The Life God Didn't Ask Me to Build
Learning to Be Still, Let Go, and Stay Tethered to Jesus
John 15:4–5
Where I've Been
If you've noticed I've been quiet here, you're right. It's been almost five months since my last post.
I didn't stop believing. I got busy.
Good things, church things, life things — until busyness filled up all the space where I used to actually listen. I felt stuck, not because I was falling apart, but because I was moving all the time and not really hearing God in any of it. The silence felt loud.
I'm learning the silence didn't mean He left. It meant I didn't have room to hear Him.
So I'm not coming back with it all figured out. I'm just coming back tethered — John 15:4-5, staying connected on purpose, even if it's one quiet step at a time.
If you've been in a busy, stuck, strangely silent season too, you're not alone here.
I have learned some things along the way and want to share them with you!
Be Still
Recognizing the Busyness
I knew I was too busy to hear God’s voice. What I didn’t know was how to slow down.
I was searching for a full-time W-2 job while relying on gig work to cover my vehicle payment and basic bills. At church, I was serving and getting involved in nearly everything I could. At home, my boundaries with my adult children had become blurry—and I had to own my part in that.
As my schedule filled up, I grew more frustrated with myself and others. But I couldn’t blame my church or my family for commitments I had chosen to make.
Slowing Down Without Walking Away
In this season, I’m learning that God is intentionally slowing me down. The bills are still there, but I’m reaching the limits of what I can fix on my own. I need to let the Holy Spirit humble me and help me slow down.
My first stress-induced reaction was to quit everything. Go ahead and insert your favorite buzzer noise here! I recognized that urge as a lie from the enemy, and I needed to resist it intentionally.
That didn’t mean pretending the urge wasn’t there. It meant turning to God’s Word to examine my habit of dropping commitments and isolating when I felt overwhelmed.
Choosing What Is Better
I’ve spent a lot of time in Luke lately, especially with the story of Mary and Martha. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, taking in His words. Meanwhile, I come barging in—I mean, Martha comes out—frustrated that Mary is sitting there while she handles the hosting duties.
In Luke 10:41–42, Jesus answers: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
What stands out to me is that Jesus doesn’t condemn Martha’s work. He points her toward what is better. I imagine that challenged the expectations around hosting and women’s roles. It also challenges my own expectations.
When I’m not working a day job, I’m doing gig work, focused on paying bills. Working isn’t a bad thing, but I’ve let the pressure to provide crowd out my trust in God. It’s hard to admit, but I need to slow down and be still—not abandon everything, but make room to listen.
Making Room for Stillness
Psalm 46:10, He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
I need to pause, be still, and meditate on God’s Holy Word. I want to exalt Him in everything I do—not rush through prayer, Bible reading, or serving at church just to check another box.
I want my heart to be immersed in Jesus, whether I’m praying, working, or serving. My actions aren’t meant to be a badge of honor. They’re meant to flow from a heart connected to Him.
What Am I Doing with My Life?
I’m realizing that much of my stress and effort has been aimed at a dream God never called me to chase: a comfortable life, a beautiful house, and everything perfectly ready for entertaining at a moment’s notice.
I need to examine that dream. One day, I will stand before the Father and answer for my goals and whether they aligned with His Word.
Rethinking the Dream
I looked hard for a biblical calling to get an education, land the perfect job, and build a comfortable life. That isn’t the mission I found. What I found was Jesus’ call to make disciples—and Paul’s reminder to represent Him in everything I do and say.
Living the Mission
In Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus gives His disciples a clear commission:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
In Colossians 3:16–17, Paul shows how that focus carries into everyday life:
“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
Get to the Point Already!
OK, OK! I know I’ve been a little preachy. I just want to share what has opened my eyes to some things in my own life. I’m still learning and growing, and while you never quite know what you’ll get from me, I hope it always points back to Jesus.
Living for the Empty Seat
Here’s something personal: I attend Discovery Church in Athens, AL. It’s an imperfect place filled with people from every walk of life who are learning to serve Jesus—and I love it dearly.
Our mission is to “Exist for the Empty Seat.” That doesn’t mean we have it all together, and it doesn’t stop at the seats in a Sunday morning service. To me, those empty seats represent people whose names are still missing from the Lamb’s Book of Life.
I’m not sharing this simply to invite you to visit or even partner with Discovery Church, though we would love to have you. I’m sharing it because I’m learning to live that mission every day, wherever I am.
Staying Tethered to Jesus
For me, that starts with being still and intentionally clearing away the noise that keeps me busy or distracted from God’s voice.
Being tethered to Jesus isn’t a one-and-done decision. It takes an ongoing commitment to turn down the noise and meditate on His Word. That’s how I keep the compass of my life pointing toward Him instead of myself.
Making Practical Changes
I needed to reset some boundaries, not walk away from everything. Here’s what that has looked like:
· Adjusting when I serve. One of my teams meets after church on certain Sundays. My husband and I now serve in children’s ministry on the opposite Sundays so those commitments don’t pile up on the same day.
· Choosing one small group. Instead of trying to attend every group, I’m investing my time in one and building relationships there.
I’m still learning. Even this morning, I’m juggling urgent needs and trying to prioritize conversations. The day is calling for my attention, but I need to slow down, listen to God’s voice, and choose to stay grounded in Him.
An Encouragement for You
Take a look at your own life. Are you too busy, burdened, or tired? Do you feel as though you need more than 24 hours in a day?
You don’t need to have everything figured out, and there’s no such thing as perfect balance. Maybe, like me, you need to rearrange a few priorities and make room to listen.
We don’t have to get everything right. We simply need to remain connected to Him.
Tethered.
