Becoming in Real Time

"Reflections on faith, family, and becoming. The past year required me to slow down, surrender, and become someone new".

I hope everyone’s 2026 is off to a great start. I know it has been a while since I’ve shared on the Mas LaRae platform. 2025 brought many life-changing moments for me, and all in all, I’m amazed by God’s goodness and favor over my life. I have so much to share, but this is

a “fit it all in one post” moment. What I will say is that in one year, God turned it all around all while having our first child, getting married, and building a family. We executed a successful Futureland Conference, grew Creative Meetups, and intentionally strengthened our walk with God.

For now, I simply want to thank everyone who continues to support me, Mas LaRae, Creative Meetups, and anything else I dive wholeheartedly into. I don’t take any of it lightly. I’m truly humbled and grateful.

In 2025, I took a lot of time away to give my pregnancy the attention and care it deserved. Listening to my body, intentionally slowing down, and working toward having a natural labor and delivery. (Don’t worry, I have an entire blog series coming with all the details for those who are interested.) Through this experience, I gained a deeper appreciation for mothers and for women in general. Our bodies were created to do amazing things. Woot woot to us!!!

Slowing down last year showed me just how fast I had been moving. I faced hard truths about myself and even some unhealthy habits I had picked up along the way. I noticed how anxious I had become in relationships, in business, and in community. Being sped up and constantly forced to produce quantity over quality does not lead to sustainable outcomes. Becoming more aware of this taught me the importance of creating new processes for everything including myself.

With so much chaos all around us, I didn’t want to bring our baby into this world only to be manipulated and consumed by it ourselves. Taking hard stops. Saying no. Pushing back negative thoughts. Fighting FOMO — the fear of missing out. Trying to keep up while physically slowing down was very real for me. I was used to moving at lightning speed that not being able to do so impacted me deeply. It took time to adjust, but ultimately, I had to submit.

I remember our natural birthing instructor saying,

“You have to let go of who you are to become who you are.” 

That statement changed everything for me in that moment.

Fast forward to bringing our baby boy into this world and just like that, everything changed.I became a mother. And suddenly, nothing else in life seemed to matter.

I already had the “I can do bad all by myself” mentality, but having a baby really takes that mood to a whole new level. Big Mama Energy!!!

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Shortly after giving birth, I was back in full Futureland Conference mode producing once again. But this time felt different, because it was different. I had to show up differently. I couldn’t do all the things, nor did I need to. I had to release the need to be everywhere, to do everything, and to prove my capacity the way I once did.

For the first time, I allowed myself to move at a different pace. I trusted the groundwork we had laid, leaned into support, and accepted that excellence didn’t require exhaustion. I showed up with more intention, more boundaries, and a deeper understanding that sustainable impact requires space, trust, and grace. For those who have watched my involvement with Futureland as a co-founder over the years, you know the work can be all-consuming.

This past year also required me to trust people the way I once only trusted myself. I want to personally acknowledge Nikki B., who I was able to bring on in May 2025 to run point on all things Futureland. She stepped up to host Creative Meetups and support other Mas LaRae opportunities, doing so with grace and a smile on her face. She was truly heaven-sent.

2025 was also the first year Futureland operated as an independent organization. After completing a successful event, many would assume it was time for rest and yes, that’s true. I rested. I held my baby for about a week straight and didn’t want to let him go. We ordered take out and watched movies and just simply enjoyed family.

Yet God had one more thing He instructed us to do: legally get married. Although in my heart and spirit we were already married and walking in it, God wanted the stamp going into 2026 and we said yes. So we planned an intimate ceremony to seal on earth what had already been sealed in heaven.

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Wow. That’s pretty good. I just wrapped up the full year in a one-pager!

But in all seriousness, 2025 was one for the books. Everything I had been praying to God for in 2023 and 2024 erupted in 2025. Let me tell you this, it won’t always look the way you think. Let go of expectations. Let go of control. Let go. Allow God to be in the driver’s seat and learn to enjoy the back seat… or at least the passenger side, lol.

This past year changed me not by adding more, but by stripping things away. It required me to slow down, surrender, and become someone new. As I step into this next season, I’m committed to showing up with more presence, more purpose, and more truth.

Mas LaRae will continue to be a reflection of that becoming — a space for real stories, real faith, and real testimony. I want to shine a light on the goodness unfolding in and around us and share the moments that inspire and remind us that God is real.

I’m looking forward to walking into 2026 with intention and inviting you along the journey.

For now, 

• You can catch my personal videos on Tik Tok Click Here

• Prayer list - if you have a prayer request that I can pray and agree with you for please send a note or share your prayer Click Here

• All things Creative Meetups follow Creative.Meetups on IG 

Thank you again for allowing us to bring more light to you!