Slow + Sacred: Confessions of a Type A Person Learning to Slow Down

The Week of January 27th

Monday, January 27th

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This past week has been a lot.

With the new administration settling in, the emotional rollercoaster of executive orders has been fighting for space in my head and heart.

Unfortunately, I can’t just check out for the next four years. God has called me to the work of missional living, which means being present and aware of the cultural realities around me.

However, one of my life’s goals—especially as I shoulder various leadership responsibilities—is to be a non-anxious presence.

In a world where anxiety feels like the air we breathe, I want to be an example of what it means to be aware but not consumed.

I think about Jesus—the ultimate expression of a non-anxious presence.

In the Gospels, there’s a moment when Jesus’ disciples are in a boat (without Him), exhausted and terrified, fighting the wind and waves when He comes to them walking on the water.

He wasn’t rushed.

He wasn’t panicked.

He walked calmly through the chaos, offering words of peace: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Then, after His infamous encounter with Peter out on the water, Matthew records these words, “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.”

That moment is so striking to me because Jesus’ presence didn’t just bring peace to the waves; it brought peace to them.

That’s the presence I long to embody.

This week, I’ve been asking myself: What does it look like to walk through the winds and waves of life with that same kind of calm?

So, I’m taking small steps: slowing down before I speak, breathing through the tension, and remembering that my presence—calm or chaotic—impacts those around me.

Jesus’ example reminds me that peace is possible, even in chaos. And if I can hold onto that, maybe I can help others hold onto it, too.

Sean

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