This year has grown me in ways I did not fully expect. Not all at once, and not always easily, but little by little, God has been opening my eyes. I have learned to see reality more clearly, to understand that my place in this world is truly mine, and to trust that God has blessed me, carries me, and walks with me every single day.

I feel myself reaching a new place in life. It is a place where I am learning to build boundaries that protect my peace, enrich my walk with God, and allow me to rest without guilt. For so long, I have poured myself into taking care of others, doing for others, encouraging others, and trying to lift people up whenever I could. That has always been part of my heart, and I do not regret loving people well.

But I can also be honest enough now to say that while I was never lost in that effort, there were times when I neglected what was best for me. I struggled to be good to myself because it always seemed more important to be good to everyone else. I thought tending to others was the loving thing to do, and it is, but I am learning that love was never meant to leave me empty.

I still struggle with this at times. Old habits are hard to break, especially when people have grown used to you being the one who shows up, handles things, smooths things over, and keeps going. Sometimes I still must remind myself that what I do, I do because I want to, not because I have to earn love, approval, or a place in anyone’s life. And I must remind myself that no one is coming to save me… no one but God.

That truth has been both humbling and freeing. God has been teaching me to listen to what my heart and soul are begging me to do. I spend more days in awe of the beauty in nature. I worry less and pray more. I make time for the things that bring life back into me—writing, learning, sharing, and simply being still enough to notice the blessings around me.

This past year, I have finally acknowledged my own needs. At first, that almost sounded selfish to me. But I know now that it is not selfish, it is self-care. And self-care matters for all of us. Rest matters. Peace matters. Boundaries matter. Being gentle with ourselves matters.

It has been a year of letting go, a year of learning, and a year of making decisions that help me become more of who God created me to be. I am still growing. I am still learning. I am still breaking old habits one prayer at a time. But I am grateful for this place, for this season, and for the God who has carried me here and will keep carrying me forward. There is a word in the Bible, it is repeated in the book of Psalms 71 times… it is translated to mean a pause to reflect… This word, Selah… is my new prompt. When life gets busy, chaotic, and direction seems lost, I use it to regather myself and remember who I am and where I am going…