Five Things I Learned This Spring
As spring comes to a close, Sarah Damm reflects back on the last three months and shares what she has learned about faith, hope, and motherhood.
Come Away to a Deserted Place … and Rest
This is Week 2 of The Desert Shall Rejoice, a Lenten blog series by Sarah Damm. Each week of Lent, she offers reflections and invites us into prayer.
The Day I Learned: I Do Not Suffer Alone
Walking into my doctor’s office, I was filled with tentative hope that this follow-up visit would bring me one step closer to healing. Chronic health issues were taking a toll on my whole person — body, mind, and spirit. I knew I needed help. But the medications I was trying were not making a dent in my overall well-being. In fact, the latest one seemed to make me feel worse. As I gave my name to the receptionist, the look…
Eternal Perspective: Enduring Slight Afflictions
Welcome to Day 18 of Resetting the Rhythms of Life. In our quest to refocus our attention on self-care or soul-care, let us spend a little time being present to the things that truly weigh us down … the things that are chronic … the things that are too big for us to handle alone. Let’s remember that we’re not alone! The Lord is with us! He fights for us, as we still our hearts and rest in His love….
Six Things I Learned This Summer
On the last day of August, I reflect back to the beginning of the month. We started August with Vacation Bible School; my oldest daughter was on her youth group pilgrimage. Now, at the end, we are wrapping up the first week of a new school year. In many ways VBS feels like it happened ages ago, especially now that we are immersed in class schedules and new routines. But before we get too wrapped up in all-things-fall, I want…
Learning Life Lessons on a Paddleboard
“Some of us would be surprised if they knew what God could make of them if, in the decisive moments of their lives, they gave ear to the voice of grace!” —St. Ignatius of Loyola This summer, I checked something off my bucket list. I went paddleboarding for the very first time with eight women from my running group. Many of these ladies run marathons, and all of them workout way more than I do. I have not run longer…
Living Out Our Destiny as Daughters of the King
For much of my life, I considered myself to be fairly insignificant. As a young girl, I was shy, quiet, and often picked last for kickball games. Growing up, I was a good student, but I was not exceptional. My gifts and talents were not noticeable on the stage or soccer field. Even into my young adult years, I saw friends sparkle through their passions—music, art, fitness, you name it—and I wondered why my life didn’t shine as brightly as…
Lenten Inspiration: Heart, Home and Family
Lent begins tomorrow! Ready or not, the season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is upon us. Are you ready? Or not? I am mostly ready. God has given me a very personal invitation to spend more time in prayer, so that is going to be my focus. And with my ongoing struggle with Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disease that attacks my Thyroid) and the various symptoms that accompany it, I am also going to pay closer attention to my diet by…
How I am Learning to Fly in the Midst of Transition
It is 8 AM. I walk into my quiet house, and I stand in the kitchen. Breakfast dishes are piled next to the sink, waiting to be loaded into the dishwasher. The stools around the kitchen island are pushed out, a reminder of the people sitting on them an hour ago. I can hear the hum of the refrigerator; I can hear my own footsteps. When is my house ever this still? With no one around, I wonder what I…
Lenten Weariness: How to Avoid the Temptation to Quit
It was January 1, and I was gung-ho to begin my New Year’s resolution. My plan was to start a rigorous elimination diet in the hope of feeling better. I purchased ingredients to make healthy meals, and I set aside time to cook for the week. I knew it was going to be hard, but I reached a tipping point in my chronic illness and knew I had to try more drastic measures. After a week, I started to regain…