Before we dive in today, grab your favorite cozy spot and wrap yourself in the Giving Wrap. It’s one of my favorite pieces we carry at the shop because it feels like a warm hug—and I think we all need a little extra comfort right now.
This has been a heavy week. My heart is burdened, and I can’t seem to shake it. From the stabbing on the train in North Carolina to the shooting at Evergreen High School, and even the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the weight of the brokenness in our world feels overwhelming. My heart aches, and in the middle of that ache, it yearns for Jesus.
I know that even saying His name in public conversations can be controversial (though I often wonder—why should it be?). But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that silence in the face of pain only deepens the darkness. We cannot be afraid to bring God back into our conversations, especially in times like these.
This past Sunday, our church’s message was titled “Wisdom From Above.” The words have been echoing in my heart all week. In a world where knowledge is at our fingertips—where every answer is just one Google search away—we are still lacking something far more valuable: wisdom.
James 3:17 describes it this way:
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”
When I hold up that description next to the world around me, I can see how desperately we need more of that kind of wisdom.
One of my favorite lines from Hamilton is, “Talk less, smile more.” I like to adapt it: “Speak less, listen more.” And I think that might just be the posture of wisdom. It doesn’t mean we stop speaking truth, or that we ignore injustice. But it does mean slowing down—listening to the hurting, the angry, the fearful. Listening for what God might be whispering before we rush to offer our opinions.
Our culture is full of noise—hot takes, headlines, quick reactions. What if, instead, we leaned into conversations shaped by gentleness, mercy, sincerity, and love? What if we invited God back into the hardest spaces—into grief, violence, politics, and pain?
I believe wisdom from above is exactly what our world is crying out for right now. And it starts with us. It starts with being willing to pause before we respond. To pray before we post. To seek God’s Word before we seek the world’s newsfeed. To engage in dialogue with humility, remembering that wisdom is not just about knowing the right thing—it’s about living it out with grace and love.
My prayer this week is simple: Lord, teach me to speak less and listen more. Teach me to love people well, even when I don’t agree with them. Teach me to bring Your wisdom into the conversations that matter most.
Maybe you feel the weight of the world too. If so, I invite you to join me in asking God for wisdom from above—because more than ever, that’s what we need.
A Gentle Practice to Anchor Your Heart
One way I’ve found to slow down and lean into God’s wisdom is through journaling my prayers. Writing them down helps me to listen, reflect, and see how God is working over time. If you’re looking for a tool to help you do the same, we have some beautiful prayer and reflection notebooks in the shop that I absolutely love:
Do Your Best Notebook – A sweet and simple reminder that God calls us to faithfulness, not perfection.
God and Dreams Notebook – Perfect for jotting down prayers, dreams, and the ways you see God at work in your life.
Sometimes, the first step toward wisdom is simply creating space to be still, write, and listen.
What can I pray for you this week?
Sammi
