This week felt like a sprint to Sabbath. It began with an urgent text at 7 p.m. on Sunday—one that unexpectedly reshaped much of my Monday morning. I was productive, yes, but also reminded of how often life calls us to release control. In those moments, the Serenity Prayer came to mind:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

What a timely reminder that surrender is the doorway to peace.

By the time Sabbath arrived, I was ready. I woke early—3:20 a.m.—feeling rested and alert. The cool air and damp ground from the night’s rain made it too early to sit outside, but perhaps that was part of God’s invitation. Before reaching for my books or my memory verses, I sensed His gentle nudge: Just be with Me.

So I sat quietly in the stillness, remembering that Sabbath isn’t first about doing—it’s about being. Being present with God. Being rooted in His peace. Being reminded that before we strive, achieve, or fix, He calls us simply to rest in His presence.

This week, I’m holding onto that—being before doing—trusting that formation begins not with activity, but with abiding.

Seeing God’s Hand at Work

This week, delight came in recognizing what God is already doing around me. He graciously opened my eyes to see His hand moving in powerful and unexpected ways.

One of those moments was in preparing for the Fall Session of The Formation Men’s Group. We now have 22 men signed up—more than half of whom don’t attend Formation Church or any church at all. That alone feels like a miracle in motion. God is stirring hearts, creating hunger, and drawing young men into community. Our role is simple: pray and obey.

I’m also reminded of Tyler and Beth’s Girls Group, another beautiful example of what happens when people gather with open hearts. Like the men’s group, it’s become a safe space for those seeking community and spiritual answers outside traditional church walls. God is meeting people in earlier lifestages (20s-30s-40s) where they are, building bridges through relationship and grace.

And then, a friend—someone I’ve known for over three decades—called me out of the blue. She said God told her to reach out. At the time, she didn’t even know I had become a pastor. Last week, she gave her life to Jesus and was baptized—on Rosh Hashanah, no less, a day that marks new beginnings based in repentance and atonement. What an incredible testimony of God’s timing and tender pursuit. You will hear her story at the right time.

Moments like these remind me: God is on the move. He’s drawing people to Himself, often in ways that surprise us, and always through love. Our task remains steady and simple—pray and obey—and watch His grace unfold.

The Place Where God Speaks Most Clearly is Temporal, Not Physical

I return again and again to Solitude—the sacred space where I most experience God’s nearness. Whether it’s early in the morning before the world awakens or during the stillness of Sabbath, Solitude remains the meeting place between my soul and the Spirit of God.

What I’m learning is that this place is not physical—it’s temporal. It’s not about the chair, the room, or my backyard. It’s about the time—the sacred rhythm we choose to set apart to simply be with Jesus.

If you’re longing to hear His voice more clearly, to feel His presence more deeply, please—please—make time for Solitude. Step away from the noise, the lists, and the demands. Be still before the Lord.

You will not be disappointed. In the quiet, you will discover the gentle whisper of a God who delights to draw near—forming, guiding, and loving you into Christlikeness. Solitude isn’t empty space; it’s holy ground in time.