I will not stop pointing to the grace of God. Why? Because it is so ridiculously evident in my life. It never ever relents.
Today I committed to an early morning walk at one of my favorite places, a nearby reservoir. From the moment I arrived, there was no doubt that God was there, eager to meet me.
Let me back up.
The last few months have been challenging and demanding. I spent the first quarter of ’22 working full-time at the kids’ school, and immediately after that opportunity I was in the thick of flower farming. All while maintaining, and even growing, my writing career. Not to mention the always evolving rhythms of family life. Sure, we are surviving, but at the expense of something critically important: My health - mental, emotional and physical.
Now it's summer break, and with that comes new rhythms, commitments and demands. The words “drowning,” “overwhelmed” and “exhausted” are popping up more and more in my answer to the question, “How ya doing,” even though most people just want to hear, “I’m fine.”
As I sensed the summer transition pulling me further down, I panicked. It felt like I was trying to take steps on what appeared to be stable ground only to discover I was rapidly sinking into quicksand. And so I determined: This is not sustainable, nor healthy, nor at all the quality of life I want to exemplify for my family.
Like the air I breathe, I must find time to care for myself. It’s non-negotiable.
So I did. Or maybe I should say that I am. This commitment to self is layered, most of which I’m processing a lot with my World-Class Life Coach Extraordinaire named Jesus.
So I started today with a walk around the reservoir at 6:30 in the morning. When I got there, a single car was pulling away, leaving behind a completely empty parking lot and walking path. I had the entire two miles of gravel and 170 acres of water all to myself. The gift of that was so undeniably God’s grace. It was as if He was saying, “I’ve been waiting for you, and I’m so glad you are finally here.”
I’m guessing that God’s grace looks different in your life than it does mine. Sure, some graces are similar and relatable, but the ways in which grace reaches into the depths of my soul are so unique to me. That’s half the reason grace feels so delightfully good. Grace is a gift that speaks to my longings, my desires and my one-of-kind spirit. Grace says, "I see you, and I want you to have this undeserved gift that is a reminder of that - YOU are loved."
I can't think of a better way to start my day. I can’t think of a better way to stay motivated in this commitment. I can’t think of a better way to start replacing the words “drowning,” “overwhelmed” and “exhausted” with the words “alive,” “invigorated” and “grateful.” That’s what grace will do to ya. That’s why I will not stop searching for it, and that’s why I will not stop pointing to it.
Grace is a wild and wondrous gift of life that is so ridiculously more than, “I’m fine.”