“Did you get moved in?” A friend and I were catching up briefly while walking down the center aisle of the church, toward big blue doors that open to busy London streets. The last stragglers to leave the building, she stopped and looked me before responding. And what she said next made me smile on the inside.

After explaining how the rooms of her flat were cluttered with boxes and a hurricane of clutter — the result of moving due to fire that damaged her building — she admitted walking away from a mountain of work to rest instead. Laughter erupted between us.

I know why she wasn’t stressed out after a house move and why that unusual choice of rest over organizing a new home is easy for her. And I understand why you may assume laughter in the midst of upheaval seems like an irrational response and possible denial.

Rest and love are connected. My friend knows that she is loved. That’s why she can laugh in the midst of uncertainty.

Push, hurry, and hustle are often fueled by the subversive message we tell ourselves that sounds something like this: I am unlovable. My worth is based on measurable outcomes therefore I must produce.

The truth?

Join me for the remainder of the story here. I’m visiting Mary Bonner today, adding my voice to her series this month that asks the question, “What does love look like?”

Psst! You may have assumed I’d given up blogging for Lent, it’s been so quiet here. But things are anything but quiet in my world. Connect with me daily on Instagram and on Facebook when I am absent in your inbox!