The word ‘unseen’ was the one I chose to frame 2020. A year to write, to develop confidence in the shadows, a year to dig deeper into a life of faith.
In March, this word ‘unseen’ took on an entirely different meaning for us all. I’d never have guessed that this is what ‘unseen’ could look like.
Despite feeling a little stuck in our unit at times, over the last weeks, I’ve done my best to continue to attune my eyes to the things that matter. As we switch off the external, highly visible things (eg social media, news) our attention is naturally drawn toward that which is hidden under the surface, more of the spiritual realm, the eternal.
Faith: the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.
To the best of my ability, I am choosing to shape this time by a focus on intimacy, honesty and growth.
As a mum as we heading into social isolation, my intention first turned toward my girls. Not understanding the gravity of what was happening around them, they naturally grieved the small things that were ‘not fair.’ No more camping holiday, no trips to the cinemas, no visiting friends, and no visiting family across the border. Their little hearts were not impressed.
As a family, we determined to make our time at home memorable for all the right reasons. There’s beauty in highlighting on what you can do and not dwelling on what you can’t do. Our days have been filled with make-believe schools complete with tuck shop ladies (me), trips to the library (the garage), excursions to the back yard and crazy long art projects we’d usually never have time for.
In every season, we need to shift our eyes to the unseen. There are gems waiting to be uncovered, seeds ready to germinate, gold to be refined.
Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! 2 Corinthians 6:11-13
This season is helping me to live bigger on the inside.
Some of the treasures I’ve discovered so far are a deeper level of honesty with myself, bravery and a good dose of congruency—taking steps to live more true to who God has called me to be.
And there are the things I miss…
Foyer conversations before and after church, corporate worship and my Pilates class. Our tiny two-bedroom unit has felt small for the first time in our life. School, work, home, all in one space…
But for today I am grateful for our little space. Our little beach shack is housing memories what will carry us for a lifetime and I’m not sure we’ll ever want to move.
What gems you are discovering in this season?
Blessings in the seen and unseen,
Carly is a writer living on the Gold Coast, Australia with her husband Joe and their two girls: Beni and Selah. She is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ, a lover of His Church, His people, His Word and life in general. Daughter Wait! is the first of many books she hopes to write.
Her first book Daughter Wait! is an engaging conversation on dating and relationships as well as a memoir where she shares her heartbreaking experience of unplanned pregnancy, abortion and the road to restoration.
Daughter Wait! is an invitation to consider a different approach to dating and relationships. If you have ever wondered:
How do I have a Godly relationship?
How do I know if he is the one?
What are realistic boundaries in a Christian relationship?
How do I move on from a broken heart?
Then this book is for you.
Written in Carly’s unique conversational style, you’ll cry, laugh and cheer as you follow her story of love and loss. Daughter Wait is a timeless reminder that regardless of your past, God has the best for your future