Joy Comes in Threes | Vol 04 🐌

What I’m loving, reading, watching, and listening to this fall.

Welcome to Joy Comes in Threes, a seasonal roundup of my newest favorite things. 

I’ll share three things I’ve been loving, reading, watching, and listening to lately, and a few rhythms and routines I’ve been experimenting with.

A few snaps from our early fall adventures

Fall began with Bailey’s first day trip to Duluth with some of her favorite friends. After grabbing some coffee at Amity, we headed for Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve—a lovely recommendation from a copywriter friend who knows Duluth inside and out.

We took the wrong path (which seems to be a theme with us) until we found the right trail, leading to a five-mile hike. We cooled off by Lake Superior by grabbing a late lunch at Sir Benedict’s Tavern, where Evan ordered a 5/5 Belgium sour beer (no small feat!). We finished our sandwiches, walked around Canal Park by the lighthouse, and stopped by Zenith, a dog-friendly bookstore, on our way out.

We’ve since taken day trips to visit Evan’s family in Wisconsin, explore the tiny town of Marine on St. Croix, and hit the open road to hunt for thrifted treasures. Fall seems to be our ideal time to travel both near and far.

Here’s a look at my other fall favorites:

What I’m loving

Joining a weekly Bible study

I’ve been a part of many church small groups before—ranging from neighborhood-based groups to Christian book clubs to video lesson-based groups—but none of them met weekly. There’s something special about meeting with an intimate group of people every week to study God’s Word.

I chose to participate in a co-ed small group that’s reading through the Gospel of Mark in a 12-week Bible study. We meet at our local church to discuss what God has revealed to us throughout the week based on our individual study time. It’s been such a joy and has given me a little more structure when I study Scripture during my Sabbath Fridays.

Sourcing art for our home

While it will be (literal) years until we repaint and redesign our living space, Evan has been on a mission to hang more art on the walls. Art helps him feel more at home, so we’ve been slowly curating a collection that represents us as a couple and individually.

After strolling through a Fall Art Festival in Edina, we purchased our biggest art piece to date! While it felt very spontaneous in the moment—especially because we had to drive back home to exchange my little Corolla for Evan’s mid-size SUV—we’ve had our eyes on this particular piece for almost three years.

We planned on waiting a while longer, but when we heard the husband-and-wife artist duo were retiring next year, we looked at each other and knew it was time to bring it home with us. This weekend, we’ll be hanging it on the tallest wall in our home—eek!

One-piece swimsuits

Okay, this one may not be geared toward fall, but I had to sneak it in anyway! The more I try on one-pieces, the more I ask myself, “Where have you been all my life?!”

As a six-foot-tall gal, they flatter my shape SO much more than two-piece swimsuits. Also, it gets bonus points for always being activity-ready! I found this cute brown wrap-style suit later in the season, so I haven’t been able to wear it yet, but I’m excited to whip it out for winter dips in the hot tub.

What I’m reading

The God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson

If you have a deep love for trees and plants, The God of the Garden should be on your to-read list. A songwriter turned author, Andrew beautifully weaves garden imagery into autobiographical stories, drawing on his everyday life. The book’s tone is both hopeful and melancholy, a balance I found to be realistic and endearing. I listened to this as an audiobook (which I highly recommend because he also shares songs from his albums), but I got so much out of Andrew’s storytelling that I want a physical copy for my shelves. I gave it a solid 4/5 stars only because it lacked deeper Scriptural analysis.

Relaxed by Megan Fate Marshman

Megan’s love for the Lord is SO apparent in her book, Relaxed: Walking with the One Who is Not Worried About a Thing. By examining themes of grief, hurry, and anxiety, Megan invites us to slow down and seek the Holy Spirit in all things. I gave it 3.5/5 stars because I really enjoyed the prayerful exercises at the end of the chapters, but the book’s message felt a bit repetitive.

Five Mere Christians by Jordan Raynor & Kaleigh Cox

If you love reading biographies as much as I do, you’re going to enjoy Five Mere Christians. I initially picked up the book because I wanted to learn more about our favorite neighbor, Fred Rogers, from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, but there were many other noteworthy stories. I gave it 3.5/5 stars since I connected with some biographies more than others.

What I’m watching

The Lost Kitchen (Max)

I’m so obsessed with the story behind The Lost Kitchen that I could give a TED Talk on it. I was first introduced to Erin French through Ina Garten on her (previously mentioned) interview show, Be Our Guest. I love her tenacity and how her greatest opportunities were born out of her greatest setbacks.

I’ve been slowly savoring Season 1, which follows Erin and her all-female staff as they host people from all over the world for unique farm-to-table dinners. It also shows how they navigate through the pandemic and face challenges head-on. I could share so many more details about why I love the show, but you’ll just have to watch it to see for yourself!

Motel Rescue (Max)

Have you felt a little burned out on watching the same home renovation show concept play out over and over? Motel Rescue provides a nice escape by redesigning motels instead of residential homes.

Some viewers don’t love the host’s interior design style, but I watch it more for the business breakdowns and the stories surrounding each owner. I especially loved the episode titled Suwanee River Redo, which featured an immigrant family building their motel into a multi-generational family legacy. Cue the tears!

Pilgrim Devotions (YouTube)

I’m calling it right now: Lawrence Blair of Pilgrim Devotions is THE honorary grandpa voice we all need. When I go on short afternoon walks with Bailey, his 15-20 minute video devotionals are the perfect companion. His voice is incredibly calming, and he takes his time while unpacking Scripture-based topics.

I’m listening through his archive this fall, but I really loved Is Your Life Overgrown with Weeds? and How to Hear God’s Still Small Voice in the Chaos of Life. He also calls his followers “pilgrims,” which I find so charming and heartwarming.

What I’m listening to

No AI lo-fi music

Fun fact: Lo-fi music is almost always playing in the background while I work. I produce some of my best writing thanks to this music genre. However, did you know many of the lo-fi music videos you find on YouTube are actually produced by AI tools? Ugh!

As a fierce advocate for human creativity, I go out of my way to find musicians who don’t use AI. My recent favorite is Yellow Cherry Jam because of their relaxing vibe, gorgeous settings, and their sweet golden retriever sidekick. I happen to be listening to them right now!

Redeeming Productivity podcast

If you’re tired of listening to typical productivity advice—like waking up at 5 a.m., writing three morning pages, or multitasking throughout the day—you’ll love Reagan’s Redeeming Productivity podcast. He talks about how to be more productive within a Christian worldview.

I love how he dissects popular advice from business leaders and philosophers while connecting each topic to current events and Scripture. Also, the episode length is almost always between 15 and 30 minutes, which feels so refreshing. His episode that covers the answer to What is Biblical Productivity? is a good place to start.

My Campfire playlist

What says autumn more than a vibey indie playlist? From acoustic gems to slow folk music, everything in my Campfire playlist screams fall.

I began curating this playlist about six-ish years ago when I started dating my now husband, and he agrees that it’s one of my best playlists to date. If you want to listen to music that feels like sitting near a cozy bonfire, this is it.

---

A season to remember

What have you been loving this fall?