The other day I looked down to realize I can no longer see my feet. Our sweet boy has continued to grow and my belly has rounded out over these past few weeks in ways I never dreamed would happen! In all the joys of pregnancy and the hurdles and beauty of a growing belly, I have noticed that not only has my body changed these past nine months, but my priorities have now shifted as well. Just like when I first got married and had to re-prioritize my schedule and daily to-do’s to involve my husband, I am about to embark on another big adventure of re-prioritizing! The moment I saw I had a positive pregnancy test, the Lord began rearranging my schedule.

Now that I am 39 weeks pregnant and only 11 days from my due date, the Lord has convicted in many ways that this next season is for slowing down and savoring. One year ago this month we launched our very first Give Me Jesus journals. I had no idea that God was about to flip my world and my ideas upside down. Thousands of women now use the Give Me Jesus journal in their quiet times and have joined the community on Instagram! It is a joy and it is a privilege to be a part of. But it is also first and foremost the Lord’s. This is His ministry, not mine. The past year has been a season of busyness and growth in unfathomable, soul-scrubbing, life-changing ways. I believe this next year will be one of growth, too, but in many different ways.

As my husband and I welcome our son into the world in the next week or so, we have prayerfully gone into this next season with the hopes of really living it well. We want to savor these moments with our son and live fully present in each moment. With that said, I will be putting away my computer and phone for a season. Posting will not be as consistent, but living life fully in the present moment will be. I am praying for times of refreshing and receiving God’s glorious gift of a baby. With that said, I have a list of “big dreams” sitting right next to me as I type this. The entire page is full – jam-packed with ideas that we believe God is directing us to create, write, and begin. As I take a break this summer to learn to be a momma, I will also be praying and dreaming up what is to come this fall and in the coming year. 

In some ways, I see this next season as a Sabbath rest. I will be taking a break from working and resting in the new priorities and responsibilities God has laid out before me. In some ways, it will be anything but restful physically as we care for a newborn, but I believe that even in those seasons God gives growth and heart restoration in ways we never knew we needed! Starting Monday, May 18th, I will begin an official maternity leave. Here are a few of the changes that you will see take place this summer – 

• Less posting on Instagram and the blog – I have already scheduled some blog posts and features for the summer that I will do my best to keep up with. Deep in my heart I hope to write about the season of being a momma and what the Lord is teaching, but I also know that I need to live in grace and focus first on my son, my husband, and our church community. There may be a few days that I go without posting on Instagram, but you can know that we are alive, just living right where we are away from our phones. I desire to share as much of the season as possible, but want to keep my heart focused on the right place.
• No emails – I will not be checking my email starting May 18th. If there is anything urgent you need, email our shop manager, Whitney at whitney@lifelivedbeautifully.com. 
• No weekly newsletter – For the summer (until mid-July), I will not be sending out our weekly newsletter. Once maternity leave is over, I will be back to sending this weekly encouragement!

To be honest, I was afraid to write this post. I love what I do with all my heart! As a matter of fact, it is hard for me so stop working each day. I am constantly, dreaming, praying, and seeking to live out what I learn, teach, and share! I have prayed about this for a while and know God is calling me to set boundaries so that I can truly live free. But you can all know that once I can see my feet again, I will be back in full force running this race to win the prize of Christ!

If you are in a season where you can barely see the next step, sometimes the best thing to do is to stop trying to find your feet and just look up. Look to Jesus. I love how the old hymn says it –

Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glorious grace.

Sometimes the best way to find our feet is to look up, hold the hand of our Savior, and follow where He leads, one step at a time. 

Excited to walk through this next season of life with you! I would greatly appreciate your prayer as we venture into the new territory of being first-time parents! You all are a treasure to me.

your sister,

Gretchen