January 2023 High/Low

How quickly we forget the God

Who lives in every day

How easy to lose sight that You

Reside in the mundane

-”Remember” song by Bryan and Katie Torwalt

The first day of the new year was spent being surrounded by the people that formed my firm foundation: faith, family and bestie K. These amazing people and my faith empowers me to hold on because God resides in this process, within us, and in the details. In the mundane, the stillness, numbness, the uncertainty,  the joy and the sadness, He is here. 

I cap off the first week of the new year with coffee house trips,  reading the written word, working on my side project, listening to faith based and self development podcasts, yoga, pilates, running, journaling, and consuming some good ol’ Congolese food. God is found in the mundane.

The second week of the new year finds me falling into old habits of last year, clinging on to the tiny promise I made myself, doing core work out at 5am, drinking a lot of energy drinks and being inspired by my baby sisters (Miss 2 Degrees and Dr Hero) wisdom and courage. Saturday was filled with self care then working on a side project and on a dream that may never come true. I may not be blessed with material wealth but I’m truly blessed with an AMAZING family. 

The third week of the new year started with me getting my sister L as my accountability partner in getting my side project done and over with it, working two jobs, waking up at 5am for yoga and pilates, and spending my off hours at the library or the coffee house. I got a chance to celebrate CL baby shower and to take myself out on brunches and solo dates.

The final week of the first month of the new year working, catching up deadlines and being productive in every aspect of my life. 

This season of my life has numerous themes, one of them being Pray, Trust, and Wait. Prayer is essential because it is my form of daily conversation with my Creator. Trust is crucial but hard to do. It consists of constantly surrendering everything to the Creator and acting on it by not stressing or worrying because I know that the Creator is in control. 

Waiting involves living my life while not trying to force things or rush things. Nonetheless, Trusting and Waiting is by far a day to day thing that I haven’t mastered but working on it. Holiness is found in the mundane (The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis).

A short version  of the Surrender Prayer has been helpful to me in this season:

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You;

Take care of everything.

January 30 marked the 1 year anniversary of the death of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst via suicide. She was one of the few beauty queens that I liked; I liked the fact that she was licensed to practice law in the state of SC & NC, was involved in pageants, had 3 degrees like me, worked on various social projects to help others, had a fashion blog, and worked in the entertainment industry. May her soul rest in peace. To anyone suffering with depression or suicidal thoughts, please hold on. There’s light at the end; things will change. 

My closing remark for the first month of this new year is this:

Be Patient. Be Patient. Be Patient. Be patient my soul, your time will come. 

           -Ke Hyu Quan

~xoxo