March Letter | a changed perspective
We hit 100 lovely friends!
Hello sweet friend!
With that, another month has come and gone. March is ending and a new month is about to begin. March has been an interesting month to say the least. A month filled with surprises and un-ordinary days.
While I longed for sunny spring weather, it snowed and blanketed the trees in white with snow on the ground creeping up to the windows of our house. Though snow is beautiful I have become that person who gets winter blues which makes it hard to want to do anything really creative. In the first week of March I actually wrote and finished the outline for a two book series (project.redemption) and I’m so so excited! After months of not writing it was so wonderful to write a little again. Then just before sending this letter, I’ve been able to write in my children’s story for the first time in seven months (I can’t believe it’s been that long). I’ve so missed this story and I hope to continue writing. This month has been a month of blessings, setbacks, hardship and surprises. God had been with us through it all!
Something else I’m learning in this season is being able to be more flexible with my season of life. I want to push and run and write for hours and be productive but that’s not always possible in this season. I’m still healing and needing rest with my health. Many days I have no creativity to write. The snow outside makes me want to burrow away till spring. Sadly winter months are just not a good season for my writing (I know it’s odd to have the weather direct my moods and writing but that is where I am at the moment). I’m still trying to make time for writing each day even if it’s only nonfiction or blog work. I’m learning that there are seasons to run and seasons to rest. I don’t really like resting or waiting seasons but that is where I am and I’m learning to be patient and thankful in my not so favorite seasons.
Maybe you are in a season of waiting. Maybe you have all these things you want to do (like writing or whatever you are gifted in that God has called you to do) but it’s just not the right season. You want a running season but are in recovery. Just because you are in recovery does not mean you will be there forever. Just because you are in recovery doesn’t mean you will never run again. It’s just the season God had you in. Maybe God wants to teach you something in this season and when you have learned it and are out of recovery, God will give you the time, excitement, energy and creativity to do what He has called you to do. It’s not an easy thing to learn (at least it isn’t for me) but it can lead to a needed and beautiful season.
I want to share with you some points of light like I did last month. Good things that have happened in my life recently. Small blessings. Beams of light shining down is a season of discouragement. I encourage you to write your own list of “points of light”.
If you have a prayer request, please message me! I’d love to pray for you!
Points Of Light
Snow dressing up the trees in winter coats of white
Reading a book on adoption that makes me cry every time I pick it up and that makes me want to adopt all the more
Going to a dear friend’s wedding
When the sun is shining and the snow has melted and being able to walk outside with the birds singing a happy song while they soar through the trees
Listening to encouraging Christian podcasts (my favorite right now are WHOA That's Good Podcast & Christ With Coffee On Ice)
Time in the Word and doing a daily Bible verse study
Finding new recipes and cooking ideas on my diet that actually taste really good
Watching House of David with my family (it is not 100% biblically accurate but we’ve really enjoyed watching it and the design of the sets and costumes are really well done. I really enjoyed the “history” of the giants)
Finishing the two book (yes it is going to be a two book series) outline for project.redemption (oh I’m so excited)
Writing my children’s story and going back into this world I love so dearly
Getting to read a dear friend’s first chapter of her story. It was so good and I know people are going to love this story whenever she publishes (please girl, publish your story one day because it is amazing!)
Watching my younger siblings (recently they have been dressing up. My youngest brother is a superhero and my youngest sister is a princess. I love little ones)
My youngest sister (Oceana) calling me down in the mornings and sweet morning hugs
Cleaning and reorganizing my room
Getting the new Hunger Games book: Sunrise on the Realing (I’m so excited to read this)
Going down the mountain to where the weather has turned warm and spring flowers are in bloom and soft petals dance in the wind like falling snow
Setting up my hope chest with little things for the future. A way to prepare for your future life now and be faithful in the small. I love this tradition and can’t wait to keep collecting little things to make a home and one day have it no longer be a hope chest because the hope became reality, Lord willing
Reading missionary stories and getting book recommendations from lovely bookish friends on substack and on goodreads (y’all are amazing)
Getting to process through emotions. This is a waiting season and it is hard. I am ready to run but feel stuck. Praying for a miracle and that God would lead me and my family in His Will (hopefully a new direction and place to live with a good church and faith filled community *prayers would be very appreciated*)
Quiet days at home
Little picture frames with paintings inside waiting for a future home I pray for
Hitting 100 lovely newsletter/substack subscribers & friends! Thank you all so much for all the support and for wanting to read the musings of this Jesus loving writer and reader! Thank you Lord for this wonderful community and platforms and for giving me a voice (though very small I am). I’m so very grateful!
Beloved, don’t be surprised by hard times 1
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
—1 Peter 4:12
As Christians we will go through hard times, trials, challenges, tests in our faith. It is a part of our lives as Christians—as believers in the way. These trials can be tests in our faith to see if our faith is genuine. Do we actually believe in what we confess when it matters when we are tested, experience loss, heartbreak, things feel lost or our world feels to fall apart? Or is it something we say but our heart does not believe? Is your foundation firm in the Lord (the house built on the rock) or is your trust in yourself, man, or the world (the house built on the sand)?
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
—Matthew 7:24-27
The testing of our faith can and will feel hard to us. It reveals our hearts and who we put our trust in. God is after our hearts, not our appearance.
…For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
—1 Samuel 16:7
The trails we go through show who we are. It can be a blessing. A way to draw us closer to God. A time to learn about Jesus and become more like Him. A time to see if our faith is real. Us going through refining fire.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
—1 Peter 1:6-7
I don’t like going through trials. It is hard. It’s a time of stretching and growth which can be painful. Looking back, I can see how the hard times made me better, it strengthened my faith greater than before, I learned new things about God that I couldn’t have in any other season, it changed me for the better. It is not easy but I think it is worth it—a time of refinement.
Refinement definition: the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance.
Similar Words: purification, filtering, clarifying, cleansing, refine, treating, straining
When God refines our hearts, He takes us through a process of removing the impurities and the things not of Him—our worldly desires and sinful ways. He is purifying our hearts. Cleansing us as new in Him.
In The Library
★★★★★
I’ve been wanting to read more nonfiction books, specifically books that encourage and inspire me in my faith and walk with God. I love reading Sadi’s books and listening to her podcast: WHOA that’s good podcast! Years ago I hosted a book club with me, my sister and bestie over zoom to read Live Fearless. That was a really impactful book even just in being able to grow in my speaking skills in front of people (by hosting) which was a big fear of mine. Sadi has the feeling of a “big sister” and I’m always really inspired by her. I was so excited to read her book Live!
Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
★★★★★
*cries*
This book was SO GOOD and hugely inspiring. If you know me at all, then you know that I have a desire to adopt ever since I was little (it was when I gave my life to Jesus at 7) and go on a mission trip. If you have either of those desires then I HIGHLY recommend you read this book. It is so encouraging and I loved reading Katie’s story and her faith in Jesus and how she came to adopt her daughters.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
currently reading…
I’m currently reading The Lord of the Rings. I read the Hobbit last year and really loved it! I’m just a few small chapters away from the end. I am really enjoying the story and the adventure. This may just be me but I like that it feels almost (I mean almost) like a book version of a musical with all the songs, legends and poetry. As someone who LOVES musicals this is really fun!2 I’m excited to finish and head into the next books of this series!
On The Blog
When we were very young by A.A. Milne | book review
How to trust God in other people’s lives?
Without Rushing (learning to wait on the Lord)
Morning Time In The Word | 1 John 4
Ignite by Kara Swanson has a sequel! The title reveal is here!
I hope you are all having a wonderful day! I’ll see you again soon in the next letter!
Yours Truly,
Moriyah
I’ve started writing daily scripture reflections on substack notes the past two-ish weeks. Sharing what’s on my heart, things I’m learning, Bible verse wallpaper and annotations. It’s been encouraging to me getting to write what I’m learning and hopefully it will be encouraging to you! This is one of the notes I shared.
Question: if you have read The Lord of the Rings, did you also get musical vibes (especially from Tom Bombadil) or is that just me?
LOVE your points of light 🧡
Dear Moriyah,
I just wanted to say hello and say that I've really been enjoying your podcast and Substack. Actually, because of your podcast, I started both a Bible in 30 Days challenge and an intentional 21-day prayer challenge yesterday. Both are so rewarding already. ❤
I have one question too! On the email welcoming new subscribers, you have a book photo showing a poem called "wardrobe." May I ask what book it's from?
Anyway, thank you so much for all the beautiful, God-honoring content you put out and for inspiring me to do things like open my windows while I write and read the Bible in 30 days. I'm hoping for April letters soon! 😉
Yours in Christ,
Ruth Anne Acheson