AT THE WATER’S EDGE:

My mom would be the first person to tell you that I’m not very good at sitting still. When I was young, she about had to sit on me to keep me on the couch resting when I was sick. I wasn’t good at naps, either. Now don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of lazy evenings where I don’t get anything accomplished and before kids had a lot of lazy weekends. But by and large, I like to have things going on. I like to explore and go on adventures, even if it’s just through my garden or in the woods behind my house. I like to be learning and experimenting and trying new things. I like to be planning and serving. That kind of busyness helps me feel like I have a purpose.

I do have a purpose. But it goes beyond the exploring, deeper than nature, and is not even found in simply serving. My purpose is to be an image bearer of God — to glorify Him through my life. That may include all of those things that I like to fill my life with — but the activities are not what gives purpose; the purpose propels the activities. Or, perhaps, the end of the activities.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” –Psalm 46:10

There it is. The command to be still. To simply know God as God. It’s harder than it may sound… at least for some of us.

This fall marked the first time in five years that I’ve felt like I had some breathing room. Five years ago, in 2020, we had just moved into our new house, Tom was working like crazy fixing it up, we updated our foster care license to be approved for our new home, provided short term care for a young child and two teens while simultaneously working toward becoming a permanent family for two toddlers. In 2021, our twins moved in and things did not slow down. Life was kind of a whirlwind of navigating parenthood and early trauma and therapies and balancing appointments with childcare and work. Navigating school became a whole other ordeal as the years went on until this fall, when, for the first time I have two kids in school for five full days a week. I am only working three days a week, so two days a week the flurry of activity suddenly comes to a screeching halt.

My friends warned me. “Don’t fill up that time. It’ll fill itself up.” “Don’t overdo it. You’ll be busier than you think.” Yeah. They were right. I did try to fill it up. I jumped right into cleaning and organizing. Joined a women’s Bible study. Searched for volunteer opportunities, feeling certain now was my opportunity to do more for God. Only, God said, “no.” I didn’t understand. I finally had some time to give to someone outside of my immediate family. Every opportunity I pursued turned into a dead end. It seemed I wasn’t needed or the timing wasn’t right or somehow that wasn’t where God wanted me.

So where does God want me? I think the answer is this: at his feet. You may be familiar with the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible. Jesus comes to their home and Martha is busy being an amazing hostess and getting everything ready, but gets angry when she sees her sister Mary just sitting there at Jesus’ feet listening to him and doing nothing to help serve. But Jesus gently reprimands Martha:

“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.” — Luke 10:41-42

I’ve always been more of a Martha, so this passage always catches me. But I think this is my answer. I want to be busy serving and doing things for God. But God doesn’t want my service (as if He needed me), so much as He wants ME. Yes, surely he has prepared good works for me to do (Ephesians 2:10), but in this season he is also offering me a great gift: rest. Not to be idle, but a chance to rest in Him. To reflect on where he wants me to go next. To catch my breath and learn to listen to His voice and be present with those around me. To be still and know that He is God. Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to be with his Father — especially before big decisions and events. I, too, need to spend intentional time being still before God. In those moments He will prepare me for whatever He has next for me.

So, as we close out 2025 and ring in the new year, I sit at home typing this. I opted out of the party I usually love to go to. We have been busy and I sensed we all needed to have some down time. As 2026 begins, I want to focus on intentionally carving out time to be still before God, to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen as Mary did, to seek out the one thing that is truly needed.

What about you? What is God steering you toward or away from this year?

Wherever 2026 finds you, may blessings and grace abound for you and yours.