Howdy partner, I have decided to do a blog series leading into this year’s Happy Girl 2025 called Cowgirl Up! I hope you enjoy it.

I will be sharing with you some things that God has been doing in my heart, and I pray that it will encourage, challenge, and inspire you to “Cowgirl Up” in whatever area is needed in your life ! 

So first, let’s define this phrase as to what it means to me. This way we can be on the same page throughout this blog series. 

First, I’d like to take you back to the 1970’s and 80’s when I was a little girl growing up in the backwoods of Mississippi on 11 acres with a pond, a giant tin-roof-barn, probably the kind you are imagining right now with a hayloft at the top, an alleyway down the middle and stalls on either side of the barn. 

Copper, my barrel horse was in the first stall on the left.  It was kind of like the VIP suite. He was the most expensive and valuable horse we had. All the other horses got the other smaller stalls or fed outside the barn. Copper and I won a lot of money together. I only have a buckle or two and a lot of memories to remind me of those days.

One memory that comes to mind often lately is how Dad would tell me to Cowgirl Up.

Maybe I was complaining because it was really hot outside or I had way too many chores to get done before dark. I could’ve been telling him that there was no way that I could get that many horses ridden today. I also remember explaining why I didn’t do as well in the horse show as I probably could have, knowing good and well, I hadn’t practiced that week like I knew it took to do well. Or maybe I was giving him some lame excuse as to why something on the farm wasn’t done quite the way I knew it needed to be done.

Any of these situations or a number of others would have been a time that I would’ve been told that I could complain or or just get after it. 

Many times, his admonishments would conclude with the phrase… “It’s all good. You’ll get it next time! Just cowgirl up, and getter done!”

So whether, you’re a teenager making excuses to your parents about your grades or a young mom complaining about all the housework, or maybe you’re stressed out of your mind because of your to-do list. Perhaps you are up against a seemingly never-ending health challenge or financial crisis that feels insurmountable. For some, you just found out that your marriage is coming crashing down and there’s nothing you can do about it. Maybe you just lost a best friend to a misunderstanding or a loved one to the C word. My heart goes out to you as do my prayers and empathy if you are facing any of these horrific situations or if you are just struggling with the daily grind to keep up.

I don’t know what you’re up against right now and most likely, it’s a lot bigger deal than what I was up against back in those days where my whole world revolved around getting a time of at least below 16 and oh to get a 15 when I looped those barrels at my next rodeo.  Every time, I scooped alfalfa into my horses feed, every time I let them out to pasture or called them into the barn. Every time I gathered eggs, fed the chickens, slopped the pigs, or broke a few horses that afternoon, it was all connected to the upcoming rodeo for me. It was all part of my upbringing. And what made it worth it all was bringing home the Buckle that weekend! 

One thing good I learned from growing up that way is the sheer will to keep going, keep fighting, and keep showing up. I got out of all that how to Cowgirl Up, when it matters the most. Work ethic, dependability, determination, and courage to never quit was drilled into me.

In the next few weeks, I want to share with you some truths I’ve learned over a “few years” of LIFE since those days that have helped me balance all that out, knowing when it’s up to me and when it’s up to Thee! If you want to know the difference in “Suck it up, Buttercup” and “Cowgirl Up!” (And there is a BIG difference.) then come back next week, ya hear, for more of this Happy Monday Blog Series called Cowgirl Up! 

Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”

There is more to you than you may realize. You are stronger than you think. You are probably doing better than you feel. I pray this blog series helps you come to really believe this and see how you can Cowgirl Up in ways you maybe didn’t see yourself being able to do before.

Happy Monday!

Adrienne