On the Winding Path

Welcome friend,

I’m so glad you’re here.

I hope this will be a place where you can stop and take a breath in the midst of your busy day.

Here at On the Winding Path, you’ll find a growing collection of reflections and musings, exploring what it means to slow down and live in the rhythms of each season, finding hope, joy, faith, and community along the way.

You’ll also find printable resources available for download — journal prompts, affirmation cards, devotionals, a little game or two, and guided journals. These were all created with love for the purpose of fostering reflection, comfort, and connection.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey of renewal and growth, as we quiet our pace and find transforming peace, relishing the beauty around us and within.

… with intention and hope

The path through life is rarely as straightforward as we may hope it to be. We’re often met with twists and turns, hills that require strength, streams to jump over, roots we must keep an eye out for. There’s pain and grief, suffering and struggle. Moments where we may find ourselves lost and alone. Times when we feel confused or discouraged.

And yet there are those awe-inspiring glimpses that take our breath away — a spectacular view when we finally reach the top of the mountain, a double rainbow in the sky after a long period of rain, new growth in the garden after tirelessly working the soil and patiently waiting. Moments when we feel seen and alive. Times of wonder and beauty that fill us with hope.

When we slow down and take the time to notice the intricate details all around us, we realize these breathtaking moments are more common than we may have initially believed them to be. The winding path is full of life and growth, even amid hardships.

There is hope in the midst of the struggle and deep joy that isn’t dependent on what is or isn’t going right. There is healing and grace.

And so let’s slow down our pace and ease into a new year with intention and hope.

22 Journal Prompts for a Year of Renewal and Joy | Free Printable

Recent Reflections and Musings

On the Threshold of Something New

Bethany Valyou

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October 16, 2025

My husband, Chris, and I were eating Saturday breakfast on the back porch, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a yellow leaf fall slowly to the ground. “It’s starting — autumn is here!” It was, in fact, still summer, but our long, sunny days were slowly…
How a “Silent Reading Party” Inspired More Than Just Books

Bethany Valyou

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September 16, 2025

“Here are your new library cards!” smiled the librarian, as she handed me and my husband our new paper library cards. I hadn’t expected an actual physical card, and it surprised me how delighted I was to receive it. I know it sounds strange to say, but a part of…
Slowing Down Among the Ferns

Bethany Valyou

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July 13, 2025

Hand in hand, we walked down the grassy hill toward the edge of the woods. Our feet quickly met the sea of ferns welcoming us into the forest beyond. Her small hand led me through a barely visible path between the ferns; twigs and leaves crunched under our feet as…

On the Winding Path

Welcome friend,

… with intention and hope

“Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again.”

Katherine May, Author

Follow My Blog for More Musings

Questions? Thoughts?

bethany@onthewindingpath.com

Recent Reflections and Musings

On the Threshold of Something New

How a “Silent Reading Party” Inspired More Than Just Books

Slowing Down Among the Ferns