Leslie Begin, Inlet Beach, FL (2025)

You were made to impact others, thrive in community, live as an overcomer, grow into your true self, leave a legacy, build a life you love and experience God's abundant life in all areas of your life.

03/29/2024

5 years ago I lost my dad.
He passed early in the morning - and the night before I slept at his feet. I just could not imagine being away from him.

Social media is hard for me the month before the anniversary of his death. Because I see all of the memories… And I know what is coming.

I have done all the therapy and processing and yet my body still acts - every year- as if it is all happening today… This month… This year.

I carry some heaviness and anxiety goes up.
I have to use the tools I have learned - of rest and surrender and gratitude and controlling what I can control and living in the present.

My dad loved me.
He was proud of me.
And I was proud of him.
He LOVED his grandkids.
He loved Trey.
I never felt the need to prove myself or defend myself with him. I could share about the great things because I knew he would celebrate me.
If I needed something fixed, I could just leave it on his toolbench and it would be taken care of.
He worked hard for us. He sacrificed for us.
He worked SO hard to get out of bed to be with us even in the end.
He was not perfect. But he was my dad. And I still miss him so much.

12/23/2023

I have been waiting for these pics to show up on Facebook Memories from 2015.

This is what you saw on Facebook: a walk on a foggy pier, with my adorable girls, in our new rain boots.

But this picture represents a moment of peace and beauty during a tumultuous time where, moment by moment, I was depending on God’s supernatural peace and strength and love to sustain me... has openly shared what happened on December 13th of that year that explained part of his journey - the day he hit his rock bottom.

What you do not see in this picture is the broken heart of a woman who had just dropped her husband off at an AA meeting... The brokenness of a codependent who knew that the problem had been bad... But rock bottom revealed just how big and how bad and how ugly the problem had gotten... And it felt like a bomb had been dropped on my world and broken it to a million pieces. I was “faithing” it through each moment of each day. I was being a Momma who was engaging with her kids... And a wife who was choosing to love her husband in the midst... And a daughter of a King who had prayerfully, tearfully, fearfully pled for her God to allow and bring rock bottom... And her prayers had been answered. But it was ugly.

And in the midst of the ugly were absolutely beautiful and peaceful moments just like the moments captured in this picture. And these beautiful moments were just a tiny glimpse of the picture of restoration that He was going to create but it would get harder before it got easier.

I fully recognize that the holidays are a lovely and cozy time and there are moments of beauty and peace. And I also recognize that the holidays can be very hard and scary and heartbreaking. At the same time. The juxtaposition of the peace and tumultuous… and the happy, joyful times and sadness… Is wearying. If you are living in the midst of “making the most of the moments” being present with your people and also “living moment to moment” in what feels like survival. I want you to know I do not have words to make it feel better. But I also want you to know… You are not alone. And this season is when God came to us… In human flesh… And his name was Emmanuel - God with us. He is near. He is here. He is peace in the storm. He is the one who will rescue you. He will be “near to the brokenhearted and bandage their wounds.”

I processed my pain and made a guide to help you to do that if you want it. It is free and my gift to you. If you are in this season and you are aching with a pain big or small… you can sit with me and the Lord and a cup of coffee or tea and see if you can process through the pain and find a moment of peace in his presence.

12/05/2023

This was in my memories… And I love the chaos that the younger version of me walked through and the wisdom I learned through it! I thought I would share so yall can be given courage from my former self today!

This is what it looks like to be a mom to lots of kids...

👧🏼 The 3 year old needs some connection and wants to ride on my back...

👶🏻The baby needs some cuddle time with her mama and blanket.

👧🏻The 8 year old needs help with an art project. (There were a few tears over a disappointment so I did a pep talk on how FAILURE is a MUST when becoming great. And failure is just feedback letting us know what did not work and revealing to us our path forward. Anyone want that pep talk from me?)

👧🏼 The 6 year old is on her tablet (no shame y’all) and she is asking if I will approve membership on animal jam and explaining she has the $5 to pay for it. Definitely need to research that one.

👧🏻 The 11 year old just walked in from gymnastics and is cracking up at the whole situation.

👱🏻‍♀️The 13 year old is tucked away reading a book. I definitely do not blame her.

🥘 Dinner needs to be prepped and served. Thank God Trey Begin called and offered to pick something up from Whole Foods. Dinner will be ready in a min. 👨🏻‍🍳

✅ Worship music on YouTube on the TV.
✅ Christmas lights on (so peaceful right?)
✅ Sent the emotional kids to take baths and showers.
✅ Turning off other electronics and dimming the lights.
✅ Thankful I have been on track with my nutrition because my body is fueled and mind is clear for this moment!
✅ Also thankful that I prioritized my healthy mind time by going to pilates today!
✅AND our fave sitter will be here any moment to take over for date night!

My friend, you were made to do hard things... and the little years are super fun and super challenging. You are more than enough though. You were made for this.

You are exactly the woman that God knew your children needed as a mom.

You are exactly the man who God knew your child needed as a dad!

You are the exact stepparent those kids needed to have a massive bonus in their lives.

You are the foster parent those kids need for such a time as this.

You are the exact grandparent those kids needed in this season.

💪🏼 You’ve got this.

10/16/2023

This was a few years ago…

My eyes were closed because I had worship music in the Tv… And I was worshiping. With one 2 year old on my back and the one year old on my front.

This was my third set of kids and so I had done this twice before - this whole baby on the front AND the back trick. Because they both needed me.

But this time was different. I had learned to take care of myself wHILE caring for them. I had learned to build in margin, ask for help, and change the way I fueled my body and mind. I had learned to surrender the feelings of brokenness and inadequacy to God. I had learned to stop trying to control their behavior and really tune into their hearts. I had learned for FIND joy and rest in peace and create community.

There were so many steps along the way that led me to this. But I have to say… Choosing to learn to fuel my body and my spirit and get rest and stop controlling… I had tools before… But had no applied them… And I have learned and grown so much since then.

Friends… In the midst of hard times or crazy times… Worship is your warfare.
And in the midst of chaos and confusion that is THE BEST time to care for yourself and your health! If you need help with that part, I can help.

Address

Inlet Beach, FL
32461

Website

http://www.lesliebegin.com/

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