Seasons….

Being a pastor’s daughter since I was 14 years old has allowed me to hear LOTS of amazing sermons; not just from my Dad but from incredible men and women from all the over the world. What a blessing to have this village and influence all of my life! My father has spoken often of “seasons.” It it something which has stayed with me as I have gone through different seasons in my own life.

My father would speak of it in this way:
1. You are GOING INTO a season
2. You are IN a season
3. OR you are coming out of one

I have kept this in my thoughts as I have gone through different trials in my life. I think this helps us keep some perspective with whatever season we are in. I definitely feel we are IN a season. There has been challenges with my health in 2025 which took over six months to figure out which I finally tied to grief from a loss of an adopted Grandpa, past traumas from my first marriage, perimenopause, watching my children endure some hard moments with their father, and ultimately my Mother being diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Life can really suck.

Life is going to throw things at you. It is inevitable and part of being in a fallen, sinful world, but take heart, He has overcome. These are things that have helped me move forward each day out of the darkness:

1. commitment to facing every day before anything else with reading a Psalm and Proverbs which coincides with the day
2. gratefulness for all the simple things in life; a warm bed, healthy children, safe home, freedom to worship, speak these things out loud
3. deep breathing when moments get to be too much; trust me, its science. It brings blood pressure down quickly and helps us move past hard moments
4. Simon Sinek, a brilliant speaker and leader says it only takes “8 minutes” for a friend to hold space for you in a desperate moment. Have this code with your friends; “got 8 minutes?” reach out to a trusted friend, we cannot do this alone
5. self-care is key…we have to put our oxygen mask first. Learn how to do it. Society did a very poor job of teaching this. We cannot pour from an empty cup. Go for a walk, go to the gym, move your body, take a bath, sit in a coffee shop and read a book, sit in a warm car and do nothing (trust me, every Mom gets this, I highly recommend).

We are in this together and we cannot do this alone. All of you are in some season I mentioned above, but the things I spoke of can work for any season. Keep giving it over to God even when you feel there is no hope. I understand how hard it can get, but there IS hope. Don’t ever give up!

Blessings friends, you are loved.
Emily