My Journey of Faith, Health, Hope, and Finding a New Purpose

When Life Took an Unexpected Turn

Have you ever found yourself in a season of life where you just didn’t feel like yourself anymore?

Maybe you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or frustrated because your body isn’t responding the way it used to. You know something isn’t quite right, but you don’t know where to begin looking for answers.

I understand that feeling more than you might imagine.

My own journey began in the summer of 2021, when routine lab work revealed something I had never experienced before. My thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were elevated.

I was shocked. My lab work had always been normal.

I had assumed my health would continually remain relatively stable, and I honestly thought things would return to normal on their own.

So I did nothing.

But when the summer of 2022 arrived, my lab results hadn’t changed. My TSH levels were still elevated, and my practitioner was concerned. She recommended thyroid medication.

By this time, I had been a doTERRA Wellness Advocate for about four years. Through my experiences and education, I had developed a growing interest in natural wellness and the importance of understanding what might be contributing to changes in our health.

I wasn’t opposed to getting help. I simply wanted to understand what was happening in my body before deciding on a long-term approach.

I began researching supplements, nutrition, and natural ways to support my health. But the more I searched, the more overwhelmed I became.

There was so much information and so many different opinions. I didn’t know what to believe or where to begin.

Looking back, I realize how much I needed someone to listen, to help me sort through the confusion, and encourage me to take that next step.

The Season That Tested Me

As 2022 came to a close and 2023 began, my health struggles became harder to ignore.

I was exhausted.

Not simply tired after a busy day but deeply fatigued almost every evening. I could usually push through and do what needed to be done, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

It was disheartening to feel that way day after day.

Then, in the summer of 2023, I began experiencing severe pain in my hip joints. It was the kind of pain that stopped me in my tracks. I, literally, could barely walk.

Eventually, I learned that I had a magnesium deficiency. After beginning magnesium supplementation, the pain resolved. I was amazed and so grateful for the relief.

But my thyroid concerns remained.

Another summer brought another set of lab results, and once again, my TSH levels were elevated.

I was growing increasingly frustrated. My practitioner continued recommending medication, while I wanted to explore what might be contributing to the changes in my health.

I felt caught between knowing I needed help and not knowing which direction to take.

Even going to the medical clinic became stressful. My blood pressure would rise during appointments, although my readings at home remained normal.

The physical symptoms were difficult, but the emotional weight of uncertainty was becoming just as exhausting.

I knew I needed answers.

More than anything, I needed hope.

Finding Hope Along the Way

Throughout this season, I was grateful for the essential oils and supplements I had incorporated into my daily wellness routines. My involvement with doTERRA had introduced me to a community of people who shared my interest in holistic health and natural approaches to wellness.

Through that community, I eventually connected with a holistic practitioner who approached health with a curiosity about the bigger picture.

For the first time in a long while, I felt that someone truly understood what I was searching for.

With her guidance, I incorporated additional herbs and supplements into my routine. Within days, I began noticing encouraging changes.

The brain fog started to lift. My fatigue gradually improved, and the overwhelming feelings that had become part of my everyday life began to ease.

I was finally beginning to feel more like myself.

To me, these changes were answers to prayer.

There was still much I didn’t understand about my health, but I no longer felt quite so lost.

I was finding hope again.

Later, toward the end of 2024, another important piece of my health story came into focus.

For years, we had been living with mold in the bathroom connected to our master bedroom. I hadn’t fully understood the possible significance of that exposure or how it might have been contributing to my health struggles.

Learning more about that potential connection gave me another reason to consider the many factors that can influence our well-being.

In the spring of 2025, we removed the affected ceiling and replaced it. As far as we know, the mold problem in our home has been resolved.

That experience strengthened my desire to look beyond individual symptoms and understand how our environment, daily habits, and overall lifestyle may affect our health.

But perhaps the greatest transformation taking place wasn’t only physical.

Something was changing within my heart, too.

When God Began Leading Me Toward Something New

During those months of searching, healing, and learning, I rediscovered something incredibly precious.

Quiet time with God.

In the stillness, I found peace. Through prayer, I found encouragement. And as I began paying more attention to my emotional and spiritual well-being, I realized just how deeply connected these parts of my life were.

I was also entering a new season as a wife and mother.

For so many years, raising our three children had been a central part of my everyday life. But our children were growing up, my sons were already in college and preparing for new careers, and our youngest was preparing for her final year of high school.

I began wondering what God’s plans were for me in this next chapter.

What would life look like as my role as a mother began to change?

Where could I use my gifts, my experiences, and the things I had learned?

As I continued exploring functional medicine and whole-person wellness, I felt a growing desire to help others who were struggling with their own health challenges.

I knew what it felt like to be exhausted and overwhelmed.

I knew the frustration of searching for answers.

And I knew how much it meant to finally feel heard, encouraged, and hopeful.

I began to wonder whether the struggles I had experienced might somehow become a way to encourage someone else.

Through prayer and reflection, I felt God leading me in a direction I never would have imagined.

Back to school.

In September 2024, I began my training to become a certified Functional Medicine Health Coach.

It was exciting, challenging, and sometimes a little overwhelming. After so many years focused on family life, I was stepping into something completely new.

But I wasn’t walking that journey alone.

The People Who Believed in Me

One of the greatest blessings throughout this journey has been the love and encouragement of my family.

My husband has been my biggest supporter.

He believed in me when I began considering going back to school. He encouraged me as I stepped into unfamiliar territory, and he continued believing in me throughout the challenges of completing my certification.

And he still believes in me today.

There is something incredibly meaningful about having someone see the possibilities in you, especially when you’re beginning a new chapter and aren’t always sure what lies ahead.

Our children have also been such an important part of my life and this journey.

By the time I completed my certification, both of our sons were engaged and preparing to begin their own marriages and new careers. Today, they are both married, and our daughter is in college, pursuing her own dreams of becoming a nurse.

Watching our children grow into adulthood while I was discovering a new purpose of my own has been a beautiful reminder that life is full of changing seasons.

And there can be growth and joy in each one.

In August 2025, I completed my education and earned my certification as a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach.

What began as a personal search for answers had grown into something I never expected.

A new calling.

A new purpose.

And the beginning of Roots of Hope Wellness Coaching.

Why Roots of Hope?

When I began dreaming about my coaching practice, I wanted a name that reflected what I believed about health, but also the faith and hope that had carried me through my own journey.

That’s how Roots of Hope Wellness Coaching came to life.

To me, roots represent so much more than what lies beneath the surface.

They represent faith, strength, nourishment, and the foundation from which growth becomes possible.

Just as a tree depends on its roots for stability and nourishment, I believe our well-being is deeply connected to the foundations we create in our everyday lives.

The way we nourish our bodies, manage stress, move, rest, think, and care for ourselves all contribute to our overall wellness.

My personal journey taught me the importance of being curious about the underlying factors that may influence our health.

But it also taught me something equally important.

Lasting change doesn’t have to begin with something big.

Sometimes it begins with one small, intentional choice.

A few moments of quiet reflection. A nourishing meal. A walk outside. Choosing to rest. Taking time to breathe.

These seemingly simple changes, practiced consistently, can strengthen the foundation of our well-being.

Much like the roots of a tree, healthy habits grow over time. As those roots become stronger, they help support us through life’s changing seasons.

And that’s what I want for the women I have the privilege of coaching.

I want them to discover the strengths they already possess. To recognize that they are capable of meaningful change. To understand that they don’t have to do everything perfectly or figure it all out at once.

I want them to experience the encouragement that comes from taking small steps, celebrating progress, and discovering new possibilities.

Most of all, I want them to be rooted in hope.

Hope that their struggles do not define them.

Hope that they can grow through difficult seasons.

Hope that they can build new habits, rediscover confidence, and move toward the health and life they envision for themselves.

My faith reminds me that even when we cannot see what’s happening beneath the surface, roots can still grow.

And sometimes, the deepest roots are formed during the hardest seasons.

A Message From My Heart to Yours

If you’ve found your way to Roots of Hope because you’re struggling with your health, feeling overwhelmed, or simply longing to feel more like yourself again, there is something I want you to know.

You are not broken.

Your struggles are real. Your exhaustion, frustration, uncertainty, and desire for something better are real.

But hope is real, too.

You don’t have to change everything overnight. You don’t have to have all the answers. And you certainly don’t have to walk this journey alone.

I believe that meaningful, lasting change often begins with small, realistic steps that build confidence and momentum over time.

As a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, my role isn’t to diagnose, prescribe, or tell you exactly how to live your life.

My role is to listen, encourage, educate, and walk alongside you as you discover the changes that align with your own goals, values, and vision for your health.

You are in the driver’s seat of your health journey.

And I am here to support you along the way because I believe you are stronger than you may realize.

You are capable of creating meaningful change.

You are vibrant, even if you haven’t felt that way in a long time.

And there is still room for renewed joy, confidence, energy, and vitality in your life.

You are strong. You are capable. You are vibrant. And you deserve the opportunity to radiate with hope and well-being.

My own journey has taught me that difficult seasons don’t have to define the rest of our story.

Sometimes they become the very places where new growth begins.

And perhaps today is the beginning of something new for you too.

With hope,

Carolina Stiemke

Roots of Hope Wellness Coaching

Gentle guidance for meaningful, lasting health changes.

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Ready to take your first step?

I would love to hear your story. Schedule a complimentary discovery call, and let’s explore what a hopeful, sustainable path toward your wellness goals might look like.