Reflective & Restorative: Shifting the Atmosphere

Renee Rivers
Sep 13
5 min read

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reflecting deeply after having the opportunity to attend a few powerful events.

First, I went to Stacey Abrams’ book signing in Miami for her third novel in the Avery Keene series. Coded Justice. Avery Keene is back, and as Abrams spoke about the story, she also spoke to us. That night, she said something that lodged itself in my spirit:

“Because we can’t fix everything, everywhere, all at once, but we can each do something, somewhere, soon.”

Her words lingered. I kept asking myself, What difference does one act really make? But the more I sat with it, the more I realized those small acts of selflessness don’t just stand alone, they create collective energy. When enough of us choose love, generosity, and compassion, that energy becomes contagious. It doesn’t just shift one interaction; it shifts the atmosphere.

Not long after, I attended the Success from the Inside Out retreat, where I witnessed that truth unfold in real time. LoriAnn Lowery-Biggers planted the seed of Even If..., reminding us of the prophet Habakkuk’s fig tree. Naomi Raine led us into a place of worship that felt both raw and holy. And the women in that room, women carrying pain, questions, and struggle, still chose to show up and radiate God’s love. The atmosphere shifted. We lifted each other. We multiplied hope.

This week, my clients were pouring into session, heavy with reflections about the events of recent days. Their stories pressed me to pause. I realized I couldn’t meet their words with a rush of my own, not until I had returned to my foundation.

Before I speak into anyone else’s life, I have to regulate my own emotions, I limit what I consume, I worship, I pray.

And out of those reflections, this blog was born.

A Seed of Even If

At the retreat, LoriAnn Lowery-Biggers reminded us of Habakkuk’s words:

“Even if the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17–18)

As those words filled the room, the atmosphere shifted. Surrounded by women carrying their own struggles, pain, and unfinished stories, we felt the weight of that truth. Even if our lives feel barren, even if the harvest hasn’t come, we can still rejoice.

And Habakkuk wasn’t alone in this posture. Daniel and his friends stood before the fiery furnace and declared:

“The God we serve is able to deliver us… but even if He does not, we will not bow.” (Daniel 3:17–18)

Job, in the depths of his suffering, proclaimed:

“Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)

Each voice echoes the same truth: atmosphere isn’t shaped by outcomes, it’s shaped by faith. And at that retreat, I saw all the women embody it. Even if life was heavy, they lifted each other. Even if questions remained, they worshiped anyway. Even if brokenness lingered, they spread God’s love, seeing it, hearing it, and speaking it into the room.

The Power of Atmosphere

In the Kingdom sense, this isn’t just positive thinking, it’s spiritual alignment. Scripture tells us that God is love. The more we spread His love, the more we see it multiplied around us.

But here’s the sober reality, atmosphere can shift in the other direction, too. We’ve all seen it. After moments of violence or tragedy, instead of compassion, social spaces often fill with mockery, insensitivity, or indifference. That isn’t just commentary, that’s atmosphere. When we normalize that kind of response, we multiply anti-love.

This is where discernment matters. Feelings aren’t facts, they’re data. Before you post, before you share, pause. Take your feelings to God and ask Him how to interpret them. Let Him carry justice. Don’t multiply hate when you are called to multiply love.

I’ve felt it myself in smaller ways. Doomscrolling late at night, letting online cruelty and indifference sink into my spirit until my mood hardened. Without realizing it, I had carried that negative atmospheric shift into my home.

That’s how quickly it spreads. Violence, insensitivity, division, hate, those are currents too. Left unchecked, they become undertows that drag us away from love. That’s not just negativity; that’s anti-love. That’s the enemy’s work.

This is why the Even If mindset matters. We can’t stop every storm. But even if the storm rages, we can choose to anchor ourselves in God’s love and reflect His character in how we live, love, and lead.

Guarding Your Heart and Mind

Think of the old proverb: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. What if we reclaimed that as a spiritual practice?

See no evil → Protect your eyes from endless doomscrolling. What you take in shapes what you believe.
Hear no evil → Be mindful of how you interpret what you hear. Emotions aren’t facts; they’re data. Take them to God and ask, “Lord, how should I receive this?”
Speak no evil → Don’t let hardness or arrogance shape your words. Humble yourself before God. Let Him refine your perspective so your speech carries life, not death.

And here’s a safeguard that has saved me: in times of confusion or conflict, it is often better to be silent and still than to speak from a place of haste and cause regret. Stillness is not weakness, it’s wisdom. Silence creates space to hear from God before words create wounds.

Ripples for Generations

Atmosphere doesn’t stop with us. The energy we multiply flows like water, shaping our homes, our families, and the generations that come after us. Love is like a river: when poured out freely, it softens hard ground, creates ripples we may never see, and nourishes places that looked barren.

When we shift the atmosphere toward love, our children learn to breathe in safety instead of fear, hope instead of despair, faith instead of cynicism. That is legacy. That is kingdom impact.

Choosing the Contagion

Abrams was right, we can’t fix everything, everywhere, all at once. But we can decide what kind of energy multiplies through us. Every act of love becomes a seed of restoration. Every choice to guard our heart, mind, and tongue becomes an act of resistance against hate.

Because here’s the truth, whether positive or negative, atmosphere is contagious. One multiplies life, the other multiplies death. One reflects the Kingdom, the other reflects the enemy.

And so we choose, even if the world feels overwhelming. Even if hate is loud. Even if hope seems far away, I will still multiply love.

Reflective Prompt

Which Even If scripture speaks to you most right now, Habakkuk’s joy, Daniel’s courage, or Job’s hope?

How can you embody that posture to shift the atmosphere in your family, workplace, or community this week?

Micro-Practice (Breath Prayer)

Inhale: Even if…
Exhale: I will trust You.

Restorative Prayer:

Lord, even if the world feels overwhelming, I choose to trust You. Guard my heart, my eyes, my ears, and my tongue. When the world multiplies hate, help me multiply love. Teach me to see, hear, and speak through Your Spirit, so that my life reflects Your Kingdom. Amen.

Call to Action

This week, choose one intentional act that multiplies love, a kind word, a prayer for someone who hurt you, or a moment of silence instead of a harsh reply. Small as it may seem, it carries the power to shift the atmosphere for you and for those around you.

Even if life is lifing…

Even if the math isn’t mathing…

Even if the vibe feels off…

Even if your plans flop…

Anchor yourself in Christ, the One who never changes. Because Even If everything else shifts, His love never will.

Final Thought

Atmospheres don’t just happen, they’re created. With every word, every post, every interaction, you are planting seeds. The question is: what will grow?

Even if the world feels heavy, choose to be light.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reflecting deeply after having the opportunity to attend a few powerful events.

First, I went to Stacey Abrams’ book signing in Miami for her third novel in the Avery Keene series. Coded Justice. Avery Keene is back, and as Abrams spoke about the story, she also spoke to us. That night, she said something that lodged itself in my spirit:

“Because we can’t fix everything, everywhere, all at once, but we can each do something, somewhere, soon.”

This week, my clients were pouring into session, heavy with reflections about the events of recent days. Their stories pressed me to pause. I realized I couldn’t meet their words with a rush of my own, not until I had returned to my foundation.

Before I speak into anyone else’s life, I have to regulate my own emotions, I limit what I consume, I worship, I pray.

And out of those reflections, this blog was born.

A Seed of Even If

At the retreat, LoriAnn Lowery-Biggers reminded us of Habakkuk’s words:

“Even if the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17–18)

As those words filled the room, the atmosphere shifted. Surrounded by women carrying their own struggles, pain, and unfinished stories, we felt the weight of that truth. Even if our lives feel barren, even if the harvest hasn’t come, we can still rejoice.

And Habakkuk wasn’t alone in this posture. Daniel and his friends stood before the fiery furnace and declared:

“The God we serve is able to deliver us… but even if He does not, we will not bow.” (Daniel 3:17–18)

Job, in the depths of his suffering, proclaimed:

“Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)

The Power of Atmosphere

In the Kingdom sense, this isn’t just positive thinking, it’s spiritual alignment. Scripture tells us that God is love. The more we spread His love, the more we see it multiplied around us.

This is where discernment matters. Feelings aren’t facts, they’re data. Before you post, before you share, pause. Take your feelings to God and ask Him how to interpret them. Let Him carry justice. Don’t multiply hate when you are called to multiply love.

I’ve felt it myself in smaller ways. Doomscrolling late at night, letting online cruelty and indifference sink into my spirit until my mood hardened. Without realizing it, I had carried that negative atmospheric shift into my home.

That’s how quickly it spreads. Violence, insensitivity, division, hate, those are currents too. Left unchecked, they become undertows that drag us away from love. That’s not just negativity; that’s anti-love. That’s the enemy’s work.

This is why the Even If mindset matters. We can’t stop every storm. But even if the storm rages, we can choose to anchor ourselves in God’s love and reflect His character in how we live, love, and lead.

Guarding Your Heart and Mind

Think of the old proverb: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. What if we reclaimed that as a spiritual practice?

See no evil → Protect your eyes from endless doomscrolling. What you take in shapes what you believe.

Hear no evil → Be mindful of how you interpret what you hear. Emotions aren’t facts; they’re data. Take them to God and ask, “Lord, how should I receive this?”

Speak no evil → Don’t let hardness or arrogance shape your words. Humble yourself before God. Let Him refine your perspective so your speech carries life, not death.

And here’s a safeguard that has saved me: in times of confusion or conflict, it is often better to be silent and still than to speak from a place of haste and cause regret. Stillness is not weakness, it’s wisdom. Silence creates space to hear from God before words create wounds.

Ripples for Generations

Atmosphere doesn’t stop with us. The energy we multiply flows like water, shaping our homes, our families, and the generations that come after us. Love is like a river: when poured out freely, it softens hard ground, creates ripples we may never see, and nourishes places that looked barren.

When we shift the atmosphere toward love, our children learn to breathe in safety instead of fear, hope instead of despair, faith instead of cynicism. That is legacy. That is kingdom impact.

Choosing the Contagion

Abrams was right, we can’t fix everything, everywhere, all at once. But we can decide what kind of energy multiplies through us. Every act of love becomes a seed of restoration. Every choice to guard our heart, mind, and tongue becomes an act of resistance against hate.

Because here’s the truth, whether positive or negative, atmosphere is contagious. One multiplies life, the other multiplies death. One reflects the Kingdom, the other reflects the enemy.

And so we choose, even if the world feels overwhelming. Even if hate is loud. Even if hope seems far away, I will still multiply love.

Reflective Prompt

Which Even If scripture speaks to you most right now, Habakkuk’s joy, Daniel’s courage, or Job’s hope?

How can you embody that posture to shift the atmosphere in your family, workplace, or community this week?

Micro-Practice (Breath Prayer)

Inhale: Even if…

Exhale: I will trust You.

Restorative Prayer:

Lord, even if the world feels overwhelming, I choose to trust You. Guard my heart, my eyes, my ears, and my tongue. When the world multiplies hate, help me multiply love. Teach me to see, hear, and speak through Your Spirit, so that my life reflects Your Kingdom. Amen.

Call to Action

This week, choose one intentional act that multiplies love, a kind word, a prayer for someone who hurt you, or a moment of silence instead of a harsh reply. Small as it may seem, it carries the power to shift the atmosphere for you and for those around you.

Even if life is lifing…

Even if the math isn’t mathing…

Even if the vibe feels off…

Even if your plans flop…

Anchor yourself in Christ, the One who never changes. Because Even If everything else shifts, His love never will.

Final Thought

Atmospheres don’t just happen, they’re created. With every word, every post, every interaction, you are planting seeds. The question is: what will grow?

Even if the world feels heavy, choose to be light.

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