Good morning, Reader,

I am so happy to start my week here with you! How is it that, in all the span of time and space, we are intersecting here? Pretty cool to think about. What's been on your mind? I’ve been thinking a lot about joy lately.

I believe God puts little sparks in each of us—an itch, a passion, a curiosity, a dream that just won’t quite go away. Sometimes we don’t know what to do with those dreams. They can feel impractical, too big, or a little scary. And honestly, it is much more comfortable to keep them as just that, dreams.

But what if you tried?

What if you leaned into that little itch and gave yourself permission to see where it might lead?

One of my big dreams for our farm is to eventually have the whole farm in pasture. (We are terrible bean farmers—I want to see cattle, sheep, goats, piggies, birds, bees, and all kinds of other wildlife making their home here).

I dream about having a little cottage here where people could come and learn what it’s like to keep a family milk cow and milk Rosie with me.

I dream about painting signs and artwork around the farm with my daughter.

I dream about hosting a PICKLE FESTIVAL in August—inviting families out to the farm to eat, laugh, play, and enjoy a summer day together. I can picture tables covered with garlic, onion, dill, and little cucumbers just waiting to be transformed into crunchy pickles. Pickles make me happy.

And something I’ve noticed about my dreams is that they almost always involve other people.

I love inviting people in and sharing what we have. I find so much joy in teaching something I love and creating a place where people feel welcome. I love how unique and quirky each person I encounter is. I love creation, nature, animals, healthy soil, and the little surprises that come from paying attention to the world around us.

I think that tells me something about where my joy lives.

Maybe your dream looks completely different.

Maybe it’s starting the garden you’ve always wanted, learning an instrument, hosting a fancy meal, starting a business, planting the orchard, writing the book, calling the friend, or taking the class or . . .

Or perhaps it is simply doing something that makes you feel alive again.

The more I live, the more I realize you don’t have to know exactly how it will all work. I will openly admit that I rarely do! And when things don’t go the way I imagined, they often end up even better—just in a completely unexpected way.

You don’t have to have the whole plan. You just have to be willing to take the next little step.

I believe those God-given passions are worth paying attention to. Not because every dream is meant to become a business or a grand accomplishment, but because I think there is something beautiful about noticing what brings us joy and then being brave enough to follow it. My grandma started painting after all her children had grown and started their own families—and discovered that she both loved it and was really good at it! I love that.

So, this week, I’m relishing the freedom to dream a little bigger—even if the dreams seem silly or grand.

And maybe you can, too. What is that little itch in your heart that you’ve been ignoring?

What if you tried?

Leah