Four Lessons from Summer '26

I have decided that summer of 2026 will forever be a favorite for me. I learned so much in three and a half short months. I thought the Lord was taking me down one path in something big but turns out He was just teaching me "right path but wrong time." Then the Lord surprised me with the sweetest and most precious answered prayer that I have had in a long time at the end of summer. It was a summer full of travel and adventure. We gained many memories but even in the midst, the Lord was still moving and working. I wanted to take a minute to share three lessons God taught me during summer of 2026 that He is continuing to teach me!

#1: Fear comes out in so many different ways and sometimes it is not easy to see until you have someone break it down for you.

This summer, I have battled fear in a new way that I never expected and while that is a long story in and of itself that I can't share right now (due to time), I realized so much of the emotions I was feeling stemmed from fear and having someone help me walk through that was truly impactful to how I continued my summer. Fear can be debilitating but it can also be fought. You don't have to let fear dictate your day. In fact, you can dictate how long fear stays present.

#2 :Being the best is not the same as doing your best.

Whew. This one is a hard one and I actually learned this lesson from an amazing book I am still reading (You are the Girl for the Job). I am learning that if I am always trying to be the best, that doesn't necessarily mean I am doing my best. When I do my best, I don't look to the left or right, I am looking ahead at Jesus as I use my God-given gifts for His glory.

#3: Staying is one of the hardest parts in this journey.

I used to be shocked and mad when the disciples ran, now I get it. It's so much harder to stay during the growing pains, hurt and work but it is worth it. The easiest thing to do is bolt and stay safe but getting in the hard parts to work through the good, bad and ugly is what God calls us to do.

#4: I would argue that the hardest part of a new season is being patient with yourself.

This one is a close second to lesson #2 but I am learning that the hardest person to be patient with, give grace to, forgive easily and love as Jesus is probably myself. This is something I am still learning (well, alongside everything else listed above) as I continue to walk through this messy journey called life.