Lean Into Grace Is on Sale Now (Plus Reflections on Trusting God in All Circumstances)
Today is the day! My new book, Lean Into Grace, is now on sale! Find it right here! To celebrate, I have a special gift for you: a glimpse inside the book. The following excerpt is adapted from one of my favorite illustrations in the book and includes reflections on trusting God in all circumstances.
Thank you so much for supporting the release of this new book. My prayer is that it will lead multitudes of people to life-changing encounters with the Living God.
Trusting God in All Circumstances
Every summer, I take our daughter Bekah on an overnight camping trip in Pennsylvania’s forested hills.
We shove our sleeping bags, tent, and provisions into my large, internal-frame backpack.
We then strap the backpack to a double jogging stroller and fill the nooks and crannies of the stroller with everything from fishing poles to stuffed animals.
I push our overloaded stroller miles into the wilderness, and we enjoy a night together in the woods. Wilderness camping with a little girl is nothing like the solo backpacking trips of my early twenties—it’s about a thousand times better.
Recently, we returned home from our annual backpacking trip feeling tired and happy. We’d explored a new area, cooked s’mores over a smoky fire, and slept restlessly as we dreamed of black bears and raccoons. Little did we realize that our bodies were under attack as we slept beneath the hemlocks—just not by black bears.
Trusting God in All Circumstances—Especially the Overwhelming Ones
The day after arriving home and unpacking our gear, I woke up feeling blessed to be in my bed and not lying on the hard ground.
I felt rested, refreshed, and ready to tackle the new week. We had plans to visit the library, head to the local bike path, and stock up on groceries.
I mentally planned the day as I stood at the kitchen sink to brew my morning pot of decaf.
Distracted by an itchy abdomen, I scratched my waistline and assumed I must have fallen victim to a mosquito on our camping trip.
As I pulled up my shirt to examine the bite, I could hardly believe my eyes. Five tiny ticks were embedded in my belly.
I immediately thought of a friend who took her daughter camping at the same spot a year earlier. She texted me upon their return to report dozens of ticks all over their bodies.
“Oh no,” I whispered as I used my fingernails to pry the tiny ticks from my flesh.
Pulling off my shirt and shorts in the middle of the kitchen, I began examining my body. Ticks were attached to my forearms, legs, feet, ankles, armpits, and places I dare not mention. Dozens of ticks.
Before finding the tweezers and getting to work on myself, I rushed to the living room to check on Bekah.
“Take your clothes off!” I urged her, panic welling inside me.
Looking at her partially clothed mama with a skeptical expression, my precious girl sighed, “Oh no. You found a tick, didn’t you?”
“Not a tick,” I muttered, “I found many, many ticks.”
Navigating Crisis-Mode
Sure enough, my sweet daughter was covered with ticks as well.
We spent the next hour sitting on the floor frantically picking ticks off of each other.
By the time we’d removed every visible tick and scanned our bodies at least five times, I was in full-blown crisis mode.
I’d like to point out that I don’t typically freak out over ticks.
We spend a lot of time in the woods, and I find a tick embedded in one of the kids at least twice a month. I’ve learned to pull a tick without leaving the head and legs in the skin.
My research has also taught me that ticks don’t typically transmit diseases if you pull them off within 48 hours. If you suspect a tick has been latched on for more than 48 hours, a quick trip to the doctor and a dose of antibiotics will prevent Lyme disease.
We’ve never visited a doctor for a tick bite. We find them early, pull them off, and move on with our lives. No biggie.
The morning of the tick infestation was different. It was a big deal. We found at least 60 ticks attached to our bodies, and that’s enough to make even the most rugged mountain woman come undone.
Finish Reading About Trusting God in All Circumstances Right Here:
Well, we obviously survived the tick ordeal. If you’d like to continue reading and see how the story played out—and what God taught me through it—grab a copy of Lean Into Grace right here today (and go ahead and skip to chapter 14 for the rest of the story)! I pray this book makes you laugh, speaks to your heart, and leads you deeper into God’s healing love.
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