Standing at the Graveside
Lately, I’ve been attending more funerals than I ever expected at this stage of my life. Each service, each graveside moment, has pressed a deep, quiet awareness into my heart: life is incredibly fragile, and everything we rush and hustle for will one day fall completely silent. In those moments, listening to eulogies, watching tears, feeling the weight of final goodbyes, I find myself thinking of Ecclesiastes, a book that has long intrigued me and that I return to several times a year.
Ecclesiastes speaks the language of the funeral home with startling honesty. “Meaningless, meaningless… chasing after the wind,” it says, as if echoing the feeling that rises when we realize how quickly a full life can be summed up in a few paragraphs on a program. The careers, the deadlines, the anxieties about status and success - none of them follow us into the ground. Standing there, I sense how fleeting our days are and how fragile the things we cling to really are. The book doesn’t say this to depress us, but to wake us up: to remind us that without God, all our striving is just smoke on a windy day.
Yet, strangely, Ecclesiastes doesn’t leave me in despair. It invites me to live more awake, more present, more anchored in what matters eternally. It whispers that every simple joy - a meal shared, honest work, a kind word, a quiet evening - is a gift from God, meaningful not because it will last forever on earth, but because it’s received with gratitude before Him. Funerals and Ecclesiastes together have become my teachers: they remind me that one day the hustle will end, the noise will fade, and only what was rooted in God’s love will truly remain. And with that awareness, I long to live the remaining days I’ve been given with more reverence, more tenderness, and a heart turned toward eternity.
So help me God….
Xoxo,
Lady Abena.
200 Miles of Summer — Walk Into Wellness, Together
This summer, I challenged some amazing women in my circle to walk 200 miles from June 1 to August 31, 2026 - and it’s been so energizing already. The motivation is real, the support is strong, and together we’re stepping out of our comfort zones to walk our way into wellness. Every mile we log is a promise to ourselves: wellness is a practice, one step at a time. The 200 Miles in Summer Challenge invites us to keep choosing energy, clarity, and strength - whether it’s sunrise miles, lunchtime loops, or evening wind-down walks. Consistency is the victory. Breathe deeper, sleep better, clear the mental clutter, and come home to your body with every step.
I’m sharing this to encourage you to create your own wellness groups with friends and family. Accountability and community make healthy living feel lighter—and last longer. Let’s build a summer of strength, joy, and calm that carries us well beyond the season.
XOXO,
Lady Abena
Declarations For June 2026
In this sixth month of the year, I decree that the Lord’s radiant countenance will shine upon us each day, lighting our path and steadying our steps. May the same God who empowered Isaac to sow and reap a hundredfold in that very year release that abundance over our lives - pressed down, shaken together, and running over. I declare that we are blessed as we go out into the world and blessed as we return home, day after day. Our names will be spoken with favor, doors will open before us, and only the goodness and mercy of God are permitted to pursue us throughout this month.
So let it be, and so it is, in Jesus’ mighty name. AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.