Be still and know that God is here

 

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

9 August 2026

Today’s readings feel incredibly personal to me because they speak about something I think many of us experience, the moments when we are tired, afraid, overwhelmed and simply trying to find our way through.

In the first reading, Elijah is exhausted and afraid. He has reached a place where he simply has nothing left. And yet, God does not come to him in the wind, the earthquake or the fire. God comes in a gentle whisper.

There is something incredibly beautiful about that.

I think there are times in life when we want God to shout the answer at us. We want Him to make everything clear. We want a sign that tells us what is going to happen and assures us that everything will be alright.

But perhaps God is often speaking much more quietly than that.

Sometimes His voice comes when everything around us finally becomes quiet.

Sometimes it is a Scripture passage that touches something deep inside us.

Sometimes it is a conversation with someone that arrives at exactly the right moment.

Sometimes it is simply that quiet feeling in our hearts that tells us, “You are going to be okay. Keep going.”

And sometimes, when we are carrying things that nobody else can fully see, God does not take the burden away immediately. Instead, He quietly gives us the strength to carry it.

I have come to realize that being tired does not mean I am failing. Feeling afraid does not mean I have lost faith. Having moments when I question, cry, struggle or wonder what God is doing does not mean that He has abandoned me.

Perhaps those are precisely the moments when I need to become still enough to recognize that He is already there.

Then the Gospel brings us into the middle of a storm.

The disciples are in the boat. The wind is strong. The waves are frightening. Everything around them is unsettled.

And then Jesus comes towards them.

He does not wait until the sea is calm.

He comes to them in the storm.

And His words are so simple:

“Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

How many times have I needed to hear those words?

Not because the storms in my life have always been dramatic, but because sometimes the storm is simply everything happening inside my heart. The questions. The uncertainty. The things I cannot change. The people I miss. The disappointments. The moments when I feel emotionally tired and wonder how much more I can carry.

And yet, Jesus says, “It is I.”

Not “I will explain everything.”

Not “I will make everything happen the way you want.”

Just, “It is I.”

I am here.

And perhaps that is enough.

Then there is Peter.

I find myself seeing so much of my own faith in him.

Peter has the courage to step out of the boat. He takes that first step towards Jesus, trusting Him enough to do something that seems impossible.

But then he looks at the wind.

And suddenly, what he is facing becomes bigger than the One he is following.

How often do I do that?

I can have faith one moment, feeling certain that God is guiding me, and then I look at everything happening around me and fear takes over. I start thinking about what could go wrong. I focus on what I cannot control. I become overwhelmed by the waves instead of looking at Jesus.

And I begin to sink.

But what gives me hope is that Peter does not have to get himself back to Jesus.

He simply cries out,

“Lord, save me!”

And Jesus immediately reaches out His hand.

Immediately.

That word means so much to me.

Jesus does not wait for Peter to become stronger.

He does not wait for Peter to stop being afraid.

He does not tell Peter to swim harder.

He reaches out His hand.

Perhaps that is what I need to remember most.

When I am strong, God is there.

When I am weak, God is there.

When I am confident, God is there.

When I am frightened and uncertain, God is there.

When I understand what He is doing, God is there.

And when I have absolutely no idea what He is doing, God is still there.

Maybe faith is not about never sinking.

Maybe faith is knowing who to call when we do.

Today, I am reminded that I do not need to have every answer. I do not need to know what tomorrow will bring. I do not need to understand why some things happen the way they do.

I just need to keep looking towards Jesus.

To take the next step.

To trust Him with the things I cannot fix.

To be still when I want to panic.

To listen when I want answers.

And to remember that silence does not mean absence.

Because God may not always come in the wind, the earthquake or the fire.

Sometimes He comes in a whisper.

Sometimes He comes through another person.

Sometimes He comes through a moment of unexpected peace.

And sometimes He simply reaches out His hand when we are sinking.

So tonight, I want to hold onto this:

Be still.

Listen.

Look towards Jesus.

And when the wind becomes too loud, remember His words:

“Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

I may not know what lies ahead.

I may not understand every chapter of my life.

I may still have moments when I feel tired, frightened or unsure.

But I am learning that I do not have to walk through any of it alone.

The God who found Elijah in his exhaustion is the same God who came to Peter in the storm.

And the same Jesus who reached out His hand to Peter is still reaching out to me.

Perhaps today, that is all the reassurance my heart needs.

God is here.

Even in the silence.

Even in the waiting.

Even in the storm.

Even when I am afraid.

He is here.

----

Reflective question: How will I make time and space today to notice His quiet presence?

Today, I want to make space by slowing down.

I know how easy it is to fill every moment with noise, thoughts, plans and responsibilities, but perhaps God is inviting me to stop trying to fill every silence and simply be present.

I want to give myself moments today where I put everything down, take a breath and allow my heart to become quiet enough to listen. Not necessarily looking for a big sign or an obvious answer, but being open to the little ways God may remind me that He is near.

Maybe His quiet presence will come through a moment of peace, a Scripture that speaks directly to my heart, a conversation, a memory, or simply that gentle feeling that tells me I am not alone.

Today, I want to stop looking so much for God in the extraordinary and start recognizing Him in the ordinary.

I want to be still long enough to hear the whisper.

God is already here. I just need to become quiet enough to notice.

Movie Recommendation: The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)

 

I finally had the chance to watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 and I have to say, it was one of the movies I had been looking forward to the most this year. Like many people, I absolutely loved the original. It was one of those rare films that blended humour, ambition, friendship and personal growth so effortlessly that it became an instant classic. Walking into the cinema, I knew the sequel had some very big shoes to fill, and I am happy to say I genuinely enjoyed the experience.

One of my biggest concerns before watching was whether it would simply rely on nostalgia. Thankfully, it did much more than that. While there were plenty of familiar faces and moments that reminded me why I loved the original, the story also felt fresh enough to stand on its own. It acknowledged how much the world has changed, especially within the fashion industry, while still staying true to the characters that audiences have grown to love over the years.

Meryl Streep once again proved why she is one of the greatest actresses of our time. Miranda Priestly remains as commanding, intelligent and intimidating as ever, yet there are moments where you see another side of her. Those subtle moments are what make her character so fascinating. She is not simply a demanding boss. She is a woman who has spent decades building a legacy, and you cannot help but admire her determination, even if you do not always agree with her choices.

It was also wonderful seeing Anne Hathaway return. Andy has clearly grown since the first film, and I enjoyed seeing how life has shaped her over the years. One of the things I appreciated most was that the sequel did not pretend people stay the same forever. Careers evolve, priorities change and life has a way of teaching us lessons that no job ever could. That felt authentic, and I found myself connecting with those themes more now than I probably would have years ago.

The fashion, as expected, was absolutely stunning. Every scene seemed carefully crafted, from the wardrobe choices to the beautifully designed sets. Even if you are not someone who follows fashion trends, there is something incredibly satisfying about watching the creativity and artistry that goes into every detail. Fashion has always been more than clothes to me. It is another form of storytelling, and this movie reminds us of that.

What I enjoyed most, however, was that beneath all the glamour was a story about people. It explored ambition, purpose, loyalty and the sacrifices we sometimes make in pursuit of success. Those themes resonated with me because they are things many of us experience in different ways throughout our lives. Success can look impressive on the outside, but it often comes with difficult decisions that nobody else sees.

As someone who enjoys creativity, branding and building meaningful projects, I found myself paying attention to more than just the storyline. I appreciated how the movie explored leadership, adapting to change and remaining relevant in a constantly evolving world. Those lessons extend far beyond the fashion industry. They apply to business, personal growth and life in general.

I also found myself reflecting on how much the world has changed since the first movie was released. Social media, digital content creators and online publications have completely transformed the landscape. The sequel embraces these changes without losing the elegance and sophistication that made the original so memorable. It feels modern while still respecting its roots, which is not an easy balance to achieve.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was the chemistry between the cast. It never felt forced. The conversations flowed naturally, and there were moments that made me smile, moments that made me laugh and even moments that made me stop and think. Those are the kinds of films I enjoy most. They entertain you while quietly leaving you with something to reflect on long after the credits have rolled.

Of course, no sequel will ever completely replace the magic of the original, and I never expected it to. Instead, I looked at it as the next chapter in a story that many of us have loved for years. In that sense, I think it succeeded. It respected what came before while giving the characters room to grow and evolve.

Would I recommend The Devil Wears Prada 2? Absolutely. Whether you are a fan of the original or someone who simply enjoys character driven stories with strong performances and beautiful visuals, I think it is worth watching. It is entertaining, thoughtful and beautifully put together.

Walking out of the cinema, I found myself smiling because it felt like catching up with old friends after many years apart. That is not something every sequel manages to achieve. For me, The Devil Wears Prada 2 delivered an enjoyable, stylish and meaningful experience that reminded me why I fell in love with these characters in the first place. It may not be perfect, but it is certainly a movie I am glad I watched, and one I would happily recommend to anyone looking for a film that offers far more than beautiful clothes and sharp dialogue.

Times of Refreshing

 

There are seasons in life when our souls become weary. Seasons where we continue to show up, continue to serve, continue to smile, yet deep within our hearts, we quietly long for renewal. We carry memories, disappointments, unanswered prayers, fears, and wounds that only God truly understands.

For a long time, I wondered when my own season of refreshing would come.

Then I was reminded of the beautiful promise found in Acts 3:19:

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."

The Bible does not say that refreshing comes from our own strength, our own plans, or our ability to fix everything ourselves. It comes from the Lord.

And sometimes, God sends that refreshing through the most unexpected blessings.

Sometimes, He sends a person.

I never imagined that one of the greatest gifts God would bring into my life would come through someone I never expected to meet. There was no grand announcement, no obvious sign that this person would become such an important part of my journey. It simply began as an unexpected connection that slowly grew into something incredibly meaningful.

Looking back now, I can see that God was already preparing the way long before I knew it.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us:

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart."

For so long, I struggled to understand why certain things happened the way they did. Why some people had to leave. Why some chapters ended. Why certain prayers seemed to take so long to be answered.

But God's timing is different from ours.

We often see only the broken pieces scattered around us. God sees the entire picture.

He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end.

He knows the people who need to enter our lives, and He knows the exact moment when our hearts will finally be ready to receive them.

This person came into my life and somehow made everything feel lighter.

Not because they erased my past.

Not because they changed who I was.

But because they reminded me that my story was never finished.

They brought laughter into places where there had once been sadness. They brought calm into moments where there had been fear. They brought reassurance when my mind was filled with doubts. They brought peace when my heart had forgotten what feeling safe truly meant.

Some people enter your life and simply become part of your story.

Others enter your life and help rewrite the way you see the story.

This person has been that gift.

There is something incredibly special about finding someone whose heart understands yours. Someone who sees beyond the surface. Someone who does not judge your scars but honours the journey that created them.

I have come to understand that a soul mate is not only defined by a relationship status. A soul mate is someone whose presence brings you closer to becoming the person God created you to be.

Someone who encourages your growth.

Someone who celebrates your victories.

Someone who stands beside you through your struggles.

Someone who reminds you of God's love when you temporarily forget.

No matter what the future holds, and no matter what label the world may place on our relationship, I believe we are soul mates.

Because some connections are not simply about what we receive from another person.

They are about who we become because they walked into our lives.

When I look back at my life, I sometimes feel as though this person was the missing puzzle piece I never knew I was searching for.

Not because I was incomplete.

God has always been working within me.

But because this person brought something into my life that I did not realize I needed.

They brought a sense of balance.

They brought encouragement.

They brought a reminder that life could still hold beautiful surprises.

It is like looking at a puzzle where most of the picture is already complete, but one piece is missing. You can still see the beauty of the image, but when that final piece falls into place, suddenly everything feels clearer.

That is what this connection has felt like.

A reminder that God knows exactly what belongs in our lives and exactly when it belongs there.

Through this journey, this person has helped me reset.

They have helped me reset my thoughts when fear tried to take over.

They have helped me reset my expectations when disappointment made me guarded.

They have helped me reset my heart when past pain made me afraid to hope again.

Most importantly, they have helped restore my sense of peace.

Psalm 23 has always been a powerful reminder of God's presence:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul."

For many years, my soul felt tired.

But God, in His kindness, led me beside quiet waters again.

He reminded me that I did not have to live forever in survival mode.

He reminded me that healing was possible.

He reminded me that peace could return.

And He used this person as one of the ways He brought that refreshing into my life.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that the heart is capable of carrying more love than we often believe.

For a long time, I wondered if opening my heart again meant I was somehow letting go of those I have lost.

I wondered if finding happiness again meant I was forgetting the people who shaped me.

But God showed me something beautiful.

Love is not limited.

Love is not replaced.

Love expands.

I can continue to love those who are no longer physically beside me.

I can continue to treasure the memories, lessons, and moments they gave me.

I can continue to honour the people who helped shape me into who I am today.

And I can also make room in my heart to love someone new.

Both can exist.

Both can be true.

The people who came before are not erased by the people who come after.

They are part of the foundation.

Their love helped build the person I am today, and any person who truly cares for me must also honour that history.

And that is exactly what makes this person so special.

They do not ask me to forget my past.

They respect it.

They understand that the people I miss are not competition.

They are part of my story.

They understand that grief is not something to fix but something to walk alongside.

They have shown me that there are still good, kind, genuine people in this world.

People who do not come into your life to take from you.

People who come into your life to walk beside you.

People who respect your journey.

People who encourage your healing.

People who remind you that you are still worthy of love.

As I look ahead, I see so many possibilities.

I do not know exactly what God has planned for tomorrow, but I trust the One who holds tomorrow.

Jeremiah 29:11 says:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God's plans have always been greater than mine.

There were moments when I thought certain doors closing meant my story was ending.

But God was simply preparing a new chapter.

There were moments when I thought certain prayers were unanswered.

But God was simply preparing the right answer at the right time.

There were moments when I thought my heart would never feel peace again.

But God was reminding me that He restores what is broken.

Today, I look back and see that every season had purpose.

Every heartbreak taught me something.

Every goodbye created space.

Every difficult moment brought me closer to understanding God's love.

And then, in His perfect timing, He brought a refreshing I never expected.

A person who reminds me that life can still be beautiful.

A person who reminds me that love can still be safe.

A person who reminds me that God is not finished writing my story.

Whatever the future holds, I will always be grateful for this soul connection.

Because some people are not accidents.

Some meetings are not coincidences.

Some blessings arrive exactly when God knows we need them most.

And sometimes, God's greatest times of refreshing come through a person who quietly walks into your life, helps you heal, helps you grow, and reminds you that after every difficult season, there is always hope.

Because God makes all things beautiful in His time.

Come to God, who never disappoints

The readings for this 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time remind me of one of the greatest lessons I have had to learn in my own faith journey: only God can truly satisfy the deepest hunger of our hearts.

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah gives us one of the most beautiful invitations from God:

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the water; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!" (Isaiah 55:1)

What touches me about this invitation is that God does not say, “Come when you have everything together.” He does not say, “Come when you are strong enough, worthy enough, or have solved all your problems.” He simply says, “Come.”

This reminds me that God desires us exactly as we are. There have been seasons in my life where I felt tired, overwhelmed, and empty. Moments of grief, disappointment, and uncertainty made me question how I would find strength to continue. There were times when I looked for answers everywhere else, hoping that people, achievements, or circumstances could fill the spaces in my heart.

But God gently reminded me that the hunger I carried was not something the world could satisfy.

Isaiah continues:

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare." (Isaiah 55:2)

How often do we spend our energy chasing things that leave us empty? We seek approval from others, we worry about what people think of us, we try to prove our worth, and we hold onto things that God is asking us to surrender.

Yet God offers something far greater. He offers peace that circumstances cannot take away. He offers love that does not disappear when life becomes difficult. He offers hope even when we cannot see what lies ahead.

The Gospel continues this message through the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. When Jesus saw the crowds, Matthew tells us:

"He had compassion on them and healed their sick." (Matthew 14:14)

Before Jesus performed the miracle, He first saw the people. He saw their needs. He saw their hunger. He saw their brokenness. This reminds me that God is not distant from our struggles. He is a God who notices, who cares, and who responds with compassion.

When evening came, the disciples approached Jesus and said:

"This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late; send the crowds away..." (Matthew 14:15)

The disciples saw scarcity. They saw what was missing. They saw five thousand people and only five loaves and two fish.

But Jesus saw an opportunity for God to work.

He replied:

"They need not go away; you give them something to eat." (Matthew 14:16)

This verse speaks deeply to me because sometimes we look at our own lives and think, “What can I possibly offer?” We look at our weaknesses, our limitations, our past mistakes, or our struggles and feel that what we have is not enough.

But Jesus never asked the disciples to provide everything. He only asked them to bring what they had.

The Gospel tells us:

"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and said the blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds." (Matthew 14:19)

This is the beauty of God. He takes our little and transforms it into something extraordinary.

In my own life, I have experienced this many times. There were moments when I felt I had nothing much to give. My energy was limited, my heart was carrying pain, and my faith was being tested. But God showed me that He does not require perfection. He only asks for surrender.

A small act of kindness, a simple prayer, a willingness to serve, a word of encouragement, or even sharing our own struggles with others can become something much greater when placed in God's hands.

The miracle did not happen because the disciples had enough. The miracle happened because they trusted Jesus with what little they had.

The Gospel ends with a beautiful reminder:

"They all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full." (Matthew 14:20)

God does not just provide enough. He provides abundantly.

Looking back at my own journey, I can see how God has always been faithful, even in moments when I could not understand His plans. Some of the greatest blessings in my life came unexpectedly. Some people entered my life at the moments I needed them most, becoming reminders that God's timing is always perfect.

Like the disciples, I am learning that my role is not to understand every detail of the miracle. My role is simply to bring what I have, place it in God's hands, and trust Him to do the rest.

Today, I ask myself: What is the hunger I am trying to satisfy on my own? What are the “five loaves and two fish” that I am afraid are too small to offer God?

Because the truth is, when we place our lives in His hands, nothing is wasted.

God takes our brokenness and brings healing.

He takes our struggles and brings purpose.

He takes our little and creates abundance.

So today, I choose to come to Him again, just as Isaiah invites us:

"Come to me and listen, that you may live." (Isaiah 55:3)

Because the world may disappoint us, people may fail us, and circumstances may change, but God never does.

When we come to Him, we will never leave empty.

---

Reflective question: What are my "five loaves and two fish" today that / can place in Jesus' hands?

When I reflect on the Gospel of the multiplication of the five loaves and two fish, I often find myself asking, what are my “five loaves and two fish” today that I can place in Jesus’ hands?

For a long time, I thought I needed to offer God something extraordinary. I felt that what I had was too small, too ordinary, or not enough. I looked at my weaknesses, my past struggles, my fears, and even my broken moments and wondered how God could possibly use them.

But the miracle of the loaves and fish reminds me that Jesus does not ask us to bring what we do not have. He simply asks us to bring what we already have and trust Him with it.

My “five loaves and two fish” today are my experiences, my stories, my talents, and even my wounds.

They are the lessons I have learned through seasons of grief and loss. They are the moments when I had to lean completely on God because I did not have the strength to carry everything on my own. They are the memories of people I have loved and lost, which have taught me that love never truly disappears but continues to shape who we become.

They are also the gifts God has placed in my hands; my ability to write, to encourage, to connect with people, and to share my testimony. Sometimes I wonder if the words I write or the stories I share really make a difference. But the Gospel reminds me that a small offering, when placed in Jesus’ hands, can feed thousands.

The disciples only had five loaves and two fish. By human understanding, it was impossible. But Jesus took what seemed insufficient, blessed it, broke it, and multiplied it.

Perhaps that is what God has been doing in my own life.

He has taken my broken pieces and turned them into something meaningful. He has taken my struggles and used them to help me understand the struggles of others. He has taken my moments of emptiness and reminded me that He is the one who fills what the world cannot.

Even my desire to serve others, whether through mission, writing, or simply being present for someone who needs encouragement, is not something I created on my own. It is something God placed in my heart.

But surrender is not always easy.

Sometimes I still hold onto my five loaves and two fish tightly because I worry they are too small. I question whether I am enough. I compare myself to others and wonder if what I can offer truly matters.

But I am reminded that God does not need me to be perfect. He does not need me to have everything figured out. He only asks me to trust Him enough to place my little into His hands.

Today, my prayer is:

“Lord, take whatever I have. Take my gifts, my weaknesses, my dreams, my fears, my past, and my present. Bless them, break them, and use them for Your greater purpose.”

Because when my five loaves and two fish are placed in the hands of Jesus, they are no longer small.

They become enough.

Enough to bring hope.

Enough to bring comfort.

Enough to serve others.

Enough to reveal God’s love.

The miracle was never about how much the disciples had. The miracle was about what Jesus could do with what they were willing to surrender.

And today, I choose to surrender mine.

Movie Recommendation: Deep in My Heart (1999)

 

When I first watched this film, I expected it to be a simple drama, but what I found was a deeply emotional story about identity, family, love, acceptance, and the painful reality of how society has treated people who are considered different.

This movie follows the journey of Barbara Ann Williams, an adopted woman who begins searching for her biological mother and the truth about her past. What she discovers is a story filled with love, heartbreak, difficult choices, and the impact of a world that judged people based on race and appearances rather than the person they truly were.

What touched me most about this movie is not just the story itself, but the questions it makes us ask about humanity.

Why is it that even today, after so many years of learning, growing, and becoming more connected as a world, we still struggle to look beyond someone’s race, skin colour, background, or physical challenges?

Why do we continue to judge people based on things they never chose?

A person does not choose the colour of their skin. They do not choose the family they are born into. They do not choose whether they live with a disability or face challenges that others may not understand. Yet somehow, society has spent generations making people feel like these differences make them less worthy.

And that is something I find incredibly heartbreaking.

At the end of the day, every single person on this planet has a heart that feels, dreams, hopes, and loves. We all experience happiness, sadness, fear, and pain. We all want the same basic things in life. We want to be accepted. We want to be valued. We want to feel like we belong.

So why is it still so difficult for the world to see beyond what is visible?

Deep in My Heart reminds us that behind every face is a story that we may never know. The person we judge today may have faced battles we cannot imagine. The person we overlook may have the biggest heart. The person we think is different may actually teach us more about kindness and compassion than anyone else.

One of the most beautiful messages in this movie is that family is not always just about blood. Sometimes family is built through love, sacrifice, and the people who choose to stand beside us. The people who raise us, support us, and believe in us can sometimes leave a bigger mark on our lives than those connected to us by DNA.

This is something I truly believe in. Love is not limited by race. Love does not see colour. Love does not see disabilities or imperfections. Love sees the person.

The performances in this movie are incredibly moving. Gloria Reuben brings so much emotion to the role of Barbara Ann as she searches for answers about who she is and where she comes from. Anne Bancroft’s performance is also unforgettable because she portrays someone carrying years of pain, regret, and complicated emotions. The characters are not simply good or bad. They are human beings shaped by the circumstances and beliefs of the world around them.

That is what makes this movie so powerful. It does not just tell us what happened. It makes us understand how decisions, prejudice, and fear can affect generations of people.

Watching this movie today, I cannot help but think about how much more we still need to do as a society. We have made progress in many ways, but there are still moments where people are judged unfairly because of their race, their appearance, their abilities, their age, or where they come from.

We often say we want a kinder world, but kindness begins with how we see and treat the person standing in front of us.

Maybe the first step is to stop seeing labels and start seeing people.

Instead of asking where someone comes from, maybe we should ask what their story is.

Instead of noticing what makes someone different, maybe we should appreciate what makes them unique.

Instead of judging someone by what we see on the outside, maybe we should take the time to discover the beauty within.

Deep in My Heart may be a movie made in 1999, but its message is something the world still needs today. It is a reminder that we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.

This movie made me reflect on how often people carry invisible struggles and how important it is to choose compassion over judgement. It reminded me that everyone deserves to be loved, respected, and accepted for who they are.

I would highly recommend Deep in My Heart to anyone who enjoys emotional movies that do more than entertain. This is a film that touches the heart, opens the mind, and reminds us of something we should never forget.

We are not defined by our race, our skin colour, our background, or our challenges.

We are defined by our hearts, our actions, and the love we give to others.

What Drained My Energy in the Last 12 Months

 

The last twelve months have taught me that exhaustion is not always caused by working too hard. Sometimes it comes from carrying too much emotionally while still trying to show up with a smile every day. Looking back, I realize that my energy was not drained by one major event but by a series of responsibilities, disappointments, moments of grief, and the constant pressure I placed on myself to keep moving forward.

One of the biggest drains on my energy has been grief. Grief is a strange companion because it never truly leaves. It simply changes its shape. There are days when I can laugh, work, and enjoy life, only to have a song, a photograph, or a simple conversation bring back memories that hit me just as hard as they did years ago. Losing someone you love changes the way you experience the world. It teaches you that healing does not mean forgetting. Carrying that emotional weight while trying to live a full life has required far more energy than I ever expected.

Another source of exhaustion has been constantly trying to be strong for everyone around me. I genuinely enjoy helping others. Whether it is offering advice, supporting friends, volunteering, encouraging someone through a difficult season, or simply listening, I find purpose in being there for people. However, there have been moments when I forgot that even those who support others also need support themselves. I became so focused on lifting other people that I rarely stopped to ask myself whether I had enough strength left for my own journey.

This year also challenged me professionally. Like many people, I have dreams that extend far beyond my current circumstances. Building new projects, creating content, writing, developing businesses, and pursuing new opportunities all require creativity, discipline, and persistence. While these goals excite me, they also come with uncertainty. There were countless hours spent planning, researching, designing, rewriting, and questioning whether I was making the right decisions. The emotional investment behind every project is often invisible to others, yet it quietly consumes enormous amounts of energy.

Social media has been another unexpected drain. I love connecting with people and sharing stories that inspire, encourage, and educate. It has introduced me to incredible friendships and opportunities that I never imagined possible. At the same time, maintaining an online presence requires consistency, creativity, and resilience. There is always another post to create, another comment to reply to, another message to answer, and another expectation to meet. Even when people see the polished final product, they rarely see the hours of thought, editing, and emotional investment behind it.

The past year has also reminded me that growth often comes with sacrifice. Pursuing ambitious goals means giving up comfort, routine, and sometimes even rest. I found myself saying yes to opportunities because I believed in them, but every yes also meant saying no to something else. There were evenings when I continued working long after I should have stopped because I wanted to make one more improvement or finish one more task. Over time, those extra hours accumulated into fatigue that became difficult to ignore.

Health has also played its part. Stress has a remarkable way of affecting both the body and the mind. There were periods when anxiety made even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Instead of feeling refreshed after sleeping, I often woke up already thinking about everything that needed to be done. The mental checklist never seemed to disappear. I realized that being busy and being productive are not always the same thing. Sometimes I was simply surviving rather than truly living.

One of the hardest lessons this year has been accepting that I cannot control everything. I like planning ahead and solving problems before they become crises. Unfortunately, life rarely follows carefully written plans. There were situations that required patience instead of action, faith instead of certainty, and acceptance instead of control. Learning to let go has been emotionally exhausting because it goes against my natural instinct to fix things.

Relationships have also demanded emotional energy. Every meaningful relationship requires time, communication, understanding, forgiveness, and compassion. There were moments when misunderstandings, distance, or changing circumstances reminded me that people are constantly growing and changing. Maintaining healthy relationships is deeply rewarding, but it is never effortless. It requires vulnerability, and vulnerability is never easy.

Despite everything that has drained me, I have also discovered something incredibly important. Energy is not simply about physical strength. It is deeply connected to purpose. The moments that exhausted me the most were often the same moments that reminded me why I do what I do. Loving people deeply, pursuing meaningful work, serving others, honouring those I have lost, and continuing to believe in a better future are all worth the effort, even when they leave me tired.

As I reflect on the past twelve months, I no longer see exhaustion as a sign of weakness. Instead, I see it as evidence that I cared deeply. I invested my heart into people, projects, dreams, and causes that mattered to me. While I still need to learn healthier boundaries and give myself permission to rest, I also recognize that every challenge has shaped me into someone stronger, wiser, and more compassionate.

Moving forward, I want to protect my energy more intentionally. I want to make time for quiet moments, celebrate small victories, and remember that rest is not something I earn after finishing every task. It is something I need if I want to continue serving others with joy. I want to choose peace over perfection, progress over pressure, and balance over constant busyness.

The past year has drained me in many ways, but it has also revealed the resilience I never knew I possessed. I have learned that even when my energy feels depleted, hope can still remain. As long as hope remains, I know I can continue moving forward one step, one day, and one new beginning at a time.

Movie Recommendation: Purple Hearts (2022)

 

If I had to recommend one movie that genuinely surprised me emotionally, it would be Purple Hearts (2022). Going into the film, I expected a typical romantic drama, but what I got was a story that felt much more layered and heartfelt. The movie follows Cassie, a struggling singer-songwriter, and Luke, a Marine dealing with personal challenges, who enter a marriage of convenience for practical reasons. What makes the film compelling is how their relationship gradually transforms from something transactional into something deeply human.

One of the biggest reasons this movie left such a strong impression on me is Nicholas Galitzine. After watching him in Masters of the Universe (He-Man), The Idea of You, and now Purple Hearts, he has officially become one of my favorite actors. Seeing him take on such different roles made me realize just how versatile he truly is. In Purple Hearts, he portrays Luke with a mix of toughness, vulnerability, anger, and tenderness that feels incredibly authentic. He doesn’t rely on one-note acting; instead, he makes the character feel like a real person with flaws and emotional depth.

What impressed me even more is how different each of these roles is from one another. Whether he is playing a larger-than-life action hero, a charismatic romantic lead, or a wounded Marine trying to find his way, Nicholas Galitzine manages to make every character feel distinct. That kind of range is rare, and it is the reason I have started actively looking for other movies he stars in.

Beyond the performances, Purple Hearts also resonated with me because it explores themes of sacrifice, family expectations, financial struggles, and the way love can grow unexpectedly between two people from completely different worlds. The soundtrack adds another emotional layer to the story, and several scenes stayed with me long after the movie ended.

What I personally loved most was that the film made me feel both hopeful and emotional at the same time. It reminded me that people are often more complicated than first impressions suggest, and that genuine connection can develop in the most unexpected circumstances.

Overall, I highly recommend 'Purple Hearts' to anyone who enjoys romantic dramas with strong character development and memorable performances. It is not just a love story. It is a story about growth, understanding, and learning to see someone beyond their surface. And for me, it was also the movie that truly confirmed Nicholas Galitzine as one of my favorite actors because of how effortlessly he demonstrated his incredible versatility on screen.