May and June 2022 Recap
Photo by Marcello Rabozzi
Jesus: May Recap
I entered the month of May after some intentional retreat time spending time in quiet and seeking God. While I didn't necessarily receive practical answers for many of my circumstantial questions, I did receive an invitation to reconnect with Jesus. While it may seem inconsequential since the Trinity is three in one, it can be telling to identify who in the Trinity we are most likely to talk to or connect with or envision when we draw near to God. Oftentimes, one part of the Trinity points to how we are relating to other people in our lives or lacking relationships or untended wounds. In my case, I just wasn't aware that Jesus was often not the One I was going to. That pointed back to some wounds and distrust that has arisen in some of the relationships I've experienced within the Body of Christ and my own tendency as the oldest child to take on the responsibility of caring for everyone else. When this was pointed out to me, it made perfect sense for how I had been feeling. I felt like Father God was in control of my story in terms of big picture. I could trust Him on the big decisions, and I could sense the Holy Spirit's guidance, correction, and peace. But, in the day-to-day, I found myself feeling abandoned. I wondered if anyone would take care of me or was concerned about my needs. I knew that my long-term future was covered by divine leading toward my good, but I struggled to find the strength for the stresses, disappointments, and little hurts that accumulated in my present.
Photo by Juan Pablo Rodriguez
I entered the month of May after some intentional retreat time spending time in quiet and seeking God. While I didn't necessarily receive practical answers for many of my circumstantial questions, I did receive an invitation to reconnect with Jesus. While it may seem inconsequential since the Trinity is three in one, it can be telling to identify who in the Trinity we are most likely to talk to or connect with or envision when we draw near to God. Oftentimes, one part of the Trinity points to how we are relating to other people in our lives or lacking relationships or untended wounds. In my case, I just wasn't aware that Jesus was often not the One I was going to. That pointed back to some wounds and distrust that has arisen in some of the relationships I've experienced within the Body of Christ and my own tendency as the oldest child to take on the responsibility of caring for everyone else. When this was pointed out to me, it made perfect sense for how I had been feeling. I felt like Father God was in control of my story in terms of big picture. I could trust Him on the big decisions, and I could sense the Holy Spirit's guidance, correction, and peace. But, in the day-to-day, I found myself feeling abandoned. I wondered if anyone would take care of me or was concerned about my needs. I knew that my long-term future was covered by divine leading toward my good, but I struggled to find the strength for the stresses, disappointments, and little hurts that accumulated in my present.
Photo by Juan Pablo Rodriguez
God's Promises: We Have a Big Brother and Friend
As part of my intentionality in reconnecting with Jesus, I started watching The Chosen. I know that everyone has been raving about it for years, but I am usually not quick to jump on bandwagons, especially when it comes to religious content. With that said, The Chosen is really good. It draws from the basis of Scripture, but it also takes imaginative liberties in depicting Jesus' sense of humor, his relational dynamic with the disciples, and the disciples' personalities. Having grown up in church and having Jesus as an ever-present person in my life, it is also just life-giving to see Him depicted in a refreshing, new way. It brings Him to life in ways that revitalizes dull senses. I haven't finished it yet because I have been savoring it as a spiritual practice. As I was processing this new development in my relationship with the Lord with my spiritual director, she brought up the role of Jesus as our big brother. Jesus obviously fulfills many roles for us--advocate, friend, redeemer, savior, the list goes on. But, for someone who doesn't have an older brother, imagining what it would be like to have Jesus as my big brother has been healing in many ways. I know how I am as a big sister. I love my siblings and would drop anything to meet their needs. However far away I may be, my siblings and their wellbeing are always on my radar. I care about their growth, provision, emotions, goals, dreams, and health. I love to feed them good food when we're together. I love to find ways to be generous to them or to give them gifts I know they will love. I champion their independence and the development of their potential, but I always want to be there for when they need someone to lean on. Imagining that Jesus would feel the same way about me is something I am still chewing on and leaning into. Here are some verses from 1 John that are good reminders about the nature of Jesus:
"We can be sure that we’ve truly come to live in intimacy with God, not just by saying, “I am intimate with God,” but by walking in the footsteps of Jesus." -- 1 John 2:5b-6
"Whoever rejects the Son rejects the Father. Whoever embraces the Son embraces the Father also. So you must be sure to keep the message burning in your hearts; that is, the message of life you heard from the beginning. If you do, you will always be living in close fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And he himself has promised us the never-ending life of the ages to come!" -- 1 John 2:23-25
"The light of God’s love shined within us when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that we might live through him. This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins." -- 1 John 4:9-10
What I Ate:
1) New York Times Cooking Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake. This recipe is great for those days when you're exhausted and don't want to cook or when you need to use up pantry items or when you can't be bothered with a ton of ingredients. It's tasty, filling, quick, and simple. It can also be jazzed up in all kinds of ways according to your preferences. Different spices. Add rice or vegetables. Add meat if you want. The possibilities are endless.
https://hipfoodiemom.com/2021/02/10/cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake/
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019681-cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake
2) NYT Cooking Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup (with Chicken). If you grow corn in your garden, tuck this recipe away. It has a lot of flavor and can be kept pretty light, or you can be like me and add chicken to make it more hearty. Here are the recipes for reference:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019451-spicy-corn-and-coconut-soup
https://www.cookingthekitchen.com/spicy-corn-coconut-soup/
Photo by Hanna Balan
3) Chocolate Peanut Butter "Nice" Cream. As part of my addictions class, we had to choose something to abstain from for almost two months. I chose added sugars. Nice cream aka a kind of soft serve made with frozen fruit was a game changer. It's healthier and has fewer calories than ice cream, but it hits the spot. There are a ton of recipes out there. This one was my go-to:
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-nice-cream/
4) NYT Cooking Vegetables a la Grecque. This is probably not the kind of food that you want to eat in bulk unless you like sour, pickled things. With that said, they make for a fresh, crunchy, healthy snack or appetizer or can be served on the side of a meal. Here is the recipe:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017344-vegetables-a-la-grecque
http://www.discoverycooking.com/vegetables-a-la-grecque/
Photo by Steve Buissinne
5) NYT Cooking Coconut Turmeric Rice with Greens (and Chicken). This recipe is a great way to use up greens, and you can always adjust the spices to your liking. We added chicken to it, but it is just as filling without it. Here is the recipe:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019920-one-pot-turmeric-coconut-rice-with-greens
https://theholistichighway.com/meals-that-heal-one-pot-turmeric-coconut-rice-with-greens/
1) All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny. This book shifted the setting from the usual cozy confines of Three Pines into charming Paris. While visiting his family, Inspector Gamache witnesses a crime inflicted on his godfather, a mysterious businessman with a legacy of corporate takedowns. As always, Penny weaves a tale full of unique twists and clues while keeping you questioning the integrity of her characters. While it takes place in the corporate world, the most interesting part of this story is the exploration of the relationships closest to Gamache and how one misunderstanding can lead to a lifetime of distance. The reader joins in on the ride of discerning who is truthful and cannot be trusted.
2) Until Unity by Francis Chan. I really enjoyed Francis Chan's Letters to the Church a few years ago. Truth be told, I never knew much about Chan's theology or denominational ties until this book when he explores the importance of putting aside our doctrinal divides to be known to the world by our love. His passion for God's heart for unity is nearly tangible. While I don't know if the book delved as practically into what unity looks like as much as I would have liked, I have been blessed to recognize that this is a walk that Chan is modeling in his own life and ministry. Here is a quote that stuck out to me:
"God's ways are not our ways. He has not asked us to strategize; He has asked us to obey."
3) Red Moon Rising: Rediscover the Power of Prayer by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts. I read Pete Greig's books out of order since I started with Dirty Glory, but it doesn't really matter what order you read them in as they book are full of striking testimonies, profound truths, and challenging convictions. This book detail the birth of the 24/7 prayer movement in the UK and how God took the simple decisions of a few and transformed it into a massive laying down of time and shifting of priorities for so many across the world. Here are some quotes that stood out to me:
"It's more important to know whom you are called to be than what you are called to do."
"We wanted to build real community around real relationships rather than rules, programmes, and events."
"God said nothing, and that's okay, because I'm starting to wrestle for his presence again, and I'm prepared to wait. I feel like God is waiting to see if I'm waiting. If he just flooded in with answers and guidance right now, I would not have changed; I would not have learned to wait and trust without the answers and without a roadmap for the future."
What I Watched:
1) Moon Knight. This was a Marvel show on Disney+ that didn't feel like a Marvel show. I actually loved that it was a standalone that didn't tie in with the rest of the MCU world...yet. Who knows if it will be renewed for another season, but the for the time being, I can say that watching Oscar Isaac play two very different characters was so entertaining. The story is full of Egyptian mythology, treasure hunting, and off-the-wall settings. Oscar Isaac plays a man who has dissociative identity disorder--a disorder where the mind becomes split as a result of trauma. His alters initially don't communicate or know the other exists, and the story takes wild turns as each alter's world collides. Ethan Hawke stars as a shifty villain. The show is both wild and poignant and a fun watch even if the MCU is not your jam.
2) Slow Horses. This show on Apple TV is a hidden gem. It follows MI5--a collection of rejected MI6 agents who collect dust, ride the bench, and who lament how their inept tendencies limit their fieldwork. One agent in particular is dumbfounded that he finds himself in this division with a grumpy, old boss and a stellar agent who doesn't seem to belong with the outcasts. Determined to be useful and return to MI6's good graces, he inadvertently gets caught up in a scandal that implicates all of his co-workers and forces them to rethink their ability to serve their country. It's funny and action-packed. It's opening sequence is so captivating but then it slows down. Stick with it though because it's worth it. Be advised about the strong language and violence.
Favorites:
1) Lunar eclipse. I hope you saw it. If you didn't, you missed out. It was so cool to look out from my porch and see such a bright, big, glowing moon slowly be enveloped in a red glow.
2) Raul's surprise birthday party. My husband loves a surprise. (I generally don't. To each their own.) He is very much a "the more the merrier" kind of guy, and because of the pandemic, we hadn't done much to celebrate his birthday with his people for quite a while. It seemed like the right time to make that effort, and it turned out so well. It required a lot of planning and cooking and creative pretexts, but it was a true surprise--so much so that he was initially frightened by all of his screaming friends before being overjoyed. We have a great community of loving people, and it was a blessing to me to see them show him a good time.
Photo by: Monika Migielska
Pleasant Places: June Recap
I have mentioned in prior posts that this season has just been full of uncertainties. Life has followed this common theme since last year as Raúl and I traversed the long and tumultuous process of his US citizenship. There were so many twists in that process that made it feel like everything might go wrong. The stakes perpetually felt high. And yet, God came through for our best good in the last minute. It is uncomfortable to live on the edge in this way, but it does heighten dependency on God and faith in His goodness. My ongoing process of late has been trying to secure a practicum and internship site in Honduras. I often say that God "backdoored" me into my counseling master's studies. Counseling has always drawn my attention, but I didn't necessarily know enough about the counseling profession when I started to know what I was committing to. God just invited me to start this program I had been praying about for well over a year, and I fully expected for provision to run out. I was prepared to have to stop and save money in order to continue. The plan was just to take it one class at a time. Here we are almost two years later, and I haven't had to stop once. God has provided for every class, and He has affirmed over and over again that He designed me and prepared me for this profession. I have no idea where it is going to take me, and I was unprepared for the ways it could shift my future. But, something that felt like a good way to steward my time during the pandemic and the fulfilment of a heart's desire has come to the forefront of how I want to love people well and be the hands and feet of Jesus. As I write this, I do have a practicum/internship site secured in Honduras. It has been a road full of lots of last-minute opened doors and uncertainties and decisions that felt restricting, but this was the desire of my heart as well. In June, it wasn't so certain that I would have this site, and the phrase that kept coming to mind was, "the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places." I knew this phrase was from a verse, but I didn't know what verse. My rationale was whether or not I did find a practicum/internship site, my options were all good even if they weren't necessarily on my timeline. However, the Lord decided to direct and provide for my time, I knew that He was ordering my life for my good.
Photo by Giorgio Montanaro
God's Promises: Psalm 16
Eventually, I did look up what verse that phrase was from, and it was Psalm 16. That whole chapter was so, so good and very timely for my season especially in the Passion Translation. July has brought its own stretches of faith that are another story for another time since it is still unfolding. But, I can see the bonds of my faith being strengthened on this journey however uncomfortable and lengthy it may be. I guarantee that Psalm 16 has some good words for you as well that really doesn't require my commentary. Here it is:
"The Golden Secret
A precious song, engraved in gold, by David
My Protection
Keep me safe, O mighty God.
I run to you, my safe place.
I said to Yahweh,
'You are my Maker and my Master.
Any good thing you find in me has come from you.'
And he said to me, 'My holy lovers
in the land are my glorious ones,
who fulfill all my desires.'
Yet there are those who yield to their weakness,
and they will have troubles unending.
I never gather with such ones,
nor give them honor in any way.
My Portion
Yahweh, you alone are my inheritance.
You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion.
You hold my destiny and its timing in your hands.
Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places.
I’m overwhelmed by the privileges
that come with following you!
My Praise
The way you counsel me makes me praise you more,
for your whispers in the night give me wisdom,
showing me what to do next.
Because I set you, Yahweh, always close to me,
my confidence will never be weakened,
for I experience your wraparound presence every moment.
My heart and soul explode with joy—full of glory!
Even my body will rest confident and secure.
For you will not abandon me to the realm of death,
nor will you allow your Faithful One to experience corruption.
Because of you, I know the path of life,
as I taste the fullness of joy in your presence.
At your right side I experience divine pleasures forevermore!"
What I Ate:
Photo by Stina Magnus
1) New York Times Cooking Chicken Zucchini Meatballs with Feta. This is an Ali Slagle recipe, and she has a new cookbook out that I mention later in this post. It's a great way to use up extra zucchini, which is great if you grow it in your garden (like my parents do). The recipes I used are below, and I served these meatballs with roasted cherry tomatoes as well.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021328-chicken-zucchini-meatballs-with-feta
https://www.foodgal.com/2021/07/chickenor-turkey-zucchini-meatballs-with-feta/
2) New York Times Cooking Sheet Pan Chicken and Mustard Glazed Cabbage. Sheet pan dinners are incredible time savers. Using chicken thighs can tend to be money-saving as well. Mustard goes great with cabbage, and cabbage steaks are hearty but don't take a lot of time to cut up. Here are the recipes I used:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020659-sheet-pan-roast-chicken-and-mustard-glazed-cabbage
https://www.copymethat.com/r/SUnYMuDeX/sheet-pan-roast-chicken-and-mustard-glaz/
3) Ree Drummond's Chicken Bruschetta Lettuce Wraps. When I was growing up, we never had cable, so every time I went to my grandmother's house, I would watch the Food Network. I love cooking shows to this day, and one of the only channels I get in English in Honduras is the Food Network. One Sunday morning, I happened to be watching the Pioneer Woman, and she was making this recipe. Lettuce wraps--or as Raúl calls them "lettuce tacos"--are another quick and easy meal option. He loved these. The recipe is below. We didn't do the whole business with the chicken seasoning because we had a bunch of leftover chopped chicken breast that needed used up. I'm sure it would make it better, but we honestly didn't miss it because the artichoke mixture is so flavorful. Here is the recipe:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/grilled-chicken-lettuce-wraps-12534519
4) Dill Potato Salad. This recipe is truly my own which is why it has no measurements. I hate store-bought potato salad. Mayo-based salads are touch-and-go anyway, but let it be known that potato salad should not be sweet. Period. I also don't love celery or onion in mayo-based salads. I'll eat it, but I don't make my own that way. This recipe starts with chopped and boiled potatoes (can't be picky about what kind in my neck of the woods). I keep the peels on for texture. I add a few chopped boiled eggs and a small container of capers--an underused ingredient. Next comes feta cheese and A LOT of chopped dill. If you don't have dill, you need to find a new recipe because the dill is what makes this potato salad. For the dressing, I mix plain yogurt (Greek or regular, again, can't be picky in Honduras), Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. You can add a bit of mayo if you so desire. Mix it all together and add anything else it needs a little extra of according to your tastes. This is the potato salad for people who usually hate potato salad.
Photo by Ajans Medialine
5) Best Kebab Marinade. Kebabs are a summer staple at my house. I almost never make marinades (or anything) the same way twice because I just use what I have on hand. But, what I had on hand this time made some of the best kebabs I have ever had. Let me say this first: Salt the meat and let it absorb the salt for a bit beforehand. It sounds like an annoying extra step, but it makes a HUGE difference in flavor. Here is what went into the marinade: plain yogurt (Greek or regular), salt (yes, more), pepper, lime juice, minced garlic (better if fresh), olive oil, sumac*, and chopped fresh herbs--dill, rosemary, basil, thyme, and parsley. *Sumac is not a common spice, and I get that. But, if you do happen to have it, it will add a little extra something. If you don't have it, it's not the end of the world or of the flavor that these kebabs will have.
6) Reina Pepiada Chicken Salad Tostadas. There is this great Venezuelan restaurant in Elkins, West Virginia called, El Gran Sabor. One staple of Venezuelan cuisine is arepas which are thick cornmeal cakes that are sliced and stuffed with all kinds of goodness. If you ever have a chance to try them, don't sleep on them because they're wonderful. With that said, I don't have time to make arepas at least not while I am on the move, and they aren't second nature to me. However, this recipe lets you enjoy one of the best arepa fillings with the ease of slapping it on a tostada. Reina Pepiada is a kind of chicken mixture that includes avocados, shredded chicken, red onion, red pepper, garlic, and desired spices. There are a lot of variations on the recipe out there on the interwebs, so feel free to adapt as desired. This salad received rave reviews from my family, and you can always get creative with it by adding more stuff to your tostada or putting it on bread like a sandwich. You can also be a real culinary champ and make arepas. I have made them before, and they are great both to make and to eat as long as you can track down the needed cornmeal. Here is a recipe for reference:
https://www.aimadeitforyou.com/reina-pepiada/
Photo by Jacqueline Brandwayn
7) New York Times Cooking Cumin Pork Chops with Brussels Sprouts and Cilantro Sauce. This meal came about because I saw some pork chops on sale. It doesn't take much to throw together a meal with a little pizzazz, and in this case, that came about with a simple blender sauce. Below are the recipes I used for reference. If you want your brussels sprouts to caramelize, then cook them as described in the recipe apart from the pork chops. If you don't mind steamed/braised brussels sprouts that cook in the pork chop drippings (which also saves you from dirtying another sheet pan), feel free to slap the pork chops on top. You just may have to keep an eye on differing cook times. Blend up the cilantro sauce and drizzle it all on top. It goes well with the cumin, and it gives the brussels sprouts more life. FYI I didn't have sage leaves, and with the cilantro sauce, I didn't miss them. I also didn't have cumin seeds and just upped the cumin I used.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019196-sheet-pan-cumin-pork-chops-and-brussels-sprouts
https://www.today.com/recipes/cumin-roasted-pork-chops-brussels-sprouts-recipe-t209905
https://umamigirl.com/cilantro-sauce-recipe/
What I Watched:
1) Somebody Feed Phil. This show was my birthday treat to myself. It just makes me so happy and helps me feel better about the world. The show follows Phil, a former writer/show creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, who travels the world meeting new people and eating delicious food. I love the vibrancy of the show, the warmth of the people and their stories, and Phil's pure delight over everything he eats. I also appreciate the wit and sarcasm that emerges in the joke segments when Phil phones a friend or is giving his brother grief.
2) Seinfeld. Seinfeld reruns were on a lot during my teenage years, and I was very aware of how much its lingo has woven its way into pop cultural dialogue. However, in the midst of a very stressful season, I just needed a show that felt familiar and was short enough to provide a mental break in between cranking out homework. It was a lot of fun to revisit the classic lines, but I think I most enjoyed seeing all of the many guest stars I forgot about. Additionally, it was hilarious to recognize how many episodes would now be obsolete in the face of today's technology.
3) Jurassic Park World Dominion. This movie was fine. I find Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard to be charming, and it was kind of fun to see the original characters played by Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and Sam Neill. But the writing could have been better, and the story was kept pretty micro among the characters rather than taking advantage of the larger impact of dinosaurs once again roaming the earth. If you want some mindless entertainment that is visually stimulating, have at it.
4) Uncharted. Movies based on video games are notoriously lame. I know nothing about video games, so I had nothing to compare this to. But, it was an entertaining plane watch. I wasn't impressed with the casting (other than Tom Holland), and there were many, many moments where it was difficult to suspend my disbelief. But, like a said, it's mindless entertainment for a few hours, and the premise is kind of fun. It follows a young man recruited for recovering a hidden treasure in the midst of stiff competition in the race to find it.
5) Obi-Wan Kenobi. Star Wars is a family affair for my clan, so part of the draw for this show was the bonding experience of talking about it with my family despite the geographical distance. With that said, probably my favorite part of the show was seeing how excited it made my brother since the prequel movies had a nostalgic hold for him. This show is not as good as The Mandalorian, but it also had a lot of challenges for engaging its audience since we already know what happens to its main characters. All in all, it was a fun watch even though it felt a bit slow at times. The casting for little Leia was spot-on, and it was fun to see the Anakin/Darth Vader and Obi-Wan relationship play out again.
What I Read:
1) No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) by Kate Bowler. I was first introduced to Kate Bowler through some appearances she did on morning shows and podcasts that I listen to. She was a thriving professor and writing in the academic world when she was diagnosed with advanced cancer at a young age. (This was after other diagnoses and struggling to have a child.) I love her sense of humor, and I found her honesty about existential grappling to be so bittersweet. She shares what she needed and what she was thinking and how she responded to her cancer diagnosis and her ongoing treatment and uncertainty. The book presents such a loving, helpful invitation for knowing how be present with loved ones who have walked or are walking through a difficult diagnosis, but it also presents the challenge to each one of us to consider our own approaches to life and its meaning. It put many of my own current uncertainties into perspective.
2) Half Baked Harvest Every Day by Tieghan Gerard. Without a doubt, Tieghan Gerard's photographs of her recipes are unmistakable, and I guarantee that if you have Googled recipes while meal planning, you have seen them before. I appreciate her approach to eating by emphasizing ingredients that are good for you and free of excess processing or artificial flavors while also not skimping on tastiness or indulgence. If I would have been in a more flexible season of life in terms of time (and wasn't limited by the three week time limit on my library app), I would have tried a lot of these recipes. She uses a lot of unique flavors and combines convenience with creativity.
3) I Dream of Dinner (So You Don't Have To): Low Effort, High Reward Recipes by Ali Slagle. Many of Ali Slagle's recipes are on New York Times Cooking and have made it onto this blog as well. She tends to have quick and easy recipes, many of which draw from pantry staples. This book had some really unique recipes. Some of them seem like odd ingredient combos, but like I said, some of her recipes have become foundational parts of our meal rotation. I also appreciate her quirky comments throughout the book.
4) The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. I know that this book is considered kind of a modern classic, but I had never read it before a friend gave it to me. One of the most interesting aspects of this book is how deeply southern it is, and the way it conveys a deep sense of place. The South forms almost an additional character in the book. The book follows the story of a deeply dysfunctional family and the mental health issues that evolve as a result of their trauma. It is a tough read in many ways for this reason, but as someone who is studying counseling, it was also a helpful look at how family dynamics can affect the healing process. The book follows the narrator, Tom, as he shares the story of his family and his unique bond with his siblings Savannah and Luke. The language is very descriptive, and the relationships are complex. It isn't a book I would recommend for everyone, but it was a meaningful read for me.
5) The Journey toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation by Suzanne Stabile. If you aren't familiar with the enneagram, it is a tool for better understanding your personality and particularly what drives you, what emotion is most prominent below the surface, and how your tendencies may inform your response to others. This is the third enneagram book that I have read, and I really appreciated that the author revised her own thoughts on her previous teachings regarding how different numbers respond to stress. The book talks a lot about how each number tends to suppress their doing, thinking, or feeling and how to have a more integrated approach to decisions and managing stress. It just shed another layer of light onto how I operate and helped me understand others better.
Life is about to enter a drastically different season for me. Change is daunting, but a step forward is comforting. In the mean time, I am enjoying the sweetness of some short family time in the US before I enter the marathon that is my year-long practicum/internship. This calm before the storm is teaching me so much about my own foundations, and gratitude goes before me in it all.
As your summer continues, I pray you will sense His goodness in the midst of your uncertainties. So often, we want practical answers and directions when He wants to do some deep work on our hearts first. We can choose to be faithful even as He is faithful. Whatever your season holds, I pray that you will feel the presiding sense of God's goodness and His timing for your destiny even as you walk with our big brother, Jesus, who cares about your daily needs, stands up for you, and accompanies you in our bittersweet, human experience.
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