Can I tell you a secret?
The past week has got me feeling like life can feel like too much sometimes—between family and all our activities, the church, and the weight of figuring out what we are going to do next, it’s easy to feel stretched thin. If I’m honest, I’m the type of person who craves immediate solutions. Don’t believe me? Check out this post right here. When things get hard, I want the problem fixed right away. But what I’ve learned is that pushing harder and faster usually leaves me more exhausted.
One of the things I’m having to learn (probably the hard way) is that peace isn’t about having a perfectly calm life—it’s about finding God’s presence in the middle of the chaos. And the good news is, even in the busiest or hardest seasons, there are small ways to create space for His peace.
Here are three practices that I have begun implementing that seem to be helping, at least a little.
1. Shift Your Focus with Breath Prayers
Prayer is something that has always been a challenge for me. But then I learned about this thing called “Breath Prayers” And I thought, why not. I’ll give anything a try.
Breath prayers are a simple way to slow down and center your heart on God. They’re short, scripture-based prayers that you pray in rhythm with your breathing.
For example:
- Inhale: “Be still…”
- Exhale: “…and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
This simple practice not only calms your body but also anchors your spirit in God’s truth. It reminds you that peace is not about controlling the situation—it’s about trusting the One who is already in control.
Just stopping for a few seconds when the kids have me wanting to pull my hair out and praying one of these breath prayers has helped me to slow down, take better account of the moment, and figure out how I can best be present in the situation without making things monumentally worse.
2. Ground Yourself in God’s Word
When overwhelm hits, our perspective gets clouded by fear, anxiety, or frustration. God’s Word brings clarity. Scripture recenters us on what is true, even when life feels uncertain.
One verse that often brings me peace is Philippians 4:6–7:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
A practical way to keep this close is to write a verse on a notecard or sticky note. Place it somewhere you’ll see it often—on your mirror, fridge, or in your car. Every time you feel anxiety rising, pause and repeat the verse to yourself.
I have done this for years. During our time in Seminary I had one whole door of our kitchen cabinets covered in not cards with Scripture verses that were dedicated to grounding me based on certain things. As I was cooking a meal, washing up dishes, or just taking a break and sipping on a cup of tea, I had these verses at my eye level where I could read and meditate on them.
3. Release What You Can’t Carry
One of the hardest lessons I’m learning is that not every burden is mine to carry—or mine to solve right away. Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s an act of trust. I will be the first to tell you that is probably the hardest part for me in this season of life.
Sometimes that looks like journaling out a prayer and literally handing over my worry to God on the page. Other times, it’s whispering, “Lord, I can’t carry this, but I know You can.” Sometimes it looks like sitting down at my computer and writing out my thoughts to share with the world because I know I’m not the only one who struggles with these challenges.
And over and over, I’ve seen that peace often shows up not when I push harder, but when I stop striving.
Closing
Peace is not the absence of problems but the presence of God. And while I haven’t mastered this, I’m finding that small daily practices—like breath prayers, grounding in scripture, and releasing what I can’t control—open space for His peace to settle in my soul.
If you’re walking through overwhelm right now, you’re not alone. God is near, and His peace is available, even here.
Free Resource
If you’d like a simple tool to practice peace in your own day, I created a short guide with 5 Breath Prayers you can use anytime you feel overwhelmed. You can grab it free here:5 Breath Prayers for Finding Peace in Overwhelm.
Holy Mess, Whole Me 
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