Living Bright

I believe our past doesn't determine how bright we can shine.

I am definitely an example of someone who ended up in a position I never thought I would be in...I was a Christian woman who divorced after 22 years of marriage. My destructive marriage to a “Christian” man led me to a couple psych ward visits, almost dying even though I was not physically abused, and a divorce. I couldn’t understand why God would let this happen. I really felt I had followed God's will. I would have defined myself as a Christian "Kind Girl", someone easy going, teachable, loving, and giving. Yet somehow, my greatest strengths had become my greatest weakness and used against me. In many ways, I feel the Christian atmosphere had given me wrong messages about “loving others more than yourself” and “submission” that were not Biblically accurate and left me a doormat for others to walk on.

I was 50% of the relationship and therefore 50% of the problem. My greatest contribution to my divorce was allowing bad behavior at my own emotional and psychological wellbeing. While I believe many relationships can be recreated to become healthy for both partners, mine was not one of them. I've used the last seven years to be very intentional about doing the hard work of rewiring my brain, recovering, and learning to thrive. Part of that process was working to improve my Functional Codependency tendencies. Functional Codependency has to do with being more interested in the thoughts, feelings, and wellbeing of others at my own expense.

I have become a successful REALTOR®, Life Coach, and started a nonprofit, Hope Harbor Transitional Living. Hope Harbor Transitional Living is a rent supplementation and counseling supplementation organization that supports woman (and men) leaving domestically destructive situations.