Rachel Hagstrom | The Grit and Grace Project

Can You See Past Your Brokenness?

Instead of lounging poolside or sharing a plate of barbeque with friends, I kicked-off this past summer by spending Memorial Day weekend in the emergency room with severe vomiting and dehydration. After conferring with several doctors over the past few months and undergoing allergy and blood tests, I’ve recently discovered I have a rare syndrome that isn’t super well-known within the medical community, much less the general population. Everything I put in my mouth must now be hyper-scrutinized to keep this uncommon condition from sending me into septic shock. To be honest, I haven’t been quite sure what to make of this diagnosis and I’ve been all over the map emotionally. Questions such as what this means for me long-term, how long […]

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To the SAHM Who Struggles Because Her Man Works a Lot

By Rachel Hagstrom / Motherhood

For the SAHM whose man travels frequently or has long hours at the office, the days can feel monotonous or lonely and isolating. She may feel as though she’s lost a part of her identity or be overwhelmed, worn down, and even battle jealousy of his time with adults (okay, maybe that last part is just me). My husband and I have spent almost half of our 10 years of marriage away from one another due to his intense traveling schedule: 10 months after we married, he left for a one-year deployment before shifting out of the military into a private sector job. His new job requires weekly travel; every Monday morning at 5 am, he’ll kiss me goodbye and won’t return until

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This Is Why Women Are Great Defenders of the Helpless

By Rachel Hagstrom / Purpose

I grew up around resilient women who modeled for me the small ways that one could stand against the face of oppression and seek to right injustices. My mom was one of these women, and I wanted to be just like her when I was young. During a time when our country was drowning in gender wars, racial prejudice, and Vietnam, my mom made the bold choice to move into the inner city to live with marginalized groups of society. Mom knew that with each child she taught in the classroom, each story they exchanged with her, and each resource given toward advancing the welfare of others, she was standing in solidarity with those who lived in hardship and outright oppression. Now,

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This Is What I Do When My Child Has “Big Emotions”

By Rachel Hagstrom / Motherhood

I lay down in bed with my daughter, snuggle close, and whisper, “Guess what? You have a superhero power.” The last 45 minutes have driven me to a state of sensory overload. The loud cries and tantrum-type behavior heightened by end-of-day depletion leave my nerves frazzled and on edge. The lines of communication blurred after my girl spouted off about something I asked her to do before getting ready for bed. I reacted in equal measures of frustration and disrespect, and shortly after, everything imploded. I’m ticked at her, but mostly at myself and the way I responded. I’m worn out; the sleepless nights are doing a number on me and on my headspace. I’m tempted to wave the white flag of

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5 Helpful Tips for Loving Your Body the Way It Is

By Rachel Hagstrom / Health & Beauty, Purpose

My body shaming started in fifth grade shortly after a classmate made up a “clever” little saying about my breasts. She recruited a group of boys who all chanted for days: “Rachel’s so flat a pancake would be jealous. Flatty cakes, flatty cakes!” Good one, sister. I was 11 years old… of course I was flat. As junior high came into full swing—and then high school—I noticed when friends blossomed as my own adolescent development seemed to lag behind my peers. When I finally started my period at the age of 15, I felt defective for showing up to the puberty party late. Over the years, I’ve abused, neglected, badmouthed, overworked, and shamed my body. Some of my shaming was induced by

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If You’re in a Hard Season, It’s Time to Speak Life

By Rachel Hagstrom / Faith

“There aren’t gloves thick enough for this job!” With my teeth clenched, my gaze shifted around the “vintage” bathroom floor. “What in the world have we done?” I silently lamented as I scrubbed rodent feces off the tiled floor. The latex gloves provided little protection from what I was sure were unlivable conditions. Our family had just relocated from a quaint New England college town to the heart of Washington, D.C. We had fallen in love with the city during a recent visit and had jumped at the chance to live in one of our country’s most diverse places. “It’s just for two years,” our adventurous sides reasoned. However, the rose-colored lenses through which I had viewed our new quest quickly faded

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Is Your Anger Holding You Hostage? Freedom Can Be Found

By Rachel Hagstrom / Faith

The assault stole more than my innocence: it also taught me how to withhold forgiveness. As time marched on, that single event began to chisel away at my soul, leaving me worn, scarred, and enslaved. I jumped into the depths of unforgiveness headfirst. Cloaked in self-hatred, I silently berated myself for stepping into a dangerous situation. The trauma haunted me, yet I would continue to replay it over and over in my mind. I wished I could retrace my steps. Instead of seeking help, I numbed myself any way I could, finding solace in pills, alcohol, and unhealthy relationships. Held hostage by hopelessness, dark thoughts became the compass for all my decisions and actions. Bleakness and negativity became my constant companions. I

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In Need of Mom Friends? 7 Ways to Reach Out

By Rachel Hagstrom / Motherhood

Like a deer caught in headlights, I was blindsided when I became a mom. I found myself in the throes of mommyhood right after my husband and I moved from Honolulu to the heart of Dallas. It took months to build any sort of friendship and there was no one to bounce things off. I would often question every little thing I was doing pertaining to my daughter. I was almost positive I was messing up this new little life that had just been handed to me. Our family has grown, and we’ve made three more geographical moves since my oldest entered the world. With each new location, my deep need for a support system has remained the same even as seasons

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