Daily BITUB- “Be Still”

“Be Still”

“And they lived happily ever after.” I’ve read that several times in things I wrote in my journals for years and years. In fact, I wrote it in 2003 when Andie and I got married. We love it, and we chase it. Then I read things I wrote as the years went by that showed I didn’t really believe that all the time. The trials of life. The dark moments. I doubted my own words. In fact, I see moments I doubted everything and every one. Real and raw emotions engulfed me many times. I had a lot of demons from a lot of things. 

Then as I was writing I had YouTube on and when I looked up I saw something that made me laugh. 

Does anyone remember the old Tootsie Pop commercial in which a little boy asks the wise old owl, “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?”

The owl starts counting: One… Two… Three… and then CRUNCH! He bites straight through it.

The more I wrote, the more I realized I am the owl! That impatient crunch captures something I recognize in myself. I know may be a stretch for many, but was a revelation for me. I want to trust God’s process, but when the waiting becomes uncomfortable, I am tempted to force my way through the uncertainty just to reach an answer. One, two, three… Crunch!

This has been a reoccurring familiar situation for me over the years. I even asked myself as I was looking for remedies, the right foods, the right blogs, podcasts, bible verses, the right meds… DC, isn’t this familiar? How many times have we been here? 

We ask God for guidance, say we trust His plan, and then quietly wonder whether He might move things along a little faster. (Just a little faster, please) Patience sounds simple until the waiting touches the people and circumstances closest to our hearts. When I think about our family, I want the confidence that everything will be okay. I want the unknown to become clear and this difficult season to lead somewhere peaceful, but am I willing to accept what God intends for that peace to be? Then I hear God saying that peace is everywhere we allow it to be. Yet faith, or peace, does not require a complete explanation. God has not asked me to solve every mystery or predict every outcome. He has asked me to trust Him and remain faithful in the present. I know I keep saying that in my writings, but it’s my way of conveying to myself it’s real. That does not erase the questions or prevent fear, weariness, and frustration. It means remembering that God is still working. He’s always working. My family and friends continue to teach me what that looks like. Love does not disappear when life becomes complicated; it gives us courage and reminds us that our connection remains strong, even when everyone is stretched thin, med bills may be piling up, tempers flair, emotions are at a peak, and we all seem to be moving in different directions. Maybe that is the real defense mechanism. The real moment we experience God. Maybe, God is saying feel, see, listen, and still trust Me! Be mad! Let it out! Feel it! Share it! Pray about! Ask for guidance from friends! Lean on each other! Share with your kids! Be authentic in a time when that authenticity means more than ever! You all owe it to yourself! Be present and then let Me be! 

So, as I reflected, I thought that perhaps stillness is not the absence of activity, but the decision to remain grounded and be true to our place and thoughts while life continues around us. It is choosing to recognize the goodness of today instead of postponing joy until every concern has been resolved. What if we decided to feel our happily ever after at the end of each day? We had a good day. Today we lived a happily ever after moment. 

Gratitude draws my attention to the people who care for me, the memories we share, and the strength God provides for the next step… not necessarily the entire path. I may not know how long this season will last or what the final answer will be, what God will decide our peace is, but I can choose trust today. I can love my family today. I can be happy today. I can receive today as a gift rather than treating it as a waiting room for tomorrow. 

Oh, and when the waiting feels too long, remember… You do not have to be DC the owl (One, two, three… Crunch!) and force your way to the center. God is already there waiting for as long as we need to get there. 

Believe In The Unbelievable that is YOU and my prayer for you today is from Psalm 46:10.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” 

Have a great day ahead everyone and may today you get a happily ever after moment. 

Little Boy, Big Dreams LLC

Purposeful Pathways

DC

Daily BITUB- “Enough for Today”

“Enough for Today” 

Yesterday God handed me a reminder. My wife posted something about her journey. Yet, it was more about how many people are on that journey and what it means. She was so real and authentic sharing about decisions she made to be here for us. She’s amazing. Then someone almost immediately after told me that my family was under attack, but encouraged me to keep the faith. And while I genuinely appreciate those words, the prayers, and the love behind them, I see things a little differently. I see them through my wife’s eyes. I don’t believe we are under attack. I believe God is holding us together through one of the most difficult seasons of our lives. I believe life is about perspective. And even with everything we are facing, I still love my life. I love my family. I love the people God has placed in our path. And I am grateful for every single day we are given together. But can I be vulnerable for a moment?

I’m tired.

Not tired of life. Not tired of loving. Not tired of believing in God’s promises. I’m just tired. And I don’t mean the kind of tired that a good night’s sleep can fix. I mean the kind of tired that reaches places inside you that you didn’t even know could hurt. The kind where you wake up in the morning already feeling the weight of the day. The kind where you smile because you don’t want the people you love to see just how much you’re carrying. The kind where you find yourself alone for a moment, take a deep breath, and quietly whisper, “God, I know You’re here. But I sure could use a little help today.” I share these thoughts because they’re real. I don’t write because I have all the answers. I don’t write because I’m stronger than anyone else. I write because sometimes putting my feelings into words is the only way I know how to release a little of what I’m carrying. And maybe, just maybe, someone else needs to know they’re not alone in feeling this way. 

Watching someone you love face battles you wish you could fight for them changes you. It humbles you. It makes you say and do things you wish you could take back. It breaks your heart in ways you never imagined. There are moments when you would give absolutely anything to take their pain, their fear, and their uncertainty away. And one of the hardest things I’ve had to learn is that I can’t fix everything for the people I love. As a husband and a father, that’s a difficult reality to accept. I want to be strong for my beautiful wife. I want to be steady for my son and daughter. I want to be the person they can lean on when life gets heavy. But sometimes, the one everyone leans on needs somewhere to lean, too. And I’m learning that it’s okay to admit that. There are moments when I feel beat up. Moments when the emotions catch up with me. Moments when I wonder how much more I have left to give. But then I look at my wife. I look at our children. I think about the life we’ve built, the memories we’ve made, the laughter we’ve shared, and all the moments we still hope to experience together. And suddenly, I remember why I keep getting up.

Because love doesn’t disappear when life gets hard. Sometimes that’s when love becomes its strongest.

I think about the friends who check on us. The people who pray for us. The ones who send a simple message at just the right moment. The people who remind us that even when the road feels lonely, we are not walking it alone. You may never fully understand how much those little gestures mean to our family. But please know, they matter more than words can express. And through it all, I continue to see God’s goodness. Not because every day is easy. Not because every prayer has been answered the way I hoped. And certainly not because I understand everything that’s happening. But because even in the hardest moments, I can still find something beautiful to be thankful for.

I’ve learned that faith doesn’t mean you never get scared. It doesn’t mean you never cry. And it certainly doesn’t mean you never get tired. Sometimes faith is simply saying, “God, I don’t understand this season, and I don’t know what tomorrow holds. But I still trust You.” And that’s where I find myself today. I’m not asking God to show me the entire road ahead. I’m not asking Him to give me enough strength for next month. I’m not even asking for enough strength for next week. I’m simply asking Him to give me enough for today.

Enough to love my wife a little harder.

Enough to remind my children how incredibly proud I am of them.

Enough to find a reason to laugh when the world feels heavy.

Enough to appreciate another sunrise, another conversation, another hug, another opportunity to make a memory.

Enough to keep serving others, even when my own heart needs a little lifting.

And enough to remember that being tired doesn’t mean I’m defeated.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. None of us do. But I do know that I refuse to let the difficulties of today steal the blessings that are right in front of me. (I’ve failed at that lately). I still have so much to be thankful for. I still have so much love to give. And I still have so much life I want to live with the people who mean everything to me. So yes, I’m tired. Maybe more tired than I’ve ever been willing to admit. Some days I may walk a little slower. Some days my smile may hide a few tears. And some days I may need someone else to remind me of the very words I’ve spent years sharing with others.

But I’m still here.

Still loving. Still grateful. Still believing. Still trusting God. And when I don’t have the strength to take another step, I pray He reminds me that I don’t have to carry everything by myself. Because sometimes the greatest act of faith isn’t finding the strength to carry on. It’s trusting God enough to admit that you can’t do it alone.

To anyone reading this who is carrying something heavy, please hear my heart.

You don’t have to have it all figured out today. You don’t have to pretend you’re okay every moment. And you don’t have to be strong for everyone all the time. Give yourself some grace. Hold your loved ones a little closer. Appreciate the moments that matter. And never underestimate what God can do with a heart that refuses to give up. Tomorrow will come soon enough. Today, let’s just be thankful we’re here to experience another day. And if all we have left is enough strength for today, then today, that is enough.

Believe In The Unbelievable that is YOU and my prayer for you today comes from Isaiah 40:31.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Lord, I don’t need to understand everything You’re doing. I just need to feel Your hand holding mine as we walk through it. And when I grow weary, please give me enough strength, enough courage, and enough faith for one more day. Amen. 

Little Boy, Big Dreams LLC

Purposeful Pathways 

DC

Have a great day ahead everyone.