Welcome to Saving My Life!

Hello and welcome, I’m so glad you’re here!

What’s this Saving My Life thing about? Are you okay?

Every February Anne Bogel posts on Modern Mrs. Darcy what’s saving her life that winter. She says,

“The idea comes from Barbara Brown Taylor’s wonderful memoir Leaving Church. In it, Taylor tells the story of when she was invited to speak at a gathering, and her host assigned the topic: ‘Tell us what is saving your life right now.’

It’s a good question. Most of us know what’s killing us, and can articulate it, if asked. But few of us pay attention to what’s giving us life. The question invites you to do just that.

Taylor says it’s too good a question not to revisit from time to time, and I agree.”

I agree too! And I’ve found it to be SUCH a good question that I ask it every week, and I jot down SML next to things in my journal as I go.

Thing is, if you tell me to “be positive” or even just to count my blessings or make a gratitude list, I’m probably going to get snarky at you, if only in my head. (And that’s in spite of having a gratitude list!) It feels fake, like we’re denying or ignoring any grief or pain and plastering on a smile. Like, if we just look at all the good! Then the bad will cease to exist or to be sad or maddening! But if you ask me what’s saving my life right now, I end up focusing on the good, true, and beautiful, while still leaving space for the fact that my life needs saving.

It’s not just COVID, though there's certainly that. No, there’s been grief and loss, and there’s been depression, and all the crazy that goes with raising kids, much as I love them and am immensely grateful for them. So I try to cling to what is good, and give myself grace when I fail even at that.

So at some point I started thinking about a new blog and a newsletter that shared what’s saving my life, hoping it would be helpful for other people, too. Here and there, in the midst of parenting and COVID and Netflix and All the Things, I’ve been working behind the scenes on the tech and on this, that, and the other thing. Then I realized meanwhile I could go ahead and post on Instagram. Then, last week, I came across Substack and decided LET’S USE IT LET’S GO! THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY LIFE, SUBSTACK!

I don’t have all the answers or any instant fixes, much as I wish I did. But I hope, if these little things, one by one, are saving my life, maybe they could save your life, too. No pressure! What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. But I hope that you’ll be able to take one or two truly lifegiving ideas from this.

I write as a Christian; if you’re not, it won’t matter at all for some of the things I share, but will be central to others. Use what you can and leave the rest, no guilt. I’m here to give you digital cups of cold water in Jesus’ name, regardless of who you are. I’m not here to argue with you about whether or not what I gave you was actually cool and refreshing. If it wasn’t, if it was the last thing you needed, I’m so sorry! I will try to do better.

I also post what’s saving my life over on Instagram, somewhere between daily and weekly. You can hop on over there now, or just wait for this newsletter here in your inbox or on the website.

Please, reply with any questions, comments, requests, anything at all. This may be what’s saving my life, but you’re the reason I write about it. If you think this email was TERRIBLE and I shouldn’t send it ever again to any new subscribers, let me know!

I’m a peer, not a professional, so I’m pretty much making this all up as I go. As Emily Freeman says, “pick what you like, then see how it grows.” But this is for you, so I need your feedback to know how it’s growing for you. Or if there are some nasty weeds in there, or anything you’re allergic to. :D

Love in Christ,

Marcy

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