Rarely do I end the weekend excited for Monday morning. This is not because I dread my job, I love my job, but the 9-5 schedule can be taxing. Add in a couple evenings of retail work and the rest a weekend can provide sometimes doesn’t quite feel like enough. I usually start the week wishing for more sleep, more rest and more quiet. But Sunday was full of rest and quiet, preparing me for another week.

1. Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You captivated my attention this weekend. I took a break from the other book I’m reading (a younger version of myself would judge me) to read it. For a quick, weighty, forces you to think, read, I highly recommend it! My poor roommate listened to me gasp all afternoon when and say, “I just can’t even.”

2. This weekend was full of quality time. Time with my parents, my brother, my co-workers and my roommate. Since quality time is my love language, my heart is so happy because of good time with the people I love. I enjoyed laying around the apartment doing absolutely nothing with my roommate today, online window shopping and talking about life. I’ve been so blessed to live with such great women, but with different schedules we don’t always get to spend a lot of time together.

3. On a whim I started following Lauren Conrad on Instagram. I highly recommend it, if you’re looking to follow a celebrity who is girly and fun!

4. One of my favorite authors/bloggers is Emily Freeman. She speaks my soul language. Last week she wrote a very freeing blog about work. I can struggle to want to work some days, and then feel guilty because the work I do is so worthy. I am thankful to do my job, and yet some days I just don’t want to do it. Or days I feel like I’ve put my whole heart into it and the outcome isn’t what I want. She wrote, “Work we love is still hard work.” Yes. And hard work is worthy, kingdom work. It’s worth the fight.

5. On Thursday night at small group we studied Hebrews 11. (I’m teaching on Hebrews 12 this Thursday, so if you think about it, say some prayers for me.) It’s the Hall of Faith and full of stories of how God is faithful to His children when they obey and walk in faith. I’ve cherished the time I’ve spent reflecting back on all that God has done in my life. When we step out in faith, God responds; He does not leave or forsake His children.

Have a great week!