On June 1, 2020, I hit “send” on the very first SundayMonday newsletter. (You can actually read that very first newsletter here!) At the time, I just wanted to create a space to share the stories of women I admired — women living their faith boldly in all kinds of places: at work, at home, in school, and everywhere in between.
Since then, so much has changed. I’ve worked at a nonprofit in DC, gone to business school in New York, returned to DC for full-time work, spent a few months in Australia, a few more in California, and said “yes” to all sorts of little adventures along the way.
I won’t lie, sending this newsletter every week hasn’t always been easy or convenient. But until the Holy Spirit gives me a clear nudge to stop, I’ll keep showing up here each Tuesday (even if it’s a little later in the day because of late night work deadlines). And every time I sit down to write, He gives me something to say. Every time I start wondering if it’s time to wrap this up, someone reaches out to say a post meant something to them. That kind of encouragement feels like a little miracle. (Also, if you feel so inclined, I finally opened up the support link — no pressure in the slightest, but thank you to everyone who has contributed to help me cover the costs of this newsletter, and also to maybe treat myself to a coffee every once in a while as I write!)
However you got here — whether a friend forwarded you a newsletter, we met somewhere along the way, or you found us on Substack — I’m so glad you’re here.
And speaking of the Holy Spirit… Pentecost is this Sunday! The Holy Spirit has been such a central part of my faith journey. It was in college that He started teaching me how to pray, how to listen for God’s voice, and how deeply loved I am—something I’m still learning every day.
I remember once, a friend asked, “Would you rather have Jesus or the Holy Spirit with you?” I quickly said, “Jesus!” and she laughed and said, “Wrong! You want the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent the Spirit so we could do even greater things.”
She was totally right. I’ve had so many moments when I felt a nudge to reach out to someone, take a different route home, or say “yes” to something unexpected—and later saw how much fruit came from it. That’s the Holy Spirit. He reminds us we’re loved, helps us do brave things, and gives us the words when we’re stuck.
The SundayMonday was born from one of those nudges. And it’s been sustained by grace ever since.
As we head into Pentecost, I’ve been praying the Holy Spirit Novena and asking specifically for the gift of fortitude (which may explain why I spent four hours at the DC DMV on Saturday getting my Real ID). It’s a good reminder that following the Spirit isn’t always glamorous, but it’s always worth it.
One of my favorite, frequent reminders to myself is to act out of inspiration, not obligation. When we’re tuned in to the Spirit, those inspirations come more clearly. We don’t have to overthink every decision. We just need to ask and trust that He’ll guide us.
One thing that’s helped me? Starting the day with a moment of silence. I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me before meetings, before hard conversations, even while catching up with friends. If you’ve been baptized, the Spirit is already in you, ready to bring joy, wisdom, and peace into every part of your life.
If you’re curious and want to dive deeper, I love In the School of the Holy Spirit,by Fr. Jacques Philippe. It’s short, simple, and honestly changed how I understand the Spirit’s role in my life.
Thank you for being here—for reading, encouraging, and showing up. Especially to those of you who’ve been here since the beginning… what a ride it’s been. Wishing you a beautiful Pentecost, full of joy, courage, and a little extra grace.
Come, Holy Spirit!
Jane
What I’m loving lately
I have never gotten more compliments than I did on my outfit on Sunday — and I think it was due to this amazing skirt I bought. Thanks, Amazon! I’ve been looking for a white skirt that is not see-through for a long time, and this one is perfect. I wish the waistline were less stretchy, but it does the job. High recommend!
I’m a die hard honeysuckle fan but I’m all in on the Basil scented soap for the summer. It gives me a little hit of joy every time I wash my hands!
This podcast was INCREDIBLE. I cannot recommend it more — and I’ve sent to tons of friends this week. It’s a beautiful reminder of how God wants to speak to us, every day, in our prayer and in our circumstances. The prayer exercise at the end is wonderful too. Here’s the YouTube link, but it’s on podcast apps as well.
The joy of celebrating
Every year, my company gives out four awards to colleagues who are nominated for living their values (read: virtuous leadership), and I was over the moon when two of my favorite mentors/leaders won the awards on Friday! I cried, real tears. I love seeing people celebrated for what they do in secret — so many quotes from their nominations highlighted things they did out of generosity when no one was looking. It was inspiring for me, and I know for my colleagues as well. We love celebrating!!
Neighbors <3
This is so silly, but my neighbor often carries my packages upstairs (two flights!!) to my door. It warms my heart every time I see it. This week, I had a big, heavy box from Amazon, and I got a tad emo when I saw that he had brought it upstairs. I am so grateful for sweet neighbors who look out for each other.
Quote of the week
“My, how busy we become when we lose sight of how God loves us.”
—Julian of Norwich
Prayer intentions
A friend’s brother experiencing a health scare
A friend getting married next weekend!
For all those looking for work