I am really good at filling space.

Give me five free minutes and I can find something to do with them. I can check my phone, answer an email, look something up, make a list, think about something I need to solve, or move on to the next thing.

I don't think I'm alone in this.

I just returned from one of my happy places, camping in nature, and one of the things I love about being there is something that would probably drive me crazy almost anywhere else:

I can't get cell service.

My phone simply doesn't work.

So I put it down. And I’m not sad about this. It’s one of the things I look forward to.

After a while, I could actually feel the space.

I spent more time outside. I noticed what was around me. My mind wasn't constantly moving toward the next piece of information or the next thing that needed my attention.

Something in me began to settle.

What struck me was that the benefit wasn't only spiritual.

Certainly, I felt more connected to God. Nature has always been one of the places where I find it easiest to notice His presence.

But I felt the space in my whole body.

I felt calmer. More present. Less pulled in different directions.

There was room to breathe.

Then I came home.

The cell service returned. So did the emails, notifications, schedules, responsibilities, questions to answer, and things to accomplish.

I've been thinking about how quickly I begin filling the space again.

We talk a lot about needing more time, but I'm beginning to wonder if time is always the problem.

Maybe sometimes the problem is that we fill every bit of space we're given.

We fill the silence.

We fill the waiting.

We fill the ten minutes between things.

We even fill our rest.

Then we wonder why we feel depleted.

Maybe making space isn't something we do once everything else is done.

Maybe we make space because everything else will never be done.

And perhaps what we find in that space isn't simply more time with God.

Perhaps we begin to find ourselves again too.

Sometimes we need enough intentionality to notice what is happening beneath the surface. When we create space, we invite God to meet us there; to help us see more clearly what we are carrying, what we need, and what may be ready to change.

Create ten minutes of unfilled space this week.

Put down your phone. Turn off the podcast. Don't use the time to make a list, answer an email, or accomplish something.

If you can, go outside.

Then notice.

Notice your breathing.

Notice your body.

Notice your thoughts.

Notice how quickly you feel the urge to reach for something to fill the space.

You don't need to make anything happen.

Simply ask:

God, what do You want me to notice here?

Then give yourself enough quiet to listen.

Lord,

Help me make space for You.

Quiet the noise around me and within me.

Help me release what I don't need to carry and become more present to You, to myself, and to the life I am living.

Teach me to make space even when everything isn't finished.

And in the quiet, help me listen.

Amen.

This idea of making space has been on my heart for some time.

My weekend camping in nature reminded me just how much I need it myself, and what can become possible when we step away from the noise long enough to pay attention to what's happening within us.

So this fall, I'm creating an opportunity for a small group of women to do exactly that.

Saturday, October 24
St. John's on the Mountain | Bernardsville, New Jersey
$95 | Limited to 15–20 women

This isn't simply a day to get away and relax.

It's an opportunity to do some deeper work.

Through coaching, guided reflection, somatic exercises, prayer, and meaningful conversation, we'll explore what we're carrying, what may be keeping us stuck, and what we may need to release to create room for what comes next.

We'll pay attention not only to what we're thinking, but to what we may be carrying in our bodies. We'll have opportunities for individual reflection as well as conversation and connection with other women.

There will also be space to breathe, to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, share lunch and afternoon tea, and simply slow down.

My hope is that you leave not only feeling restored, but with greater clarity about what you want to carry forward and what you are ready to put down.

If something in you is saying, "I need this," reply to this email.

I'd love to talk with you about the day and whether it might be the right experience for you.

And if a woman came to mind while you were reading this, please forward this newsletter to her. She may need some space too.

We don't need to wait for life to become less busy before we create space.

There will always be another task, another notification, another person who needs something from us.

Sometimes we have to choose to stop.

To put something down.

To step away.

To breathe.

Perhaps space isn't empty at all. Perhaps it's where we finally have room to notice what was there all along.

The Aligned Life is a community built on peace, love, joy, and commitment to family and self. Together we seek to live aligned with God’s purpose in everyday life.

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