January has a way of sneaking in expectations we never intended to carry.
We begin with good intentions—fresh starts, new rhythms, hopeful plans—and somewhere along the way, the pressure creeps back in. The pressure to do more. To be more consistent. To prove we’re changing.
But as this month comes to a close, I want to offer you a gentle reminder:
You didn’t fall behind.
Because God was never measuring your progress the way the world does.
January wasn’t meant to be a test you passed or failed. It was an invitation—to slow down, to surrender, to let go of striving, and to learn what it looks like to walk at God’s pace. And invitations don’t expire just because a calendar page flips.
Grace Isn’t in the Completion — It’s in the Continuing
Maybe you started the month strong and felt grounded in stillness.
Maybe you tried, stumbled, and felt frustration rise up again.
Maybe you meant to slow down… but life didn’t cooperate.
Here’s the good news: grace meets you in all of it.
God isn’t waiting for you to arrive at some finished version of yourself before He delights in you. He walks with you in process. He’s present in the starting and the restarting. He’s just as near when you feel steady as when you feel scattered.
Obedience isn’t about perfect follow-through.
It’s about choosing to keep turning your heart back toward Him.
Again and again.
Without shame.
Without fear of getting it wrong.
What You Learned Matters — Even If It Feels Small
Growth often happens quietly.
It looks like noticing when your soul feels hurried.
Pausing before reacting.
Choosing rest even when it feels countercultural.
Letting something go instead of pushing through one more thing.
You may not have kept every intention or practiced every rhythm perfectly—but if your heart became even slightly more aware of God’s presence this month, that matters.
Small shifts create deep roots.
And God does some of His most transformative work below the surface, long before anything looks different on the outside.
You’re Allowed to Carry January with You
As much as the world tells us it’s time to move on—new month, new focus, new expectations—God’s invitations aren’t bound by dates.
You can keep choosing stillness.
You can keep practicing surrender.
You can keep walking gently.
You can keep letting obedience be light.
Nothing needs to be forced.
Nothing needs to be rushed.
Nothing needs to be earned.
Grace doesn’t rush you forward.
Grace walks beside you.
A Simple Reflection Before Moving On
Before stepping into what comes next, I invite you to pause and reflect:
• What is one thing God showed you about your pace this month?
• Where did you feel most at peace?
• What is one striving habit you want to keep releasing?
Write it down. Pray over it. Hold it gently.
Let January’s lessons become February’s foundation—not pressure, just presence.
Remember This Above All Else
God never asked you to have it all figured out by January 31st.
He asked you to walk with Him—and you did.
And every step you took, even the uncertain ones, mattered.
As we close this month, may you move forward knowing this:
You are not behind.
You are held.
And grace is still setting the pace.
✨ A Personal Invitation
If this post felt like it put words to what your heart has been sensing this month, A Pace of Grace was written with you in mind.
This book isn’t a formula or a productivity plan—it’s a gentle invitation to slow down, stop striving, and learn how to walk with God in a way that brings peace instead of pressure. It was written from the middle of real life, imperfect rhythms, and honest questions about faith, rest, obedience, and surrender.
A Pace of Grace is for the woman who loves Jesus but feels weary.
For the one who wants to follow God faithfully without burning out.
For the one learning that obedience doesn’t have to be heavy and rest is a spiritual practice, not a reward.
As January closes and you look ahead, my prayer is that this book would walk beside you—reminding you that you are not behind, you are deeply loved, and grace is still setting the pace.
✨ A Pace of Grace is available for pre-order with a release date of March 10.
Thank you for walking this journey with me.
