It’s not often that I reflect on the past in comparison to where I am now. Part of me clings to superstition—this idea that acknowledging progress might somehow invite setback, as if gratitude tempts fate.
I know in my soul that God doesn’t work this way. But in my human nature, I sometimes catch myself wondering, “When will the other shoe drop?”
Yet I also know our God calls us to peace—to live in faith, wrapped in the loving grace of His presence.
And in that moment, as I breathed in the sweet scent of jasmine, I was able to truly pause and appreciate the journey. The winding, angled path that’s brought me here.
My loving God, I thank You for this moment. This present. This what is.
I don’t take it for granted. I don’t assume I’m “in the clear.”
But I felt the cool air on my face. I watched the trees sway in silent worship. And in my heart, I gave You praise.
Lord, I am grateful—grateful for it all.
For my past.
For my now.
For my eternal soul.
All this, God—
Because I smelled the jasmine.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
—Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
