You Were Made for This Light

Joy, Wonder, and Childlike Delight Are for Grown-Ups Too

My friend Amy loves to take pictures of light.
Light streaming through windows.
Light opening at sunrise or fading at sunset.

When I sat down to write this blog, I thought of her right away—how she notices the light. Not just the literal light, but the light God sends our way through people, experiences, and simple moments.

When was the last time you found joy and wonder in something small?
In something ordinary?
In something you didn’t have to earn, schedule, or strive for?

I used to be so focused on the next big thing—the next vacation, the next accomplishment, the next event—that I missed the light in the day-to-day. I missed the little things.

Children see the light.
They live in the moment.
They delight in puddles and pebbles and bugs and breeze.
They find the light without even trying.

What if we’ve gotten this all backwards—like so many things?
What if life isn’t about striving for the next big thing, but returning to the smallness we were made for?

That’s what I’ve discovered. And it took a big mindset shift to get there.
We were made to live in the present moment—fully given, fully open.
That’s where the light is.
That’s where we find the joy and wonder and peace we long for.
That’s where we meet God.

And just like always, God gave me the perfect little moment to remind me of this truth.

After a night of rain, I grabbed my pup and headed out for our morning walk.
The skies were still gray, but I found a great deal of light. The air was thick with life.
Birds were singing—even the one that sounds like a kitten crying for its mama. Frogs croaked nearby. Tiny moths fluttered around while Luna danced and chased. Purple wildflowers were scattered across a sea of green.

And then there were the puddles.
Barefoot, I splashed around while a gentle rain began falling over me.
And I thought—this is it.
This is light.
This is life.

The forest feels like home to me now. It’s a space where I can step away from time and to-dos and just be—be one with nature, be one with myself, be one with God.

For so many years, I missed the mark.
I was overwhelmed. Disconnected.
I longed for the kind of peace and joy I now experience much more regularly.

Back then, I didn’t know where to turn to step out of the chaos.
I thought I had to do more—to deserve rest and joy.

Now I know better.
Now I know that embracing the little moments in daily life is the secret.
Not chasing some future reward. Not working so hard to finally “get there.”
We only have today. And today is where the light lives.

So let me ask you:

If you knew your time here was short, what would you prioritize?
What ordinary things would you want to do that bring wonder and joy to your heart?

I challenge you to make a list—just five simple, soul-lifting things.

Five small but profound joys that are truly good for you.

Then prioritize them. Make the time. Do as many as you can this week.

What if God isn’t calling you into more to-dos, more checkboxes?
What if He’s longing for you to come into presence—into being?
It might sound too simple, but I’ve found this is how He moves—
in the small, in the quiet, in the light we often overlook.

Because this, my friends, is holy ground.
This is the path back to God: to become like little children—present, open, fillable.

Many are so full of worldliness that there’s no room left for God to fill.

We are created to be light—
but our light can’t shine if we’re filled with the wrong things.
We must be filled with Jesus’ light to shine into a world aching for it.

If you’re constantly overwhelmed, complaining, chasing, or angry—
let this be your signpost.

The light is still here.
All you have to do is stop long enough to see it.

If your soul is longing for more peace, presence, and childlike light in the ordinary…

If you're ready to live from a place of wholeness rather than chronic hustle…

📖 Read – Return to Simple: A Journey of Hope and Truth. A story of transformation through faith, food, and the quiet power of presence.

🌿 Explore coaching – The True-Hearted Way, a 12-week Christ-centered coaching experience. Walk with me through a season of intentional healing—rooted in ancestral wisdom and guided by God’s grace.

Let us return to the light of wonder and joy that illuminate our lives.
Let’s find the light again—one simple step at a time.

With a true-hearted spirit,
Kim VanDolah