If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably noticed the flood of dorm drop-off pictures, packed cars, and emotional “off to college” posts. And if your child isn’t taking that path, it might feel like your family’s missing out on a big rite of passage.

But here’s the truth: you’re not missing out and your child is on a path that’s just as worthy of celebration. Some kids head straight to work, some enroll in trade school, some take time to figure things out — and all of those choices hold value. As parents, we get to champion their courage, their independence, and their willingness to forge their own way.

Non-College Paths After High School Deserve Celebration

Society often puts a college degree on a pedestal. But fulfillment and success don’t live inside a single option. Trades, certifications, businesses, or gap years can be just as meaningful — and in many cases, just as lucrative. When your child chooses differently, it doesn’t mean they’re “falling behind.” It means they’re building a life they’ll love. And isn’t that what we all want for our kids?

Real Paths, Real Wins

Trade schools & apprenticeships: From plumbing to culinary arts to medical imaging, these programs offer hands-on training, faster entry into the workforce, and solid earning potential.

Going straight to work: Early independence builds resilience, responsibility, and practical life skills.

Entrepreneurship: Starting a business, no matter the size, teaches grit and ownership.

Taking time: A gap year can help kids breathe, explore, and figure out what’s next without rushing into something that doesn’t fit.

Military service: Enlisting is a courageous choice that brings discipline, structure, and purpose. It’s a path that asks a lot of our kids — and of us as parents — and it deserves to be honored just as much as any other milestone.

Each of these paths deserves recognition — and yes, even a celebratory post if you want to share one.

How We, as Parents, Can Celebrate Anyway

It’s easy to feel quiet or even hesitant about celebrating non-college milestones. But our kids need us to cheer just as loudly. Here’s how:

• Shift the focus: Celebrate certifications, first paychecks, new skills, and milestones outside the classroom.

• Keep conversations positive: Ask with curiosity, not comparison.

• Mark the moments: A special dinner, a heartfelt letter, a small gathering — these affirmations matter.

• Encourage lifelong learning: Remind them that education doesn’t end with high school. Every skill gained is a building block.

Walking Proudly, Even Without the Hashtag

Your child’s journey may not look “Instagram official,” but it is deeply meaningful. By recognizing their steps — big and small — you show them that success isn’t about fitting into one mold. So while the college-bound kids are moving into dorms, you can just as proudly celebrate your child. Different doesn’t mean less. Different means theirs — and that’s something to champion.

For the Parents Sending Kids Off to College (or the Military)

And if you’re a parent who has just dropped your child off at college, or entering boot camp, you may be navigating a different kind of transition — the quiet house, the strange pace of different routines (and fewer dishes), the bittersweet “new normal.” That deserves honoring, too. Whether you’re figuring out how to fill your evenings, relearning what family dinner looks like, or simply sitting with the ache of missing your child, your experience is valid. Just as our kids are stepping into new chapters, we are, too.

For the Parents of Commuters or Kids Staying Home

If your child is commuting to college, working, or staying home while they sort out their next steps, you can still create a sense of “new chapter.” One way we’ve done this in our family is with a room refresh in early September. A few new touches — fresh bedding, a new lamp, or even a small desk makeover — can give their space a “dorm at home” vibe. And here’s a bonus tip: if you wait until after Labor Day, most dorm and back-to-school essentials go on sale. It’s a simple way to mark the transition, give your child a sense of independence, and remind them that their path is just as important.

The Bigger Picture

Every child’s road to adulthood is unique. While college remains a solid route for many, it’s not the only path to a fulfilling life. As parents, our role is to keep showing up — with encouragement, recognition, and love — as they carve out lives that are authentically their own. So go ahead — mark the moment, share the story, or simply look your child in the eye and tell them how proud you are. They deserve it!

Embracing the New Season: More Than Just Back to School

Every year, late summer slips quietly into fall. The calendar fills with school supply lists, changing schedules, and the first hints of cooler air. For many, this time signals the back-to-school rush. But even for those without kids heading back to the classroom, the shift is real. There’s something about this season—a pause after summer’s activity—that nudges us into a new routine.

The energy changes as vacations wind down and days grow shorter. After the hum of summer, now is a chance to catch your breath. This season invites everyone, not just parents, to pause and look ahead with fresh eyes. You may feel a quiet urge to shift gears, shake up habits, or go after fresh goals. Leaving behind the busyness of summer can bring a sense of space.

Starting a new routine doesn’t have to mean radical change. It can be as simple as waking up a few minutes earlier, trying a new recipe, or repurposing a corner of your home for quiet time. The key is to notice the rhythm change. Let yourself lean into it. Maybe you crave downtime after a packed summer, or maybe you’re itching for the structure school brings—even if no one at your house is loading up a backpack.

This transition offers more than a calendar change. It’s a reset for your mind and body. If you find yourself wanting clarity or a fresh start, now is the perfect time. Ask yourself: How could this season bring you the space you need?

The Importance of Starting from a Place of Calm

Before making any plans or jumping into new routines, start from calm. It sounds simple, but our days often throw us straight into action. It’s easy to march from one task to the next without taking a moment to regroup. That quick pace might get things done, but it rarely leaves room for peace or clear thinking.

Building calm into your routine can slow the swirl. When you choose calm as your base, you cut out some noise and distractions that keep you from making better choices. Many find that taking a few minutes for quiet or breathing helps settle the mind, opening the way for real clarity.

Benefits of finding calm:

• Reduces stress and lowers anxiety
• Sharpens focus for better decision-making
• Supports overall emotional and physical health
• Makes it easier to handle changes in daily plans
• Strengthens resilience during tough seasons

Think about what happens when you run on autopilot, moving from one thing to the next. Without space to breathe and pause, tension builds. Your brain can get stuck on problems or frustration. Over time, the stress leaks into other areas, making friendly conversations almost nonexistent or shrinking your patience.

Our culture rewards busyness. But what if you challenged that? What if, instead, you chose calm first and then let your actions follow? Let your new routine start from a place of peace—not pressure. Even five minutes of calm in the morning can set up your whole day differently.

“You have to give yourself some space before you can see what’s next.”

Start your week by asking: What would change if I began by relaxing?

Reflecting on Relaxation: What Does It Really Feel Like?

It’s easy to say, “I need to relax.” But do you know what relaxation feels like for you? Many adults find this question hard to answer. Most of us can name stress quickly, but the last real moment of calm or pure relaxation? That’s tougher.

What does it feel like for you to relax? Maybe your shoulders drop. Your breathing gets slower. Your stomach unknots, and your thoughts slow down. These moments are different for everyone, but the effect is always softer and gentler.

When was the last time you genuinely felt relaxed? Think about that moment. Was it during a quiet walk, after finishing a good book, or in the middle of a favorite hobby? Pinpointing these pockets of peace can help you repeat them.

If you struggle to recall, that’s okay. Try this:

• Take five minutes each night to jot down anything that felt calming in your day.
• Look for patterns or triggers in your journal entries.
• Note what activities, people, or places seem to help you settle.

Recognizing relaxation is important for well-being. When you know what calm feels like, you can work to find it again. You can also notice faster when it’s missing.

Quote to remember: “It all starts with knowing what relaxed feels like before you can return to it.”

Understanding the Opposite: Recognizing When We’re Not Relaxed

Awareness is powerful. Sometimes, to understand how important this space is, you must notice its absence. Stress shows up in our bodies and minds as tension, restlessness, or even physical pain.

If you can’t remember the last time you felt relaxed, think instead about stress. When did you last feel tense or overwhelmed? These signs might not be dramatic, but they are clues your mind and body need a break.

Common signs you’re not relaxed:

1. Racing thoughts that won’t slow down
2. Tight shoulders, clenched jaw, or a stiff neck
3. Short temper or irritability with others
4. Feeling restless or unable to sit still
5. Trouble falling or staying asleep
6. Rushing from one task to the next, even when you don’t need to
7. Distractibility or trouble focusing

Noticing these feelings doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It’s an invitation. By paying attention, you give yourself the chance to choose a different way. Sometimes, naming the problem is the first and most important step toward change.

Try checking in with yourself. When you spot these signals, don’t power through. Instead, take a pause. Even just standing up, looking out a window, or taking a few deep breaths can help.

Understanding your own symptoms of stress can help you respond with more kindness and patience. Over time, this awareness builds a natural path back to calm.

Practical Steps to Transition into a New Routine with Peace

Moving from a busy summer into a calm fall doesn’t have to be complicated. Small, regular actions make a bigger impact than sweeping changes. Think simple, repeatable, and kind.

“Start where you are, and let peace set your next step.”

To help yourself move into a clearer, calmer routine, try the following steps:

Step-by-Step Guide for a Peaceful Transition

1. Pause first
   Each morning, take three to five deep breaths before anything else.
2. Notice your needs
   Ask yourself: What would feel peaceful or inspire moments of calm today? Listen to the answer.
3. Plan with intention
   Pick only one or two important things to focus on each day. Don’t overload.
4. Find pockets of rest
   Schedule short periods (even 5 minutes) where you put away screens and sit quietly.
5. Get moving
   Walk, stretch, or simply change your scenery midday. Gentle movement supports relaxation and focus.
6. Practice self-compassion
   If your routine falls apart, don’t judge. Recognize the setback and reset tomorrow.
7. Celebrate wins
   Notice and savor small moments of calm or success, no matter how tiny.

These steps can help you move through the start of a new season without feeling rushed or scattered. If it helps, write your own version of these steps and keep it somewhere you’ll see it each day.

Flexibility is key. Some days will go smoothly, others will not. The goal is not perfection, but more peace.

Reflective Prompts to Guide Your Transition

• Are you taking space to relax?
• What signals tell you it’s time to pause?
• How can you build calm into your everyday routine?

Keep these questions handy. Write them on a sticky note or in a journal. Refer to them as a gentle nudge toward more awareness and ease in your days.

Key Insights and Takeaways

• A new routine signals a chance for a personal reset. You don’t need school-age kids to benefit from this kind of shift.
• Calm is the best starting place. Planning actions is more clear and less overwhelming when grounded in peace.
• Identifying both relaxation and its opposite builds self-awareness. Know what both feel like in your own life.
• Simple steps make a difference. Pausing before acting, noticing tension, and allowing rest helps ease transitions.
• Self-compassion and flexibility matter. Not every day will be perfect, but each day can offer an opportunity for calm.

Resources

For further reading on calm routines and self-reflection, consider:

• “Atomic Habits” by James Clear (for building small habits)
• The Calm app or Headspace (for guided mindfulness practices)
• Guided journaling tools or blank notebooks

Action Steps

• Start your day with three to five slow breaths.
• Plan for one or two key tasks instead of filling your agenda.
• Use a journal to track small moments of peace or tension.
• Give yourself permission to pause, even for a minute.
• Check in regularly with the reflective prompts listed above.

Conclusion: Creating Space for Calm and Clarity

The start of a new season is a natural point for reflection. Take this opportunity, whether your life follows the school-year rhythm or not. Let calm be your foundation, even as things get busy again. Recognize both relaxation and stress and trust yourself to respond with care. Use simple steps and forgiving routines to shift into the fall with greater clarity.

Keep the helpful questions close to you. Let them nudge you toward more peace, clarity, and, above all, kindness to yourself in the weeks ahead.

Your new routine begins with one moment of calm. Make space for it—you deserve the reset.

What does calm look like for you in this season of life? And what’s one small change you could make this week to create more of it?

If you’re ready to start building more space for peace—without waiting for “perfect” conditions—listen to this week’s To Help You Heal episode: Making Space. We’ll walk through practical ways to find your own pockets of calm and set the stage for what’s next.

Do you believe that God is for you? That he is at work in the unwanted difficulties of your life, and that he’s crafting something beautiful with them? Are you confident in his love for you? Joseph knew God like this.

We don’t want the trials Joseph experienced. A life where we wake up every day amid brokenness and disappointment. A place where we must choose to walk out what God already called us to do. (You can read more about that in last week’s post.)

But that’s what he’s asking. Instead, God is calling us to know him, and not in the way where our circumstances dictate our belief in his love. Instead, it’s based on knowing that he loves us, that he is for us, and that he is working through every single thing.

That kind of belief moves me. It opposes my complacency, my procrastination, my worries, and my weaknesses. It’s like a billboard with flashing lights on a dark night drive down the highway. It’s the sign that you kind of want to say you didn’t see, but there was no way you could miss it. It’s larger than life because it’s the key to so much of what we want, but do not get.

I kind of doubt that Joseph hated his life. His life was hard. It was unfair, but he made the best of it. And he found beauty in the places everyone else would have discounted. Joseph moves from the prison to second in command over all Egypt (catch the full story in Genesis 39-41). This happens in a matter of moments. It’s stunning redemption.

In the days after, Joseph marries and has two sons. Their names point to the deep healing Joseph experienced over the years of his captivity.

Joseph named his oldest son Manasseh (meaning “Made to Forget”—what he meant was that God had made up to him for all the anguish of his youth, and the loss of his father’s home). 52 The second boy was named Ephraim (meaning “Fruitful”—“For God has made me fruitful in this land of my slavery,” he said). (TLB Genesis 41:51-52)

This healing wasn’t based on his promotion from the dungeon to the palace, it went deeper than that. It overtook his life. God overcame the trouble. If God can do that with the substance of Joseph’s life, he can do it in yours and mine. And when we find him in something that we didn’t think we wanted it changes everything. Something profound happens when God touches our pain. He speaks in quiet whispers. His presence conveys the way he sees you. And his love changes the way we see our world.

I can say this because I see what God did for Joseph, and I know what he’s done for me. But I know that sometimes it’s hard to grasp. If you need some help to find God like this, message me (marie@mariemonville.com).

As a child, he had a dream that his family bowed down to him.  When he told them about the dream, his brothers’ were furious–they already hated him.  His father seemed to doubt the vision.  And Joseph’s life doesn’t seem to reflect the substance of that dream.  He was betrayed and sold into slavery by his older brothers.  And while he was in Egypt things went from bad to worse.  Although he worked hard and honored his master, he was falsely accused of attempting to rape his master’s wife.  He was sent to prison.  It’s unfathomable.

I wonder what Joseph thought about his life as he sat in that cell.  Did he feel sorry for himself?  Were there moments when the brokenness overwhelmed him?  I think we could say that in our human mind, we’d give Joseph some hours (or days) where he had permission to sit on the couch with some Starbucks, binge watch Netflix, and forget how unfair his life had become.  But he doesn’t do that.  Yeah, I know Starbucks and Netflix weren’t options, but I don’t think he chose anything close to an applicable equivalent.

Stay focused.

Joseph was all-in to the plan–the dream that God had given.  He didn’t seem to be side-tracked by the specifics of his life—the slavery, the lies, the blame, and the prison.  It’s as if he’d had this conversation with the Lord, where God said to him, “Joseph, I want you to work every day as if you’re working for me and not the people around you.  And I’m serious.  Because when you work for me, I pay in rewards that are not calculable.  I will bless you.  I will reward you, but it won’t look the way you might expect.  I’m asking you to trust me.  You’ll see it in small ways every day that turn into big things as the seasons unfold.  And you don’t want to miss what I’ve got.  You don’t want to miss what I’ve planned.  I know that these little steps won’t seem to make sense.  The day-to-day reality won’t seem to mesh with the overall vision, but trust me, it will.  I just need you to remember this truth, every day you’re working for me.”

And Joseph just takes that conversation at 100% face value and walks it out.  He lives like that every single day.  He takes the brokenness to God, and allows God to heal him.  But he doesn’t allow the pain to destroy his dream.  It’s factual truth to him.  One day his family will bow down at his feet.  He doesn’t question it; he doesn’t think about any other option, he doesn’t vacillate on the basic of God’s truth vs. his feelings.  He doesn’t get trapped feeling sorry for himself.  He simply walks it out.

His story inspires me.  It draws me.  It speaks to me and calls out my brokenness.  And it reminds me that the details I can see do not prove, or disprove, God’s love for me.  I don’t want to waste my future feeling sorry about my past.  I must simply make the choice to trust, and walk it out every single day as if my life depends on it.  Because it does.  And yours does too.

Are you familiar with Joseph’s story? He’s one of my favorites. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may remember reading a similar sentence last week. In fact, you’ve probably heard me talk about him a lot.  I love leading women’s retreats where we spend the weekend studying Joseph’s story together. Those are some of my favorite sessions because we all find places of connection within our stories and what God did in Joseph’s life.

Human Destruction

I think we all have our favorite Bible passages, the ones we find ourselves coming back to over and over again. For me, in addition to Joseph, it’s Nehemiah, Joshua, and Esther. I read them again because I want to remember the things God spoke to me before and search out additional meaning that I’ve missed. But in this season, it’s Joseph. Maybe you can relate? I imagine that Joseph’s motto could’ve been: “Nothing in your life going the way you planned? Just wait, it gets worse.” We all have those times, they feel endless, but it’s not the end of the story.

Joseph grew up as the youngest brother in a large sibling group (you’ll want to read the back story on that in Genesis 37). His father favored him; his brothers hated him. They despised him so much that they decided to sell him to a group of traders passing by the area where they were tending their sheep. And that wasn’t the worst part. His journey becomes increasingly hard, with new challenges at every turn.

Although Joseph made great choices and seemed to try to do the best he could with every situation, those around him continued to betray him. But the thing that gets me about Joseph is that he didn’t give up. He didn’t become bitter, and he did not stop pursuing a relationship with God. He lived for that relationship. **Spoiler alert** at the end of the story, Joseph says this to his brothers: “As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil, for he brought me to this high position I have today so that I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 TLB). He couldn’t have said that unless he allowed God to bring healing to his brokenness. God’s redemption stories are majestic.

Majestic Redemption

And it’s within that reminder, that I find everything I need, no matter what season. Life isn’t always going to go the way I planned, and it’s the same for you. Most of the time we’re trying to control things, or people, that are completely outside of our control. However, that does not mean that we are outside the realm of God’s restoration. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to unpack some of these stories from Joseph’s life, in the hope that they continue to speak truth to our lives. Joseph’s story is amazing because God is amazing. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If he could take the broken pieces of Joseph’s life and craft something beautiful with them, then he can do the same for us!

As we begin our series on healing, it seemed like the best place to start wasn’t with a specific trial, but with the feeling that you just “can’t”.   Sometimes the problem is one BIG thing, but most often it’s not just the big stuff, it’s the entire pile of stuff! Life seems filled by a couple big things, some medium sized challenges and then all the little frustrations get added in. And it’s the little things that on their own would be no problem, when stacked with everything else, makes you feel like the whole world is out to get you. It seems like they come at you day after day in an attempt to drain the joy out of life and cause you to feel like you’ll never finish fighting.

I’m pretty sure you’re already envisioning your own past experiences dealing with exactly what I’m saying.

Sometimes you feel like you just can’t do it or deal with it anymore. And a millisecond behind that feeling is the knowing that things could be a lot worse and you don’t really have anything “that bad” going on. Then you kind of feel guilty for even thinking that you can’t do what’s right in front of you. And that just makes it worse. Haven’t we all been there?

Maybe it goes something like this—sick kids for days on end. You barely have time to wash the germs from one of them off your body before another one starts to come down with the same symptoms. And then there’s the additional laundry, special food requests, your regular job, childcare, housework, errands, your other kids who have practices and last minute projects, orthodontist appointments, and the husband you know you have but you haven’t actually seen or talked to in weeks because life is just this revolving door of exhaustion. We all have those seasons.

So what do you do when you wake up in the morning and force yourself out of bed, fighting hard against the desire to simply disengage and skip all this stuff? And how do you find God in it?   And what does he want you to find in this anyway?

What if all you’re supposed to find is him?

Here’s my take on struggles. He is not DOING this to you, but he is ALLOWING you to walk with him through it. Yes, walk with HIM through it. Life is hard. And there isn’t really an answer to that “Why?” question. Walking through the valley is grueling, and sometimes it seems like we’re there WAY too often and for FAR too long. But when we’re in the valley, we can’t stop walking.  We can’t set up camp and decide to stay. We simply have to keep going one step at a time. And in the desolate place, we find that we’re not really alone after all. We experience relationship with our father (God) in the valley that we wouldn’t have been able to see on the mountaintop. We find that he carries us when it’s hard; he encourages us when we doubt, and he strengthens us when we’re weak.

2 Corinthians 12:9 is a verse I lean into when I’m weak, And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” I’m reminded of the truth—I don’t have to be “strong enough”. I don’t have to fix it. I don’t have to force it. But I must engage his grace and receive his power.

The best way I’ve found to do this is through rest. Yes, I’m talking about all forms of rest. If you can go someplace quiet and lie down and focus your heart on God for at least 15 minutes, that’s fabulous. If it’s more of a place where you’re still doing the things you need to do, but you tell your mind to rest and you’re breathing in his peace, that’s great too. Cease. Stop. Breathe. We can’t put it off, and we can’t tell ourselves that we don’t need it or that we don’t have time for it. I don’t need to force myself to be stronger. I need his rest. You need his rest. We all need his rest! It’s ok to tell him that you can’t do this; he already knows.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 

Resting is a challenge for me.  It does not come naturally. It’s hard for me to stop moving, both physically and mentally. But I’ve learned the value of rest. There have been TONS of moments where I have chosen not to engage his rest. I’ve pressed on and pushed beyond my limit. I’m not the only one who pays for that kind of mistake. My family pays. They feel it when I snap at them for one of those stupid reasons like spilling the contents of a cup or better yet, spitting the liquid that was in your mouth across the room because your brother made you laugh. Or when a bowl of cereal (and milk) goes cascading across the kitchen because one of my kids was being silly and thought they’d dance their way to the table. When a harsh word pops out of my mouth it hurts. It hurts them and it hurts me. I don’t want those moments. I want the grace filled ones where we can laugh and live and clean together. But in order to get to the those moments, I must choose rest.  I must surrender myself to that sacred place. It’s in those quiet moments where either my mind or body (or both) is still, that God speaks to me. His words—his love—change everything. My circumstances are exactly the same, but the way I see it, and myself, is different.

There are many good books on rest. And if you’re able, I’d encourage you to search out some of them. But there are times that you really don’t have any extra moments for reading aside from the Word, and if that’s you, there’s no pressure here. Just embrace God, and let him embrace you. Start with one small passage and read it over and over (for days and weeks if necessary) until it’s penetrated so far into your heart that it’s changing you.

[Place Your Life Before God ] So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1-2 The Message

I totally understand that this looks different at different stages of your life. Most of the time, it looks a little different every day. Rest with a baby or toddler looks different than rest with teenagers. Rest when you’re working full time looks differently than rest for a stay at home mom, or a work at home mom. Not one of these places or seasons of life offers us an automatic place for rest. It is space that we must make though—it recharges our soul, it invigorates our mind, and resuscitates a faltering heart. He invites us to come, to lay our burdens before him and receive his rest.

So what are you waiting for? Rest. Yes, right now. At the very least, close your eyes, breathe him in, and breathe the weight out. Start with a simple prayer, “God I am weary. All this stuff is wearing me down. Show me how to find you, to find joy, and find myself. I know that you are with me. I need you right here, right now.”

In some ways it feels like winter has seeped inside my skin.  It’s like I’ve been hibernating—stuck inside myself waiting for the sun to shine and warm my world again.  Gray days have consumed me.  At first I fought the winter, then resigned myself to its presence, but after a spring tease last weekend I’m ready to move beyond this season.  Do you feel like that too?  Winter feels lifeless in many ways: it brings a struggle and dulls my senses.  It commands rest and patience.  God is challenging me, and I’m growing.  Small steps are still progress.  He reminds me to stay within the season—to embrace what’s in front of me.  Sometimes I fight him.  It’s not that I willfully make a choice to disobey, but my desire for what’s to come is greater than my desire to be where I am.  This leads to discontent, the push and pull of fighting the present to engage in the future.

I know myself well, I’ve had these feelings before and I can identify them more easily now.  I silence the inner struggle by leaning into the peace of Jesus.   I stop my swirling thoughts, ones that sometimes rage like the winds outside today.   There’s a choice I have to make—I know that I must find life in this season.  I see the trees outside my window, although it looks like nothing is happening, there’s amazing life just under the surface.  It’s getting ready to break free, but it’s not time yet.  If blossoms and leaves burst forth right now they wouldn’t be able to stand up to the harsh temperatures and brutal wind, so they must wait.  I must wait.  I must remain patient, continuing to cultivate life inside.  I must embrace this quiet place and soak up all Jesus offers me.  His gifts are unending: his presence, love, peace, and promises of the season to come.   I want to soak it up now so I have something to share in the days ahead.  According to the calendar, spring arrives in 1 week.  I have a final set of 7 days to pause in the quietness of winter, to enjoy these last moments of restful hibernation, so that I may spring forth and come alive.

It is going to be a glorious 7 days.