Seasons

 

Hey, friend. 

Seasons will come when life is hard. 

Seasons will come when life is busy. 

Seasons of sickness. Seasons of grief. 

In those seasons, it’s ok if all you can get done is the bare minimum. Hear me-friend, your worth is NOT found in the rhythm. It isn’t found in the curriculum. It isn’t found in checking boxes. And it isn’t even found in putting on a happy face. 

I read a piece of advice right before I entered a season that was difficult. It was a time that I didn’t see coming, and it knocked me off my feet. Those words came back to me full force, and I’d like to share them with you now. 

“Andrea acknowledged that while she couldn’t be the kind of homeschooler she wanted to be during this season, she knew she could do enough. 

‘When I did nothing but lie on the floor near my three children while they played, I did enough. When our day consisted of making cookies and reading picture books, I did enough. When I cried in front of them because it was impossible not to, I did enough….’ 

She said that what her children saw and learned during that difficult season cannot be measured by any standardized test. “They saw what love really looks like,’ Andrea said.” 

-Ainsley Arment, The Call of the Wild + Free 

She goes on to say that her children learned what true healthy grief, friendship, and compassion looked like in the face of a hard season. 

And friend, isn’t that why we choose this path? 

To foster a relationship with our children. To live life with them. To show them what it means to choose to love each other. 

Seasons of joy will come. 

The rhythm of your day and curriculum will be there when you are ready. 

Your worth is found in Jesus. Turn to Him in those difficult times. Whether it’s a hard day, a few weeks, or a long term hardship, He is where your comfort will be found. The hardships will still come-we are assured of that. But it’s how you live through those seasons. 

It is ok to be sad. It’s ok to grieve. Friend-it’s even ok to be angry for a time. He knows your thoughts and isn’t surprised by them. But turn to Him. 

Love your family in those hard days. Even if that looks like laying on the floor next them while they play. 

“Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭

My Phony Valentine

Fake Dating.

That should be enough to get you to pick up this book. It's my favorite trope, and Courtney Walsh writes it extremely well. From the very first meet-cute between Dallas-a star hockey player with a bad reputation, and Poppy-a restaurant owner with a broken heart, there were so many swoon worthy moments that I was smiling like a giddy school-girl throughout the whole book.

One of the main things I enjoyed about this book, other than the practice kisses, was that Poppy felt like an everyday woman. Often times, books can have a main character that feels...unattainable. But Poppy-she was quirky. She was funny. She was self-conscious. Sometimes she said things without thinking. She was likeable. It was a breath of fresh air, and I am here for it!

Dallas and Poppy had some hard background stories, and the characters had to work through those. But it wasn't overwhelming. It did NOT make me want to put the book down and cry for hours at the tragedy. I felt heartbroken for them, but not brought to my depths-if that makes sense. Courtney wrote them beautifully and had the characters work through their pasts in a light-hearted, but real, way. Even the side characters were so well developed that I hope the author has plans to give them their own stories. 😉😉

And without spoiling it, I did not see one of the ending scenes coming. I love when a story surprises me! And this one surprised me in a laugh out loud way.

Do not let the word Valentine deter you. It was a sweet romantic comedy-perfect for all year round!

If I could give this book 100 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would. 

Content Warnings: A hockey locker room scene with nudity. 

About the Book:

A chance meeting. A hunky hockey player. A fake romance.

Hardly an ordinary day in the life of Poppy Hart.

My days usually consist of agonizing over my failing restaurant, worrying about my mountain of debt and nursing my broken heart.

Everything changes when I bump into a man in the coffee shop and claim him as my new boyfriend. To my absolute horror, he turns out to be hockey’s most renowned bad boy, Dallas Burke. To my absolute delight, he goes along with my story.

When his no-nonsense manager and meddling grandmother jump in the picture, they see a win-win solution for my failing restaurant and Dallas’s less-than-stellar reputation.

A full-fledged fake romance complete with contract negotiations, pretend dates and phony PDA.

But as I get to know the real Dallas Burke, who is not the man the press says he is, it becomes clear that if this isn’t real. . . someone better tell it to my heart.

Author: Courtney Walsh

Book Title: My Phony Valetine

Publisher: Sweethaven Press

Publication Date: February 8, 2023

**I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own honest thoughts.