Looking for Lovely - Reflections

Summer Book Club

Looking for Lovely

Reflection Week: Day 3

By Sissy Stevinson

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

I have so enjoyed our Summer Study and the very transparent and wise writings from Amy Cutrer Rogers to stimulate our thinking and times of reflection. Being from Nashville, Annie made it so comfortable for me to walk along side her in very familiar places with similar passions like listening to music at The Ryman and hiking at Radnor Lake and starting the day by gazing at the everchanging sunrise. The ease with which she recalls so many experiences in her life with such detail amazes me and I too, have learned a lot about finding lovely in the midst of the simplest things. Annie has inspired me to ground myself in the moment and be more aware of my feelings and the depth of beauty in God’s creations, both mighty and small. One area where we differ is in the quitter category and it was hard for me to read the chapters where she struggled with quitting things so easily. But then, I delighted in reading that she learned from athletes that perseverance is necessary to reach her goals. Specifically, to persevere! Being the baby of the family and the only girl, my brothers who were 6 and 8 years older than me decided early on that their job was to make me a tomboy and an athlete at a very young age. The result of those learnings taught me to be very competitive and to never back down to a challenge. As you can imagine, I’ve had to work on that in my professional and personal life to make sure that I was only trying to be the best I could be and not that I had to win at all costs. Early in my career, I was led to the area of Human Resources in Healthcare and it was there that I found my calling. The Lord directed me in this work to serve others in times of need and in the noble mission of healthcare. I felt inspired daily for 33 years by His calling and found a meaningful purpose in solving complicated human and business challenges. Calling on the Lord daily helped me to persevere in the most challenging times with clarity, gratitude and continual prayer for fairness in outcomes. It was clear to me during this chapter of service that it was all for His Glory.

Annie’s section on Tattoos contained some of the most interesting reading for me, specifically regarding her decision to have the word Grace tattooed on her left wrist and Persevere on her right wrist representing a sense of partnership and balance when her hands clasped together. “A good balance of grace and perseverance pushes us forward without destroying our spirit when we don’t meet a goal and it continually brings us back to our goals, dreams and desires in order to remember why we began, how far we have come to get here, where we ultimately want to go. It gives us permission to not be perfect but to strive toward excellence.”

To live each day pursuing God’s will and acting upon it is our purpose. To feel unfinished is normal because that is the nature of God’s will, He wants us to persevere and keep a faithful heart and an eye out for Lovely in the midst of our trials, tribulations and joy! “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us.” (Romans 5 3-5 NIV)

Recently, I was inspired by a podcast on Saint Gianna Molla and her constant prayer was this… “Jesus, I promise you to submit myself to all that you permit before me, Let me only know your will.” To me, this feels like sacrificial love in its purest form.

In Annie’s final writings, she says “We have resolved to be the kind of women that do not quit, that do not give up, that strengthen our minds and hearts to let the work God is doing in us come to completion.” There is balance and resolve in these thoughts and prayers that inspire me to never stop looking for Lovely. Praying it does the same for all of you.