Tag: strength

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Victory

I have not failed…


Failure is coming into its own after what seems like forever – it is no longer seen as a ‘ bad’ thing, a thing to avoid, a thing to hide from those around us. Modern day Failure – is what I like to call it, is being celebrated, is being acknowledged, spoken about, and most importantly learnt from. Some companies have even started ‘ Failure parties’ that celebrate the lessons learnt from failures along the way.

Even the very definition of failure is changing, as what may have been viewed as a failure in years gone by, is now seen as a valuable lesson learnt, or even better – used to fuel more research, more trial and error and eventually a greater outcome. 

Failure wrapped up in the positive, at the end of the day is still failure, and it can bring with it the emotions of disappointment, frustration, and even anger. Failure in its raw form, is still hard to swallow. What I love about Failure now is, that it is talked about, it is thought about it is dissected to a point where, greater understanding of the process behind the failure can occur.

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways
that won’t work.

Thomas Edison

In team situations and family situations alike, we deal with failure in all of its glorious forms. As a leader it is critical to have empathy when failure is concerned. It may be us as leaders who have failed – we then to make sure we are humble about it. It may be our team our family, our loved ones who are dealing with a perceived failure. 

Recently my daughter struggled with two perceived failures in one week. She felt so disappointed. She was dreadfully critical of herself as she tried to unpack what happened and how she felt about it all. After listening to her talk as I drove her to her ballet lesson, I turned to her and said, ” Does this change who you are? Just because someone doesn’t think at this point you have what it takes – does that change who you are?” She looked out the window – silent. My heart sunk a little, as I hoped what I said, was received with love. She finally looked at me with a smile and said, “no”.  

Sometimes failure can blind us to the reality of who we are – we are not the failure itself. Our actions etc… may have contributed to a failure, but we ourselves are not the failure. 

When it comes to our family, when it comes to teams we lead – it is easy to take it on and feel like it is our fault. Take responsibility for your actions but do so with a positive mindset. One thing an amazing supervisor once taught me was, whenever we had a perceived failure, she would never finger point or blame. She was sit back in her chair, looking very relaxed – she would say ” What can we learn from this?” She never had preconceived ideas of what we could learn, but she encouraged everyone in the working group to reflect, and to learn for next time. That’s how I want my mindset to be. The first response to failure being “What can I learn from this?”

Of course, disappointment will still come, emotions will enter the mix, but if we choose to have a positive mindset and set our minds beyond the failure, we may just keep stepping in the right direction and face great achievements and discoveries.  

You always pass failure on the way to success.

Mickey Rooney
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Leadership

#homesofvictory

 I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a “transformer” in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader.

 Stephen R. Covey

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Victory

Go home…

There have been times when I feel the world generally speaking, sees ‘busy’ as a status symbol. Where employers expect far too much of employees and feel that the dollar will buy them what they want – which is more dollars, giving no thought to the person behind the task. Other times, I feel that the ones closest to us, miss out on the best of us, when we are too busy – trying to make a go of it.

Mother Teresa once said,

If you want to change the world go home and love your family.

Mother Teresa

I have three take away points I’d like to share with you based on this quote.

1. You are a world changer – your circle of influence is far better because you are in it. No matter what you think of yourself, whether you are confident or not, negative or positive – you change the world of those you influence. It may not be the whole world, but to many you do change their world.

2. Your family is your world – imaging your life without your family or your family without you? How does that make you feel? How would they individually feel? Mother Teresa subtly states in this quote that family is your world and family should be your first love. They need you as much as you need them. How amazing do you feel after a long hard day, your little one squeals with excitement that your home and runs full pelt into you for a hug. If your family is in need of some TLC, work through it together, commit to change and work on it. No other achievement will be worth more than loving your family to the core and have them love you too.

3. Love is the foundation of everything – Love, is the foundation of belonging, it is the foundation of confidence, it forms a basis for decision making, it is a safety net it is wide open arms ready for a hug, it is forgiveness, it is grace, it is everything in between. Stop seeing your career or other achievements as the measurement of success in life. Measure your success by the foundation of love you bring to your family and home. Adjust how you see your family, how you see your world, how you see yourself – you are a world changer and your love for your family means the world to them.

Sometimes we cannot change the whole world, but we can change the lives of those in our world.

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Victory

#homesofvictory

Many people never reach “greater” because they don’t leave “good enough” behind.

 Steven Furtick
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Victory

Unity

Where there is unity there is always victory.

Publilius Syrus

Ah… the elusive word unity. What does it mean and how does it apply to us in a family context. Going back to the definition of the word unity, it is defined as:

The state of being one ; a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.

Dictionary.com

How often have you found yourselves in your home, at odds with one another. Over time, over money, over space, over decisions that are overwhelming, over things that happen that we have no control over. I know we’ve been there and are probably there more often than we realize.

What strikes me about unity, especially in a family context, is once you know you are all on the same side, battling the same thing, it gets a whole lot easier. If we remove battling each other before we even get to the issue, the battle is almost won.

One thing we say in our home, and we are a work in progress like everyone else is, we are on the same side. We try to take the emotion out of the battle and keep the unity as foundational to the issue. When our kids know we are on their side, when they know we are in it together, there is almost a sigh of relief as they navigate the emotion behind the issue, rather than fight against us as parents. Once we remind each other in our marriage that we are on the same side, the personal attacks that sometimes creep in, dissipate and we focus in unity on the issue at hand. Overcoming far more than we could otherwise.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is no perfection in our home when it comes to unity. But… and I emphasise this, it is the goal. It is foundational to us, that we always remember we are on the same side, the same team and in it together. In doing so, we are stronger, work smarter and are a whole lot happier.

If we aim to live in unity think of the victories that could be won…

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Victory

Ready, set, go

Every vision needs action. Without action, the vision is simply words. The hard work of defining your family vision is done – now the fun begins. Dream and think about how your family vision can be outworked over the year ahead. Here are three ways to bring your vision to life, and keep it front and centre throughout the coming year.

Build Rhythms

A vision without rhythm fades fast. Build small, consistent practices that reinforce what you value most.

Daily rhythms:

  • Pray or read Scripture together.
  • Share one thing you’re thankful for at dinner.

Weekly rhythms:

  • Hold a “Family Check-In” night.
  • Plan one fun or serving activity together.

Monthly rhythms:

  • Choose a shared goal (like hosting a friend, donating, or learning a new skill).

Consistency turns ideals into identity. When rhythms align with your vision, transformation follows.

Keep It Visible and Alive

Your vision should be more than a one-time conversation — it should live in your home.

Use creative reminders:

  • Vision Board – Add photos, quotes, and Scripture that represent your dream.
  • Family Motto – Choose a phrase that sums up your heart (e.g. “Faith First,” “Together We Rise”).
  • Memory Jar – Record moments of gratitude or answered prayer to revisit at year’s end.

These simple visuals keep your family focused and motivated.

Review and Refresh Regularly

Vision is a living document, not a finished one. Review it every few months. Ask:

  • What’s working?
  • What needs to change?
  • What’s God highlighting for this next season?

Update your statement if needed. As your children grow or your circumstances shift, your family’s expression of that vision will evolve — and that’s healthy.

A final word of encouragement

You don’t need a perfect family to have a powerful vision. You just need willingness — to pause, dream, and lead with purpose.

This year, choose clarity over confusion. Purpose over pressure. Legacy over busyness.

When your family knows who they are and where they’re going, every moment begins to matter again.

We can’t wait to hear about the ways you’ve put your family vision into action. Comment here or tell us about your vision on Facebook.

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Victory

Looking inwards to grow outwards

You’ve dreamed, you’ve come up with some statements, words or phrases that represent your family. Now it’s time to dig a little deeper and really tease out what your family core values are and what they look like in action.

Identify Your Family Core Values

Your family’s values are the heartbeat of your culture. They define how you live, not just what you believe.

Choose 3–5 values that best describe your family.
Examples include:

  • Faith – We trust God and follow His Word.
  • Gratitude – We find joy in every season.
  • Service – We use our time and gifts to bless others.
  • Courage – We do hard things together.
  • Unity – We cheer for one another and stay connected.

Once chosen, describe what each value looks like in action. For instance:

“Faith means praying before decisions.”
“Unity means forgiving quickly.”

The clearer you define them, the easier they’ll be to live out daily.

Write Your Family Vision Statement

Now it’s time to capture your heart in words. A Family Vision Statement should be short, memorable, and inspiring.

It’s not a list of goals — it’s a declaration of identity.

Examples:

“We are a family who loves deeply, serves joyfully, and lives with faith and courage.”
“Our home is a place of laughter, purpose, and peace — where every person is seen and valued.”

Once written, display it somewhere visible — on your wall, fridge, or family calendar. Let it become the anthem of your home.

Keep it simple

When writing your vision for your family keep it simple. It can be easy to do one of the following,

  • Overcomplicate it — Vision should be clear, not corporate.
  • Leaving it to parents only — Include your children’s voices.
  • Treating it as a task — It’s about heart, not homework.
  • Forgetting to live it — The power is in the daily follow-through.

Your vision only works when it’s lived, not laminated.

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Leadership Victory

Create a Vision for Your Family in 2026

Every family is building something—whether they realize it or not. The question is: are you building with intention, or just reacting to whatever life brings? Decide today what tomorrow looks like.

At Homes of Victory, we believe that great families don’t happen by accident. They are shaped by a clear, shared vision — one that aligns hearts, guides decisions, and gives every family member a sense of purpose.

2026 is the perfect time to create that vision for your home — a declaration of who you are becoming, not just what you’re doing.

For the month of January we will be looking at creating a family vision, to help you set the course for the year ahead.

What Is a Family Vision?

A family vision is a statement of identity and direction. It’s the picture of what your family is called to build together.

It defines:

  • Purpose – Why your family exists.
  • Values – The principles you live by.
  • Direction – Where you’re heading together.

When you have a vision, you stop living by default and start living by design. It becomes the compass that helps you make choices, stay aligned, and lead with clarity in every season.

Dream Together

Vision starts with unity — not perfection.
Gather your family for a “Vision Night” — a time to pray, talk, and dream together.

Ask open-ended questions like:

  • What do we want our home to feel like this year?
  • How do we want to treat each other?
  • What do we want to be known for as a family?
  • What kind of legacy do we want to build?

Encourage everyone — from toddlers to teens — to share their thoughts. Write down words, phrases, and ideas that reflect who you want to become together.

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Victory

The hard truth

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how both thinking too highly or not highly enough of yourself can be your own worst enemy. Yet at times it is really difficult to have an honest idea of who you are while realistically understanding your gifts and talents along with your weaknesses that need to be worked on.

As I was reflecting on how to have a healthy view of yourself, I remembered something that happened a number of years ago that puts this topic into perspective.

One thing we’ve taught our kids from a young age is to think about three things you love about someone and add those things to their birthday and Christmas card. My eldest daughter decided one year to write each person in her class a detailed Christmas card, using this method. During the last week of school, one mum grabbed me on my way to pick up. She asked if I had read the Christmas cards my daughter wrote before she gave them out… I realized I hadn’t as I slowly shook my head. She smiled a huge smile and pulled a Christmas card out of her bag. My child wrote… thank you for being such a great friend. I love playing with you. Over the holidays maybe try to talk less so next year you don’t get into trouble in class….

I can’t even put into words my response – this was like a grade 3 version of a performance appraisal. The mums grin put me at ease as I profusely apologized. She said, her child cried after reading it out to her. I still didn’t know what to say. I was shocked, sad and completely at a loss of what to say.. she then went on to say, the card made her laugh, as it was true and her daughter simply couldn’t handle the truth…

I’m not saying we should go to bed crying because of what others think of us or even bluntly tell people what we think of them… rather listen to those around us, like this mum who knew the truth about her daughter, and hear how we can grow our weaknesses rather than hide from them.

Who do you have in your life that is prepared to tell you the truth?

Who do you speak life into, as you let others know the truth?

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Leadership

Pace

I’ve been thinking a lot about pace lately. It’s not natural for me, I’m usually all-in or not at all, no middle ground. And let’s be honest, this end-of-year season? It feels overloaded. ‘Busy’ doesn’t even cut it. Here in Australia, the end of the school year almost collides with Christmas, so the fun activities stack up pretty quickly.

A friend summed it up perfectly when I asked how her week was looking, she said: “I don’t know—the calendar tells me.” Same here. My work and home calendars feel like a game of Tetris, trying to fit everything in while giving each activity its proper value and weight.

While thinking about this, I remembered one aspect of my swimming training as a kid. I grew up as a swimmer, swimming lap after lap before school most days. The first few laps of the pool would be all about getting my breathing and strokes into a rhythm and then the laps would pass by my pace would keep time with the rhythm in my mind.  Often in life we find our rhythm, our stride only for it to be met with a hiccup, a spanner in the works, a life event that was not expected and it feels like it all comes undone.

Recently, I’ve been playing Block Blast to unwind and perhaps procrastinate. Funny thing: it’s teaching me something Tetris never did one block at a time. You can’t force all the pieces to fit at once. Sometimes you need to place one block to make space for the next. How true is that right now in the season of busy?

Even when my week looks overflowing, if I focus on one thing at a time and really show up for it, I find my pace helps everything feel more manageable and fall into place. And when the board fills up and you’re told there’s no more space and asked, would you like to try with smaller pieces? Remember, it’s okay. Yes, you might feel full, you might feel the overwhelm. It’s okay… start again. Look at each priority in front of you and work through them, one at a time.

What emphasis are you placing on pacing and prioritizing tasks one at a time?

What does your one thing at a time list look like this week?

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Victory

Let your light shine

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

quote by Marianne Williamson

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Victory

Pause

I’ve been reading a book called Get your life back by John Eldredge, can I say, it has been one of the most inspiring and truth hitting books I have read in a long time. I wanted to pull a quote out of this book to encourage you.

Saint Augustine said, “ We must empty ourselves of all that fills us so that we may be filled with what we are empty of”.

This is such a beautiful quote and although it was written in the 1800’s before the world was busy and full as we know it know, the truth to this rings loud. It is such a great reminder in our every day – when we are bombarded with news, with advertising and everything else that is available on our screens it is so important to get back to the basics and be still. Even only for a moment. Being still, lets us re-center, enables us to focus on what is important and lastly, good for our health.

Take a moment today to pause, re- group and then get on with your day.

Book referenced: Get your Life Back – Every day practices for a world gone mad by John Eldredge (2020)

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About Leadership Victory

Fight for the I do

This past September, we celebrated 20 years of marriage. For us this milestone came with much joy. I find it so special that out of all of the billions of people in the world, at the end of the day I get to hang out with my husband and kids. On our anniverary we reflected on our years of marriage, the ups, the downs, the challenges and triumps – of which their have been many.

One of the many things our marriage has taught me, is to alwasy fight for the I do. Saying I do, and siging a marriage certificate is one tiny act, that does not last a life time. It is an act that needs to be chosen and repeated, time and time again – not in a white dress or in a suit, not with amazing food and special people in your life around you. But day in, day out – at your worse, when you are sick, when you are tired, when you are grumpy, when you achieve success, when you are happy and joful and every other emotion in between.

I am not going to lie, we’ve had moments where we’ve looked at each other and said – Do you think this is it? Do you think we are better off apart? Their have been times, when we needed time to process our thoughts, yet every time we made the choice, however hard it was in the moment to choose I do, to fight for that and to work hard on it.

I want to encourage you today, to keep pursuing the I do in your marriage. When it seems to broken, when it seems too perfect, when it seems like it may never be enough – choose to fight for your I do. Agree to that core value and the hard work will be required to get you both back on track, but worth it. The joy that comes from fighting for your I do, will make every tear, every emotion, every act of listening and comprehending, every act of humilty worth it.

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Victory

Context vs. Perspective: Keys to Finding Clarity

Way back in 2020 we wrote about being Consistent & Persistent. To this day I still stand by the value of this advice that was given to me when my kids were little and have applied it to so many areas of my life. This post adds to that perspective the concept of perspective and context.

In life, it is the micro and macro choices we make that lead us to where we are. The house we live in, the route we drive our kids to school, the school they attend, where we buy groceries, where we park our cars, the list of decisions we make seems endless day in day out. The routine of life can become… well boring and repetitve at times. So what do we do when we find ourselves in a position, we don’t like, where were wake up and go, this is not how I wanted my life to be…I hear your mind start to crank over the answer to that. At times, the reality is that the wind and waves of life happen – the unexpected, the tragic, the triumphant moments, all combine to form where things are at in our lives in this very moment. Yet when we start to question and feel, this is not what I wanted my life to be like, we often forget do have a choice. Even when the bank knocks back a loan, when the job offer didn’t work out, when the flat tyre made you late for an important meeting… we need to choose to not feel stuck and know we always have a choice.

Tapping into the perspective vs context concept. I must admit, not too long ago, I was in the middle of the thought patten, of, this is not what I thought life would be like. I was backwards and forwards for weeks in my thought patterns between feeling stuck to feeling I’m brave enough to do something about it. When chatting off the cuff to a mentor, she said these words: “You can change your perspective, or context, or both, but not changing anything, won’t change anything.” It felt like a BINGO moment. The light bulb came on. I couldn’t keep sitting in my frustration, and “lack of” thinking – it wasn’t helping anyone let alone myself. I had a choice. I could step out into the unknown, brave and fearless – I like to call this drastic change (in other words changing the context), or I could change the way I thought about my position (my perspective) – reevaluate what success means to me, reflect on why I am where I am in life, look back on the decisions that have lead me to this point – and look deeper at the reasons why I feel stuck.

In all honestly, I was ready to change my context – quit a few things, start over, take some time off the committment list, but after carefully considering my context and perspective. I sought to change my perspective, dug into my goals a little deeper, and have continued on the path I have chosen for the time being. Doesn’t mean I’m not dreaming of a different context, doesn’t mean all of my frustrations have disappeared, doesn’t mean some days are not tougher than others. What this exercise has shown me is, the simplicity that exists between perspective and context and it’s potential power. It has shown me, the fine line between these two concepts that we totally have control over, whether we realise it or not.

Another way of seeing the concept of perspetcive and context I came across is – having grace to stay or faith to go. Both require bravery, strength and digging deep. Neither choice is easier than the other, but have a weighting of value.

My encouragement today is, instead of sitting in frustration, dig deeper into what your really feeling and thinking. Choose to look through the lens of perspective and context and see what changes you can make today, for a better tomorrow.

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Victory

Cultivating creativity

If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.

Albert Einstein

It’s clear that Albert Einstein believes that imagination is the key to real intelligence. Does real intelligence mean we only know facts? Does it mean we are creative? Does it mean we focus on solutions? Is it a mix of all three?

Whatever your position is, imagination allows to see what is not there, and therefore be builders of a new and improved reality.

I was recently challenged around the concept of adults losing their imagination and focusing too much on reality. I am so guilty of this, where I think of a fun, amazing, big blue sky concept only to shoot the thought down within seconds saying that won’t work. That’s not possible.

Who has come across a kid wanting to be a dinosaur when they grow up? It makes you smile right – knowing it’s not possbile but the kid believes it with every bone in their body. Where has that child like imagination, all things are possbile capacity gone? When does it not become a thing anymore as we grow up.

Homes of Victory is all about encouraging families, to think big, plan, grow and be all they can be. What we need more of in our families, in our parenting, is more creativity, more imagination and less barriers in our minds to what is possible. Cultivating creativity takes time, is perhaps a learnt art, of letting go and letting our imaginations run free. One thing I do know is when you do, the joy, the unpredictable and the what was once thought impossible begins to show possibility.

Take some time out to think about your dreams when you were a kid? When you were a teenager beginning to explore the world. What dreams did you have, how have they been squished, how can you revive them?