Catching Our Breath as We Begin Again
- Brenda McKenzie
- Jan 8
- 2 min read
The holidays have a way of bending time.
Schedules loosen. Meals linger. Days blur into one another...
And then—almost abruptly—we find ourselves returning to structured days, calendars filling back up, responsibilities tapping us on the shoulder once more.Re-entry can feel jarring if we rush it.
This season is an invitation not to sprint back into productivity, but to pause long enough to catch our breath.
Not just the breath that keeps our bodies moving—but the deeper breath that reminds us who we are and why we serve.
Creating Space Before We Create Output
As routines resume, it can be tempting to jump straight into doing: emails, projects, plans, goals. But before we give our energy away, we are invited to make space for ourselves.
Space to notice what the slower days revealed. Space to honor what feels tender or unfinished. Space to breathe without performing.
Because breath is not something we earn. It is something we receive.
Scripture tells us that life itself began with breath—the breath of God animating dust into being. And even now, that same breath sustains us.
Yahweh: The Name You Breathe
The ancient name of God—Yahweh—is often described as the sound of breath itself.
An inhale: YahAn exhale: Weh
Before we speak a word. Before we strive or serve. We are breathing the name of God.
Every breath becomes a prayer.Every pause becomes communion.
When we feel scattered or tired, returning to the breath is a way of returning to Presence. It reminds us that we are not the source of our own strength.
Letting Jesus Be the Energy That Sustains Us
Service flows differently when it is fueled by striving versus when it is carried by the Spirit.
When we let the spirit of Jesus be the energy behind our work, service becomes less about proving and more about participating. Less about depletion and more about love moving through us.
We are not asked to manufacture grace—only to make room for it.
As we re-enter our work and creative rhythms, we are invited to ask:
What would it look like to work with God instead of for approval?
What if rest was not a reward, but a foundation?
What if our breath set the pace?
A Collective Pause: Creating and Breathing Together
On Tuesday, January 13th, we will come together to create collectively and catch our breath. This will be a shared space where we each work independently on a project of our choice—held within the quiet strength of community.
No pressure to perform.No expectation to produce more than feels honest.Simply showing up, breathing, and working alongside one another.
Sometimes the most meaningful productivity happens when we are not alone—and not rushed.
As we step back into structured days, may we do so gently.May we remember the breath that sustains us. May we let God’s presence set the rhythm.
And may everything we create be born not from exhaustion, but from life.
I hope you will join us:
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