Losing it and Finding It

What have a lost and found.....my voice!

Being part of a small local community was a blessing to me and my family, but unfortunately I found out how hurtful and difficult that same community would be, if I was completely honest about myself within that community.

My family started finally attending a local church and within a few months my husband and our daughter was saved and baptized. Then a few months later the church split. Wow, talk about major changes all in less than two years.

Within the course of a little over six years in the new church we had watched issue after issue come about among members and leaders. Everyone had their own stories, but so many, including myself didn’t feel comfortable enough to tell all and be transparent within the congregation.

Oh I wanted to tell all, I wanted people to understand why emotions were all over the place, why I had a hard time being comfortable and trusting people. I would make the decision that I was going to tell a friend what I was withholding, but every time I came to the most pivotal moment, or would ask for accountability partners, nobody wanted to listen or take on the obligation. So I just decided I didn’t want to hurt anyone else by being too honest, or by being too much trouble for anyone, therefore, I would just stay to myself. Speak when I saw the people and be nice, but just not expect anything from anyone. Then when the truth finally all came out, it hurt several people and we were basically ask to leave the church a few years ago. To this point, we have heard from a total of six families within the community and some of that was at the passing of my mother.

As a member of the launch team for Jo Ann Fore’s book “When a Woman Finds Her Voice, Overcoming Your Life Hurts and Using Your Voice to Make a Difference.” God placed in my life the following quote "When we stifle the need for connection, we sacrifice a healing intimacy and companionship, forfeiting the opportunity to unfold that which cannot be discovered in solitude."

I completely agree with the quote, I could never imagine going through any part of life without someone to talk to, someone that can understand what it is like to be a woman, wife, mother, business owner, servant, sibling, caregiver and the many other hats we wear. We do not need a large community to help us find our voice and heal from all of our wounds. We just need to know God will bless us with the community He knows we need and wants us to have.

"There is nothing that replaces the open-hearted power of a live, intimate conversation with a trusted friend." – Jo Ann Fore, “When a Woman Finds Her Voice, Overcoming Your Life Hurts and Using Your Voice to Make a Difference."

Many of us have signed the Pledge agreeing to finding our voices and using it to help others. Please click on the link and come join us. Link to Pledge: http://joannfore.com/take-the-pledge/

To purchase an advanced copy of Jo Ann’s book, click the link below. Then on release date it will be shipped right out to you:
Link to book: http://www.amazon.com/When-Woman-Finds-Her-Voice/dp/0891123873

You can read more over at Jo Ann's blog, Find Your Voice Make a Difference, just click the picture!
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.joannfore.com" title="Jo Ann Fore"><img src="http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a556/redemptiondiary/FindYourVoiceLinkup2_zpsc204a424.jpg" alt="Jo Ann Fore" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Finances, Teaching Your Child a Basic Necessity

Finances a Basic Necessity

 

There were many things we wanted to make sure our daughter, Kierstyn, was taught throughout her life, but three things my husband and I knew we wanted to make sure our daughter knew, as a young adult, before leaving home. None of them have been easy to teach but I found letting go and putting her in a “sink or swim” pattern has brought the best results. The three were, time management, basic household maintenance and finance management.  All are very important lessons to learn but the one that our daughter has resisted the most was the financial management.

When I left the apartment management business and went into financial planning/stock brokerage I learned so much, the first and most important question I had was “Why didn’t anyone teach my husband and I about finances and investing as we were growing up?” Instead we learn about it after we are neck deep in debt, have a child, a house we were outgrowing and NO idea about investing. Now they teach the very basics in school but still not what students need to go out into the world and be successful.

Tony and I came from families where inheritance in not an option. Tony and I have paid for funeral/burial for some of our family members and we help support children because the family members either do not have the means or refuse too. One way my parents did one better for me was teaching me about life insurance and always having your affairs in order. Because of that Tony and I made sure at age 18 we purchased our insurance and put a Will and Living Will in place. Then when I was pregnant we put everything in line for Kierstyn to have insurance and made sure our affairs were in order. This was crucial because Kierstyn’s heart condition has made her uninsurable for life insurance. Now at least she has some insurance if she has a family.

 
I had my first checking account when I was 16, so as soon as Kierstyn was old enough to open an account, she and I visited the bank and established her accounts. I was still one of the biggest control freaks ever at that time so needless to say Kierstyn, who hated math, would constantly resist all the pushing I did. In return I kept pushing her to learn about keeping a checkbook, budgeting, credit cards, compound interest and investments. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant time here at the Taylor home whenever a discussion needed to take place about finances. I kept letting go of some things a little at a time but was still controlling in ways of not giving her credit card advertisements when they came in and I was trying to keep track of her bank accounts. Finally I decided I needed to give in and just see how she handled things. I am happy to report, at this time, she is handling things well and has for the past year. She refuses to look at any advertisements, realizing her debit card works perfect for her. If she uses one of our cards that we have given her she always asks first, tells us what it was for and she pays us back or offers too. She is teaching dancing while going to college and has had no issues with her bank account that I am aware of. She does still live here at home but has actually ask if we would help her get her cell phone moved over to her name because she wants to take on more financial matters…She still hasn’t went in to talk to my former business partner about starting an investment account but I think that will come in time. Since I had to leave the business because of my health nose diving and my mother passing away things have been quite hectic but I continue to see positive steps forward, and since that is all God wants from us, how can we ask for any more from our child