Joy is a theme woven all throughout Scripture. From the Old Testament to the New, God’s people are called to rejoice — in good times, in ordinary days, and even in seasons of deep suffering. We read verses like, “Be joyful always,” and, “Rejoice in the Lord,” and yet joy can feel impossibly distant when your world has been shattered.
Joy is hard when you’re grieving.
It doesn’t come naturally when the person you love is gone.
And choosing joy when your heart is breaking can feel almost contradictory.
It doesn’t come naturally when the person you love is gone.
And choosing joy when your heart is breaking can feel almost contradictory.
For a long time, I believed joy had to come after the grief — as if joy were the reward for finally healing enough. But Scripture paints a very different picture. Over and over again, we see people in the Bible choosing joy right in the midst of loss, uncertainty, and suffering.
David wrote, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
He understood both the heaviness of sorrow and the promise that joy still had a place in his story.
Read more...He understood both the heaviness of sorrow and the promise that joy still had a place in his story.
Camping is one of my favorite things — the fresh air, the slower pace, the chance to unplug and spend time with family. Over the years, I’ve figured out what works for us and what doesn’t, and now I have a go-to list of things that I always bring to make our trips smoother, more comfortable, and a whole lot more fun.
These are some of my camping must-haves — the things I’ve come to rely on year after year:
🧼 Thieves Household Cleaner
This is my all-in-one cleaner for camping. I bring a small spray bottle of diluted Thieves Cleaner and use it to clean countertops, picnic tables, coolers, camper surfaces, and more. It smells great, works incredibly well, discourages bugs, and keeps things fresh and tidy.
🌿 Essential Oils
I never go camping without my oils! Here are a few I use the most:
- Digize – For tummy troubles. Whether it’s motion sickness or too many campfire snacks, this one always comes in handy.
- Peppermint & Clove – Great for cooling down and helping keep the bugs away.
- Citronella – A natural go-to for deterring insects. I use it in a spray bottle with peppermint, clove, rosemary and lemongrass to freshen the air in the tent or camper and discourage the bugs.
- Lavender – calming, soothing, great for after too much sun (dilute with a carrier oil).
My Favorite Camping Prep Tips
We’ve got a big camping trip coming up… and let’s be real: getting ready for camping often takes more energy than the trip itself! 😅 Cleaning up the camper after it’s been sitting in the yard all winter, meal prepping, digging out gear from every corner of the house, and packing all the things for everyone — it’s no small task. It takes a lot of energy and planning!
But despite all that, I love camping. My family has been camping for many, many years. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of my grandparents loading up all the grandkids and taking us camping — and that was no small feat! These days, I look forward to our annual trip all year long.
That said, I won’t sugarcoat it… camping is a lot of work!
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For a long time, I believed I had to choose.
Grief or gratitude.
Brokenness or healing.
Fear or faith.
Love for my late husband or love for someone new.
But God has gently taught me something so powerful—it’s not always either/or. Sometimes, it’s both/and.
There is such freedom in the word AND.
I can grieve AND be grateful.
I can miss what was AND embrace what is.
I can love the life I had AND the life I have now.
I can walk in faith AND still feel fear.
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As I write this, we are getting ready for a trip that I always thought was so far off in the future, but here we are! Jillian is GRADUATING from college!!!
I mean, how is this even possible that we are at this point? Wasn’t it just yesterday we were diving into algebra in homeschool, and college was a distant dream? And now, somehow, she’s walking across a stage, ready to step into this next chapter. I find myself wondering, When did she grow up? How did we get here so fast?
As with many milestones, this one comes with a lot of BIG emotions. Joy, pride, excitement….and grief. This winter has been a hard season, and wrapped up in it has been the anticipation of Jillian graduating. I am deeply proud of Jillian—she has poured her heart into these years and grown into such an incredible young woman. And these big moments bring up grief and an intensity of missing Jon.
