Thanksgiving used to be my favorite day — 50 to 60 family members gathered in my grandma’s home in Abilene, the one place that always felt safe growing up. But adulthood changed everything.

The same Thanksgiving I became a single mom was the last one my grandma ever hosted… and the moment I realized my biological father was not safe for me or my babies. Last year, after trying to rebuild broken family relationships, things exploded so deeply that I am now completely no-contact for the safety of my husband and children.

And this year?

We’re home with a stomach virus instead of with the family who always loved us like their own.

But I’m learning something sacred in the middle of it all:

Different doesn’t mean failure.

Sometimes God reroutes us to protect us — even when it hurts.

This episode is for the woman whose holidays don’t look like they used to…

for the one navigating grief, boundaries, loneliness, and unanswered questions — yet still choosing to trust God’s hand.

Scriptures:

Psalm 147:3

Romans 8:28

If your Thanksgiving feels messy, lonely, or nothing like you planned — this episode is for you.

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