The Sacred Rhythm of Becoming

No two sunsets are ever the same, yet each is beautiful beyond compare. Just like you were never meant to match the world, only to light it in your own way.

We live in a world that spins on urgency. Everything, from work expectations to the news cycle, shifts overnight. What once took a season now demands a moment. But here’s the truth no one teaches us:

You were not built to live in a state of constant acceleration.

You were built in the image of a Creator who rested on the seventh day, who paused, who walked through gardens, who calmed storms, not just oceans.

Somewhere inside, we remember: the Earth is not frantic. It blooms, it rests, it renews. And so must we.

Recharging the Soul

For me, it’s the sea.

Its waves don’t ask permission to slow down, they just do. They remind me that rhythm is holy, that peace isn’t laziness, it’s obedience to a deeper design.

Science affirms it: water calms the amygdala, the part of our brain that detects fear. Just looking at water reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and ignites creative flow (White et al., 2020).

Do this: Find your version of the sea, a field, a forest, a window with sunrise. Return to it often. That’s not escape, it’s reconnection.

Love That Anchors Us

When my grandsons laugh, the world resets.

They don’t need spreadsheets or approval. They feel, fully.

The love of children fills my heart, not just with emotion, but with wisdom.

Children model pure emotional intelligence. They name what they feel, they seek closeness, they recover quickly. These are not childish traits, they are human mastery.

Research shows that genuine connection, especially physical affection, boosts oxytocin, reduces cortisol, and rewires the brain for calm and resilience (Kosfeld et al., 2005).

Do this: Let a child, a pet, a good friend, or someone you love’s presence remind you of your original design, present, loving, alive. Spend time with them not to teach, but to remember.

Faith in Every Footstep

Nature is scripture written in bark, breeze, and birdsong.

Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

When I walk among trees, I don’t just feel peace. I feel seen, known, held.

God’s fingerprints are everywhere, but we notice them only when we slow down.

Even 120 minutes a week in nature significantly improves mood, cognition, and even physical healing (White et al., 2019).

This isn’t a luxury, it’s design.

Do this: Combine prayer with nature. Let the birds say amen. Let your breath sync with the wind. Watch how faith deepens when you move slowly through creation.

The Genius of Emotional Intelligence Is Grace

Psychologist Daniel Goleman once said that emotional intelligence matters more than IQ in living a fulfilled life. Not because we don’t need intellect, but because emotions are how we understand our story.

When you feel overwhelmed, your body is not betraying you. It’s inviting you home.

Do this:

• Pause before speaking. Ask, Is this reaction protecting me or projecting me?

• Replace criticism with curiosity.

• Name your feelings honestly. Language is the first light in a dark room.

This practice, known as “affect labeling,” enables the brain to make sense of what hurts and what heals. When you can name your emotion, you can move through it with wisdom instead of shame (Lieberman et al., 2007).

Rest Is Not a Luxury. It’s Obedience.

Even Christ withdrew. Even He slept in storms.

Why do we think burnout is the cost of doing something meaningful?

We need to normalize Sabbath, not just once a week, but as a rhythm of being.

You are allowed to pause.

You are allowed to say no.

You are allowed to not be available to a world that will never run out of demands.

Do this: Schedule “still days” once a month. Protect one evening a week as sacred. Let quiet be your protest against chaos.

A shore where, recently, the sea took my worries and returned my soul.

You Were Meant to Be the Sunset, Not the Clock

No two sunsets are ever the same.

Yet no one asks the sky to explain why.

It is enough that it shows up, in color, in grace, in silence.

You, too, were never meant to be the same as anyone else.

Not in pace, not in purpose, not in pain.

And that is your miracle.

If life has wearied you, breathe.

If the world feels heavy, step outside.

If you feel unseen, look at the stars.

Every one placed, every one known.

Believe me, I am learning all these myself, step by step.

Necessity blinds us to the core.

The world is hard, yes.

But we are still here, still breathing, still becoming. One day at a time.

And somewhere in the middle of this spinning, aching, magnificent world, we are writing a story of balance, of beauty, of faith that never gave up.

That is our hope.

That is our light.

And the world needs both.

References:

1. White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., Wheeler, B.W., Hartig, T., Warber, S.L., Bone, A., Depledge, M.H., & Fleming, L.E. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9, Article number: 7730. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3

2. White, M.P., Elliott, L.R., Taylor, T., Wheeler, B.W., Spencer, A., Bone, A., & Depledge, M.H. (2020). Blue space, health and wellbeing: A narrative overview and synthesis of potential benefits. Environmental Research, 191, 110169. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393512030430X

3. Kosfeld, M., Heinrichs, M., Zak, P.J., Fischbacher, U., & Fehr, E. (2005). Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature, 435(7042), 673–676. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15928079/

4. Lieberman, M.D., Eisenberger, N.I., Crockett, M.J., Tom, S.M., Pfeifer, J.H., & Way, B.M. (2007). Putting feelings into words: affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421–428. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2816382/

5. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

6. The Holy Bible, Psalm 19:1 and Psalm 23, King James Version.