Looking for Lovely - Reflections

Summer Book Club

Looking for Lovely

Reflection Week: Day 4

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Oh, how I have loved this our summer book study this year. Amy Cutrer Rogers – you have led us so well. Thank you, thank you! Day after day, week after week this summer you have brought your wisdom and insights to us with the words of authenticity and vulnerability. I am personally so appreciative of your efforts.

As we journeyed through the pages of "Looking for Lovely" by Annie Downs, each chapter felt like a heartfelt conversation with a dear friend. With every chapter I resonated with Annie and her stories. And I can tell you that at some point in every chapter, I read through tear filled eyes. Yet, it was Section One, Chapter 4 that resonated with me on a profound level: "Looking for Lovely," (Yes, the chapter that had the same title as the book.). It was in the first paragraphs of this chapter that I had the shift in mindset from expecting miracles to actively watching for them, understanding that they are inevitable. This change in perspective has been an "aha" moment for me this summer.

In this chapter, Annie references Matthew 7:7-8, a passage we're all familiar with: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." It's a verse that encourages us to seek, to search, and to trust God in all things. The shift from expecting miracles to actively watching for them brought new light to this scripture at a time when I really needed it.

The past six months for me have been a series of highs and lows like I have never experienced. As I’ve walked through these mountains and valleys I have clung to my faith like never before, trusting and fully expecting that God is in control and things will work out. I can tell you that I’ve claimed Romans 8:28 often - all things work out for good of them that love the Lord, who are the called according to his purpose. This verse has always allowed me to be optimistic, to look for and expect the GOOD in all things. But Annie’s writing about “watching” for miracles helped me begin to look for our GOD in every situation. Whether it's a moment of stillness amid chaos, a glimmer of hope during despair, or a burst of laughter amidst tears, I've learned to identify these instances as divine interventions—miracles orchestrated by a loving Creator…and I’m watching for them!

Reading and reflecting on “Looking for Lovely” has been like a warm blanket on a cold day – which is weird to say since it’s been our summer study. It's shown me that even in the midst of life's unpredictable twists and turns, the thread of grace weaves through every moment. (I couldn’t resist a throwback to Woven – a previous summer book club selection.) It's a reminder that the lovely is present, waiting to be discovered when we actively watch for it, watch for God.

Soul Sisters, let’s keep looking! Let’s keeping watching for and embracing the inevitable miracles all around us. There’s no doubt that when we do, we will find God in every nook and cranny of our beautiful, messy lives.

Dear Lord, I thank you for Annie Downs and the gifts you’ve given her to share her story to inspire us. I thank you for Amy Rogers for leading us so beautifully this summer. Thank You that You are always with us, always loving us, always for us! Oh, how lovely You are! In Jesus’ name and for the Father’s glory. Amen.