This is the (Joy)Cap where I share a weekly reflection or lesson and a roundup of links, recommendations, and everything that’s bringing me joy, inviting you to do the same. Think of this as a weekly coffee date with my close friends. ☕️💕🫶🏾 Join me on a weekly joy hunt and start receiving the (Joy)Cap by subscribing today! ✨
Lately, it feels like my soul has been a little unsettled. Life is just like a laundry list of to-do — I’m doing my best to complete the task at hand while trying to navigate the next. Between everything that is happening in the world and between my four walls, it can be easy to feel a blanket of anxiety rather than peace. Taking care of the kids, home, and myself, my days are long and often the only reprieve I experience is briefly before the kids wake up or far after I attempt to put them down. But I’ve been finding myself craving more, needing more, a deeper rest than I experience at the bookends of my day.
And the media isn’t making it better. These headlines only add weight to my worries as I pray and attempt to strategize the next best thing for our family. I often wonder, “Will we ever be at rest? Will we ever not be tired? Will we ever not have to worry?”
I’m tempted to spiral right there, plunging into the deep, dark unknown, but then the Holy Spirit snaps me out of it, reeling me back in. “You’re getting too ahead of yourself,” He says. “Remember, just focus on today.”
The more I live, the more I realize there is a reason that Jesus urges us to not worry about tomorrow, to not even worry about our present, because worrying takes away from remembering; not remembering takes away from trusting, and not trusting takes away from resting. In our worry, we forget that the Lord has provided everything we need, including the opportunity and gift of rest that has been afforded to us today.
While the world and our circumstances may not always provide the perfect environment for rest, God has given us the power and authority to shift our atmosphere by recalling, retreating, and remaining in Him. If you’re worn out, worried, or tired, He gives everlasting, eternal respite, as we remember to exchange our burdens for the gift of His rest. It isn’t just a promise for the future but a gift that is accessible to us and meant for us to partake in and enjoy right here, right now (Matthew 11:28-30).
While I long for and do need physical rest, I’m thankful that I can still experience spiritual rest, even when everything around me appears to be in unrest and upheaval. Although I am exhausted, I am reminded that I can lay my weary head on my pillow, knowing that rest and peace are not just promises for the future but gifts for today—and they are mine.
Glimpses of Grace 🌤️
“Daddy!” The kids cried in joy as their father creaked open the bedroom door. He was up. It had been a few days since they last saw him but a week in earnest since they had spent unhurried time with their father. And honestly, I was happy to see him too. The days are long, but the years are short—is a phrase I’m far too familiar with. Six days out of the week, I solo parent while my husband is away for work, and during weeks of sickness and discomfort, those days feel even longer. I exhaled a sigh of relief as I flipped the sizzling bacon, warmed the buns in the oven, and assembled our breakfast sandwiches. He poured his hot cup of coffee, and we transitioned outside onto our screened-in patio to enjoy our brief respite as we caught up on our week and watched the kids play. As we ate, sipped, and chatted, I soaked in the moment, knowing that while these days are long, moments like this are always fleeting and short. These are the moments I long for, the moments that are needed — when mornings are slow, nourishing, and hearts are light. And while they are fleeting, they are still a grace, a gift I’m grateful to have received even for a short moment.
The Joy List ✨
My huband taking off for a few days. My husband is typically only off and home on Sundays, but this past week he took a full weekend off and was off Friday throuh Sunday. We both got to catch up on rest, he grilled for the first time in our new place, and we just enjoyed time together as a family. It was the best and what we really needed.
Library and coffee shop outing. Since we were still recovering from Hand, Foot, Mouth, I took the opportunity to run to the library while my husband was home to pick up some library holds that would keep us entertained for the week. While I was picking up the books and waiting for my Target order to be ready, I popped into one of the local coffee shops to grab lunch and coffee. This was the most alone time I had in weeks, and I appreciated having a few moments of quiet to myself while I waited.
Starting the He Will Save Us She Reads Truth study for Lent. I love going through She Reads Truth’s church calendar studies during Advent and Lent. This year we are going through Isaiah, and it’s been such a refreshing, convicting, and eye-opening study and we’re only a few chapters in. Lent always brings me to face with the weight of my sin and reminds me of my need of a Saviour. While there’s a physical book available to purchase, the reading plan and daily devotion are available for free on the website. If you’re looking for a free alternative for Lent, I would highly encourage you to tap into their study.
An encouraging note from a subscriber. While I love showing up in this space, doing so is always an concerted effort and often a fight. I’m never short on ideas or plans for what I like to share, but I’m often limited on what I can share due to this nature of this season. Sometimes, I get discouraged and wonder if it’s worth all of this effort and energy, but then I will get an encouraging note from one of you that will remind me to keep going. I don’t think I could say this enough, but thank you for being here. Your presence here on this journey often reminds me that I’m not alone, and my hope is that we can always lift one another up and that you feel seen and supported as we walk out our own unique journeys. 🫶🏾
Currently Savoring 💞
Books
The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie. I am currently in my non-fiction era, reading up on all things motherhood and homeschooling, since that’s the season I’m in. Therefore, I’ve been going through and savoring books at a slower pace. I just started The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie. I had managed this book while it was on a Kindle deal, and have been pleasantly surprised that this book reads more like a memoir than an education/parenting book. If you’re interested in learning about the benefits of reading aloud to your kids, I would go into the book with that in mind. While the author shares the research and benefits, it’s largely framed by her experience.
Podcasts
I am going through the book of Isaiah with She Reads for Lent, and this first episode to kick off the study with Kristi McLelland is sooo rich with information. Kristi McLelland is not only a bible study author, she’s a professor and regularly leads tours through Israel which adds a depth of knowledge and wisdom to this conversation. I was listening to this conversation while braiding the kids’ hair and immediately wished I had a pen and paper to take notes because it was that good. One of the biggest takeaways was that the Bible is not meant to be scary, so when we’re reading difficult-to-read books like Isaiah or even Revelation, we must keep that in mind. I plan on going back to re-listen to this conversation so I can catch even just a portion of the gems she dropped.
If you ever needed a reminder of what you’re doing — the dishes, the laundry, the disciplining, the correcting — this episode will encourage you to see the million moments that make up motherhood matter to God. No act of love or service is ever wasted, and Laura and Emily remind us of that in this episode of their farewell series.
A Nourishing Note ☕️
Grace As You Go 🕊️
Even when life feels heavy, rest is still available. It may not always come in the form of a full night’s sleep or a perfectly slow morning, but God’s rest—real, sustaining, soul-deep rest—is always near. It’s not something we have to earn or chase. It’s a gift, freely given, meant to be received right where we are. The world may not always offer the perfect conditions for rest, but we can still find refuge in the One who does.
So today, if you’re feeling weary, may you pause, breathe, and remember: His rest is enough, and it is yours.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” | Matthew 11:28-30 CSB
💛 Enjoying these reflections? If this space has been a source of encouragement for you, I’d love for you to join me as a paid subscriber. Your support helps sustain this work and allows me to continue creating meaningful content for our community. Plus, you’ll get access to exclusive posts, deeper reflections, and more ways to connect! Upgrade here ⬇️
The Life Designer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Can’t afford a paid subscription to The Life Designer but still want to support my work? Here are some ways to consider:
☕️ Buy me a coffee to fuel this newsletter. ❤️ Comment, like, or restack this post here on Substack. 🔄 Restack or share your favorite part of this post to your Substack Notes. 📧 Forward this email to a friend. 📲 Connect with me on IG @janelleaking and LinkedIn
I used to listen to the Read Aloud Revival Podcast all the time. We definitely are a read aloud family doing it on car trips and I still listening to audiobooks with my teens nightly.
I used to listen to the Read Aloud Revival Podcast all the time. We definitely are a read aloud family doing it on car trips and I still listening to audiobooks with my teens nightly.