what's saving my life

I’ve been itching to do one of these posts, mostly because I love reading and hearing about what is helping other people in their day to day lives. I first encountered the reflection prompt “what is saving my life?” from Emily P. Freeman, and I’ve found it a helpful and fun practice for growing in gratitude. There is so much heaviness in the world, but also so many little things made for our enjoyment. Without further ado, here is a list of things that are saving my life during this winter season.

1. John Guerra’s JESUS album. Beautiful and calming devotional folk that highlights the words of Jesus. This song is my favorite.

2. An annual 24 hour January retreat. I went and hid at a local retreat center for 24 hours of rest and recollection. It was the first time I have left both kids overnight which I was a bit worried about, but everyone did fine. Unlike previous retreats I’ve taken, I went in with no agenda, other than a desire for prayer and to look at my priorities for 2026. Oh, and an undisturbed night of sleep. And that is exactly what I got— such a great way to start off this new year.

3. The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander. A small and poetic book that has brought me to tears multiple times. I feel that I am beginning to understand that Mary is my friend and my mother, too.

   “In this great fiat of the little girl Mary, the strength and foundation of our life of contemplation is grounded, for it means absolute trust in God, trust which will not set us free from suffering but will set us free from anxiety, hesitation, and above all from the fear of suffering.”

4. Reading literature. I’ve set aside my chick flick novels and am deeply enjoying a return to the classics, as well as to some of my favorite childhood authors. Rainbow Valley by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Middlemarch by George Eliot, and some of Janette Oke’s books have been wonderful companions in the chilly evening hours.

5. Meal planning is something I struggle with, and so this next one has greatly alleviated a weight off my mind. The Plan to Eat website/app make meals planning for the week so quick and even enjoyable. Simply add recipes (or find them on the database), drag and drop meals onto a calendar, look over the auto-generated grocery list and then print off a calendar for the week. You can see your friends recipes and meal plans too, for inspiration. There is a free trial option, which I have used up, but have chosen to pay for it. Check it out here. This program paired with grocery pick up orders has brought me so much peace of mind!

6. Drinking half-caffeinated coffee. I’ve had my suspicions about my capacity for caffeine for a while now but…. I just really love a cozy cup of joe, especially early in the morning. In an attempt to get rid of what I was pretty sure were caffeine headaches, I cut my consumption in half by making half-caffeinated coffee. It has done the trick—no more headaches, still little bit of extra energy and I get to enjoy my coffee (with lots of heavy cream, of course).

   

7. Beginnings and endings of creative projects. In recent months, I’ve been able to finish one large writing project and start another. The completed one is a book for Andre Regnier for which I was the editor. The book is called Hearing God’s Voice: A Guide to Daily Conversational Prayer. It’s a short and simple guide to having a vibrant and personal prayer life. I am glad to see it out in the world now. That project being done gave me the space and time to launch my new Edith Stein Speaks publication. St. Edith Stein has been a source of inspiration and wisdom for me for a while now, and it is my great joy to share her work. It also feels good to start something fresh when the outside world is cold and dark.

8. Reading substack articles on my e-reader. I send them to my device vi Instapaper and have really enjoyed pouring over them slowly instead of having another website to scroll through. Some favorites lately have been A Warm Hearth , Katie Marquette and Noelle Kovary.

9. Good food. Some nourishing favorites lately have been Ancestral Kitchen’s fermented gingerbread cookies, homemade jello with added elderberry syrup, mashed potato puffs (a kid favorite) and date peanut chocolate bark. It is amazing what food can do for one’s mood (speaking as a woman and close observer of two toddlers.)

What’s saving your life this winter? I’d love to hear all about it!

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