About the Author

Kayla Craig is the author of “To Light Their Way" and "Every Season Sacred" and creator of Liturgies for Parents. A former journalist, she’s adamant about paying attention and staying curious. She writes the popular "Year of Breath" devotional newsletter and lives in Iowa with her husband and four wild,...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Being able to name our specific needs has become easier the longer I walk with Jesus. Yet the really cool thing is He has always known what my needs & wants sre before I do. And He is able to meet those needs & wants in ways beyond my imagination. In the wait sometimes required for those answers to come I can trust His love for me! Thanks for sharing Kayla! Blessings!
    PS Happy birthday, this month!

  2. Yesterday was my birthday. My husband was supposed to come home from the hospital but no, a few more days for tests. I did not cancel the gathering at my daughter’s apt. Six of us ate, laughed, watched one of my favorite movies and I found myself getting lost in the white lights and silver garland around her ceiling. She spent all day Sunday scrubbing, decorating and organizing for me. I hung my evening conversation with ornaments of hope in front of unbelievers and believers. His plans for my birthday were not mine and ended with joy, the Advent candle my church just lit.
    Thank you. I needed your words.

  3. Our birthday should be a special day. We may not always be able to celebrate it the way we wish but hopefully we all have people in our lives who acknowledge it one way or another.

    I know a couple whose wedding day happened to fall on the same day as a celebration was held for a milestone reached by the senior pastor and people who had already committed to that were thus unable to attend the wedding. Such is life sometimes!

  4. My birthday is on Friday. This longing and sometimes, admittedly, resentment is something I feel every year around my birthday. I spend so much time anticipating and wishing for someone to surprise me and go out of their way to make me feel special and celebrated. This article was exactly what I needed. A reminder that I can and should name what I want and trust that the God who created me will fill my heart no matter what my birthday looks like. Thank you for sharing this!

  5. My birthday is a few days after Christmas. It is a milestone this year. A BIG one. As an adult, I never cared much for celebrating any of my birthdays. Perhaps, I was too exhausted from the month-long festivities that seem to start every year at Thanksgiving and run me ragged until Christmas. All I ever wanted for my birthday was peace and quiet. This year, that peace and quiet comes with the added sting of knowing that plans made will not come to pass and I will be very much alone. I know God is still writing my story. This is not how I expected my second half to begin.

  6. I always baked my own birthday cake and was more than happy with pizza. Or so I said. But after having thrown surprise parties for my husband on his significant birthdays, and for my children, I had hope the same for me. Well, for my 60th, my husband tried to do something for me where I worked (at a school). He ordered a cake, got the paper plates, and the staff was already to have an “emergency staff meeting.” And then the blizzard came and it was early release- February in Maine is like that. I still got my pizza (take out) and an entire cake to eat. The following Sunday, he had planned a repeat with our church family. Well, storm number 2 arrived and worship was cancelled. That was the last birthday planned for me. I have since had other significant birthdays and now that I am a widow and live far from my children, weather permitting I ask friends to join me for pizza or more likely, I heat up a frozen pizza and celebrate all by myself! It is what it is. And I now look back at the ill fated birthday and laugh. And even if I am sitting alone having a pizza, I count my blessings and know that I am loved.

  7. I love this post, Kayla. Both my daughter and grandson have December birthdays. I have worked really hard over the years to not allow their birthdays to be muddled together with Christmas festivities. Some years, in spite of my best efforts, others just didn’t share in those efforts. I get it, as you stated it’s hard to compete with the birth of our Savior. One year friends brought gifts to our daughter’s pink and purple decorated party wrapped in Christmas gift wrap. I cringed when I saw it but didn’t say a word. My daughter on the other hand took one look at them and said genuinely, why are these Christmas presents? I quickly tried to smooth things over by politely saying something like, that’s okay honey, it’s not the wrapping, it’s the thoughtfulness of bringing you a gift! Thankfully she moved on and focused on her presents, she was only about 6, but her attention to this detail actually makes me feel like she noticed the efforts I made to make her birthday special.

    I love your statement that we’re not doing anyone (our friends, our family, ourselves) any favors by not tending to our own needs. I’ve only come to realize this now that I am in my fifties. This is SO vitally important. When I am not taking care of me, I am not a good wife, mom, nonni, co-worker, etc. Thank you so much for this reminder today!

    Christine

  8. Kayla love this post. We can get any time of the year. Especially this time of year where we care about others than ourselves. As we can get we feel they need our help more than we do. We forget about ourselves. We if we don’t take care of ourselves too. We can become ill. Then no good to anyone. Yes it good to take care of others. Like Jesus takes care of us. But he did take time also rest and be about his Father’s business. Even though he cared for others. Jesus always thought of his needs too. I found I have to do that too. As I took unwell thinking of my elderly Dad and thinking to rest myself. It was good lesson for me. God said to me Dawn you can think of your elderly Dad and help him. But you have too take time out for yourself too. Or you end up ill again. I don’t want that. So this post has spoke to me. Thank you for it. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx

  9. I love this encouragement. I often don’t get appreciated so I end up appreciating myself. Our Lord God Durant forget Me. He always loves me.

  10. Happy Birthday Kayla! I too, along with a grandson, nephew and cousin share a birthday, like Jesus, in December. My parents always made my birthday special. Each year we went to the Christmas tree farm and got our tree. My “party” was usually tree decorating, Christmas music and if I was really lucky Charlie Brown was on….yay.
    I know many don’t care for a Dec birthday, but I love it. My husband shares the same birthday date as Elvis. My daughter Madonna…and the list can go on and on….but WE December babies share the month with Jesus. WE get to celebrate Him \0/
    It doesn’t get any better than that. Back burner here I come….lol

  11. Kayla,

    Happy Birthday sweet sister!! I have a brother-in-law that shares his birthday with Jesus-yep Dec. 25th.

    Lysa Terkeurst said it best in her book Your Best Yes: “Saying yes to everyone & everything won’t make you wonder woman. It will make you a worn out woman.” We need to put margin in our lives & soul care on the calendar. God expects us to care for ourselves. He wants us to nurture our souls. Take time to be with Him daily. Go ahead name your needs & splurge on yourself.

    Blessings 🙂