February 19
A Wink - No Ordinary Day
Dear Expectant Reader,
I am so excited to meet with you.
Do you see the well-worn path I’ve made as I’ve waited for you today?
My mood could easily be compared to a puppy waiting for you to come home. You know the look: a small wag of the tail and, for emphasis, a few quick barks. Or maybe it’s like a child waiting for Christmas morning.
Today, I woke up willing and ready to share a part of my story.
What I’m about to share changed how I understand God’s nearness, and I hope it might gently shape how you understand His nearness, too.
If you’re willing to sit with me for a minute, I’d like to invite you into a few moments from the last few years of my life. I feel led to be vulnerable as I share some truths - principles that have influenced and transformed me. I don’t want to overwhelm you, so we’ll take stretching breaks as we go.
For now, take a seat.
Get comfortable.
Settle in with me.
Some of my story may feel familiar. It might stir emotions you haven’t visited in a while, or gently rub against beliefs you hold. I want to make space for that. Please read slowly, and pause whenever you need to.
Before we move into the heart of this writing, I think it’s important that we agree on a foundational truth. I’ll do my best to offer thoughtful support for what I’m sharing.
To understand why this story matters, I need to share one belief I once wrestled with.
A Foundational Truth
Our first point of agreement is this: the Holy Spirit does indeed speak to His children today.
Before my experiences in 2024, I would have questioned that statement. I would have readily agreed that He spoke in “Bible times,” but it would have taken some convincing for me to believe He still speaks in the present day.
Before we go further, let me ask you, what has your experience with the Holy Spirit been like?
For a long time, I was quietly unsure of the Holy Spirit’s speaking and presence in my life. I was not familiar with what I would call His gentle voice at least until one moment changed everything.
In early January of 2024, I was sitting in a small group at church. Our lesson that day focused on the Holy Spirit. We were given a simple yet intimidating assignment: ask the Holy Spirit a question, then sit quietly and write down what we heard.
My question was:
“What do I do in the wait?”
My palms were sweaty. My breathing was shallow. I was certain I would hear nothing but silence.
Instead, almost immediately, an unfamiliar yet confident, quiet voice spoke:
Praise and Worship
My Truth
My Word
My Character
My Timing
As I sat with that moment, my understanding flipped upside down.
The Holy Spirit had spoken to me. And His answer wasn’t about what I should do, it was about who He is. My focus in the waiting was meant to be on Him.
I didn’t realize it then, but that moment would become a turning point.
We’ll come back to the idea of waiting later.
What I can’t fully express is the significance of realizing, for the first time, that I had heard His voice.
A Holy Shift
Fast forward about fourteen months to March of 2025.
I was sitting in the very same place where I’m typing these words now, beginning to write a devotional called Winks, Wanderings & Wisdom. It centered on listening to the Holy Spirit as I hiked through the hills of Tennessee. I had coined the word “Winks” to describe those moments when I felt the Holy Spirit draw near; sometimes through a revealed truth, other times through quiet comfort or simply a moment of being seen and held. I’d learned that “Winks” come in all shapes and sizes.
Fourteen months earlier, I hadn’t truly believed the Holy Spirit still spoke. And here I was, writing a devotional about how He had been speaking to me.
No longer were those moments with the Holy Spirit few and far between. Slowly, yet surely, they had become part of my daily life. We were building an intimacy, a connection I hadn’t known before.
That feels nothing short of miraculous.
Honestly, I think a brief pause, and maybe even a quiet hallelujah, is appropriate. I invite you to join me there.
And if you’re expecting a sales pitch, please know that’s not coming. There’s a link to the devotional on my Substack if you’re curious, and it would be my honor if you chose to read it. But that isn’t the purpose of this writing.
That growth didn’t happen overnight, it was shaped in waiting.
You’ve already taken in a lot of backstory.
So let’s stand up for a moment.
Stretch.
Take a deep breath.
Because, friend we’re just getting to the good stuff.
A Question for You
You might be wondering why February 19 matters at all. It’s the title, after all, and I haven’t mentioned it yet. That’s fair.
Before we continue, I want to invite you to reflect for a moment. Think back to a time when you felt a “Wink”- a moment when God felt especially near.
Do any emotions begin to stir?
Take your time.
I’ll be right here when you’re ready.
If you are ready, come take my hand and join me in mine.
The Wait
Speaking of waiting: I did promise we’d come back to that.
This waiting is over…
and yet, the waiting is not.
But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
Let me ask you something: Are you currently in a season of waiting? Have you ever wondered if God hears your prayers?
If so, please let my story encourage you.
On February 19, 2025, I was in the midst of a long season of waiting; one marked by discouragement, weariness, and deep exhaustion. I had come alongside someone I deeply love, walking with them through a deep valley that had lasted several years.
Before opening my Bible that morning, I prayed a simple, honest prayer:
“Lord, I need You to appear to me today.”
Then I began reading.
And this verse, Leviticus 9:4, leapt off the page:
“For today the Lord will appear to you.”
I didn’t know then how long that verse would continue to speak to me.
I needed a moment.
Maybe you do too.
“For today the Lord will appear to you.”
I wept.
It felt as though God Himself had reached down and said, “I see you, daughter. I’m listening.” Right there in the middle of the wait.
I knew I had just experienced a profound “Wink.”
Where do you need one?
May I gently encourage you to ask Him to appear?
That appearance stayed with me. It gave me courage to pray boldly; to speak God’s promises over my life and over the people I love.
One More February 19
Now, one final fast-forward.
February 19, 2026.
I returned again to Leviticus 9:4:
“For today the Lord will appear to you.”
This time, the appearance looked different, but the result was the same. Another Wink.
I felt the Holy Spirit gently inviting me to look back, to remember where my heart had been a year earlier and to notice the transformation taking place now.
What stood out most was the faithfulness of God and His power to speak through His Word. The time we had spent together was precious, truthfully beyond value. He had been speaking to me the entire time, even in the waiting.
That day, while leading a Bible study through Winks, Wanderings & Wisdom, I read words I had written under the Spirit’s guidance:
“I realized the true victory is the change that happens in us. The faith that is built as we have the courage to pray verses and promises over ourselves and the people we love with a believing heart. This is a victory in itself, one that often gets overlooked as we wait for the bigger victory we long to see.”
Those words stopped me.
They came back to encourage me, to tenderly explain the very path I’ve been walking in the waiting. God has been building my faith and giving me courage.
And here is the truth I’ve been gently circling:
The wait I mentioned earlier… I am still in it.
A Final Word
It’s my prayer that as you’ve sat with me, you’ve found the courage to believe that the Holy Spirit does speak - to you.
If you’re in a season of waiting, please know this:
I see your weariness.
I understand the ache of helplessness and hope deferred.
I long to offer comfort.
But I’ll leave that to our God.
If you remember nothing else from my story,
please hold this truth close:
John 14:26 (AMPC)
“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
I am confident that He speaks.
Scripture to Sit With
Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is alive and active…”
Reflection
Will you begin looking for your Winks?
Lovingly,
Miss Kristin Lyn
Scripture references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
Thanks for this, that part about the Leviticus verse sounded very encouraging! I feel like I'm probably in a period of waiting, to see the fruit for my works-- I have written 3 books-- but haven't yet established an online presence as a writer so it's hard to really get word out there about them; but I trust the Lord sees me working for Him.
As a Sister of Faith, I am blessed to call you my Friend ❣️ Your words and stories are relatable to me and my life. God has placed you in my path for me to learn his ways . This has allowed me to turn to Him in scripture and prayer 🙏 I do see the “Winks” and feel the Holy Spirit’s presence daily. Our Womens Bible Study has allowed me to grow spiritually and feel connected to scripture and prayer 🙏
Continue to share with us so we can all follow your lead and walk the pathways you bring us to. Allowing us to walk beside you gives us the courage to continue to walk in our own Faith. As I walk in Faith, I realize that our Lord has been walking beside me the entire time, I just didn’t see Him 👀
God is Good 🙏