If you’ve been running on fumes, this is your permission to pause.
Let’s talk about when burnout, bitterness, and that feeling of being lost finally caught up with me.
I didn’t mean to let it get this far, but over the past year, I’ve let my calendar take the reins…I’ve been riding this crazy train like I had no choice, saying yes too quickly, very little downtime, and running too fast.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped asking God for direction.
I just started asking for strength. And the world? Well, the world was more than happy to be the conductor. It led me straight to burnout. Then bitterness. And finally, that quiet kind of hopelessness…heavy and hard to name.
From the outside, I was holding it together. Still serving. Still showing up. Still smiling. But underneath? I was brittle. Bitter. Disconnected. Spiritually dry but too tired to do anything about it.
And that’s when it hit me:
“I’ve been trying to live disconnected from the Vine.”
There’s a passage in John 15 where Jesus says:
“I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;
apart from Me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5
He doesn’t say, “You’ll be less effective without Me.” Or, “You might slow down a bit.” He says: “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”
Nothing. Not the laundry. Not the car line. Not the ministry. Not the calendar. Not even the rest. I mean, sure, you’ll get it done, but it won’t be with Him. It won’t carry peace. I won’t bear fruit. A lot of motion, with little meaning.
And y’all, I felt that in my bones. Because I wasn’t doing nothing, I was doing everything. But none of it felt fruitful. None of it felt peaceful. And none of it felt like Him.
Letting the world set my pace didn’t just exhaust me.
It emptied me. I was pouring out with nothing to draw from.
I had replaced staying connected with staying committed. But those aren’t the same. Jesus doesn’t invite us to a to-do list. He invites us to abide.
That word…abide.
It means to remain, to stay, to settle into Him.
And I had drifted far from that kind of rooted living.
If you’re reading this with that tight feeling in your chest, thinking, “Oh no, this is me…” I want to tell you something: You’re not the only one. And you’re not failing. You’re just being invited back. Back to the Vine. Back to nearness. Back to grace that doesn’t require performing. You don’t have to push through. You can pause and plug back in.
Let’s Pray Together
Lord,
I’ve been running like it all depends on me.
And I’m tired.
I’ve been checking boxes and ignoring the burnout.
Trying to stay committed, but drifting far from the connection.
Bring me back.
Back to the Vine.
Back to You.
Let me feel Your nearness again.
Interrupt my hustle with Your peace.
Pull me close and teach me how to stay, really stay, with You.
And let the fruit come, not from my effort, but from Your presence.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reset Step
Do this one thing today:
Look at your calendar and add one block of time to simply abide.
Label it just like that, ABIDE.
Even if it’s 10 minutes.
Turn your heart toward Him, breathe deep, and be still.
Let that time remind you:
fruitfulness begins with nearness, not busyness.
Want to go deeper? I made something for you.
If you’re feeling scattered, dry, or stuck in hustle mode, I want to invite you to slow down and reconnect, right where you are.
I created a free resource called “ABIDE : 7-Day Reset”: a simple, soul-settling devotional to help you return to what matters most: being with Jesus.
Each day includes a short scripture, a reflection, and a prayer to guide you back to a rooted, restful place in Him.
You can grab it for free by subscribing to The Reset Room, my space for women who are done running on fumes and ready to live from a place of grace.
Let this be your gentle reset.
Less hustle. More abiding.
One quiet moment at a time.
P.S. Don’t forget to check your junk folder to confirm your subscription! Once you click that confirmation email, you’ll get the password to unlock alllll the freebies inside The Reset Room.
HER VIEW OF HIS GRACE 
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