Transparency In Difficult Seasons

After release from ICU, son visited and prayed with Nacole

Real talk family. It feels like a long time since we last wrote. Truth be told, it has been entirely too long. I thought I would break my silence and share a story that’s still being written on my heart. I won’t recap the time the room went dark allowing me to see the man I considered a close friend and confidant as a man I could love and trust with my heart. We began what I later wrote as our blended family. I’ve been thinking a lot about our marriage and family lately, especially since June. In fact, our conversation this morning was affirming how difficult times do not define us, our marriage, our happiness, or our family. Our love is stronger than that. This is why I sat in my office chair this morning poised to share my ugly truth with this one note to encourage others, our love story continues.

Many people welcome a new year with great anticipation and excitement. For me, for 2026, I expected a difficult season. I began the year bracing myself for the challenges disturbing my peace. Issues were widespread throughout key areas of living. Health, finances, business, and relationship issues began affecting my day-to-day. This resulted in uncontrolled anxiety.

Allow me to dispel one of the enemy’s most believed lies. Living our truth authentically, even transparently, does not give a negative situation power or minimize our faith walk. I long believed anything short of perfect was failure and that struggle was weakness and anxiety showed a lack of faith. But God used my child, my oldest daughter, to show me how God is glorified in everything when we trust Him.

Nacole had brain surgery. If you know me, you know that I have debilitating chronic migraines. And while my migraines have significantly impacted my quality of life, they don’t hold a candle to the havoc a brain tumor can cause in one’s life. Truth be told, Nacole handled the news concerning her tumor better than me. In fact, she managed every aspect of its existence considerably better than me. There have been many times I asked God why something was happening to me. I even had the nerve to ask “why me, Lord?” concerning Nacole’s tumor.

I asked God “why?” after a tear-filled conversation during which Nacole shared that she was scared. But as I watched my child courageously make plans for her young children, my beautiful grandchildren, prepare meals, work, and try to manage every task and last detail up to the midnight hour before her hospitalization (as was Nacole’s normal routine to manage her demanding career, school-age children, homework, extra-curricular activities, and her role as a wife). She even made time to organize a friend group to make it easier for me to update everyone on her progress and recovery. The group was one of the ways God used to teach me the lesson I learned and decided to share with you today.

Those who knew of Nacole’s situation was also privy to seeing God at work. It was here that the Holy Spirit gently taught me that God’s love, faithfulness, goodness, and grace is made known through our valley experiences as well as our mountaintop victories. Without effort or pretense, Nacole consistently witnessed to me. Not because she hid her vulnerability, but because she openly shared what she was facing with others.

My prayer is that we all understand that God is glorified through His presence and strength in the midst of our troubles and seasons of difficulty - not the absence or denial of them.

Now join me in this praise break. I thank God for the successful removal of Nacole’s tumor, her healing, her circle of family and friends to support her, for her own personal, relationship with God, and her continuing walk with Him. Hallelujah! To God be the glory.