Published by

Annette

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” — Proverbs 23:12

Colorado is a breathtaking state, and every day God grants me, I wake up in awe of its beauty. However, there is a lingering sorrow when I realize how much of my life was stolen by my past. For a long time, I didn’t have the mental or emotional ‘room’ to enjoy the adventures a place like this has to offer. Now that I’m older and understand how trauma robs a person of their development, I finally understand why I failed my Critical Thinking class all those years ago.

Unbeknownst to me then, I was so emotionally damaged that I couldn’t see I was my own hurdle. I remember feeling that because the class didn’t immediately ‘wake me up’ or fix my life, it was useless. I wasn’t ready to hear what the professor was saying. There is a famous quote: ‘The teacher will appear when the student is ready to learn.’ I read that in a textbook back then, but I didn’t truly grasp it until years later.

At that time, I was so broken that the only thing that made me feel human was being mistreated—a condition I grew to both love and hate because it was all I knew. When I began my journey as a family historian, I thought I was finding a ‘safe’ hobby. I was fascinated by adding names to my tree because I believed the dead couldn’t hurt me. But how can we think critically about our ancestors’ lives when we haven’t yet processed the impact of our own? I had no clue that my life experiences were still hinging on how well or poorly they had lived theirs. I was looking for safety in the past, only to realize that history—both personal and familial—requires a healthy mind to truly understand it. Let’s pray!

The Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the beauty of Colorado and the beauty of a renewed mind. I ask for Your grace over the years I spent in the dark, unable to learn because I was simply trying to survive. Thank You for being the Ultimate Teacher who waited until I was ready to truly see. As I look into my family’s past, give me the ‘Critical Thinking’ skills to see the truth without being crushed by it. Amen.

Hello,

I’m Annette

Welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.

This is a space for the ‘unspoken’ stories. As a Black woman who has journeyed through childhood trauma and family alienation to find healing in God’s grace, I know what it’s like to feel lost in the shadows.

But I also know the light on the other side. Today, my life is a testimony of prayer, the joy of a second chance in marriage, and the strength of a heart reclaimed by faith. Whether you are healing from the past, navigating a diverse family, or deepening your walk with God—you are not alone. Let’s walk this path together.