As I sit writing this morning, rain is falling outside.

It is still very dark. Lightning flashes every so often, followed by the low rumble of thunder.

This isn’t my favorite kind of weather… It tends to make me feel a little sad, a little reflective, a little quiet.

And perhaps that is fitting.

My birthday is on Monday.

Another year.
Another chapter.
Another opportunity to pause and take stock.

At the beginning of this month, I shared that I was choosing to focus on gifts.

Today, as I sit on the edge of a new year of life, I find myself reflecting on the many gifts I have already received.

Not the gifts wrapped in paper and ribbon.

The gifts that have shaped my life.

The gift of motherhood – three beautiful children who have challenged me, stretched me, humbled me, and filled my life with more love than I could have imagined.

The gift of family and friendships – people who have celebrated with me, cried with me, encouraged me, corrected me, and walked beside me through seasons both beautiful and difficult.

The gift of ideas – business ideas, book ideas, workshop ideas. Dreams and visions that have taken root and grown into opportunities to serve others.

The gift of purpose – the quiet knowing that my experiences, skills, and story can be used to help others live more intentionally.

And for all of these gifts, I am grateful, but as I reflected, I realized there are other gifts too…

The gifts hidden within life’s lessons.

Every week, through these Self-Care Saturday reflections, I write about ordinary moments that reveal extraordinary truths.

A conversation.
A disappointment.
A mistake.
A challenge.
A moment of joy.

The lessons are not always easy, but they are gifts nonetheless.

Some taught me resilience.

Some taught me courage.

Some taught me boundaries.

Some taught me how to let go.

Some taught me how to trust.

Many of the things I once wished I could avoid became the very experiences that shaped me into who I am today.

And for those gifts, too, I am grateful.

Then there are the gifts that have not yet arrived.

The prayers still being answered.

The opportunities I cannot yet see.

The relationships I have not yet formed.

The places I have not yet visited.

The impact I have not yet made.

The doors that God, in His perfect timing, will open.

There is comfort in knowing that my story is still being written. That there are blessings still unfolding.

That God is not finished with me yet.

And finally, I think about the gifts within me. The gifts that were placed there by design.

The gifts that are meant to be shared.

The encouragement I offer through coaching.

The lessons I share through writing.

The conversations that help women find clarity, confidence, and courage.

The books… The workshops….The dreams that continue to evolve.

Not gifts to keep – Gifts to give.

Scripture Reminds Us

In Matthew 10:8:

“Freely you have received; freely give.”

As I prepare to celebrate another birthday, I find myself less focused on what I want and more focused on what I have already been given.

Because the truth is, my life is rich with gifts.

Some arrived as blessings.

Some arrived as lessons.

Some are still on their way.

And some are already within me, waiting to be shared.

Today, I choose gratitude.

Not because life has been perfect.

But because God has been good.

And when I look closely, I can see gifts everywhere.

Reflection

What gifts have you already received that you may have overlooked?

What lessons have revealed themselves as gifts in disguise?

And what gifts within you are waiting to be shared with the world?

May we have eyes to recognize the gifts we have already been given and faith to trust the gifts still to come.

Until next Saturday!

Love, Talisha