Category: walking

WHAT DO I DO WITH ME NOW? 💔😭✍️

Beloveds,

I am writing through tears tonight.

Ah, God…

What do I DO with ME now?

Someone I love is not in love with me very much right now.

And there is no judgment here.

None.

Because I understand.

After my stroke, I was sooooo very…

I don’t even know what word belongs there.

Angry?

Terrified?

Confused?

Exhausted?

Grieving?

Probably all of it. 🧠💔

During those first days, I was angry. I slapped stuff around. I brought confusion and hurt into a house filled with people who loved me.

People who were trying to help me.

People who didn’t understand what was happening to me any more than I did.

And eventually, I got some act right. 😩😆

But getting some act right doesn’t erase what happened before I got it.

And now some of the blowback has arrived.

Ouch.

💔

I understand it.

I’d probably be angry too.

And understanding somebody else’s pain does NOT mean mine doesn’t hurt.

It hurts.

Fam, I’m sorry.

Jesus, I’m sorry.

God, I am so sorry.

I was so tired.

So terrible sometimes.

And underneath so much of it…

I was terrified.

😭

I was terrified because my life had changed.

My body had changed.

My brain had changed.

Things that used to belong to me without thought suddenly required effort.

And people were trying to love me while I was trying to understand who the heck ME even was anymore.

And here is one of the hardest things I have had to admit:

I did not allow love to love me.

💔❤️

Love came toward me, and sometimes fear answered the door.

Love tried to help me, and sometimes anger answered.

Love reached for me, and sometimes grief slapped its hand away.

That doesn’t make what I did okay.

But if I’m going to tell the truth about my behavior, I am going to tell the truth about my broken heart too.

Accountability does not require self-hatred.

I can say:

I hurt you.

I was wrong.

I understand why you’re angry.

I am sorry.

I wish I had handled things differently.

I am working on me.

And then I can resist adding:

Therefore, I am horrible and unworthy of love.

Nah, fam.

That’s not accountability.

That’s punishment.

And punishment cannot change yesterday anyway.

So what do I do with me now?

😭✍️🙏

I love her.

I teach her.

I correct her.

I forgive her.

I let her cry.

I make her apologize when she needs to apologize.

I make her listen when somebody else needs to tell their truth.

I remind her that being wounded does not give her permission to wound people.

And then…

I refuse to throw her away.

Because she’s me.

And I still have to live with her tomorrow.

Maybe somebody reading this needs that tonight.

Maybe you’ve made a mess too.

Maybe fear made you somebody you barely recognized.

Maybe grief came out sideways.

Maybe somebody you love is still angry about something you’ve already cried a thousand tears over.

Don’t demand that they hurry up and forgive you.

Give them room.

Love them enough to let their hurt be real.

But, beloved…

give yourself room to become different too.

Repentance means I don’t have to remain who I was in my worst moment.

God can work with a mess.

Good thing too, because whew…

💩😭😩❤️‍🔥

He and I have had some MATERIAL to work with.

And tonight?

I’m heartbroken.

I’m tired.

I can’t sleep.

I had been trying to prepare posts so I could schedule some daily love and disappear for a little while.

I wanted to leave encouragement behind while I preparedfor Outpatient Therapy next week.

But tonight my heartbreak got louder than my plans.

And for one little moment I wondered:

Who cares about all this anyway?

I do.

There.

That’s my answer.

I do.

I care about the person somewhere crying because somebody they love is angry with them.

I care about the stroke survivor who doesn’t recognize themselves anymore.

I care about the caregiver who got hurt while trying to help.

I care about the family trying to love somebody through something none of them were prepared for.

I care about the person ashamed of how fear changed their behavior.

I care about the one wondering whether they’ve messed things up beyond repair.

And I care about me too.

So I shall keep writing through these tears.

✍️😭❤️‍🔥

And in two days, I begin Outpatient Therapy.

YAAASSS.

I may cry all the way until Tuesday. 😭😩🏃‍♀️

Fine.

I’ll show up with swollen eyes.

I’ll show up tired.

I’ll show up heartbroken.

I’ll show up scared.

But I WILL SHOW UP.

Because healing doesn’t require me to stop hurting before I begin.

Maybe that’s tonight’s lesson.

You can be sorry and still deserve tomorrow.

You can have hurt people and become safer.

You can understand somebody’s anger and grieve the distance between you.

You can lose somebody’s trust for a season without losing your responsibility to become trustworthy.

You can cry while you heal.

And you can begin while your heart is still broken.

💔➡️❤️‍🔥

“A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” — Psalm 51:17 KJV

So, God…

Here is mine.

Broken.

Sorry.

Tired.

Terrified.

Still loving.

Still learning.

Still Yours.

And still here.

🙏😭❤️‍🔥

Cassandra Challenge:
Before you condemn yourself for the worst season of your life, ask yourself:

What was happening inside me? What do I need to own? Who deserves an apology? And what can I do differently now?

Don’t use your pain as an excuse.

But don’t use your mistakes as a weapon against yourself either.

Tell the truth.

Make amends where you can.

Learn.

Love.

And begin.

Again.

Victory tonight: I am crying, but I am still writing.

And apparently…

these tears have ink in them. ✍️😭❤️‍🔥

Be encouraged, beloveds.

I’m trying to be too.

Asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: One step. One step. One step. You are loved. You are NOT alone. Keep on being…YOU!

Unapologetically His.
Unapologetically yours. ❤️‍🔥

Have been listening to this 🎵 on repeat. Beautiful. 💔💔🤕

No pretending. I would pay legit money for a hug from someone who loves me. Having a ministry of loving a world that 🌎 won’t love me back hurts. Especially today.

Cassandra

August 14, 2026 💔😭 GOD, WHAT DO I DO WITH MY BROKEN HEART?

For Me—and Everybody Else Who Is Crying

Today 🫂💞 Beloveds, today I need comfort.

Not a lecture. Not somebody telling me how strong I am.

Not somebody rushing me toward the bright side.

Comfort. 🫂💔

Because today… I am devastated. 😭😭😭

And before somebody mistakes my tears for surrender, let me make something very clear:

I AM NOT DISCOURAGED.

I have not quit. I have not stopped believing. I have not decided my life has no purpose.

I have not stopped trusting God.

My heart just hurts. Badly. 💔😢

And maybe somebody reading this needs permission to understand the difference.

You can have hope… and hurt.

You can trust God… and cry.

You can know you’re going to keep going… and wish with everything inside you that you didn’t have to go through this.

You can be grateful for your life… and grieve what has changed in it.

You can say, “God is good.” and then put your face in your hands and sob. 😭🙏🏽 Those things can live in the same heart.

I know because today… they are living in mine. 💔❤️‍🩹 — 😭

GOD…I MISS ME.

There. I said it.  Sometimes grief isn’t only about losing somebody else. Sometimes you grieve yourself. The person you remember. The things you used to do without thinking about them.

The ordinary pieces of life you never imagined you would one day miss.

And some days the difference between then and now hits harder than others.

Today is one of those days for me. 💔🧠😭

My symptoms are really bad today. And sometimes when things are especially difficult, grief comes knocking again.

Not necessarily because I’ve lost hope. Sometimes because I remember. I remember ME.

And there are pieces of that woman I miss so terribly that I don’t have prettier words for it.

I just… miss her. 😭😭😭

And God, if I’m going to walk this road, I need You to help me understand something:

What do I do with all this LOVE I have for the life I remember? What do I do with the memories? What do I do with the frustration? What do I do when my heart screams: “I WANT IT BACK!”

💔😭🙏🏽 — 🫂

MAYBE I DON’T HAVE TO “DO” ANYTHING WITH IT TODAY.

Maybe that is part of the lesson. Maybe every painful emotion doesn’t immediately require an assignment.

Maybe sometimes grief needs permission to simply be grief.

Today I hurt. Period. No explanation required. No apology required. No inspirational ending required.

I can sit before God and say: “Father, Your daughter is hurting today.” 🙏🏽😭 That’s enough.

And if you don’t believe as I do, perhaps your words are simply:

“Today hurts.” That’s enough too. You don’t owe anybody a performance of strength. 🫂💞 —

🙏🏽 GOD, PLEASE SIT WITH ME HERE. I don’t need You only in my victories. I need You here. In this.

In the tears. In the questions. In the memories. In the frustration. In the moments when I am tired of having to be courageous.

In the moments when I don’t want another lesson. In the moments when I don’t want my pain turned into purpose yet.

Sometimes, God… I just want my heart held. 💔🙏🏽🫂

Your Word says: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart…” — Psalm 34:18 KJV

Then please… come near.

Not tomorrow when I’m feeling inspirational again. Not after I’ve dried my tears. Not after I’ve figured out what I’m supposed to learn. NOW.

Come sit with the crying woman. 😭🙏🏽 — 💔

AND TO SOMEBODY CRYING WITH ME TODAY… Come sit over here. 🫂

You don’t have to explain everything. You don’t even have to talk. I won’t tell you to cheer up. I won’t tell you everything happens for a reason.

I won’t tell you somebody else has it worse. I won’t tell you that you should be grateful because at least you still have ______.

No. Your heartbreak gets to be your heartbreak. 😭💔

Maybe somebody died. Maybe somebody left. Maybe your health changed. Maybe your family changed. Maybe a dream died.

Maybe you received news that knocked the wind out of you.

Maybe you’re grieving a version of yourself you desperately want back. Maybe you don’t even know WHY you’re crying.

You’re just tired. Come anyway. 🫂💞 There is room beside me. — 😭

CRY. Yes. CRY. I mean the ugly one too. The runny-nose, swollen-eyes, can’t-get-the-sentence-out kind. 😭😭😭😩🫠 Cry if you need to.

Because tears aren’t always saying: “I give up.” Sometimes tears are saying: “This mattered.” “I loved deeply.” “I wanted something different.” “I’m disappointed.” “I’m exhausted.” “I miss what was.” “I need somebody to hold me.”

And sometimes… tears don’t say anything at all. They just fall. Let them. 💧💧💧 — ❤️‍🩹

THEN LOVE THE PERSON WHO IS CRYING.

That person is YOU. This is where the HOW of love matters. We talk so much about loving everybody else.

But what does love look like when the person falling apart is staring back at us in the mirror? Maybe love says:

“You don’t have to accomplish anything impressive today.” Maybe love says: “Rest.” Maybe love says: “Eat something.”

Maybe love says: “Call somebody safe.”

Maybe love says: “Turn the music on.” 🎶

Maybe love says: “Pray.” 🙏🏽

Maybe love says: “Laugh if something ridiculous happens—even while you’re crying.” 😂😭

And maybe love simply whispers: “I am staying with you through this.” ❤️‍🩹 — 🙏🏽

MY PRAYER FROM A BROKEN HEART:

God, I don’t have a polished prayer today. My heart hurts. You already know why. You know every thought I haven’t found words for. You know what I miss.

You know what I’m afraid to lose. You know what I wish were different. You know the parts of this journey I would NEVER have chosen. 😭🙏🏽

So I’m bringing You exactly what I have. A broken heart. Take it. Hold it.

Please don’t let pain make me bitter. Don’t let grief steal my capacity to love. Don’t let what I have lost make me unable to see what remains.

And when I cannot understand what You are doing… help me trust Your heart. 💔🙏🏽❤️‍🩹

And Father… if this truly is being asked of me… then You already know what I’m going to say. 😭💪🏽 I CAN.

Not because it is easy. I WILL.

Not because I wanted this. I MUST.

Because there is still purpose inside this beating heart. 🙏🏽❤️‍🩹

But God… please hold me while I do it. Amen. —

💞 FOR THOSE WHO PRAY DIFFERENTLY—or DON’T PRAY AT ALL…

May you give yourself permission today to be human. May you stop measuring your strength by how rarely you cry.

May you recognize that grief and hope can occupy the same body. May you treat yourself gently while your heart is hurting.

And may somebody remind you: You do not have to solve your whole life today.

Just stay with today. 🫂💞 — 🌱

TODAY’S LOVE CHALLENGE :

Find somebody—including yourself—who needs comfort. And resist the urge to FIX them. Sit. Listen. Hold a hand.

Send a message. Let them cry. Say: “You don’t have to be okay with me.” That’s love too. 💞🫂 — 🏆 TODAY’S VICTORY

Maybe today’s victory isn’t getting back up immediately. Maybe today’s victory is finally admitting: “This broke my heart.” 💔

And discovering that after saying it… your heart is still beating. ❤️‍🩹 Mine is. It hurts like crazy today. But it’s beating.

And apparently it still has enough life left in it to love somebody else who is crying.

So if you’re crying today… you can borrow some of mine. 💞 I’ll sit with you. You sit with me. We don’t have to pretend. We don’t have to hurry.

And when we’re ready… not when somebody else decides we should be ready… we’ll take another step. 👣 Then another. 👣 And another. 👣 Crying if necessary. Laughing when we can. 😂😭💞

Praying when we have words. 🙏🏽 Sitting quietly when we don’t. 🫂 And believing that a broken heart can still hold an astonishing amount of love.

💔❤️‍🩹💞 Asking for A Friend,

Cassandra #YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: One step. One step. One step. You are loved. You are NOT alone. Keep on being…YOU! 💔❤️‍🩹🙏🏽🫂💞

And God? I’m still here. I’m crying. I’m hurting. I’m heartbroken. But I’m still here. If this is being asked of me… I CAN. I WILL. I MUST. Just… hold my hand while I do it. 😭🙏🏽🤝🏽❤️‍🩹

GOD HAS THE FINAL WORD | Your Story Isn’t Over | Heartfelt Gospel R&B Wo…

Beloveds,

Somebody needs this today.  I know I did. Be encouraged. You are loved and appreciated and not alone. 💞😍👋💋😊😅

Cassandra

❤️‍🔥 GOD, I’M SORRY. 😭😱

Beloveds,

WHEW!🤯

YIKES!🥶🥺

I had to apologize.

To God.

To my sister.

To my niece.

To my brothers.

And, if I’m being completely honest…

I had to apologize to myself, too. 🫠🤕🫤 WHEW. This one hurt.

Because sometimes God doesn’t ask us to look at what somebody ELSE did.

He asks us to look in the mirror. 👀 And baby… I HAD TO LOOK. 😳

For the past two years, I fought the people who were trying to help me because I was scared.

I was worried about bills.

I was worried about money.

I was worried about what would happen next.

So I worked. And worked. And WORKED.

I had already been killing myself at work for almost 14 years before my stroke.

Let me be very clear:

I am NOT saying my work caused my stroke.

A stroke may have happened anyway. But I can acknowledge that years of pushing myself beyond my limits, combined with my eating habits and other choices, certainly didn’t help me.

And here’s another thing I need to say:

The devil didn’t cause my stroke. I’m not giving the devil credit for everything that happens in my life.

Sometimes… we have to be honest enough to examine our own choices. And my biggest revelation?

I chose not to trust. 😳

I had been told repeatedly: “Trust God.” “Let God handle it.” “Stop trying to carry everything yourself.” “Let people help you.”

And what did I do? 🙈🙉🙊

I kept fighting. I kept trying to control everything. I kept trying to figure everything out.

I kept letting fear convince me that if I didn’t handle it, everything would fall apart.

And somewhere along the way… fear became louder than faith. And pride started driving the car. 🚗💨

Oh, I KNOW I’m not the only one who’s ever done that!

We say we trust God… until God asks us to do something we DON’T want to do. 😂😭

Then suddenly we’re like: “Okay, God… let’s negotiate.” NOPE. 😂

😂😂

My doctors have advised me that I need to spend some time in a Skilled Nursing Facility so I can become physically stronger, continue therapy in a setting where trained nursing staff can monitor me and quickly respond if something goes wrong, and allow my sister and niece to rest and get their lives back.

And there it was. My OUCH. 🤯😳🥺

Because accepting that help meant admitting: I cannot do everything myself. And that was hard for me.

VERY hard.

Because somehow I had turned my stroke into something that was ALL ABOUT ME.

But my stroke didn’t happen to only me.

It happened to EVERYBODY who loves me.

My sister was tired.

My niece was tired.

My brothers were tired.

My friends were tired.

The people who loved me were carrying pieces of this too.

And then my sister…

And honestly?

She had every right to be angry. I didn’t enjoy hearing it. Ohhhh NOOOO. 😬

But after I absorbed my deserved beatdown… I had to sit with it.

And that’s when God asked me ONE question:

“What were you—and what are you—SO afraid of?” 😳 YIKES.

That question stopped me. Because I had been so busy fighting everybody about what I thought I needed… that I hadn’t stopped to ask myself what was underneath all that fighting.

FEAR.

I sat with it.

I owned it.

And then fam and I had a four-hour conversation.

Four.

Hours.

We put our hearts on the table. ❤️

I’m going to keep the words of that conversation private because some conversations belong between the people who had them.

But I can tell you what I learned.

Sometimes accountability doesn’t feel good. Sometimes accountability feels like getting your whole house of excuses knocked down. 🧱💥

But accountability is NOT punishment. Accountability is an invitation to grow.

And here’s what God has been teaching me:

We do ourselves—and the people who love us—a tremendous disservice when we continually choose fear over faith.

Because fear doesn’t just hurt us.

Fear can make us resistant. Fear can make us stubborn. Fear can make us angry.

Fear can make us push away the very people trying to help us. Fear can make us confuse control with strength.

And pride?

Ohhhh, pride will have you fighting for your right to stay exactly where God is trying to move you from. 😳

Pride says: “I know what I’m doing.”

Faith says: “God, I don’t understand this, but I’ll trust You.”

Pride says: “I can handle it myself.”

Faith says: “I need help.”

Pride says: “I don’t want anybody telling me what to do.”

Wisdom says: “Maybe somebody else can see something I can’t see right now.”

Pride says: “I’ll figure it out.”

Humility says: “I need you.” And sometimes… the most faithful thing we can say is: “Okay, God. I surrender.” 🙏🏽

So yes… we have made a decision. I am going to the Skilled Nursing Facility.

Not because I’m giving up.

NOT because I’m weak.

NOT because my life is over.

And certainly not because fear gets the final word.

I’m going FOR MY OWN GOOD. ❤️‍🩹

I’m going so I can get stronger.

I’m going so I can focus on rehabilitation.

I’m going so trained professionals can help monitor me.

I’m going so my family can breathe.

I’m going so my sister and niece can rest.

I’m going because sometimes receiving help is not a failure.

Receiving help can be an act of love.

THAT brings me right back to what we’ve been talking about:

THE HOW OF LOVE. ❤️

Because love isn’t always somebody holding your hand and telling you everything is going to be okay.

Sometimes love says: “Baby, you’re wrong.” 😳

Sometimes love says: “We’re not doing this anymore.”

Sometimes love says: “You need help.”

Sometimes love gets angry because it’s exhausted from watching you hurt yourself.

Sometimes love has to tell you something you desperately don’t want to hear.

That’s love, too: Learning to RECEIVE that kind of love?

That’s part of the HOW.

So here’s my lesson for today:

❤️ HOW DO WE OWN OUR FOOLISHNESS?

1. Stop blaming everybody else.

Before asking, “Who did this to me?” Ask: “What part of this belongs to me?” Not ALL of it. Your part. Own YOUR part.

2. Name the fear underneath the behavior.

Ask yourself: “What am I REALLY afraid of?” Because anger may be covering fear. Control may be covering fear. Stubbornness may be covering fear. Pride may be covering fear. Find the fear. Then deal with the fear.

3. Stop confusing pride with strength.

There is nothing strong about refusing help when you need it. There is strength in saying: “I need help.”

4. Listen when people who love you tell you something difficult.

They may not always be right.

But don’t automatically dismiss them because you don’t like what they’re saying.

Sometimes the uncomfortable voice is the voice carrying the truth you need.

5. Apologize without adding a BUT.

Not: “I’m sorry, BUT…” No. Just: “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” Whew. That’s a hard sentence for some of us.

But it can be incredibly freeing.

6. Change the behavior.

Because an apology without changed behavior becomes another promise nobody believes.

If I say I’m sorry for fighting everybody who loves me… then I have to learn how to stop fighting everybody who loves me.

That’s the HOW.

7. Let humility have a seat at the table.

You don’t have to know everything. You don’t have to control everything. You don’t have to carry everything!

And you absolutely do NOT have to prove your strength by suffering alone.

❤️ So today I’m saying:

God, I’m sorry.

I’m sorry for the times fear became bigger than my faith.

I’m sorry for the times pride spoke louder than wisdom.

I’m sorry for the ways my resistance hurt the people who were trying to love me.

I’m sorry for making everything about what I was going through and forgetting that the people who loved me were going through it too.

And God… thank You for loving me enough to ask me the question I didn’t want to answer: “What are you so afraid of?”

Because sometimes the beginning of healing isn’t another person changing.

Sometimes… it’s us finally telling the truth about ourselves. ❤️‍🩹

And Beloveds… if you’re reading this and realizing that fear has been running YOUR life… don’t beat yourself up.

Don’t sit in shame.

Own it.

Ask the hard question.

Apologize where you need to apologize.

Receive correction.

Make the change.

And then…

MOVE FORWARD.

Because accountability isn’t about living forever in yesterday’s mistake.

It’s about learning enough from yesterday that you don’t keep repeating it tomorrow.

That’s what I’m doing.

I’m learning.

I’m surrendering.

I’m receiving help.

I’m getting stronger.

And I’m learning the HOW of love.

Including how to love the people who love me enough to tell me the truth. ❤️‍🔥

Now I’m asking YOU:

Have you ever let fear, pride, stubbornness, or the need to control something keep you from accepting help?

What happened when you finally had to surrender? You don’t have to tell us anything private. Just ask yourself:

“What am I so afraid of?”

Your answer might teach you something you desperately need to know. We’re going to keep learning this together.

The HOW of love.

How to give it.

How to receive it.

How to recognize it.

How to apologize.

How to forgive.

How to set boundaries.

How to listen.

How to humble ourselves.

How to love somebody enough to tell them the truth… even when the truth hurts.

❤️💞❤️‍🔥 Come walk this path with me.

Follow along, because we’re just getting started.

Asking for A Friend,

Cassandra #YourLifeMattersToMe

NOTE: Sometimes the bravest words we can say are: “I was wrong.” “I’m sorry.” “I need help.” “I don’t know.” “I surrender.”

And sometimes… “Okay, God. You were right.” 😂🙏🏽

One step. One step. One step. You are loved. You are NOT alone. Keep on being…YOU! ❤️

WHEW.

🧱🤯😱

Keep pruning, beloveds.

August 7, 2026

❤️‍WHEN LIFE IS HARD FOR EVERYBODY: LEARNING HOW TO LOVE EACH OTHER THROUGH IT ❤️

Beloveds,

Let’s talk about something we don’t talk about enough.

What happens when YOU are having a hard time… and the person trying to help you is having a hard time too? ❤️‍

Because sometimes we’re so focused on our own pain that we forget something very important:

Other people can be hurting too.

The nurse may be exhausted. 🤷🏿‍♀️⏳


The caregiver may be overwhelmed. 🤔


The family member may be scared. 😥


The friend may not know what to say.😳


The person sitting beside you may be carrying something you know absolutely nothing about.😥

And YOU?

You’re hurting too.

So what do we do?

Because somebody being overwhelmed doesn’t mean your needs don’t matter.

And your pain doesn’t mean their humanity doesn’t matter.

THIS is where we learn love. ❤️

Not the easy kind.

The kind that has to be practiced.

The kind that says:

“I’m hurting… but I’m going to try not to hurt you because I’m hurting.”

Whew. ❤️

That’s HARD.

So let’s learn HOW.

❤️ 1. PAUSE BEFORE YOU REACT.

When something hurts your feelings, frustrates you, or scares you, stop for just a moment.

Take a breath.

Ask yourself:

“Am I responding to what is happening right now, or am I reacting to everything I’ve been carrying?”

Sometimes today’s frustration is carrying yesterday’s pain too.

Pause.

Breathe.

Then respond.

❤️ 2. SAY WHAT YOU NEED.

Don’t make people guess.

Try:

“I need you to slow down.”

“I need you to listen before you respond.”

“I’m scared right now.”

“I need a little more time.”

“Can you explain that again?”

That isn’t weakness.

That’s communication. ❤️

❤️ 3. ASK THE OTHER PERSON WHAT THEY NEED TOO.

This one can change everything.

Try asking:

“Are you okay?”

“Is there something making this difficult for you?”

“How can we make this easier for both of us?”😟

Sometimes the person in front of you is struggling too.

And sometimes being seen helps them become better able to see you. ❤️

❤️ 4. DON’T CONFUSE COMPASSION WITH SILENCE.

Listen carefully.

Love does NOT mean allowing people to mistreat you.

You can be compassionate AND have boundaries.

You can say:

“I understand you’re frustrated, but I still need you to speak to me respectfully.”

That’s love with a backbone. ❤️

❤️ 5. DON’T MAKE EVERY HARD MOMENT A BATTLE.

Sometimes we need to stand firm.

Sometimes we need to compromise.

Sometimes we need to say,

“Okay, let’s figure this out together.”

Wisdom is learning the difference.

Not every disagreement needs a winner.

Sometimes the victory is:

“We understood each other better when we finished talking.” 🥰

❤️ 6. REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN THEIR WORST MOMENT.

You have bad moments.

I have bad moments.

The nurse has bad moments.

The caregiver has bad moments.

Your spouse has bad moments.

Your children have bad moments.

Your friend has bad moments.

A bad moment is information—not necessarily identity.

Give people room to grow.

And give YOURSELF that same grace. ❤️

❤️ 7. LEARN TO REPAIR.

This might be one of the most important parts of love.

When you mess up:

Say you’re sorry.

When someone hurts you:

Tell them.

When something goes wrong:

Talk about it.

Don’t let pride turn one painful moment into a permanent separation.

Sometimes love sounds like:

“I didn’t handle that well. I’m sorry.”

Sometimes it sounds like:

“That hurt me. Can we talk about it?”

Sometimes it sounds like:

“I understand you were struggling. But I need you to understand that I was struggling too.”

THAT is grown-up love. ❤️‍

❤️ 8. LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE SOMEBODY’S DAY A LITTLE LIGHTER.

You don’t always need money.

You don’t need a grand gesture.

You can:

Smile.

Pray for somebody.

Send an encouraging message.

Give somebody a hug.

Listen without immediately fixing.

☕ Bring someone a cup of coffee.

❤️ Tell somebody, “I appreciate you.”

Make somebody laugh.

And sometimes…

just sit there.

You don’t have to fix everything.

Sometimes presence is the gift. ❤️

❤️ 9. AND DON’T FORGET YOURSELF.

This is where I am learning too.

You cannot pour endlessly from an empty cup.

Rest.

Ask for help.

Cry when you need to cry.

Say no when you need to say no.

Let somebody help YOU.

Because receiving love is part of learning love too. ❤️‍

And here’s something else I’m learning:

I can fight for my independence without fighting everybody around me.

I can advocate for myself.

I can ask questions.

I can say, “I want to go home.”

I can say, “I want to explore independent supportive living.”

I can say, “Let’s talk about what support I need to make that possible.”

And I can do all of that while remembering that the people helping me may be carrying fears and responsibilities too.

That’s not surrender.

That’s learning how to walk together. ❤️

❤️ THIS IS WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY WE ARE GOING TO LEARN LOVE.

We’re not just going to tell people:

“Love one another.”

We’re going to ask:

HOW?

How do I love somebody when I’m angry?

How do I love somebody when I’m scared?

How do I love somebody who doesn’t understand me?

How do I love somebody who is struggling too?

How do I apologize?

How do I forgive?

How do I set boundaries?

How do I communicate?

How do I ask for help?

How do I receive help?

How do I disagree without destroying the relationship?

How do I stay soft without becoming a doormat?

How do I stay strong without becoming hard?

THAT is the work. ❤️‍

And maybe that’s what we’re really doing here.

We’re not creating a place where everybody pretends life is beautiful all the time.

We’re creating a place where people can say:

**“Life is HARD sometimes.

But I’m learning what to DO with the hard.

I’m learning how to love.

I’m learning how to communicate.

I’m learning how to forgive.

I’m learning how to advocate.

I’m learning how to receive.

I’m learning how to give.

I’m learning how to stay human when life is trying to make me hard.”**

And if you’re willing to learn…

come walk with us. ❤️

Believers.
Non-believers. ❤️
Questioners.
People who are certain.
People who aren’t sure.
People who are hurting.
People who are healing.
People who are learning.

Everybody is welcome here. ❤️

Because love isn’t just something we talk about.

Love is something we learn.

And then…

we practice it.

Every.

Single.

Day. ❤️‍

Asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

NOTE:
You don’t have to have love figured out before you walk through the door.

Neither do I.

We’re learning together. ❤️

One step. One step. One step.
You are loved. You are NOT alone.
Keep on being…YOU! ❤️‍

GOD IS MAKING A WAY FOR YOU TODAY Powerful Morning Prayer for Open Doors…

This is so uplifting. Even unbelievers can be encouraged.  Just substitute Life or The Universe.  We are all connected. Be encouraged.

These videos have so uplifted my tired ❤️ heart. They encourage me to keep loving on folk. I love yall.

Cassandra

So what!

Yes, my feelings are hurt. Thought more folks would care and respond. My love is NOT contingent on if yall love me back. Shall love whosoever shows up.

HA! fear! Shut it up!

YIKES!

Pray for a sista!!

I am either having another stroke or possibly a brain bleed. They want to do a MRI but I am too claustrophobic. If they sedate me the neurologist says will surely have a stroke on the table.

I need a miracle quick, fast and in a hurry!

EGADS!!

WHEW!!!

Kick rocks, satan. the devil IS a liar!

Whatever, fear!

choosing to stand on BUSINESS TEN TOES DOWN,

Cassandra

Be encouraged. In case I come out of this with scrambled eggs for brains, beloveds  promise yall will love one another and folk take over responding to all my older posts.

I sure could use a million words of encouragement. Likes are nice but geeeeez, fam. Whew. Let my last word be that I love you and care for your and so does He…

Tomorrow Still Holds Hope ❤️


Beloveds,
Before you close your eyes tonight, I want you to remember something…


You made it through today.
No matter what today looked like…
No matter how many challenges you faced…
No matter how many questions are still waiting for answers…
You are here.
And that matters. ❤️
Sometimes we are so focused on what we still need to do that we forget to celebrate what we have already survived.
Maybe today was filled with appointments.
Maybe today was filled with pain.
Maybe today was filled with uncertainty.
Maybe today simply took more strength than you thought you had.
But Beloveds…
You are still standing.
You are still trying.
You are still moving forward.
And that is something to be proud of. 🌱
Tonight, give yourself permission to rest.
You do not have to solve everything before you sleep.
You do not have to carry every worry into tomorrow.
Some things can wait.
Tonight is for peace.
Tonight is for healing.
Tonight is for allowing your mind and body a chance to breathe. 🌙
🙏 For those who believe in God:
Lord,
Tonight I pray for every weary heart reading this message.
Bring peace where there is worry.
Bring comfort where there is pain.
Bring strength where there is weakness.
Quiet the fears that keep us awake.
Remind us that tomorrow is a new day and that we never walk alone.
Amen. ❤️
✨ For those who do not share that belief:
Tonight, remind yourself:
I did the best I could today.
I am allowed to rest.
I can release what I cannot control.
Tomorrow is another opportunity.
I can face what comes one moment at a time.
Hope is still possible.
🌙 Evening Affirmations:
✨ I am proud of myself for making it through today.
✨ I deserve rest and kindness.
✨ I do not have to carry every burden alone.
✨ My challenges do not define my future.
✨ Tomorrow brings new possibilities.
✨ I am stronger than this moment.
✨ My story is still being written.
🎯 Tonight’s Reflection Challenge:
Before you rest, ask yourself:
❤️ What is one thing I am grateful for today?
🌱 What is one small victory I can celebrate?
🌅 What hope can I carry into tomorrow?
Remember…
The smallest victories still count.
A peaceful moment.
A kind word.
A deep breath.
A little progress.
They all matter. ✨
🌅 Hope for Tomorrow:
Tomorrow does not have to be perfect.
It only has to be a new beginning.
You do not need to know every step ahead.
You only need enough strength for the step in front of you.
A new sunrise means a new opportunity.
A new day means a new chance.
A new morning means hope is still alive. ❤️
Rest tonight knowing this:
Your journey is not over.
Your story is not finished.
There are still beautiful moments ahead.
❤️ Asking for A Friend
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
📝 Note:
If today was hard, please remember:
You do not have to be strong every second.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to heal.
You are allowed to take your time.
Give yourself the same love and patience you would give someone else.
Tomorrow is waiting.
And you can meet it one moment at a time. 🌱
One step.
One step.
One step.
You are loved. ❤️
You are NOT alone. 🤝
Keep on being…YOU! ✨
🌅