January 2022 Newsletter
Okay, so here are some things I learned on sabbatical.
The last time we talked, I was five days into my six-week sabbatical. Today, I’m three weeks on the other side of sabbatical, and not to be dramatic, but I’m a changed woman. I polled my Instagram friends about whether I should share a list of some things that I learned on sabbatical or if I should share a sabbatical recap according to the new Disney movie, Encanto… because, let me tell you – there are so many parallels. But either you guys are so spiritual and holy and serious or you haven’t seen Encanto, so the list won out.
So here it is, my incomplete list of some mostly meaningful and a few inconsequential things I learned on sabbatical –
ONE: I really value an opening and closing ceremony.
In much of life, the significant and ordinary moments run together. When I can help it, I deeply appreciate an opening and closing ceremony of sorts, something to mark a clear beginning and a clean ending. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy or extravagant, just something special to help differentiate the time/season/event.
What did that look like on sabbatical? It opened with a meal at a new restaurant with two of my favorite friends after my last Sunday on the job and came to a close on New Year’s Eve with cake and champagne shared with friends while watching fireworks from the back porch. The fireworks weren’t a planned part of this closing ceremony, but if you know me, you know that I was THRILLED to see them! God knows me and sees me. Even the weird things about me like my love for closing ceremonies and fireworks.
TWO: Silence and solitude are entirely underrated spiritual disciplines.
Prior to my sabbatical, the time and attention that I had dedicated to these particular spiritual disciplines was slim to none. Silence is HARD. What even is silence when you are a person whose thoughts are a running monologue? And how do I differentiate between the normal, oft-occurring silence and solitude of living alone from the spiritual disciplines that cultivate my faith? With intentionality, practice, and consciously choosing not to drown out the silence with noise and scrolling, that is how. So I practiced. I practiced sitting in the silence and embracing the solitude, and I found that the Spirit has so very much to say if we make space to listen. I also read this book and listened to these podcasts (1, 2, 3) for fodder and they were a helpful place to start!
THREE: Silence and solitude don’t have to take place alone in nature.
Does anyone else think this? Or was this just me? Some of my richest moments of silence and solitude were roaming around New York City by myself. God spoke the loudest while I was sitting on the High Line for a few hours with hundreds of people passing by. Practice silence and solitude where it makes sense for YOU. You don’t need a solo trip to practice these disciplines. Post-sabbatical, I’m finding the chair in my room to be an equally sweet space to practice listening to the Lord.
FOUR: Sometimes the hard work is not producing, achieving, or creating.
Enter Encanto. Prior to sabbatical, I was Luisa walking the tightrope of pressure and expectation, asking the question, “who am I if I can’t carry it all?” I was trying to carry every ball and make it look easy. I walked into sabbatical with a long list of things I wanted to do (read: achieve) – books to read, words to write, projects to dream about or begin. Instead, at the beginning of sabbatical, I started to evaluate the “crushing weight of expectations” I was putting on myself and I decided to lay aside my to-do list to rest and remember that my worth isn’t tied to my achievements. It was the very best decision I could have made.
FIVE: You never know, unless you ask.
I almost missed out on the trip of a lifetime with 23 friends to celebrate my birthday and graduation, because prior to inviting everyone, I had answered for them. I had come up with a list of reasons why everyone would say no – it was impractical or expensive, too complicated or too extravagant of an ask, what about work and childcare, the list goes on. I had so many valid reasons why someone would say no that I almost didn’t ask at all. I’m still not sure what kind of wild courage came over me to send the email, but I am so glad I did. This trip was not only the highlight of my sabbatical, but it was truly a highlight of my days. I’ll never forget it. And to think I might have missed it makes my chest ache.
Don’t miss it, friends. Whatever, “it” is for you. Make the ask.
You might just be surprised.
SIX: I love traveling alone.
I thought I hated it. Turns out I was entirely wrong. I went to a city that I love to do some things that I love at a pace that I love and it was good medicine for my soul.
10/10 recommend.
SEVEN: Having email off my phone is both easier than I thought and healthier than I could have imagined.
This was such a small thing that had a massive impact on my time away. Did you know all you have to do is slide your email off in your settings to remove it from your phone? You don’t have to completely log out or remove your account and all of its data from your phone. You just have to toggle a button and you can remove it and add it back in an instant. I had my work email off my phone the whole six weeks and it was a great way to separate myself from my normal responsibilities. Now that I‘ve returned, I remove email from my phone on Thursday at the end of the day and add it back on Sunday morning in order to signify the start of sabbath on Friday (hello, opening ceremony) and help maintain some overall work/life balance. I also have some similar rhythms in place with social media post-sabbatical and that has also been a game-changer.
EIGHT: I defined my style and edited my closet with the definition in mind.
Last year, I realized it was bothering me that I didn’t have words to define my style. I have a handful of friends who know exactly what they love when it comes to clothes and everything they own fits in that lane. I walk into a store or see something online and say, “that’s cute!” But is it me? That’s the question I really wanted to answer and the filter through which I really wanted to shop. So I found this Simple Style online course* last fall and finally did it over sabbatical. A course? Really? Yes, really. Course sounds intense, but it was more of a process and it was SO helpful.
It began with an inventory of what I already have in my closet. Answering questions like, what do I wear? Why do I like it? Why don’t I wear certain things? Then I worked on defining my style and creating a Pinterest board to reflect my ideal look. This was my favorite part! I studied different types of style (with the help of the course), I made my board, sent it to some friends to confirm that in fact reflect me, and walked away with a clearer picture of what I really like and why. It wasn’t a redefining or reinventing of my style, it was an exercise to put words around what I already own and like (note all the white shirts in my Pinterest board). Then I intentionally cleaned out my closet, editing with my style in mind. Lastly, there was a process for curating a list of additional pieces I hope to add over time. The whole process has given me back some mental space when I’m staring at my closest or trying to decide if it’s worth buying something (It’s a little embarrassing how much I had been thinking about this before). I’m walking away with a defined style, a cleaner closest, and hopefully being a more thoughtful and less wasteful consumer.
*I’d link the course, but the girls that did it aren’t planning another one right now. If they do, I will be sure to tell you!
NINE: I really, truly love the life I’m living.
If nothing else, sabbatical was a lesson in gratitude. Time away was a luxury, I know it’s not a reality for everyone. But for me, time away from the official responsibilities of ministry, only deeper instilled in me the truth that God made me to minister. Time away made me love the team of people I work with and the church I serve even more. Time away to reflect on the past, evaluate my life, and spend time with my people, made me look around and realize how much I truly love the life I’m living it. It looks N O T H I N G like I thought it would look like at thirty one, but what I know for sure is that God has given me everything I need.
Most importantly, Himself.
TEN: I am deeply loved by God and there is absolutely nothing I can do to change that.
This sounds so elementary, but this is what God spoke in all that silence and solitude. Enter Encanto, one more time. There is a moment at the end of the movie where Mirabel realizes that she is loved for who she is and not what she has to offer. It’s such a special and redemptive moment and I watched with tears streaming down my face, not only because she finally received her doorknob, but because I felt like I was looking in a mirror. During sabbatical, God reminded me that I am not what I do, what I have to offer, or what I can achieve. He reminded me that He made, He loves me, and that there is not one thing I could do or achieve to make Him love me more or less. And here is not an opinion that someone could have of me that could make Him love me more or less.
This is not new information, It’s actually something I tell other people all the time, but I’m believing it’s true of me in a new way. This basic, yet profound truth is changing the way I see myself, it’s changing the expectations I’m putting on myself, and it’s freeing me up from the opinions and expectations of others.
It’s a lesson I hope I never stop learning.
Featured This Month
Things I’m loving right this very minute!
These Tacos
I made this recipe two weeks ago and it was quick, easy, and pretty yummy! I love anything that can go in a crockpot in January. Instead of tacos we made everything to go over a rice bowl. Either way, it’s a winner!
This Podcast Episode
I loved listening to this conversation with Hunter Beless, Jen Wilkin, and Melissa Kruger about mentoring younger women in the faith as I was preparing for a discipleship event at Eastside.
Beth Moore’s Instagram Live
This Instagram live of Beth Moore explaining her prayer journal and walking through her daily devotional time was such a GIFT! It’s worth 40 minutes of your time.
Wordle
Has anyone else jumped on this daily word game trend? I’m loving Wordle! I’m normally anti-phone-games, but this is a quick challenge and there is no getting sucked in, because there is only one word a day.
To the Cross I Cling
I love everything Laura Wifler writes and I’m confident her new book is going to be a blessing to many. It’s a 10 dollar e-book about a mother’s reflections walking through a child’s special needs diagnosis. If that is you or someone you love, I think it will be an encouragement to your heart.
Happy Tuesday, Friends! If you love getting these emails, would you consider forwarding it to a friend? Or feel free to reply! I love hearing from you in my inbox and IRL, obviously!
This newsletter was one of my favorite things to start in 2021 and I’m looking forward to what this year hold! If there is anything you would like to see more of in this space, hit that reply button and let me know!
Thanks for being here!
Marissa
