I turned 35 this year and it worked out that Dustin and I were able to take a trip to Florida during my birthday. Time away with the hubs plus the beach? Perfect! I had just limped across the finish line of our school year and was feeling pretty spent in a lot of ways, so some time for rest and refresh was perfectly timed.

Also, I’ve moved into this new season of life with more preteens/teens in the house than not…and all the drama that you would imagine that goes with that. I’ve found myself struggling to find my footing in this new stage of parenting. But, while I find this new season challenging to say the least…I so want to learn and grow in it and not just wish it away.

All these things were churning in my mind and heart as I went to Florida.

I purposefully set time aside every day to read and pray and reflect and I made time to run on the beach. It was there that God had some lessons for me.

The first morning I went out for a run I noticed how beautiful the sunrise was over the water and reflected on how God knew the numbers of the grains of sands…and that His thoughts for me numbered the same.Wow! (Psalm 139:17-18)

But…then I started running.

And it was hard and uneven and my eyes went directly down and all I could think about was how difficult it was and just hoping I could stay on my feet. I ran like that until about half way and realized that I was totally missing out on the view by just focusing so much on my own feet.

So, the next day I got up determined to change my perspective.

It was my birthday and it was a beautiful morning, so I turned on some worship music and started my run…with my eyes up this time. I still had to pay attention to where I was stepping, but my focus was up. I was able to run much further and my thoughts were full of worship instead of counting down to the end.

Just by shifting my perspective and “looking up”.

I had been so focused on the hard that I had forgotten to notice the awesome beauty around me. But once I switched my focus, the hard didn’t go away and I still had to devote some focus to my footing…but my whole attitude behind it changed and that changed my whole experience.

And that still small voice whispered to my weary heart…

Look up!

Lean in.

Continue in the hard. But don’t lose sight of ME and the good and the beauty IN the hard.

I wasn’t given the answers to all my struggles…because I don’t need them. What I need is right in front of me.

I just needed to change where I was looking.

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.” Psalm 5:3