One year ago today I made one of the biggest decisions of my life, to choose joy. I remember discussing it afterwards in therapy. We discussed the number 8 and how that number means new beginnings and that the day was International Women’s Day.

Today is International Women’s Day and I’m feeling so honored to be a woman empowered to say no to those things that no longer serve me and to choose joy over being comfortable. God didn’t call us to blend in but to stand out. You have to have faith to step out of the boxes that have confined you, without faith it is impossible to please God.

It’s been an amazing journey of hurt, depression, not knowing what’s next and if I could do it all over on March 8, 2019 I’d still choose joy. This above all to thine ownself be true.

(Excerpt From Diligently, “I Choose Joy”)

On March 8th, I woke up and prepared for my day. As with every payday, I checked my checking account. However, on this day, I didn’t get paid by my employer. I decided that in that moment I wasn’t going to get upset. God had been good to me thus far and there was no reason to think that He didn’t have that under control either. Weeks prior, my parents purchased new furniture and I asked if I could have my grandmother’s recliner. My grandmother had passed several years ago, and I couldn’t let them get rid of her chair.

When the chair arrived at our home, we had no idea where we would put it. Alex’s idea was to place it next to our ottoman that sat in the middle of the room. I told him that it didn’t make sense, although to this day that is where I sit to watch Sports Center in the morning with my Greek yogurt or steel-cut oatmeal. I was sitting in that chair upon realizing that I had no pay and a therapy appointment in an hour.

God spoke to me as I sat there.“If you had to go back to where you were reassigned in order to get paid today, would you go?”

My immediate response was, “No; I choose joy!”