God Doesn't Need Perfect

Lately, I’ve been realizing something…

God doesn’t always show up in big, life-stopping ways.

Sometimes it’s quiet.

Like a gentle little nudge… a soft, “hey you… slow down for a second.”

And if I’m being honest, my life right now is so loud it would be really easy to miss that.

I’ve got a teenager, a pre-teen, and my own little Donnie Thornberry of a toddler (tell me you’re a 90’s baby without telling me 😅), and it just… doesn’t stop.  Schedules, rides, reminders, “did you grab that?”  “wait—we forgot this.”

House stuff, mental lists, the constant loop in my head of everything that still needs to get done. You know… life just life-ing.

And then on top of that, I’ve been walking through some health stuff that’s honestly been really hard most days… while also getting ready for my husband's shoulder surgery and everything that’s going to come with that.

So naturally… I do what I always do—

I try to do more.

Stay ahead.

Handle it.

Keep everything moving.

But somewhere in all of that… I forget to actually slow down.

Not just physically, but in my heart.

To sit with Jesus.

To actually talk to Him instead of just running through everything in my head.

To thank Him, to pray over my kids, my home, my marriage, my body… instead of just carrying it all myself.

Because I know who He is.

I know He’s the one holding it all together.

But still… I rush.

And what I’m starting to notice is that God is so gentle in the way He pulls me back.

Not with guilt.

Not with pressure.

Just little reminders.

Mine came on the most normal, chaotic weekday.

We were in the car after school doing our usual “highs and lows,” and one of my kids started sharing something hard.  Before I could jump in and try to fix it, they said—

“I went to the bathroom, took some deep breaths, and prayed to Jesus to help me.”

Just… simple like that.

They prayed for strength.

For patience.

For comfort.

And then went back to class.

And I just sat there for a second, because I could picture it so clearly.

And it hit me  —  That’s it.

That’s what it looks like.

Not a perfect quiet time.

Not everything calm and put together.

Just…

pause

breathe

pray

Right in the middle of real life.

We are reminded in Psalm 46:10 to “Be still, and know that I am God."

How often do we just push through instead of pausing?

How often do we carry everything instead of handing it over?

How often do we wait for the “right time” to pray instead of just doing it right then?

God doesn’t need perfect.

He just wants us. Right there in the middle of the mess, the noise, the busy.

So maybe this week… it’s not about doing more.  Maybe it’s just about slowing down a little.

Noticing Him in the small moments. 

Talking to Him right when things feel overwhelming instead of waiting.

Because He’s still right there in all of it.

Still steady.

Still holding everything together… even when it feels like a lot.

And sometimes… it’s the smallest, most ordinary moments that remind you of that.