Goodness, I’m cold. Tonight might be the coldest night of our year so far here in North Georgia, and I’m sitting next to a window, literally feeling the cold seep in. As a consolation, I’m wrapped up in an amazing blanket my daughter gave me on my birthday. (Thanks, Maddy!)

Despite the cold, I enjoy looking into the darkness outside, and then back into our cozy living room where two of my children are enjoying a movie. Finding Nemo, to be exact. I’m so grateful for this life I live, and for this late fall day that feels an awfully lot like winter.

It seems like a contradiction. The cold stings, and yet it’s ushering in a beautiful season. A season of quiet and stillness. A season of contemplation…which is one of my favorite things to do!

For most of my life, I thought it was important for me to stay steady and the same. And boy, I did. But I realized that living this way was kind of stifling, and left little room for me to grow as a person.

I’m forty-five now, and when I reached forty, something inside of me shifted. I was ready to admit that my life didn’t fit into a pretty little box, and it was okay to embrace that. I realized it was okay to question, and to grow. It was okay to change.

Usually when we change, it’s for the better. I’m very proud of the “evolution” of my life over the past five years or so.

Oh, I still love God, and want to surrender my life to follow the Spirit. I still love my family, and am grateful for every moment I’ve spent with them. I now embrace my heritage wholeheartedly, whether it be cultural or spiritual. This is quite a change for me, since for several years I followed “The Way” of Messianic Christianity. Talk about trying to change who I really was!

In this season I’m accepting all of me, just as I am. Just as God created me to be. I’m no longer worried about dogma, or religious expectations and interpretations.

I hope to be a gentle mother and wife, who follows the Way of Jesus. Someone who breathes life and comfort into my home while remaining open to the evolution of myself.

I think the changes I experience are making me a better version of myself, and I’m here for it in this season.

And like I said earlier, I love winter so much. It is a time of introspection, rest, and wisdom.

We can all look within during this time of year! In the cold, dark hours of night, we can reflect and grow as people. This can be such a sweet and precious time to connect with God.

I hope you embrace your growth, too. At times it can feel really messy, but when the dust settles, I think there is nothing better.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, friends. Many blessings to you and your family!