Letter to a Tired Friend

Hi there. I love you, and I think we’ve talked about this before, but just in case you need to hear it again… and I think you might, here it is:

You don’t have to do all the things.
You don’t have to say yes to every invite. You don’t have to keep up with a pace always going, doing, producing, and connecting.

You are allowed to just be.
Still. Quiet. Present. Unbusy.
Your body needs it. Your mind needs it. Your spirit definitely needs it.

But sometimes, when we slow down… the sadness creeps in.
And I’m sorry. That’s hard.

Sadness is an emotion that shows us something’s not right. Sometimes it’s pointing to a need we’ve been ignoring. Sometimes it’s hormonal (ugh, right?). And sometimes it’s just the inevitable ache of life in a broken world.

The Holy Spirit will give you clarity… but how can we hear if there’s no margin to listen?

When your schedule is overflowing, sadness doesn’t get processed. It just hovers… like a fog. And eventually, it settles in.

I was praying for you recently.
I asked God for calm in your heart. Confidence in your mind. Clarity in your spirit.

And this thought came to me: What if simplicity is the healing you’re avoiding? What if the power and peace you’ve been searching for are tucked inside the quiet you keep postponing?

So let me gently ask:

Aside from work, doctor’s appointments, and church… when’s the last time you had an entire week with nothing else planned?

You’re a deep thinker. A deep feeler. A deep giver. And that’s beautiful.

But…

I wonder if some of that comes from a place of hurt. A place that whispers:
“Stay connected. Stay valuable. Stay useful. Don’t let anyone say you weren’t enough.”

It’s not just you. It’s all of us, really. It’s me.

So, I pray that you will hear my heart on this, but it’s addiction. Addiction doesn’t always look like we think. We picture extremes… drugs, alcohol, something that wrecks a life in dramatic fashion.

But sometimes addiction is quiet.
Socially acceptable.
Even praised.

Addiction to productivity.
Addiction to people-pleasing.
Addiction to “being okay.”

Sometimes we’re chasing a dopamine hit just like the addict… only we’re doing it through service, or perfectionism, or staying busy enough to not feel the ache.

But here’s the thing:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul,
all your mind,
and all your strength.”
— Mark 12:30

You know the verse — love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. But before that command ever appears, there’s a word we often overlook: “Hear.”

In Deuteronomy 6, it begins like this:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

That word “hear” in Hebrew is Shema — but it means more than just hearing sounds. It means to hear and respond. To listen and obey. To tune in with intention and let it shape how you live.

Everything flows from that truth:
God is One. God is our God.
And then we’re told to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength.

We’re not commanded to perform for a distant God — we’re invited to respond to a present One.
A unified, faithful, personal God who sees us, speaks to us, and calls us to walk with Him.

This isn’t a call to hustle harder for God’s love — it’s a call to hear Him, respond to Him, and rest in the truth of who He is.

That’s the point.
That’s the healing.
That’s the peace.

As I write this I can almost hear you,

“Yes, I’d love to rest… but I have a job.
Kids to feed. Laundry that never ends. A ministry to run.
Real life doesn’t pause just because I need to slow down.”

I know. I do. I hear you.
This isn’t about shirking responsibility or pretending your real, hard, good obligations don’t exist.

This is about learning to listen to God in the middle of them.
To build margin within the movement.
To respond to His voice even while doing the dishes or feeding your family or finishing that project.

Because rest isn’t always about reclining.
Sometimes it’s about realigning.
Pulling your scattered heart back to center in the midst of the swirl.

You’re not being asked to quit life.
You’re being invited to walk through it with less frenzy and more focus.

Even just a two-minute pause…hands on the counter, eyes closed, whispering “Lord, I’m tired. Help me hear You and love You here.”
That’s Shema. That’s hearing and responding. You can rest in motion…if your heart is anchored.

What if We Actually Lived That?

What if we asked God… like really asked Him… to show us where we’re not loving Him with everything?

• With our heart — our emotions.
• With our soul — our being.
• With our mind — our thoughts.
• With our strength — our energy and effort.

What if we prayed like David did?

“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
— Psalm 139:23-24

Or like Moses?

“Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
— Psalm 90:12

When I feel the most frazzled, untethered, and overwhelmed,
it’s always when I’ve let that one simple command slide. Always.

I’ve traded loving God with all that I am… for trying to be all things to everyone.

And I always end up exhausted. Always.

Friend, you don’t need more hustle.
You need more Him.

Let go of the calendar for a bit.
Let the sadness come.
Let the questions rise up.

And in the middle of that messy moment, remember this:

• God is good.
• God is love.
• God is near.

Even when it doesn’t feel like it. He’s not asking for more. He’s not waiting for you to do better.

He just wants your heart.

That’s all.
That’s enough.
That’s love.

Love you,

Jennifer

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Clarifying Questions for a Healthier Rhythm of Being

If you’re ready to shift from the constant doing and start creating space for simply being, try asking yourself a few of these questions each week. They’ll help you apply Scripture in a practical way, evaluate your calendar honestly, and make room for stillness and rest.

• “What am I saying yes to this week, and why?”
  Is this a ‘yes’ that reflects my love for God — or am I saying yes out of guilt, habit, or fear of missing out?
• “Have I built in any time this week to just be still?”
  Not scroll. Not plan. Not produce. Just *be still and know* (Psalm 46:10).
• “What will it cost me to add this new thing to my schedule?”
  Think beyond money — consider your energy, your ability to be present, your time with God, your family, and even your laundry pile.
• “Am I making space for the greatest commandment?”
  Does my schedule leave me room to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength — or am I too stretched to love Him fully?
• “Is my home — or my soul — starting to show signs of neglect?”
  Sometimes dishes, laundry, and weeds in the yard are symptoms of a deeper spiritual and emotional overwhelm. What’s really being left undone?
• “When was the last time I said ‘no’ to something good so I could say ‘yes’ to something better?”
  Like margin. Like rest. Like quiet with the Lord.

These questions won’t guilt you. They’ll ground you. Let them lead you back to a rhythm of grace. A life that reflects the simplicity and beauty of this truth:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” — Mark 12:30

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And if you’re unsure *why* you’re doing all the things — if you feel like you’ve lost clarity and can’t tell whether your schedule is God-honoring or just self-driven — this next question is especially for you:

• “Holy Spirit, would You show me what I can’t see yet?”
  Ask Him to lovingly reveal anything in your heart — a fear, a compulsion, a wound — that’s driving your yeses and filling your calendar. You may not recognize the root right away, but He will. He’s faithful to uncover what needs to be surrendered and bring it into the light… not to shame you, but to free you.

Remember the prayer from Psalm 139?

“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.” — Psalm 139:23–24

That’s not a prayer for the super-spiritual. It’s for the overwhelmed, the confused, and the weary too.

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When You…

…feel overwhelmed and need to recenter your focus
→ Mark 12:30
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
Let this be your reorientation — not to performance, but to love.

…need to remember where everything begins
→ Deuteronomy 6:4–5
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Before love comes listening. Before action comes stillness.

…don’t know what to do next, but know you need to stop
→ Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God…”
Stillness is not a luxury — it’s obedience. Let Him remind you who He is.

…aren’t sure what’s going on in your own heart
→ Psalm 139:23–24
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
When your thoughts are swirling and your motives are unclear, invite the Holy Spirit to help you see.

…feel like life is rushing past and you’re losing perspective
→ Psalm 90:12
“Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
You don’t need more time — you need more wisdom about the time you already have.

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A little about me…I write and teach to help people see God clearly, love Him deeply, and follow Him freely. My words are rooted in Scripture, shaped by real-life heartache, and guided by a conviction that the Holy Spirit is already speaking — we just need margin to hear. I believe truth should be both theologically sound and emotionally accessible, so I write with warmth, clarity, and the occasional lovingly bold nudge. Whether I’m pastoring, podcasting, or writing Bible studies, my goal is simple: to invite believers into a deeper, quieter, more grounded walk with Jesus.

My about me here.

As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments. Leave a note below and be sure to join the mailing list and stay in touch!

Current Bible Study/Podcast Series: “Joshua: Strong & Courageous” – January-April, 2025