It is a night filled with joy as I get to share my home with loved ones ranging from the itty bitty toddler stage to the adult-sized one. All six of them amble inside and once again, we are together. 

It was just last year that my BFF and her fam squished inside my two-bedroom bungalow but it feels like forever. Back then BJ (my cute Black cat) was a pipsqueak with spiky fur that the little ones loved chasing in the basement. 

Though he wasn’t as much of a fan as they were of this game, he tolerated it and bobbed around in excitement at all the people, smells, and chatter. 

This time around BJ wasn’t as enthused with the excitement of our guests and huddled in a corner anxious with fear. Next time I’ll have to make sure to give him his own safe space from all the hoopla. He is a house cat through and through.

The evening flowed with the snacks I confiscated at the last minute being eagerly consumed, and the red wine continuously poured. My friends and I indulged in grown-up time while the children ran a muck downstairs doing God knows what.

We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning until a spontaneous sleepover erupted and my friend and her hubby claimed the guest room. The kids were already knocked out downstairs in the finished basement in various sleep positions.

I awoke to little ones screaming “Mommy!” and was reminded of that season that I have yet to partake in. Sleep is surely a gift for the single person, I will say. A gift I cherish daily.

But the best time in all this was finding myself seated with my bestie of 20 years in my living room on my plush grey sofa. The kids had preoccupied themselves with phone screens and other gadgets and everyone was doing their own thing. It was as if they knew: Mommy and her best friend are talking.

We reflected on life these last 20 years and how different we are now than we were then. I truly think it would be a waste of a life to stay the same. If you stay the same, doesn’t that mean you didn’t learn anything?  Click To Tweet

If we are stagnant in our personhood then we are not evolving. And if we are not evolving, then how are we adequately impacting our generation? Our culture? Our spheres of influence? If we are not evolving then we are no longer relevant to the ones who need us most.

My friend and I are both getting older, and have mixed feelings about it for different reasons. We hold fond memories of our impactful spiritual experiences on Miami University’s campus. These 20 years we’ve come together to celebrate the good and likewise, to undergird the bad.

In the midst of our sweet fellowship, a visitor appeared at the door. It’s my handyman who is working on the house for me. In the hustle and bustle of my newfound guests, I had completely forgotten he was coming. He profusely apologizes that he did not call once he sees all the company and offers to come back another day but I am in a hurry to get this extra bathroom built, so I usher him inside. Now, almost every single room in my home is filled, and I know, this is a gift from the Father.

I have a beautiful home. It has truly been a blessing to receive but often my heart aches when it is empty. On this day though, it was anything but. It was bursting. And it was bursting with love.

Bursting with people who choose me. People who call me family without having a lick of blood shared between us. People who sacrifice to spend time with me and to support me. People who make up the lack.

I never want to ignore when God is moving in this way. God is often overlooked in our day-to-day because we can’t see Him with our physical eyes but we can with the eyes of our hearts. Click To Tweet

Let the eyes of your heart be opened and look around. What do you see? 

Do you see the desires of your heart being manifested? Do you see your prayers being answered? It may not look the way you want it to, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. 

I hope this holiday season finds you wrapped in love that is bursting at the seams from the most unlikely sources. I hope you peer into your palms and marvel at the gifts you’ve been given that you can share with others. 

It’s so easy to focus on what we don’t have, let’s try and focus on what we do.

20 years strong

In other news, did you know that I just dropped the pre-sale for my debut novel When Love Wins? You can check out more here! This time around there is an audiobook in addition to the eBook and paperback versions. Make sure you are subscribed to my email list to catch special offers, discounts, insider information, and more!

Are you on Instagram/Facebook? If so, please reach out. I have a series called “Word of the Day Wednesdays” where I share 5-10 minutes worth of nuggets that are on my heart, which I hope are encouraging to others on IGTV/FB Live! I have these also posted on my Youtube Channel.

And, lastly, if you have read “Stories for the (Urban) Soul, please put up an Amazon review here. I was SUPER encouraged and blessed when a new reader put up her review for my 2nd book which you can view here :).

As always thank you for your support!

SHALOM