To Everything, a Season: Hope & Humility

 

 “I hope I can be the autumn leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. 

And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift.” 

— Dodinsky, (Author of the bestselling gift book series In The Garden of Thoughts)

I’ve been reflecting on when and how to step back into this space. As the seasons shift into autumn, the changes feel deeply personal this year. While my heart is full of gratitude for the beautiful family and blessings God has given me, I’m also walking through unfamiliar territory—learning to navigate being a mother and wife without my own parents here to guide me. Holding both the grief and the joy isn't easy, but it’s the path I’m learning to walk. ​When the absence of my parents feels heaviest, Lamentations 3 brings me peace: while an earthly chapter has closed, God's steadfast love and presence have never wavered.

For most of my life, Summer has always been my favorite season, full of bright sunshine that offered an effortless pull toward adventure and possibility. I lived for the spontaneous moments that the days might bring, and I never really gave much thought to any other season, aside from the holidays that accompanied them.

Autumn has become a season of quiet grace for me in recent years. It brings a cozy invitation to pause, gather my thoughts, and wrap my heart in gratitude. Flowing from the end of Summer into the beginning of Autumn, there is also a return to a daily routine and rhythm that feels like a fresh start. More than anything, this time of year reminds me of the beauty of humility—the peace that comes from clearing out the background noise to refocus on who God created me to be. It begins the way healing often does: with an intentional breath and an honest acceptance of the season I'm walking through.

As I reflect on seasonal shifts and busy rhythms that we often find ourselves in, it occurs to me that God never intended for us to bloom all year long. He offers an example of purposeful flow that occurs in nature that contradicts with the culture of the world we live in today. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." When the chilly air of autumn sets in, it gently ushers us into the intertwined seasons of humility and hope—two virtues that require the landscape of our hearts to empty before they can truly be filled. The way grace works, these two moments aren't opposites—they can't exist without each other. When the world around us demands that we have all the answers, be everywhere and be everything to everyone all the time, it’s important to remember that we can only control the responsibilities laid out for our unique life.

The to-do list might feel miles long, but when we look at what truly matters, God clarifies exactly where to focus. 1 Corinthians 16:13–14 reminds us to “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.” Scripture simplifies our focus even further in 1 Corinthians 10:31—to do everything for the glory of God—even the smallest ordinary tasks find their purpose.

Humility helps us stop comparing long enough to see what God has actually placed in our hands. It brings us back to the present. It brings us back to gratitude. It brings us back to service. It brings us back to love.

So perhaps the question isn't, “Why don't I have what they have?”

Perhaps the question is:

“What has God placed before me in this moment and in this season that requires my full attention?”

The answer may reveal more about where our hearts are than we realize.

What distractions do I need to release?

What am I trying to control that I need to surrender?

Where am I comparing instead of being grateful?

Where am I allowing fear to become louder than faith?

And where is God quietly asking me to choose love?

Maybe the goal isn't to rush through our current season in hopes of reaching another one.

Maybe the goal is to recognize the season we are actually in—and meet God there.

With humility. With grace. With gratitude. With hope.

We don't have to understand everything.

We don't have to get everything right.

We don't have to control every outcome.

We simply have to trust that God is here, right in this moment, and be willing to notice Him.

There is not always glamour in slowing down and paying attention to what every season-in nature and in our own personal lives-has to offer. Yet, in moments of frustration, I find relief from anxiety simply by pausing, breathing, and remembering that peace is possible. I still lose my cool sometimes, but God doesn't demand perfection. He just wants us to stay humble and hopeful so we can fix our mistakes and keep moving forward. Choosing love, hope, and humility is always the next right step. 

So, what season are you in right now?

And how can you hold onto hope in this particular moment by choosing humility over haughtiness, contentment over comparison, and love over fear?

Maybe that is where peace begins.  Maybe that is where hope begins.

And maybe that is where God is asking us to begin.

Keep smiling, and hold onto hope.

XOXOXO,

Sarah Mae

 

Real Life Application: Here are three simple, daily steps to take these deep reflections off the screen and move them into the routine of daily life:

1. The Morning "Hand-Over" (Surrender & Refocus)

Before checking the mile-long to-do list, take an intentional breath and look at your empty hands. Mentally release the pressure to control every outcome, to mimic someone else's timeline, or to be everything to everyone.

• The Practice: Ask yourself the foundational question from your reflection: “What has God placed before me in this exact moment that requires my full attention?” Commit to serving the specific family, tasks, and boundaries right in front of you for this single day.

2. The Midday "Rhythm Check" (Observe & Pivot)

When the midday rush hits, or when an unexpected wave of grief or frustration clouds your mind, pause for a sixty-second rhythm check. Notice if your inner world has gone on autopilot or if you are reacting out of exhaustion.

• The Practice: Catch yourself if you are looking sideways at others or trying to force a season of constant blooming. Step back, ground yourself in gratitude for a small blessing, and repeat the 1 Corinthians 16 blueprint to reset your stance: Be on guard, stand firm, be strong, and let everything be done in love.

3. The Evening "Glory Check" (Grit, Grace, & Gratitude)

At the end of the day, instead of measuring your worth by how many boxes you checked off, look at how you held the space you were given.

• The Practice: Pick one ordinary, seemingly invisible task you did today—whether it was making a meal, washing a dish, or sitting quietly with a heavy heart—and consciously acknowledge that it held eternal value because it was done for the glory of God. End the night by reminding your heart: I don't have to get everything right; I just have to trust that He is here.