Pack Light, Live Free
How to set down the weight of old pain and step into a freer, lighter life.
On my desk, there’s a smooth, dark green stone from Birch Bay. When I see it, I can almost feel the cold water on my ankles, the soft Pacific Northwest sun on my face, and hear laughter with our extended family.
On my bookshelf sits a jar holding a twig and tiny acorns I carried back from Kensington Gardens in London. They remind me of the joy of biking past Kensington Palace with my family, anticipating a day of exploring ahead of us.
These little tokens aren’t worth much to anyone else. But to me, they are treasures! They take me back into moments of wonder, delight - my soul felt full!
I realized recently that this habit of carrying things with me is something I share with my mom. She used to collect stones from her travels and line them along a flower bed of gladioli and irises. Each one held a memory that was precious to her.
We both had to choose to carry these items home with us.
However, not everything we carry is beautiful, and often we aren’t aware that we are choosing to continue to carry certain things with us.
The Heavy Things We Carry
Some things aren’t tucked into jars or displayed in gardens. Some things weigh heavier than stone:
Childhood wounds that never fully healed (or even addressed)
Past church hurt that still aches
Messy breakups that left cracks in our confidence
Unforgiveness that leads to bitterness
At first, these hurts feel small enough to stuff into a backpack. Manageable. But as the years go on, the weight grows. Before long, it’s like dragging around seven suitcases everywhere we go. And no matter how much we smile on the outside, the load is exhausting.
Read more about how to tell when you’re carrying too much here.
Does this sound familiar?
You’re kind. You’re doing the best you can. But you long for freedom, for emotional growth, for a lighter way to live.
The Good News: You
Don’t Have to Carry It All
God never asked you to shoulder seven suitcases worth of pain. In fact, He lovingly invites you to lay it down.
Here are three small but powerful steps you can take:
Tell the Lord about it. Don’t censor your prayers, pour it out. He already knows the weight you’re carrying, but something changes when you intentionally invite Him into it. (Psalm 55:22)
Ask for help. Sometimes we don’t notice how heavy the load has become until someone else helps us unpack. A trusted friend, mentor, or coach can gently hold space with you as you sort through what’s worth keeping and what needs to be set down.
Rest in His love. Whether you carry those suitcases another week, another year, or let them go today, the Lord’s arms are already open. You don’t have to earn His welcome. The work has already been done.
A Coaching Invitation
Healing isn’t a finish line to attain. It’s a rhythm. A rhythm of noticing, naming, and letting go.
And believe me, I know that this doesn’t sound ‘fun’. But guess what? There is so much joy and peace on the other side.
If you’re tired of carrying emotional weight alone, I’d love to walk alongside you!
Coaching is simply a safe space to pause, unpack what lingers, and rediscover the freedom Jesus has already made available to you.
Dear one, you don’t have to keep lugging those suitcases through life. You are deeply loved, right where you are. And you were never meant to carry it all.
I’m cheering you on!
Julie
Journaling Prompt:
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think I’m carrying too much? What might it look like to gently set one piece of it down today?
