Weekly Check-In: In Spite of Adversity, I Survived the Week

Weekly Check-In: In Spite of Adversity, I Survived the Week

Welcome to another (albeit delayed) weekly check-in.

These posts exist to help me process the week I just lived and to take an honest inventory of where I am. Progress, recovery, and resilience don’t look the same for everyone—and I’m learning, sometimes the hard way, that growth is rarely linear. Even when it feels flat, stalled, or shaky, I trust that God has me exactly where He wants me to be.

Earlier this week, I shared a post about a crisis that hit on Wednesday and completely upended my sense of stability. This check-in doesn’t replace that post—it lives downstream from it. What follows is what the rest of the week looked like after the ground shifted.

Routines

Structure matters to me right now. When so much feels uncertain, routine gives me something solid to stand on.

Here’s how the week was laid out:

• Monday is my “reset” day—a day for rest and self-care.

• Tuesday is Whitestone.

• Wednesday I worked from 8:00 PM to 12:30 AM.

• Thursday is Bible study at NCM.

• Friday is Bible study at my church, followed by counselling and a short shift at work.

• Saturday I worked from 4:30 PM to midnight.

• Sunday is church from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, followed by work from 8:00 PM to 12:30 AM.

What Stood Out This Week

Monday and Tuesday went exactly as planned. That matters more than it might sound. Right now, simply sticking to routine feels like an act of stability.

Wednesday, everything derailed.

A crisis hit that absolutely rocked my world and forced me to question my growth and progress altogether. I wrote about it late last week. You can read about it here. Despite everything, I still went to work that night. I wasn’t at my best, and I wasn’t as productive as I wanted to be—but I was present. I showed up for people who were counting on me. That may not sound impressive, but this week, it counts.

Thursday, I made a rare decision to put my routine on pause. I wasn’t in a place to handle the demands of the day, and acknowledging that felt necessary—even if it was uncomfortable.

Friday was better, though slower. I returned to my routine cautiously. I went to Bible study at my church despite feeling like I didn’t belong. I was convinced I would be judged for things entirely outside of my control. Still, I went. I didn’t allow the enemy to keep me from church that morning. My counselling session was good, but understandably dominated by the events of Wednesday.

Saturday was largely uneventful, though I felt emotionally drained. Sometimes simply enduring the day is the accomplishment.

Sunday was OK. I got to church on time—but barely. I woke up late and had to take a different route, and I felt off before I even arrived. The service itself was fine, but someone was sitting where I normally sit, so I moved. It shouldn’t have mattered, but it unsettled me more than I expected.

I struggled to reconcile the events of the week while sitting in church. I couldn’t shake the feeling of inadequacy, and I know those thoughts deserve more attention than I could give them in the moment.

After church, I went to Confederation Park to see the Winterlude ice sculptures. I would have loved to bring my kids, but ongoing issues with my ex-wife made that impossible. Still, it helped to be outside, surrounded by something created simply to be seen and enjoyed. I’m including a few photos here to help lighten the mood.

***Note:  These photos were taken in a public setting.  I try my best to avoid photographing others, but in this case it was unavoidable that some members of general public appeared in my photos.***

A Thought I’m Sitting With

As I reflect on this week, one verse keeps coming back to me—the same one that carried me through Wednesday’s crisis:

“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

I don’t like feeling weak. I don’t like needing help. I used to pride myself on my ability to handle everything on my own. But this week has reminded me that strength doesn’t always look like standing tall or having the answers. Sometimes it looks like staying present, showing up imperfectly, and allowing others to carry you when you can’t carry yourself.

The theme for me this week was reliance on others over self-reliance. I’m learning that this isn’t failure—it’s wisdom. Healing, it turns out, is not a solo project.

Thank you to everyone who continues to walk with me through this season of growth and recovery. And if you’re going through a difficult week right now, please know this: you are not alone.