Dear Fellow Sojourner,
I’ve made a list of some things I want you to hear… you know how I love lists! Maybe it’s the additional introspection of recently becoming a grandmother that incited the list (in case you’re wondering, I’m warming up to the name Nana).
It could be that I’m a mom and can’t help but bequeath my vast wisdom to my children, and grandchild! Of course, the obvious is that my blog’s purpose is to offer encouragement to those—you included—who may stumble upon it. Whatever the case, I’m hoping this list will provide a few important life reminders that we can all stand to hear from time to time.
Here goes, in no particular order except the last one!
- Stop stressing.
- You have overcome 100% of your worst days.
- You will get through this.
- Don’t be so hard on yourself.
- Stop worrying about what other people think of you.
- Start caring about what God thinks of you.
- Don’t ignore your pain. It has tons to teach you.
- Write down your worries then hand them over to God.
- Pray all the time, even about the smallest things.
- Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s walking forward despite the fear.
- You don’t have to feel happy all the time.
- Feelings aren’t always an accurate representation of reality.
- You’re going to make mistakes.
- Forgive always—yourself, others, and, if necessary, forgive God.
- Look for beauty. If you can’t find it, create it.
- Cheer for, pray for, and bless others—especially those you dislike.
- Be thankful for everything—even the hard bits.
- Comfort rarely builds character (or anything for that matter).
- Be patient. Change doesn’t happen overnight.
- Talent only goes so far. Nothing replaces effort.
- It’s better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.
- Just start.
- Don’t judge. Everyone is scaling an invisible mountain.
- Be kind to everyone, including yourself.
- Don’t underestimate the power of a kind word.
- Give hugs. Receive hugs.
- There’s only one you.
- Keep going.
- Find things to celebrate!
- Trust God.
Now you’ve read the list, why not start at the top and pick one a day to focus on during the next 30 days! And if you’re looking for me, well, I’ll have my hands full.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, you’re amazing! Imagine what God thinks of you! xo
You’ve heard me bemoan it before, my propensity to be imperfectly tidy. I admire organized living environments, but, being a recovering perfectionist, I’ve never quite managed the feat. 
This past weekend we made our annual trek to the Christmas tree farm. My husband is a pro at determining whether the tree is a suitable height to fit beneath our 10′ ceilings. This is important because trees always look a lot smaller in the field… until you get them home.
Maybe you’ve made a few mistakes in your time. Maybe your past has moved in like an unwelcome guest. Perhaps there’s condemnation running through your thoughts—a steady stream of fault-finding reminders. Maybe you’re living under critical words spoken to you in your youth, and, whether they were true or not, you still drag the weight of them along on your journey. If you find yourself living on the outskirts of joy, or even faith, here’s some encouragement.