I shared a couple of months ago that for a while now I have had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration, so a couple of months ago I shared my first post (which you can find HERE and all of the Monday inspiration posts HERE) and I plan to routinely share with y'all different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week!
To be honest I have come to look forward to these posts the so much throughout the week. I have realized that it makes me look and find more inspiration than could ever be shared in one post in all different areas! It is so much fun! I hope that these things continue to inspire you!
{first} It would be impossible to not share my gratitude again for the overwhelming support of the release of the 2nd edition of Praying through Lyme Disease. As I shared a couple of weeks ago, I am truly overwhelmed in the best possible way by your support of all of my writing, especially this book. Thank you so much!! Also... I know I said this a couple of weeks ago but If you are an aspiring author and have a dream for a niche specific book that you are having trouble getting signed to be published through traditional publishing... I can't encourage you enough to consider independent publishing. Run with your dreams and go after it. Your book and story is needed. You are the only one that can uniquely share it.
This past week I mailed out books to countries I never have before and it is so humbling to see all of the places that this little book is going!
{second} I shared on Instagram that I was introduced to Hope Social Club last Thursday and their music has pretty much been on repeat since then. Absolutely love the sound and music. If y'all haven't heard of them check them out HERE. Go listen and let me know what your favorite song is!
{third} So a couple of week ago I shared that I had been doing some research about an upcoming project and came across a listing of women who had saved people during World War II. Last week then I shared about a couple of different books and this past week I looked into this book, "The Zookeeper's Wife". Have y'all read this or heard the story? Have y'all seen the movie that was released this past March? I watched THIS interview about the movie (taken at the Holocaust Museum) and it was interesting to see a "behind the scenes" take on things.
You can purchase the book on Amazon HERE and you can also watch the movie on Amazon HERE. I am excited to know y'alls thoughts!
{fourth} Have Courage and Be Kind. This saying has been resonating with me this past week. I hope it inspires you as it has me.
{fifth} Remembering the visit to Emigrant Gap last year reminded me of the courage that the pioneers had. It has really been incredibly inspiring.
I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these four things on this Monday! What about you? What is inspiring you recently? I am heading to California tomorrow for a couple of days and appreciate your love and prayers! Thank you friends!
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Happy Saturday friends! I hope you have a wonderful day and weekend!
One evening we were heading back home after a day of treatment and appointments when we saw the most beautiful sunset.
As we waited for the ferry we marveled at the beauty before us and the stunning color depth and change that we saw in a matter of minutes.
It was a precious and gentle reminder that beauty can be found everywhere, every single day. Beauty, truly, surrounds us.
As we approach this weekend I hope that you have a wonderful Friday and a lovely weekend.
Most of all, I hope that you find beauty to inspire you. Happy Friday friends!
"Courtney the Portney" celebrated a 1 year "birthday" today, and I celebrated 1 year closer to healing! It has been a whirlwind of a year...a year that I have stood in awe at all the healing and progress that has taken place. I am simply amazed at the difference this year has brought and am so incredibly grateful for my medical team and everyone who has compassionately and kindly cared for my port.
Thank you for all of your prayers, your love, and your encouragement during this past year. I can't wait to see what this next year will bring!
"But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever."
-Psalm 146:5-6-
Last year, after we had visited Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe (you can read about it HERE), we decided that we would drive back to our hotel in San Francisco on I-80, by Donner Pass.
To be honest when we made the decision it was kind of on a whim, my traveling heart wanting to see more of California and the beautiful area that we were surrounded by, and my mom always willing to go on an adventure. I had absolutely no idea the extreme beauty that was still to meet us that day after we had experienced the awe and wonder of Emerald Bay.
It was the best decision.
I can't recommend a trip to Emigrant Gap enough. Located along I-80 in California the views just driving to Emigrant Gap are so stunning and the pictures above show just a few shots that we saw of the beautiful countryside. As we drove along we just kept saying, "oh my... absolutely gorgeous", "oh my goodness this is beautiful" and were literally speechless at the beauty before us.
When we arrived at Emigrant Gap we stood at the overlook and just were blown away by the breathtaking beauty that was before us.
Since teaching about the westward expansion in AP US History years ago, I have always wanted to see Emigrant Gap. Emigrant Gap is a ridge that is famously located along the California Trail. It is located to the west of what is now referred to and called Donner Pass.
Emigrant Gap is famous in tales of westward expansion mostly because of the cliffs that are so steep in this area that forced the pioneers in the 1840s to lower their wagons on ropes in order to continue westward. This section of the pioneer trail was also where pioneers were emigrating from the United States to California (as California was part of Mexico at that time).
The feat of lowering wagons on ropes was something that I honestly had not thought that much about when I was a high school student. My history teacher at the time seemed to just gloss over the fact and paint the picture that the ropes were steady and the wagons were easily lowered down. This could not have been less true.
When I was teaching this section of history I learned that was simply not the case at all. Despite all that the pioneers encountered along their journey (sickness, starvation, praire fires, bears, fights with specific Indian tribes, etc.) one of the most dangerous parts of the journey came when the pioneers encountered this section of their journey with lowering the wagons in these steep cliffs.
Now, I will be the first one to admit that when I showed portions of Into the West to my students the scenes that depicted this section of lowering the wagons caused us to giggle a bit. The "mountain" and "cliffs" in the show looked like a tiny hill about 10-20 feet high and at one point one of the main characters was idly standing on the hill watching a wagon break loose from its ropes and head towards her (yes, eventually hitting her). After I had tried to explain the incredible thing that the pioneers had done, the bravery that they had, and the incredible task of lowering the wagons, the scene did seem to downplay the severity of this task (and may have prompted the infamous "Into the West mock video" that made us all laugh- hahahaha).
BUT standing in that space, overlooking Emigrant Gap last year, I realized how wrong both my high school history teacher and I had been. The task was anything but easy and anything short of being incredible. As I stood staring out at the rolling mountains, one after another, with the dramatic cliffs and high peaks I was stunned at the brave, courageous, and arduous task that the pioneers encountered.
It was absolutely amazing and incredible to stand in this place of history that was not only beautiful, but incredibly inspiring.
To think about all that the pioneers encountered along their journey and then to think about facing this section of land - so close to where they were trying to go and yet still so far- this task would have seemed daunting and overwhelming. It was completely inspiring to stand in this area and pay tribute to those courage few who accomplished this. It was also absolutely inspiring. We saw this just a few days before "courtney the portney" was placed and standing there reminded me to be courageous and face the "mountain" that was there before me.
If you ever get the chance to drive along Interstate 80 in California and see Emigrant Gap, I can't encourage you enough to go visit. You will walk away inspired, encouraged, and in awe of not only the beauty before you, but the incredibly bravery of a generation past.
"The spring of 1845 saw the first covered wagons surmount the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They left this valley, ascended to the ridge, and turned westward to Old Emigrant Gap. The wagons were lowered by ropes to the floor of Bear Valley. Hundreds followed before, during, and after the gold rush. This was a hazardous portion of the overland emigrant trail."
-Historical Marker at Emigrant Gap, California-
I shared a couple of months ago that for a while now I have had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration, so a couple of months ago I shared my first post (which you can find HERE and all of the Monday inspiration posts HERE) and I plan to routinely share with y'all different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week!
To be honest I have come to look forward to these posts the so much throughout the week. I have realized that it makes me look and find more inspiration than could ever be shared in one post in all different areas! It is so much fun! I hope that these things continue to inspire you!
{first} It would be impossible to not share my gratitude again for the overwhelming support of the release of the 2nd edition of Praying through Lyme Disease. As I shared a couple of weeks ago, I am truly overwhelmed in the best possible way by your support of all of my writing, especially this book. Thank you so much!! Also... I know I said this a couple of weeks ago but If you are an aspiring author and have a dream for a niche specific book that you are having trouble getting signed to be published through traditional publishing... I can't encourage you enough to consider independent publishing. Run with your dreams and go after it. Your book and story is needed. You are the only one that can uniquely share it.
{second} If you haven't already seen the above video be prepared to be amazed. This was from a bit ago, but seriously is so inspirational and this audition of her overcoming all that she has brought me to tears. Honestly- I have this song on repeat most days. if you are looking for an encouraging song during a tough time... Rachel Platten... thank you. You can hear the original cover here:
{third} Remember how I shared last week about watching Pride and Prejudice? Well this week I re-watched Sense and Sensibility. Y'all. Seriously. If you are looking for a girly-girl movie that will make you laugh and then make you cry happy tears. Go rent it tonight. So lovely. You can rent Sense and Sensibility on Amazon by clicking HERE.
{fourth} So last week I shared that I had been doing some research about an upcoming project and came across a listing of women who had saved people during World War II. Many of you know how much I love the history of World War II - it was definitely one of my favorite time periods to teach and I was so inspired by the women on that list. A couple of weeks ago I found this book, The Nazi Officer's Wife at a garage sale and it was a fascinating read. The Nazi Officer's Wife is the true story of a Nazi officer who fell in love with a Jewish woman and married and saved her. If you haven't read it it is a fasinating, interesting, heartbreaking, and inspiring story. You can purchase it on Amazon HERE.
If you love this time period and are looking for something inspiring to read though you must read Evidence Not Seen. It is my favorite book (probably of all time... or one of them) and it is wonderful. I re-read it every summer and it is life-changing. You can find it on Amazon HERE.
{fifth} Have Courage and Be Kind. This saying has been resonating with me this past week. I hope it inspires you as it has me.
I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these five things on this Monday! What about you? What is inspiring you recently?
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