Recently, I spoke with someone who had been holding space for a person processing some deeply painful and difficult things. “Holding space” means sitting with someone in their deepest pain, grief, or confusion without judgment or hurry.  It’s creating a temporary refuge where a person can be totally honest, really messy, and feel safe while doing so. 

This holding space kind of work doesn’t just happen in formal settings like at a hospital or doctor’s office, in a counseling session with a therapist, or in a church service with a minister.  It happens in the quiet, ordinary days of our lives where we are often called to hold space for someone… Space for the grieving friend dealing with the emotions of losing a loved one. Space for the one with the unexpected diagnosis. Space for the one with a marriage in trouble. Space for a parent of young children feeling overwhelmed. Space for aging parents who are grieving the loss of their health and independence. Space even for our  “strong friends”  you know, the ones who faithfully care for everyone else. 

Holding space can be sacred work. But let’s be honest, it can also be incredibly heavy. Sitting with someone else’s pain takes a toll on our own hearts. The truth is,  Jesus will sit in that space with us.  We may hold space for others, but we were never meant to hold the full weight of what they are carrying. “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT) 

There comes a point when we have to take what has been entrusted to us and entrust it to Him. We can listen, love, pray, and be present but ultimately, we place that person and their pain into hands much stronger than ours.

Psalm 55:22 reminds us, “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you.” We don’t have to solve every problem or carry every outcome. We can  hold space for someone for a season or a moment and allow Jesus to hold both of us.

The Lord has encouraged me to look for the space holders. The ones who stop and quietly listen, who faithfully show up when needed, and who often carry the weight of others. Even the strongest shoulders grow weary. They may secretly be longing  for someone who will simply let them be heard and receive care themselves. Reach out with a  kind note or word, a prayer, or a simple question,  “How are YOU doing?” And if needed … be a space holder for them. Galatians 6:2 (NLT)  “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” 

We are called to both carry and be carried. Wherever today finds you, I pray your “space” is filled with the peace and comfort of The Father.

are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

The older I get the more I realize my need to want to control every situation or circumstance that comes my way. I am a planner. I like to know every detail of the day and when things don’t go as planned I find myself frustrated, anxious, and at times even angry. I admit I have questioned God as to why he isn’t following the plan. I think as humans we all struggle at times and feel like God just didn’t get the memo. I know that is so prideful, but it is an honest struggle for me, anyway. I know that God understands and doesn’t condemn me for that! I also know that He does, however, expect me to repent and work on it.

Trying to control and manage every detail of life is not what the Lord intends for our daily lives. Our lives are to revolve around honoring and glorifying Him no matter what we face. We will never have all the answers and that is the way God designed it. That is why He commands us to have faith. He wants us to walk in the freedom that it’s all going to work out in His will and His way. We can look back and see the good in everything God has done for us. Yes, there are things we may never completely understand but we can be assured because we know the character of God. We know that He sees things we don’t! We just need to keep living to please Him in all that we do! The more we let go of our need to control, the more we can be a light and joy walking and serving the Lord.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Remember in Job, where He questioned God about his suffering? God answers him in chapters 38-41 with multiple questions that humble Job’s spirit.

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, If you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?” Job 38:4-5

That is a small part of what the Lord responded with, but wow, just these few questions is enough to humble me when I want to be in control and question God’s ways. I am so thankful for God’s word and that the Holy Spirit directs our minds to passages that help us in our struggling times.

“Then Job replied to the LORD:

“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”Job 42:1-

There are seasons in life when we look around and wonder, “God, what are You doing?”

Seasons where relationships change, dreams don’t look the way we imagined, and the person we thought we would become feels so far away. Seasons where we feel like pieces of our life are falling apart one by one.

But what if the breaking isn’t the end of the story?

What if God is using the very things we thought would destroy us to create something new within us?

A few years ago, while I was sitting in graduate school, I had a picture in my mind of what my life would look like. I imagined myself working, building my career, and following the plans I had made for myself. I never imagined that a few years later I would currently be a stay-at-home mom, carrying my daughter into the library, watching her look around with curiosity, smile at strangers, and take in the world around her. I don’t feel anything like the same person I was three years ago, and yet now I am a mom, living a life I never could have planned for myself.

But standing there with my daughter in my arms, watching her smile and people-watch, I realized something: God’s plans were never limited to the ones I had created.

The life He gave me looked different than the life I expected, but it was filled with blessings I never knew I needed.

Looking back, I can see that some of my hardest moments were also some of the moments God was closest. When I felt uncertain, He was teaching me trust. When I felt unseen, He was reminding me that I was fully known by Him. When I felt like I was losing pieces of myself, He was gently showing me who I was always created to be.

God wasn’t wasting my pain. He was using it.

The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I used to think being joyful meant everything had to be going right. But God has shown me that true joy is not found in perfect circumstances. Joy is found in knowing that even when life looks different than we planned, God is still good, still faithful, and still working.

Just like a seed has to be buried before it can grow, sometimes God allows us to walk through seasons where we feel hidden, uncomfortable, and uncertain. But hidden does not mean forgotten. Waiting does not mean abandoned. And broken does not mean beyond repair.

The woman I am today is not the woman I was before the storms. I have more compassion, more understanding, and a deeper dependence on God than I ever had before.

I used to ask God to change my circumstances. Now I find myself thanking Him for how He changed me through them.

Because sometimes God doesn’t remove the fire immediately. Sometimes He meets us in the fire and uses it to refine us.

If you are walking through a season where you feel like you are falling apart, remember this: God is not finished with you. He is still writing your story. He is still creating something beautiful.

The same God who carried you through yesterday is already holding your tomorrow. 💛

Colossians 3:23-24 reminds followers of Christ that everything we do in our life- no matter how big or how small- should be done with our whole heart, as if we are working directly for the Lord. It can be easy to give only partial effort when a task seems of no importance, but God calls us to a higher standard because our work is ultimately an act of worship. When we remember who we are serving, even ordinary responsibilities take on eternal significance.

    This passage also challenges us to examine our motives. Many people work hard for recognition, praise, or rewards from others. However, those things are temporary and never lead to full satisfaction. During my high school journey, I always strived to fit into other groups and never truly focused on being the man Christ called me to be. In doing this, I was never working for the Lord, but instead I was working for man. By working for the approval of others and for myself through high school it made my early years a lot more stressful and heavy than what they should’ve been. It was my junior year when I realized that I was living all wrong. I stopped living for myself and instead tried to devote every aspect of my life to Christ. 

    Paul reminds us that we will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward for earthly faithfulness and service done for Christ. This faithful service is extremely important in high school and will ultimately play a major role in leading your path after graduation. This promise encourages us to persevere when our work feels difficult, exhausting, or unappreciated. God sees every act of obedience, every sacrifice, and every moment of faithfulness. Nothing done for Him is ever wasted or forgotten.

    God knows the plans He has for you during high school and even years after. Those plans are full of hope and a future. Rest in His love and faithfulness as you start either your adventure into high school or adventure into college.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God goes with you.” Deuteronomy 31:6.

Every day the devil attacks us in some type of way. For months I’ve wrestled with God on writing about this because frankly I have been embarrassed.

In January of 2025 I noticed my breathing was shallower than normal and I could feel my heartbeat. I kept on thinking it would just go away but eventually I went to my cousin who is a nurse and she said I needed to go to the ER. At the ER we were told I had an irregular heartbeat and that my heart throws benign PVC’s. It was scary but I had learned to live with it and it wasn’t bothering me.

They started picking up again a few months later and my doctor asked if I possibly had anxiety, and I immediately said there’s no way I do. I am very outgoing and do good in crowds and I thought to myself, “I’m Maverick Marino I don’t have anxiety.”

I can tell you first hand that God doesn’t care who you are and in this life your faithfulness will be tested. I would wake up in the middle of the night shaking uncontrollably and my mind would race and my heart would be beating so fast that I thought I was having a heart attack. Kelanie would wake up and just have to hug me until my body finally calmed down.

It consumed my life to where I couldn’t enjoy all the things I love and I got so easily distracted. I would be sitting in church and my chest would get tight and I would fidget with my hands and shake my leg just to try and distract myself from the way I was feeling. I couldn’t go watch my baby sister play basketball without feeling like I was about to die.

I started to question God.

I went to a cardiologist, and they said my heart was fine and finally I was diagnosed with anxiety. I was shocked I never thought that it would be me that would have to deal with anxiety. I would be embarrassed to talk about it to people including my family. My panic attacks kept happening and in November my mother in law mentioned trying therapy. Other than my mom and Kelanie if it was anyone else I would have thought they were crazy and tell them I don’t need therapy but I love and respect them so much that I decided to try it.

My therapist taught me that everyday is a battle being a Christian. The devil attacks everyone in different ways but God would never put us in positions that we couldn’t get through. While he was telling me all this I still didn’t really listen I was still trying to feel better on my own and not give it to God.

On a late Saturday night in April I was sitting on my bathroom floor while Kelanie gave Klara a bath and I was so frustrated of feeling anxious all the time. My wife told me that on Sunday morning I should go and ask for prayer. I did the only logical thing and walked to my neighbors house and found my mother in law and I laid it out to her. I felt safe and comfort as she was praying for me and I felt better for the first time in a long time. I realized that I gave it to God in that moment and that was the only way to beat what the devil was putting me through.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Psalm 56:3. Some days are good and somedays are tough but I know that God is on my side and he’s on yours too. They say that, “ It’s okay to not be okay.” And it truly is. Jesus has saved me and brought comfort and peace into my life and I know he can do the same for you!

I’m writing this while rocking the baby that I prayed for and waited on (for a multitude of reasons). The baby who was put on my heart in 2021 and placed in my arms in 2026. 

I can trace the journey through pages of journals:

In 2021, I filled pages with prayers for “Baby P.” My heart so badly wanted to give my oldest son a sibling, but my husband decided we weren’t ready. Looking back, I thank God for his leadership. You’ll see…

In 2022, I changed my prayer from “Baby P” to “Grow my family.” My heart longed to love another child, but God led me to surrender what I wanted and broaden my wishes. During this time, I cleaned out clutter, rearranged spare bedrooms, and watched for Him to move.

In 2023, we were approached to host an exchange student. This wasn’t a desire of mine, yet it perfectly aligned with my prayer. My husband and I opened our home and hearts to the most precious girl, Ivy. God “grew our family.” 

I remember thinking, “This is how God works.” He takes our desires, redirects them as necessary, and delivers right on time. He continued this pattern through the next few years in nearly every aspect of our lives.

While He publicly grew our family, He privately pruned us. Over the course of the next two years, God worked in my marriage, my mental health, and my habits and hangups. These years were MESSY and HARD, but meaningful and healing. 

My husband and I went from roommates to best friends, from going through to the motions to making the most of every moment, from resentment to romance. Sounds cheesy, but seriously…that’s what God does. 

Mentally, God healed areas I had tried to hide from for years. He uprooted years of insecurity, layers of shame, and lies that were leading my life. He set me free from anxiety and alcohol misuse.

As a family, God continued to “grow our family” through exchange students. My oldest son will tell you that he has three sisters: Ivy from South Korea, Mati from Italy, and Adri from Spain ❤️

In 2024, my husband and I were both ready to try for another baby. We began praying and waiting.

In late 2025, I found out that I was pregnant.

And today, I’m holding the baby I started praying for five years ago.

I’m not sure why He wanted me to share my timeline here, but I surely see His goodness intertwined in every line:

I see now that a simple, surrendered prayer was answered in a way I could have never imagined, asked for, or understood. I see how He redirected my desires to match His path. I see that He didn’t just add children to our arms, He centered our marriage on Jesus, set me free from anxiety and alcohol, and firmly planted us in HIS PLAN. 

I see now that a single prayer on a single line in a simple little spiral changed our lives.