Month: December 2025

For such a time as this.

I was lower than a snakes belly.

I reached out to my sanctified sis. Yall know the one: The one who dare not stand on anything but The Word.😎🥰🙏💃🏽

She kicked my behind, in Jesus Name, and got me back to:

Standing on FAITH.

Standing on BUSINESS.

Standing ten toes down.

She didn’t give two figs about grief. After my act right got some act right, I blasted my music, jammed, praised me some Him, and put on a load of laundry. 🤷🏿‍♀️💃🏽🤣😥🤗

Now, I’m not saying you can’t grieve. I do. I am. I shall be. Still, I am NOT alone.

My problem, beloveds, is that I tried to sneak on my cape of “I am alone. Nobody can understand. Nobody knows”.

It’s true. Nobody knows. Nobody CAN understand the unfathomable. Doesn’t mean they don’t care. They just may not know HOW.  I don’t know how. Holy Toledo.😥😳🧱

We shall stagger through to Okay-ish shant  we? The ONLY thing that got me through today was the words of you all in here. I reread them. Thank you. Thank you.

I am asking God to help me find the words to encourage others, as I make my way through the impossible. This was a wombie day. I would have rushed to the phone and carried on about ALL these damned lemons. She would have understood. Shit!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: *whispers*…shit.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Desperation: When nobody understands but me.

I’m desperate.

I’m tired.

I’m exhausted.

Grief has been hunting me down.

I don’t have TIME for no stinkin’ grief. Quite frankly, beloveds, grief does NOT give two F’s. I am exhausted enough to almost have said the entirety of the word. I’m trying not to be uncouth. Crapola and Apple Dumplings. Yes, those are a stupid combination, of words, but they are the cleanest I know and I am doing my utmost to NOT give in to:

Despair.

Despair.

Despair and more…

Despair.

I don’t dare waste time screaming, hollering, or raging against the dying of the flippin’ night.

Instead, beloveds, I am doing my best to be encouraging, thoughtful, understanding. I’m trying to be a good sis, a knowledgeable worker, a fabulous Christian, a tastefully grieving wombie(so as not to disappoint said dead other wombie), and all the other ‘good’ and ‘approved’ things society/life/folk apparently think a twin SHOULD be, at a time like this.

Dammit….oppps. My bad. My sad wants sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo desperately to behave badly.

I keep getting bothersome news that I have to find a way to turn into positive good. I find myself looking up, moving forward, when ALL I want to do, NEED to do, is to dive into bed and hide under a comforter of solitude.

I’m desperate. I’m tired. Still, nobody understands….but me.

I have been in search of words. ALL day. And, I mean ALL DAY!

I have to be completely honest. I reached out to everyone but God today. I don’t know if I am angry with him or not, but I didn’t reach out to him today. Normally. I would have prayed and asked for grace. I would have prayed and asked for comfort.

For some reason, I didn’t. For some reason, I couldn’t. I didn’t even put on my praise music. Thinking on this, I found myself turning on some praise. I found myself, turning to Him. I found myself, climbing onto His Lap. Ah, God, what on earth, do I DO with ME now?

asking for a friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I don’t know if this was a comfort to anyone. I’m not sure it’s comforting me….

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

God, I SEE now why You allowed failure to come along.

Dear God,

I owe You an apology. A big one. A huge one. A grateful one.

I’m sorry.

For doubting You.

For questioning You during Your Silence.

For doubting AND questioning ME because of Your Silence.

For, Your Silence sent failure my way. And, failure sat many a question outside my door.

God, I SEE now why You allowed failure to come along.

Why?

Ah, God. Let me tell You. Better yet, let me SHOW You.

To be continued,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: This letter has been a long time coming. Stay tuned, beloveds. You may find yourself within it’s page.🥰

I have much to say. I have much to share. Be patient with me. Be patient with YOU. I don’t know when or how this shall end. I don’t know how I shall end. Neither do you.

You are watching the birth, the rebrand of “The Storyteller”. Who is she? Ah. Aha! Great question! You shall be meeting her soon. I have missed her.

God woke me up to tell me a story. He woke me so I could tell you. I am going to tell it within a video. Look for it soon.

In the meantime, beloveds, think it not strange, as the bible says, when fiery trials come upon you. You SHALL come forth from them as gold. Your tests were NEVER about failure. Yet, ALL tests are about dealing with failure, with possible failure, with overcoming failure, with allowing failure to…

Ah, I am getting ahead of myself! I digress. Be encouraged. We got this. God has us all. In case no one has told you today: I love you. So does He. 😎🥰👍

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

I made sure I made time for ME.

I was tired.

It was a looooooong day.

Still, I made sure to spend quality time via text/call/prayer to fam and friends and loved ones gone.

I determined NOT to use the holidays as reason to be sad because I am physically alone. I can love folk other ways. I can allow myself to be loved.

After loving on some them, I wanted to love on some me. I wanted to enjoy some YouTube shorts that are either uplifting or that make me laugh out loud, in the dark.

I looked at the clock. It was late. Not too late, I told myself. I gave myself half an hour to enjoy me some me.🤗

Be sure to get in your ME time, beloveds. It’s  important. You need to be sure to refresh and replenish.

It’s late. Bed is hollering for me. I got thangs to do.

Be encouraged. Be sure to get some thangs done, okay?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: 😎

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

What do you do?

What do you do when everything inside you wants to give up? What do you do? When the last step you take in seems like is the only other step you can take?

Every step has been hard since my twin sister died. Every one. There has not been any easy moments. There has not been too many carefree moments.

This morning. I texted my big brother and admitted to him I was struggling so hard. I had to be honest with him. I had to be honest with myself.

I just stopped to encourage somebody. Starting with me. If you are currently going through a hard time because a year has been so terribly hard… I got you. I understand. I’m right there with you.

I make myself get up every day. I make myself make breakfast. I make myself make my coffee.

I was so tired today. I was so sad today. There were so many things today I didn’t. Have the wherewithal to peel the egg, let alone eat them. They will be my supper.

The work day was especially hard. I was grateful for the work day. I told myself tomorrow would be easier. I’m going to do the best I can to make it so.

I wanted to be with God today. I wanted to be angry with Life today. I wanted to be angry with The Universe today.

I’m too tired to be angry. Life has happened. Terribly sad things have happened. I remind myself I am here for a reason. Today my reasons didn’t seem so important. I didn’t feel important today.

I just want to encourage someone to let you know you don’t have to be Superman or Superwoman all the time. You don’t have to slay the dragon all the time. You don’t have to win the game all the time. You don’t have to be the one who hits the home run. You don’t have to be the one who hits the winning shot.

There are days when just getting out of bed are a victory. I feel so I lost more than I won today. Still I tried. I tried to make people laugh. Not many laughed at my jokes today. I don’t blame. Maybe they hear me crying on the inside.

This meant to be a sad piece. It’s just a piece to let you know that we are human. It’s oikay to be human. I have not allowed myself to be human since my twin died. I truly don’t know how to move forward without her. Such a cruel ask, God. What do I DO with me now?

I’m listening to a motivational video. I’m trying to refill myself. I need to eat so I can go to bed. I hesitate. I don’t want to start the cycle all over. Sleep has been hard to find.

Be encouraged. I keep telling people not to take 2025 trouble into 2026. I’m going to try to take that same advice.

I hope these words have encouraged someone. Take care of your precious heart. There’s none like you.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Ah, God. What the what are we supposed to DO with all this hard? Even the lemons are feeling a might bad for showing up so consistently on our doorsteps….

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Maybe, God saved me from THAT tornado to tell someone THIS.

Be encouraged.

Don’t give up.

Not just yet, beloveds.

Maybe, perhaps, perchance, God truly DID spare me, from THAT tornado to tell someone, to tell ME THIS:

Be encouraged, Cassandra. You CAN get through THIS. You CAN survive THIS. You CAN make it through THIS. You SHALL conquer/triumph over THIS.

Now, beloveds, I have NO idea what your THIS is. I don’t know how many of THIS you have to stomach/endure/overcome/survive etc.

I just know you CAN. I just know you WILL. How do I KNOW this? Because, God has promised we would/could.

Yea, I know, there are perhaps/perchance/could be many unbelievers up in this WordPress house. I even know there are some secret backsliders, many who kinda/sorta/happened to quiet quit God without telling Him, without being completely 100 with themselves. That’s okay. I get it. What’s more, HE gets it.

I have enough faith for all of us. Okay, maybe, for sure, for sure, my faith has been and is being shaken/stirred/smashed/used, right now. That’s okay. My faith has and can take a licking and keep on ticking, as the old Timex commercials always said…lol.

I am currently listening to CeCe Winans singing ‘Never Lost’. He has never lost. Never will! Be encouraged. Everything truly shall come out, in the wash.

In the meantime, hang in there. I KNOW, beloveds, that you probably want to wop me upside the head. When my big brother told me to be encouraged, to stay positive, to stay focused, to not allow anger/grief to stay too long, I wanted soooooooooooooooooooooo badly to tell him to shut all the way up.

I didn’t. He was right. There truly IS no good time for loved ones to leave us. There really IS no good time for hard to stay soooooooooooooooooooooo continuously hard.

God knows. Life understands. The Universe has been there and done that.

We truly CAN do all things through Him that loves us. Truly, NO weapon formed against us shall prosper. Those in the back, say amen. Can a sista get an amen corner up in the WordPress house?

I REFUSE to end my day on hard so me and joy having a nice concert. Who wants to chair dance with us?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I didn’t volunteer to be an example for all this blessed hard. Still, us encouragers gotsa encourage no matter what, no matter where, no matter when, no matter who. No fair, God! Geeeeeeeez, already. Can a sista get an extra treat from You and not so many lemons for the rest of the week? And, can you spare some extra treats for all my buds up in here who have diligently kept up with me and my foolishness? They need extras just for THAT!….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!

Have an amazing rest of your week, beloveds. Get ready to enjoy 2026. Promise me you will NOT take 2025 anxt into 2026, k? K.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Failure: For such a time as THIS. Part II.

This.

THIS!

THIS, God?!

Really?

REALLY!?

Are You SERIOUS, God?

Really, no, reallllllllllly???!

Do you mean to tell me I HAVE to rejoice, that I HAVE to keep my joy, that I HAVE to keep on keeping on, that I HAVE to keep standing on FAITH, that I HAVE to keep standing on BUSINESS, that I HAVE to keep having to even through all of THHISSSSSSSSSSSSS??!!!!

*Cassandra slaps around some of her grief, knocks aside some of the much too much and too many lemons(hard) that have been deposited lately, kicked her way through work stuff that just ain’t working, sighed over bills(math) that was just NOT mathing(matching) a paycheck, not yet received, that has ALREADY been allocated and found wanting*

Geeeeeeeeeeez, Louise. Holy Toledo and Holy Smokes. Heckamiah what in the fresh hell Miah is all THIS going on around here????????!!

Life has been an interesting rollercoaster. Up, one minute. Ready to slap, I don’t even know who, the next. Not literally, though. Just figuratively, in some way, to try and scratch the depth of grief I can NOT fathom, let alone grasp.

In all my brilliant words, I have yet to find ANY that truly soothes my spirit. Except, oddly, the word “shit”. I dont swear, tho. So, I sneak one out, e’ry now and again. Quietly. Where no one but me can hear. Not even God.

I do, however, see the tiny smile, on His Face. I think He is giving me THAT small space to keep it a buck, as these young folks say.

For such a time as THIS, wh, God? Okay, I shall try. Best as I can. You are going to have to make something of this mess I have made of/with my grief.

asking for many friends,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Hang in there, beloveds. For such a time as this…🤔😥😡😳🙏🤷🏿‍♀️

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Failure: For such a time as this.

Beloveds, please allow me to be completely candid with you.

Truth be told, I almost didn’t tell the WHOLE truth. God told me to share some things with you.

I told Him no. My twin had just died. Work was ridiculously hard. Christmas was coming and ALL those things had set off a tsunami, a tornado, and an earthquake in my heart.

Beloveds, I was tired. I AM tired. Yet, I have to find the strength, the fortitude to gry through this work week so I can have TIME to actually grieve for my twin. I don’t have time yet. I can NOT, I dare not, unleash the torrent of tears waiting for me.

Tears and me have a pact: Tears will hold off and allow me to get to Friday. I promise to do my best to get through Christmas Eve AND Christmas WITHOUT losing my mind. I promise to watch football with twin, now in heaven, and NOT spend the day angry with her for leaving.

I feel like such the failure. Feel like I failed sis. I KNOW I loved her best as I could…*sigh*. Crapola.

Anywho, God asked me to share with you that the pieces, talking about failure, was started BEFORE sis passed away.

A few were done. A few not. I won’t say which is which. I bet some shrewd folk may be able to tell…*sigh*.😳

I’m just trying to do as asked and finish up these pieces dealing with failure. Who knew that I would be the one in biggest need of them.

Ah.

Aha!

thinking that God sure did think He is/was slick,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Ah, beloveds. What do I DO with me now? I don’t know how to grieve THIS loss. If someone could show me, I would greatly appreciate it.

I am currently jamming on some praise music. My heart to content to grieve just now…hhmm?

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

I failed forwards.

I failed.

Forwards.

Not backwards.

I failed.

Often.

Not less.

I failed.

Hard, which made me fall hard.

Ow!

Still, all this flailing, all this failing, all of this falling has gone and done nothing but teach me HOW to fail FORWARDS.

Ha!

Ah!

Aha!!

Keep failing FORWARD, beloveds. Don’t get too terribly upset when you fall. Laugh whilst you are flat on your face. Then, turn over and laugh some more!😎🤣

We got this, frfr.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Believing me in some you…lol.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Failure made me do it.

Failure made me do it:

Try harder.

Try again.

Try some more.

Nuff said.
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Don’t be afraid to fail. Fail forward. Fail often. Rest, if you must. But keep going. Failure has much to say. Failure has much to teach you. Will you listen? Will you learn? Asking for A Friend.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!