The EDITH STEIN | Sage + Amber | Classic Collection

Some things in life are just out of our control. Actually, almost everything is. And we know that, right? But for whatever reason, we go on trying to control all of it anyway. I once heard that the desire we have for control is--contrary to what we might think--actually written on our hearts by God. The problem is this: we try to apply it to anything and everything EXCEPT for what He meant it for. He gave us the desire so we would be able to be in complete control of ourselves and our responses to whatever happens around us. But instead, we resist self-control and look elsewhere, as if we have control over anything besides ourselves. But this will always be disappointing to us, because the truth is that we don’t.

Here’s the flipside though: when we’re told to “let go of our plans,” we might fall into the trap of feeling guilty for making plans at all. That maybe our hopes and dreams and goals should be shelved, or that they’re “wrong” if they don’t line up with God’s plan. But that doesn’t sound like a God who knows and loves us intimately and wants to fulfill all of the desires of our hearts. So maybe the answer isn’t to stop making plans, but rather to hold those plans loosely in our outstretched hands, offering them back to God, willing to lay them down if He shows us another way--remembering that the plans He has made for us from His all-knowing view, whether we realize it or not, are always for our good.

St. Edith Stein (a convert from Judaism and Carmelite sister who was highly educated and eventually killed during the Holocaust for her beliefs) wrote that when our cares agitate us, we must “take the reins in hand and remind ourselves, ‘Let go of your plans.’” She tells us to get a firm grip on ourselves first instead of trying to grasp for control, and then go directly to God, asking Him to direct our days.

The scent profile is a powerful and earthy mix of sage, amber, and oakmoss with sweeter notes of citrus and lavender. I promise you’ll love it!