“I used to think life would be more linear.” …
These words in an instapost caught my eye. Written by a woman who has a totally different life than mine I froze as it spoke to my very heart and what I feel going into my next decade.
“I used to think life would be more linear.
That grief wouldn’t overlap with gratitude.
That joy wouldn’t be tangled up with sorrow.
But here I am—living a story far more complex than I ever imagined, and far more sacred than I knew it could be.
I carry both fullness and ache. I smile at answered prayers that look nothing like what I asked for. I hold onto peace like a thread, weaving it through days that don’t always feel gentle.
And yet, Scripture reminds us:
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
—2 Corinthians 4:17
This is not wasted.
Every unseen surrender is shaping something eternal.
Even when the brokenness feels bigger than the beauty—He makes all things new.” – rachvermeulen
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The Ache of Watching Disappointment
Last night, my son didn’t get selected to be captain for his team, and it crushed him.
I said all the right things—keep working hard, cheer for others, your time will come—but my heart broke watching his. It’s devastating to see your child pour so much effort into something they love, only to be left standing on the sidelines.
You can see it in their eyes—the quiet ache of disappointment, the collision of hope and heartbreak.
And as I reread the verse above, I cried.
I cried for him.
I cried for me.
I cried for all of us who live in the in-between—those tender places where joy and hard collide, and the train of life keeps moving forward whether we’re ready or not.
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The Gift in the Struggle
It’s been a weekend of hockey and Christmas decorating (yes, we started early). Still, my son’s team hasn’t won a single game. The losses keep piling up, and people ask why are you doing this?
Why miss out on slower weekends?
Why get extra jobs to only spend it all just to loose? Why freeze every weekend at Ice rinks?
Because the growth is teaching something no one can see.
The character development has been incredible to witness, even though it’s come through hard lessons. This season has stretched us all—to stay positive, to keep believing, to hold on to hope when the scoreboard doesn’t reflect the effort.
And I keep wondering—how does God use these moments to prepare us for what’s next?
Maybe this kind of struggle is God’s way of building strength we’ll need later. Maybe this ache is creating endurance for something greater.
Later years are often better than former ones. That’s what I’m praying over us—for this season and the rest of this year!
There’s an art to learning how to lose. I’ve never learned it well. Most people don’t. Because before we ever hit greatness, we usually hit loss. Those are the chisels that carve the masterpiece. It’s what ushers in depth and wisdom.
But no one wants to get there—not really. Including me.
So how do we steward lossing?
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How to Steward Loss Well
• Keep dreaming, despite it.
The biggest battle after loss is daring to believe in good things again—to dream when something didn’t go as planned.
• Let the ache teach you, not define you.
Pain is a powerful teacher, but it’s not your identity. Let it deepen your roots, not harden your heart.
• Honor what hurt.
Don’t rush past disappointment. Grieve what was lost so that you can truly receive what’s next.
• Look for the sacred in the stretch.
Growth rarely happens in comfort. The stretching seasons hold holy ground if we’re willing to see it. So keep positive! Favor always follows a praise-er!
• Celebrate character over outcome.
Wins fade. Integrity doesn’t. Every unseen act of perseverance builds something eternal.
• Keep showing up.
Loss tempts us to retreat. But showing up again—heart open, eyes lifted—is where greatness begins.
• Trust that the story is still being written.
This chapter might ache, but it’s not the ending. God’s pen is still moving.
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Somewhere in the space between joy and hard, between hope and ache, God is shaping something sacred.
So even here—especially here—keep dreaming, keep showing up, and keep trusting that He’s still making all things new.
— Kate
Creating Exceptional 