Tara L. Banks's Blog

Welcome! For those who are new, here’s a little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders. I am also a contributing author in the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen, from Seacoast Sisterhood, and the 365-Day Devotional, A Year of Hope, from Hope*Books.

I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

🎁🎁 SHOP THE TARALBANKS.COM BLACK FRIDAY SALE HAPPENING NOW! 🎁🎁Get 20% off all orders over $50 with the code SHOPSMALL

THE BEAUTIFUL END

Recently, I saw a thought-provoking note on Substack with an attached image of vibrant fall leaves. The note's sentiment was a parallel between the beauty of fall leaves and death. (It wasn’t as morbid as it seems—stick with me.) Although I’ve searched, sadly, I cannot find the note again. (If any of you saw it, please let me know so that I can credit the author.) Below, I will do my best to put my T. Banks spin on that note so that I can share it with you, too.

While I was out on a walk this week, I snapped these photos and thought a lot about that short note and its parallels. I experienced God’s presence in the beauty of that walk and sensed the fruit of the Spirit of joy as I observed the trees doing what they were created to do. The “fruit of wonder”. ✨

These were my thoughts as I walked, enjoyed His creation, and reflected on the note:

“I hope that my life looks a lot like these fall leaves. Not just from September to November, but year-round. As I die to my selfish desires, my preferences and bends, may the things that are leaving my life, like the falling leaves, be just as beautiful as they go. In the process of learning to let go of the patterns, unhealthy mindsets, and ideas that don’t line up with what God wants for me, may I blanket the floor of my surroundings with what I no longer need in a way that makes others stop and take notice. May the crunching leaves beneath my feet be like the actions and attitudes of days gone by that no longer support my growth. May all I’m trying to die to daily and the release of what will not serve me in the next season, be as beautiful as the changing, releasing, falling leaves of autumn. May the beautiful end of all I do not need in this season set me up for unprecedented growth in the next. Oh, to be this beautiful in death.”

I hope this little post reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about the changing leaves), and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! For those who are new, here’s a little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders. I am also a contributing author in the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen, from Seacoast Sisterhood, and the 365-Day Devotional, A Year of Hope, from Hope*Books.

I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

🎁 HOLIDAY SALE! 🎁 &
📗 A Year Of Hope UPDATE 📗

My shop at TaraLBanks.com is on sale! Starting TODAY, you can get 20% off any order over $50 by using the code SHOPSMALL. This sale includes everything on the website: paperback books, exclusive hardback books, limited quantity merch, and gifts. Please consider shopping small with me for your holiday gift giving for friends, teachers, small groups, family, and those you love. (If you’re local, follow the “shop local” link on my website, TaraLBanks.com, for local pickup.) This is the only sale I hold for the whole year, so stock up! (The sale runs through Saturday, November 30th.)

And, if you missed it, I am proud to announce that I am a contributing author in a 365-day devotional called A Year of Hope, which will release on December 1 with Hope*Books! There are over 60 authors who came together to write this devotional. (I wrote four of the 365 entries, which appear in January, April, October, and December.) You can pre-order signed and embossed copies on my website (limited quantities available), or you can order from Amazon starting December 1.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Short and Sweet

It’s come to my attention that I have many words to say. I am, after all, an author, and words are kinda my thing. According to an old study (which has since been refuted), it was thought that women spoke more than three times the number of words per day than men. Modern studies put the numbers in a more equal perspective. Regardless, my dear husband would say I still have much more to say than he does, even with the cognitive slowdown of a brain injury on board.

That said, I’m going to make a New-Year's-In-November-Resolution to keep these weekly posts a bit more succinct. I want you to know that I value your time here, and I want to try to share whatever the Lord has put on my heart in a bite-sized way so that you will want to come back.

My beginning-of-the-month “Fruit of Wonder / Free-For-All” Newsletters will continue to be a little longer with more updates and a variety of media embeds. However, weekly posts like this one will simply contain a little thought or story and a question at the end that I’d love for you to engage with actively ◡̈ in the comments. That’s it!

So, for this week, let’s take a look at what the Word says about words:

“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:37 (ESV) “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (ESV)“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
Proverbs 21:23 (ESV)

(…just to name a few.)

Oh, if we only knew what our words actually weighed. (And I love how this AI image proves it’s AI because it doesn’t know how to count.)

The book of James dedicates a large portion to taming the tongue and the destruction it can bring. (Seems like our mouths get us in a lot of trouble.) Yet from that same mouth, we also utter words of gratitude and praise to the Lord and encouragement to one another. (Seems tricky and maybe something we should work on.)

This is a reminder that your words can unlock potential in someone and bring life, or if used carelessly, can hurt and harm. I believe the difference is found in that simple mechanism of the pause. I’ve been talking about pausing in God’s presence for years now, but boy, do we need it when it comes to the things we say! Here are four little questions to ask yourself in a pause before opening your mouth:

Is it kind?

Is it necessary?

Is it true?

Does it need to be said by me?

Any “no” in this list is an automatic guard that should go over our mouths. (Psalm 141:3). Friend, not everything needs to be said (and I’m saying that to myself, too).

If all lights are green in the list, the words should be administered in a way that lifts the other person up (Ephesians 4:29) and should be slathered in love like butter on good southern cornbread, never spoken in self-centeredness or with an altered agenda. (I’ll dive into the “unwholesome talk” part of Ephesians 4:29 on another day.) The goal is to love with our words and remember the weight they carry.

Question of the day: What is one way this week you are going to work to speak words of encouragement to someone? What other ways do you “pause” before speaking?

I hope this (short) post reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about our words) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them.

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest.

P.P.S. - GO SHOP THE SALE! Starts today!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and a contributing author to the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen. I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

If you’re new here - WELCOME! What is the “Fruit of Wonder” Newsletter? Well, outside of being a play on words from the titles of my two books, it’s a pretty much a monthly free-for-all where I provide you updates about my books, what I’m up to, and end it with a little encouraging story. I also link my books (for easy gift giving hint-hint) and some of my most favorite or popular posts from the previous month. It’s a bit different than my weekly posts, so grab a cup of coffee, get cozy, and thank you for being here!

UPDATES!
Give this a listen first…

(Link HERE to my top post from October if you missed it. Thank you for reading and sharing my writing work this past month!)

(Link HERE 🌺 and HERE ✨ and HERE 🌊 to my books (hello gift giving season right around the corner) and HERE 👋🏼 to my website for exclusives not available anywhere else!)

🎁🎁🎁 NOTE: I will be announcing a BLACK FRIDAY sale soon! 🎁🎁🎁

(Link HERE to Feeding America)

SURPRISE - a new book is coming!

I’ve been keeping a little secret. 😉😉

Earlier this year, I teamed up with Hope*Books to be a contributing writer in “A Year of Hope” devotional!

I have four entries in this 365 devotional, and it will be available in the coming weeks (stay tuned!)

We all need hope. This year is no different. Join me and my fellow authors as we take you through a year of hope with Hope*Books. ♡ A perfect way to start your 2026.

How One Billboard Changed Everything

Billboards are marketing tools. They are meant to inform your journey, point you towards something to fill a need, assist in direction, or call you to action. It could be a Chick-fil-A at the next exit, a real estate agent ready to sell your house, or remind you of the painful price of gas as you drive by. No matter the subject, they are meant to catch your attention.

Have you ever wished that God would simply stop using His still small “inside voice” and instead use His big, loud “outside voice”? I know He’s always speaking, but sometimes I just want Him to use a megaphone. Maybe in your search for answers, you’ve even said, “I wish God would just paint it on a billboard for me so I’d know what to do.” I know I have, and a number of years ago, I’m pretty convinced He did this for me.

It was March 18th of 2014. I remember it clearly because it was a day when something in my understanding shifted. I was driving down Highway 17 in Charleston on the way home from Hilton Head, and I saw a Feeding America billboard that simply said, “1 in 6 children is hungry.” That was it. White words on a black billboard with a Feeding America logo. Simple marketing.

1 in 6? Really? Surely that can’t be right. I kept driving, but it bothered me.

I got home that afternoon and couldn’t stop thinking about that stat, so I started doing some Googling. Indeed, according to Feeding America, the statistic stated that one in six children is hungry. Really? 1 in 6? That can’t be right. That’s got to be some obscure stat based on some obscure metric.

Later that week, I was doing some online shopping, and an ad popped up on the sidebar (as commonly happens when you Google things these days). Again, I saw it. Feeding America - 1 in 6 children is hungry. Really? 1 in 6?

At this point, I was more than curious; I was frustrated and indignant that such misinformation would be spread with the intention of tugging at people’s hearts, especially when it related to children. So I stopped what I was doing and dug a little deeper, desperate to clear this up and ready to fight back with facts. For two hours, I read articles, food insecurity reports, and bipartisan legislation, and found out... it was true.

I sat back in my chair with 15 tabs open on my computer and blinked. I shook my head as if it would erase the words I’d read like an old-school Etch A Sketch.

This is America. This is not some far-off nation that would be known for needing food assistance. So how can this be real? 1 in 6 children...in America.

As the gravity of what I’d read began to set in, I started doing the mental math. OK. If 1 in 6 children in America is considered food insecure, meaning they are unsure where their next meal is coming from, what does that look like in my state?

According to the stats available at that time and some quick Googling, the results said 1 in 4 children in South Carolina. 1 in 4? Really? Then, I filtered that information down to my own county. A number appeared in less than four seconds, and that number changed my life.

16,880 food-insecure children in my county.

1 in 4 became more than just a stat to me that day. I now had 16,880 reasons to do something about it.

As I read, I learned that for the most part, hunger doesn’t look like what you think it does. It isn’t just the poorest of the poor or those who are homeless, or where the parents are out of work or are neglectful. Childhood food insecurity is usually found in families with two working parents, where there is simply more month than money.

That’s why there are so many food-insecure children—it’s because life is hard and throws curveballs at us, like having to choose between dinner and a doctor’s visit, a few groceries and a tank of gas to get to work, healthy foods that cost more and cheaper ones with less nutritional value, or heaven forbid, a global pandemic or a government shutdown. Childhood hunger is happening all around us, silently.

Armed with this knowledge, I came to the realization that if all of this was real, if the information was accurate and the stats weren’t just numbers, and the 1 in 4 had real faces, it absolutely meant there were children in my neighborhood, at my church, in the shop I just walked out of, at my kids’ schools—all around me—who were not entirely sure where their next meal was coming from. It had been all around me all the time, and I had no idea. My heart broke into 1,000 pieces.

As the reality of this new information began to set in, so did the sound of His voice in that quiet pause at my computer.

“You’ve seen it. Now you know. I’ve been more than clear in my Word about feeding the hungry. So now I’m asking you to do something about it.”

For the next several weeks, I began scouring His Word to hear His voice and discover His heart in His mandate to feed the hungry. I didn’t have to look far. It wasn’t a figurative “feed the hungry” based on a metaphor or parable or play on words. It meant real food for real people. It was that billboard and those numbers and that idea that shifted something in me, and fast-forward a decade, and I am still continuing to learn and be challenged by this reality.

Those early days in my journey to fight hunger catalyzed a desire in my heart to see what it would look like to make a dent in that unimaginable number. I began to look for practical ways to help, get our family involved, and make a difference. I aligned with several local and national organizations, food banks, and food drives, and learned the power of petitioning local and national leaders when legislation was pending regarding feeding children. In late 2020, while pandemic numbers were climbing and food insecurity was at an all-time high, I came on board with HALF UNITED, a lifestyle brand committed to fighting hunger and empowering those in need in the USA and around the globe, where I served as their COO. These days, my hunger-fighting efforts look a little different, and I combat it by participating in food drives and donating to food banks and organizations that I know are doing the boots-on-the-ground work.

This week, I checked in on the numbers to see what kind of progress had been made. The latest stats are several years old, unfortunately, but that 1 in 6 number that jarred me in 2014 is now 1 in 5.

Yes, 1 in 5. We are certainly not trending in the right direction.

I can’t do it all, and none of it hinges on me alone, but I’ve seen it, and now I know, and you do too, and together we are responsible as God’s people for doing something about it.

All because of a billboard.

So, as far as I’m concerned, I still have 16,880 reasons (and likely now more) to do my part and shine the light on what is happening all around us. The need is very real right now, right here in America. Right here in my state. Right here in my tiny county. Until that number is 0.

You never know what will happen when you’re just driving down the road, minding your own business, and God shows up with a billboard, changing everything. He’s always speaking. Be listening and see how he wants you to grow in the fruit of the Spirit as you do.

“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” Isaiah 58:10 (NLT)

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about hunger and food insecurity) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them. While “wonder” is not a fruit of the Spirit, we can enjoy the benefit of being in awe of how the Lord works in our lives and speaks to us if we listen. This is what the “Fruit of Wonder” is all about.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and a contributing author to the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen. I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Two weeks ago, my husband and I were in Arizona visiting with a doctor who specializes in concussion/TBI recovery. (Thank you, !) Neither of us had ever been to Arizona, and while we were there to get help, we also were there to see as much of that part of the world as we could between doctor visits and recovery rest.

I graduated from college only a few hours short of a minor in Geology and Earth Sciences, so as you can imagine, I was fascinated. Arizona did not disappoint. It couldn’t be more opposite in landscape from our lowcountry, water-logged, everything-is-green-and-growing home, but it was beautiful in its own right, nonetheless.

One of the things I really fell in love with (outside of saguaro cacti, which, y’all, grow for 200 YEARS before they ever shoot out arms—INCREDIBLE) was the desert. The rocky, inhospitable landscape was so intriguing to me. There were only a few types of plants that thrived there, but mainly it was arid, dry, and desolate.

This reminded me of a chapter from Waiting on Wonders called “God’s Classroom.” For those of you who haven’t read it (WAIT—you exist?! ◡̈), I’m going to share it here for you to enjoy. If you have already read it, I’d encourage you to read it again and let the Lord speak to you in a fresh way in your circumstances today.

-TLB

GOD’S CLASSROOM“So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.” Ezekiel 20:10 (NLT)

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Israel and go into the Zin Wilderness. Growing up in America and having never seen the Middle East, I imagined the “wilderness” as desolate, as depicted in every Moses movie.

Yes, there were areas of arid desert, but there were also areas of tropical oasis. There were high, treacherous cliffs, impassable mountains, streams, and hidden pools of water.

While in Israel, I learned that the wilderness doesn’t always look the way you think it will, and how it’s like that in our own lives as well. We don’t always recognize when we’re entering a lonely, wandering, wilderness season or when we’ve been sent there to learn something challenging.

Sometimes, it is completely obvious. You see it over the horizon, and you know, yep. It’s coming. You steel yourself and walk right into the necessary season. Other times, the wilderness arrives at your doorstep. Bam. And you’re in.

Most often, however, the days of the desert come slowly.

You’re walking along in life, and one grain of sand at a time, the wilderness takes up residence in your heart. Then, one day, you wake up, rub your bone-dry eyes, and realize you’re in the middle of a dry and desolate season and don’t remember the path that brought you there.

I wonder if the children of Israel felt that way. Even in their complaining, do you think as they wandered the desert, they asked themselves in private moments, “How did we get here...really? How did we get to the place where we were so excited to be liberated, and now we can’t stop complaining?”

Had they not seen God be faithful? Had they not experienced His rescue? Had they not lived miracles?

Are they not so different from us?

We are liberated from our own Egypts, and then, within earshot of the oppression, we are found complaining in the desert, wandering in the wilderness, unaware of how the journey unfolded. We find ourselves trying to be the provider, trying to be a fixer-of-all-things, instead of relying on the one who brought us there.

Be very clear. He hasn’t left us there. He’s leading us there.

My friend, Marc Turnage, says the wilderness is God’s classroom. (1) There is always discipline in the dust.

The Hebrew name for the book of Numbers is “in the wilderness.” It is full of specifics on how things should be ordered and how life should happen. It’s also a story of how things go awry, and ultimately, it’s a tale of you and me.

Numbers is an aptly named account of the history that still camps out in our veins, the discounted details, and the slow drift. Over and over.

However, the thing to remember is that the Lord provided a way out. And the same will be true for us. No matter how long we’ve been wandering, no matter how much complaining we’ve done, and the ways we’ve forgotten His faithfulness, He will split the Jordan of our circumstances to bring us into the promised land of all He has for us. It’s the wonder of the wilderness.

✨ HOW WE WAIT TODAY

Wilderness seasons are meant to teach us, so I try not to despise the dry-desert times. God guides us to them—sometimes quite abruptly—sometimes very slowly, but always for our own good. And although it seems dry in the waiting, there is an oasis and a way out—every time.

It’s a beautiful gift to walk with the Lord in the dry times. As we do, we gather the dust of that experience on our feet all along the journey. Then, we can take what we’ve learned and walk with that knowledge right up to the high places of flourishing. The dust we carry on our feet will help us remember the journey. It will be a monument to the moment He took us in...and when He brought us out.

(1) Turnage, Marc, Windows into the Bible: Cultural and Historical Insights from the Bible for Modern Readers (Springfield, Missouri: Logion Press, 2016), 31.

It’s not too late to be thinking about Christmas and holiday gift giving. “Waiting on Wonders” and “Finding Everyday Fruit” would make incredible gifts for just about everyone on your list. (Maybe not for me, but hey, if you want to give me a copy of my own book, I’ll be honored. ◡̈ ) Click those links above and get your shop on.

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about the desert) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to drop a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and a contributing author to the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen. I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

YOU GET WHAT YOU LOOK FOR

CRASH. It was 5:15 am. The sound of glass breaking cut through the darkness. The intense startle sent all my concussion symptoms into high gear: dizziness, ringing in my ears, and instant confusion.

I sat up in bed, knowing at that hour, my husband was already up, dressed, and preparing to be on his way out the door for work.

“ARE YOU OK!?” I shouted into the dark morning, too disoriented and dizzy to get out of bed.

”I’m fine.” My husband’s calm, unwaivering voice replied from downstairs. If you know him, you know he is characterized by this kind of composition. It is this same God-given-steadiness I’ve seen in him that has kept me on my literal feet this year. The hand to hold. The arm to support me. The one to catch me when I’ve been off balance.

Undisturbed, he walked into our room, where I began to hear him picking up glass pieces off the floor. A wedding picture we have in our bathroom, for some reason, had fallen off the wall and crashed on the tile floor, breaking the glass in the frame into a million tiny shards. After a few minutes, he went into our closet, pulled out my house shoes, and put them by the bathroom door.

”I tried to clean up as much as I could, and I got all the big pieces I could find, but I’m running late, and there are probably still some tiny ones left. Be careful. Don’t go in there without your house shoes.”

And then he walked over to the bed, kissed me on the head, and headed to work.

When I got up an hour later to assess the damage, there wasn’t much to clean up, and I was thrilled to see that somehow the wedding photograph had survived without damage. (When your wedding pictures were shot on real film and there are no digital backups or a way to reorder, this is really important.) It felt a lot like an ironic metaphor of our year: shattered, but not damaged.

Photo by Aron Gestsson on Unsplash

It was a wild way to wake up, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the first calamity of the week. Just the morning before, as I walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet, I realized there was a large amount of standing water under the sink. Thankfully, it had been captured by a large bin that held cleaning supplies, but since it was pre-coffee hour, it all just felt too much. The disposal had given up, and water was everywhere. Before we could use the sink or the dishwasher at all, it had to be replaced.

I began to assess my body and symptoms. Could I handle this today? Yes. I was feeling semi-good, and so I chose the task at hand. I would need to brave the short drive through the neighborhood to Lowe’s (I’m still not driving over 5 miles from my home or over 35 mph) and navigate the process of walking in, finding the product, checking out, and driving home. (All of these things are overwhelming for someone with TBI. I can’t wait for when “a quick trip to the store” doesn’t cause such chaos in my little brain.) Then, I’d need to reinstall the disposal, put all the cleaning supplies back (why in the world do we have so many?), and THEN get on with the day. (Sidebar and for the sake of clarity: would my precious husband have done all of these things for me? Gladly. A thousand times over. But there are things I need to do daily that push me to feel “normal,” and today, it looked like taking care of what was broken on my own.)

I didn’t mind a little DIY (and if you’ve read Finding Everyday Fruit, you know I actually really love it), but I did mind that it seemed like the day was assaulting me even before breakfast.

Sometimes it just seems like that, you know?

So, on Monday, the disposal blew up. Tuesday, the picture flew off the wall. When I woke up on Wednesday, my first thought was, “I wonder what terrible thing is going to happen today that I’ll have to deal with.”

WHOA there, T. Banks!

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, thankfully, the muscle memory of scripture kicked in. The Lord reminded me to “take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). I told the Lord I was sorry for thinking that way and needed His help to shift my mindset, so that He could help me find joy in my day.

And then I felt He impressed this thought on my heart: ”You get what you look for.”

I am sure that if I had remained in that stinky mindset, I would have easily found chaos, frustration, or something “wrong” in my day, house, or life. However, by shifting to a “where can I find joy today?” mindset, it became much easier to find that fruit of the Spirit in the little things.

Friend, be sure:

If we’re looking for things to be angry about, we will find them.

If we’re looking for offense, we will find it.

If we’re looking for all the ways the world is going wrong, we will find it.

But if we’re looking for joy, we will find it.

If we’re looking for the ways the Lord is working, we will find them.

If we’re looking for the goodness of the Lord in our lives, we will find it.

Like the Sunday School song says, “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see…”

It doesn’t mean that crazy, unexpected, terrible things won’t happen, but how we think and respond to those things matters. Yes, we can acknowledge that they are awful and mourn them if we need to, but pre-determining to look at life through the lens of our loving King Jesus, who ultimately has a plan for us that is good (Jeremiah 29:11), will shift how we see the world and our lives in it.

What are you looking for today?

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about broken picture frames) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to share your thoughts on the questions above in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and a contributing author to the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen. I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

If you’re new here - WELCOME! What is the “Fruit of Wonder” Newsletter? Well, outside of being a play on words from the titles of my two books, it’s a pretty much a monthly free-for-all where I provide you updates about my books, what I’m up to, and end it with a little encouraging story. I also link my books (for easy gift giving hint-hint) and some of my most favorite or popular posts from the previous month. It’s a bit different than my weekly posts, so grab a cup of coffee, get cozy, and thank you for being here!

UPDATES!
Give this a listen first…

(Link HERE to my top post from September if you missed it. Thank you for reading and sharing my writing work this past month!)

(Link HERE and HERE and HERE to my books (hello gift giving season right around the corner) and HERE to my website for exclusives not available anywhere else!)

Waiting On Wonders and Finding Everyday Fruit by Me! (Aren’t they so pretty?) BRINGING THE BEST

I recently heard a story. It was set in a tiny village in Italy, renowned for its magnificent wine and meticulously tended vineyards. The villagers heard that the King would soon be passing through their area, and, as the story goes, to honor him, they decided to present him with the very best cup of wine they could offer. Each family in the village was told to bring a few cups of the finest wine from their vineyards and pour it into a single large barrel. This ensured that, as a village, they would collectively offer the King the very best wine from the region.

The day finally came, and as the King arrived, the eldest member of the village went out to meet the entourage and was permitted to approach. The man told the King that they were honored by his presence and were prepared to offer him the region’s best wine. This wine, he went on to explain, was a blend created by each family offering their best samples. The old gentleman presented the King with a beautiful goblet and proudly asked the King to draw a cup from the barrel.

As the King held the cup out and began to fill it, the villagers were astonished at what they saw. What filled the cup was not wine but water. One by one, each villager began to sheepishly confess that instead of bringing their best wine to pour into the barrel, they had each only brought a few cups of water. They knew that offering their best wine would be costly and believed that a few cups of water would never be detected in such a large barrel filled with such greatness.

The villagers were convinced that the King would never know that they weren’t bringing their absolute best when surrounded by so many others who would surely be bringing their best as well.

Have you ever been tempted to bring less than your best? Have you ever thought that it would be just fine if you just ‘got by’ and didn’t share the best of what God has put in you? Have you ever leaned on the greatness of others, thinking what you have to offer wouldn’t be missed if not shared?

I’m here today to say it matters! It matters to those around you and to our King Jesus. You and what you have to offer are so special! Like the villagers in the story, if we are content with letting everyone else bring their best and think no one will notice when we don’t, then we are diluting the impact collectively we can make in the Kingdom with the gifts we’ve been given. There is power in numbers—especially when all those people are working for the good of the Kingdom.

Please hear me clearly. Bringing your best does not mean falling into the trap of perfectionism. Perfectionism is an elusive carrot dangled at the end of a string, always 3 centimeters out of reach. Bringing your best is also not about pleasing those around you with what you do or say. That is not the goal, and that way of living will leave you empty every time. It takes the fruit of the Spirit of self-control to choose to only honor God with our lives and not chase the approval of man.

Bringing the very best of who we are means offering all we are created to be to those around us to honor the King.

Bringing our very best supports those around us and makes us, collectively, better. We all need each other in the body of Christ, and together, the impact we can make is far more significant than if we were alone. So, this week, pause. Find that place where you might be tempted to not bring the very best of who you are, and instead, STEP IN. When you do, this will bring about a sense of the fruit of the Spirit of joy in your life, knowing that you are pleasing the heart of the Father by operating fully in the gifts He’s given you.

Everyone around you is waiting for you to show up and simply be incredible you! Not perfect, not to please anyone, but to honor King Jesus, who is ready and worthy to receive the very best of who we are as we build the kingdom—together.

“For in the same way that one body has so many different parts, each with different functions; we, too—the many—are different parts that form one body in the Anointed One. Each one of us is joined with one another, and we become together what we could not be alone. Since our gifts vary depending on the grace poured out on each of us, it is important that we exercise the gifts we have been given.” Romans 12:4-6a (VOICE)

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about bringing your best) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them.

While “wonder” is not a fruit of the Spirit, we can enjoy the benefit of being in awe of how the Lord works in our lives. This is what the “Fruit of Wonder” is all about.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to share the answers to the questions above in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and a contributing author to the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen. I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

IN OVER MY HEAD

Several times in the past few weeks, I’ve had conversations around a similar theme: people feeling “in over their heads” in business or in a situation they are facing. They go on to explain that they feel out of their depth as they face a decision they must make or a responsibility they are carrying, and are unsure how to navigate it.

I can totally understand.

As a self-proclaimed fan of information, I love learning new things and how things work. Naturally, this puts me “in over my head” 99% of the time. On-the-job training is a regular thing for me as I work on whatever new thing I want to learn. But, after I’ve struggled through it, on the other side, I’ve learned a new skill, done something hard, and have a sense of accomplishment when it’s all said and done.

A few months ago, I was asked to write an entry for a 30-day devotional called Chosen. It was released by my church, Seacoast Church, at the Chosen Women’s Conference last month. The devotional is a celebration of women who are learning to recognize how to become more confident in God’s purpose in their lives and fearlessly live it out. It’s my honor to be a published author for the third time! 🎉

The piece I wrote is entitled “A Stretch For Me” and discusses a time in ministry when I was asked to step into something that put me so far in over my head that I wasn’t even sure I would make it. (Spoiler alert: I made it.)

This brings me back to the conversations I’ve been having recently. In talking through those, I had the realization that I actually really love being in over my head. Not just because it means I’m in a learning/stretching/growing time, but because I know myself well enough to know how I operate when I’m not.

Stick with me. I’m a real, live human with real faults. If I feel confident that I can do something or know solidly the decision to make, I’m tempted to think good things about myself, my abilities, and take all the credit when things go well. (Again, 100% human. Pride is gross, but we all struggle with it from time to time.)

However, if I’m out of my depth, then I have no ability or talent to lean on, no real knowledge of how it will turn out, and I have to depend on the Lord in such a way that ONLY He would be able to get me out of the situation, help me grow through it, or make a way. If I’m in over my head, HE gets the credit for how it turns out, and I know full well that anything good that happens is because of HIM, not because of any of my effort or knowledge or smarts.

This doesn’t mean I shouldn’t feel confident in my God-given wisdom and decision-making or in what I know how to do, but it does mean that I have to be careful not to claim responsibility for the outcome.

Being in over your head is a great thing. It keeps us from pride and keeps our dependence on the Lord, where it should be. This helps us grow in an awareness of His presence (because we need Him so desperately) and in the fruit of the Spirit, specifically patience, as we wait on Him to bring about the best results.

I’d love for you to pick up a copy of the devotional, Chosen, and read not only my account of trying to become more confident in God’s purpose for my life, but also the accounts of other women who are doing the same. (It would also make a great Christmas gift!) Get your copy HERE.

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about being in over your head) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to it.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to share the answers to the questions above in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and a contributing author to the 30-Day Devotional, Chosen. I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

PODCAST drop!

Recently,  I sat down with the podcast team at Seacoast Church to discuss worship, brain injury, Finding Everyday Fruit, and gratitude in the middle of real life. I’d love for you to listen and share it with those who might be encouraged by it.

(Watch on YouTube below or stream anywhere you enjoy podcasts)

THE WAY BACK PRAYERS

In the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to push myself to walk more. If you’ve read Finding Everyday Fruit, you might recall that in the Faithfulness chapter, in the section titled Equilibrium, I confessed that I had taken a little time off from exercise (22 years, to be exact). Add a brain injury, and well… let’s just call it an even 25. It’s not that I don’t enjoy exercise; it’s just that I had kids and then #life with a full-time career, and I blinked a few times, was down for a solid year, and then, oops, nearly a quarter of a century had passed. I do not recommend this as a life choice.

All said, now that I’m working on recovering and doing hard things every day, I thought, let’s add long walks to the list of things to challenge the brain and body. And so, enter T Banks walking for exercise. (And yes, I am one of those women. I walk in a weighted vest. I’m 50 and I have brittle bird bones and need all the help I can get.)

I like predictability and routines. I have found that patterns in my daily life help me manage my time more effectively and be more productive. Walking is now one of those. I walk at a set time on set days with a set route. It may seem boring to some, but it’s the stability that I need in a season where few things are. My current route is 5 miles. I head down the main sidewalk in my neighborhood for 2.5 miles, and then I stop and come right back. Simple.

Last week, I added a new pattern to my walk. As I walked the first 2.5 miles, I listened to music, a podcast, or simply enjoyed the birds, but on the way back, I shut it all down and took that time to pray. Not only did this mean I would be getting my body in order, but it also helped me create a new pattern of intentionality with the Lord to ensure my heart was getting in order, too. I’m finding these “way back” prayers help me have a regular time to focus and talk to the Lord about all that’s on my heart.

I don’t care if you are a Type A personality or not; having some structure and order in your life is a good idea. Not the rigid, legalistic kind, but having predictable times and schedules around life’s basics (eating, sleeping, working), and the other areas of your life (spiritual growth, time alone, time with others, health and wellness, etc.) will bless you! This kind of order mirrors what we see throughout Scripture and reflects God’s character (the entire Genesis creation account, Psalm 104, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, to name a few).

Jesus himself had disciplined, orderly patterns, such as observing the Sabbath, praying, having regular meals with friends, taking rest, and spending time alone with the Father. If my goal in life is to model my life after Jesus, and He prioritized this kind of organized life by planning things like this and engaging in spiritual disciplines, then I should do the same.

What patterns are active in your life? Where do you sense some areas that might need a bit more structure or routine? Making a few intentional adjustments to your daily and weekly schedule can help to bring freedom and the fruit of the Spirit of joy and peace, rather than a sense that your calendar is the boss of you and you “don’t have time.” (Friend, I’ve been there, too, and if you’d like help setting up a basic weekly routine with some predictable, repeatable patterns, I have been known to have ninja skills in organization. Feel free to reach out (hello@taralbanks.com). I’d love to help!)

I hope this little post reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about long walks and “way back” prayers) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to them.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share with you the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. Next week, I’ll be talking more about the new 30-Day devotional book, Chosen, and my story as a contributing writer. Get your copy HERE ahead of time!

P.P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to share the answers to the questions above in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

P.S. If you got an email from me last week asking you to upgrade your subscription to a paid version or you saw buttons to pledge future support to my Substack, please disregard. As I have been changing my Substack to make it “free for all” there were some settings that didn’t get changed and some automated emails and things went out last week that I really wish had not. Have no fear, everything is free and I’m not asking you to pledge your support to my little Substack. Sorry if that was confusing. - TLB

LINKS to the Good Stuff:

Link HERE to the Love Unscripted Podcast with Emma Lewis where I was recently a guest discussing my books and faith journey.

Link HERE to get $29 tickets to the Chosen Women’s Conference ONLINE experience! (Conference is THIS WEEK—Sept 18/19 and tickets give you live access to the conference and my LIVE interview at 3:30pm EST on Sept. 19th!)

Link HERE to the Chosen Devotional that I was a part of writing. (There is a hardback and paperback version.)

(Link HERE and HERE to my books and HERE to my website for exclusives not available anywhere else!)

SWEET LIKE HONEY

If you've been around here for any time at all, you know that I believe that God is speaking to us all the time, in everyday normal moments.

The most recent moment came for me at breakfast.

I was making a little yogurt parfait—nothing fancy—yogurt, granola, berries, and honey. I pulled a jar of honey out of the cabinet that was given to me by a friend. She had collected it from the hives she tends, taken the time to pour it into jars, and give it away. A jar of honey—nature turned into nourishment—representing time and the wonder-work of God's creation. (It also was an object lesson mirroring her heart. Purposeful generosity and thoughtfulness. Kindness in a jar. So precious.)

When I was adding the honey to the top of the parfait, the Lord began to speak to me. I was reminded of a verse in Proverbs. Chapter 16, verse 24 says,

“Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

I watched the honey slowly pour out of the jar and cover the berries. It seeped into every nook and cranny and instantly became integrated with the other ingredients. It wasn't the main attraction of the meal but it made the final product so much better!

In the book I talk about the process of going SLOW (Stop, Listen, Observe, Wait) to hear God's voice. I was making the effort to stop and listen to what God had to say about my little parfait and now it was time to observe. Here's what I saw: the honey was clear, moving slowly, and was beneficial. These observations reminded me that our words should be these things as well.

✨ Clear: because articulating encouragement to someone should not leave them feeling confused. A kind, pleasing word to someone should build them up and be easy to digest.

✨ Slow: because our words should be thoughtful and measured. A teaspoon of honey dripped on a parfait is wonderful. A gallon gushing out would not be. Sometimes a few well-placed words are better than a monologue.

✨ Beneficial: because the things we say matter. We never know the impact of our words on the lives of others. We should leave people better than we found them.

And so, now that we’ve stopped, listened, and observed what the Lord might want to say to us, we wait to see how the Lord wants us to apply these things to our lives. Today, it's honey. Tomorrow, I'm sure it will be something else—if we’re found listening. (He can’t wait to share simple wonders with you.)

So today, as you're going about your everyday, normal life, be sensitive to where God might want you to "see it, say it". If you see something great in someone, take a moment to say it and build them up. If you see someone struggling, take a moment and ask God how you might could encourage them with words, sweet like honey.

Other verses that might be helpful:

Psalm 141:3

Ephesians 4:29

James 3

Psalm 19:14

Colossians 4:6

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about whatever you’re eating for breakfast) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to it.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next week - don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to share the answers to the questions above in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my writing work.

Welcome! Just a quick little intro so we can be friends faster before we dive in…

My name is Tara. (Most people call me T.) I am the author of Finding Everyday Fruit and Waiting On Wonders, and I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to read what I’m putting into the world. I pour out my words here every week, and if you enjoy them, I’d love for you to leave a comment, restack/share with friends, or add a little heart to let me know it resonated with you.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

If you’re new here - WELCOME! At the top of each month, I typically give some updates about my books, what I’m up to, and send out the “Free For All” newsletter. I also link my books and some of my most favorite or popular posts from the previous month. Enjoy! UPDATES!
Give this a listen first…

(Link HERE to my live Substack “Live From the Writing Room” on 8/28)

(Link HERE to my series on becoming an empty nester entitled “The Launch”)

(Link HERE and HERE to my books and HERE to my website for exclusive products not available anywhere else!)

LIVING THOUGHTLESSLY

I’ve done something funny to my elbow. Not “funny haha” but funny as in it hurts like mad. A month or so ago, I picked something up that was too heavy, and since then, well, I’m very aware I have an elbow.

A picture of me, doing what I love to do, trying not to be aware that I have an elbow.

Isn’t that just the way it works? You cruise through life paying zero attention to something until something draws your attention to it. I would be willing to bet that not one of you, unless you have an injury or are a professional baseball player, has thought at all about your elbow today. It is just a part of your body that bends 97 million times a day and helps you to pick up your coffee cup, but you never think, “Wow, my elbow is doing such a good job today.”

All this all-of-a-sudden-I-have-an-elbow talk has got me thinking…what else have I not been thinking about?

Stick with me here.

There is a section of Scripture in Ephesians 5 where Paul encourages believers and describes what Spirit-filled living should look like. Let’s take a look:

So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times. So understand and be confident in God’s will, and don’t live thoughtlessly. Don’t drink wine excessively. The drunken path is a reckless path. It leads nowhere. Instead, let God fill you with the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Spirit, you are empowered to speak to each other in the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs; to sing and make music with your hearts attuned to God; and to give thanks to God the Father every day through the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed for all He has done. Ephesians 5:15-20 (The Voice)

Right there in the middle, verse 17. “…don’t live thoughtlessly.”

According to Paul, we are encouraged to be careful, mindful, to walk as the wise, to make the most of every living and breathing moment, and to understand and be confident in God’s will. This is “thoughtful” Spirit-filled living, not just living. (AKA: You now are aware that you have an elbow.)

The Spirit-filled life is given to us for the purpose of encouraging others and giving thanks to God. This gift, however, has to come not only with an awareness that we’ve been filled with God’s Spirit, but that awareness should also lead us to be activated to do something about it.

We aren’t just filled with the Spirit to be filled with the Spirit; we are filled with the Spirit to be thoughtful, engaged, activated believers who live, encourage, and honor God accordingly.

Living in a Spirit-aware-and-activated way keeps us from living thoughtlessly and being inattentive to how the Spirit of God is moving and working in our lives.

Friend, how are you living thoughtfully? Where are you realizing you’ve been living thoughtlessly? Ask God to fill you with His Spirit today and raise your awareness to the areas you need to have His Spirit activate.

I hope this little story reminds you that He always wants to teach you and point your heart toward His (even through stories about sore elbows) and that His presence and the fruit of a Spirit-filled life are available to you if you’re willing to raise your awareness to it.

Where are you finding the fruit of His Spirit today? What everyday moment will you allow Him to use to share the wonder of His presence?

Much love,

-TLB

P.S. New post next Friday—don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest, and feel free to share the answers to the questions above in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.