About the Author

Rachel Marie Kang is the author of Let There Be Art and The Matter of Little Losses. A writer of poems, prose, and other pieces, she is founder of The Fallow House and the Social Media & Guest Post Manager for (in)courage. Connect with her at rachelmariekang.com.

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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. Oh I am drooling. I was born and raised in Brooklyn. And my favorite food is PIZZA. Next week, my 71st birthday I will continue the tradition of having pizza as my birthday meal. I now live in rural Maine so the pizza of my youth is a memory to savor. And like you, I am gluten intolerant. So it will be a gluten free pizza for me. Growing up I had my go to pizza place and it sounds just like the one you visited. The same slow process, one person behind the counter making pizza. I had a slice every day either before dinner or afterwards. I thought it was a touch of heaven on earth. And now, reading this, it makes such sense. God stays the same, is intimately involved, God is worth the wait and too good to share. Thank you for such a delicious insight.

    • Haha, Madeline! This was the sweetest comment to read. And so fun to hear you know (and lived) this experience, too. What a true treasure. I miss the days when food was prepared as such. Grateful to hear these words spoke to you, and I’m wishing you a fun-filled 71st birthday with the best pizza you can get your hands on!

  2. I’ll be honest, at first, when I read the title I thought pizza and God, hmmm!? But then, wow! The perspective is amazing. This was my take away (that will, by the way, stick with me for a LONG time so thank you) God cares so much about us that He prepares each of us carefully, with TLC like the pizza being prepared for its customers. God takes His time, not rushing, causing us to have to wait longer than we’d like sometimes. The other takeaway is just like the pizza place has such a great reputation and the ‘word’ is spread, our God has a reputation for being AMAZING and we keep coming back and spreading His word and His name for others to be able to experience God’s greatness!!

    Thank you thank you! (Now I have to have pizza, lol!)

    • Susen! I’m so glad you entertained the possibility of pizza and God : ) Honored to hear and know you’ll sit with these lessons for a long while. Sounds like you and I are in the same boat . . . remembers God’s care for us and letting God take the time needed with us so that we become all we were meant to. I’m waiting long on a lot of things, but trying to remind my heart that that doesn’t change one thing about God’s goodness. Hoping you get your hands on a yummy slice of pizza sometime soon!

  3. Dear Rachel………..Your words today brought me to tears, as I was married to my husband ( Italian on both his father’s and mothers side ). I am Pennsylvania Dutch. We grew up in an entirely different environment. I learned how to cook Italian and my husband learned to love my kind of food as well. Your pizza story and the picture was just so warming to me and I could actually taste that pizza. Pardon, my drooling. What a truly wonderful engagement story and your husband must really love you for planning all those surprises. We were married 52 years when I noticed that his mind was failing. I managed to get him to a neurologist, but he refused to accept their diagnosis and what he needed to do to slow the progress of this awful disease. Instead of stopping his heavy drinking, he increased it and flushed the medication down the toilet. My son did not believe me and told me I was a liar and no longer, my mother. Heartbreaking things one after another. I prayed so frequently, but now 6 years later, his dementia has progressed to the highest tier. I stayed with him for 3+ years and kept trying to get him back to the doctor, but to no avail and his doctors could not understand why he would not help me. He was 52 at the time. Those 3+ years were very bad for me as he drank so much all afternoon and ate no dinner which through into what they called “Dementia rages” where, every single night he abused me physically as well as emotionally until in 2022, he tried to kill me. That was the end and I was forced to have him evicted from our house of 40 years for my safety. There is so much more, but I have bored you too much. This is where your words written towards the end of the devotion really hit me. The one lesson I am working on this year is to trust God’s plan and timing even when it feels foggy, frustrating and slow. I know God has each of our plans, but as human beings, sometimes we just can’t fight through this. This always reminds me that Jesus went through these difficult times as well and then I get mad at myself. My son has not let me see or even talk to my 1 grandchild for 3 years. He is 14 now. I just can’t seem to forgive my son for doing this. I know his wife hates me, but my son has changed into her over the years. Thank you again Rachel for your wonderful story and the picture of that pizza was definitely Italian. We used to go to South Philadelphia for true, real Italian goodies. I will keep trying and also to be more patient. Your words, Rachel have definitely given me courage and strength to move on. Love and prayers to you and your family today. Betsy Basile

    • Sweet Betsy, it seems you and I are learning to be patient together. I thought I was patient, but turns out I’m just as angry, anxious, and impatient as the next person. The image of Dom (the pizzeria owner) forever stays in my mind. The image instantly makes me think of how God carefully tends to and takes care of each one of us. So fun to hear of your Pennsylvania Dutch roots and growing up with authentic Italian. I currently live in New Jersey and am certainly getting my fill on all things Italian! : )

  4. God stays the same is what I’m clinging to now. Several of my family members are facing upheaval in their lives with health issues, both physical and mental, and as they rely on me for support, I need the consistency of God’s peace and strength. On a side note, I’m finding comfort in reading your book The Matter Of Little Losses again. As I’m reading and journaling in the book, my mind and heart find rest.

    • I totally hear this, Maura. It’s so easy to lose our footing. Even easier to lose our footing when others around us lose their’s too. Hoping you not only encounter the consistency and kindness of God, but begin to embody them yourself. Also so honored to hear The Matter of Little Losses is speaking to you. Today is its one year book birthday, so your note came as timely encouragement!

  5. Wonderful article filled with great reminders! Also, I think I’m learning that through it all God is there. Through, good and bad, joy and heartache and even when things don’t make sense.

    • So glad you like these reminders, Courtney! I think I’m right there with you in learning (again) that God is near through it all. Especially when it doesn’t make sense. Grace to you this week!

  6. I know this is late, so I pray this still reaches you. I saved yesterday’s email in my inbox because I love NYC and its pizza. The life lesson that we are currently walking through is God’s plan is always worth the wait. My husband and I moved to a house in 2018 that was about 30 minutes away from our kids, jobs, and most of modern civilization. We thought that the 30 minutes wasn’t a big deal at the time, and the house was beautiful and brand new. Fast forward to 2024, our daughter was now expecting her second child. The distance started to become a problem after the first few years because we were so used to being a part of each other’s lives on a daily basis. After praying for guidance my husband and I felt that God was leading us to put our house on the market. Now, keep in mind interest rates were at their highest point in years, we were going into fall, hurricanes, elections, holidays, etc. The cards were definitely stacked against us. We had a few interested parties early on, and then nothing. We had resolved it to be not part of God’s plan, and we were fine making do where we were. We committed to making the drive to see our kids, and now 2 grandsons as much as possible so that they didn’t have to pack everybody and everything to come to us. Then we got a serious buyer. We were so shocked after months of no activity that we almost couldn’t believe it. We had stopped viewing possible new properties online and now had to quickly jump on appointments to see potential new homes, the inventory in our price range is scarcely low. There was one property for sale right under our nose, frankly and right next to our daughter’s home. It was a nice size property, but the house appeared to be very small and the price a bit higher than we wanted. We started looking in the windows (it’s a new construction home) and seeing that it was lovely inside. We made and appointment to see it and fell in love with it right away. My heart was scared to hope that we could have this house, right next to our daughter’s family, close to work, and modern civilization. We are now through all of the negotiating, inspections, financing, etc. Our closing date is at the end of this month, and we are in awe of what God has done!! We haven’t crossed the finish line yet, but we have faith that God got us this far and he is faithful to complete his plan for us.

  7. So honored to hear a little bit about your current season, Christine. I recently relocated to be closer to my family (after having two boys in the last few years). I understand so much of what you’re sharing here and hope for goodness to unfold from this, even in the waiting. Grace to you today!

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