Tag: Showing up

hope, Uncategorized

Intentional Living, One Step at a Time

The Kedge Anchor
Open door leading to a cozy living room with an armchair, bookshelf, lamp, and fireplace

I used to think showing up was the win. Now I think it’s just the doorway.

Since my last post, I have been intentional about showing up. And as usual, when I do that, when I sit down to do anything I need to do, especially creative work or time with God, voices enter the scene.

I hear: “You shouldn’t be doing this… what about laundry?” Like Lisa Simpson having to organize her CDs first. IYKYK. Or “Why bother, no one cares.” And the classic: “You’re not good enough.”

All distractions. All lies.

Showing up requires intention and preparation. My corner of our shared office, or really my little studio corner, needed organization. I didn’t want to work in a space where I couldn’t access my art supplies. There was no room to spread out, and it became frustrating.

So I changed it.

One day while my husband was at work (he had to be for me to do this, his allergies… OY!), I rearranged the layout and organized my supplies. It’s still a work in progress, but I have to admit, it is so much better. (I have a few photos I’ll share in another post.)

Once things were more organized and accessible, I felt more encouraged to actually go in there and create.

Some days I have a specific project in mind. Other days, I just make marks on paper—paint, markers, or hand-letter a verse of Scripture. And there are days when a migraine shows up, and that’s when I give myself grace. Pushing through migraine pain has never benefitted me, or anyone else, for that matter.

I used to think showing up was the win. Now I think it’s just the doorway.

I’ve started applying the same mindset to my time with God. I’m not just “showing up” – I come prepared, usually with my Bible and a favorite pen. There was a time I would simply open Scripture anywhere and read whatever landed in front of me. But now I have a plan.

One of my goals was to read the Bible all the way through. My mom gave me a chronological Bible a few years ago for my birthday, and I only made it halfway through.

Now I’m more intentional. In January, I bought a journal and decided I wanted to create a kind of junk journal as I read. I write notes on passages that speak to me, not as a theology student or someone in seminary, but simply as someone listening for God along the way. I add notes, doodles, and small decorations to the pages. It helps me remember, and it draws me back in later.

Showing up in my office/studio space has become more inviting. I’m more prepared to work on projects and to journal.

“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” – Proverbs 22:3  To me, this speaks to being intentional and aware with how I use my time, choosing what deserves my attention, instead of moving forward on autopilot.  I’m trying to be more discerning with my time, intentional about when I create, when I rest, and when I simply let an idea come through.

Uncategorized

Showing Up: The First Step to Meaningful Action

The Kedge Anchor
Open journal with handwritten notes and pen beside steaming coffee cup on wooden windowsill overlooking sunrise over countryside.
Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead – James 2:17

There’s a phrase I keep hearing lately: “Just show up.” Apparently it’s the secret to consistency, growth, and success. And yes, showing up matters. But what happens after you arrive? So I show up, now what? Showing up is only half the story. The other half? Courage. Action. Actually doing the thing once you’re there. Showing up without following through, without engaging, can feel…empty, lost. Just showing up to class isn’t going to get you an “A”. You need your books, your notes, a pen. You need to listen to the lecture and engage with the class. Without action, showing up is, well, like I said, empty.

If answered prayers came from simply showing up, faith would be easy. What would I gain each day if I thought that simply showing up with my Bible and journal would make me a Bible scholar—without actually opening my Bible, reading it, or making notes? Where would that take me? Not very far.  I apply the same idea to making art. I make art because I showed up, and now I have a space to act, to create, to reflect what’s inside me. I try to be intentional but sometimes just “playing” is all that’s necessary.  And sometimes it’s messy, many times it’s imperfect—but it’s real. Sometimes I actually have an aha moment.  “Showing up” becomes a small step to being consistent.

And here’s the tricky part: showing up and doing while tired counts even more. But it shouldn’t come at the cost of my mental health. Pushing myself past what’s reasonable, past my bandwidth, doesn’t make me disciplined—it just makes me more tired and drained. God understands when I am tired or struggling with something. He gives me grace.  And I have to give myself grace when I’m too tired to paint or make art. Those are good moments to pray, listen to a sermon or podcast, or hear Scripture read aloud.

For me, showing up has become a practice of balance. I open my Bible. I journal. I grab a few art supplies. I read some commentaries I value. And I shut out all the other voices—the noise, the chaos, the endless “steps” that overwhelm me.

 So yes. Showing up alone isn’t enough. But it’s where it begins. Showing up opens the door. What we do afterward is what changes us.