First Things First

Introduction: house rules and intentional pauses

Apr 17, 2025

Introduction

Now you’re locked in, it’s going to be unconventional. Think of it like a field guide—but in the form of a collection of short essays designed to meet you wherever you are on the path of awareness, accountability, application, and abiding. We’ll hang out in these four categories as we navigate obedience, endurance, and transitions.

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to walk through any of this, outside of what God already predestined for you. He wrote it. We walk it. We use the lives of others as reference points for what God can do, while inviting the Holy Spirit to show up and guide us in real-time. We’re called to walk with Him, not run ahead, trying to make things happen independently.

Before we dive in, let’s lay a few house rules:

Offense is a choice. Some of these essays might touch something tender. Sit with it. The goal is never to offend but to offer perspective and shine light on areas we often leave in the dark. Our responsibility is to walk out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), which means being willing to hear God for ourselves, even when it’s uncomfortable. He reveals to heal. If something comes up, don’t stuff it down. Acknowledge it. Then hand it to God and let Him walk you through how to navigate it.
You don’t have to agree with everything to grow from it. Some things are meant to be sat with. We live in a world where everyone has a hot take or a comment to add. I invite you to lean into reflection. Don’t rush to fix, prove, or justify. Just… be still. Let God speak. Some parts might hit today. Others may come back to you in a year. That’s the beauty of this kind of journey—it unfolds in layers. Growth is seen in the willingness to remain intentional towards showing up regardless of how it feels.
This is an invitation, not a mandate. I’m just a girl walking out her obedience, sharing what’s helped me heal and stay rooted. I’m not above correction or stillness, and you’re not behind. Wherever you are, there’s room. Growth isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it looks like journaling through tears, repenting mid-page, or celebrating how far you’ve come. Wherever you are, growth starts with honesty.
Pray. Father, you are good, merciful, and worthy to be praised. You are the beginning and the end—Alpha and Omega. What happens in the middle doesn’t catch you by surprise as we learn to seek and follow you. Let this moment be less of us and more of you, as you reveal to us what you want us to know about ourselves while we navigate the paths of obedience, transition, and endurance. Though the journey may be long and the paths intertwine, you are intentional about us, down to the number of hairs on our heads. You desire for us to seek you and find you, to not lean on our own understanding. You desire for us to acknowledge you in all our ways, as you make our paths straight. You lead us beside still waters. You walk with us through the valleys. You are our refuge and ever-present help. Your word says you will never leave nor forsake us, and we believe it—even when doubt attempts to hijack our thoughts. It’s here we learn to put on the full armor, to take our stand against the schemes of the enemy—humbling ourselves, resisting, and he will flee. May we encounter you in a new way? In Jesus’ name, amen.

So take what you need. Come back when you’re ready. Revisit what lingers. Skip what doesn’t apply. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about proximity. To the Father. To truth. To who you were always created to be.

Whether you’re in a season of transition, tug-of-war obedience, or simply trying to discern what’s next, my prayer is that this book becomes a conversation starter between you and God. A mirror when needed. A soft nudge when you feel stuck. A reminder that you’re not alone.

So take a deep breath.

Let’s walk this thing out—one step, one essay, one surrender at a time.

Catch up by reading the following:

I plan to release a chapter each month to my paid community until the book is complete. A few will be free. I have no strict timeline for when this book will be complete, though I’m hopeful it will be before the year ends.