The wintering soul

I look out the window today at the mountains and things look pretty still. The trees are bare, the ground is hard, and there is a quietness that feels almost heavy. In nature, we call this dormancy. We don't look at a winter oak tree and call it "lazy" because it isn't budding or "unproductive" because it isn't full of leaves. We know that the stillness is actually part of the life cycle; the tree is pulling its energy deep into its roots so it can survive the frost and bloom again when the time is right.

But as moms, we rarely give ourselves that same grace. We are told that we should be "blooming" all year round, especially at the beginning of the year. We feel the pressure to jump into new routines, fresh goals, and a higher level of "showing up." But what if your soul is craving a winter season? Or what if, after a physically hard year or a long season of pouring out, you feel a bit bare?

“We don’t look at a winter oak tree and call it “lazy” because it isn’t budding”

I want to give us all permission today to stop fighting the frost. It is okay to have a dormant season. Just like the trees in our mountain town, your soul needs seasons of rest to grow later.

Wintering isn't about being lazy; it’s about gentle rhythms. It’s about trading the loud and frantic "doing" for the quiet, steady "being." Maybe for you, wintering looks like simpler meals, earlier bedtimes, or finally saying no to that one extra commitment that’s feels draining. I hope this season may be about trusting that even when nothing is visible on the surface, God is doing a deep, restorative work in your roots.

Let’s winter together this season. And the spring will be so much sweeter because we had the courage to let those roots stay deep, quiet and just be.