As I began to take the steps of opening the doors of Lovejoy Legacy, it was often asked how I established the name. The story is personal to me, I wanted my work to be a place that honors the relationships and examples that shaped who I have become today.
Lovejoy is the name of my Dad; it represents my foundation and my roots, not the end of my journey. I have since taken the name of my husband and recognize the equal value it adds to my story; however, my foundation provides generous examples of love, generosity and helpfulness towards others. It demonstrated my earliest examples of living joyfully. When I think about the values that I want to represent, I am confident that this legacy provides a reflection that I want present in my practice and counseling ; it is my story, my roots and the first places that I experienced grace, acceptance and the courage to dream.
Personally, I have learned to lean into planning; it is wise to plan and prepare for the storms ahead, but in my spirit is also a desire to dream of larger limits. This spirit of dreaming is the gift of my Dad, he is the dreamer of our family. My Dad and his father, my grandfather, also provided my first examples of trusting God. The presence of faith is woven throughout my story and I am reminded that a Heavenly Father gives the blessings of dreaming too. Making change is difficult but the following promise gave confidence to begin to take the steps for this journey.
“In their hearts, humans plan their course, the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9
In the early planning of Lovejoy Legacy, I began to reflect on my values, story and hope for the future. The presence of my foundation and family are visible each day and generationally. The attributes I want to reflect are part of this namesake and has been an example I have seen by both my father and grandfather; in their willingness to love and care for others anytime a need was present. Their example shows ability to live in joy, despite their circumstances. I know that moments of their life had not been without heartache and struggle; however, their faith shows a peace in their wellbeing.
My dream is that you will experience support and compassion when you walk through our door. I recognize the courage it takes to tell your story and it is a privilege to be able to sit beside you during this time. I desire that you leave knowing that you, and your story is held carefully and with complete acceptance. I hope that as you leave, you feel restored, stronger and able to embrace your circumstances with a new and abundant joy.