Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love

Follow the Breadcrumbs

Dr. Tammi Love standing next to her chest filled with precious memories.

This past week, my husband and I took on a DIY project at home. A few joint aches and sore muscles later, we stood back, pleased with the finished product. After snapping the before-and-after photos, we faced the next reality: cleanup. A cleanup we were determined not to let spill into a new week.

Little by little, we cleaned the space, which included relocating some furniture, namely a chest filled with precious memories. Determined to sort through it before moving it, I began uncovering its contents. That’s when I saw the breadcrumbs.

Nestled between old photos and historical documents were printed firsts. Some were in plain sight, others carefully tucked away in folders and envelopes, protected from wear and tear. I read through each one, gathered each memory mentally, physically, and spiritually. It was a full meal that nourished my soul in one sitting.

Each breadcrumb was significant: my mother’s 1997 written speech from our first family reunion in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The program from her homegoing service. My old newspaper articles from South Carolina. Our children’s first award certificates. Church bulletins. Ministry reports. High school photos. Family portraits.

Every breadcrumb affirmed my present and reminded me of a past I could only know through my mother’s storytelling. In her 1997 speech, she wrote of her Southern upbringing, the family tree, the nicknames that carried stories of their own, and her unwavering encouragement to know who we are and where we come from.

That was the breadcrumb of all breadcrumbs. Though her physical presence is gone, her wisdom remains, preserved in ink and paper. I just had to find the breadcrumbs… and follow them.

God often leaves trails like that for us, footprints in the sands of our wandering, guiding us back to Him.

Jeremiah 29:13–14 reminds us:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

We are liberated when we stop pretending and abandon superficial quests. There is no weakness in seeking God, no shame in longing for truth. You don’t have to wander any longer. You still have meaningful work to do.

This is your breadcrumb: a reminder that fulfillment is found in the seeking, in the journey, and in the One who waits to be found.

Follow the breadcrumbs.

Be well, y’all, and much love!

Posted on by Dr. Tammi Love

Cut the Cord

I remember the day I felt the freedom of flight as a toddler, soaring down a rocky hill on my big green bicycle – without the guiding hand of my big brother. It was a moment when he and my younger brother convinced me I was ready to tackle the hill alone. I remember them cheering me on as they gave my bike a gentle push and told me to pedal. I was terrified at first. But as I began to experience the freedom of the wind blowing through my pigtails, I started to believe I could actually do this. I took a deep breath, and my heart leaped with each shift of the handlebars as I tried to master pedaling and steering downhill. I couldn’t believe it. 

But what was so energizing quickly turned to terror as I realized the bike was moving faster and faster, and all I knew to do was to pedal. I was frantic! I could hear laughter at the top of the hill as my body jerked from side to side as my speed increased. The laughter became faint as I observed my legs swing helplessly alongside the bike after the bike made contact with the rocks on the path. I tried steering into the grass but encountered small dips and holes. I felt completely out of control. As I neared the bottom of the hill, I could hear my brothers again, but this time they were screaming for me to “Brake!” Miraculously, my feet found the pedals, and I forced them in reverse, causing the bike to stop immediately, throwing me to the ground. My brothers raced down the hill to my side to help me up, making sure I was okay. After checking out the bruises on my knees and elbows, they became convinced I would survive. They walked my bike up the hill for me and, through laughter, insisted I was an expert bike rider after enduring such an experience.

I didn’t understand the importance of appreciating bumpy journeys in my life until I took a deep breath and cut the cord from what was familiar and comfortable. If I’m truthful about it, God was instrumental in helping me arrive at such a realization. God positioned me on a journey where I had to make the critical decision to resist everything He revealed as bondage. For years, I allowed the enemy to distort the image of what God sees me to be. For years, I held my breath as I went from one experience to the next, doing what others expected of me, not fully embracing the adventure God was beckoning me to. When things got out of control, I often tried to keep steering when God was near, ready to take the wheel. I recognize now I did not give myself permission to take a deep breath. I did not allow God to lead. Once I did, I experienced freedom on levels I did not know existed, which gave me the confidence to cut the cord from anyone and anything that jeopardized that freedom. The truth is – anyone who doesn’t want you free wants you in chains. 

Galatians 5:1 states, “Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.”

Walk down the road less traveled – take a deep breath and cut the cord! 

Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you… (James 4:7-8)” 

Be well. Live well.