Welcome to Letting Go

March was all about gathering the harvest. Honoring slow work and sharing what we know. I hope you were surprised by how much you’ve grown as I am.

Here we are at the beginning of autumn. Nature is telling us something. Leaves are falling and letting go. All around us everything is releasing and now we have to trust that Spring will come again.

The thing is, I hold on to plans, disappointments and old hurts. I hold on to expectations of how I thought life would unfold. But carrying those thoughts day after day can be exhausting. Sometimes the hardest part is not wanting to let go but not knowing how.

Easter holds the most beautiful narrative of letting go. Jesus surrendered it all. We have to remind ourselves that Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice, through His resurrection a new life was given to us. It reminds us that letting go isn’t a sign of giving up it is that we can open our hands and trust God with the things and thoughts we no longer can hold. Sometimes, a new beginning only starts when we finally surrender.

This month I’m holding onto this verse:

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds

John 12:24

Sometimes the most fruitful thing I can do is open my hands.

This is my personal invitation to you to come and explore with me journaling prompts for letting go.

Setting the Vibe: My Intentions for the Month

This month, I’m focusing on release that feels freeing, not frightening. Here’s what’s on my mind:

• My Main Intention for April: To loosen my grip on one thing I’ve been holding too tightly and trust God with it.
• A Rhythm for My Body: Stretching every morning. Letting my shoulders drop from around my ears. My body holds on too and it needs a little help to release.
• A Rhythm for My Mind: A weekly brain dump. Writing down every worry, every to do, every loose thought and then closing the book on it for the night.
• A Rhythm for My Soul: Walking slowly through Holy Week (whenever Easter falls), reading the story again as if for the first time.

I’ll also be keeping a “released” list this month. Every time I let go of something (a grudge, an expectation, a worry), I’ll write it down. Not to hold onto it, but to remember that I could.

My Weekly Journaling Prompts

Here’s how I’m breaking down the month. Just a few minutes each day to open my hands a little wider.

Week 1: What the Trees Know (1 to 7 April)

The trees let go without striving. This week, let’s watch and learn.

What in my life is like a leaf that’s ready to fall, but I’m still holding on?

• Find a tree that’s changing colour. Spend a few minutes watching it. What do you notice?
• What season of your life is ending, even if you’re not ready to admit it?
• What are you afraid will happen if you let go?
• Write about something you once let go of that turned out to be a gift.
• What would it feel like to let this week be a little lighter?

Weekly Reflection: What did the season outside teach you about the season inside?

Week 2: Holding Loosely (8 to 14 April)

Letting go doesn’t always mean losing. Sometimes it just means holding things more loosely.

What am I gripping so tightly that I can’t enjoy it anymore?

• Which plans are you holding so tightly that there’s no room for God to surprise you?
• What expectation of yourself could you loosen this week?
• Is there a relationship you’re trying to control? What would trust look like instead?
• Clench your fist for ten seconds, then open it. Write about what that felt like.
• Write a prayer, handing one specific thing over to God.

Weekly Reflection: What changed when you held things a little more loosely this week?

Week 3: The Way of the Cross (15 to 21 April)

Whenever Easter falls this year, let’s walk with Jesus through His greatest letting go.

What did Jesus lay down for me and what is He inviting me to lay down for Him?

• Read the story of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36 to 46). What do you notice about how Jesus prayed?
• “Not my will, but Yours.” What would it cost you to pray that honestly today?
• Is there a hurt you’re carrying that you could leave at the foot of the cross?
• What does Easter Sunday mean to you this year, in this season of your life?
• Write about one place you long to see resurrection.

Weekly Reflection: How did walking through the Easter story change the way you see letting go?

Week 4: Empty Hands (22 to 28 April)

Open hands are empty hands. Empty hands are ready to receive.

What might God want to give me that I can’t receive while my hands are full?

• Look at your “released” list. How does it feel to see it written down?
• Which grudge or old hurt is still taking up space? What would forgiveness free up?
• What possessions, commitments or habits could you let go of to make life simpler?
• Is there an old version of yourself you need to release?
• Sit quietly with your palms open for five minutes. Write whatever comes.

Weekly Reflection: What came into your empty hands this week?

Week 5: Room for Resurrection (29 to 30 April)

As the month ends, let’s look at the space we’ve made.

What new life might grow in the places I’ve let go of?

• What is the biggest thing you released this month?
• What would you love to see grow in that space?

Weekly Reflection: How does your heart feel now, compared to the start of April?

Wrapping it Up: End-of-Month Reflection

At the end of the month, I’ll take a moment to reflect, no judgement, just curiosity:

• What did I let go of this month and how did it feel?
• What am I still holding onto and why?
• What is one way of holding life loosely that I want to carry with me into May?

I hope this helps you open your hands, just a little. Here’s to letting go and to the new life that waits on the other side.

With grace, Debbera