30 Years of Falling

Although it wasn’t funny to me, my children still laugh about the time I fell while out running years ago. They don’t laugh at the fact that I was hurt, but at the ridiculousness of how it happened. Still, for me, that fall was devastating—it triggered an avalanche in my life, a domino effect I never saw coming.

The fall brought physical pain. The pain stole my ability—and my desire—to walk. Not being able to run led to anxiety, worry, doubt, and fear. Those emotions paved a road toward hopelessness. And that road led straight to severe depression. I became stuck, incapable of caring for myself or my family—physically, emotionally, and especially financially.

That fall was the last thing I needed after struggling for years to regain balance from losing everything, including becoming homeless in 2009. Despite my best efforts, the weight of that hardship took a toll on me and my family, and it took a lengthy period of time to get back on track in every way. But today, as I reflect, I realize the true lesson isn’t about how often I’ve fallen—it’s about how I’ve climbed out of those pits of despair. My faith in God and love have always been my anchors, keeping me steady even in life’s harshest storms.

Earlier today, a young man asked me, “How did you recover after falling down?”

I told him that the moment I stopped focusing on my circumstances, the false burden of hopelessness lifted from my shoulders. And in that moment, I soared. I literally got up and started running. I ran to implement new business practices. I ran to volunteer at church. I ran to open my home to vulnerable persons. I ran to create spaces where women felt safe to come in and talk. And I didn’t know it then, but I was discipling women—offering them a space where they felt safe enough to open up and give parts of themselves.

If you ever find yourself lost in the weight of your circumstances, remember this: You are not defined by the fall. You are shaped by how you rise. Let these words guide you back to your strength, your wings, and your hope:

 

"Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead focus on what to do next. Spend your energy moving forward together towards an answer" (Denis Waitley)

"Sometimes you don't realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness" (Susan Gale) 

"Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you" (Unknown) 

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose" (Lyndon B. Johnson) 

"Sometimes the hardest part isn't letting go but rather learning to start over" (Nicole Sobon) 

"The strongest of all warriors are these two - Time and Patience" (Leo Tolstoy) 

 "Achievement is conquering even the coldest of nights by creating heat with constant movement" (Stacie J. Whitaker-Harris)

May the falls in your life become springs ever blossoming!

Originally written December 21, 2014
Revised March 30, 2025