For the Mother Becoming

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Hello dear friends,

Thank you for pausing with me tonight. This space has always been a place for reflection, for quiet truth, for the soft unfolding of the heart. If you are the mother of a son, these words may feel especially close. And if you are the mother of daughters, I hope you’ll share the ways your journey echoes or diverges from what I’m about to explore.

Let’s breathe in, settle our hearts, and begin.

There are moments in life when the heart speaks before the mind can catch up. Tonight is one of those moments for me. As Mother’s Day approaches, I’ve been reflecting not just on motherhood itself, but on the becoming that happens inside a woman when she is entrusted with a son.

Motherhood is not only about raising children — it is about evolving into the woman God knew you would need to be long before you ever held a baby in your arms. It is about the quiet transformations, the unseen stretching, the sacred undoing and rebuilding that happens in the hidden places of the heart.

I’ve been blessed with two sons born from my body and two sons born from another woman’s womb, yet woven into my life by God’s design. Four boys. Four stories. Four mirrors that have shaped me in ways I never expected. And each one has been part of my evolution — my spiritual becoming.

When I think back to the early days, I remember the fear, the uncertainty, the prayers whispered into the dark. I remember the losses that came before the blessings. I remember the trembling hope that maybe, just maybe, this time my heart would not break. And I remember the moment God placed a son in my arms and said, “Here. Grow with him.”

Because that’s what motherhood truly is — a growing with.

A mother grows as her son grows. She sheds old versions of herself. She learns to love in layers. She learns to hold on and let go at the same time. She learns that strength and softness are not opposites, but partners.

And somewhere along the way, she realizes that motherhood was never just about raising a child — it was about becoming a woman capable of carrying both love and loss, joy and ache, surrender and hope.

As my sons have grown into men, I’ve learned something sacred: A mother’s evolution does not end when her children leave home. It deepens.

There is a quiet holiness in watching your sons build lives of their own. There is a tender ache in the distance that naturally forms. There is a pride that settles into the bones — the kind that whispers, “You did what you were called to do.”

And there is a spiritual truth that anchors me: A mother’s love is not measured by proximity, but by presence — the kind that lives in the soul, not the schedule.

So to every mother of a son reading this — whether your boy is small, grown, distant, close, or somewhere in between — I hope you know this:

You are evolving. You are becoming. You are doing better than you think. And God is not finished with your story.

Motherhood is not a single season. It is a lifelong unfolding. A sacred becoming. A holy echo of love that continues long after the world stops seeing it.

May this Mother’s Day meet you gently. May it remind you of who you’ve been, who you are, and who you are still becoming. And may you feel the quiet strength of every mother who has ever loved a son in layers.

🦋 Evolving in grace,

Dawna‑Rae may your heart return to itself again and again

Letter Three — For the Daughter Who Still Reaches for Her Mother in the Quiet

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Hello friends,

I hope this blog finds you well. I know we’ve been touching on some pretty heavy topics, and I pray the things I write bring you some comfort during the hard times, like not having your mom during Mother’s Day.

From my corner tonight… this one is for the daughter who still reaches for her mother in the quiet.

There are certain kinds of missing that settle into the body in ways words can’t fully hold. A kind of ache that doesn’t ask for permission — it simply rises, unannounced, in the soft hours of the evening or in the stillness of early morning. If you are carrying that kind of ache tonight, I want to honor you gently.

Mother’s Day has a way of stirring what we thought had settled. It brings memory to the surface — sometimes tender, sometimes sharp, always honest.

I never celebrated Mother’s Day with my own mom. The church I was raised in didn’t allow such things, and by the time I left, the relationship had already fractured beyond recognition. So while I don’t know the grief of losing a mother to death, I do know the grief of losing a mother in life. And grief, in all its forms, reshapes us.

Maybe that’s why I hold my sons so close. Why their visits feel like sunlight. Why their voices on the phone feel like home. Why this year, all I want is a quiet Mother’s Day — no crowds, no noise, just the simple holiness of family.

But tonight isn’t about me. Tonight is for you — the daughter whose mother is no longer here to call, to hug, to sit beside, to ask for advice, to laugh with, to simply exist in the same room.

There are absences that stay shaped like a person. Shaped like her laugh. Shaped like her hands. Shaped like the way she knew you without needing the full story.

If you are moving through this season with a hollow place where her voice used to be, hear me clearly:

You are not grieving wrong. You are not “too emotional.” You are not supposed to be over it by now.

Love this deep doesn’t disappear. It echoes.

Maybe that’s why today feels tender in a way you can’t quite name. Maybe you felt her in the way the light moved across the room. Maybe you reached for a recipe she taught you. Maybe a phrase slipped out of your mouth and you heard her in it. Maybe you found yourself missing her in a way that surprised you.

If so, let that be okay. Let that be holy.

Your mother is not gone from you. Not really.

She lives in the way you comfort others. She lives in the way you straighten a blanket. She lives in the way you stir a pot. She lives in the way you pause before offering advice. She lives in the way you love — fiercely, imperfectly, wholeheartedly.

If today hurts, it’s because she mattered. Because she shaped you. Because she is woven into the person you became.

So if you need to cry, cry. If you need to talk to her, talk. If you need to sit quietly and let the ache move through you, do that.

There is no wrong way to miss your mother.

And if no one has told you this yet today, let me be the one:

She would be proud of you. She would recognize herself in your tenderness. She would see her strength in your resilience. She would be grateful for the way you carry her forward.

You are her living echo.

As Mother’s Day approaches, remember this: Your mother once walked this same path. She, too, most likely had to say goodbye to her own mother. She carried her grief in the way she needed. You are allowed to do the same.

Whatever you choose to do this Mother’s Day — honor her, remember her, speak her name, sit in silence, create a new ritual, or simply breathe — may it bring you comfort. May it remind you that she lives on in you.

Evolving in grace,

Dawna‑Rae 🦋 may your heart return to itself again and again

A Small Act of Care: The Ginger Chews That Help Me Return to Myself

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Happy Wednesday, loves.

I want to share something simple today — something small, almost ordinary, but deeply meaningful to me. It’s not my usual kind of HYET post, but it is part of my evolution, and that makes it worthy of being here.

About six months ago, a woman in a ceramics shop handed me a small piece of wisdom disguised as a ginger chew. I didn’t know then how much I would come to rely on it.

Many of you know pieces of my story — the years of extreme acid reflux and GERD, the days when I was vomiting blood, the way my body collapsed under the weight of toxins in my previous home. My healing has not been linear. It has been layered, humbling, and at times, terrifying.

This little ginger chew didn’t cure me. But it offered me something I didn’t realize I needed: relief, grounding, and a moment to return to myself.

Somewhere along the way, it became part of my daily rhythm. I keep them in my purse, my car, my nightstand — not out of habit, but out of reverence for the small ways we can care for ourselves when life feels sharp or unsteady.

On the days when my stomach tightens, when nausea rises, when my body whispers instead of screams, I pause. I breathe. I take one. And in that tiny act, I remember that tending to myself is part of my evolution.

Healing doesn’t always look like transformation. Sometimes it looks like honoring what your body needs in the smallest, simplest ways.

If you feel called to try the exact ones I use, here is the link: https://amzn.to/4tup5nG

These helped me. They are not a replacement for medical care, and they are not meant to diagnose or treat anything. If your body is speaking loudly, please seek the support you deserve.

But if you’re looking for a gentle companion on the days when your stomach feels unsettled or your spirit feels tender, maybe this will meet you the way it met me.

Evolving in grace,

Dawna‑Rae 🦋 may your heart return to itself again and again

A kitchen counter with ginger chews, lemons, and a wooden tray arranged together — a simple, natural comfort used for nausea and stomach relief.

For the Mothers Who Carry Quiet Stories

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A letter for the women whose love has endured the unthinkable:

How are you doing on this beautiful evening? I hope you’re well, and that this blog finds you wrapped in a little peace.

Tonight I’m sharing Letter Two of my 7‑day Mother’s Day series. This one was unexpectedly hard for me to write. When I went back to reread it, I cried — not a gentle tear, but the kind that rises from a place you didn’t realize was still tender.

I’ve never lost a child, so at first I didn’t understand why this letter hit me so deeply.

But when I sat with my tears, I realized something. While I haven’t walked that road myself, someone I love has. A dear friend of mine lost her grown daughter two years ago, and witnessing her navigate that kind of grief changed me. I saw her strength, her heartbreak, and the way she kept moving through the impossible because there was no other choice.

It reminded me of that moment in Steel Magnolias when M’Lynn says she was there when her daughter came into the world and there when she left it. My friend lived that in real life. And even though her daughter was 44, the loss was no less devastating. A mother’s love doesn’t measure time — it measures connection.

No parent should ever have to bury their child. And yet some mothers do. They carry a grief that reshapes them forever.

This letter is for them.

For the mother who loves deeply but quietly, because her story has chapters she rarely speaks aloud. For the mother who has rebuilt herself more times than she can count. For the mother who is still learning how to receive the same tenderness she gives so freely. For the mother who is grieving someone, or something, or some version of life she thought she’d have by now. For the mother who is healing in real time.

There are mothers who move through the world with a softness that wasn’t born from ease, but from endurance. Women who learned to hold their own hearts gently because life didn’t always do the same. Women who show up anyway — for their families, for their communities, for themselves — even when no one sees the weight they’re carrying.

You are not behind. You are not forgotten. You are not invisible.

Your story is sacred — not because it is perfect, but because it is true.

And if this season feels tender, or complicated, or heavier than you expected, I want you to know this: you are allowed to honor your heart exactly as it is. You don’t have to perform joy. You don’t have to pretend strength. You don’t have to hold everything together alone.

Let this be the year you let yourself breathe. Let yourself soften. Let yourself be held — by memory, by meaning, by the quiet ways love still finds you.

Motherhood, in all its forms, is a living legacy. And your legacy is still unfolding.

Evolving in grace,
Dawna‑Rae 🦋 may your heart return to itself again and again
P.S. If you’d like to follow the full 7‑day Mother’s Day series, you can also find it on my Substack.

Love Life with Dawna | Dawna-Rae | Substack

When Motherhood Lives in the Quiet Places

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A reflection for the mothers who spend Mother’s Day unseen, unheard, or alone.

Dear friends,

Tonight, and for the next 6 days I wanted to talk to you about Motherhood in this 7- day Mother’s Day series. Thank you for joining me.

There are moments in our lives when the world celebrates loudly, and yet our own hearts move quietly through the day. Mother’s Day can be one of those moments — a day that holds joy for some, ache for others, and a complicated mixture for many.

Today, I’m writing to the mothers whose stories don’t fit neatly into the greeting‑card version of this holiday. The mothers who sit in quiet houses. The mothers who scroll past photos of brunches and bouquets with a tender sting in their chest. The mothers who gave everything, and yet find themselves unacknowledged, unseen, or alone.

This reflection is for you.

I’ve been thinking about the way silence can feel heavier than celebration. The way a mother’s heart remembers every small hand she held, every morning she rose, every moment she gave — even when no one shows up to honor it. The world may forget, but your heart does not.

If I could sit with you right now, I would take your hands and remind you of something sacred: your motherhood matters. The love you poured out did not vanish. The devotion you carried did not disappear. The story you lived is still holy, even if the day feels empty.

For most of my life — and the lives of my children — Mother’s Day was not a day of honor. It was a day erased. Inside the confines of cult life, my sons were taught that celebrating their mother was against God. They were taught that women were lesser. They were taught to withhold what should have been freely given.

Motherhood, for me, became something I lived quietly, without acknowledgment, without ritual, without the simple human recognition that a mother deserves.

But life has changed for the three of us.

We are learning — together — what it means to reclaim a day that was stolen. We are learning how to honor a mother’s heart, whether her children are small or grown. We are learning how to build new memories where old ones were denied.

The greatest gift my sons can give me is their time. Their presence. Their willingness to sit with me in the life we are rebuilding. We have years of memories to make up for, and a lifetime still ahead to create new ones. And we will make them count.

And I feel doubly blessed, because Grant — one of my bonus sons — celebrates me too. Motherhood expands in ways we never expect. Love finds its way through the cracks.

If you are spending this Mother’s Day alone, or unseen, or carrying a quiet ache, please know this: You are not forgotten. You are not invisible. You are not outside the circle of honor. Your motherhood is real. Your story is worthy. Your heart is sacred.

This is your reminder — your evolution — your return to yourself.

Come back tomorrow. We’ll continue this reflection on motherhood, healing, and the quiet places where love still lives. I’ll meet you here, in the soft space where truth and tenderness rise together.

Evolving in grace,

Dawna‑Rae

🦋 may your heart return to itself again and again

Seeing Ourselves With New Eyes

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Happy Sunday evening, friends,

Thank you for stepping back into Have You Evolved Today for another spiritual reflection. Having you here brings so much joy to my heart. Truly — thank you.

Tonight, I wanted to share something tender. Something that once came from a place of brokenness, but is now becoming a place of healing — all because of God’s gentle work in my life.

An old photo resurfaced this week. A photo that should have always held a special place in my heart, yet for years it carried a quiet ache. Not because of the moment itself, but because of the story I had allowed to grow around it — a story rooted in shame instead of truth.

There are moments in life when God invites us to look again — not at the world, not at our circumstances, but at ourselves. Sometimes that invitation comes through a memory, a conversation, or a quiet whisper in prayer. And sometimes… it comes through an old photograph.

Recently, I came across a picture of myself from years ago — a version of me I had avoided for a long time. Not because of the moment itself, but because of the story I had attached to it. A story shaped by someone else’s words. A story that made me shrink instead of rise.

But here’s the thing about evolution: God doesn’t let us stay in the places where shame has rooted itself. He brings us back — gently, lovingly — so we can see the truth we missed the first time.

When I looked at that photo again, I didn’t see the woman I once judged so harshly. I didn’t see the insecurity. I didn’t see the heaviness. I didn’t see the version of me shaped by someone else’s voice.

I saw a woman who was doing her best. I saw a mother who kept loving through storms she never named. I saw tenderness that refused to harden. I saw strength that didn’t roar — it endured.

And I realized something important:

Evolution isn’t always about becoming someone new. Sometimes it’s about finally seeing who you were all along.

So many of us carry old versions of ourselves that we’ve never forgiven. We hold onto moments where we felt small, unseen, or unworthy. We replay words that were spoken over us in anger or carelessness. We let those moments define us long after God has already rewritten the truth.

But the invitation today — the evolution — is this:

Look again.

Look at the woman you were with compassion. Look at the battles she fought without applause. Look at the love she gave even when she was hurting. Look at the strength she carried without knowing it had a name.

You don’t evolve by erasing her. You evolve by honoring her.

Because she is the reason you are who you are today. She is the foundation. She is the seed. She is the beginning of your becoming.

If you feel called, take a moment this week to revisit a version of yourself you’ve avoided. Not to judge her — but to bless her. To thank her. To see her with God’s eyes instead of your own.

You might be surprised by the woman who looks back at you.

Evolving in grace,

Dawna‑Rae

🦋 may your heart return to itself again and again

When God Whispers Instead of Speaks

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A gentle reminder to slow down and return to yourself

Happy Thursday evening everyone!

Thank you for coming back and taking time out of your busy schedule to read this blog. I pray it finds you well tonight.

Thank you for being here with me—

There are moments in our day when God whispers instead of speaks… moments so soft we almost miss them. A pause. A breath. A tug in the spirit that says, “Slow down. I’m here.”

Sometimes evolution isn’t a breakthrough. Sometimes it’s simply noticing the quiet nudge to return to yourself… to step back into the man or woman you were created to be before the world asked you to hurry, to harden, to carry more than your share.

Tonight, if you feel that whisper — that gentle pull toward peace, toward truth, toward God — follow it.

You don’t have to run. You don’t have to leap. Just turn your heart a few degrees back toward the light.

That’s evolution too. That’s grace in motion. That’s you becoming again.

Evolving in grace, Dawna‑Rae

🦋 may your heart return to itself again and again

Finding My Way Back to This Sacred Space

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A quiet return to presence

Happy Wednesday, dear souls.

It feels good to be back here in this little corner of the internet — a space I created to explore what it means to evolve, to heal, and to grow closer to God in a way that feels personal and real. I stepped away for a while, not out of disinterest, but because life was teaching me quietly behind the scenes.

Tonight, I’m returning with a gentler heart, a clearer spirit, and a deeper understanding of what “evolving” truly means. It isn’t loud. It isn’t rushed. It’s the small moments, the quiet shifts, the soft awakenings that happen when we’re honest with ourselves.

I’m not here to grow fast. I’m here to grow faithfully.

So here’s to showing up again — consistently, simply, and with intention. Here’s to little reflections, small reminders, and spiritual do‑dabs that meet you exactly where you are.

I’m grateful to be back. I’m grateful you’re here. And I’m excited to see where this next chapter leads.

Evolving in grace,

Dawna‑Rae 🦋

may your heart return to itself again and again

Through God’s Eyes

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Happy Tuesday

How are you all doing on the amazing Tuesday evening? Everything is going good here with me. Still trying to get my time management under control, but, I’m a work in progress.

I’ve been listening to so many devotional books lately. I’ve been immersing myself in more Christian music and while on my nature walks, I’ve been talking to God more. Something about being out in nature really draws me close to him. I can’t help but be so grateful to Him and express that gratitude as I am always in awe of his marvelous creations.

Have you ever stood at the base of a tree and just looked up? I did that yesterday and though I know the tree has it’s height and doesn’t really touch the sky, as I stood at the base of this huge tree and looked up, I couldn’t see the top. The branches were as big as tress themselves and the leaves made the tree so full. The wind was wisping through and you could hear the rustling of the leaves. It was almost like God was talking to me, reminding me of his magnificence.

I needed that reminder yesterday. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I forget how awe inspiring He is along with his many creations, it’s just sometimes, I believe I fall short of expressing my gratitude. I get caught up in other things and neglect to express being thankful for all He’s done for me.

While on my walk yesterday, I was listening to my Audible book, “A confident heart,” by Renee Swope. As I looked up at this tree and it’s enormous trunk, Renee was talking about how God doesn’t have to forgive us, we aren’t worthy of his forgiveness, we are worth it.

God created us to be his children and though we are imperfect due to the sins of Adam and Eve, that is, if you believe the Adam and Eve account, we were created by God. He sees in us our full potential, even when we don’t see it ourselves. He has unconditional love for us.

I think the closest we ever come to seeing what God sees is when we hold our newborn babies. When a mother gives birth and the doctor places that new life on her belly, she sees everything perfect in that baby. As time goes on, the mother, while in most cases still loves that baby or child unconditionally, we do begin to see their faults.

God on the other hand, he may see our faults, but he still looks at us through the eyes of perfection. Sure, he knows we mess up and all, but he sees beyond that. He sees us to the depths of our soul.

When a baby is born, they’re beautiful. They’re innocent and they are the most precious gift. We are forever, that precious gift in His eyes, even when we sin. God forgave King David who not only committed adultery and impregnated Bathsheba, but he had her husband killed to cover up his sin.

There’s nothing we can do that God won’t forgive. What a lesson in forgiveness, compassion and unconditional love. How quick we are at times to not forgive someone over even the slightest of transgressions, but God forgave an adulterer and murderer.

I suppose it would do us well if we took on the quality of forgiveness and perhaps tried to see things through a broader lens much like our creator.

If we take a moment to try and see things through the eyes of God, maybe it would soften our hearts a little. Maybe we would be more patient. Maybe we would show more kindness and maybe, more peace would avail in our world that seems to be so unkind right now.

I know there are good people despite the things we see and hear on the news. I know there’s love and peace amongst family, friends and neighbors, but we all live in a world full of uncertainty. I wonder what it would be like if we stopped from time to time, took a deep breath and just let things go. Let go, Let God.

Standing beneath that tree yesterday helped me feel His presence. It reminded me of His power and love and it reminded me of just how small I am in comparison to His other creations, yet, he still sees me. He sees my worth.

My dear readers, I hope we can all experience and enjoy God’s magnificent creations. I hope we can all take a moment to see through His eyes. All we have to do is look around. Creation is everywhere.

Just my thought. What do you think? I would love to hear from you. Drop me a comment or give me a like if you enjoyed the blog. It always makes my day hearing from my readers.

Well guys, I need to take another walk now. The pups are a bit anxious. Until next time, don’t forget, open your hearts, listen and evolve today++

He has risen, happy Easter

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Hello and happy Easter everyone.

How are you all enjoying this wonderful Easter Sunday? Easter here in our home was quiet. We slept in a bit. Got up and checked out what the Easter Bunny brought us. My basket was filled with wonderful gifts from Bath and Body works. John’s basket was overflowing with lots of healthy snacks and of course, the kiddos basket was filled with lots of yummy candies and a few chocolates scattered throughout.

As promised, I said I’d come back today to wrap up our discussion regarding the different aspects of Easter. Today, we’ll talk about how candy, the parades, the lamb and of course, the lilies came about.

Before we talk about those fun Easter traditions, I forgot to tell you about the Easter eggs and how they came into play with Easter and of course, the infamous, Easter Bunny.

According to History.com, the Easter eggs are more than likely linked back to the pagan traditions as the egg is an ancient symbol of new life. New life is often thought about in pagan festivals that celebrate spring.

So you maybe wondering, how did the pagan traditions creep their way into Christianity? Easy, you see, from the perspective of Christians, Easter eggs represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection.

The whole decorating of the eggs dates back to at least the 13th century. Some figure the tradition began with the thought that at one time, eggs were a forbidden food during lent, therefore, people would decorate them to mark the end of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration.

Decorating was a fun way to end a fast and make celebrating a little more fun with colorful eggs.

The candy. Easter Candy is the second best selling holiday candy next to Halloween candy of course. Chocolate eggs are still one of the most popular dating back to the 19-century in Europe. Another popular candy is the egg-shaped jelly bean which came onto the Easter scene in the 1930’s and it’s thought that jelly beans origins date all the way back to a Biblical-era creation called the Turkish Delight.

Onto the history of the Easter Parade and how it came about. The Easter Parade began back in the mid-1800’s in New York City. The upper crust, or class of society attended Easter services at many of the Fifth Avenue churches and afterward, they’d venture outside to show off their new spring outfits and hats.

With so many new and extravagant outfits and hats, the common folk began taking notice, thus showing up along Fifth Avenue to check out all the bling. This was becoming so popular, to the point where it was becoming a tradition and by the mid-20th century, the popular movie was released, “Easter Parade.” This famous film starred Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, with music by Irving Berlin. “In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it. You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.”

The Easter Parade has no religious significance, however, sources state that the Easter processions have been a huge part of Christianity since early on.

Regarding the Lamb and other traditional foods related to Easter, how did they come about and why lamb? Christians refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” Lamb does have it’s root in early Passover celebrations. The lamb was sacrificed and it’s blood used to paint the doors of the Israelites, thus, it is believed, God would pass over their homes. Doing this would spare the first born son from being killed. So, the lamb makes sense since Easter is essentially the Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the wiping away of sin.

Easter lilies and flowers, oh how I love Easter Lilies and flowers. Maybe it’s because in a way, they signify spring for me and I do love spring when all the flowers bloom, I know for some of you, spring is a difficult season with all the pollen in the air. Allergies!

According to History.com, the Easter Lily symbolize the purity of Christ to Christians and they are most definitely, a common decoration in churches and homes around the Easter Holiday season. Lilies are bulbs that are dormant in winter months and grow into beautiful flowers in spring, which symbolizes the rebirth and hope of Christ’s resurrection. After WWI, the Lily became the unofficial flower of Easter celebrations across the United States.

And there you have it folks, a little bit of history regarding this very special day, Easter.

I do hope you enjoyed the blog and I can’t wait to see what your thoughts are regarding this blog or any others I’ve written.

If you have a moment, I’d very much appreciate you subscribing to my blog and of course, all comments are always welcome.

Until next time, don’t forget, open your hearts, listen and evolve today++