To say "yes" to being renewed, we must ask: What does God say about our body, soul, and spirit being interconnected? Let’s say yes to a renewed mind. Yes to healed emotions. Yes to Spirit-led desires. Yes to being well and whole—body, soul, and spirit.

Eight stories found in Genesis are mentioned by name in Hebrews 11—the great “by faith” chapter. Each one starts with the same phrase “by faith…” followed by a life-altering moment of surrender, obedience, or courageous trust. If it’s been a while since you read their stories, I encourage you to read the full story in Genesis. Their stories are imperfect. They struggled. They doubted. They wrestled with fear, and waiting, and trusting God when it didn’t make sense.

You are in a season. Like the oak, this season will shift into another.  Some seasons are marked by growth and vigor. Others look more like rest, release, or even bareness as leaves fall. None of them are permanent. Together, the seasons are part of the process God designed—for the acorn and for you. The mighty oak carries many stories—years of both abundance and hardship. Each ring holds a place. Each ring matters as it builds upon the next.

Inside every acorn is the full potential for a majestic oak tree. It also contains everything needed for the initial stages of growth. By God’s design, just like the tiny acorn, God has placed in you everything needed to grow into all He created you to be. 

The message of the Gospel is spoken by the angels to the shepherds right after their announcement that the Savior had been born, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10–12). It wasn’t just exciting news; it announced the shattering of what had been as they broadcast the best news ever spoken...

Travel, preparations, appointments, and responsibilities had become “too tight.” There wasn’t enough breathing room in my days. I was trying to return to a peaceful rhythm but not acknowledging the real issue. My soul was aching from being constricted, just like my feet were.

Growing spiritually can look similar to physical growth. The pace of growth is unique to each individual. Stages are often repeated in one or in multiple areas of our heart on our journey to spiritual maturity.

I have turned up my nose to what God places before me, longing for something else. I mistakenly think what I’m served isn’t good or right for me. I kick and scream. I refuse to receive what I’m given. When I come to these moments in life, I pray to choose to eat the “bowl of soup” in front of me and give thanks, trusting my Father to provide what I need.

There's an emptiness. It lingers even when I’ve poured every last drop out and it still doesn’t feel like it’s enough. Will you come to His feet with your emptiness, with your lack, and with your need, and let Him fill you up? I sure hope so. He’s the only one who can sustain us when motherhood is hard.