How to Run After the Harvest This Fall

Dear Sisters, what a summer it has been! Surely, I will post some of what I learned this summer in the upcoming months. To be candid, some of my summer was a question mark. I came up with a few blog post titles to give you a clue as to my summer of question marks:

How To Get Through A Very Hard Day

What To Do When You Don’t See Eye to Eye With a Very Close Friend

How To Be Vulnerable When Your Heart is Cracked Wide Open

How To Pick Up & Go On After Everything That Was Is Not

Other parts of my summer deserve a big exclamation mark!

My college boy was home. Woohoo! We got a hot tub! Yes! My gardener husband Eric warded off the second massive bee colony that set up shop in our backyard in the last six months. Phew! My nephew took his first steps! We adopted an old girl boxer who needed a home. What? Maybe that belongs up with the questions marks! lol

Our Old Girl Ginger

We Love You Summer & Now We Welcome Fall!

As the summer is coming to a quick close, I was inspired to think about the significance of the passing of more than half of 2023. After we moved my son into his new dorm last week, I had seven hours in the passenger seat to do many things I love like hunt and scroll through Pinterest clicking on interesting articles for organizing and planning, new recipes and faith based ideas for sisterhood and discipleship. Then, I began to write this Fall Harvest List and Calendar for you.

I think the last few Fall Bucket Lists are still fantastic – – and you can get them here. This season, however, instead of a Fall Bucket List, I wrote a Fall Harvest List that will help you take stock and plan to live intentionally in the coming Fall and Winter seasons. The goal is for you to run after the Fall Harvest – – no matter how far ahead the abundance may be! No matter how far away the fruit appears to be, go after it!

I also created a Fall Calendar for September, October and November that correlates to the Fall Harvest List. The Fall Harvest List is below and the Calendar is at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

Run After the Harvest – Even If It Feels Far Away

1. Muster up Mustard Seed Faith

      Even though the year is winding down, do the thing that you haven’t done yet with every drop of passion residing in your soul. You may be weary, tired, burdened, overwhelmed or sad. Even so, a mustard seed is all that you need to do the thing that needs to be done. Look in the James 1 mirror and do the thing God is showing you to do. 

      2. Fix Broken Things

          Whatever is broken that you are capable of fixing, get to it. Figuratively or Practically. Fix it. God empowers you to do what you can. He calls you to do what you can. No more. No less. He is fair in his calling to fix broken things.

          3. Declare Your Headspace

          While covered in the blood of Christ, inform Satan that he has no influence over your fears and doubts. God’s victory over your circumstances informs your mind’s thoughts. Check out from thoughts planted by the evil one. Refute suggestions that God doesn’t win. Declare that your headspace is governed by God’s goodness, his banner of love over you and his everlasting promises that do not return void. 

          4. Read More of the Word

          Psalm a day? Proverbs over a month? A chapter a day until the book is done? Believe that heaven rains down its glory when you soak in His word. Scripture scrolling, biblical books or other good reads are not an equal substitute for drenching yourself in the depths of his love written in word form. Be drawn to holiness and let the pull of the day wait patiently as you read more of the Word.

          5. Fine Tune Your Spiritual Disciplines

          Get serious about silence and solitude. What does God speak to you when He’s got you face to face, eye to eye and heart to heart? His love is greater than the roundest full moon, most ravenous ocean and the most thunderous mountain. He will tell you of his love if you will give him your undivided time.

          6. Be in the Moment

          The past is the past. Yesterday is gone. Five minutes ago is over. Set your mind on things above. Whatever is holy, meditate on that. The small, irritating things are passing. Let him lift your chin to higher ground. The invisible is eternal. Let your present moment be rooted in the unending love of Christ. 

          7. Get Stronger & Healthier

          The physical matters. We strengthen our minds with learning and acquired wisdom. We grow our souls to kindness, maturity and gratitude. Often, our physical body suffers neglect. Feed her well. Hydrate her. Challenge her to sweat beads and nourish her with sunshine. She will become a strong frame for your mind and soul. She has the power to encourage your mind and soul if you will attend to her. Choose strength and walk in health.

          8. Choose Smallness

          The world may sometimes appear that it is falling apart. Even so, the world needs you. Don’t give up or in to overwhelm. Choose a mindset of small where daily steps and acts matter. With intention, keep moving where God is moving. Your little will resonate and multiply in God’s hands. Take your small part in His redemption of the world.

          9. Be Open to Sisterhood

          Spend time with sisters who want to know you and show up for your deepest needs. We don’t always know the part of us that has need until someone looks in, takes our hand and speaks into the space that needs voice and community. Deep friendship is a practice of vulnerability and trust. Sisterhood can be a space where the unconditional love of Christ is revealed and reflected. Venture into sisterhood and see where it takes you.

          10. Embrace Yourself

          Choose to be a well watered garden. As much as we would like to be shade for others, refreshing to others, support for others, our efforts will be short lived if we are not well watered first. Immerse yourself in the water of the Holy Spirit. The second greatest commandment to love others can’t happen if you first do not love yourself. Be watered first my dear sister.

          11. Be Weak

          We can be molded when we are weak. When we are in need, we are most open to change. We desire strength when we don’t feel capable. Somewhere around ground zero, we have the potential to grow into strength. Allow yourself to be laid out and then let God grow you into the path of strong.

          12. Be Something New

          No one said you or your circumstances must remain the same. When it’s time to shift, do so. When it’s time to knock on a new door, lift your hand and begin. Spreading your wings and rising again is not just for the young or the risk takers. Newness is for you when the Lord calls. Be something new as He sings over you.

          Dear Sisters, run after the Fall Harvest – – no matter how far ahead the abundance may be! No matter how far away the fruit appears to be, go after it! I am running right there with you!

          Love, Sasha

          Continue Reading

          How to Begin the Summer Bucket List

          Dear friends, spring is winding down. Graduations and all the festivities are coming to a close. College kids are home. Little ones are gearing up for summer camp or slow days at home. Friends are starting to share their take off dates for vacations and staycations. Summer flow is upon us.

          This post is to invite you to include small intentional acts toward loving others and yourself, creativity and hospitality. I created a Summer Bucket List that I am excited to share.

          Most of you tell me that you pick about three things on the list that speak to you. I pray you are inspired and motivated to try a few of these bucket list items. Scroll down below for a pic of my first bucket list item and a link for instructions to create your own summer bucket list (or just click right here).

          Create a Space for Something You Love

          Teas have become quite an event for my daughter and me. We have been on a long string of obsession with Pistachio and Peony Purim Tea with Raw Honey and Vanilla Soy Milk. The electric tea kettle was on the opposite side of the counter from the mugs, honey and other good stuff. I made a small adjustment for ease. Remember the small things my friends.

          How To Create Your Own Bucket List

          If you’d rather write your own bucket list, click here to read How To Empower Your Everyday with a Seasonal Bucket List. You will find all of the steps and purpose you need to create a list that fits you, your friends and family perfectly.

          Love you dearly and will be in touch soon!


          Continue Reading

          How to Empower Your Everyday with a Seasonal Bucket List

          Today is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

          Psalm 118:18

          Isn’t that the truth?

          Isn’t it also true that most days are made of small movements and small actions that may or may not feel worthy of rejoicing?

          Both are true.

          Since both are true, I have a tried and true practice to share with you. My bucket lists get to the heart of everyday joy and gladness – – even when you have no great reason to rejoice or be glad.

          Bucket Lists!

          With bucket lists, we can intentionally choose to lean into Psalm 118 and build into our lives authentic happiness. We can light up the mundane, spark hope from burdens and shine rays of light into any day, week or month – – with the simple practice of creating and living out bucket lists.

          I create bucket lists based on the small things I may overlook or not include in my daily planner or in life in general. My four buckets are love, self care, creativity and hospitality. Here are my reasons why.

          Love

          I chose love because I never want to lose sight of loving others. Most of the time, expressing love to someone else takes the focus off yourself and expands your perspective. Whatever may be taking center stage in your own life can take a step back while you direct care to someone else.

          Self Care

          In the same way I don’t want to lose sight of loving others, I don’t want to neglect myself either. I have been down that awful road of neglect and desire to forget not the value of a strong mind and body. Self care is an essential element to my bucket lists.

          Creativity

          I have a taxing career. Law lends itself to deadlines and conflicts and has little mercy for human error. Moreover, work does a good job of yelling louder than the other areas of life. For that reason, I must make space for creativity. My joy comes from creating, sharing and filling needs in creative ways. My creative outlets allow positive energy to flow into my career and the rest of my life. Hence, including creativity as an element of my bucket list keeps me moving toward a balanced life.

          Hospitality

          Last, I believe deeply that Jesus was the most hospitable person who ever lived. He welcomed others from the heart. As follows, wherever he was, he gave invitations. To dinner. To fish. To spend time talking. To follow dreams. To encourage. To see. To walk. To preach. To make disciples. Heartful hospitality is one of the ways I seek to mirror Jesus. I use bucket lists to help me pursue that end.

          How To Create a Powerful Bucket List

          When I begin to write a bucket list, I start with the four buckets of love, self care, creativity and hospitality and intertwine them with the season of the year. I search for inspiration on Pinterest, in the books that I read and in the conversations I have. I sit with a journal and colorful pen. I scribble, cross out and write some more until I have a working list. I usually have 4-5 items within each bucket. At that point, I organize the items so that the list is cohesive and distributed evenly among the buckets.

          From there, I share with two or three friends to see what they think. After the feedback, I make a few changes and head to Canva to create a design.

          Build Your Life with Bucket Lists

          The truth is that not every day may lend itself to rejoicing and gladness. Despite that, we can lean into Psalm 118 and build happiness into our lives.

          Today is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

          Psalm 118:18

          As a practice, I clip my bucket list into my daily planner. I glance at the list from time to time and check off, with joy, the little things that I have done to make life sweet in every season.

          Now that it’s the end of January, I’m sharing my bucket list progress update. More pics to come as I work through my New Year Bucket List.

          Intentional joy matters. I would love to hear how you are pursuing joy in your own life. Share in the comments below or email me at sasha@sashaakatz.com.

          If you missed the New Year Bucket List, here it is again.

          Love,

          Sasha

          Continue Reading

          New Year Discovery: How To Begin Strong

          My bucket lists are intentional guides to help you live out love, self care, creativity and hospitality in every season.

          The New Year Bucket List reflects a trajectory of aspirations for this coming year. Think growth for your physical body. Loving others through acts of kindness. Creating space for your longings. Using lists for joy and not judgment.

          I pray that this New Year Bucket List will help you grow more fully into the purposeful woman you aspire to be.

          Embrace Growth in the New Year!

          Links

          SuzanneStabile.com

          ArtofTea.com

          Hydration Fizzies from Steph

          Cute Gifts & Food Gifts Pinterest Boards

          Email Me for Help with Starting Something – Sasha@SashaAKatz.com

          Continue Reading