Good Morning Friends, The light in August always feels softer to me, like the world is whispering, ‘Pay attention.’ It’s a month of quiet reflection, a time when God often invites me to notice where I’m still gripping control instead of living loved.

This year, I’ve been writing more than ever, prayers and reflections, pieces of a story that has been working on me as much as I’m working on it. Writing always reveals the places in my heart that are still learning to trust God, to release control, and to “live loved”. God is writing my next chapters. He is doing the same to you. Do you feel it?

In the middle of this reflective season, two messages from women in our community reached me:

Today's Questions:

1. I’ve been told to find my identity in Christ—but I honestly don’t know what that looks like in real life. How do I live from that truth instead of from fear, guilt, or what others expect of me?
2. My oldest daughter estranged me just over a year ago. I would like to know what to do—how to handle the estrangement.

Two very different situations. But beneath both is the same deep ache: How do I “live loved” when life feels fragile and the people I long for feel far away?

Identity in Christ Is Lived, Not Performed

When I coach women walking through heartbreak, estrangement, rejection, or betrayal, the same pattern often shows up. They are exhausted from trying to be “enough” for everyone else and quietly terrified they are not enough for God.

Here’s the truth: Identity in Christ is not about perfect behavior. It’s about rooted belonging.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (NLT) says:

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”

Notice that Scripture does NOT say your roots grow into other people’s approval, their forgiveness, or their closeness. Your strength is NOT in how someone else responds to you. It’s in the unshakable soil of God’s love.

Living loved is a choice you make in the quiet moments, when guilt whispers, when fear rises, when others turn away. It is the courage to say:

“Even if the world around me shakes, quakes or breaks, I know who I am and Whose I am.” LeAnne Parsons

When Estrangement Breaks Your Heart

Estrangement is a grief many people don’t talk about. It’s invisible in church pews and silent in social media highlight reels, yet it roars in the quiet of your home.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

I walk alongside many women in this space, and here is what I am learning:

• Grief is holy work because it tells the truth about love. Feeling it doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means your heart is still alive. We grieve what matters most to us. Grief is the echo of love.
• Shame is a liar. You may be tempted to replay every memory, looking for proof that this is your fault. That’s not the voice of God.
• Distance does not define you. Someone else’s absence does not erase God’s presence or His purpose for your life.

Isaiah 43:1 (NLT) says:

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.”

That is the unshakable truth you can build your days on. Even in estrangement, God calls you His.

Releasing the Lies, Rebuilding in CORE Strength

Here’s a courageous step most women skip: you must release the lies that keep you tangled before you can walk in the truth that sets you free.

Some of those lies sound like:

• “If I was a better mother, daughter, or wife, this wouldn’t have happened.”
• “If I set boundaries, I’m unloving.”
• “If I feel broken, God must be disappointed in me.”

These are not God’s words. His voice leads to conviction that heals, not condemnation that crushes.

In our Walking in CORE Strength coaching group, we often explore what it really means to respond from our CORE. It begins with being committed to truth—refusing to minimize, excuse, or hide from what is real, even when it’s uncomfortable. It looks like staying open to growth, willing to let God shape and stretch us rather than staying stuck in fear or old patterns. It means becoming responsible for ourselves, taking ownership of our choices, words, and emotions instead of trying to control anyone else.

And finally, it’s living empowered by God, drawing our strength, courage, and next steps from Him rather than from guilt, pressure, or performance.

When we respond from this place, we begin to live loved, steady, clear, and aligned with the woman God designed us to be.

This is where “living loved” moves from theory to transformation.
It’s the slow, sacred shift from reacting out of fear to responding with clarity and courage.
It’s choosing to carry peace even when reconciliation hasn’t come yet.
It’s learning that you can be heartbroken and holy at the same time.

Your Invitation

If you find yourself in this tender space, longing to live from your identity in Christ but tangled in fear, guilt, or grief, you are not alone.

You can take the first steps of releasing shame, reclaiming your voice, and learning to walk in CORE Strength. Whether you joined our workshop or are praying about stepping into the coaching group, you’ll find a safe, faith-filled space to breathe, heal, and grow into the woman God has already called you to be.

“Living loved” doesn’t begin when life is tidy or relationships are mended.
It begins when you remember who you are, and you start walking like it’s true.

Click here to join.

In CORE Strength, women discover how to release guilt, respond with clarity, and begin living loved in a way that transforms their daily life and relationships.

So, sweet reader… where in your life are you still trying to earn love or prove your worth, and what might change if you began receiving it instead?