I hope that by sharing my story you will have an even deeper perspective into the desperate need for adequate mental health care in our communities, in our states, and in our nation. For too long we have separated physical health and mental health, and we have been unwilling to recognize the fact that they are intertwined with one another. While we have made great strides in medical care for our physical bodies, we have largely ignored our mental health, not recognizing it as

Hi Friends, Yesterday marked nine months since losing Randy to cancer. I dread the 25th of each month, but yesterday was a particularly difficult day. So, I decided to get out my notebook and pen and write to help let the emotion out. The following poem is the result of that process. I hope it is a help to someone else out there who is shattered and broken at the moment. I know it may not feel like it, but winter is only a season my friend and spring is coming! Remember we c

Our perspective is so important. If it is off-kilter, even just a little, all our assumptions and feelings that stem from that perspective are literally based on an illusion. It’s a Perception Deception. As the saying goes, we must be careful not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. Our view of those that are closest to us on our life journey is so up close and personal that we can see things others may not see from a distance. Sometimes this vantage point is like using

With Valentine's Day approaching the word love or references to love are everywhere. The thing is, love involves relationships, and relationships involve people, so it's not always a rosy picture. Relationships are difficult because people are difficult. We all have the capacity to hurt those around us, particularly those we care about the most. So, if love is only a feeling, and that is exactly how it is most often portrayed, we are all in a heap of trouble my friends! Feeli

Hi Friends, This week's blog post is a little different. I just really felt like someone out there needed to hear it this week and not just read it. So please take a few minutes to listen to this week's post. I pray this message finds whoever it was meant for this week! May you be strong and courageous in your pursuit of joy my friend, even if you don't feel like it! ~Blessings! Kelly #breakingthrough #hope #healing #joy #itsachoice #kellyneffspeaks #tom #togetherovercomingmo

My number one goal this year is to cultivate a joy-filled life of purpose. Joy is not an emotion that just shows up magically, it is a deep inner sense of well-being that must be sought out. When life is going well, feeling joyful is not very difficult, but when brutal storms of life knock you down, it can feel as if joy is no longer possible. Last year our family was thrust into deep darkness as Randy was diagnosed with cancer. In four short months, this family had its pilla

With the beginning of a new year come thoughts of starting fresh with a clean slate. It is like having an opportunity for a do-over. It is a time to re-evaluate and set new goals. It is also a time to look inward and humbly accept responsibility for areas of our life that need a little work. Sometimes, if we are really honest with ourselves, we begin to recognize that some of our attitudes and behaviors towards others are less than stellar. If we are being brutally honest wit

While reflecting on 2018 and focusing on what I would like to change and accomplish in the coming year, I was reminded to be cautious of taking shortcuts. There is always a balance between time and cost, but for me, the bottom line is quality which I believe to be of great worth. The following article was originally published on June, 29th, 2017, on my home decor website, figtreetreasures.com. It is my hope that it will challenge you, as it does me, to consider what you are w

In case you were wondering, it is not a typo or a saying from the south, the title is Lessons from "a Fir", not "afar." For those of you who knew Randy's humor, you know he would have repeated this play on words over and over, loudly and proudly chuckling about how funny he is. I thought y'all would appreciate that and I hope heaven is filled with his booming laughter right now! As Christmas draws closer and closer, my spirits continue to decline despite my best efforts. It

I love Christmas music. My family listens to it from Thanksgiving Day through New Year's Day every holiday season. One of my favorites is the Andy Williams classic, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." For many people, it is the most wonderful time of the year, but for those caught in a stormy season of life, it may feel like the most dreadful time of the year. While there may be various reasons behind this, the common thread is an overwhelming sense of loneliness and

This is the first of an ongoing series of weekly stories about people, just like you and me, who have faced personal struggles and are choosing to walk through the pain instead of trying to escape it. These stories are meant to inspire others who may be struggling with similar circumstances to do the same. I am calling these stories, “Tuesday Treasures.” If you don’t want to miss any please sign up for our emails! The first story is from a recent Facebook post of a friend of