Finding Me

By Tracy Lynn Fry

Do you ever wonder what your main role in life is? Did you lose yourself somewhere along the way?

Don't fret, you're not alone!

Have you assumed the identity of a wife, the single mother, or a career girl, yet somehow lost yourself through it all? Have you forgotten who you were in the whole process of life?

Remembering who you

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Sep 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685567460

Tracy Lynn Fry

Born a military brat, Tracy Lynn Fry had the privilege of traveling the globe and being a part of many cultures growing up in the military community. Her career path over the last twenty years has primarily consisted of being involved in both the media and construction industries. In addition, she was nominated as "Substitute Teacher of the Year" by her school district when substitute teaching. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led her to develop a few small businesses from the ground up, write an autobiography and a children's book series, compose a faith-based screenplay, and be the inventor of two products. She attributes her business knowledge and success to her strong beliefs in hard work, integrity, and the ability to constantly learn and improve. Her passion for helping others do the same is a must. Her greatest personal successes are her three grown children and grandchildren.

Book preview

978-1-68556-745-3_Cover.jpg

Tracy Lynn Fry

Finding Me

Trilogy Christian Publishers A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive Tustin, CA 92780

Copyright © 2022 by Tracy Lynn Fry

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without written permission from the author. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Rights Department, 2442 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92780.

Trilogy Christian Publishing/TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Cover design by: Kelly Stewart

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Trilogy Christian Publishing.

Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 978-1-68556-745-3

E-ISBN: 978-1-68556-746-0

Dedication

To my children: Know that life throws curve balls, but you can get through anything with prayer, love, and God’s peace. Even when you don’t understand, find peace in Him. Stick to your core of who you are, of what you love, and find strength in God always, just as I have done. Know that I will always love each of you with every being of my soul, and I am so thankful for you each. I have cherished, with you each, every second in life that we shared from the very first moment God gave you breath. I am so proud of all of you.

To my beautiful granddaughter: You are an extension of the love and the beauty of God. You have the same fire in your spirit that God has given to me, and I knew it the first time that your eyes met mine. Stay true to yourself always.

To my beautiful grandson: You also are an extension of God’s love. May you shine bright and live life to the fullest, as I know that you will!

To my parents: Thank you for giving my brother and me the adventurous life we had growing up.

And to my sweet and fun friend who always made me laugh: I love you for being my true friend. Thank you.

Contents

Introduction

Identity

The Beginning

My Time Capsule

Europe

Army Brat

Lifestyle

Religion at Its Finest

Me Plus Three

Career Hat

Sales Trip

Trip Flu

Railroaded

Get Ready… Confession Is Coming

You’re Either Born with It, or You’re Not

Creative, More My Style

This One Time… In the Kitchen

My Foodies

NASCAR Workday

Something Really New

The Beginning of the Crash

The Serpent’s Bite

Happiness at a Glimpse

Snowball

New Leaf

Bold Move

Healing… Body, Mind, and Spirit

Fatness… Not Fitness

Now What?

Shenanigans

Lost Hope

True Friends

Religion Imploding?

The Fallout

Unleashed

Harvest Time

Acceptance

Significantly Planned

Manopause

A Horrible Mistake

Life Lesson

Time Travels On

Survivor

In the end, it’s safe to say that I am a survivor on a mission to remember who I was and discover who I am. Little by little, piece by piece. Through everything I have done and everything that I will still accomplish. Through it all, I am finding me…

Introduction

Everything that I had known, done, and related to would be changing and leaving me to wonder what I was going to do with my life now. Empty nest at its finest, wreaking havoc and disrupting life. For some, this change would leave a gaping hole in their heart and throw them into a depression of loss, wondering how to make it through the day, relying heavily on the grace of God. For others, they would be breaking out the champagne, throwing parties, and living life to the fullest.

I suppose you can look at it either way; a glass half full as opposed to a glass half empty. You can choose which one you want it to be. For now, I will just leave my glass as simply starting a new chapter in my life that feels as if I am making soup without half of my ingredients and creating my new recipe.

Even though I didn’t feel it and had become numb to the situation, I can look back now and see where God was in each and all situations—carrying me when I could not walk. Caring for me, loving and protecting me… even through the days when just getting through was my goal. In my lowest of lows, God was there.

In the moment of fret, when your world seems to be spinning out of control, relying heavily on God, knowing He was in control during it all is a must.

In the midst of the storm, when waves seem to be crashing over your head, and the only thing you can see is the big tsunami headed right for you. Know that brighter skies will soon peak. Maybe not right away, but soon.

Identity

While we may have lots of pieces that help identify us in life, the most important aspect is how you identify with and view yourself. Not just your outer shell but your inner one. The one that says who you are… your character, your being, your core, and what you believe. All of your thoughts, your actions… the inner you… all of the components that make you you. The one behind closed doors that no one else will see. The one who has thoughts that no one else can hear. This sets a precedence for how you relate to people, how you relate in life, and mostly, how you relate to yourself.

For me… my identity in my adult life has indeed changed. And not just a little… a lot. I have officially become an empty nester. And while being a mother never stops, it is a major shift and role change. Your mom title will remain the same… always. But your role as you knew it is now different. You have poured all your love, prayers, compassion, and energy and have devoted your whole life to your children from the moment God gave them to you in one way or another. It is what you know in your adult life, and everything seems to circle around being this person. Now it is time that you shift your focus and start putting some of that energy back into yourself. It can be a little scary, I’ll admit, and you may even feel as if you were swimming aimlessly in uncharted waters with no compass to guide you, but like a blank canvas waiting to be painted… that part is left to be filled and discovered by you. Come with me on the journey as I relearn and find me all over again, only now in a very different role.

The Beginning

I guess I always knew this day would come. It just rounded the corner much faster than anticipated. When you become a parent, no one ever sits you down and says, "There is going to come a day that you will feel as if your heart is being ripped out of your body, and you will have a gaping empty hole that will only be full again on college breaks and holidays… Oh, yeah… and you may be totally confused about who you now are as a person or what you will do in life since your key assignment, role, and everything you have known in your adult life now has just ended. And