Lately, with life being as full and fast-paced as ever, my crock pot has been earning its keep. Between work demands, limited mobility, and the general chaos of our schedule, I’ve been trying out all kinds of slow cooker recipes—some more successful than others. 😜

Yesterday, I was finally able to move around the house a bit without crutches (hallelujah!), and I decided to make a warm meal. Nothing fancy—just something comforting. I picked a recipe that involved broccoli. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Well… let me tell you, as that casserole simmered away, the smell of broccoli slowly took over the entire house. And not in a good way. 🤦‍♀️
Even though the dish turned out pretty tasty and everyone ate it without complaint, the smell lingered. And lingered. And lingered. Even the next morning, it was still hanging in the air like an uninvited guest who overstayed their welcome.

But then today happened.

Today, I brought home a bread machine I bought from my sweet friend Judi (thanks, Judi!), and of course I had to try it out immediately. I loaded it up with the ingredients, hit start, and waited. And soon… the smell of fresh, homemade bread started wafting through the house. It overtook the broccoli smell like a warm hug that finally kicked out the awkward guest.

It was magical.
It smelled like home. Like comfort. Like love.
It reminded me of health and life and family. It brought back memories of simpler days when the smell of baking bread felt like security and warmth. Something about it just felt right.

And as I stood there, breathing it in, this verse came to mind:

“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
To the one we are an aroma of death leading to death, and to the other an aroma of life leading to life.
And who is sufficient for these things?”
— 2 Corinthians 2:15–16

We are the fragrance of Christ.

Not the smell of overcooked broccoli lingering in the air.
Not the sour scent of sin and shame.
But the warm, life-giving, soul-soothing aroma of grace.

As believers, we carry the fragrance of His love, His presence, His sacrifice.
We are the smell of hope to those who are being saved. A breath of fresh air in a world that so often reeks of despair.
Not because of anything we’ve done—but because of who He is and what He’s done in us.

Sometimes, I need to remind myself of that.

I need to see myself the way God sees me—covered in Christ’s righteousness, washed in His grace, welcomed with joy. A delight. A sweet aroma rising to heaven.

I am not the stench of my past.
I am the fragrance of redemption.

So as I go about my day—whether I’m cooking, counseling, writing, or resting—I want to carry that fragrance with me. I want the love of Jesus to linger in every space I enter. I want others to sense His peace, His joy, His goodness, even in the small moments.

Because sometimes, the way we show Christ is less about what we say…
And more about the fragrance we leave behind.

A gentle reminder for today:

The sweet-smelling fragrance in our lives
is the aroma of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let it rise. Let it fill the space.
And let it remind you (and others) that you are deeply loved.