Between the Pines | January Newsletter
on making space for change & focusing on what God has called us to
Hello reader,
Yesterday, as I drove to pick up my son early from preschool due to inclement weather, it dawned on me that for the first time in a long time I didn’t feel total upheaval by the change in our schedule. I had to reschedule hanging out with a friend and change my afternoon plans, but I didn’t feel stressed, frustrated, or caught off guard. I didn’t even really feel annoyed by it. I just accepted it for what it was—something totally out of my control—and did what I could to make space for it.
In that moment, I felt God impressing upon my heart that when changes happen in our life, all we can really do is make space for them. Those changes occur because God ordained it to be so. It’s something He has given that He wants us to work with and trust Him in. We can’t control our circumstances, but we can control our response and our perspective. We also can control our expectations about our circumstances and be more open-handed with them.
So, since it’s on my heart, I wanted to share something kind of vulnerable and embarrassing with you: I haven’t had anyone sign up for a paid Substack subscription yet. It feels weird to say that in writing because it makes me feel a little bit like a failure. I had hoped that it would be something great right away since I was making the space for it by switching my blog to bi-weekly. I had some great ideas and some posts already written, but no audience to send them to yet.
Sometimes I think that God uses moments like this to humble us. He creates change and upheaval and a newsflash of sorts to bring us back down to reality, focus on what He’s actually called us to, and trust His timing in the midst of it all. So with the changes in my schedule this week and the unmet expectations within my life, I’m trusting that God is doing good things with them. I know that great things take time so I’m thanking God for this opportunity to pivot and focus on the things that he’s calling me to today: caring for my child who is at home because of this winter weather and writing with the intention of reaching others, even if it’s unpaid and only seen by a few.
I want you to know that this is not some strange marketing tactic to get you to sign up for my paid subscription. Of course, if that’s the Lord’s leading, I won’t stop you, but I really just want you to know my heart. Sometimes we hope for things and plan for things and they don’t happen how we expect them to. Our life turns out differently than we had wanted, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not still good. It just means that God is orchestrating changes so we can better walk in line with his purposes.
I hope that you will choose to see the opportunity within the unexpected changes and unmet expectations within your life. God’s redirection and changes are blessings. He is still at work, even if it’s way different than you thought it would be.
Resources For Your Journey
A Curious Faith: The Questions God Asks, We Ask, and We Wish Someone Would Ask Us by Lore Ferguson Wilbert
Turning Adversity into Gospel Opportunity by Steve Carter on Seminary Now’s new blog
What Does Faith Look Like? by Tabitha Panariso
On Walking in the Wilderness
Walking in the Wilderness is my blog where I write about seasonal and present moment living, as well as looking for God’s goodness and provision in every season. I post every other Friday.
Finding Goodness and Purpose Within the Hardships of Life about how our hardships and challenges can still be good
Eyes Wide Open: A Perspective Shift for a New Year about the importance of an open-handed perspective
Looking for God’s Provision This Year about remembering the ways God provides in Scripture and the ways he will provide for us now
Coming soon to the blog are the topics of: Why does God give us hard seasons?, wintering seasons, how God uses our disappointments for good, learning to travel light, and more!
Writing Life Updates
Friends, I wanted to add this new section to my newsletters to give you faithful readers a monthly update on my writing life and book writing journey, as well as share how you can continue to support me as a writer.
At this point, I am nearly done with my book proposal, and I have the introduction + first 3 chapters completed of my manuscript. My book proposal still needs lots of edits and love, and I want to do more market research in the next month or two before I begin the query process. I’m also beginning to work on the fourth chapter, and the words are flowing much easier than I thought they would.
I’ve been working on this particular book idea for nearly 3 years now, and it’s taken so many different forms. It’s always had nearly the same title, but I’ve narrowed down on the main themes and the direction I’m going with it. The current title and outline I’ve come up with feels the most honest to my story and what I want readers to receive from this book. Overall, I’m feeling very hopeful and eager to get this book into the world and begin this process of finding an agent soon!
So, here is where you all come in. As a writer, it’s really important that I’m continuing to grow my platform and reach. So, if you aren’t already, please give my Instagram and Facebook pages a follow and share my posts with your friends as they encourage you and you feel led. Also, it would mean so much to me if you would share this publication with your friends so they can be encouraged and follow along as well. Thank you so much for always supporting me and being in this community!
A Question Worth Pondering
Use this question for spiritual reflection and respond in the comments.
What are some recent changes in your life that God is asking you to accept and make space for?
Thank you for reading Between the Pines. I hope you found some encouragement in these words to keep you going. May God meet you on your journey between the pines.
Talk to you soon, friend. And if you’re local to the DFW area, stay safe out there!
Lauren Carrizal