Tag: encouragement

God knew THIS would happen way back then. So, I can do THIS now.

I’m watching Rocky Balboa.

As usual, he gets beat up most of the time and then comes back at the end.

I feel like Rocky, I have been getting pounded lately.

Ow!

Still, I fight on.

Why? Because, God whispered something to me the other day. He said that He knew THIS would happen way back then. So, I can do THIS now.

Ah.

Aha!

I don’t want to do THIS, beloveds. I don’t want to live through THIS. THIS is just too damned hard. Crapola. Heckamiah Jeremiah!

I’m giving it my all. Still, beloveds, I don’t know HOW to get over THIS mountain. I don’t know HOW to do THIS, without mom, without sis.

Beloveds, how in the fresh hell do I DO my THIS?

How?

I can’t even use anger to get through THIS. Life won’t allow it. God reminds me trying to get through THIS using anger, will do nothing but allow anger to choke off all the love, joy, peace, laughter and life still waiting for me.

Holy Toledo.

Ah, God, how do I get through THIS.

The ONE thing that gives me hope is the knowledge that God KNEW THIS time was waiting for me. He has been waiting for me. Right HERE. Right NOW. Waiting, right here, when I thought He had ran off and left me. He had simply ran up ahead to lay down as many pillows as He could get His Hands on.

All around I see nothing but hard. Yet, in the midst of the hard, I see His Hand Made Pillows. Stitched with His Love. Sewn, carefully, by His Shaky Hands. Bathed, with His Tears.

Beloveds, I just stopped by to encouraged someone. Starting with me. I’m not telling you to pretend your hard is not breaking you. It is. It is revealing the diamond, the gold, the precious resilience buried deep within you.

Now, I don’t know, beloveds, why the hard has to be THIS hard. I DO know the hard can be overcome.

Keep going. Keep moving FORWARD. You are NOT alone. You never have been. I love me some you. As does He.

praying for us all,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: There is so much more for us, beloveds. How do I know? Cuz, we still here!

I know it feels as though you have lost too much to continue. You have not. You won’t find out this is true if you quit now.
One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

What do you have to lose, Life asked me.

Life: What do you have to lose?

Me:

Everything.

Nothing.

All of it.

Some of it.

None of it.

Reputation.

Objectivity.

Friends.

Family.

Preconceived notions.

Excuses.

Pride.

Fear.

Life: Knowing this, what are you WILLING to lose?

Me:

Everything.

Nothing.

All of it.

Some of it.

None of it.

Reputation.

Objectivity.

Friends.

Family.

Preconceived notions.

Excuses.

Pride.

Fear.

*Cassandra turns from the mirror and continues to bet on her try*…

willing to lose,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: This may seem odd to some…

I’m no longer afraid to lose. I spent ALL of 2024 and half of 2025 terrified of losing. Afraid of losing the little I had. Petrified of losing the small bit of comfort I had.

Fighting THROUGH grief has, at least, taught me to SEE loss for what it truly is: A loss. Simple as that.

Losing does NOT mean that I am lost. I’ve just lost my breath. I’ve just lost my footing. Those things CAN be regained.

The main reason I share my struggles is in the hope that someone, somewhere can see that they are NOT alone. That they CAN get out of bed. That they CAN find joy in the midst of trials.

Be encouraged. 2026 has just started. Let’s make it a good one.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

X marks the spot: Why am I HERE?

Why am I HERE?

WHY, am I here?

Right here?

Doing this? Whatever the hell THIS currently is.

I get up. I wander around. I gather the scrapings left from the bus that ran over my face late last year.

I look at this life called me and laugh. What in the fresh hell is THIS? What, in the name of all that is holy, did God leave me HERE, at this time, at this spot, at this moment?

Crapola. God knows I enjoy a good mystery. Now, I have to stick around and find out. You got jokes, God. But, nothing is funny, at the moment. What do I DO with me now?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I want to tell the whole world to kick rocks. I want to hide, in this pain, forever. I want this hurt to punish me for not being there, at the end, for my twin. Her last hours were spent without me there. Just like mom.

I don’t understand why life has me HERE when everything happened over THERE!

I made a promise to myself that I would encourage others at my toughest moments. Why? Because, I could not imagine how folks, with little or no hope, made it through tough times.

I see glimpses of me, mixed in with all this grief. I see smudges of sunlight and hope. I’m trying to figure out HOW to get there.

In the meantime, beloveds, I turn on the light. I make a cup of coffee. I get out of bed.

Beloveds, if you are struggling just now, get out of bed.  DO something. Anything. Take out the trash.

Whatever you do, do NOT allow yourself to stay in a dark and unproductive place.

See, loss is just testing you. Loss wants to show you, well, YOU. Loss brings out the REAL us.

Loss speaks to the heart of us. Loss asks us who/what we think we are:

Loss: How much are you worth? Who is going to love you now that I have taken everything? Has any of your efforts meant anything apart from what you can and have given?

Beloveds, we are here to provide more than a paycheck to the world. We are more than a paycheck.

At my lowest moments, sis ALWAYS encouraged me to keep trying. Sis let me know how much I meant to her and others.

I just stopped by to encourage someone who was wondering WHY they are HERE.

I don’t know your HERE. I’m sure it’s being a pain. I DO know we SHALL get past HERE. How do I know? Cuz, God has sent us over THERE. We can’t get THERE til we finish up HERE.😎🧱🎯

Be encouraged. Hang in there.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Anger said to push them(love) away. Love said no and showed up anyway.

 I keep wanting to push everyone away.

I tell myself that nobody understands. I tell myself all kinds of dumb things. I tell myself….

I think I need to tell myself to shut up, beloveds.

I refuse to allow my pride to keep love away. I have done that more than I would care to admit. Dummy me. I am trying not to be quite so dumb. I have failed. Spectacularly. It’s a good thing failure is not fatal. I think….hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

I’m trying to laugh. I have to. I ran out of Kleenex….hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

I really did run out of Kleenex. Four boxes. Smh.

I just stopped ’round to encourage folk to NOT push love away. Us humans do some silly stuff from time to time.

I wanted to give a bit of love, today. I needed some, for myself, but didn’t want to sit around waiting for love to come and find me. I am doing my best to love as many folks as will stop by. I appreciate your stopping by today.

Be encouraged. Make today amazing. Love someone. Starting with YOU.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I love me some you.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

My heart still wants.

My heart still wants.

My heart still dreams.

My heart still hopes.

Crap.

wanting/hoping/dreaming still,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Keep going, beloveds. I have been up for hours. Hoping. Dreaming. Believing. Ah, wombie, help me through these next moments. What do I DO with all this hope when ALL seems lost? Asking for many friends.

Don’t give up, beloveds. Not just yet. We have thangs to do, remember?

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Fail as often as you can in 2026.

Fail as often as you can in 2026.

Failure contains soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many nuggets, laughter, blessings, experience, tenacity and so many other good things.

I have failed at least fifty million thousand bajillion and 17 times already. Wow. 2026 is starting with a bang.

Failure does NOT make us failures. Failure is just an interesting way of falling flat on our faces…hahahahahahahahahaahahaahahahaha!!

failing graciously(NOT!)
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Have an amazing day. I have had fun digging laughter and joy up from underneath all this failure. Goodness and gravy!

I can NOT tell you how many times I have wanted to throw in the towel and tell the entirety of the world to kick rocks! Ack. Smh.

Keep going, beloveds. If I have to, you certainly have to….

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

For such a time as THIS, beloveds.

This IS your time.

THIS is your time.

This is YOUR time.

THIS IS YOUR TIME!!

*Cassandra turns from the mirror, wipes her eyes, and begins walking FORWARD, while looking UP*

trying to figure out HOW in THIS,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: For such a time as THIS, beloveds. This is your time. What are you doing with it?

No, it may not be fair, just now. Yes, you may have been left to tote all this hard, seemingly alone.

Still, this is the one life we get. I would love to spend the day annoyed at this stupid mountain that won’t move. I don’t have time.

So, I bend down and remove a pebble. In a few minutes, I shall gather enough gumption to snatch another.

Whatcha doing with your mountain?

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Don’t dread your day. You have NO idea what has been prepared for you.

 Don’t dread your day. You have NO idea what has been prepared for you.

Nuff said.
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Enjoy your day. You have no idea what is in store for you. Whatever may come, be sure to take joy with you. Include plenty of laughter and sunshine. Sprinkle your day with thanksgiving and gratitude. Rinse and repeat.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Tiptoeing around grief.

Shhhhh!

Quiet, beloveds!

I’m trying to tiptoe around this grief. I find it hiding, in plain sight. Everywhere. Dammit, it’s everwhere!

In music.

In sleep.

In quiet times.

I find it, hidden amongst movie trailers.

It’s in every book I try to read.

SHHHHHHEEEEEEEEUUOOOOTT!

It dogs my dreams. It brings me coffee, the instant my eyes open. Heckamiah.

HOW am I supposed to live THIS way?

Oddly, amazingly, I still find things to smile about.

I enjoyed the playoff games. I enjoyed the mid game naps.

I have enjoyed quiet cups of coffee. I have enjoyed reruns of “The Good Wife”.

I have even found myself wondering what this year holds for me.

I just stopped by to encourage someone. Starting with me.

I HAD to get out of bed. I HAD to.

I HAD to turn on some praise music. I HAD to.

I HAD to turn the phone back on. I HAD to.

Be encouraged. We really DO have to keep moving FORWARD. Especially when things are especially hard.

Why? Because, we can end up allowing the darkness to swallow us whole. We ain’t got time for that, beloveds. We got thangs to do.

My big bro annoyed me telling me to get up and move. He was right.

Get up, beloveds! Move!…*sigh*.

No getting around it, these hard days have been and are the hardest yet. It’s okay to say ow.

OW!!

Still, promise yourself you will NOT:

Allow despair to run your show.

Give in to hopelessness.

Allow pity to enter for even a moment.

Give yourself room to feel. Process your feels. Then, put your feels to work loving and living and hoping and giving and as many positive ings and things that you can.

Use this time to grow. Don’t let weeds of anger or apathy or dismay to grow in your faith garden.

You got this. As do I. Just doesn’t feel like it. We just don’t know what to do with ourselves just now. That’s okay.

Be encouraged. I love me some you.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I miss her, yall.😥🤗❤

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Don’t trip. Stop overloading your circuit breakers!😳

Life has been lifing.

Hard.

Unrelenting.

Enough to make one want to take off and:

Hide.

Run.

Hide AND run.

Keep on living. Keep on lifing WITH life. Make the most of things. Make the best of the rest of it.

We got to, beloveds. We got thangs to do.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Beloveds, I honestly don’t know what thangs I am supposed to be doing, just now. My body is fighting with me. My finances are cracking up. Sleep is constantly running from me.

Still, I fight on. Okay, I stagger on. Just barely. Holy Toledo, God. What in the fresh hoohah do I DO with me now? Asking for a friend.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!