MY RACE, HIS PACE

R – eflect

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for You, O God.”

Psalm 42:1

U – nderstand

How are you starting your year with the Lord?

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions, while others set goals to accomplish.
We want a fresh start.
We long for a successful year ahead.
We aim to break bad habits and build better ones.
We desire to stay healthy and fit, to nurture stronger relationships with family and friends, and to grow in different areas of life.

While all these aspirations are good, something I’ve learned in recent years is this: seek the Lord for one word to anchor the year in Him — accompanied by His Word, which is always a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

Less is more.

The likelihood of staying focused on one God-breathed word is far greater than trying to sustain a long list of resolutions or goals.

Believe it or not, God is already ahead of us.
He is the Alpha and the Omega.
Every single day of this chapter called 2026 — with all its details — was written before you even finished 2025 (Psalm 139:16).
He knows it all.

The question is:
Will you allow God to be your pacer so you can finish this 2026 race strong and well?

Like a marathon, finding the right pace is key to endurance.
Start too fast and you burn out.
Go too slow without intention and you drift.
But when you find the right rhythm, you sustain strength and even joy all the way to the finish line.

My one word for this year is PACE.

How interesting — and how kind of God — that He impressed this word on my heart late last year, even before I realized I would enter a major transition and face physical trauma at the start of this year.
I would need surgery to repair two torn stabilizing ligaments in my ankle.
At the same time, my family stepped into a new frontier of homeschooling our eldest daughter.

Suddenly, “pace” was no longer theoretical — it became necessary.

I had to literally slow down physically.
I had to slow down emotionally.
I had to be present.
I had to coach my daughter gently into this new season.
I had to abide, stay consistent, and embrace relationships instead of rushing ahead.

God knew.

As I navigate unfamiliar terrain and pant through challenges, I am reminded to pause, wait, and intentionally pursue Him — to create space to hear His voice for my life, my family, and my ministry.

Each of us has our own race to run this year.
But will you seek the Father’s heart to discern His pace — and follow it wholeheartedly?

God’s pace will always lead you to the right place, with the right rhythm.
His pace brings you to the right people, giving you the capacity to connect with the right heart.
His pace produces rest and peace.
His pace empowers you to thrive and bear fruit.
His pace leaves you with margin — margin to seek His face and hear His voice.

So let me ask you:

What is your pace this year?
And more importantly — is it His?

N – avigate

1. Do you have a clear game plan for this year? Are you sprinting, coasting, or running with intention?
2. What rhythms have you established to ensure you regularly pause and pursue the Lord?
3. Where might you be running ahead of God’s timing?
4. What practical boundaries (rest days, digital limits, prayer time, Sabbath rhythms) can help you maintain a sustainable pace?