Hi friends!
I pray you had an amazing Christmas and New Year with family and friends. I’ve been in Florida the past couple of weeks just RELAXING. It’s been so good to be with my family, my dog, and to have some time to sit with the Lord before life picks up again. In my last post, I reflected on last year, and in this one I want to take that idea of “permission to depend” and add some action to it. Last year was full of grace and rest for me personally. There was a lot going on, but the Lord was so quick to remind me of His presence and grace. That truth hasn’t changed, but seeing His faithfulness has lit a fire in me. I want this year to have action in it.
I think we’ve all had the same shared experience of writing a list of goals but never being able to actually carry it out. Maybe we work out for a couple of weeks or try a new hobby and then stop when something else comes up, and suddenly all the momentum is gone. I told the Lord I needed help keeping momentum this year. I often start strong, finish well, and have a few sparks in between, but staying consistent the whole year is the real challenge.
As I prayed about this, I felt the Lord lead me to 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
Reading this passage really opened my eyes to what running with purpose and consistency could look like. Paul talks about life like a race. He says we should run in such a way that we get the prize. Everyone in a race runs, but not everyone runs with purpose. He goes on to say that athletes train hard and with discipline. The crown they’re after doesn’t last, but the crown we’re working toward does.
Paul’s words made me stop and think about how I run my own race. The prize isn’t about doing everything perfectly or moving faster than anyone else. It’s about showing up faithfully, trusting God with each step, and keeping my eyes on what truly lasts. So often I start strong, full of energy and excitement, and then life happens or my motivation fades. It can feel like I’ve lost the race before it even really began.
Seeing how athletes train made me pause and think about how I show up for my own growth. Growth doesn’t happen by chance. It comes through small, steady efforts, even when they feel ordinary or unnoticed. Every step, every choice to trust God, every moment I keep going matters. None of it is wasted, even when progress is slow or imperfect.
Verse 27 really challenged me. When Paul talks about disciplining the body, it isn’t about punishing myself. It’s about surrendering my habits, my time, and even my desires to God. The race isn’t won through my strength alone. Consistency and perseverance come when I let Him guide each step. They come when I trust Him in the moments I feel weak or distracted. And they come when I keep moving forward, even when the path isn’t clear.
So what does it actually look like to run with purpose and consistency?
It begins with recognizing that your steps are not random. God has placed specific invitations on your heart toward growth, deeper faith, creativity, and obedience. When you move with intention, even in quiet ways, your year starts to carry direction instead of just momentum. Vision does not rush you. It simply helps you know where you are headed.
Running well also asks for your whole self. Not just the energized or inspired parts, but the weary days too. The days when showing up feels more like obedience than excitement. This is not forcing motivation, but letting God supply the strength you do not have and trusting that consistency is formed through dependence, not perfection.
Over time, faithfulness takes shape through simple rhythms. Small choices. Ordinary routines. Discipline does not need to be intense to be meaningful. Whether it is time with God, creating, learning, or practicing something that matters to you, showing up regularly carries more weight than doing something impressively once.
And all of it is held together by an eternal perspective. This race was never about speed or visibility. It is about the kind of faithfulness that lasts. God sees the unseen steps, the slow growth, and the obedience that feels unremarkable but steady.
This year does not need to be loud to matter. It does not need a big moment or a perfectly laid plan. What matters is choosing not to step out of the race when things feel quiet or progress feels hard to measure.
Some seasons will feel light and easy, others heavy and demanding. Both are part of the process. The goal isn’t to prove anything or finish quickly. It is to stay faithful and trust that God is shaping something deeper in you through the surrendered steps.
I pray you give yourself permission to move forward this year with patience and grace. Not rushed. Not pressured. Just showing up, step by step, trusting that each faithful moment counts! He is for you and only wants the best for you, lean into those thoughts and plans this year <3
Always rooting for you,
Meg
Verses:
Isaiah 40:31
“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Philippians 1:6
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”
Songs:
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me – CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwc2d1Xt8gM&list=RDhwc2d1Xt8gM&start_radio=1
Abide – Aaron Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA-Wi4fdcVE&list=RDBA-Wi4fdcVE&start_radio=1
Good Plans – Red Rock Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3lMrhm8HQ&list=RDO-3lMrhm8HQ&start_radio=1
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