Inner Wintering

As winter approaches, I feel that familiar pull toward stillness. Learning to work with seasonal wisdom over the past several years has attuned my body to the rhythm of rest, reflection, and quieting the external noise. I sense it as a whisper from God, inviting in stillness as a reminder that Light shines through in our darkest seasons.

I still believe in the magic of this time of year as we dance between Thanksgiving and Christmas — the way it brings people together, softens the edges of the world with kindness, and stirs hope in even the most uncertain corners of life. Motherhood has only deepened how precious this time feels for me. I find myself ever more present to my kids’ sense of wonder, from the simple traditions like baking cookies in our home or the extra festivities like attending our community’s annual parade in our Christmas PJs.

Yesterday our Root and Rise crew joined a local church in handing out food to around 200 families in need. It was humbling to watch our kids’ eyes open as they placed bags of food in people’s cars. The questions they asked, the conversations it sparked, and even for us moms, the stirring of a sense of shared humanity. It was a small act, only taking one morning of our time, but what a wholesome way to kick off the season.

Side Note: Read more about our November Unit Study Recap here

For all of these reasons and more, this will always be a time I want to soak in. A season I want my kids to look back on and recall the foundational feelings of belonging, love, and purpose. Maybe you can relate?

This longing feels deeply connected to why I slow down each year. Winter invites us to breathe, create space, turn inward, reflect, get quiet, and draw close to what truly matters.

This month I’ve already begun pulling back from digital noise to create that space. I’ve given myself permission to loosen the grip on creating the ‘perfect’ holiday gifts, schedules, over the top crafts, and checking all the boxes, to instead lean into ‘being’.

I made this decision weeks ago — not because I struggle with social media, but because I could feel it was time again. And it’s no surprise that I already feel a shift. I feel more creative, more authentic, more connected, more present. Even in what still feels like the throws of the postpartum swirl and co-sleeping fog, my mornings feel easier. Movement has become accessible again. My home rhythm feels calmer, steadier. And I'm finding myself looking forward to the in-real-life connections with friends and family with refreshed energy.

 Perhaps most meaningfully, this turning inward has re-ignited my devotion to what matters most for me and my family in this season. There’s a gentle but deep unbecoming underway - relationships, dynamics, and patterns that just don’t fit anymore.  And as a mother, this work feels even more sacred — not just for my own well-being, but for the atmosphere I’m cultivating in our home. I’m very much in mama-bear-preparing-for-winter mode: smoothing the nest, tending to what’s worn, and pulling close to the little beings I get to walk through life with.

I'm also preparing to lead our Root and Rise group through a December Unit Study all about community and connection, because what better way to point these kids to the Love of God than to offer them a moment of grounding in nature and friendship inside each week of this coming month.

If you’re feeling that same tug toward inner wintering, I hope you follow it, too.