
04 Jan Rhythms of Life
I’ve missed you so much, but I’ve been wrestling with writing to you these past 4 weeks because my beautiful ordinary life has been a struggle, and my heart has been so heavy that I had no energy or desire to lift my hands to the keyboard to write. Amid the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays a sister in Christ whom I dearly love has been in a hard battle with cancer.
Also, my sweet Gigi Girl is struggling to walk because of a spine/disc disease. She took a pretty dramatic turn 4 weeks ago and now requires more hand-on care, attention and meds. But she still enjoys eating, snuggling, and going for stroller rides in her new “carriage” (Queen that she is!). She will be 12 in February. I sat in my chair on Christmas morning with her in my lap, and my friend on my heart, wondering and praying through tears if this could be the last Christmas with either of them. It’s hard to watch anyone suffer. It’s hard to think of life without the ones you love.
Sometimes you just have to listen to yourself.
Feeling shaky about the first week of January 2025 and what direction I’m headed (because I feel quite directionless at the moment). I could feel myself start to panic a bit. What’s the saying? When you don’t know what to do, do what you know. I call it my rhythm of life: the things I do faithfully— even when everything else is chaotic, uncertain, changing, hard…
For me it’s time with Jesus in the Breathing Room: reading the Scriptures; going for a walk; writing; clearing away clutter. Clutter clogs my thoughts; clearing away clutter opens me up to God, His Word, His direction, His peace. His love.
Funny—the Lord directed my heart to something I needed to hear, again, that He’d given me a few years ago. Repetition is His thing, ya know. And it’s humbling when God speaks to you through your own voice.
Don’t Panic
The first time I wrote about this was in January of 2020. Here’s the link to the short, 9-minute podcast episode Don’t Panic. I listened to it again this week in tears… just what the Lord wanted me to hear again. I hope it encourages you. I’ve included the re-edit (pasted below) in case you want to read it. But do listen to the podcast.
Something to Think About
For in him we live and move and have our being— Acts 17:28
What pace have you set for yourself this year?
- Hurried? Or prioritized?
- FOMO? Or content in the truly essential matters of life?
- No margin— saying yes to everything?
- Flying by the seat of your pants without purpose?
- Or prayerfully, thoughtfully and intentionally living the Godward life?
Remember that everything we say “yes” to is ultimately saying “no” to something else in our life. So give your yes’s and no’s prayerfully and wisely.
Now—what pace does Jesus want to set for you? As they say— the Good Shepherd leads his sheep, while the butcher chases the sheep into the slaughter house.
Read Psalm 23 in a couple of different translations over the next month and let it sink in… let it become the way you walk with Jesus, the way you are with Jesus. Be aware of your position, and his, throughout your day.
Another resource that might encourage you is the series I did on the Breathing Room (a study of Psalm 145); several episodes that I’m going to be listening to again! 🩷
One More Thing
Living a beautiful life— My prayer for you and me is that we would follow Jesus in this new year of 2025. That we would let him set our pace and lead us to his purposes so that we experience the beautiful ordinary life he has already marked out for us this year.
This world has us thinking that faster is better, and that if we don’t hurry up we will never be ready. Not so with God. If you’re in a rush, you’ll miss out on being ready for what He has for you…and the beauty in your beautiful ordinary life!
Until next week— don’t forget that you are greatly and dearly loved by The King! And let’s live our beautiful, ordinary lives like women who believe it!
Happy New Year!
I love you,
xo –P❤️
DON’T PANIC (re-edit from 2020)
It’s the first Saturday of the New Year, and a bunch of us out there are starting to panic. 2025 has launched, the ship is pulling away from the pier, and you’re still packing your bags. You feel panic setting in because you don’t have Christmas put away yet. You haven’t caught up from 2024–heck, maybe you haven’t caught up from 2020! You don’t have your 2025 planner yet. It looks like your word-for-the-year is going to be “wait,” and so far your theme for 2025 is, “Somebody help me! I’m running behind!”
Oh, my goodness, I feel like this again. You, too? I’m telling myself, again, what the Good and Gracious Lord has told me time and again: Don’t panic. I’m here to help you. That’s not just what I do. That’s Who I am: Help. And I have come to help you.
It’s ok. God’s got you and this year under His control. He will order your steps and set the PACE for you. HE WILL HELP YOU! This was such a comforting welcome to me as I opened my Bible on January 1st, already feeling so far behind: “I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice…For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! Fear not…I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:10-14, AMP).
Who says you have to jump out of the gate on January 1 with a million boxes checked off your to-do list? Just do your part; do the next right thing—whatever that is; do your best at it and do it at the pace Jesus sets for you. Remember, God is already doing His part to help you. So, kick that panic to the curb and breathe into 2025— quiet the noise, stop the hurry, be present and in the moment, and “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” (Matthew 11:28-30, MSG).
What if we take the month of January to reflect on last year and move intentionally into the next 11 months with God’s help, with God’s leading, for God’s glory. He always does what He says He will do, and He’s already told you that He will help you. That’s His promise to you and to me. Let’s believe Him. Let’s live like we believe him, and take some time to just be with Him. Let Him set your pace for this New Year and get into a rhythm of life with Him. Stop competing; and for the love—stop comparing. Follow the Good Shepherd and He’ll lead you, not chase you, at a pace that enables you to flourish; to be what He created you to be, and to do what He purposes for you to do in this New Year.
I love you!
xo – P❤️