Unleash Your Power to Inspire
In August 2007 as new Army wife, I moved from Texas to Colorado. I left behind my family, friends, work, and church family to be with my husband. He knew the importance of friendship in my life, and he made the hour drive every Sunday to the town where my best friend lived and worshiped, so I wouldn’t be alone (we knew a deployment would be imminent in the near future). That first Sunday, we met many people that helped us through that first year and a half. Two couples invited us out to lunch, one of whom was Steve and Cindy Hurt.
Today, like every third Thursday, I link up with Hearts at Home. This month, Jill encourages us to Unleash our Power to Inspire. Cindy Hurt has been an inspiration and example of a Christian homemaker since that first outing. She offered resources for working from home. She became a wealth of information and experience when Dietrich’s allergies were diagnosed, having gone through food issues with her youngest child. She provided encouragement and insight when we started homeschooling. Until 18 months ago, Cindy was a stay at home mom and full-time keeper at home. Suddenly, her husband Steve became unexplainably ill. After many months of tests and ruling out one thing after another, they finally received a diagnosis: Lyme Disease. However, this diagnosis came after most of their emergency savings and retirement accounts had been drained. Cindy is Steve’s full-time caregiver. They have three daughters. One married and a brand new college graduate. One is an artist. The youngest will be a high school senior in the fall. Cindy has returned to work full time. She is able to work from home and found a job that offers the flexibility necessary to take care of her family first. She has a positive attitude about all of it, saying it’s about keeping balance and priorities.
In talking to Cindy, I continue to learn and be inspired. She says, “We all choose to do what we do… we may feel like it’s out of our control, but really it isn’t.” Some things in this life truly are out of our control, like the onset of an illness and the appeals process with long-term disability. In so many other areas, as Cindy said, we choose the outcome based on our priorities. In school, if we choose to spend more time hanging out with friends and less time on our final paper, our grade may be lower than if we had first spent the necessary time and research on the paper then celebrated with friends. In the workplace, if we choose to come in late and leave early, we may see a smaller paycheck and reprimand, if not a loss of employment.
Even though she is going through this big difficult thing, Cindy took the time to encourage me and offer me additional resources when I talked to her about my goals for working from home part time after our move. She cheered me on in my writing goals saying, “My motto is that it all adds up over time, Just keep building your portfolio and someday it will land you that opportunity.” In my attempts to offer encouragement, I come away encouraged. She’s going through this Really Big Thing that makes our big thing seem so very small.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:11-18).
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As you can see from the button (and I can probably find the link to the blog his wife has been keeping for their medical journey) they still need much support – if you, or anyone you know can contribute even a small amount, they would be ever so grateful. They really are amazing people!
Thank you for sharing your heart with us at Good Morning Mondays. You have such a heart for others and that is such a blessing. Have a great weekend and thanks again.xxx
Glad you stopped by!
Love this post, such open, honest, transparent concern for others, and sincere desire to encourage and inspire others… thought this blog post might encourage you also… http://bethwillismiller.blogspot.com/2014/08/feeling-stuck-just-imagine.html
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I do relate to your "just imagine" post. I hope you'll stop by again. I added you on google+, feel free to do the same.