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	<title>WIRL Project &#187; Faith</title>
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	<description>What It&#039;s Really Like.</description>
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		<title>I: Innocence &#8211; What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/i-innocence-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/i-innocence-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2015 07:30:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brody]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ABCs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Boys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clarity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eyes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eyes of a Newborn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fatherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Innocence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Optimism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seasons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=8429</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post is part of a series titled, “A-B-Cs – What It’s Really Like”. Each week a new letter and its word will be revealed. Each word’s explanation will illustrate significant personal meaning, application and ultimately demonstrate, What It’s Really Like…  This week I was blessed to witness the birth of my second son. Beyond the pregnancy preparation and build up to delivery there is a substantial amount of clarity that I have cherished experiencing when looking into the eyes of a newborn.  Thoughts on Innocence: Superman underwear and blanket capes Neighborhood backyard baseball, football games Summer bike rides for transportation before driver’s licenses Childhood heroes Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy Snipe hunts in your Uncle’s bushes Holding hands and sneaking your first kiss at recess The voice of a father reading “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve The uncontrollable giggle child being tickled The expensive toy and the priceless box When it’s homemade Monsters in your closet, lava around your bed Blanket forts A child and his first pet Wearing Daddy and Mommy’s shoes Hug and a kiss to make it all better “Do you like me?  Yes, No, Maybe – Circle One” The seasons of innocence: The stillness of morning before the sunrise The calming of daytime winds at sunset The untouched ground after new fallen snow The birds’ song of an awakening spring The peepers/crickets’ song during the spring The soft, steady summer thunderstorm rain The crisp, fall breeze through a wind chime 12:00:01 on New Years’ Day HOPE OPTIMISM FAITH DREAMS Rather than live in fear of all that can harm my children in the large world of the unknown I am eagerly anticipating all my boys have to look forward to. Today I am walking straighter, speaking clearer and seeing farther. Today I am a father (again). &#160;]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>F: Faith &#8211; What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/f-faith-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/f-faith-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brody]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ABCs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Belief]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cancer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Differences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith is Funny]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inward]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Outward]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prayer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Siblings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7895</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post is part of a series titled, “A-B-Cs – What It’s Really Like”. Each week a new letter and its word will be revealed. Each word’s explanation will illustrate significant personal meaning, application and ultimately demonstrate, What It’s Really Like…  Faith is funny. It is presumed that all of us believe in something bigger than ourselves. Peace, love, religion, science, etc. Harmony for all humans, love will prevail/conquer all, trust in the power of the supernatural or higher being, or simply having faith that the sun will come up tomorrow. Out of all the words that I have chosen for this project Faith may be the most difficult to “own”. Maybe it is because I am still learning how to take ownership of it. It has been nearly one month since my mother was diagnosed with Stage-4 Lymphatic cancer. Unofficially to date, this will be her third major encounter with the disease. I learned of the diagnosis late on a Friday night. She would immediately begin an intensive 6-month round of chemotherapy the following Tuesday. Our family’s world, just as in 2005, would be rocked again. In the fall of 2005 my parents would reveal to my brother and I that my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The announcement came only a short time before she would undergo a major surgical procedure to help combat her condition. Fortunately my brother and I were attending the same college just 35 miles from our home. We would be there to do whatever possible to ensure the health and healing for our mother during this time. Either out of frustration or fear both of us became angry with my parents after the initial numbness of the announcement subsided. Why did they wait so long to tell us? What good could have come out of holding this news close to the vest? Why were we not included in the updates while the testing process was playing out? We wanted to know why we were being protected like children and not treated as the adults we were. As the elder brother, I became the spokesperson to vent our grievances toward my parents for not disclosing this news beforehand and the virtual blindside of the situation. My father calmly explained that they wanted to be absolutely sure before letting us know (a wise order of operations that I would not understand until many years later with all of the tests and close calls we have endured over the last decade). At the time I felt the explanation was unacceptable and I made both of my parents to swear that they would never withhold any critical information from us again. I finished my proclamation by scolding my mother pleading, “Why wouldn’t you tell us? Don’t you think people may want to pray for you?” Faith is something that I keep very personal. I recall asking my mom when I was a teenager why we discontinued attending church. She said that our involvement in sports and other activities during the week (often on Sundays) made it difficult to stay on top of tasks around the house and attend church regularly. While she acknowledged that it was a poor excuse, our regular attendance would dwindle to part-time to eventually not at all. I also asked her if our absenteeism bothered her. She told me something that I will never forget. She said that even though it bothered her that we no longer attended church, it did not change her relationship with God. “Everyone is different.  Everyone has a different measure of faith.  As long as you have a chat with him (God) once in a while and know that he is always there, I think that is what matters most.” At closer look, much of my faith is deeply internalized likely due to this lesson from my mother. Many readers may have already clicked to another page because they assumed I would continue plugging religion, making for an uncomfortable read. I understand and I am no different. I get extremely uncomfortable when I see continuous expression from individuals on subjects of politics or religion. I believe you are entitled to your opinion, but prefer you keep most of it to yourself. I internalize most of my opinions on these subjects out of respect for others. So much so that it wasn’t until over the course of the past year that I have become comfortable praying in front of my wife. Faith is one element that I have never allowed to become outward and public. Fast forward to 2015 less than 24 hours after learning my mother’s diagnosis… During a break from yard work I began a rare, aimless flip through Facebook to discover that a well-connected colleague of my brother’s had announced my mother’s diagnosis and asked for prayers via a status update. While I appreciated the sentiment of the announcement, I quickly began to boil over in anger. I waited about a 30 minutes before shooting off a text message to my brother, hoping that he would acknowledge what I believed to be a mistake. My thoughts: To this point, I have not heard directly from my parents. My brother filled me in on the diagnosis the night before. Surely they had not notified the family yet. How awful would it be for a family member to learn of my mother’s condition via Facebook? I explained in the text to my brother that while I appreciated the gesture, I did not think the timing was appropriate. In the 15 minutes I waited for a response I convinced myself that my brother would apologize for the mistake and call my mother right away to set it straight. What I would receive in a reply was completely the opposite. For nearly an hour my brother and I went back and forth via text messages about our positions regarding this serious announcement. I claimed that it was a private issue that should be shared with the family and that mom could decide whether or not the information should be shared with the public. My brother countered with chastising me for not giving more credit toward those who were trying to call on faith and the power of prayer to help lift up my mother during this time. We stopped the exchange after we discovered that we were at a complete impasse. During our conversation I challenged my brother to reach out to our mom to guarantee that it was appropriate for this information to be made public without her approval. Once again, I was shocked find what followed. At just a few minutes before midnight, 24 hours after I learned of the diagnosis, an email hit my inbox just as I was getting into bed. It was from my mother to the rest of my immediate family. In the email she apologized for the relay of information and explained why she authorized it to be delivered this way. She cited a moment back in 2005 recalling when her young son Brody said, “Don&#8217;t you think people may want to pray for you?!” I nearly dropped my phone when I read the sentence. Up until that point I did not recall saying those words. The same action I had demanded in the past had been granted to me and I did not like the results. Almost instantaneously I realized that it was not my call and I was in the wrong. This was about her. She went on to parallel some of my brother’s statements from our text message fight: a prayer army is better than a prayer group. I have not publicly shared about my mother’s condition until now. My brother and others have shared her situation with others on social media asking for prayers of hope, strength and faith. After thousands of likes and hundreds of comments I am beginning to realize that this is something I can’t take on in my own small group. Faith is funny. It can be inward or outward. I prefer to be inward. Together it can be extremely powerful. You may ask &#8211; if you are so inward, why are you sharing all of this personal information? The answer is that I am still learning to own my faith beyond something bigger than myself. WORRY STOPS WHERE FAITH BEGINS. – GMa’s Journal &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>C: Courage &#8211; What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/c-courage-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/c-courage-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2015 07:30:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brody]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ABCs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Committment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conviction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Courage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fatherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Without Training Wheels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Practice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training Wheels]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7314</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post is part of a series titled, “A-B-Cs – What It’s Really Like”. Each week a new letter and its word will be revealed. Each word’s explanation will illustrate significant personal meaning, application and ultimately demonstrate, What It’s Really Like…  When is the last time you experienced something that was absolutely terrifying? If you survived it, chances are courage played a factor in overcoming the obstacle. Courage comes in all shapes, sizes and various forms. Some courage is engrained or inherited. Some courage needs to be coached. Some courage requires liquid libations. Regardless of appearance, courage is structured similarly at its core. I thought back to times in my life where courage has played a role in the outcome. Learning to ride a bike, to swim and to drive a car are all occasions where a great deal of courage was required to master certain foreign skills. Courage is linked to three other attributes. I believe each of these words have to occur in order for courage to ultimately be achieved. They also happen to each begin with the letter ‘C’: Confidence &#8211;&#62; Conviction &#8211;&#62; Commitment = Courage My father did not believe in training wheels. This was either because he thought we would learn to ride a bike quicker without them or simply because the matching bikes he bought my brother and I did not come with them. Confidence. He convinced us that all we needed was to trust him and believe that we could ride the bike. Conviction. Was I able to ride without falling my first time? No. In fact, I fell several more times before my father let go of the back of my seat. In order for me to ride without assistance I needed to practice. Commitment. I learned to ride a bike before my parents paved our driveway. The entire driveway was gravel limestone. The stakes were high for learning to ride correctly; otherwise it may result in a deeply skinned knee. My parents did not want me riding toward the road. We would start practice rides at the end of the driveway riding back toward the house. The last thing you are taught when learning to ride a bike is steering. Most of the focus is on balancing the bike while pedaling. As our driveway got closer to the garage the turnaround area, it immediately made a 90-degree turn to the left. The driveway itself sat up on a hill that was graded away from the foundation of the driveway and the house. If you continued to go straight after the driveway ended it would take you down a short grassy hill into the backyard. As I stated before the last thing you think about when learning to ride a bike is steering. Eventually, Dad let go in the driveway and I was pedaling straight down the gravel drive, down off of the grassy hill and into the back yard. The final thing you learn to do when riding a bike is braking.  While riding for the first time down a hill without knowledge or skill to steer or stop the bike I made a bee-line straight for the solid aluminum slide and swing set in the backyard. One of my first solo rides came to an end after crashing into the slide. My first ride was certainly not my last. In this case, getting back up on the bike and riding again is the metaphor we are all looking for. Courage. Courage does not grow as we get older. No matter your age, doubt can loom around every corner. The scariest moments that I can recall in my adult life have been marriage, moving away from home and fatherhood. The hardest parts of my marriage were before it even began &#8211; all of which required me to speak. Asking my wife’s parents for her hand in marriage, proposing and repeating vows from our pastor during the ceremony were most terrifying to me out of fear that I might misspeak and mess up. It took a lot of help from the “three C’s” to give me the courage to stand and deliver in those situations. I will never forget the first night we brought Little B home from the hospital. During our days in the hospital I was instilled with confidence and conviction that I was fully prepared to do whatever was needed to care for our newborn baby boy. These feelings were validated by my wife and nursing staff after I was able to accomplish required tasks in a relatively uneventful two and a half days after he was born. We would be sent home at the normal time. Little B easily acclimated to his new home during the daylight hours. Around the time Mommy and Daddy were ready to turn in for the night he began to cry…and wail…and scream. To this point, I had never heard or seen anything like the sounds or emotions that he was exhibiting. During the near 90-minutes that he cried in my arms I began praying and questioning aloud to my wife, God and whoever else might be listening that the people at the hospital did not know what they were doing and sent us home too early. As his crying continued, I remembered my confidence and conviction that I built taking care of him at the hospital. It didn’t matter to what level I was at in either trait – this child was now ours and I was committed to giving him whatever he needs. I used faith (something that will be written about in a later post) in my abilities to step up and meet the needs of the situation. Courage. I will end with a final thought from a journal of quotes that my late Grandmother kept. I refer to it often and its contents may frequent some of my regular posts. “Don’t be afraid to take a big step when one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What It&#8217;s Like to Lose 100 Pounds</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-like-to-lose-100-pounds/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-like-to-lose-100-pounds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2015 18:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Borgstede]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[100 Pounds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Accountability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lose Weight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Therapy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weight loss]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7271</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today I was at the post office. Handing my I.D. to the clerk, she examined it, looked at me, and looked at the photo again. &#8220;Wow, you look really different!&#8221; I get that response often so wasn&#8217;t too surprised. I&#8217;ve considered ordering a new driver&#8217;s license since I&#8217;m slightly worried I&#8217;ll get stopped at the airport for not being the actual Sara M. Borgstede. (I&#8217;m really me, I promise.) &#8220;Thanks! I&#8217;ve lost a lot of weight,&#8221; was my response. How did you DO it? The next question I hear is usually, &#8220;How did you do it?!&#8221; I have a variety of possible responses: Short answer #1: I&#8217;m still doing it. Short answer #2: Therapy, prayer, exercise, life-style change. Slightly long answer #1: Therapy, more therapy, sweat, tears, food and calorie obsession, slow progress and back sliding then progress, prayer and railing at God and more prayer and trust, triathlon, exercise I hated, exercise I loved, support from my husband, time alone with my thoughts, emails with a dear friend who &#8220;gets it.&#8221; Weight issues are so public yet so private. We wear our addiction for the whole world to see in the form of unwanted pounds. I see the longing in the eyes of people who ask me this question. I know the desire I felt when I asked that question myself when I was at my heaviest. What was the secret that would get me out of the prison of food and weight obsession in which I was trapped? My struggle with my weight was the heaviest of coats I wore no matter the weather, the burden I carried and from which I never got a vacation. On my blog, The Holy Mess, I share in the 100 lbs lost series the outside tools I used to lose weight &#8212; which diet plan, which exercise methods and which foods I ate. None of those really matter all that much, though. I had tried and used those methods at least 50 times before, when I lost the weight and then regained every pound. Nothing on the outside will fix what is broken on the inside. Changing my thinking, my core beliefs about who I am, and my deepest realizations about the way God loves and accepts me, are what turned my life around. I&#8217;ve done it and it&#8217;s absolutely possible you can do it too! &#160; The 5 Keys to My Weight Loss The main keys to my 100 pound weight loss: Therapy. Not just with any therapist, but with one who knew about eating issues. All the diets and programs in the world didn&#8217;t work for me until I got my head on straight. An Accountability Program. For me that was Weight Watchers. For you it might be something different, but I had to have something to keep me on the rails. I started Weight Watchers online program about 6 months after I was going to therapy regularly. Faith. I&#8217;ve been a Christian all my life, believing in Jesus as my Savior. Through this journey I needed to rely on God in new ways. I also had to have faith that losing weight and overcoming my eating issues was really possible. At times it was just a tiny speck of light, but I held on to it. Support. Binge eating tends to be a solitary activity. Losing weight needs to be done with support. I couldn&#8217;t do it alone. I am here for you! Other people in your life will be too when you reach out for it. Exercise &#8212; later. Eventually exercise became a huge component to my weight loss journey, but I didn&#8217;t start with it. &#160; Do you struggle with your weight and fitness? Leave a comment below and join in the discussion. &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>He Is Good</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/he-is-good/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/he-is-good/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2015 09:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Church]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eddings Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grieve]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[He Is Good]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sermon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tragedy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6666</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After the incredible response from our &#8220;Love, Loss and Forgiveness&#8221; WIRL yesterday, I thought it would be fitting to share the sermon given from Forest Hill Pastor, David Chadwick, on the day of the Eddings family tragedy. His words came straight from the heart and ring so true. When I attended the church service last Sunday, David reiterated many of the same powerful words and it was very powerful to me, so I thought I would share it with the WIRL Project audience as well. If this is not your cup of tea and you typically aren&#8217;t open to religious conversations or discussions, I get it; I am not usually one of those people either, but this time I would highly recommend you open your mind and heart and listen to (at least parts) of his sermon that I&#8217;ve provided below. There are some really great segments of the speech I would highly suggest listening to, so I&#8217;ve listed them below the video for you to skip to if you do not have time to listen to the whole 37 minute clip. I&#8217;m sure the Eddings family feel the support and prayers you are all sending up for them. Thank you for showing your support for this family on WIRL Project yesterday and today. xo *At the end of his sermon David lead a prayer for baby Reed, the 38 week newborn delivered via C-section on the day of the accident, who had not yet passed, so please understand why this is being talked about in this way. Unfortunately and very sadly, both boys were lost in this terrible accident. 1:15 &#8211; The Tragic Story 5:00 &#8211; Why? Why do bad things happen? 11:28 &#8211; Why? Why would a good God allow for 2 year old child to die in a hideous automobile accident? 13:00 &#8211; No parent should bury a child. 15:51 &#8211; No person living in the glory of Heaven would ever come back to the brokenness of this world. 17:30 &#8211; Grief is spelled L.O.S.S., the greater the loss the greater the grief &#8211; Grieve with hope. 20:00 &#8211; Our Response 21:40 &#8211; Be ready to meet your maker. 22:15 &#8211; Why? We all will meet our maker. 23:40 &#8211; Is this going to happen to me? Fight Fear. 24:15 &#8211; God is not the author of evil. I&#8217;d love to hear your thoughts on this sermon and if it was as powerful to you as it was to me. Share what you&#8217;re thinking in the comment box below.]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>PPD Forces Changes</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/ppd-forces-changes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/ppd-forces-changes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2015 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Becky Babo]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Antidepressants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Body]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emotional]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[postpartum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Postpartum Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PPD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5401</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; My beautiful baby girl just turned one in March, and motherhood has forced it&#8217;s fair share of changes on me, the least of which being my pants size. The elephant in the room is Postpartum Depression. I was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression (PPD) four weeks after I had my bundle of joy. I wanted to be happy, but I couldn&#8217;t stop crying. The bottom line is that postpartum depression has changed me. I&#8217;ve always been an emotional person, but generally I&#8217;ve been able to see the good in situations, not just the bad. Now, I feel like I&#8217;m not the person I was before I became a mom. I&#8217;m not the perky, bubbly person who was so sure of herself anymore. I&#8217;ve become someone else that I don&#8217;t quite recognize. I&#8217;m trying to beat this &#8211; trying to overcome what I&#8217;m feeling and what my body has decided to do. My doctor has me on antidepressants, my third different brand, and the fact of the matter is, I&#8217;m scared. What if I always feel like this? What if they don&#8217;t help? What if being on them is going to make me a bad mom? Research tells me that PPD is a chemical imbalance, and that it&#8217;s a lot more common then most women know. Why? What makes it so hard for women to talk about? Maybe it&#8217;s the constant feeling that you&#8217;re just not good enough. Or the sadness that comes around when you really should be happy. This is not an easy road for me to walk. This is not what I expected. And yet, I know that this is not my fault. I don&#8217;t understand why &#8211; but this is happening to me for a reason, and God is truly in control. If He put this in my path, then I have to walk around it. I have to overcome this obstacle. And if it brings me closer to Him, and turns me into a more sympathetic and better mother, then it&#8217;s worth it. Until then, I will keep trying. For her.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.wirlproject.com/ppd-forces-changes/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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		<item>
		<title>Remembering a Sweet Little Boy: Andrew Hunter Murray</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/remembering-a-sweet-little-boy-andrew-hunter-murray/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/remembering-a-sweet-little-boy-andrew-hunter-murray/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2015 09:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kassidy Everard]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Andrew Hunter Murray]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Go Fund Me]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Please Help]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Red for Andrew]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5359</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; I had the privilege of knowing Andrew Hunter Murray. He was a very special young boy and although being confined to a wheelchair and requiring constant supervision, Andrew was always a very happy child.  His eyes would light up a room, and his smile was infectious.  You could be in the worst mood, spend no more than 1 minute Andrew, and be laughing right along with him. Unfortunately, at 6 years old, Andrew, son of Madeleine and Ryan Murray,  suddenly passed away on April 6, 2015. Although doctors said he wouldn&#8217;t make it past one, he was able to prove them wrong and live a very happy and loving life. Ryan and Madeleine were blessed with a beautiful child and were the best parents to him that anyone could ever be. They both need help with the funeral expenses and for this little angel&#8217;s headstone. If you have children, or if you&#8217;ve ever loved one, you know how hard this must be for them. If you can, please help this family and donate to their GoFundMe page (below). They need all the help and prayers they can get. WIRL Project is a very supportive and empowering place, I hope you can find room in your heart, and your wallet, to help. I knew this boy and loved him dearly and want to help in any way I can. Remember, giving is not always a demand, but more often it is a decision your heart makes. Thank You.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What to Wear</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-to-wear/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-to-wear/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2015 18:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Solena Helm]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Style/Beauty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Armor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Body]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ladies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Soul]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What to Wear]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5266</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Ladies, We are always trying to figure out what to wear. We may dress our flesh, but often leave our spirit man naked. We are going to get scars, wounds, but how much better will it be WHEN those flaming darts come our way, that they would be deflected by our shield of faith. So how should we dress? How should we fight these daily battles we face? &#8220;A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies&#8230; of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.&#8221; (Ephesians 6:10-18 NLT) ‬]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>This is me</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/this-is-me-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/this-is-me-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2015 14:00:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ashley]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[be you]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the circle of life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the lion king]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust in God]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uncertainty]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3825</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is me. This is who I am. I am honest, sometimes to a fault. I am a realist, and I try very very hard (on a daily basis) to understand that there are just some things that I cannot control. From a very early age, I learned that life isn&#8217;t fair, you don&#8217;t always get what you want, and that people die too soon. Unfortunately, tragedies came to my family all too often and it was difficult for me to not notice what was going on around me.  At an age where I was too young to remember OR understand the exact feeling or emotion that people around me were experiencing, my 17 year old, junior fireman uncle was killed in a fire lit by a confessed arsonist. From what I understand, he was not even supposed to be there. Shortly after, my grandfather (his father) suffered several heart attacks and ended up passing away not long after, partly due I&#8217;m sure, to a broken heart.  When I was in middle school, my maternal grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and passed away within a year or two. I remember during my freshmen year of high school, my dad lost his job. I wanted so badly to go to a big dance for my class, and my parents just sitting me down and explaining to me (God Bless them), that we didn&#8217;t have the money to be spending on a new dress, or getting my hair done, or new shoes and tickets. I was lucky enough to have some friends in school who let me borrow a dress and shoes, did my hair, AND bought my ticket to the dance. At that point in my life, at a pretty young age, I had to make myself understand that things aren&#8217;t always going to go my way, that some circumstances are out of my control, and I just had to roll with the punches.  A few years later, my mom and my aunt (her sister) were both diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  I remember thinking firstly, &#8216;what is Multiple Sclerosis???&#8217;, and secondly, &#8216;why can&#8217;t we catch a break?!&#8217; Most kids my age were worried about going to the football game or party that weekend, and my Friday nights quickly ended up consisting of administering my moms injections for her MS.  I was okay with this, because I knew that if there was anything I could do to help, that&#8217;s what I should be doing. Going into my senior year of high school, I thought to myself&#8230;&#8217;this year is going to be calm and successful for me!!&#8217; I just thought, we had endured enough!!  Two months in, my brother and I were up in the morning getting ready for school and the house phone rang.  It was my cousin Garek, telling us that his brother Brandon was in a car accident and he was being life flighted to a hospital in Pittsburgh.  My mom gave us the option to stay home, and I very specifically remember thinking to myself, &#8216;Brandon is always getting hurt, he will be fine!&#8217; (Brandon liked to ride fast things, and then jump from really high places off of those fast things!) So we went to school and got a call only a few short hours later that he had passed away and we were getting picked up to go home.  Brandon was only 20 years old, and a HUGE inspiration to everyone that knew him! He followed the motto, &#8216;drive it like you stole it&#8217; and lived every minute to its fullest and fastest. I think about him every day, and imagine what he&#8217;d be like today.  When I thought I understood and accepted the uncertainty that is life, I realized that again, it was taking me a verryyyyy long time to come to the understanding of how this was possible, how can someone so amazing, die so young?? I believe that because of my past, and the obstacles that I&#8217;ve been faced with is why I am, the way I am today.  Some may call it &#8216;cold&#8217;, or being a pessimist or a cynic, but this is life, and this is me. As I sit here watching The Lion King with my 2 year old, the lyrics to a song are ringing especially true right now, It&#8217;s the Circle of Life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Missing Today</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/missing-today/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/missing-today/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2015 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Solena Helm]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3548</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sometimes I feel like I am so busy looking ahead at my calendar and thinking about the future events and planning ahead that I miss today. Life feels rushed and overwhelming when I think about all the things I have to do like: eating healthy, workout, go to work, clean the house, run errands, get the laundry out of the dryer and then actually fold it etc&#8230; I am constantly hitting the ground running. Lately, journaling has been a way of forcing me to be present. Making me think about my words as I am pushing the pen across the paper.  God has been teaching me so much these past 30 years that I am looking forward to getting older Seems crazy to type it and I dare not to say it out loud just yet. I just mean there is beauty that comes with each day, each year, each experience and just LIVING today.  Its easy to miss it and be so worried about the future events but the truth is&#8230;LIFE can change in a blink of an eye. Life can be messy, complicated, disappointing, full of adventure and full of abundant joy. So today, I want to be fully present with each person I meet, conversation I have and not be so worried about what the coming week that I have missed another day.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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