Todays has been overwhelming. I received a call from the school letting me know that my son has been suspended from the bus again, making this the fourth incident. They showed grace by choosing not to remove him from the bus for the remainder of the school year. Instead, they decided on a 15-day suspension, considering my current circumstances with limited transportation and financial challenges getting him back and forth. The school has already put several plans of action in place, and I have truly been trying, praying, but it just feels like nothing is working right now. Not sure what I am needing.

Let’s get practical. Because a lot of people hear “renew your mind” But nobody really explains HOW. So what happens? You wake up… And the SAME thoughts come back. The same frustration. The same triggers. The same mindset. And now you’re trying to parent… from a mind that was never reset. So let’s break this down simple. 🔥 1. Catch the thought You cannot change what you don’t notice. When your child does something and your mind says: “I’m overwhelmed” “I can’t do this” “they’re too much” STOP. Catch it. 🔥 2. Check the thought Ask yourself: “Is this helping me lead right now?”Because just because you FEEL it…doesn’t mean you should FOLLOW it. 🔥 3. Replace the thought You don’t just remove it… you replace it. Instead of “I can’t do this” You say “God gave me this child, so I CAN do this.” Instead of “They’re too much” You say “I just need a better system.” Instead of “I’m overwhelmed” You say “I need a reset, not a breakdown.” 🔥 4. Move differently Because real change is not just thinking…it’s ACTION. You don’t just say “I’m going to be patient.” You lower your tone You shorten your words If you don’t control your thoughts…your thoughts will control your home. Because how you THINK…is how you respond. And how you respond… is how your home is built. So no… this isn’t about being perfect.This is about being intentional with your thoughts, your words and your actions Because your children don’t just need correction… they need a parent who is mentally disciplined. Let’s talk: What is ONE thought you struggle with daily as a parent?

Some of you are not just tired…you’re bound. Bound to your past. Bound to what happened to you. Bound to old pain, old labels, old versions of yourself. And you’re still showing up every day…parenting…working…functioning… But internally?.......... you’re still in it. This reminds me of Book of John 11… When Lazarus was in the tomb. Dead.Wrapped.Buried. And Jesus stood there and said “Lazarus, come forth.” Lazarus was already alive when he came out…...but he was still wrapped. And that’s where a lot of parents are. You’re alive. You love God. You’re showing up. But you’re still wrapped in trauma wrapped in guilt wrapped in shame wrapped in what happened to you So even though you’re out… you’re not FREE..... And then Jesus said something amazing He said “Loose him, and let him go.” That means: The coming out was one step…But the UNWRAPPING was another. So Kingdom Parents..........What are you still wrapped in? Because you can’t fully show up for your children… while you’re still bound to your past. This week isn’t just about mental health…it’s about FREEDOM. And I’m calling you out of it. Not gently. Not when you “feel ready.” NOW. Come out of the guilt. Come out of the shame. Come out of the identity that says “this is just who I am.” Because you’re not who you were. And your children don’t need a perfect parent… they need a FREE one. If you’re ready to come out of it… Comment: “I’m coming out.”

Let me say this first…This is not for you to feel bad for me.....I don’t feel bad for myself. This is for you to be encouraged. Because the truth is… Life did not hand me the easiest start. I remember having a mother who was sick… Me and my sister just going from house to house. I remember being touched inappropriately. I remember losing my mom at 8 years old. I remember being placed in situations that no child should ever have to navigate. By 13… I was in a sexual relationship with a family member that lasted for years. I’ve had an abortion. I know what it feels like to be on the street trying to make money just to feed my child. I know what it feels like to have a father for your child that doesn’t want to be there. I know what it feels like to think you finally figured love out… only to realize you married a narcissist. I know pain!!!Not the surface kind. The kind that sits in your chest. The kind that rewires how you think. The kind that follows you into adulthood. So when I talk about mental health… I’m not talking from a book. I’m talking from experience. But here’s the part that matters.I had a choice. Not just as a parent… But as a person. I could stay in the place life tried to leave me in… Or I could rise.And that’s the part people don’t always talk about. Yes, feel it!!! Yes, acknowledge it!!! But do NOT stay there. Because you are not just what happened to you. The Word says in 1 John 4:4: “Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.” In Romans 8:37: “We are more than conquerors…” In Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…” In 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation…” In Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” So yeah… I went through it. I had to get it out the mud. And if you don’t know what that means… it means starting from nothing, figuring life out the hard way, surviving things that should’ve broken you, and STILL finding a way to stand And here’s what I learned:

Father God, I’m tired. Not just physically…But mentally and emotionally. Today took more out of me than I expected. The constant questions…the correcting…the noise…the pressure to keep showing up… It’s a lot. But before I carry this into tomorrow…I give it to You.Renew me, Lord. Restore my patience.Restore my mind.Restore my strength. Because I don’t want to pour into my children from an empty place. Help me release the moments I didn’t get right today. The times I was short. The times I felt overwhelmed. The times I wanted to check out. Remind me that I don’t have to be perfect… I just have to stay willing.....Give me rest tonight that actually restores me. Not just sleep…but peace. And prepare me for tomorrow. So I can show up again…with clarity, patience, and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this prayer is for you tonight, comment: Lord, restore me.