have you ever read a book and it completely change your way of thinking?!
i’ve had books here and there that moved me but none that truly impacted my life.
one day, a dear friend of mine shared that she was reading a book called growing slow by jennifer dukes lee and the title alone called me. i ordered it right away.
once the book arrived, i couldn't put it down. the first page alone spoke to me in a way as if someone was speaking directly to me regarding my own thoughts and the current place i was in my own life. “it’s a story about why we are all in a hurry yet afraid to slow the pace. it’s a story about our desire for a simpler life - and our persistent refusal to take hold of it. it’s a story about the nagging sense of dissatisfaction with what we’re growing in our lives. we wonder if we’re really doing enough with these numbered days we’ve been given” - jennifer dukes lee.
this was exactly where i was in my life. i felt like a hamster on an exercise wheel. a time when i would buy something or do something but i was always dreaming or thinking about the next thing. i wasn't present. i was always living for the next "big thing", whatever that was, who knows. seasons came and would spark joy for the moment because they were "new" but then they would quickly fade away and i was already wishing for the next one to arrive.
books have always been apart of my life. this book however was truly impactful; life changing i can honestly say. it opened my eyes to a way of living that i was just blind too.
today, i can say that i am appreciating each and every season, even during the tough ones i try to remember god's words..
"she is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future" - proverbs 31:25."
obviously some days are harder then others to trust in those words but i try my best to lean on god, to know that he is right there with me, always...
"the lord is my shepard, i shall not want. he makes me lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside still waters. he restores my soul. he leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake. even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and i shall dwell in the house of the lord forever. -psalm 23"
i'm also still trying my best to actually slow down. it's easier said then done sometimes, especially for someone like myself who doesn't quite know how to sit still. i've always got a creative idea up my sleeve or something that i feel has to be done right now. but i am trying and sometimes my body just reminds me on its own so i have no choice but to listen.
i really recommend this book to those of you who might be in the same place i was. to those of you who are always on the go. to those of you who are "doing it all" and wearing ten different hats. for those who may find themselves in a sad, difficult season. for those who may just need to slow down. this is a book for you.
happy reading!
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