Have A Little Faith in We

Hello friends and a belated Happy Easter!! This weekend I took time to just unplug, so this message is a bit late! My sweet cousin Jaclyn (more like a sister) and her cute little family were here for a visit, along with other fun family and friends, so I took an opportunity to just hang out. No schedule, no to dos…… just living. Pedicure – sure why not! Family walk – count me! The next walk since other family members missed the first one, let’s go! It was so nice to just be. Chatting and listening…. sipping coffee together in the morning and wine in the evenings…. these three days were a perfect recharge and an opportunity to rediscover the solace found in the little things.

This Easter season I have summarized with one line from scripture: “In everything God works for good with those who love him.” There have been many trials, fears, frustrations, pain, healing, and general confusion in the months between Advent and Easter. We have experienced our highest highs and some of our lowest lows…. but it is in those experiences you come to understand the imperfections in this world. And luckily, thanks to faith I have seen the power in accepting the trails and sufferings instead of fighting them. When you stop resisting, you start healing. Only problem is – this is very counter to our culture focused on pleasure and in a constant state of busy! Helping your brain stop, learning to be still, and trading planning for trusting are difficult things – it requires faith.

Spring presents such a beautiful season to recharge. You can find a reason to be still… breathe deep…. and step outside of your world so much more easily. Taking a walk….. sitting in the sun…. driving with the windows down. Naturally we let go and release into our surroundings. You can’t help but to turn your face up to the light and warmth, or feel the grass tickle your toes – these little moments provide you with the same sensation as a deep breath or kicking off your heels at the end of a long day. It is officially the season to release and recharge.

I invite you to find a way to do both. Let Spring be your reason to renew your faith – by starting with a little awe for the world that surrounds us. Summer will be here soon and the long list of to dos will quickly reappear. Certainly those items are a little more fun – vacations, baseball games, concerts, seeing friends, hanging with family – but the days will quickly fill up. Now is the time to carve out a few minutes each day to breath deep, unwind, and when you find your mind is finally still – how about talking a little to the big man upstairs?  You just have no idea what you might find.

Right now I am personally trying to correct my empty cup. So many have reminded me of how empty that cup of mine is and yet I continued to try and pour. Do you know what I am referencing? A wise friend once shared this analogy with me: you are like a cup. If you don’t take time and make en effort to fill yourself up, then you won’t have anything to pour out for others. Ever since that moment I have taken notice of how I can better fill up and realized it doesn’t have to be the really big things (writing that book, a weekend away, running a marathon) – rather it can be the small things (hiding in my car to read a magazine and drink my latte for a few extra minutes between errands, walking the dog while breathing deeply) and I will begin to fill up. Once full I am a better version of myself for those who I love.

So here is wishing you a Spring that allows you time to recharge, refocus, seek your faith, and become a whole versions of you. We are in the season of faith and renewing…. enjoy it!

Thank you so much for reading and remember to make it a great day!

Jackie