I don’t do New Year’s resolutions or the “New Year, New Me”, garbage.  I don’t think there is anything wrong with the old me or you.  We were all created perfectly in God’s image.  I also don’t believe there is anything magical about January 1^st.  I think positive life changes can be made on a random Tuesday in October.

However, I am a big believer in self-reflection and identifying areas of our lives that may need to shift.  I have decided to make a big shift in 2026 by allowing myself to rest.  In my younger years I had an active imagination and would play by myself for hours.  I would dig out my mom’s old typewriter and craft creative stories.  Somewhere along the road of adult life, I let that get squashed.

I have read two books recently (and prayed like crazy for discernment) that helped me decide to make this shift. If you have read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, then you know that busy-ness and distraction are tactics that Satan loves to subtly employ to take us away from our God given purpose and relationship.  Johann Hari authored a book called Stolen Focus that really called me out on my sin of distraction.  I am the queen of “I can’t sit still” and “I don’t have time”, but in this book Johann shares fascinating brain research about what that does to our brains and bodies.  He provides evidence on how necessary and productive mind-wandering and quite time are.  Thank you, Johann Hari for validating that for me and giving me permission.

Often busy-ness isn’t about productivity, it’s way to avoid. We are avoiding:

 feelings we haven’t processed (and are scared to)

rest because it feels unearned

silence where God wants to speak to us

trusting God by trying to control everyone and everything

We have become a population that wears busy-ness and exhaustion like a badge of honor.  This isn’t glorifying God.  Jesus himself was one busy guy.  Crowds followed him, he healed the sick, and he performed miracles, yet he still took time away to pray and rest.  I challenge you to look up how many times “rest” is mentioned in the bible.  You are allowed to rest, say no, and choose quiet over chaos. 

My prayer for you and me is that we learn to become still and align ourselves with the one who created us.  So do yourself a favor, grab a coffee and have a chat with God!