Did You Know That The Iris Is Not Just a Flower? It is a living, breathing muscle that controls how much light enters your eye through the pupil. It expands in darkness to let in more light. It contracts in brilliance to protect you from being overwhelmed. It is always…always…responding to the environment around it. You see, God was very intentional when He designed it, and it’s a part of His intentionality in creating you.

Have you ever had a moment where you couldn’t quite explain what you were feeling?

Nothing was necessarily wrong… but something felt heavy or unclear?

You tried to put words to it, but nothing came out right.
And in that moment, you realized something sacred:

You don’t have to explain it… because you are already KNOWN.

What if the thing you've been praying about, crying about, and asking God to fix… isn't the real problem?

What if it's just the vine — and the root is still running?

I stepped out onto my back patio and found a plant called the trumpet vine had completely taken over. Gardeners call it "Hell Vine." It grows 40 feet in a season, its sap is toxic, and cutting it at the surface guarantees it comes back stronger, because the root system was never treated. It’s time to deal with the root sis.

Did you know that psychologically, our minds are not designed to operate in constant overload?

When we experience prolonged stress, our brains enter what’s called cognitive fatigue. This is where clarity decreases, decision-making weakens, and emotional overwhelm increases.

But here’s the beautiful part:
Rest and intentional pauses literally rewire the brain.

We’ve been teaching regulation backwards.

Most people are taught:

“Here’s the technique… now try to calm down.”

Breathe like this. Think like this. Do this.

But here’s the truth we leaned into all weekend:

Technique doesn’t create transformation.
The body does.

Through the whispers of the wind and the steady rippling of the water.
Through the birds chirping like they had no worries in the world, God and me had an intimate life altering moment.

Lately I’ve realized something important: conflicting emotions don’t mean our faith is weak. They mean our hearts are honest.

I can be grateful for what God is doing… and still grieve what didn’t happen. I can trust God’s plan… and still feel the ache of unanswered prayers. I can remain obedient… and still whisper, “God, why did it have to happen this way?”

Having this tension actually made me think about Jesus.

That’ll Preach is about living an Examen-style life—where we pause, reflect, and ask:
Where did I see God today? What is He trying to show me?

Some days it’s profound.
Some days it’s painfully ordinary.
But sis… It’s always intentional.

When Peter said, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7 He was reminding us that Anxiety is universal — but carrying it alone is optional. 

Before you chase the vision, seek the Voice.
Before you build the plan, check the posture.
Before you say “yes” to the year, whisper Hineni.

Here I am, God.

Reflection is not passive—it’s powerful.
In psychology, reflection strengthens meaning-making, resilience, and emotional integration. Spiritually, it allows us to see God’s hand more clearly, even in seasons that once felt confusing or painful.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…He has anointed me to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free.” -Luke 4:18

This is not just a scripture for me, this is my mantle.

This is my assignment.

My divine appointment for Chapter 45.

This kind of confidence doesn’t come from your résumé, your achievements, or your personality type. It comes from identity. It comes from knowing who you are and whose you are.

I was writing about bold, unwavering trust while secretly wondering if God was still listening.
I was encouraging others to believe through difficulty while privately questioning if I still believed enough for myself.

For years, I carried the labels that came with honor and exhaustion alike — “strong friend,” “strong leader,” “strong mom,” “strong woman of God.”

But rarely was that strength celebrated as surrender.
It was usually mistaken for self-sufficiency.

We don’t thrive because we’re unbreakable by nature — we thrive because we’re rooted in Someone greater.

Here’s what I’ve learned: none of us are exempt from life’s experiences. We all face challenges—unexpected bills, tough conversations, grief, deadlines, uncertainty. The difference isn’t whether hardship comes (because it will). The difference is in how we handle it—moment by moment, encounter by encounter, grace by grace.

Taking time to breathe, nap, or say “no” is not weakness—it’s wisdom.

Hebrews 13:21 reminds us:
“May He equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ.”
This was more than an event—it was a divine reminder that God equips us, not just for the mountaintops, but for the moments where battles rage the loudest.