Preparing for the Seasons: A Warm Cup, A Warm Body, A Ready Spirit

When the Weather Drops, I Reach for Warmth

The weather in London has been dropping — last month, we were dancing in sunshine and now we’re wondering on a jacket or a cardigan. If you know me, you know I adapt my meals toa the weather. I’ve never found a fancy name for it — maybe “weather eating babe” works for now — but it’s simply how I care for my body.

Coming from a Caribbean British background, food has always been more than just fuel. It’s memory. It’s medicine. It’s ministry. And as a Christian, I’ve come to see that the warmth we draw from a hot drink or a home-cooked meal is often one of God’s gentlest gifts, reminding us that seasons may shift, but His faithfulness never does.

Recently, I remembered some hibiscus leaves brought back from Gambia — deep in colour, rich in flavour. Outside of Jamaica (where we call it sorrel), the Senegambia region still grows some of the best I’ve ever tasted. There’s something special about putting on a pot of something slow and sacred — the aroma filling the room as it simmers low and steady, grounding you in the present.

Later, I’ll finish the batch with a few bright additions. Whether I enjoy it hot in the evenings or chilled in the daytime, it becomes a quiet act of preparation for the season ahead, for the shift within, for the changes I don’t always see coming.

And that’s really what this is about. Not just the drink, but the discipline of nourishment. The quiet faith that says:
“If the season shifted overnight, would my body, my mind, my spirit be ready?”

In the summer, I tend to balance heat with light salads and refreshing meals. But when the cold sneaks in early, I shift choosing warmth, choosing grounding, choosing what my body really needs.

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1

“She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.” — Proverbs 31:21

These are the rhythms I’m leaning into. Not rituals, not rules — just rooted reminders.
God is in the slow simmer, the shift, the stillness.

🫖 If you’re curious about how I make my hibiscus blend — with its full depth, spice, and body-warming goodness — I’ve made the full recipe available.

Stay warm. Stay nourished.
And stay ready for every season God is preparing you for.