SIMPLE40 - Day 4 - Beloved
- Katie Donahue
- Feb 20
- 3 min read
Belovedness and Mission
As you continue this journey into simplicity, you are stripping away excess so that what is most true can rise to the surface.
And what is most true?
You are loved.
Before you simplify your schedule. Before you fast from anything. Before you “improve” spiritually. You are already His.
God loved you before you were born, and God will love you after you die. “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” This is the fundamental truth of your identity. This is who you are whether you feel it or not. You belong to God from eternity to eternity. Life is just a little opportunity for you during a few years to say, “I love you too.” ~Henri Nouwen
Interior simplicity begins here, with receiving God's love and then giving it to others in only the way that you can.
God created you for relationship with Him and with others. This Lent is an invitation to purify your heart, and draw close to Him as He is walking this road with you. God gives you His Son as the model of how to live simply, love deeply, and obey freely.
Christ lived simplicity every day, focused, obedient, anchored in the Father’s will. His life was not cluttered with self-protection or self-promotion. It was rooted in love.
Remember this definition:
Simplicity is a spiritual discipline that trains the soul to fulfill its God-given mission.
Belovedness is the foundation. Mission flows from it.
This weekend, ask the Holy Spirit: What simple act of love are You inviting me to make?
Make it quiet. Make it concrete. Make it between you and God.
Then do it.
You are His hands and feet.
spiritual
Receive the love of God through the sacraments this weekend.
Go to Reconciliation. Receive the Eucharist with intention.
He is what you are searching for. He is the only love that satisfies the ache beneath every other longing. It is time to own your belovedness.
Listen to “Belovedness” by Sarah Kroger and let this truth sink deep into your heart.
self
Take care of your body this weekend.
Get outside if you can. 40 minutes. Walk. Move. Stretch. Breathe deeply.
Clearing your lungs can also help clear your mind.
Pope John Paul II reminds us:
“The human being is single, unique, and unrepeatable, someone thought of and chosen from eternity and someone called and identified by name…It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness…”
Your body is not separate from your spiritual life. It is part of how you live your mission.
As you walk this weekend, pay attention to your posture:
Stand tall, but not rigid.
Lift gently through the crown of your head.
Relax your shoulders down and back.
Let your arms swing naturally.
Keep your gaze forward (not down at your phone).
Walk like someone who knows she is loved.
Return to who God made you to be...in body, mind, and soul.
service
You are an ambassador for Christ. Your mission does not need to be dramatic. Often, the greatest impact is made through small, hidden acts of love. This weekend, make it your mission to spread God's love...a smile, a word of praise or acknowledgement, an act of kindness. These small things can go a long way and have a big effect. Let this be your quiet offering.
“Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord…” ~Colossians 3:23
Nothing can separate you from the love of God.
Today’s Simple Recipe
Avocado Chocolate Pudding
A favorite when I have extra avocados:
1 avocado, pitted
1 banana
1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup raw cocoa powder
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
Toppings: fresh berries, shaved dark chocolate, whipped cream, mint leaves, etc.
Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for about an hour until set.
Simple. Nourishing. No excess.
Grayscale Phone Challenge – Update
I am still not amused by my black and white phone.
However… something unexpected happened.
I had to switch back to color briefly to photograph rosaries for my business. When the screen lit up in full color, it was almost overwhelming. The brightness. The visual noise. The clutter of apps. Yikes!
It actually felt like relief to return to grayscale.
That surprised me.
Simplicity can feel restrictive at first, like something is being taken away. But sometimes what is being removed is overstimulation, distraction, and noise.
Exterior simplicity is slowly creating interior calm.
We continue.
Enjoy your weekend. I’ll see you Monday for Day 5 of SIMPLE40.
If this journey is blessing you, consider sharing it with a friend.
Comments