Discernment in action
and 3x more sports references than usual
I am a big fan of retreats. I think it’s important to occasionally step away from our daily lives and take an honest look at them — to discern the Spirit, to examine if our lives are bearing the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, and self-control.
But I realized something important last week: It’s hard to discern something if you’re not actually living it.
I have a very intense job, and this past week was especially stressful. I didn’t get much sleep. I was doing a lot of difficult thinking and carrying a lot of responsibility. I was exhausted. And yet, throughout the week, I kept catching myself thinking, “This is so fun. My job is so fun!”
Even when I was tired, even when all I wanted was to go to bed, I was giddy over how interesting the work was and how grateful I am to be doing it.
One day, during a particularly challenging sprint, I ran into a friend in the office who I hadn’t seen in six months. As we were catching up, he looked at me and said, “You seem so happy. It’s clear that God is taking good care of you!”
I almost laughed out loud. Internally, I was thinking, I don’t think I’ve ever been more stressed than I am right now. But to him, despite my four hours of sleep, I was radiating joy.
Because the truth is, this job is hard, and I love it. It asks a lot of me. But at the same time, for all its faults, my work brings me a tremendous amount of joy. I get to work with brilliant people, and I learn more in most weeks than other jobs I’ve had taught me in a year. I do things I never thought I was capable of. And, more often than not, it’s genuinely fun.
So yes, I think there’s value in stepping away for a weekend to pray about my life, my work, and how I’m spending my time. And I try to take monthly Saturday half-day retreats to do just that. We can’t hear God if we don’t make space to listen.
But I also think some of my best discernment happens not outside my life, but within it. It happens when I live each day faithfully as it is set before me, when I walk forward in trust and pay attention to what God is revealing along the way. The danger comes when I start asking big questions about how I might be doing something wrong or outside of God’s Will — ignoring the truth that God’s Will is exactly where I am.
God often shows me where He wants me to be, not before I begin walking, but while I’m already on the road. This week, is there anything causing you anxiety or fear as you discern it? Let’s take on the challenge of walking confidently through this week with the trust that God is guiding us, paying attention to the little clues and guideposts as they pop up, but most importantly, walking in the peace and the joy that we are His beloved children — and He is taking perfect care of us!
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
Best dad ever
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads but especially mine! He is just the best. Last week he was in town and put this shelf up for me, on my brick, which was a daunting feat and I love it so much!
Magic health beans
I woke up soooo sick on Saturday, and was terrified that I’d be looking down 10 full days of illness (my usual experience) — until I took magic immunity tablets that my bff Erica overnighted to me. I did not ask questions and took two doses, then settled into a day on my couch reading Claire Swinarski’s The Supper Club Saints cover to cover, and an early bedtime, which brought me back to life (praise the LORD). I will continue taking these daily!! No time for being sick!
New ATL art
I have spent likely thousands of hours in the ATL airport over the past year, and this week I noticed they changed the art between terminals! I was so obsessed with the photos in one hallway that I kept stopping to stare. The artist, Pelle Cass, is a sports photographer and takes a set photos from the same vantage and stacks them so you can see a whole game in an image, are these not SO cool?!
Run the play
Far be it from me to use a sports metaphor, but this phrase came to me in prayer this weekend after a wild week of work that was chaotic precisely because I did not “run the play.” Instead of focusing on what I knew to be important and necessary, I found myself in panic mode, doing things that made no sense because I was overwhelmed. My intention for this week: run the play. Do what I know how to do, do it with excellence, and trust that the outcome will speak for itself. This encouragement might be useful to you, too!
New Favorite Summer Sweater
I ordered this sweater from Old Navy, and it’s PERFECT for Team USA World Cup shenanigans and Fourth of July at the lake! I’ve been eying the Ralph Lauren one for years, but never pulled the trigger. This price point was much more acceptable to me (and $375 less).
I really loved this reflection
Prayer intentions
For my health
For a friend