Enough Already

My daughter, Madison, begins her college junior year today. She has quickly grown into more than just the little girl I love "to infinity and beyond!" She's becoming a strong, godly woman whom I deeply admire. Here are a few reasons why.

Her world has been rattled more times than I can count in her short 20 years of life. Her first experience watching someone she loves deeply suffer was in third grade. That school year was tough not knowing if her Grammpa would make it with each hospitalization. He moved to heaven when she was in fourth grade. Since then, she has grieved the loss of two more grandparents, as well as her best friend who died in a tragic car accident just six months ago.

Another in her circle of friends has already endured 21 brain surgeries in the last year and just returned home from the hospital after surgery #22.




Madison has had two ACL and meniscus surgeries (both on the same knee), the first in eighth grade, the second in tenth grade. Even though she continued cheering without too much difficulty throughout her high school career with a knee brace, it deterred her from trying out for the University of South Carolina cheer squad.

Just this summer, before a mission trip she worked so hard to be apart of, her passport disappeared and she was left behind. Although heartbroken, she was a trooper.

You would think that, through all of this, my baby girl would lose heart and say, "Enough already!"

There have been buckets of tears, questions, and searching for answers, but her heart has never wavered in believing that she will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 
(Psalm 27:13-14)

Rick and I labored long and hard (pun intended) over what to name her. Now we have a glimpse into why God led us to the name Madison.

Madison means "strong fighter."
Deanne means "light at the end of the tunnel."

Even before she greeted this world with her infectious, sweet personality, she was already battling in the womb, wanting to make an early appearance at 28 weeks. Her persistence resulted in me being put on bed rest for eight weeks before she was delivered by C-section a whole month early.

I've watched this brave, strong, courageous young girl grow into a young woman filled with the love of Christ. I'm amazed at how she extends extravagant grace to those in her sphere of influence who have also experienced loss, or suffered great heartache, or who just need a friend. Even in the midst of her own grief healing, she continues to reach out to others who are hurting.




Madison is the best daughter, sister, niece, friend, cheer coach, and summer nanny anyone could ask for. With her photography business taking off, and as she moves toward a degree in Early Childhood Education, her dad and I couldn't be more proud.

 Though shaken to the core at times, she continues to push through in the power of Jesus Christ. God has uniquely designed her to be brave, courageous, full of grace, and faithful, and she is allowing Him to mold her into the woman of God He so desires for her to be.

Do ever feel like saying, "Enough already?" Has God shaken you to the core? Are you allowing the hard-pressed life lessons to be used by God to make you into who He has designed you to be?

God shakes our world to shake off the things of the world, removing from our hearts things that steal our affection away from Him because God knows...

Jesus is enough already.

We need nothing more and nothing less.

My Pleasure,
Melanie