Tag: Christian living

Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma

What to Keep, What to Leave Behind

barefootfaithjourney

What to Keep, What to Leave Behind

What to Keep, What to Leave Behind

Every new season, chapter, or transition invites us to make a choice:

What do we carry with us… and what do we release?

It’s not always easy. Some things we’ve held onto for years like habits, patterns, relationships, beliefs. They feel so familiar that letting go seems impossible. Other things are life-giving, but we forget to pack them in the rush of moving forward.

This process isn’t just about decluttering your home or schedule. It’s about making space for the life God is calling you into, one intentional choice at a time.

1. Start With Honest Reflection

Find a quiet space, take a deep breath, and ask yourself:

  • What has been giving me life, energy, and hope?

  • What has been draining me, discouraging me, or distracting me from God?

  • What fears or excuses keep me holding on to things I no longer need?

Write your answers down without judging them.

2. What to Keep

These are the things that help you grow, heal, and stay rooted in Christ. They can be practices, values, relationships, or even mindsets:

  • Healthy Rhythms: Prayer, Sabbath rest, nourishing food, movement you enjoy.

  • Life-Giving Relationships: People who speak truth with kindness, who celebrate your wins, and hold space for your tears.

  • Faith Practices: Scripture reading that feeds your soul, worship that draws you near, serving in ways that align with your calling.

  • Hope-Filled Thoughts: Beliefs that anchor you in God’s promises.

3. What to Leave Behind

Leaving behind is not the same as giving up—it’s making space. These might include:

  • Toxic Patterns: People-pleasing, overcommitting, self-criticism.

  • Unhealthy Relationships: Connections rooted in manipulation, comparison, or constant conflict.

  • Draining Habits: Overscrolling, gossip, numbing your emotions instead of processing them.

  • False Beliefs: “I’m not enough.” “God has forgotten me.” “I have to do it all.”

4. Grieve What You Let Go

Even when we know something isn’t good for us, letting it go can feel like loss. Acknowledge the grief. Bring it to God. Trust that what He’s asking you to release will be replaced with something better in His time.

5. Carry Only What You’re Meant to Carry

Picture yourself walking into the next season with a lighter load. Everything you keep is something you’ve chosen with care. Everything you leave behind is something you’ve entrusted to God’s hands.

💛 Gentle Encouragement

Every “yes” to something life-giving requires a “no” to something that isn’t. You are allowed to travel light. You are allowed to let go. And you are allowed to hold on to what matters most—even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.

Scripture to Hold:
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” — Hebrews 12:1

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma

Spiritual Disciplines That Center You, Not Shame You

barefootfaithjourney

Spiritual Disciplines That Center You, Not Shame You

spiritual disciplines that center you, not shame you

Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that spiritual disciplines were a checklist.

Pray more. Read more. Fast more. Serve more.

And while these are all beautiful practices, they can lose their life-giving purpose when they become driven by guilt or comparison. Instead of feeling drawn into the presence of God, we feel weighed down by what we “should” be doing.

But here’s the truth: spiritual disciplines are meant to center you in Christ, not shame you into performance. They’re invitations, not ultimatums. They’re ways to deepen your awareness of God’s presence. This is not proving your worthiness of it.

1. Prayer That’s Conversation, Not Obligation

Prayer doesn’t have to be perfectly structured or poetic. It can be whispered in the middle of a messy kitchen, cried out in the car, or breathed as a single word: help. God isn’t grading your eloquence; He’s listening to your heart.

Try this:
Instead of setting a timer for 30 minutes, start with a simple rhythm: Good morning, Lord when you wake, and Thank You before you sleep. Build from there as your soul hungers for more, not from guilt that says you should.

2. Scripture Reading That Feeds, Not Pressures

Some seasons invite deep study. Others call for a single verse to carry all day. You don’t have to tackle the Bible in a year if that pace leaves you feeling defeated instead of nourished.

Try this:
Pick one verse in the morning and ask, How does this speak to me today? Keep it somewhere visible like on a sticky note, your phone wallpaper, your steering wheel. Let it echo in your heart without the pressure to “cover” chapters.

3. Sabbath Rest That Renews, Not Condemns

Sabbath is about delight, not rules. It’s not simply about not working. The Sabbath is about setting aside time to breathe, notice beauty, and remember you are not what you produce.

Try this:
One afternoon a week, turn off notifications. Go for a walk, sit on the porch, laugh with your family, or take a nap. Let rest remind you that God’s love for you is not dependent on your productivity.

4. Worship That’s Honest, Not Performed

Worship isn’t limited to a Sunday service or a perfect singing voice. It’s any moment you turn your attention to God in awe and gratitude.

Try this:
Create a worship playlist that stirs your soul. Sing in the kitchen. Hum in the shower. Speak out loud, Lord, You are good, even if your voice shakes. Let worship be an overflow, not an act you have to force.

5. Journaling That Processes, Not Judges

A spiritual journal is not a record of perfection. It is a safe space for your prayers, questions, and reflections. God can handle your doubts and your mess.

Try this:
Write one sentence each day about where you saw God’s hand or where you longed to. Over time, you’ll see His fingerprints in places you didn’t expect.

6. Serving That Flows From Love, Not Burnout

Serving is a joy when it comes from a full heart, not an empty tank. Ministry and kindness are meant to be shared from overflow, not obligation.

Try this:
Pray before committing to a new ministry, volunteer role, or act of service. Ask, Lord, is this where You want me right now? If the answer is no, trust that obedience in rest is just as holy as obedience in action.

💛 Final Thought

Spiritual disciplines are not about earning God’s favor. As a believer, you already have it. They are gentle anchors for your heart, keeping you steady in a world that constantly pulls at you. When practiced in grace, they become life-giving rhythms that draw you closer to the One who loves you most.

Scripture to Carry Today:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

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Faith Journey, Medical, Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome

New Beginnings: The End of One Chapter, the Start of Another

Brandi C

stay inspired. never stop creating. (5)

New beginnings.


They carry a quiet kind of hope—soft, steady, and full of promise. Today is the last day of June, and with it comes a shift. This is the final post I will write about our journey with Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS). It’s not the end of the story, but it is the closing of a long and winding chapter—one that has shaped us in more ways than I can count.

Eight years ago, our lives were forever changed when my son was diagnosed with OMS. Everything I thought I knew about parenting, about faith, about strength—was redefined in those early days of chaos and uncertainty. We were thrown into a world of specialists, treatments, therapies, and questions with no easy answers. But through it all, one thing remained constant: God’s faithfulness.

There were moments I didn’t think I could keep going. Moments of fear so deep, it took my breath away. But my son—my precious warrior—kept fighting. And because he never gave up, neither did I.

Today, he is alive. That alone is a miracle and testimony to God’s mercy and power. He still has struggles, and we don’t know what his future holds. But we rest in this truth:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
—Jeremiah 29:11

We cling to that promise. God has a plan for my son—a plan far greater than anything we could imagine. And so we move forward with hope.

I pray that as you’ve read these posts, you’ve learned something new—not just about OMS, but about compassion. If you ever see a parent struggling with a child’s behavior, please pause before judging. You never know the battles being fought behind tired eyes and brave smiles. Offer grace. Show kindness. Pray for them.

I also pray you’ve seen my heart through this journey. God’s goodness broke and rebuilt my heart. A heart that never stopped hoping—even when the world said there was none.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
—Hebrews 10:23

My son is more than a diagnosis. He is a living, breathing miracle. A warrior. And one day, I believe his test will become a powerful TESTimony—pointing others straight to Jesus.

This is not the end. It’s just the beginning of something new. A new chapter filled with purpose, promise, and hope.

To God be the glory. Always.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Faith Journey, Medical, Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome

With Every Joy, In Every Hope

Brandi C

With Every Joy, In Every Hope

This journey with OMS has brought me to my knees more times than I can count. It has stretched me, refined me, broken me open—and built something stronger in its place. However, With Every Joy, In Every Hope there is Jesus.

There have been days filled with fear. With doubt. With exhaustion that sank into my bones.
But there have also been days of joy.
Joy that surprised me. Joy that snuck in quietly and wrapped itself around the hardest moments.

And that’s what I’ve learned: joy and hope can live alongside pain.
They’re not emotions reserved for the easy days.
They are gifts from God, woven right into the messy middle of the story.

With every joy—in every smile, every step forward, every laugh that returned after weeks of silence—I saw God’s fingerprints.
With every hope—in every prayer whispered through tears, in every night I chose to believe again—I saw God’s faithfulness.

This journey hasn’t been linear. Healing rarely is.
There were setbacks, victories, and there were days I felt like giving up.
And then there were days when I couldn’t help but praise—because of the progress, because of the peace, because God had carried us one more step forward.

With every joy, in every hope, God was there.
Not one moment missed, not one tear wasted, and Not one prayer unheard.

And maybe you’re in a hard season of your own—maybe your story doesn’t look like mine, but your heart still needs to know:
Joy is still possible. Hope is still alive.
Not because of the outcome, but because of Who walks with you.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Hold On to Hope

Brandi C

stay inspired. never stop creating. (2)

When my son was diagnosed with Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS), the world shifted beneath our feet. It was one of those moments that divides life into before and after. Fear came crashing in, and the questions outnumbered the answers. The only phrase that permeated through my life was “Hold On to Hope.”

In the middle of that storm, Hebrews 10:23 became a lifeline:
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”

It didn’t say, “Hold on when it’s easy,” or “Hold on when everything makes sense.” It said, unswervingly. Without turning. Without hesitation. Without giving in to the fear or the doubt.

That kind of hope doesn’t come from our own strength—it comes from knowing the character of God. And I had to decide: do I believe He is faithful, even when I can’t see the outcome? Even when healing doesn’t look how I imagined? Even when the journey is long, hard, and uncertain?

The answer—again and again—was yes.

There were days I had to whisper it through tears. There were days when I could only breathe it. But I held on. And God held us. Through hospital stays, setbacks, victories, and the beautiful, miraculous moments in between—He was faithful.

If you’re walking through something hard right now, this is for you: Don’t let go. Don’t lose hope. The One who promised is still good. Still present. Still faithful. Hold unswervingly. You are not alone.

Reach Out

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Even When There Was No Reason for Hope

Brandi C

Even When There Was No Reason for Hope

There’s something about this verse that stops me in my tracks. Even when there was no reason for hope… Abraham kept hoping. Why? Because God had said. I was told there was no hope in my son living, however, Even When There Was No Reason for Hope.

This isn’t blind optimism. This isn’t wishful thinking. This is faith—the gritty, hold-on-tight, eyes-on-God kind of faith. The kind that says, “I believe You, Lord,” even when everything around says it’s impossible.

This verse became my anchor, my theme, when my son was diagnosed with Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS). In the face of uncertainty, fear, and countless questions, this Scripture reminded me to hold on—to keep hoping. Not because circumstances gave me a reason, but because God had spoken promises over my child’s life, and I clung to them with everything I had.

How often do we face situations that seem hopeless? A diagnosis. A broken relationship. A shattered dream. The temptation is to let go. To stop believing. To shrink our prayers.

But Abraham’s story reminds us: when God speaks a promise, we can stand on it. Even if we don’t see it. Even when time drags on. Even when our hope feels foolish. If God said it, that’s enough.

Maybe today you’re in a season where hope feels far away. Let Abraham’s faith encourage you. Keep hoping—not because circumstances make sense, but because your God is faithful.

What He says, He will do.
Even when there’s no reason for hope—keep hoping anyway.

Reach Out

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Inspiration of the Day Mark 5:36

Brandi C

circle of hope counseling services (6)

Faith Over Fear: Learning to Trust in God

The inspiration of the day is found in Mark 5:36, which says, “But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.'” Faith, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is defined as “belief and trust in and loyalty to God,” “firm belief in something for which there is no proof,” and “complete trust.”

Trust is something I’ve always struggled with—it’s no secret to those who know me well. There are reasons for that, but I am a constant work in progress, learning not only how to trust but who to trust. One thing I know for certain is that God is someone I can lean into fully, without hesitation or fear.

Do I always do that?

Nope. I sure don’t—not all the time. But I am learning. When challenges arise, I remind myself, The Lord is putting this in front of me, not to hurt me, but to give me an opportunity to trust in Him because He has my back. I will, quite literally, repeat this to myself until the issue is resolved or until I find peace. And you know what? It helps. It really does.

My hope and prayer for those reading this is that you can learn to release fear, have faith, and trust God completely. As His children, we are sealed and held securely in the right hand of Jesus. I imagine myself sitting in His palm, His hands clasped around me, and then His hand resting in the palm of God. Nothing can take me away from Him. We are safe. He has us, and He already has the perfect provision in mind for whatever we are facing.

So today, let’s choose faith over fear. Let’s trust the One who holds the universe—and us—in His hands.

💛 If you’re navigating life’s hard places and need a safe space to heal, grow, or just breathe—Circle of Hope Counseling Services is here for you.

We offer trauma-informed, faith-filled therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

📞 Reach out today to schedule your first session (KY residents only) or learn more: Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

You don’t have to walk this journey alone. Hope starts here.

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Brandi C

Power of Intentional Forgiveness

Power of Intentional Forgiveness

The Power of Intentional Forgiveness is something that is not lost on me. Forgive is a verb or an action. You are actively doing something. It means to grant a pardon for or absolve something; to cease to feel resentment against (as in an enemy). I love the beauty of forgiveness.

Forgiveness DOES NOT mean that we are somehow giving permission for another person to hurt us or excuse the choices of another towards us. It is, however, a release for us. We are releasing that pain and memory so satan can no longer use that against us.

God is Clear

That He is the ultimate Judge and Jury. He states in Exodus 14:14, “the Lord will fight your battles; you simply need to be silent.” Thankfully, He knows what is ahead of us and already has the PERFECT provision in mind for every situation. We just need to stop, be quiet, and get out of the way.

For Me

I am pretty quick to forgive but not quick to forget. That is a fault of mine. It is hard to just shut that infraction out of my mind. Well, I guess it depends on the situation. It is like the sting of the pain is gone, but the scar remains. So, in satan’s proper form, he presses on that scar and picks at it. What a vicious cycle.

The Hiding Place

As I was reading this book, it was SO impressed me with the power of love and forgiveness. Seeing the person that hurt me with a different set of eyes. With the eyes of Christ.

I have been talking with a friend, and we have worked through this concept a lot lately. The end of this inspiring story of Corrie ten Boom struck me so much that I took a screenshot of it and sent it to her.

Preface to a Section of the Book

Let me preface this quote by giving some context. Corrie and her family were turned in to the Gestapo for hiding the Jews and helping them. They had served in several different and horrific concentration camps. They lost their father, nephew, and many friends to these camps.

At this moment in the story, they discovered who it was that turned them in. Corrie is wrought with anger for this person. She is beyond hurt, mad (understandably) at how a “friend” could harm their family in such a way.

This is the conversation between an angry Corrie and her sister Betsie.

Corrie: Betsie, don’t you feel anything about Jan Vogel? Doesn’t it bother you?

Betsie: Oh yes, Corrie! Terribly! I’ve felt for him ever since I knew – and pray for him whenever his name comes into my mind. How dreadfully he must be suffering!

*****Excuse me, people, but what freaking kind of angel is Betsie to “feel for” and “pray” for this man who caused SO much death, destruction, and pain. Yes, I yelled that while I was reading.*****

Corrie’s Thought Process After this Conversation

“For a long time, I lay silent in the huge shadowy barracks restless with the sighs, snores, and stirrings of hundreds of women. Once again I had the feeling that this sister with whom I had spent all my life belonged someone to another order of beings. Wasn’t she telling me in her gentle way that I was as guilty as Jan Vogel? Didn’t he and I stand together before an all-seeing God convicted of the same sin of murder? For I had murdered him with my heart and with my tongue.”

Emphasis Added Was Mine

For real. To put Corrie ten Boom, who sacrificed her family and her life to save others, in the same category as Jan Vogel… a man who killed several humans out of devotion to Hitler and the cause, is insane.

Insane.

Then, that sentence that I bolded. God does not distinguish between sin. Sin is black and win. You either sin (gluttony, lying, adultery, homosexuality, murder (the physical kind), murder (spewing hate in your heart), stealing, the list can go on and on), or you don’t sin. We are human; we sin. We needed a Savior to die on the cross to save us from our sins.

She despised this man, and this man killed and tortured many. In God’s eyes… the boy sinned. Let that sink in for about 3 minutes. I need a swig of coke. She killed with her tongue and heart. He killed and tortured with his hands. Yet, both were created in His image. Both are loved by God. Finally, both sinned in the eyes of God.

I’m having a hard time with this. Can you tell?

Her Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I forgive Jan Vogel as I pray that You will forgive me. I have done him great damage. Bless him now and his family.” That night for the first time since her betrayer had a name, I slept deep and dreamlessly until the whistle summoned us to roll call.”

For. Real. People. Absorb that prayer. Adapt it to add the names of the people who have hurt you.

Friends who abandoned you in your greatest time without a word. These same friends make you question everything you could have done wrong, and you are eaten up with pain and confusion. God is NOT the author of confusion. Let that crap go. Forgive!

People who rip your children out of your arms claim you are an unfit parent because they are jealous and want these precious beings for themselves. Hateful humans wish to remove children just because they feel like it, with no regard for what is right and wrong. Forgive.

So Many More Scenarios

Pastors who you trusted hurt you and your family. Accusations are thrown around like confetti. Allowances of idle gossip within the church to try and accuse you of being an awful parent to kids from hard places. Pastors refusing to help others, accusing you of affairs, chastising you in dark stairwells because you are trying to protect your children. Pastors blamed a child for someone who preyed on them and molested them. You are asked to leave, yet the accuser stays, and he is free. Forgive.

Men who claim to love Jesus and the law who underhandedly try and destroy your family. They do so while still talking about their love for Christ and family. They lose no sleep. Let me tell you…what man meant for evil, God meant for good. Forgive

A family who disowns you for falling in love. Co-workers treat you like crap to your bosses but never to your face because there is no basis for the hate they spew. Forgive.

Oh, this woman goes on!

Am I speaking my pain? Are those deep dark chambers of my heart being unlocked? Let me tell you. I have a situation right now that I have buried so deeply for over a decade. It is completely fine, tucked away in the back corner of the attic.

Guess what?

God has a sense of humor. In being content with my pain being hidden away, He decides (cause He is a funny God) that He is gonna bring it back up. Just like vomit. What this man did was atrocious and unforgivable by my standards.

Yet, there is God. Only God can orchestrate what is happening. I have played out every scenario of meeting this human and everything I can say. Honestly, I want to make him feel like shit on the bottom of my shoe. No lie.

But God

Clearly, He sees that I can’t move forward until I move past this. Again, forgiveness is not about giving permission for that person to do what that person did. It is about releasing Satan’s control over it in my heart.

I know that.

Now, He has aligned the stars to where it is time for me to face one of my deepest hurts. It is like a train coming down the tracks. I see it. Yet, I don’t need the ticket right now. This train is going to run over my family and me.

God is my Protector, Defender, Shield, and Stronghold. May He be my words. I pray I can see through the past pain to see the hurt this man must have gone through and is going through. May I show Him the love of Christ.

Right now, my flesh wants to bring down a world of pain. Yet Christ died for him. Forgave Him. What more does He need to give?

It is time.