200 Posts Later: Looking Back at the Climb and the View from Here
🌍 200 Posts Later: Looking Back at the Climb and the View from Here
By Angel, Founder of AMC Rise and
Thrive
🌿 Hello,
beautiful souls. 🤍
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend wherever you are in
the world.
As I sat down to write today's reflection, I realized
something that honestly made me stop and smile.
My last post marked my 200th blog post.
Two hundred.
When I first created AMC Rise and Thrive, I never imagined I
would someday be sitting here writing those words. Back then, there wasn't a
grand business plan or a marketing strategy. There wasn't a roadmap promising
success or a guarantee that anyone would ever read what I had to say.
There was simply a quiet nudge from God that I couldn't
ignore.
Write.
Share your heart.
Trust Me with the rest.
So, I did.
One post became another. One reflection became another
conversation. One quiet evening at my computer slowly became a collection of
thoughts, prayers, stories, lessons, questions, celebrations, and moments that
have now grown into two hundred blog posts.
When I look at that number, I don't simply see articles.
I see pieces of my life.
I see the difficult days when writing helped me process grief
before I even understood what I was feeling.
I see joyful moments that I wanted to preserve before time
carried them away.
I see seasons of growth, faith, uncertainty, healing,
caregiving, spiritual awakening, burnout, rediscovering hope, and learning how
to trust God one step at a time.
Every post has become a small marker on the path I've walked.
And somehow...that path led here.
💙 More
Than Just Numbers
After realizing I had reached 200 posts, curiosity got the
best of me.
I opened my blog statistics.
As of today, AMC Rise and Thrive has received 17,889 views.
Now, I know compared to many websites, influencers, and
professional bloggers, that number might seem small.
Some people measure success in millions.
Others measure it by followers.
Some measure it by income.
But today...
I'm choosing gratitude.
Because numbers tell stories.
Here's what amazes me.
I don't advertise this blog.
I don't spend my days trying to make viral videos.
I don't chase algorithms or trends.
I don't create content simply because it's popular.
I simply sit down, pray, reflect, and write what is on my
heart.
That's what I've done from the very beginning.
To know that nearly eighteen thousand visits have happened
because people stumbled across these reflections, shared them with someone they
love, or found exactly the message they needed at exactly the right moment—that
humbles me more than I can explain.
Every single visit represents a person.
A real life.
Someone carrying dreams.
Someone carrying burdens.
Someone searching for hope.
Someone celebrating.
Someone grieving.
Someone simply trying to make sense of this beautiful,
complicated thing we call life.
If even one post helped one person breathe a little easier...
Then every hour spent writing has been worth it.
🌎 A
Midwestern Girl... Reaching the World
One of the things that surprised me the most wasn't just the
number of views.
It was where those readers came from.
Of course, many visitors have come from here in the United
States.
But then I kept scrolling.
Singapore.
Germany.
Russia.
Iran.
Sweden.
China.
The Netherlands.
Brazil.
Japan.
France.
South Korea.
Hong Kong.
The United Kingdom.
Vietnam.
India.
Bangladesh.
Saudi Arabia.
Canada.
...and many other places around the globe.
I actually sat there for a moment just staring at the screen.
It felt almost surreal.
Because if you had told the younger version of me—the girl
growing up in the Midwest, climbing onto rooftops, exploring neighborhoods in
Chicago, spending summers with family in Monterrey, Mexico, and simply
wondering where life would take her—that one day people across the world would
be reading her thoughts...
I never would have believed you.
Not because I didn't dream.
But because I never imagined my ordinary life could reach
beyond the places my feet had walked.
Yet here we are.
Technology has connected us in ways previous generations could
never have imagined.
Words written in one corner of the world can comfort someone
thousands of miles away.
A reflection written over a morning cup of coffee might become
an evening prayer for someone living on the other side of the planet.
That is incredible to me.
And it reminds me that God has ways of carrying our voices
farther than we could ever carry them ourselves.
❤️ This
Was Never About Being Right
I want to be very clear about something.
I am not sharing these numbers because I want applause.
I'm not trying to brag.
Honestly, if you've been reading AMC Rise and Thrive for any
length of time, you probably already know that recognition has never been what
motivated me.
This blog has always been something much simpler.
It has always been my perspective.
My experiences.
My questions.
My lessons.
The ways I have encountered God in ordinary moments.
The ways I have learned to heal.
The ways I continue growing.
I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I write.
In fact, I would be surprised if they did.
We all come from different backgrounds.
Different cultures.
Different churches.
Different beliefs.
Different families.
Different experiences.
Different wounds.
Different joys.
How could we possibly all see the world exactly the same way?
We weren't created to.
And I think that's one of God's most beautiful designs.
The goal has never been for everyone to think like me.
The goal has simply been to share honestly enough that maybe
someone else feels less alone.
If something I write encourages you, wonderful.
If it makes you think differently, that's okay too.
If it helps you ask deeper questions, then perhaps it has
already done what it was meant to do.
Because this space has never been about having all the
answers.
It's been about walking together while we search for them.
🌄 The
Courage to Be Seen
One of the greatest gifts this blog has given me hasn't been
the views, the milestones, or even the opportunity to write consistently.
It has been the courage to let people see the real me.
If you've followed AMC Rise and Thrive for a while, you've
probably noticed that I don't just write about the beautiful moments. I write
about the difficult ones too.
I've shared about caregiving.
I've shared about burnout.
I've shared about faith.
I've shared about spiritual practices that have helped me feel
more connected to God.
I've shared about menopause and listening to my body.
I've shared about grief, healing, family, relationships, and
the seasons where I didn't have everything figured out.
Years ago, I don't think I would have been comfortable doing
that.
Like many people, I found it easier to keep parts of myself
hidden. There is a certain safety in remaining private. When people don't
really know you, they also can't misunderstand you, criticize you, or reject
you.
Keeping people at a distance can feel like protection.
But sometimes what feels like protection is actually a prison.
God began placing something on my heart that I couldn't
ignore.
Be honest.
Not perfect.
Not polished.
Not performative.
Just honest.
That has become the heartbeat of AMC Rise and Thrive.
Every post is simply me sitting down with a cup of coffee,
opening my heart, and sharing what I believe God is teaching me in this season
of life.
Sometimes those lessons are joyful.
Sometimes they're uncomfortable.
Sometimes I don't fully understand them until weeks or months
later.
But they're real.
And I think people recognize authenticity when they encounter
it.
We live in a world where it's easy to filter our lives until
they no longer resemble reality. We can edit our photos, rewrite our captions,
and present only the highlights. There is nothing inherently wrong with
celebrating life's beautiful moments, but if that's all we ever share, we can
unintentionally make others feel as though they're falling behind.
The truth is, none of us lives a highlight reel.
Behind every smiling photograph is a person carrying
something.
Behind every accomplishment is a struggle no one else
witnessed.
Behind every answered prayer were moments of waiting.
I don't want this blog to be another place where people feel
they have to measure up.
I want it to be a place where they can exhale.
A place where they can think, "I'm not the only
one."
Because the moment we realize we aren't alone, healing often
begins.
🏔️ The
Climb Is Part of the Gift
As I thought about this milestone, I realized something else.
Many of my favorite memories involve climbing.
Not because I enjoy being out of breath—although the feeling
of accomplishment afterward is pretty rewarding—but because climbing has always
given me a different perspective.
When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, I loved climbing onto
rooftops whenever I had the chance. There was something magical about being
higher than everything else, looking out across the neighborhood and imagining
all the possibilities that stretched beyond the horizon.
Later, during visits with my grandparents in Monterrey,
Mexico, I found that same feeling again.
I remember standing on the roof of their home, taking in the
mountains that surrounded the city. The landscape seemed endless, reminding me
that the world was so much bigger than the little corner I happened to be
standing in.
One of my favorite memories was visiting my grandfather's
ranch and standing at the top of a hill, overlooking the land below. There was
a quietness there that is hard to describe. It wasn't just the scenery that
took my breath away—it was the feeling of perspective.
When you're standing high above the ground, the things that
seemed so large from below begin to look different.
Your problems don't necessarily disappear.
But your perspective changes.
And sometimes that's exactly what we need.
🌆 Looking
Out Over Life
One experience has stayed with me more vividly than almost any
other.
Growing up in Chicago, I had the opportunity to visit what was
then called the Sears Tower, now known as the Willis Tower.
At the Sky Deck 1,353 feet (412 meters) tall, it felt
unimaginably high.
I still remember stepping into the elevator.
It moved so quickly that my ears popped before I even realized
how fast we were climbing.
Within moments, we were on the 103rd floor.
I can still remember feeling the building gently sway with the
wind.
I'll admit—it was a little unsettling.
Standing that high above one of the largest cities in America
makes you realize just how small you are.
But it also fills you with wonder.
Looking out over Chicago, I saw streets that looked like tiny
lines drawn across a map. Cars became little dots. The noise of the city
disappeared.
Everything that had felt so enormous from ground level
suddenly fit into one breathtaking view.
I think life is like that sometimes.
When we're in the middle of a difficult season, it's easy to
believe that moment is our entire story.
But God has a view we don't.
He sees the whole landscape.
He sees where we've been.
He sees where we're going.
He sees how every twist, every detour, every disappointment,
and every blessing are weaving together into something beautiful that we often
can't recognize until much later.
Sometimes faith is simply trusting God's view when we can't
yet see it ourselves.
💍 A View
I'll Never Forget
Speaking of beautiful views...
One of the most meaningful moments of my life also happened
high above the city.
Years ago, my husband proposed to me at a restaurant in
Chicago called Skies.
Sadly, the restaurant has since closed, but it was unlike any
place I had ever experienced.
As you dined, the restaurant slowly rotated 360 degrees,
giving you a panoramic view of the entire city.
You didn't have to rush to see everything.
The view came to you.
Isn't that a beautiful picture of life?
Sometimes we spend so much energy trying to force everything
to happen all at once that we forget some things unfold gradually.
The seasons change.
Our hearts grow.
God reveals things little by little.
Just as that restaurant slowly turned, giving us new
perspectives every few minutes, life often invites us to keep looking through
fresh eyes.
The view changes when we keep moving.
And thankfully, so do we.
⛰️ Every
Mountain Left Me Different
Over the years, I've had the privilege of climbing mountains
that once felt impossible.
I've hiked portions of the Appalachian Mountains.
I've driven the winding roads up to Pikes Peak in the Rocky
Mountains, where the air becomes thinner and the views stretch farther than
words can describe.
I've climbed Cerro de Chipinque in Monterrey, Mexico, feeling
each step remind me that worthwhile things often require effort.
None of those experiences were easy.
There were moments when my legs were tired.
Moments when I wondered how much farther I had to go.
Moments when stopping sounded far more appealing than
continuing.
But every single climb taught me something.
The view at the top is beautiful.
But it isn't the only reward.
The climb itself changes you.
It teaches perseverance.
Patience.
Resilience.
Gratitude.
It reminds you that your body is capable of more than your
mind sometimes believes.
And perhaps most importantly, it teaches you to appreciate the
view because you know what it took to get there.
Looking back now, I realize this blog has been another
mountain.
Not one built of rock and dirt, but one built of faith,
consistency, vulnerability, and trust.
Two hundred posts didn't happen overnight.
They happened one sentence at a time.
One prayer at a time.
One quiet evening at a time.
One decision to keep showing up at a time.
And today, as I look back from this particular viewpoint, I
realize something.
The view isn't beautiful because I reached the top.
It's beautiful because I know what it took to get here.
🌱 Your
Life Is Your Journey — Don’t Be Afraid to Take the Path God Places Before You
As I sit here reflecting on 200 blog posts, I keep coming back
to one simple truth:
Life is a journey, not a race.
We spend so much of our lives looking around at what everyone
else is doing.
We compare careers.
We compare homes.
We compare relationships.
We compare accomplishments.
We compare timelines.
And sometimes, without even realizing it, we begin believing
that our lives are only valuable if they look like someone else's.
But that was never God's intention for us.
You were not created to live someone else's story.
You were created to live yours.
The path God has placed before you is uniquely yours. The
mountains you climb, the valleys you walk through, the lessons you learn, and
the moments that shape your heart are all part of your own sacred journey.
Someone else's view from their mountaintop does not take away
from yours.
Someone else's timing does not mean you are behind.
Someone else's calling does not mean yours is smaller.
We are all walking different paths, and that is the beautiful
mystery of being human.
✨ The
Courage to Begin Something New
When I started AMC Rise and Thrive, I had no idea what it
would become.
I didn't know how many people would read it.
I didn't know if anyone would connect with my words.
I didn't know if sharing my experiences would make a
difference.
What I did know was that I felt called to create this space.
Sometimes God asks us to take a step before we can see the
entire staircase.
Faith often works that way.
We want the full plan.
We want the guarantee.
We want to know the outcome before we begin.
But sometimes the invitation is simply:
Trust Me. Take the next step.
I think about all the people throughout history who started
something meaningful without knowing where it would lead.
The person who wrote the first chapter of a book.
The person who planted a seed that would become a tree.
The person who offered kindness to a stranger without knowing
the impact it would have.
The person who prayed a prayer that changed the direction of
their life.
Small beginnings can hold enormous possibilities.
This blog started as a simple act of obedience.
A willingness to say, "God, use my experiences. Use my
voice. Let whatever is meant to reach someone find its way."
And somehow, those words traveled farther than I ever
imagined.
🌎 We Are
Different, Yet Connected
One of the most beautiful parts of this milestone has been
realizing that people from different corners of the world have found their way
here.
People who may never meet each other.
People who may speak different languages.
People who may have completely different traditions and
experiences.
Yet somehow, they connect through these words.
That reminds me of something important:
Underneath all the things that make us different, there are so
many things that make us the same.
We all experience love.
We all experience loss.
We all search for purpose.
We all have moments when we feel uncertain.
We all wonder if we are doing enough.
We all want to feel seen, heard, and understood.
The details of our lives may look different, but the emotions
we experience are deeply human.
Maybe that is why stories matter so much.
A story allows us to step into someone else's world.
A story reminds us that we are not isolated.
A story creates connection.
And connection is something this world desperately needs.
🤍 Your
Truth Matters
One lesson this blog has taught me is that authenticity is
powerful.
Not because everyone will agree with you.
Not because everyone will understand you.
Not because everyone will accept you.
But because living truthfully allows you to stand firmly in
who God created you to be.
The truth is, we cannot expect everyone to love everything
about us.
We cannot expect everyone to understand our choices.
We cannot expect everyone to connect with our perspective.
And that is okay.
You were never meant to be everything to everyone.
Even Jesus was misunderstood.
Even Jesus was rejected.
Even Jesus had people who disagreed with Him.
Being misunderstood does not mean you are wrong.
Being different does not mean you are broken.
Having a unique perspective does not mean you are failing.
Sometimes it simply means you are honoring the person God
created you to become.
The goal is not to live a life where everyone approves of you.
The goal is to live a life where you can stand before God and
know you were faithful with what He placed in your heart.
🌿 The View
From Here
When I look at the journey of AMC Rise and Thrive, I don't
just see blog posts.
I see a reminder.
A reminder that we should not underestimate what happens when
we faithfully show up.
A reminder that our voices matter.
A reminder that our experiences can become encouragement for
someone else.
A reminder that God can take something ordinary and use it in
extraordinary ways.
I started this blog as one person sharing thoughts from my
heart.
But somewhere along the way, it became a gathering place.
A place where reflections are shared.
A place where questions are explored.
A place where faith, healing, growth, and self-discovery meet.
And that is something I never want to take for granted.
🌻 My
Encouragement to You
Today, as we celebrate this milestone together, I want to
encourage you to look at your own life.
Look back at the mountains you have climbed.
Look back at the moments you thought you wouldn't make it
through.
Look back at the prayers you whispered when you didn't know
what would happen next.
Look back at the version of yourself who was just trying to
survive a season you are now stronger because of.
You have climbed more than you realize.
You have survived more than you remember.
You have grown in ways you may not even see yet.
And there is still more ahead.
Do not spend your precious life regretting the roads you
didn't take.
Do not spend your energy wishing you had someone else's
journey.
Your life is happening right now.
This moment matters.
The people you love matter.
The dreams in your heart matter.
The gifts God placed inside you matter.
Take the chance.
Write the book.
Start the business.
Make the art.
Say the prayer.
Take the trip.
Apologize.
Forgive.
Love deeply.
Try again.
Whatever that thing is that God keeps placing on your heart,
don't ignore it forever because you are afraid of what might happen.
Sometimes the greatest blessings come from the moments when we
are brave enough to begin.
🌅
Celebrate the View
So today, I invite you to celebrate with me.
Not just 200 blog posts.
Not just 17,889 views.
But the reminder that one small act of faith can travel
farther than we ever imagined.
Take a moment today to breathe in the air around you.
Put your feet on the ground.
Drink something that nourishes your body.
Eat something that brings you joy.
Spend time with the people you love.
Notice the beauty around you.
Because these moments are gifts.
Every sunrise.
Every laugh.
Every conversation.
Every breath.
Every opportunity to love.
They are all blessings from God.
We should honor them.
We should cherish them.
We should rejoice in them.
Life is not promised to be perfect.
But it is precious.
And if there is one thing this journey has taught me, it is
this:
The climb is part of the story. The view is the
blessing. And every step along the way matters.
Thank you for walking this path with me.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for sharing this space.
Thank you for being part of the story of AMC Rise and Thrive.
Here is to the next chapter. 🤍
🌻
Affirmations for Honoring Your Journey
Take a moment to breathe deeply and allow these words to
settle into your heart.
You can say them quietly, write them in a journal, or return
to them whenever you need a reminder that your journey matters.
✨ I trust
that God is guiding my steps, even when I cannot see the entire path.
✨ My story
has value, and my experiences can bring hope to others.
✨ I do not
have to compare my journey to anyone else's. My timing is my own.
✨ I honor
the mountains I have climbed and the strength I discovered along the way.
✨ I have
the courage to share my gifts with the world in my own authentic way.
📖 Bible
Verse Reflection
Jeremiah 29:11 (King James Version)
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an
expected end."
This verse has always carried a powerful reminder: God sees
beyond what we can see.
When we are standing at the bottom of a mountain, we only see
the climb ahead. We see the obstacles, the uncertainty, and the effort it will
require.
But God sees the entire landscape.
He sees the beginning.
He sees the middle.
He sees the destination.
When I think about AMC Rise and Thrive, I think about this
verse because I could not see where this journey would lead when I wrote that
first post.
I didn't know who would read these words.
I didn't know where they would travel.
I didn't know that someone in another country might one day
find encouragement from something I wrote while sitting at my computer.
But God knew.
Every step.
Every lesson.
Every moment of courage.
Every time I chose vulnerability over hiding.
None of it was wasted.
Sometimes we mistake small beginnings for insignificant
beginnings.
But God has always shown us that He can multiply what we
faithfully offer.
A few loaves of bread and fish fed thousands.
A shepherd boy became a king.
A small act of obedience can become something much greater
than we imagined.
So, if God has placed something on your heart, do not dismiss
it because it seems too small.
You never know where your obedience may lead.
You never know whose life may be touched by your willingness
to begin.
🎵 Song of
the Day:
"Rooftops" by Lostprophets
I chose this song because it captures a feeling that has
stayed with me throughout my life: the desire to look around, appreciate where
you are, and recognize the beauty of the journey that brought you there.
When I think about this song, I think about standing somewhere
high above the ground and looking out at everything below.
The song reminds me to ask important questions:
Did I truly live?
Did I appreciate the moments I was given?
Did I take chances?
Did I love deeply?
Did I make memories?
Because at the end of the day, our lives are not measured only
by what we accomplish.
They are measured by the moments we experience.
The people we love.
The courage we show.
The memories we create.
The kindness we give.
The impact we leave behind.
I also want to acknowledge something important about today's
song choice.
I learned that the artist behind this song committed terrible
acts. I want to be very clear that I do not support those actions. What
happened was deeply wrong, and accountability matters.
At the same time, I have personally come to believe that I can
recognize the meaning a piece of art has brought into my life without excusing
or celebrating the person who created it.
This is something many people have wrestled with when it comes
to artists, musicians, actors, writers, and other public figures whose personal
choices have caused harm.
For example, there are many conversations surrounding people
like R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, and others whose lives and actions
have created difficult questions about separating the art from the artist.
I understand that people have different feelings about this
topic.
Some people may choose not to listen to certain music or
support certain artists because of what they know about the person behind the
work. I respect that choice.
For me, I believe that a person's actions belong to them, and
ultimately, judgment belongs to God. My responsibility is to seek wisdom, guard
my heart, and make choices that align with my own convictions.
I can acknowledge the pain someone has caused while also
recognizing that a piece of art may have reached someone in a meaningful way.
People are complex.
Human beings can make terrible choices, and yet something they
created may still impact another person's life.
That does not erase the harm.
It does not excuse wrongdoing.
It simply acknowledges the complicated reality of humanity.
If this song bothers you, I understand.
If you choose not to listen, I respect that.
I am not sharing this because I want anyone to believe exactly
what I believe.
We are all different.
We all have different experiences, values, and boundaries.
That is part of the beauty of free will.
We each get to make our own decisions.
Today, I simply choose to stand by the message this song
represents for me:
Live fully.
Appreciate the journey.
Embrace the moments God gives you.
And never forget to look around and recognize the view.
🤍 Final
Thoughts
Two hundred posts.
Nearly eighteen thousand views.
Readers from around the world.
A little corner of the internet that started with one person
deciding to share her heart.
When I look back, I don't just see numbers.
I see answered prayers.
I see growth.
I see courage.
I see proof that when we follow the quiet calling God places
within us, we never truly know where it may lead.
AMC Rise and Thrive was never created because I had everything
figured out.
It was created because I was learning.
I am still learning.
I am still growing.
I am still becoming.
And maybe that is the greatest gift of the journey.
We never stop becoming.
There is always another lesson.
Another season.
Another opportunity to love.
Another chance to begin again.
So, wherever you are today, I hope you remember this:
Your life matters.
Your story matters.
Your voice matters.
The path you are walking matters.
Even the parts you wish you could rewrite have shaped who you
are becoming.
Trust the journey.
Trust God's timing.
Keep climbing.
And when you reach those moments where you can finally see how
far you've come...
Take a moment.
Stand there.
Look around.
And appreciate the view. 🤍
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for reading my reflections, sharing your thoughts,
and allowing AMC Rise and Thrive to become a place where we can explore faith,
healing, growth, and the beautiful complexity of life together.
Until next time, remember:
You are worthy.
You are loved.
You are capable of more than you realize.
And your journey is still unfolding.
Keep rising.
Keep thriving.
Keep trusting.
🤍
With love and gratitude,
Angel
Founder of AMC Rise and Thrive
☕ Support
This Space
If this reflection supported your heart, healing, or spiritual
journey, you’re welcome to help keep AMC Rise and Thrive growing.
Your kindness allows me to continue sharing faith-centered
reflections, soulful encouragement, and gentle reminders that you are never
alone.
There is no pressure — only gratitude.
Support AMC Rise and Thrive 🤍
https://ko-fi.com/G2G61TI051
Thank you for being here. Truly.
If this message has resonated with you, please consider
sharing it with someone who may need these words today. Sometimes a message
finds us exactly when we need it most.
You can also visit the archive and explore past reflections.
There may be another message waiting there for your current season.
Trust divine timing. We cannot force what is meant for us. We
can only remain open, receptive, and willing to walk the path God is unfolding
before us.
#AMCRiseAndThrive #FaithJourney #TrustGodsTiming #LifeReflections
#EmbraceYourJourney
Comments
Post a Comment