in the moving process, putting things up, and every day things. It breaks my heart every day to see my husband come home after a long and exhausting day at work and start putting things up that I couldn’t. It makes me depressed and it makes me angry. It’s been nearly 5 months since the stroke and I’m growing very impatient in overcoming this. I’m ready to walk, to have 2 arms to use, and to be as independent as I used to be.
Once again, thank you, for reminding me that I can overcome this. That I’m not the only one in control here.
Sharon Kuert says
Loved, loved this blog!!! Overcoming obstacles in our lives can be challenging BUT having Christ in our lives helps us to Overcome ANY OBSTACLE! Loved the video clip, love her and absolutely LOVE YOU!!
Susan @SugarBeans says
So true, Kelly. Thanks for speaking truth. Love Mandisa and her story as well. We all carry some struggle; no person is exempt. Trying to live life graciously….
Blessings, xo
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books says
Enjoyed your post today! I went thru a challenging afternoon…and this post came at just the right time!
Sending prayers and blessings to you! =)
lisa@cookingwithcurls says
What an awesome post Kelly, and perfect timing! We all need a reminder sometimes to persevere and keep going! 🙂
Jamie says
I really needed to hear that message today and maybe a lot of days lately. Thank you for the inspiration and hope!!
Beth says
Kelly – I have been reading your blog for quite a while. I absolutely love today’s post and love love love this video. this is the first time I had hear of Mandisa. I am going to share this with my 10 year old daughter who, at times, struggles with mean girls in her class. I hope this will lift her up and realize that she is an awesome individual and if others do not like her for who she is, then they are not worth trying to be friends with.
Jessica @ Dear Emmeline says
Hugs girl! Brought me to tears. Praying for you too as I know you are facing your own battles.
Trish Butler says
Thank you so much for this today. I thank God every night for the the good things and the bad things. Think of a perfect day. How would you know it was perfect if you never knew bad? I have two neighbor boys that give me the insperation to greet every day anew. One was burned so badly that it has been two years now and he is still having operations, about every two months to release muscles that tightened when he was burnt. The other has Crones disease and went from a normal 15 year old to a shadow of himself and is in terrible pain and can’t leave his home. He graduated this year one month after he would have. I have Fibromyalgia and about five other problems. I am 67 and the boys say I give them inspiration, but the real inspiration comes form these two young men that will not let horrible pain and set backs stop them. Thank you for listening to me. I hope others can find the good in everyday as these two have.
Thistle says
You are SO right! I love this post so much! I watched that video on Good Morning America and cried, too.
Seriously!
You have totally inspired me! I’m going to share the video, too! This is such an uplifiting, encouraging message. 🙂
Happy day to you rock star!
karianne
JaneEllen says
Hi Kelly I’m a bit late reading these emails from couple weeks or so ago but I like to go back to read them anyway. Your post in point.
I am thinking of all the people on the front range that have lost their homes, vehicles, everything they had and some of them their lives or lives of loved ones. We feel pretty lucky over here on western slope.
Our grandson was found to have stage 4 cancer all thru his body just days before his 14th. b/d. He’s now healthy, a sophomore in college, played high school football the last 2 yrs. He had several surgeries, worst of which was removing 5 lbs. of tumors, one of them cancer hiding behind another organ. The surgeon found it just before he closed him up from a 12 hr. surgery.
We weren’t allowed to see him at Childrens’ hospital in Denver while he was there several times or even at their home in Grand Junction. His mother has an attitude, always has against us, we don’t have money. Shame on us.
We live in a single wide mfg home, ours, and have a rough time making it now days on our SS. Does that make us bad people? Don’t think so, but she seems to. But that’s a long sad frustrating story in our lives. She’s turned our granddaughter who is 23 against us, won’t even talk to me on Facebook or any other way.
At times I’m heart broken about our family difficulties. I try to stay busy, keep hubs and I healthy, we do our own thing by ourselves. Most of the time I’m ok but around holidays it’s really hard, don’t know what we could do.
Haven’t been able to communicate with grand son for over 2 yrs. now. His mother stopped me talking to him on Facebook, sent me two very nasty/hurtful letters on grandson’s page. I feel sorry for anybody that behaves that badly. What would it hurt for our grandson to communicate with his grandparents? His Mother doesn’t like it that I know she cheated on my son the whole summer before they discovered the cancer. Son was going to divorce her but then they found out about the cancer. IT was all over town since she cheated with guy she worked with.
DIL’s mother gets to see them all the time, she lives across the canyon from them and has lots of money. She also seems to think our daughters kids are her grandkids. What can a person do? I try to keep up my faith that some day all this will be resolved but it’s been over 3 yrs. since the last commotion and nobody believes it wasn’t me that hollered and carried on. It was my SIL but he refuses to admit it was him. Daughter doesn’t believe me and blamed me for hubs stroke a few months later. Think I’d better shut up, better for me not to think about all this. Thanks for reading. If you want to delete this I’ll understand.
Ok I’m gonna shut up. Thanks for the heart felt encouraging words in this post. I’m sure there are other people that have much more heart rending problems than we do.
Nancy@ThereIsGrace says
A little late in replying to this, friend. But oh, so timely. The day you posted this was the day I received my “recurrent cancer” diagnosis. Your words inspire and encourage me…just as your friendship always has! Love ad miss you, friend!! (I think of you now every time I hear Mandisa belt out “Overcomer”!) Love you!!