Every year growing up, it was always an essential to have a corn dog (preferably at the county fair) in August. The taste of the fried, yummy food, the sound of rides nearby, and the heat of the afternoon sun, all were hallmarks of an August day.

These days, August looks a little different. Yet, I am grateful for another month of summertime, gardening, time with family and friends, and good weather.

Thank you for subscribing to The Persistent Christian! Read on for some exciting updates.

Three Exciting Changes

1. New posts will now come out every Thursday. Monthly newsletters will continue to come out the first week of each month.

2. A gardening section is now live! You don’t need to be a gardener to read it. Check it out for some fun content and reflections on seasonal produce.

3. This week, I am launching the paid subscription option in response to some generous pledges I received from readers. The paid subscription tier is $5 per month or $50 per year, and is completely optional. All subscribers, free and paid, will receive the same content.

   Thank you for your support!

July’s Posts

There were four new posts in the month of July! Read below for a summary and link to each post in case you missed them.

1. 2 Years Later and I Still Have Weeds in My Garden

July marked 2 years since the launch of The Persistent Christian! Read below for a reflection on the growth of the blog, as well as a reintroduction if you are new here. :)

2. Nine Tomato Plants & A Dream

Yes, I really did plant nine tomato plants in my very first garden.

It looked more like a tomato hedge.

Check out this post for an exploration of my favorite tomato varieties to grow.

3. When You Don’t Know What to Write

In writing and in life, it can be difficult to know what to do.

Consulting our own Author is always a good idea.

4. Leafy Greens and Green Pastures

Maybe the peace of God can be found in the green rows of a backyard garden.

Thank you for being here! It is a blessing to be able to share my writing, and I am grateful for your reading.

As we look ahead into the month of August, I pray these days of long daylight and warm evenings will remind you of the never ending warmth of God’s love.

In Christ,

Lauren

I have been reflecting lately on how much the seasons impact our lives. Since starting The Persistent Christian, I have been drawn to centering my writing around the seasons of the spiritual life. This idea was first introduced to me by a campus minister in college. We talked about times of desolation and times of rejoicing in the spiritual life and how they can be compared to the four physical seasons.

This has stuck with me ever since, as the seasons truly impact things, whether in little or big ways. The seasons are a reminder that each peson’s walk with the Lord will have changes in scenery. Additionally, seasons are also honored in the Catholic faith: there is the beauty of Ordinary Time, the waiting and cleansing of Lent, anticipating in Advent, and celebrating in Easter.

God is unchanging, but our lives and circumstances do. The path sometimes winds, descends, and ascends. But, each day is a gift. And, the Lord promises to be with us always:

“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

- Matthew 28:20, NRSV-CE

It is only natural that our days and schedules would adapt as circumstances change. In the literal sense, as the daylight has stretched into the late evening hours, I have been enjoying the cooler respite from the hot days. As the sun goes down, I have spent a lot of time with my hands and feet in the garden dirt. The 5pm sunsets are far in the rear view mirror for now, and my daily schedule is grateful for it!

While we continue to have our daily responsibilities to keep up with, the good weather and beauty of His creation draw us outdoors and into dialogue with Him through all that He has made for us.

And furthermore, we go through all kinds of seasons. Physical seasons like spring, summer, fall, and winter, but also spiritual and emotional seasons like despair, joy, and loss. As we grow and change, so does our spiritual life.

As the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us:

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. . .”

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, NRSV-CE

I pray that this summer is full of God’s blessings for you. In the long, summer nights, I hope you find the signs of God’s hand all around.

He is here.

Gardening Questions

A big part of my summer is planting and nurturing a garden! I started my first garden in 2023, and each year I am learning and adapting. The survey below has a few questions surrounding the garden!

I think it would be fun to start a gardening section of The Persistent Christian. God is the master gardener, and how beautiful that we can participate in stewarding creation. The survey above helps me gauge interest in this topic.

Have any other gardening thoughts? Or suggestions for another section topic?

Drop me a line below!

Thanks for being here!

Thank you for subscribing to The Persistent Christian.

Your reading, supportive comments, and sharing of the blog means so much. I am grateful to be able to share my writing and love for Jesus. What once started as a simple way to post my writing has been growing and changing over the last 2 years.

As a subscriber, you can expect approximately 3-4 emails a month. New posts come out every other Thursday, and you will receive one monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month.

Have someone on your heart who might enjoy reading? You can share The Persistent Christian by clicking the button below.

Share The Persistent Christian

What’s new?

There were two new posts in the month of June. Click below to read them.

1. Summer praise

A brief imagery on the beauty of the summer season. Thank you, Lord for the gift of the warm season!

2. Reflections on directions

It is so hard to relinquish control to the Lord. Yet, it is necessary. This is a reflection on giving it all to Him.

In Closing…

Thank you for being here! It is a blessing to be able to share my writing, and I am grateful for your reading.

May the Lord shine His face upon you.

In Christ,

Lauren

Happy June!

It is hard to believe we are approaching summertime. As the days warm and the sunlight stretches into the evening hours, I thank God for the gift of living a life in service of Him.

Even on the hard days, He is there waiting for us to consult Him. He has plans for us. They may not be what we expected, but they are good.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

- Jeremiah 29:11, NRSV-CE

The month of May was a busy one

The garden was planted!

As spring goes, after planting I proceeded to “tuck the garden in” many cold nights under a frost cover (and had a little regret planting the vulnerable seeds and starts so early! I was excited…).

Nurturing a garden takes so much time, yet its so rewarding.

For my gardening friends: I am in zone 6b. If you have any tips for zone 6b gardening, please send them my way! This is my 4th year gardening in this zone, and every year is different.

I attended my first in-person writers conference in Chicago.

After one tiny flight from my small regional airport, to my state’s main airport, then to Chicago O’Hare, I got to experience big city life (a bit overwhelming, but fun for a short time)!

At the writers conference, I connected with so many other wonderful people in the publishing world who also love Jesus.

I learned a lot and left the conference feeling excited for the future and for writing for the Lord.

Fellowship is so important.

Thanks for being here!

Thank you for subscribing to The Persistent Christian.

Your reading, supportive comments, and sharing of the blog means so much. I am grateful to be able to share my writing and love for Jesus.

As a subscriber, you can expect approximately 3-4 emails a month. New posts come out every other Thursday, and you will receive one monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month.

Every other Thursday - New devotion. My regular topics are seasonal reflections, chronic illness, grief, and Catholic faith. However, I always look to the Lord for help about what to write, so each devotion that comes out is unique to the time it’s being posted.

Monthly - Newsletter about what’s going on with The Persistent Christian. Receive an update with links to last month’s posts, a little blurb about the latest, and an opportunity to submit prayer requests.

Have someone on your heart who might enjoy reading? You can share The Persistent Christian by clicking the button below.

Share The Persistent Christian

What’s new?

There were two new posts in the month of May. Click below to read them.

1. A personal reflection on my battle with anxiety.

This post is near to my heart. I have struggled with anxiety since I was young, and this is a reflection on how social media affects mental health.

2. Thoughts on growing where you are planted

Growing where you are planted takes time. In gratitude for those who came and went before me, this is a reflection on how roots can take generations to form.

Prayer Requests

If you would like to submit a prayer request directly to me, please click the button below to send me a message. I will write your prayer in my journal and offer it up to the Lord.

If you would like to submit a prayer that other subscribers can see and pray for as well, join The Persistent Christian subscriber chat. A new thread went out this morning in the chat that subscribers can reply to with prayer requests.

Your Feedback is Requested…

In Closing…

Thank you for being here! It is a blessing to be able to share my writing, and I am grateful for your reading.

May the Lord shine His face upon you as we approach the summer season.

In Christ,

Lauren

The flowers are blooming (*cue sneezing*), the sun has been out, there have been rain showers, and the home projects continue. In the month of April, I traveled across the country from Oregon to Florida, did some home painting, and prepared my garden space for planting.

It is amazing to look back at a month and consider how much did (or didn’t happen). There are some months where it feels like a lot was accomplished and other months where time seemingly inched by.

Whatever season you find yourself in, please know of my prayers for you. God is present in every season, in every high and low, and in each sunrise and sunset.

Some days are long.

Some days fly by.

But, it is a treasure to spend them in the company of the Creator.

The One who knows each and every one of us best.

Each day is a gift.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month

It has been almost 3 years since I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease and bartonellosis, and May is Lyme disease awareness month.

Lyme is often an invisible battle.

Lyme disease has been nicknamed “The Great Imitator”. It can be misdiagnosed as something else, and that is exactly what happened to me. It is unclear how many years I went misdiagnosed, but it is clear that the true cause of my health issues was missed for quite some time. I am grateful I finally received the correct diagnosis, and I have been continuing on the long road of recovery.

To all those battling a chronic illness: you are strong and the Lord is with you.

To read more about my journey with Lyme:

Hey you, thanks for being here!

As a subscriber, you can expect approximately 3-4 emails a month. New posts come out every other Thursday, and you will receive one monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month.

Every other Thursday - New devotion. My regular topics are seasonal reflections, chronic illness, grief, and Catholic faith. However, I always look to the Lord for help about what to write, so each devotion that comes out is unique to the time it’s being posted.

Monthly - Newsletter about what’s going on with The Persistent Christian. Receive an update with links to last month’s posts, a little blurb about the latest, and an opportunity to submit prayer requests.

What’s new?

There were two new posts in the month of April. Click below to read them!

1. A reflection on the difficult work of painting a closet:

2. A West Coaster’s first time walking on an Atlantic Ocean coastline:

Prayer Requests

If you would like to submit a prayer request directly to me, please click the button below to send me a message. I will write your prayer in my journal and offer it up to the Lord.

If you would like to submit a prayer that other subscribers can see and pray for as well, join The Persistent Christian subscriber chat. A new thread went out this morning in the chat that subscribers can reply to with prayer requests.

Your Feedback is Requested…

In Closing…

Thank you for being here! It is a blessing to be able to share my writing, and I am grateful for your reading.

May the Lord shine His face upon you as we continue through spring.

In Christ,

Lauren

If you like The Persistent Christian, click the button below to share it with a friend!

Share The Persistent Christian

First of all, WELCOME if you are new here! My name is Lauren Seymour, and I started The Persistent Christian as a place to share devotions from my walk with the Lord. I am grateful to have this space to share, and I just transitioned The Persistent Christian over to Substack from another platform in December 2025.

On my previous platform, I sent out monthly updates to subscribers. It took me some time to get settled in on Substack, and I finally have created a separate section to my blog where monthly newsletters will reside.

You are automatically opted into these monthly newsletters as a subscriber. If you would like to update your email preferences, you can head over to your settings page by clicking here. Simply click on “The Persistent Christian” to manage your email notifications.

What to expect…

As a subscriber, you can expect approximately 3-4 emails a month. New posts come out every other Thursday, and you will receive one monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month.

Every other Thursday - New devotion. My regular topics are seasonal reflections, chronic illness, grief, and Catholic faith. However, I always look to the Lord for help about what to write, so each devotion that comes out is unique to the time it’s being posted.

Monthly - Newsletter about what’s going on with The Persistent Christian. Receive an update with links to last month’s posts, a little blurb about the latest, and an opportunity to submit prayer requests.

What’s new?

In the month of March, I posted two new devotions. The devotion “Grief Tells a Story” is particularly near to my heart, as it is a reflection on three things I have learned in the first 18 months of my grief journey since my twin brother passed away.

Follow the links below to read March’s posts.

Prayer Requests

If you would like to submit a prayer request directly to me, please click the button below to send me a message. I will write your prayer down in my journal and offer up your prayers to the Lord.

If you would like to submit a prayer that other subscribers can see and pray for as well, join The Persistent Christian subscriber chat. A new thread went out this morning in the chat that subscribers can reply to with prayer requests.

Your Feedback is Requested…

In Closing…

Thank you for being here! It is a blessing to be able to share my writing, and I am grateful for your reading.

May the Lord shine His face upon you as we approach the Easter season!

In Christ,

Lauren

If you like The Persistent Christian, click the button below to share it with a friend!

Share The Persistent Christian