Yes, even in these extremely hard and difficult things, like a loss, we can still be thankful. It will make our hearts lighter in the mist our great pain and sorrow. And isn’t it neat we are mandated to do so? God knew what this would be a balm to our souls and an ointment to our broken hearts.
  After the very tragic and sudden death of our 14-year-old son in a quad accident in April 2017, I started finding things that I was thankful for concerning his death. Some were immediately after, and other things came a little later on. It was like looking on the brighter side of his death and this tragedy.
  Right off,  I was thankful that Clayton had not taken his little brothers along for a ride with him. And after getting the results of the autopsy back, which showed he died of a broken neck with little to no trauma, we were very thankful that his death was quick.  It was very comforting to know he had not been laying there suffering long and yelling for us to help.
 Later on, as I thought about it, I found other various things to be thankful for. I was thankful that Clayton was healthy, happy, and full of life right up to his death. That he was raised in loving and God fearing home. Grateful that he loved God. And when I thought of other children that have died, knowing they had been sick, ill, or suffered at the hands of a violent person before their death, I knew that we had so much to be grateful and thankful for.
 I was thankful for our 3 month old baby at the time, who was true source of comfort to me. One particular time, about 2 weeks after, I was thinking about Clayton and tearing up, I took one look at sweet Rebecca cooing up at me. And said, " Your here just for my joy aren't you?"
And of course, I am extremely thankful for all our friends and family for being there for us and with us in the days following. For their thoughtfulness in providing ready-to-go meals, frozen meals, snacks and fruits, financial help, cards, prayers, and their great care and concern for us. I will always be grateful for how the whole community came together with support for us.

   I encourage you too, to find ways and things to be thankful for in your loss. I know this can and will seem very hard at the moment, but the benefits are too valuable not to. Even as you grieve, yes, even with tears running down your face, as you think of things to be thankful for, your heart and soul will be comforted, and a smile more than likely will come on your face. You will see God in it. You will see and feel His great love and care over you and for you. You may still  be left wondering why this happened. Yet, you will be comforted that He never left you nor forsook you. HE is walking beside you in this!
 You could make it a point to think of something new each day to be thankful for and to give praise for. And you may want to journal as you go as well. This will give you something to look back on, so you can see what all God has done, and is doing for you. Especially when a difficult day comes along, which it will, just look in your journal and you will be encouraged! 
​In Christ, Mae
​

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 Hey everyone! After completing my Life Coach course this fall, and now a few months into doing the practicum part, where I get my practice coaching hours in, I have finally came up with my coaching niche. Super exciting! 
   I have two specific areas that I will be assisting my clients with through my life coaching. ​

 
 One niche is parent coaching. Narrowing that down more, it's Purposeful Parenting Coaching. And narrowing it a bit further, my focus is on mothers, helping them to find and achieve purposeful mothering in their parenting. I know first hand as a mom of 8 children, and now one more one the way, that mothering is a very hard job, as well as a very vital role, and one of the highest callings we can ever have. It has always been a passion of mine to be a support and encouragement to fellow moms. And now as a life coach I can do that  in a big way! We can use all the help we can get to raise these children God has blessed us with, to be strong men and women of God.
 

   My other niche is grief coaching. Helping women get back to a new normal, and get their life back on track after the sudden and tragic loss of a child or other loved one. Since loosing our 14 year-old son very suddenly in a tragic quad accident in April 2017, I know how hard this can be. But through God we have had joy again, and peace and comfort that only He can give. I want to be a support to you. And help you rest and trust in God through this. ​This is not the end of your story. He's got something beautiful for you!

  As of right now I am still a student life coach in need of several practice coaching hours, before I can receive my certification as a Christian Life Coach. So I am really looking for anyone that can benefit from either area, that I am focusing on in my life coaching, so that I can be a help to them and they can be a help to me! And it is all free. No worries!
 So if this is you, if you are feeling  a little lost in your mothering, or things are not going just as would like, and you seek new vision and purpose in your mothering, then contact me and I will see how I can best assist  you in making these changes happen.
 Or if you have recently gone through a loss and you can't see how you can go on again, and get your life back to a new normal. I will work with you to rediscover, or renew your vision and propose in life, and to find hope again. Even if your loss has been awhile in the pass, you still may feel you have never truly or completely recovered from that. I know our lives are never the same again after a loss, but I believe we can heal and go on victoriously!
   Please contact me with any questions you may have, and if you are interested in my coaching services. Coaching is almost all done over the phone, so I can do coaching with you regardless of where you live. But if you are near me, then we can do in-person coaching too!
Mae's Life Coaching
  God Bless! In Him, Mae