A year long journey. One year ago today, I celebrated the birth of my 6^th child. Not a natural baby this time, but a spiritual birth…Inspired Life. And what an adventure it’s been.

This blog had been in gestation over 3 years. During that time, I read, researched, had lunch dates with experts, all in an effort to create a meaningful, engaging place where hearts could be inspired to live fully mind, body and spirit.

After having delivered 5 babies (4 of them with no pain relievers), this by far was the longest, hardest labor of all. The Braxton Hicks carried on for months. Then the active labor seemed to last for days. The weeks and days before the launch saw me up until 3:00am tinkering around with all the behind the scenes minute details. I am SO NOT a tech person. In fact, anything techie is my kryptonite. I think of myself as a strong person, capable of achieving many feats, but put a tech issue in front of me and I crumble. Looking back, I really don’t know how I made it through those tech issues. Actually I do know how I made it: prayer, 2 blogger friends replying to my endless questions via texts (thanks Nisha and Delise) and God’s faithfulness.

In hindsight, I see that I let the gestation go well beyond the due date. In my mind, I was waiting for God. I was waiting for His timetable, His go ahead. I was waiting for His gentle nudge to say, “NOW’s the time”. But He never quite said it that way. And why? Because He’d already given me the GO signal. He had long before given me the permission and made the provision for the blog to come forth. I was talking with a girlfriend who asked me when the blog was going to be ready and I told her I was waiting on the Lord. He spoke up loud and clear. He told me, “Don’t lie on me. You’re not waiting for me. I’m waiting for you.” OUCH! Indeed He was waiting for me.

Fear, insecurity and perfectionism kept the blog living over here in binders, journals and in my mind far too long. But God! He redeems the time. 40 days before I launched the blog, I went on a fast. For more information on The 40-Day Surrender Fast, visit Dr. Celeste Owens Ministries. While on the fast God revealed the root of many of my fears and insecurities. Then an accountability partner pinned me down to a date for the launch and the rest is history. Today we celebrate my 1^st Year Blogiversary!

And an interesting year it’s been. I feel like its been one of the most challenging years I’ve had in a long time. Yet I also know that spiritually I’ve grown leaps and bounds. God has opened my eyes and ears to experience more of life in the spirit realm. He has illuminated His truth on some negative core beliefs I adopted as a child. And He has confirmed that as a disciple I am to live His Will, His Way not His Will My Way.

In addition to what I had to release before launching the blog, I also had to accept a new reality. I had intended to use the blog to disseminate information. I am an information girl. I like facts, figures, numbers, data, evidence and the like. I thought I’d write on topics like, What Stress Does to the Body, The Benefits of….., How to…..

But again, the Lord swept in and changed that direction. He said, “Tyra information is fine. But people don’t have an information problem. In fact, there is an overabundance of information.” He went on to ask, “Tyra, how do they overcome?”

To which I answered, “They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the testimony”. He said, “That’s right. You WILL have to share your testimony”.

Wait! Do what?! Tell people my personal business? Let my guard down? Be vulnerable? Um, no thank you. I don’t let people see me sweat. I have a brand to protect. I have an image to uphold. I don’t let people into that space.

Oh the Lord is so patient with us. He gently reminded me, “Pride comes before the fall and I resist the proud”.

Needless to say, in the sacred space, I’ve had to unmask. I’ve had to share my frustrations, insecurities and weaknesses. I’ve had to share how I’ve stumbled as a wife and mother. How I’ve had lack of faith and anger with God. I had to share how this health coach has battled with food. I’ve bared my soul. Out of obedience to Christ, I write exactly what He tells me to write and I only check for grammar and spelling. Once an idea hits the page I leave it because it is the Holy Spirit forming the words that flow from my fingertips. And no matter that I cringe just a little every time I hit the publish button, I just know that I’m doing what I’ve been called to do.

He has called me to inspire the hearts of women to live fully mind, body and spirit. He has given me the blueprint and with His blueprint we’ve built a space where YOU are inspired to live fully in your spirit by delightfully obeying Him, in your mind by embracing the now moment and in your body by honoring the temple through proper nourishment, rest and exercise.

So I thank you sweet friends for riding with me on this journey. I thank you for trusting me and opening to heart and mind to receive the words that flow from this space. I thank you for your comments, prayers, for visiting and for telling others about the site. I look forward to what God will continue to do in and through Inspired Life. I am praying for you. I pray each encounter you have with Inspired Life leaves a deposit and that the deposit will multiply bountifully.

Here’s to the 1^st year.

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with others sharing the Good News #WordsWithWinter #LifeGivingLinkup