“If you could ask God for two things right now, what would they be?”
Somebody asked me yesterday and I thought about it for a second.
The first two things that came to mind were healing and joy.
And when they asked me why, I had to think about that too.
Because everybody’s needs are different. We understand that.
But I think it’s interesting how, at different phases and stages of our lives, the things we prioritize—and the things we consider most important—can change.
At this particular moment in my life, those were the first two things that came to mind.
Healing.
Joy.
And I think a lot of that has to do with getting older.
Not in some cliché “you’re 30-plus now” kind of way.
I mean that as we get older, the choices we make—and sometimes the choices we didn’t make—start to show up in our bodies.
Things ache a little more.
Pain doesn’t always disappear as quickly as it used to.
You start becoming more aware of the things that have been sitting quietly in the background of your life.
And for me, that has made healing feel much more important.
I’ve been nursing this right knee for almost 10 years.
I’ve dealt with pain in my left side.
I occasionally have back pain.
My wrist has been hurting for the last month.
And yes, money is great to have. Money can help solve a lot of problems.
But even with the fact that these have been some of the most expensive months of my life—buying a house, family commitments, and everything else that comes with life—the first thing that came to mind wasn’t money.
It was healing.
And joy.
Because by the grace of God, there are certain things I already have.
I know I can talk to God and that He hears me.
Even in all of my mess.
All of my sin.
All of my confusion.
All of the ways I don’t always get it right.
I still have confidence that when I speak to God, He hears me.
There is something powerful about that.
And when I thought about what I wanted from God in this season, it wasn’t a new car.
It wasn’t more money.
It wasn’t even necessarily another tangible thing.
It was healing.
It was joy.
It was direction.
It was favor.
Those intangible, somewhat unspoken things that you can’t necessarily touch or put in a bank account.
And I think that’s worth paying attention to.
Because if I asked you this same question right now, your answer might be completely different.
Maybe you’re asking God for a job.
Maybe you’re praying for your visa to get picked.
Maybe you’re praying for a baby for yourself, your friend, your sister, or your brother.
Maybe you’re asking God to fix your finances.
Maybe you’re asking for a relationship.
Maybe you’re asking for peace.
There are so many things that we can seek from God.
And none of those things are wrong.
But I think it’s important to understand where you are standing in this particular season of your life.
What are you actually seeking?
What has become primary to you?
For me, right now, the things I’m craving from God are mostly intangible.
Healing.
Joy.
Direction.
Favor.
And I think recognizing that has actually helped me understand myself a little better.
Maybe that’s what it can do for you too.
Maybe it means tweaking your outlook on the world.
Maybe it means changing your prayer points so they more accurately reflect what you actually need from God right now.
You know that better than anybody else.
I can’t decide that for you.
But I do think it’s worth exploring.
So I’ll leave you with the question:
If you could ask God for two things right now, what would they be?
And then take it one step further.
If you could ask God for two things for someone in your life—not for yourself—what would they be?
Compare those two answers.
Maybe they’ll tell you something about where you are right now.
Maybe they’ll tell you something about the season you’re in.
Or maybe they’ll simply give you something worth thinking about as you move forward.
Either way, I think it’s worth asking.
There’s been a lot of love around my writing lately, and I feel like I thank you all every week, which sometimes feels a little weird because I don’t want to sound like I’m begging for attention.
But genuinely, I’m grateful that all of you reading this right now have chosen to be here.
So thank you. All three of you. jk jk
I really appreciate it.
The last week has been a little weird with work and some of the changes happening around me, but I’m trying to keep my head up and stay as grounded as possible.
And while I was out walking today, something came to me.
I noticed a tree in someone’s backyard that had grown over their porch, providing what looked like incredible shade. It reminded me of something my manager told me a few months ago. During a really bad storm, a tree fell into their home. They ended up spending thousands of dollars not only getting the tree removed, but also repairing the damage to the house.
And it got me thinking:
Is it possible that something God planted for good can be mismanaged—or simply allowed to grow unchecked—to the point where it eventually becomes a problem?
Think about that tree.
It probably started as something beautiful. It grew and provided shade. Maybe at some point it was a place for kids to play, somewhere to sit, somewhere to hang clothes, or simply something nice to look at.
And then, over time, it grew beyond its boundaries.
Now it’s across your window or porch, and suddenly you’re spending $15,000 trying to fix a problem that started as a blessing.
That thought stuck with me.
I started thinking about the things in my own life that may have started as blessings but, somewhere along the way, may have become hindrances.
The things that can slowly become a god in your life because you become so concerned with maintaining them, protecting them, or looking a certain way that you allow them to creep in and steal your joy.
I don’t know what that is for you.
Maybe it’s your career. Maybe it’s money. Maybe it’s a relationship. Maybe it’s your image, your home, your accomplishments, or even the way you want other people to perceive you.
Whatever it is, I hope you take some time to interrogate it.
Ask yourself whether something that was once a blessing has grown beyond its intended place in your life.
Because sometimes the problem isn’t that God gave us too much.
Sometimes the problem is that we didn’t know when to prune it.
Since I moved in, I’ve been setting up the house very slowly and taking care of things. There are so many cool things I can’t wait to show you guys when I get back from my trip.
But something funny has happened along the way.
I’ve realized that my taste is no longer aligned with my bank account.
Maybe there was a time when it was.
Maybe there wasn’t.
But as of today, I can confidently report that my taste and my bank account are no longer in alignment.
Because tell me why I was sitting in bed, scrolling through my feed, and naturally my algorithm is now completely filled with home-related content.
Which is fine. I love the inspiration.
But why am I watching a video, see a lamp, and immediately think, Oh, that’s a really cool lamp. I should screenshot this and see if I can find it.
So I screenshot it.
I search for it.
And I find out the lamp is $3,000.
Three thousand American dollars.
For a lamp.
Why is a lamp $3,000? What exactly is this lamp doing? Is it paying the light bill too?
So I thought, Okay. Let me find a dupe.
I go to Dupe.com, type it in, and the “dupe” is $1,790.
At that point, I just had to laugh.
why are random home things so expensive???
Honestly, it might be cheaper to just get punched in the face and go see the light that way.
I was humbled.
I remain humbled.
So yeah, I’m going to need to figure this out.
And if there are any brands out there that want to work together, you know where to find me. Please, please, please send those brand deals my way.
Because clearly, we have a problem.
But anyway, I hope you’re having a fantastic week.
And I hope you spend some time this week thinking about whatever it is in your life that may have grown beyond being a source of joy.
What started as a blessing?
What have you allowed to become too big?
What needs to be pruned?
Think about it.
And as we head into fall and flu season, take care of yourself, too. Think about your health, your flu shot, and what you need to do to prepare for the season ahead.
I pray that we all remain safe, healthy, and grounded.
As always, my love, my love, my love to all of you.
I hope you have a fantastic rest of the week.
Until next time, stay up.