I’m exhausted. I bet you are too.

The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving usually bring out a lighter, more joyful version of me. Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite holidays—decorating the apartment the week of Thanksgiving, gathering with family and friends, eating good food, soaking it all in.

I took a much-needed break from work (hence no newsletter last week) and rested as much as one can as a SAHM with her husband home. I did all the “right” things: self-care, exercise, reading, time with loved ones. And yet, these intense waves of sadness kept creeping in.

At first, I assumed it was grief—grief from the major transitions my family has faced in recent months. Maybe it was the weight of daily responsibilities, work, and ministry slowly wearing me down. The laundry started piling up, dishes sat for a day or two, meal planning slipped to the back burner. I told myself, Just push through. Keep going.

But today, after checking in with my mental health provider, I had to face what was actually happening: I was experiencing symptoms of clinical depression.

Yes, I’d been sad. Yes, I’d been exhausted, unfocused, apathetic, wrestling with self-doubt. But I brushed it off as “just life.”

Nah fam. Mental health disorders are nothing to play with.

Sometimes major stressors, prolonged survival mode, or simply the heaviness of the world around us shows up in our bodies and minds before we even realize what’s happening. And even though I’ve been seeking God’s love and grace, leaning on community, exercising, resting, and doing everything I thought would help, I still couldn’t “outrun” the symptoms.

So how did I miss the signs?

And that’s what I want to talk about.

The moments when we do all the “right things” and still find ourselves struggling.

You’re seeking the Lord fervently, growing closer to Him, and even though your wilderness season isn’t over, you’re starting to find hope again. You’re engaged in prayer, community, therapy, meds, staying connected… and yet, sometimes symptoms still reappear.

So what do we do when exhaustion makes even the basics feel like a battle?

We lean on God’s grace. And we ride the wave.

Paul gives us a helpful perspective in 2 Corinthians 12:7b–10. I’m not sure what your “thorn” looks like, whether mental health symptoms, physical pain, financial stress, or family conflict but I take comfort in this reminder:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

God’s strength doesn’t require us to be strong. His power is revealed right where our limitations begin.

The fact that I can still show up, post on social media, prepare consultation materials, support others, care for my family, be there for my friends and care for myself is nothing but the grace of God on display. Because when I look back, I know what I was feeling in those moments. I simply showed up in obedience. And God took the reins.

So take comfort in whatever season you’re in. Whether it’s physical strain, mental health struggles, financial drought, or family tension.

God is fighting for you, working in you, and working through you… even when you feel like you have nothing left to give.

Praying for you,

Valerie