📍Here: When Everything Else Isn’t Enough

Avoidance numbs. Presence heals.

We live in a culture that rewards what I think of as the big three: production, distraction, and perfection:

• Production: The cultural celebration of busyness as a badge of honor. It glorifies “doing more” and has us filling every moment with something—anything—leaving us mentally exhausted and spiritually depleted.

• Distraction: The normalization of constant mental noise—from endless social media scrolling to being glued to the news cycle. It pulls us away from meaningful connection with God, others, and ourselves.

• Perfection: The pressure to present a flawless version of yourself (and your family). Whether it’s the belief that buying more is the key to fulfillment or believing our worth lies in getting it right, we’re burdened by an unattainable standard.

Many of us have been taught—explicitly or implicitly—that slowing down is indulgent, that our emotions are unhelpful, and that our worth is tied to how much we do (or consume).

But Jesus shows us another way.

Jesus healed, taught, served, and withdrew to quiet places to pray. He showed up for others and stepped away from the noise. We can’t keep our hearts soft toward our kids if we never let God tend to our own souls. We can’t offer kindness to our families when we’re running on empty.

We can’t be present in our work, homes, and world if we’re constantly in survival mode, constantly striving to be productive, getting caught in cycles of distraction, and seeking unattainable perfection.

Caring for your soul is not avoidance or apathy. I’m pretty convinced pausing from the internal and external noise to get quiet enough to listen to God is how we connect to the only Source that can sustain us.

This is how we keep going—not by avoiding, but by making space and experiencing God’s presence right here, right where we are.

What if you sat with God in your overwhelm instead of distracting yourself from it? What if you trusted that the world does not rest on your shoulders but in the cosmic hands of the Creator of all things?

Avoidance through an endless loop of production, distraction, and perfectionism will not breathe life into me or you.

But God will.

When avoidance numbs us, Presence heals us.

Take a Breath

I imagine God’s Spirit whispering to us, Hey. This isn’t yours to hold. Set it down and let me hold you.

And that feels like a breath of fresh air to me.

This week’s Year of Breath invites us to pause, resist the urge to numb or avoid, and stay present—with ourselves, our families, and God. You can subscribe to this weekly paid edition at any time.

Here’s what’s inside this week’s Year of Breath to help you anchor in presence:

• Daily breath prayer to center you when life feels too loud

• Guided reflection prompts to gently explore where distraction has taken hold

• A playlist to help you ground yourself in the moment

• Breath prayer phone wallpaper to help you breathe in the midst of chaos

• A spiritual practice to bring mindful presence into your daily life

• A blessing to carry with you as you move through your week

May what waits for you in this week’sYear of Breath remind you that you don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to do everything, be everything, or fix everything. You only have to show up and notice the One who has been with you all along.