I am Thankful

This week has been a rough week. All week my husband and I have been dealing with unexpected challenges in addition to the everyday stressors that come with our lives. I thought my husband and I were handling it fairly well. We would consult about the unexpected challenges, create an action plan, and execute it. , We even talked about still being blessed in spite of these challenges. However, I was still harboring resentment towards the source of these challenges. I was focusing on being resentful and tallying the issues we were facing in my mind. 

This morning around 4:30, I had a strong urge that I needed to get up and work. I often get up to write or work on an article so, this wasn't too "out of the norm." Before starting to write, I read a devotional message. The reflection component of the Encouragement for Today stated, "Even in the midst of things stolen, I have been given the great gift of remembering all I still have." The author talked about having an experience where she realized that someone had stole several of her things that held special memories in her heart. Instead of reacting she sat down and wrote a list of things she was thankful for and prayed for whoever had stolen from her. She used the verse, Psalm 107:1 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (NIV). Wow!!!! Sometimes God just amazes me by how intentional and wonderful he is. So, I began to write a list of things I am thankful for. 

• I am thankful for my marriage. I am thankful for the closeness, chemistry and friendship we share. I am thankful that I have someone to share the highs and lows with.
• I am thankful for the health of my family members and the great experiences they are all facing. 
• I am thankful every day for my mind. As a counselor, I am so aware of how easy it is to struggle emotionally and mentally and I am thankful that my mind works the way it does. 
• I am thankful to have a job that I love for so many reasons. 
• I am thankful that God put it on my mind to work this morning instead of what he really wanted me to focus on (Being Thankful instead of Resentful) because I am not sure I would have gotten out of bed.

And my list goes on... I also said a prayer for the individuals that were responsible for much of the stress we experienced. I feel more centered, more grounded, more focused, more balanced.  For that I am grateful. 

To read the actual article, click here. 

Lessons from Dr. Hale

Dr. Frank W. Hale Jr. passed away recently and I attended his funeral on this past Sunday. The ceremony was amazing and I got the chance to learn so much more about him that I did not know. I am so blessed to have had the chance to have him as a mentor. Here are a few lessons I learned from "Doc" that I will take with me forever. 

• If you walk with God, he will walk with you EVERYWHERE.
• Don't just dream. Start doing so that you can live the dream.
• Always write down your thoughts. Eventually you can compile them to share with others.
• Dream Big. Why not be a college president?
• You are unique and you have things that others don't have. So, never count yourself out.
• It is not okay to except unfair or discriminatory treatment.
• Stand up for those who may not have a voice.
• Focus on service and all the things that are important will come just in time.
• God loves you. Spread that love.

These are just a few things that I learned from Dr. Hale. I hope to pass these lessons on as he did. To read more about my experience with Dr. Hale, click here.

Do You Want to Know What the PhD Process is Like?

While going through the PhD process, I often had people ask me what it was like and what I was doing. So, I decided to blog through part of the process. You can learn more about the process at The Pursuit of a PhD. I will also add tips about the PhD process and any information that I think of that may be useful to those pursuing a PhD. I hope you enjoy this blog, as well. And I hope that some of you decide to.... pursue a PhD.

PhD in Hand! Now What?

I have dreamed of owning a PhD from as early as I can remember. At the age of 26, all of that hard work finally paid off and I earned my degree. My graduation from The Ohio State University, was very special to me and I have never felt so proud. So many people that I didn't even know reached out to me to show their love and appreciation. I must admit it was overwhelming. Now that graduation is over and I am now carrying those three letters behind my name, what does it mean? What will I do with it? Will I allow it to mean anything? Well... We Shall See. I invite you to follow me on my journey of exploring this my new life with a PhD.