Category: loss

  • Peace Over Pressure: Holding Onto the Gift Jesus Left Us

    Peace Over Pressure: Holding Onto the Gift Jesus Left Us

    “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”   John 14:27

    Pressure is something we all understand. It shows up in deadlines, expectations, responsibilities, relationships, and the relentless noise of life. Pressure pushes. Pressure weighs. Pressure demands.

    But in the middle of a world full of pressure, Jesus speaks a completely different word:

    “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you.”

    Not a temporary escape.
    Not a shallow calm.
    Not a peace that depends on everything working out.

    His peace. A gift. A promise. A presence.

    A Peace That the World Cannot Give.

    The world offers relief through distraction, achievement, or control—but these only soothe for moments and then disappear. Jesus makes it clear:

    “I do not give to you as the world gives.”

    The peace of Jesus is:

    • Steady
    • Deep
    • Unshakable
    • Available even in chaos
    • Rooted not in circumstances but in Him

    It is peace that holds us together when everything around us feels like it’s falling apart.

    Pressure Wants to Control You — Peace Wants to Keep You

    Pressure says:

    • “Do more.”
    • “Fix it yourself.”
    • “You’re running out of time.”
    • “It’s all up to you.”

    But peace says:

    • “I am with you.”
    • “You can rest in Me.”
    • “My grace is enough.”
    • “You’re not alone.”

    Pressure pushes from the outside.
    Peace flows from the inside—from the very presence of Jesus dwelling in your heart.

    Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled.

    Jesus gives a command and an invitation in one breath:

    “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

    He wouldn’t ask us to do something impossible.
    He empowers what He commands.
    He gives the peace first—then teaches us how to walk in it.

    We “let not” our hearts be troubled by:

    • Bringing our worries to Him
    • Breathing deeply in His presence
    • Fixing our thoughts on His promises
    • Surrendering control we were never meant to carry
    • Trusting that He is working even when we cannot see

    Peace isn’t found in knowing the future.
    Peace is found in knowing the One who holds it.

    Choosing peace over pressure is a daily decision—sometimes a moment-by-moment one. But it’s possible because His peace is already yours. It’s His gift. His offering. His legacy.

    What would today look like if you chose peace instead of pressure?

    Maybe it means slowing down.
    Maybe it means saying no.
    Maybe it means praying before reacting.
    Maybe it means resting instead of striving.
    Maybe it means remembering Jesus is already carrying what you’re trying so hard to hold.

    His peace doesn’t remove every problem, but it changes how we walk through them.

    Peace is not the absence of trouble—peace is the presence of Christ.

    Where are you feeling the most pressure right now?

    What would it look like to invite Jesus’ peace into that place?

    Which truth from John 14:27 do you need to cling to today?

    Jesus, thank You for the gift of Your peace—real, deep, lasting peace. Teach me to choose Your peace over the pressures that push on my heart. Remind me that You are near, You are faithful, and You are in control. Fill my heart, calm my thoughts, and steady my steps. Help me walk today in Your unshakable peace. Amen.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • From Worry to Worship

    From Worry to Worship

    Philippians 4:6–7 — “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace…”

    Worry is often our first reaction when life feels uncertain. It creeps in quietly and quickly—through unanswered prayers, unexpected detours, or the weight of responsibilities that feel too heavy to carry. Yet in Philippians 4:6–7, Paul offers a different response.

    Instead of letting worry take the lead, he invites us to pray and praise.

    Worry drains our energy and clouds our vision, but worship redirects both. When we worship, our focus shifts from the size of our problem to the greatness of our God. Prayer becomes our release valve—where anxiety is exchanged for assurance.

    Gratitude becomes our weapon—reminding us of God’s past faithfulness and His unchanging nature.

    It’s not that our circumstances instantly change when we pray; it’s that we do. The peace of God doesn’t depend on the absence of trouble but on the presence of the One who calms the storm inside of us. His peace “guards our hearts and minds,” standing like a divine shield against fear, doubt, and despair.

    So, when worry starts whispering, let worship rise louder.
    When anxiety starts to spiral, lift it up in prayer.
    When your thoughts feel tangled, anchor them in gratitude.

    Because every time you turn your worry into worship, you remind your heart who’s really in control. And in that surrender, peace begins to flow—steady, quiet, and strong.

    Reflect:

    • What situation are you most worried about right now?
    • How can you turn that concern into a prayer of worship and thanksgiving today?

    Prayer:
    Father, thank You for inviting me to trade my worries for Your peace. When I’m tempted to fear, remind me to bring every burden to You in prayer. Help me choose worship over worry, and gratitude over anxiety. Let Your peace guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Amen.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • 🌿When Seasons Change

    🌿When Seasons Change

    Life is full of seasons. 🍁

    We walk through seasons of change just as the leaves change color and drift to the ground. There are seasons of laughter and seasons of loss. We experience beginnings and endings. Some we welcome, others catch us off guard. But one thing remains certain: seasons always change.

    And through every shift, we have a choice. We can cling tightly to what was, or we can trust God enough to let go.

    💛Season of Letting Go: A Lesson in Trust

    A few years ago, I began choosing one word each year to focus on. That particular year, God whispered a word I didn’t want to hear: Letting Go.

    For someone who likes to plan, help, fix, and control, letting go felt impossible. Yet God was inviting me into a deeper trust. I was called to release what I was never meant to hold so tightly.

    Letting go wasn’t about giving up. It was about opening my hands to what God had next.

    🌸 Letting go of fear — “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.” (Isaiah 41:10)
    🌸 Letting go of control — remembering that God is the Author of my story.
    🌸 Letting go of the past — “If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
    🌸 Letting go of my own strength — “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

    Each time we release what weighs us down, we make room for God to move.

    💔Season of Loss and Surrender

    I’ve walked through seasons of deep loss. These include miscarriages, divorce, and the death of my father and sister. I also experienced a battle with breast cancer. Each one left me breathless and broken. But each one also became a classroom where God taught me to trust Him more.

    It wasn’t easy. I had to learn that joy is not the absence of pain, but the presence of surrender.

    “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” — James 1:2–4

    Through every trial, God was shaping me, strengthening me, and drawing me closer to Him.

    🌿 Seasons change — but God does not.

    “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8

    🌼 Season of Identity and Purpose

    Some seasons aren’t about loss — they’re about rediscovery.

    For much of my life, I defined myself by my roles and accomplishments. These included my job, my family, my appearance, and my success. But when those things shifted, I faced an identity crisis.

    Then I learned this truth. I stopped striving to define myself by the world. I began to rest in who God says I am — loved, chosen, redeemed. Then peace returned.

    “Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

    When we stop fighting against the current of change, we find that God’s plan has been carrying us all along.

    🌸Season of the In-Between

    Life often feels like the “in-between” — that space between no longer and not yet. It’s uncomfortable, uncertain, and full of questions.

    But it’s also the place where faith grows deepest.

    “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” — Hebrews 11:1

    My sister Sara taught me that joy is not the denial of pain. It is the decision to trust God in it. Even in her suffering, she defined joy as:

    “The unwavering trust that God knows what He is doing and has blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of it. Not despite what is happening in my life, but because of it. When everything earthly feels heavy, He gives me an internal lightness that can’t be reached.”

    We can’t control the seasons, but we can choose how we walk through them — with or without Him.

    🌤 When Seasons Change

    What do you need to let go of in this season? Is it fear? Or is it control? Could it be the past, or your own strength?

    Whatever it is, remember this truth:
    When your seasons change, don’t cling to fear. Let go. Surrender. Choose joy.

    God’s presence is constant. His love is unchanging. His purposes are eternal.

    “For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.” — Psalm 56:13

    The trees release their leaves. May we also release what we can’t keep. Let us trust the One who never lets go. 🍂

    💬 Reflect & Share

    ✨ What season are you in right now?
    ✨ What is God asking you to let go of?
    ✨ How can you choose joy in the in-between?

    Share your heart in the comments below — let’s encourage one another through every season. 💕

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • Here to be Changed

    Here to be Changed

    An excerpt from the book Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts. ~ Sara Frankl

    We are not put on earth merely to satisfy our desires, to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. We are here to be changed, to be made more like God in order to prepare us for a lifetime with Him. – Philip Yancey

    “Any time I got hurt when I was a little girl, I would go to my dad crying about my ailment and he would always do the same thing. He would take my pinched finger or other such hurt and say, “You know what the good thing about this is, don’t you? It’s a long way from your heart.”

    Then he’d laugh while trying to get me to laugh and think about anything else buy my hurt. Being a kid, I would always take my finder, hold it to my chest, and say, “No! See? It’s right here by my heart!” But the conversation and the laughter usually distracted me enough, making whatever had been hurting suddenly not so bad.

    I eventually understood his lesson behind the distraction, that no physical ailment could change my heart. That every hurt would pass and I would still be the same on the inside regardless of the outside.

    I’ve had many opportunities to put that saying to the test in my adult life, and I’ve realized something about Dad’s theory. Some hurts aren’t actually a long way from my heart. Some hurts reside there. But they don’t change who I am inside. They don’t change my faith. Every lesson I learned before remains the same after. Nothing is different. God is the same. Love is the same. No matter how much my heart hurts.”

    My friends, choose to nurture who you are and who God intended you to be. His child, made in His image. His beloved.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • When Seasons Change

    When Seasons Change

    As Christians, we know that life is full of seasons. There are times of growth and times of rest. We also experience times of abundance and times of scarcity.

    Seasons of change also happen in all stages of life. We grow up under the wings of our parents. We graduate and begin our own independent life journey. Our journey will take each of us in different directions as we answer God’s call for our lives. No matter what directions God takes us, the one constant we will all experience is change.

    But no matter what season we’re in, God remains constant and faithful.

    I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I have been walking a season of change with my mom. This past month, we moved her to an independent living apartment. A place that provides for the whole continuum of care as individuals age.

    15 years ago, I lost my dad. Mom lost her husband. In an instant at the age of 67 she was a widow. Dad was stung by a bee, went into anaphylactic shock and died.

    14 years ago, I lost my sister. She lost her daughter. At the age of 38 years old she passed away after a long struggle with a disease that confined her to the four walls of her home.

    Each of these moments thrust her into change. None of them were changes she anticipated.

    We have choices when it comes to facing change. We can embrace the change or we can fight the change. We can ask why me or we can trust God to direct our path through the journey.

    As human beings, we prefer to control our circumstances. Often wanting to stay with what we know. We hold on to what we know like the security of a blanket. We are warm and comfortable. We know what to anticipate.

    Embracing change is the opposite. We are stepping out in faith. We are trusting God with our circumstances as he walks us through the unknown of the journey we face.

    I am so proud of my mom! Her life changes were hard and filled with tears. There was a lot of unknown about what her future was going to hold. Despite this, she chose to trust God. She faced her life uncertainty with grace and bravery.

    She chose to move forward instead of digging in her heels. She remained open and didn’t let the circumstances in her life change the core of who she is. A woman of faith, strength, love, confidence, and optimism.

    My mom has been a witness of God’s goodness to all those she meets. She has met new lifelong friends. She has experienced the love and support of community. This happened as she opened her heart to others.

    My mom has been a true role model for me. A role model of how to embrace change in life. She embraces life’s adventure and goodness. She does this with trust and faith in the one who never lets us fall.

    So, how do we know when a new season is approaching? Here are some signs to look out for:

    • Doors Opening and Closing: When new opportunities arise, and old ones come to a close, it may be a sign that God is directing you down a new path.
    • Desires and Dreams Changing: When your heart’s desires start to shift, and you begin dreaming about new goals and directions, pay attention! This could be God realigning your hopes and dreams to match the new season He has for you.
    • Divine Encounters and Revelations: Strategic people, conversations, resources, and ideas that come across your path can be a sign of a new season.
    • Life Happens: Sometimes things just happen. Accidents happen. Health changes.

    Embracing the Change

    When we recognize that a new season is approaching, it’s essential to embrace the change. Here are some ways to do that:

    • Let Go of Control: Recognize that you can’t control everything, and trust that God is in control.
    • Focus on Growth: View the new season as an opportunity for growth, and ask yourself how you can become a wiser, more mature, and more faithful person.
    • Pursue Community: Surround yourself with people who can support and encourage you as you navigate the new season.

    In the midst of change, it’s comforting to remember that God remains constant. As the Bible says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

    No matter what season you’re in, remember that God is always with you, guiding and directing you. Trust in His goodness, and have faith that He will lead you through the ups and downs of life.

    Embrace the change. EnJOY the journey. You will be amazed at the new beginnings you experience with each of life’s new seasons.

    With love and joy,

    Laura