They say without adversity there is no growth. I can say that for certain that this has by far been one of the most challenging summers. Maybe you can relate too? Most of the time, it just comes out of nowhere and forces us toward change. It’s in the thick of it that we get to choose to let it change us for the better or we can choose to let it make us bitter.

Life challenges us in many ways to choose love. The broken breaks in our stories are not defined by our failures and loses, but by the refinement of our hearts while being lead through the lessons and onto new growth. The trials in our lives come in waves. Sometimes big and sometimes tiny ripples. Each with its own significance, purpose and meaning. Being vulnerable in our humanness can only lead us to wholeness with the one who created us. It’s a steady journey of moving forward even when the setbacks take us in a whole new direction and where what seems impossible becomes possible. Grace will always meet us in the heart of it. Our time is only for a season and with our pockets full of collective moments dipped in hope and seasoned with faith, worn and weathered we will leave a legacy testimony that only reflects the goodness of God.

We talk about time and how fast it always goes by. Every weekend I felt it come and go as fast as my occasional Dairy Queen Blizzard. No lie, that fast!

I would wake up on Monday and question if we even had a weekend. They went by so fast and I found this to be true of my vacations and of any time off for that matter. So, I decided to try something. I decided to not wear my watch anymore on Sunday. I did this for about a month, this then lead to not wearing my watch on Saturday which has now lead to not wearing a watch on any days off.

What I discovered is that time did indeed actually slow down. I no longer feel the need to glance at my watch to see where we are on time. I no longer feel the dread of I only have this much time left to get all the things in and done before the weekend is over.

This one simple gesture has allowed me to be more present with family and to be more free with the time that I have been gifted. It has opened up so many doors for some pretty amazing conversations. Unrushed, unhurried, laughter included.

If I could encourage you to put away your watch and what you think your time should look like. To just give it a try for one weekend and just be. Be present in the moments. Wherever and whatever that looks like for you and just see what happens.

“The greatest wasteland in all of our earth… our waste of time that God has given us each day.” -Billy Graham Peace For Each Day.