Hello everyone! I am sure you are eager to learn more about me just like I hope to learn more about each of you. Well let’s get to it shall we? My pen name is Angelica Lynn Love and I am 29 years old, soon to be 30! I went to Ohio University for a Bachelors in News and Information Journalism and a Master’s in Organizational Communication. When I first went to college I had a dream of working for a local radio station, or even owning my own radio station. However as time went on I felt I wanted to be a human resource manager, event planner, or simply a manager of a company where I could improve the organizational culture. I love people, so I aspired to make the workplace a fun place to work for while also increasing employee engagement and employee retention. I wrote my thesis on work life balance programs because the US lacks adecuate options for their employees in comparison to countries like Norway and Sweden. I thought I had my future completely mapped out, but God had other plans.
My Life Began to Take an Unexpected Turn
I got married halfway through grad school to my best friend Robbie, which has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. Everything was on track, when one evening I saw black zig zags everywhere and could not see clearly. I was terrified because I didn’t know what was going on, but thankfully my wonderful husband calmed me down and did some research; turns out it was an ocular migraine. Little did I know what was the start of another journey, the journey of chronic illnesses. Despite my migraines and their gradual increase in frequency I finished grad school two years later and was ready to make my mark in the world, or so I thought.
The Journey of Chronic Illness Begins
Let me back up for a second. Before the migraines, I began to have anxiety that consumed my life at the beginning of grad school. I tried to deny it at first because I was afraid of what others would think, but as the panic attacks increased, Robbie convinced me to see a therapist. Once I began therapy, I also began training my first dog to be my service dog. Unfortunately I lost him at a young age, but God blessed me with Mikki right before Luke passed, my trusty fluffy side kick. I thought that anxiety was going to be my only illness and that once I conquered it, or at least had it under control, live would go back to normal. Then came the migraines a year later. A half a year later I got diagnosed with PCOS. Then a year later I was diagnosed with Epilepsy because I began having seizures. The picture to the left is of me having a video EEG study done in late 2020 to try and capture my seizures to see what triggered them. I had to stay in a hospital for a week, but thankfully I was able to have Robbie and my service dog visit me each day even with covid restrictions.
Fast forward to now. I rarely have seizures anymore, aside from the periodic nocturnal one, Praise God! However, my migraines have become chronic and this past year was really hard because I missed a lot of work because of them. It was a hard year Healthwise and financially, but God kept his promise that he would provide for us. I never thought I would be someone who went from juggling multiple things at once: senior year I worked at the library, helped lead a bible study, went to school full time, had a fiancé, and raised a puppy to being someone who could barely get out of bed most of the week. It has been a struggle but it also has been humbling because it made me take a look at my relationship with God. I had always been ambitious and independent, not wanting to depend on anyone for help. Having chronic illnesses opened my eyes to the fact that I wasn’t letting God lead much of my life. I have fought against the notion that my worth comes from career success and have come to realize that what is important is what God says is important, which is gladly doing whatever he has for me, while pointing others to Christ.
Becoming an Author and Entrepreneur
Despite juggling many chronic illnesses, I believe that God is going to allow me to have a fulfilling life, including using my degrees. Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses because it talks about God’s promise to provide good things for us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” As I have sought the Lord, he has put it on my heart to write a devotional about my chronic illnesses to help encourage others who have similar experiences and need reminded of the hope we have in Christ. I have always wanted to be an author because writing is one of my passions, and I am so excited to publish it hopefully by the end of 2023.
Along with the first of hopefully many published books, I am excited to pursue one of my life long dreams of starting my own business. I absolutely love art and crafts, and have begun crafting handmade candles, which I will be selling soon. My inspiration for each candle is to provide people with beauty and fill their home with delicious aromas. I will provide a nice alternative to store bought candles as mine are going to be made with all natural waxes to keep the air cleaner for you and your loved ones, including your fluffy children with four paws.
Over the last seven years or so I have shared my life with you through my blogs to encourage you. I will continue to write blogs and will be posting the old ones, as well as all future ones here. My blogs cover everything from friends and marriage, to heart ache, self esteem, illness, loss, etc. My hope is that there is at least one thing I have written that you can relate to, and I hope that it makes your day better. share my blog w others.
Now that I have shared a bit ago my aspirations, goals, health, etc. I would like to share more about what makes me, me. Writing is a passion of mine, but that is just one of many. When I’m not writing I am playing with, cuddling, walking, training, and spending every second I can with my dogs. I love dogs of every breed, with the Pomeranian being my favorite. In fact, I love dogs so much that I am constantly looking for the best supplements, food, toys, and more for them. My dogs are like children to me. I may not be able to conceive, but even if I can’t I feel very fulfilled with my animal companions.
I also love to swim, hike, dance, and just spend time with people both my close loved ones and new people I meet. Everyone is my friend unless they give me a reason otherwise. My husband is my soulmate and my best friend, who I am thankful is there for me through sickness and health. We both love to hike together and play board games. We are quite opposite when it comes to other hobbies, but we just get each other. I love the Summer, but Fall is a close second with those beautiful leaves. I love starry skies, sunsets, and beaches. I love nature, which points to our awesome creator. I am an optimist and a dreamer. Which brings me to my last thoughts for now. I am very hopeful for the future and for these dreams that I am working to make reality. I hope you stay and follow me on my journey. God Bless you <3.
If you would like to bless my dogs or I, here is a link to my Amazon wish list 🙂
Angelica Lynn Love 