As we head into Easter, I’ve been thinking a lot about grace.

Not the kind the world talks about when it says to “give yourself grace,” though there is certainly a place for that too. I mean the deeper kind. The kind that reminds us who God is and who we are because of Him.

Grace is not something we earn.
It is not something we work hard enough to deserve.
It is not given because we got everything right.

Grace is God’s gift to us.

And Easter is such a tender reminder of that truth.

This time of year always invites me to slow down a little and remember why we celebrate in the first place. Beneath the baskets, the spring flowers, the pretty table settings, and the family meals, there is something so much deeper. Easter is the story of love, sacrifice, redemption, and grace freely given.

And if I’m being honest, I think I’ve needed that reminder more than ever lately.

A Little Sun Therapy After a Hard Week

After being down hard with the flu, I finally started feeling better this weekend. That alone felt like a gift.

The weather was beautiful, and I got to enjoy some much-needed sun therapy, which did my soul a world of good. There is just something about stepping outside after being sick, feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin, and realizing you are starting to feel like yourself again. It makes you grateful for things you usually rush right past.

Honey and I ran a few errands, then spent the rest of the day doing something that felt both practical and meaningful. We planted 50 two-year-old pine trees and 10 one-year-old pine trees that we bought from the Virginia Department of Forestry.

During construction of the ranch, we had to cut down quite a few trees, and that genuinely hurt my heart. I understood why it had to happen, but it still felt like a loss. So being able to replant along the back and side of our home felt special in a way that is hard to explain unless you have loved land, trees, and the quiet beauty of watching something grow.

Our nephew planted over 100 trees on his three acres as they begin planning their future home site too, which made the whole thing feel even sweeter.

We have plenty of cedar and hardwoods, but what was missing was pine. And I love pine trees. There is something timeless and peaceful about them.

Planting for a Future You May Never Fully See

As we were planting, I found myself thinking about how much of life is like that.

You do the work.
You plant the seed.
You show up for what matters.
And sometimes you do it knowing you may not get to enjoy the full result yourself.

Those trees will, Lord willing, grow tall and beautiful over the years. They will add depth and softness to the land. They will bring beauty, shelter, and shade. But if I’m honest, I may not get to fully see all of their potential in my lifetime.

And yet, I still wanted to plant them.

Because maybe that is part of what love does. Maybe that is part of what faith does too.

It plants anyway.

It chooses to invest in beauty, in hope, in legacy, in something that will bless the people coming after us. My hope is that those trees bring joy to my children, my grandchildren, and maybe even generations after them. There is something deeply beautiful about planting what you may never fully see bloom.

That feels a little like grace to me.

Not rushed.
Not self-serving.
Not demanding immediate results.

Just faithful.
Just steady.
Just willing to do something beautiful for the future.

Grace in the Changing Seasons

Maybe that is part of why grace has been on my heart lately too. Life has a way of reminding us that we are always moving through seasons.

Some seasons feel strong and full.
Some feel uncertain.
Some feel joyful.
Some feel like recovery.
And some feel like one long lesson in learning how to adjust.

Lately, I’ve been learning that in more ways than one.

On the beauty front, I tried a new foundation this week: Prime Prometics color-changing foundation for mature women. It goes on white, which honestly made me immediately skeptical. I thought, “Well this should be interesting.”

But to my surprise, I really liked it.

It matched beautifully, felt smooth, and sat nicely on my skin. Now, to be fair, it does say light to medium coverage and says it works best for fair to medium skin tones, so it may not be a perfect fit for everyone. But for me, it was a pleasant surprise.

As I get closer to 50, I am learning that I have to adapt and find products that work for my changing skin. What used to work so well years ago does not always work the same now. Skin changes. Texture changes. Dryness changes. And it seems like every time I look in the mirror, there is a new wrinkle saying hello like it pays rent here.

And honestly, that lesson is not just about makeup.

There are so many parts of life where what once worked does not work the same anymore. Routines shift. Priorities change. Our bodies change. Our energy changes. Sometimes even the way we carry our faith, our homes, and our responsibilities changes too.

And I think grace meets us there too.

Not in pretending things never changed.
Not in resisting every new season.
But in helping us adapt with humility, wisdom, and softness.

What Grace Looks Like Right Now

Sometimes grace looks like salvation and the deep, undeserved gift of what Christ has done for us.

Sometimes grace looks like being carried through a hard week.

Sometimes it looks like the warmth of the sun after you have been stuck inside sick for days.

Sometimes it looks like planting pine trees for a future you may not fully see.

Sometimes it looks like learning to embrace the season you are in instead of mourning the one you just left.

Sometimes it even looks like finding a foundation that does not make you look like a cracked lampshade by lunchtime.

Grace shows up in both the holy and the ordinary.

That is one of the things I love most about walking with God. He does not only meet us in the big, dramatic moments. He meets us in the small ones too. In beauty. In rest. In second chances. In sunlight. In new songs. In quiet reminders that we are loved, even here.

A Song on Repeat

I also heard a new song this week that I’ve had on repeat, and it felt especially fitting heading into Easter. It’s a collaboration between Brandon Lake and another artist I love, and it felt especially fitting heading into Easter week.

There is just something about the right song at the right time. Sometimes a song does what a whole conversation cannot. It settles your heart. It lifts your eyes. It reminds you of what is true.

And this week, that was one more little gift.

Music has a way of weaving itself into a season, and I have a feeling this one will always remind me of Easter week, sunshine, and grace.

A Gentle Reminder for This Week

If you are heading into Easter feeling tired, stretched thin, behind, uncertain, or just in need of a quiet reminder, maybe let this be it:

You do not have to earn grace.

You do not have to clean yourself up enough to deserve God’s love.

You do not have to prove your worth through hustle, perfection, or performance.

Grace is a gift.

And maybe, in this season, grace also looks like:
slowing down,
soaking in the sunshine,
making peace with change,
planting for the future,
and trusting that God is still at work in all the places you cannot yet see.

That is what I am carrying with me this week.

A little more gratitude.
A little more softness.
A little more trust.
And a whole lot of grace.