What if the joy you’ve been searching for has been there all along—but you’ve been too busy to receive it?

For much of this year, my word receive felt vague and almost fake because I honestly didn’t understand how to receive God’s love, peace, joy, or everyday gifts. I was accustomed to doing, planning, creating, fixing, and trying to control the outcome—especially in my business. I was always working to arrive somewhere, and anxious hurry kept carrying me past the life God was already giving me.

In this episode, I share what I’m beginning to understand about the difference between faithful work and anxious hurry, why a clenched hand cannot receive, and how slowing down to notice and describe God’s ordinary gifts is creating room for both joy and peace.

I haven’t mastered open-handed living. But today, my hand is a little more open than it was yesterday. Walk with me a bit as we walk with Him—learning to slow down, notice His gifts, faithfully take the next step, and trust God with what comes next.

Trusting God in the Waiting: When You Don’t Know What Will Grow

I planted three tiny lavender plants in the field this week.

And honestly? I have no idea if they're going to live.

After years of trying unsuccessfully to propagate lavender, I decided this spring to try growing it from seed. I started with about 80 seeds, and twelve little plants made it through the summer. This week, I took three of those survivors from their protected spot beside the house and planted them in the field—in holes where other young lavender plants have already died.

As I was debating whether I should even plant them, I had this thought:

If they live, there will be a lesson in the lavender. And if they die, there will be a lesson in the lavender.

But if I'm honest, there was a little bit of a "whatever" attitude underneath that too. I've learned plenty of lessons through things not growing the way I hoped they would.

And I'm weary.

I'd really love to see what God might teach me through something that lives.

Those three little plants made me realize I've planted a lot of other things in this season too—new ideas, writing, creative work, and things I genuinely hope will grow. And now I'm in the part I really don't like:

Waiting.

I love planning. I love creating. I love figuring things out. But eventually I have to release what I've created and face the part I can't control—the outcome.

And when things don't grow the way I thought they would, that's when I start asking hard questions:

Did I hear God correctly? Am I where He wants me? What if this doesn't work either?

In this episode of Rooted & Rested, I'm sitting with Ecclesiastes 11:4–6 and its uncomfortable reminder that we don't always know which seed will succeed.

This isn't a success story told from the other side.

The plants are still in the field.

I'm still waiting.

I still don't know what will grow.

And maybe that's exactly why I wanted to share this part of the story now—before I know the ending.

If you're somewhere between planting and knowing too, walk with me a bit as we walk with Him.

saltandlightbox.com

Do you ever feel like you should be better at trusting God by now?

After years of knowing and loving the Lord, Lisa still finds herself learning how to receive His love, recognize His nearness, and return to His peace. In this episode of Rooted & Rested, she shares an honest reflection that began in Romans 9—with the reminder that it does not depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

What does it really mean to walk with God when you aren’t always sure you hear Him correctly? What if the redirections, wilderness seasons, and struggles to trust have not disqualified you—but have been part of the way He has been forming you?

Through the beautiful image of an open door, Lisa reflects on Christ’s continued welcome: His hand extended, inviting us to return again and again. We don’t return because He has left us, but because we have lost our awareness of the nearness that has been ours all along.

Lisa has not mastered peace. She is still learning to come back to the One who has perfect peace—and to leave the door open behind her for other women who need help finding their way back too.

If you love the Lord but sometimes struggle to feel His love, presence, or peace, you are not alone. Walk with Lisa a bit as you walk with Him. Free Resource - The Brain Dump

Do you ever find yourself rushing through ordinary life as though everything is an emergency?

In this episode of Rooted & Rested, Lisa shares a simple reminder she found written in her planner: “Breathe and move slowly.” What began as a reminder to slow down led to a much deeper question: What am I afraid will happen if I don't hurry?

From a very real pruning deadline in the lavender field to the fear of falling behind, never arriving, and wondering whether all the work will ultimately matter, Lisa reflects on Psalm 31:15: “My times are in Your hand.”

Together, we'll consider the difference between purposeful movement and anxious hurry, what Moses' story can teach us about measuring a life by faithfulness rather than arrival, and why peace can't wait until everything is finally finished.

Lisa also shares one practical rhythm that helps quiet the noise in her head: her Sunday Brain Dump. If your week tends to live entirely in your head too, she's created a free Sunday Brain Dump resource to help you get it onto paper, decide what actually needs your attention, and approach the week with greater intention.

Download the FREE Brain Dump

Maybe we don't need to get everything done today. Maybe we simply need to take the next faithful step and trust God with where it leads.

What do you reach for when life feels out of control?

For me, it can go one of two ways. Sometimes I pick up my phone and scroll because everything on my to-do list feels overwhelming. Other times, I start cleaning, organizing, or checking things off the list because accomplishing something gives me a temporary sense of relief.

In this episode of Rooted & Rested, come walk with me for a bit as I share something God has been showing me about control, comfort, and finding peace in Christ.

I've realized how often I tell myself that once I finish the work, get caught up, organize my life, or make enough progress, then I'll be able to breathe. Then I'll have peace.

But there's a problem with that: the to-do list is never really finished.

If I'm waiting for everything around me to be settled before I allow my heart to be settled, I'll spend my life chasing peace that's always one more task away.

Second Corinthians 1:3 calls our Father “the God of all comfort.” Not just comfort for life's greatest heartbreaks, but the comfort we need in the ordinary places too—the uncertainty, unfinished work, financial concerns, overwhelming days, and circumstances we simply cannot control.

We'll talk about the subtle ways we can look to productivity, our phones, work, family, finances, possessions, and even other people to give us the comfort and security that can ultimately only be found in Christ.

I'm still learning this. I don't have it all figured out. But maybe peace isn't something waiting for us at the bottom of our to-do lists. Maybe we can find peace in Jesus right here, in the middle of the unfinished.

Come walk with me for a bit as we learn to reach for the God of all comfort. Salt & Light Box

Last week, I talked about finding Peace in the Pause. This week, I'm realizing just how much I needed that reminder.

I'm in the thick of reshaping hundreds of lavender plants before fall, and this year the work simply feels harder. Between the heat and humidity, endless mowing, rain in the forecast, and crabgrass that has apparently decided this is its year to shine, I'm tired. And beyond the lavender field, there are still so many projects I'm hoping to finish before fall.

I'm not ready to give up on those goals. I'm doing everything I can to reach them. But God is gently reminding me that there's a difference between carrying the work He's given me to do and carrying the weight of how it all turns out.

In this episode of Rooted & Rested, come walk with me through an honest season of weariness, unfinished work, and learning to come to Jesus before everything is figured out. Maybe peace isn't something we find once the work is finished. Maybe He meets us with His rest right in the middle of it. saltandlightbox.com

Harvest is often seen as the hardest part of growing lavender, but this year I discovered that pruning has become the task I dread the most. Standing in long rows with weeks of work ahead of me, it felt overwhelming.

Then something unexpected happened.

Instead of rushing through each row, I began pruning just a few plants at a time before intentionally pausing. During those quiet moments, I noticed things I would have otherwise missed—the songs of birds hidden in the trees, butterflies drifting from bloom to bloom, crickets filling the evening air, and the gentle beauty that surrounded me all along.

It reminded me that God rarely meets us only at the finish line. So often, He invites us to find Him in the pause.

If life feels busy, overwhelming, or you're constantly looking toward the next thing, I hope this episode encourages you to slow your pace just enough to breathe deeply, notice His presence, and receive the peace He so freely offers.

Sometimes the most meaningful moments aren't found in accomplishing more—but in pausing long enough to remember that He is with us.

As always, thank you for walking with me. And until next time... cherish the meaningful moments. 💜 saltandlightbox.com

Can you experience God's peace when life feels anything but peaceful?

In this heartfelt episode of Lessons in the Lavender, Lisa invites you to walk with her through a quiet morning in the lavender field that quickly gives way to the beautiful chaos of everyday life. What begins as a peaceful harvest filled with worship music and prayer becomes an afternoon of bee stings, shattered lavender lemonade, grandchildren, and a locked front door.

As Lisa reflects on a mother caring for a child with profound special needs, she discovers a simple truth: God doesn't always remove the interruptions, but He faithfully provides little pockets of peace throughout our day.

Together, we'll explore what Jesus meant when He said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you" (John 14:27), and how His presence can steady our hearts even when our circumstances remain unchanged.

If you're a busy mom, grandmother, caregiver, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life's demands, this episode is an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and remember that true peace isn't found in a quiet schedule—it's found in Christ.

• Finding peace in the middle of everyday interruptions

• Why "pockets of peace" matter

• A humorous story about grandchildren, bee stings, broken glass, and one locked door

• Jesus' example of withdrawing to be with His Father

• John 14:27 and God's promise of lasting peace

• How small moments with God prepare us for life's chaos

Scripture: John 14:27

If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use a little pocket of peace today.