How to step into who God is calling you to be with restful rhythms instead of hustle

Ready to start 2026 without the weight of hustle culture on your shoulders? We launch season two with a heartfelt, practical conversation about setting wiser yeses, embracing Sabbath as a command that heals, and building small, repeatable rhythms that actually fit real life. Courtney, our co-host for season two and a mental health therapist, and Tessah unpack why resolutions often fail, how comparison distorts our goals, and what it looks like to trade striving for trust.

We dig into the difference between routines and rhythms, showing how tiny anchors like five minutes of Scripture audio while you cook, a worship playlist on the school run, or one quiet walk with God can renew your energy far more than another ambitious checklist. 

You’ll hear real talk on seasons of life, from new motherhood to demanding workweeks, and how to practice rest without shame. We share resources like The Best Yes and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, plus simple reflection prompts to keep your heart aligned: Where am I striving more than trusting? What small rhythms draw me closer to God? Who can keep me accountable to rest?

Pull up a chair. Leave the scorecard. Let Sabbath reshape your week and your worth. If this conversation helps you breathe a little easier, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more women can find a seat at the table.

Follow along at:

Instagram: @tableofgrace

Facebook: The Table of Grace Podcast

Transcript

Welcome Back And New Co‑Host

Speaker 0:04

Welcome to the Table of Grace podcast, where every woman has a seat, every story matters, and Jesus is always at the center. We're here to create space for real conversations and faith-filled stories that help you grow in your walk with Jesus. So grab your favorite cup of coffee and pull up a chair. Because at his table, there's always a seat for you.

Tessah 0:29

Welcome back. We are back for season two of the Table of Grace podcast. And guys, I'm so excited for this season. We have so many great topics, so many great interviews lined up, and I really think you're gonna love it. And joining me this season as my co-host is Courtney Newberry. If you were on the podcast a few weeks ago, back in fall of 2025, you actually heard her episode, and it was so good. And it really all just worked out that she was able to join me for the season as a co-host. And I am gonna let her give an introduction of herself. If you don't already know her, she's

Meet Courtney And Her Heart For Care

Tessah 1:06

pretty cool. Um, but I'll go ahead and let her introduce herself.

Courtney 1:09

No, no, go ahead, Tessa. Um hi guys, I am so excited to be here with you all this season. Um, this is really just like a blessing and God ordained, and I can't wait to see the people that we can reach and the hearts that we can touch. Um, as far as introductions, my name is Courtney Newberry. I am a mental health therapist here in Northeast Arkansas, and I love Jesus and my husband and my kid and my stepkid, and I love to learn, and I just want everyone to experience the goodness of God and to be able, even when it doesn't feel fun and it feels uncomfortable to know that you're not alone in it. Um I'm hoping that I can really kind of shed some light into some of the things that are harder to sit with.

Tessah 1:56

Yeah, that's good. No, Cordy always uh I'm sure you guys have heard me reference this if you've

Life Group Wisdom And Real Talk

Tessah 2:01

listened to the podcast a few episodes. In our church life group, which is where me and her met, um, it's basically our Sunday school class. So let's just put put that into the frame. But in our Sunday school class, we have like, I don't know, 40, 40, 40 people, but like half of them are therapists. And so, like, we always say it's like our class feels like group therapy in the best way. Um, and Courtney always has so much wisdom. I feel like I'll be sitting there. Well, someone will ask a question, we're all sitting like, okay, Courtney, it's your turn to talk.

Courtney 2:30

Because I am an experiential learner and I have had to learn things the hard way through experience, and I'm real stubborn. Right. Um, so I have to kind of sit with some of the things that I walk in, and I don't want any I'm also an empath, so I don't want anyone else to feel that way.

Tessah 2:45

Yeah, no, it's so good. We always have so many good conversations, though. Um, and I feel like it's so good. But I know just kind of prefacing that I know this season is gonna be so good and just so full of just probably a lot of humor, a lot of good back and forth conversation, probably some um really um just cheesy things, I'm sure.

Courtney 3:07

Just children's stories is that's kind of the season of life that we're in.

Tessah 3:10

Yeah, yes, all the small children toddler boy mom craziness, um, for sure. So I'll show you my elbow bruise if you show me yours. Yeah, literally.

Resolutions, Hustle, And Burnout

Tessah 3:21

Um, but I wanted to kind of kick off season two, um, especially as we are fresh into January, um, and all the things, new year goals, resolutions, rhythms, um, and how we can actually like step into 2026, stepping into who God is calling us to be without striving and without really just burning out. Like, I think it's so easy to set a bunch of goals, which goals aren't bad, but it's easy to just set all these goals and even even in a season where we're already like pushed to our limit and feel like we need to do more. Um, I feel like we're constantly told, you need to do more, you need to do this, you need to do that. And like we're just especially as women, because I know a majority that's like who listen to this podcast, is we feel like we are already at our wit's end, and then there's somebody on Instagram saying, You need to set a goal to run a half marathon. You're like, I can't even like get five hours of sleep, you know.

Courtney 4:17

Like I get those ads all the time to do like at-home Pilates, and I'm like, I'm gonna end up paying for this, and I'm not gonna do it because I don't have time.

Tessah 4:26

Does that mean they come and do the Pilates for you at home? Oh, absolutely.

Courtney 4:30

You gotta figure out how to cast it to your TV, and then you gotta hope that you move in a room where no one can watch you, you know, and then you're like, I think I don't I didn't do this right, I tore my meniscus. I mean, all the things.

Tessah 4:42

So true. Yeah. Um, I'd love to uh well before we were talking about this, Courtney was like, I don't even like New Year's resolutions.

Courtney 4:48

I was like, That's a strong word, and I have never successfully completed a New Year's resolution.

Tessah 4:53

Right. And I and I think that it's almost like setting ourselves up for failure in a way, and not that we intentionally do that, like you don't ever set a goal intending to fail at it, usually, but I would love to ask you, Courtney, why do you think New Year's resolutions feel exhausting instead of like life-giving, usually?

Why Resolutions Fail And Knowing Yourself

Courtney 5:11

I think that we a couple reasons. I think that we base them on the world and I think that we base them on other people. Um, I think that we have unrealistic expectations, which I know we're gonna talk about at some point in this season for ourselves. Um, I also think that we don't know ourselves. And I think that we walk around with this idea of who we think we should be, yeah, and instead of just leaning into exactly who God made us to be, I am super messy.

Tessah 5:41

Yeah.

Courtney 5:42

I'm not like knee and tidy and orderly. Um and I have like organized piles of things. Like, do you have the chair in your bedroom where your sort of clean clothes are? Yep, exactly. Exactly. You know, and so like I'm always gonna have one of those. Right. You know, and so I think that it really kind of puts us in a position if we're not willing to first know who God made us to be that we're gonna fail every time. You didn't what do you think about resolutions?

Tessah 6:09

Did you make any? Um, I think, yeah, we talked a little bit about this. I am more of like a vision board made via Canva type person, but like more so in like sitting. Right, very aesthetic. Yeah. Um, but like sitting down and like really just honing in on, okay, God, like what what do you have for me to say yes to this year? Um, which comes with the saying a lot of no's too. Um, but like almost like sitting down and like dreaming with God in that way. I know that sounds like super Christian cliche, but like I do think like I have done the whole like New Year's resolution goals. I do have like goals, but more so of like, hey, I don't actually have a set timeline on this. I just feel like this is what God's leading me towards within this year type thing. And like, okay, because I have done the whole thing where it's like, here's my five-year plan, Lord, bless it, please. Like, this is the best, this is the best plan for my life.

Vision, Surrender, And Saying No

Tessah 7:05

For your approval in your suggestion box. Yeah, exactly. But please don't make any suggestions because this is a perfect plan. And so, like, I've done the whole thing where it's like you put your plans in like God laughs type thing. And so, like, I almost I tell White all the time, like, I'm just done. Like, I'm not making any more plans. Cause like anytime I make a plan, it's like it's never gonna go. It's never gonna go that way. And so, like, I really just try to um like almost like find this rhythm of like, okay, God, like, what are you putting what door are you opening in front of me? And like, do you want me to like where where do you want me to go? You know, like who do you want me to be in this season versus like doing all the things? Cause I'm still like a very fresh new mom. And so like I'm already like oh that little pressure, yeah. Oh my gosh. Yeah, and so it's like I don't have like in the and God knows this, right? Like, I just don't have like the mental energy to like do all the things and like follow this like hustle culture of like be a girl boss and like blah blah blah. And that and there's nothing wrong with that, I guess, but like I think there's a lot of like uh layered things that um I know I can easily fall into burnout real fast and place a lot of my worth in that when I get into the rhythm of the busy that like I have to tell myself no, like no, you're not gonna do it.

Courtney 8:19

You're not gonna do it, like those emotional boundaries with yourself.

Tessah 8:22

Yep.

Courtney 8:22

And before the podcast started, we also talked about how that like you can't know what God calls you to do or what his plan is for you if you're not spending time with him. And I think that that's where the rhythm falls into place.

Tessah 8:37

Yes, yes, no, I think that's so true. And I can definitely like just relate to I am such a better person when I'm in my Bible. Like I can almost I can almost pinpoint me and Wyatt, my husband's like like when I'm in a having an attitude and I can and why it's like why are you having why are you like having such a bad attitude? I'll almost like I pause and like the little thought bubble popped up and it's the Holy Spirit going, Yeah, you haven't

Rhythms With God Beat Hustle Culture

Tessah 9:05

hung out with me very often. Yeah, I miss you. Like it's like almost like a Holy Spirit sending a text.

Courtney 9:10

Well, and it it doesn't take very long. Um I mean like I can be in God's Word in the morning, and then if I miss it the next morning by lunch, I am like riding a broom around, you know, when I'm parking it outside. And uh by day three, everyone knows it. Like it's internal on day two, and then on day three, everyone's like, Oh, yeah, you haven't you haven't you haven't slowed down.

Tessah 9:35

Yeah, right. No, I think that's so true. And I think like Hustle has such a way of sneaking into our lives. Um and we wear it like a badge of honor. Right. Oh yeah, I'm so busy, like I don't have time to and it's and I think I'm sure there's as you're the therapist in this duo right here.

Courtney 9:53

Like this like study of a therapist, like for real.

Tessah 9:56

Like some of the things you say, I'm like, man, that was really good. You should write that down. I think my biggest problem is I wouldn't I it would be really hard for me to I'm at not a I'm not a very good active listener. That would be my problem in the therapy world. I would like to solve all the problems for them and then like go like beat the problems up that they're having you know what I'm saying? Like I that would be my that would be my problem.

Courtney 10:17

To teach them how to solve it for themselves. Right. And to learn things about themselves. Right.

Tessah 10:22

And that would be where I would need to be taught very heavily. It's in I mean, it's it's it's something you have to work on. Yeah, especially for like hustle girls. Yes, exactly. So, but I do think like we can easily, like, even when our intentions are good, we can str like we can just like wrestle with the um like what you mentioned, like wearing it as a badge of honor. And but even like I feel like there's so many layers to that. It's like because we it's like, okay, well, what are you putting your worth in? You know, like what is what are you placing your value in? Is it your performance? Is it like how you people like for myself? Right. Is it yeah, is it for yourself? Is it for people to go good job? Is it for because ultimately if like we aren't doing things ultimately for God

Rest Is A Command: Sabbath Reframed

Tessah 11:05

as our you know, number one, like this is for the Lord, obviously, like yes, we serve people and we show up for people and we do these things. Like that's a part of you know, serving God is serving others. But I think like a lot of times like in my own life, like I can say like I was doing this for either like selfish gain or for like to be, oh look at me, like I did this.

Courtney 11:29

Yeah, yeah, or even like I think that we sometimes as women like have like this girlhood, like, oh you said I can't watch this. Right. When maybe like God said you can't through that person. Yeah. And then we make it Yeah, yeah, and then we make it a mission because proven our worth or hey, see me for who I want you to see me as um becomes more important.

Tessah 11:53

Yeah, no, a hundred percent. And um uh speaking of hustle, I would I think the best like counter like how to counter that is to look at what scripture says and shows us about rest rhythm and being obedient to that. Um and I was as I was kind of outlining this episode, I was taking some notes um because I think it's so interesting is how often we forget that Sabbathing is a command. Um and when we don't rest, we're actually being disobedient to that command. Um, like ouch. Like I remember, especially like in this past year, um just with all the like newborn stage and like the like just raising like my now one year old, I feel like I was so challenged in this. Um, because first off, there's just like rest looks so different with a kid, right? Totally.

Jesus’ Rhythm Of Withdrawal And Prayer

Tessah 12:45

Um you can't just like go take a nap on the couch, um, unfortunately, usually. But those days are going. But it does challenge you to okay, well, what does rest and like Sabbathing actually look like? But I think if there was one thing I could challenge our listeners to do is to figure out what, like, first off, read God's word and like what he talks about and with rest, and then also um find ways that you can rest. And I'm not just saying like go sleep on the couch, although sometimes that is what you just need, you just need to go take a nap.

Courtney 13:16

You want to know what happened to me and my quiet time? Um, actually, it's more like just God doing what he needs to do. Uh, so I was reading along with the scripture reading from church. Yes, you know. Um, and so I was reading through Mark because we were in Mark last week. Yep. Um, Mark 135 specifically talks about how Jesus woke up early in the morning while it was still dark outside, you know. So like that's like that rhythm. Um, and then also in Mark it talked about how that as soon as he had the Holy Spirit, it pulled him away. Um, and which is where he spends his 40 days in the wilderness. That's so good. But he was pulled away to spend time with the Father.

Tessah 13:55

Yep.

Courtney 13:56

And I think that sometimes we get intimidated by what God can reveal to us in our time with him when it gets quiet. Absolutely, or it doesn't match our

Building Restful Rhythms Versus Routines

Courtney 14:05

agenda, doesn't match the Lord's agenda, or something that God is calling us to do is gonna disappoint someone else. Um, and so I think that sometimes we avoid it.

Tessah 14:13

Yep.

Courtney 14:14

Because it's uncomfortable. Um but if we avoid it and we're not walking with what God's called us to do, you're gonna be uncomfortable anyway. Yo, yeah. So you can be uncomfortable in God's will, or you can be uncomfortable in your own.

Tessah 14:25

Right.

Courtney 14:26

And I would much rather have the protections of being uncomfortable in God's will.

Tessah 14:29

Yeah, a hundred percent. No, I love that. I think that's that's exactly right. And um we often, again, like we just often think that our will's better, you know. Like well, and I mean it's just delusional, but it's we do I know I've struggled with that for sure.

Courtney 14:44

Same. And not really open to hearing how I should do it differently. I might even argue with you. Yeah. Um, which doesn't get me anywhere in this world.

Tessah 14:52

Right.

Courtney 14:52

No, I totally get that.

Tessah 14:54

Um and kind of just like diving a little deeper into restful rhythms for really just like real life, like how are rhythms different from and like talking about just like how they're different from even like routines, because I feel like even like yes, a routine is great, and sometimes you have to like literally put scripture reading on your calendar and wake up and be intentional or do it before bed or whatever, however that you squeeze that in. Um, but I think like rhythms look like how do you integrate this into your everyday life to where it almost is as natural as you scrolling your phone or brushing your teeth. Right, yeah, you're right. It's healthy for you. Yes, you know what I mean?

Courtney 15:33

Like it it it prevents hardship. Right, yeah. Um, for sure. I I think that even accepting a small five-minute moment, you know, like there have been times in my life where I had lots of time and I could sit down and I could spend, you know, an hour in in God's word and just plug away and look through commentary and compare the things. And now um I typically get my quiet time when Nick takes merit to school. I have like a 20-minute moment there, you know. Yeah. Yeah.

Worship, Scripture Apps, And Community

Courtney 16:05

And then sometimes I don't get it, you know. Um uh one day I guess it was last week or the week before last, like I reached out to all the women um in our life group and I was like, hey, what's your favorite worship music?

Tessah 16:14

You know, that was good.

Courtney 16:15

And so well, and I have thoughts like of things I want to do with that, but yeah, I I needed that because I needed to feel connected to other sisters in Christ. Um, I needed to be reminded because I had kind of this feeling like in like this desert like season, you know. Um, and it was a it was a reach, it was an invitation of hey, sit with me here. And the number of you guys who were like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, here they are. And I was like, man, I felt like I know them more.

Tessah 16:42

Yeah.

Courtney 16:43

And so being intentional with our time about the Lord isn't, yes, scripture is super important, but sometimes things like that can have a huge impact.

Tessah 16:52

Oh, for yeah, sitting in community or like I l I love a good uh worship song. I why it is like uh is so funny because I I finally have gotten him on like the Brandon Lake, you know. Okay, it's like okay. And why it's just kind of like all these it's so funny because like he um I honestly almost um got a ticket to him for Forrest Frank because he would be like culture shocked. Um because like uh y'all just have to know my husband, he is so like him and Nick are pretty similar in this like very like country boy. Country boy will survive, like yes, like George Strait, 90s country. And they would be proud that I said that about it. Right, yeah, for sure, yeah. And so, like, very, like, very much that. And so, like, trying to get him into like this. I'm a very like live worship, like the intros three. Well, I would get so mad at me because we'd be like trying to play songs in the car for Jackson He's like, Why is this intro three minutes? I'm like, it's just like you know, that's when the pastor's like doing the altar call. Yeah, it's but channeling David himself, right? Exactly. And so we get into like we start laughing

Priorities, Distractions, And Spiritual Resistance

Tessah 18:00

so hard because I'm having like four to three minutes to this nine-minute CC winning song, anyways. And so like Wyatt has gone on his CC Winin's Blake, uh, not Blake Lord, um, is that right? Uh what am I Brandon Lake? Golly, I put his name together. We can call him that. I mean, basically it is Blake, right? Yeah, we'll be the fan club. Yeah, exactly. But um uh I think like just having like worship is like so powerful, no matter what that like looks like. There's so many different I feel like worship genres now, but like just spending time and worship and his word. I listened to a lot of scripture and did the Bible recap through Dwell. Uh please sponsor us dwell. That would be awesome. Um I should pitch to them really. Um, but uh I love I love using Dwell. You can like uh pick your different like people that like speak, like um uh do audio. I'm sure you're sharing. Tell more about it because I don't know what this is. It's uh like a Bible listening app, and there's like a ton of different um speakers on there, so you can like pick your different voice that you like listening to better. Oh right, so it's not just like one super right, yeah. This is such a first world problem. Like, oh, I need to listen to scripture. Um, but I I do love it, and um I will like turn it on when I'm like making Jackson Breakfast and like listen to the Bible recap on it. So like Terry Lee Copel does like this thing where she works with Dwell. Anyways, so good. Definitely check it out. I love it. Um, especially if you're just like a busy mom, um, or you feel like listening to scripture better. Um, great way to do that. But all I'm saying is to say, like, we don't really have excuses. You know what I'm saying? Like we live in a place with the freedoms to be able to do it too. If you were listening to this podcast, yeah, pause it and go listen, go read your Bible. But um, I do think like

Rest Without Guilt Across Seasons

Tessah 19:45

uh we have so much, how many, like how many times do how much am I spending on my phone? You know, like how we talked about it in live.

Courtney 19:53

I deleted Instagram uh last week.

Tessah 19:55

Yeah. So it's like how often are we scrolling and we can just be spending time with The Lord. And so I think like we just have to choose to make him our priority. You know, it's just where your priorities at that I'll show you like show me your life, I'll show you your priorities.

Courtney 20:09

Yeah, absolutely. Um, and if you are hesitant, then it's worth pulling back the come the curtain to look and see why you're uncomfortable with it.

Tessah 20:18

Oh, for sure. Yeah.

Courtney 20:19

God's probably trying to root something up.

Tessah 20:21

Yep, a hundred percent. Or the devil's trying to keep you from it, you know, or our own flesh, you know, like um, and I think I've been in seasons where like I can't almost feel the spiritual warfare keeping me from my Bible. You know what I'm saying? Like it, it is just like everything. I want to do everything but that.

Courtney 20:37

And um I don't want to walk in the bedroom and get my Bible because you know, those 20 steps are I don't know how many it is. Um terrible visual spatial reasoning. But anyway, like that's not that far. Right.

Tessah 20:47

Um yeah, or like I have other like uh like me putting Jackson down for nap. I'm like, I have I need to do this and this and this and this and this, and I often just feel God going, take a seat, sit down, and just like spend some time with me. And um, I think that's just like the challenge for like what we're wanting to do in this podcast, just challenge you guys to do that. Um, and I love I would love to talk a little bit um about how women in different seasons, whether you're single, you're married, you're uh full full-time like motherhood, you're working full-time, you're practicing rest, uh, how to like really practice rest without guilt. Um, because I feel like there's just so many different women in so many different seasons. We're all juggling a lot. Like no matter really what you're doing, you're usually we're usually just juggling a lot, I swear. Yeah, we just have a lot going on. Um I would love for you to talk a little bit about that, Courtney. Like, how can we in 2026 practice rest without guilt and shame? And what does that look like?

Courtney 21:47

You know, I think that the first thing we have to do is like evaluate our yes. So if I am unable or unwilling to say yes to rest, then I'm saying yes to other things. Yeah, but it's all cyclical. And so if my cup is never being refilled by my creator, then am I

The Best Yes, Boundaries, And Focus

Courtney 22:05

ever really going to be able to pour from a full cup, or am I walking around begging everybody to put a little bit of water in my cup or a little bit of coffee in my cup, depending upon what time of day it is, right? Right. And I think that, you know, shame and guilt can get to this space where we seek our identity in whatever role or whatever task is like called from us. So, like, let's say that like this is uh this is not me because I am not like this house cleaner person. But there are people who cannot rest until their house is like spic and span. My mother-in-law, you could eat off her floor. I would. I would have no if that was something someone told me to do, I'd be like, cool, you're not but phazing me, any. Right. But if you did that at my house, I'd be like, Can I mop it real quick?

Tessah 22:51

Yeah.

Courtney 22:52

I think that we have to pay attention to whether we're being a Mary or we're being a Martha. Um and Martha's aren't just about cooking and cleaning. Um, it can be about sometimes we project it through our kids.

Tessah 23:03

Yeah.

Courtney 23:04

Or through our husband or through mindless scrolling or TV, yeah, um, or work. I mean, we talk we hammer on men about hey, you go to work, you go to work, you go to work. Guess what? We do the same thing.

Tessah 23:17

Yep.

Courtney 23:18

Um, career women in the world that we're living now, that's not like a that's not something new.

Tessah 23:23

Right.

Courtney 23:24

Um, and we can prioritize our physical job over our

Scripture Against Guilt And Shame

Courtney 23:30

spiritual job and our ministry within our family.

Tessah 23:33

Yep.

Courtney 23:34

Um, because we have to pay the bills.

Tessah 23:36

Right.

Courtney 23:36

You know? Yeah. It's it's an expensive world we live in. We have to pay the bills. Right. But at the end of the day, where's my intent? Where's my heart? Where is my yes when it's on the table? Is it a big pile of tasks and chores and to-do lists and other people's opinions of me? Or is it sitting at the feet of Jesus? And I think that I won't be able to accomplish things in this world if I'm not sitting with him and I'm gonna fall on my face every time.

Tessah 24:04

No, yeah. I I I totally agree with that. And I think that we there are so many ways that the enemy attacks women when it comes to guilt and shame. What about you? Oh man, well, I'm trying to remember what question. Oh, how can we practice rest without guilt? Hoof. Yeah. I think I navigated this this past year, and I'm very, very thankful for the wise counsel I have, I've had with this year with a mentor that I've worked with. Um, because I just remember like just wrestling with um the the new season of motherhood that I was in, and and and it's like you know these things are gonna change, right? But when they happen, you're like, tornado, what is happening? My life is upset. Your hormones are a wreck. Right, like everything's a wreck, right? And so I remember just like beating myself up because I just wasn't able to be in God's word in the way that I was either like pregnant and like before I had a kid that I was taking care like care of. And so I like just beat myself up so hard

Practical Reflections And Accountability

Tessah 25:05

about it and just had so much guilt and shame around um like not being in God's word like I wanted to be, and almost separated him from my situation. Does that make sense? Like put him in a different room than in a different house than I was living in.

Courtney 25:21

Yeah. And it was just maybe I'll get back to that other house someday.

Tessah 25:24

Right, yeah.

Courtney 25:25

Instead of like letting him be with you in the house that you're yeah, he's already there, right?

Tessah 25:28

And so I she challenged really, really challenged me in a way to like invite him into the moments of um just all of the moments, right? Just invite him into that place. Like, and she she's so good at asking like really good questions. I'm sure you you you are too, Courtney. Um, but I think it's like in being like giving yourself permission to go like, yes, this is hard, this is a different season, this is challenging. Um I I I do want to practice rest, but I don't want to feel guilty for not working or not doing this, or like what what happens if I stop? You know, like you have bills to pay, you have things you have to do. Um, and I think like nothing the time with God is never um wasted. And he always uh like there was a sermon that was preached at Central a few years ago, and this guy said something that was so powerful. Um it was a guest speaker, and he said, you know, you can't outgive God. He wasn't he wasn't just talking about money either. And I always have held on to that because I'm like, that is so true, because like we often think like, oh, if we give God this time, we're gonna lose, you know, sure we're gonna lose time working, or we're gonna lose time even with our family, or we're gonna lose time doing this. And I think whenever we invest in God and his word and we invest

Grace Over Measurement And Final Encouragement

Tessah 26:45

time spent with him, he's always gonna multiply it and double it and give it back to us in such a good way. And so like I've had to really walk that out and like even the past year, and like, okay, God, sometimes it's just literally singing worship music while you're rocking the babies asleep, you know, like and just inviting him into those quiet moments. And I think like as I've lived that this year, um, it has been just so freeing to me to just go, okay, I'm gonna stop trying to carry the yoke, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm gonna stop trying to shoulder it all, you know, and I'm gonna let I'm just gonna take on the yoke of Jesus in that way, and um just let his easy and light lightness just cover me in that way. And I think it's it's a lot of women struggle with that, but we just don't know how to it's almost like we white knuckle grip all these things, or we we just can't let it go.

Courtney 27:37

We need someone physical to give us permission to rest in God when in reality our creator gave us permission and commanded us to do that.

Tessah 27:44

Yeah.

Courtney 27:44

Um, reading recommendation, and this you probably were in junior high when I read this book. I'm significantly older than you. Um still just as cool though. I don't know. I don't know about that, but I appreciate it. So The Best Yes by Lisa Turkhurst. Yes. I mean, it is like the gold standard in knowing when to put your yes on the table. And and I probably still reference that book in conversation or like if I'm doing any public speaking, I I still talk about it. Um honestly, I probably should go back and reread it now that I'm older and a little more mature.

Tessah 28:15

Yeah.

Courtney 28:16

Um, that was a game changer for me. Um I think that she get she helped me in that book understand God's permission and purpose. So when we talk about guilt and shame, that doesn't mean you say yes to everything. Right. Because there still has to be a boundary with it. Because if you say yes to everything, then nothing is getting your best. Everything's getting pieces of it.

Tessah 28:38

Yep.

Courtney 28:39

And so you have to know by spending time in the with the Lord and in the word, like what is his will, and then your yeses have to match up with that.

Tessah 28:46

Yep, for sure.

Courtney 28:47

And if they don't, you'll figure it out, and then you don't beat yourself up over it and you're like, oop, I missed that. Let me try this again. Yeah, I mean, back it up and punt, you know.

Tessah 28:54

Right, yeah. No, I think that's so good. I've actually listened to the audio version of that, and it's really good. Another one, um, not exactly like a decision-making book, but the ruthless elimination of hurry is really good. That's a great one. John Mark Comer, he also has an audiobook. His voice is so fun to listen to. He's like one of those people I could like go to sleep listening to him read an audiobook. Yeah. I have to, it's like just so peaceful. But um, I I love the best yes. I absolutely it's such a good it's such a good book. Yes. No, but it's good though. I almost almost wish she would rewrite it in her perspective now. She's been like an author. It's like 15, I don't know how many years ago she wrote it.

Courtney 29:28

So you were like I said, you're in junior high. Probably.

Tessah 29:30

Um, but it was still so good. Um uh and also I wrote some scriptures down to also just kind of go over um some of these are like just some of my favorite ones when it comes to even like counteracting like guilt and shame on a biblical level too. Like Romans 8 1, one of my favorite verses, is there is now no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus. So knowing that because of Jesus, we actually God doesn't even condemn us. You know, like why are we condemning or why are we so hard on ourselves for something that God didn't even expect us to? You know what I'm saying? Like God, God it knows that we're imperfect, right? He knew that we needed a perfect sacrifice. So we we almost have this perfect standard that even God doesn't hold us to. Yeah, you know, we've got to measure and stick out. Right, yeah. And so like it's it is such a flesh thing that we are always f probably going to fight against, but it doesn't mean that we can't um practice things that help us, you know, avoid that. Um and then call it out to the surface. Yeah, for sure. Um in 2 Corinthians 5 17, therefore if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come. And then Ephesians 2, 8 through 9, you're saved by grace through fa faith, not by work, so that you can walk in grace, not shame. Um and so um I I love those. Um again, Romans 8.1's like one of my favorites. I'm like always telling myself that. Um, but I I do think it's just so easy to get into that shame and guilt cycle. Um because it's it's it it's just easy to do. Um so kind of recapping some and even like giving you guys some practical reflections for how you can enter into 2026 without the stress of just like the hustle and this this really this temptation to like do all the things and say yes to everything and you know really get to a place where you feel like, well, if I'm not doing this and I'm I don't have any worth. I think there's so many letters to that, but I I think really the hope of this podcast episode is that you can know that like this is your permission to rest with God and rest and Sabbath and trust Him that whatever whatever season that you're in, whatever you're facing right now or whatever like this year has ahead of you, like it's okay to enter it without the hustle, and it's okay to enter it without striving and and trying to do all the things. It's literally okay to just be. You know, it's okay to start the year off um and not have resolutions. And it's okay if you do, like that's awesome if you have some. Uh and we're not saying don't have goals, but it's more so of like don't get caught up in this this this hamster wheel of doing all the things and really just ended up leaving God on the back burner.

Courtney 32:24

And who are your goals to find in? Right, yeah. Yeah. Uh I was so when I was reading through the outline, um, strive really just kind of hit me. And I was like, you know what, I wonder what like the the full like definition is of strive. Yeah. Okay. And it's endeavor, reach or strain for something above and beyond. What a measurement if we think about in that word, right? Strive, like it's more than expected. And that ties right back in to what you were saying just a few minutes ago about like God's already given us this permission.

Tessah 32:56

Right. Yeah.

Courtney 32:57

So why are we striving, like going above and beyond what he's asked of us, yeah, when we could utilize that time, space, mental energy of the above and beyond to just sit with him. Yeah. Um, and I I think that also, I don't know, and maybe I'm just this person, like I'm really good at starting out something, but I don't always finish things well.

Tessah 33:17

Right.

Courtney 33:17

Um, and I think that set some dates in your phone ahead of time to like check in on it. Like, how am I doing with my rest?

Tessah 33:25

Yep.

Courtney 33:25

And if you're failing, okay, cool.

Tessah 33:27

Yep. Or even having a rest accountability partner.

Courtney 33:30

Yeah, I was gonna say that. Or like somebody like who you really trust in. And like maybe you have a spiritual mentor or someone that like you just do life with and check in on that and maybe even like give them the space to be like, hey girl, you taking a minute?

Tessah 33:46

Right. Yeah, how are you doing? Yeah, yeah, for sure. Um see me. Yes, yeah, absolutely. Um, it is yeah, I think having yeah, community in that is such a core piece of it because it's so hard to do alone. You know, life is hard to do alone. Um, and we're not meant to do it alone. That's that's honestly, I think that's what makes it hard. Like when we try to isolate ourselves and do things um by ourselves, especially without God, um, we're gonna constantly be in a Hampshire Wheel struggle, you know. Um I would as you're all this I know it's a lot of information and we have covered so many good things. Um, but I would in reflection and just some questions to ask yourself, um, and I feel I'd love for you to add some too, Courtney, but ask kind of ask yourself, where have I been striving instead of trusting? Um, how can I trust God more this year? Um, what rhythms bring me closer to God instead of burning me out? So, like what are some things, some practices that you can add into your life that will be practical for you, um, that you can actually just make time to spend time with God. Um, even if that is maybe that sounds like a lot, like you have it's the Bible sounds scary and overwhelming. Maybe it's just joining a Bible study or joining or going to church for the first time in a really long time. Maybe it's just that step that you need to take. Um, I challenge you to do that and um find someone that can keep you accountable in it. Um, would you add anything to that list, Courtney?

Courtney 35:20

I think I have I mean, like I think I d you have to circle back to um what's a barrier? And is that barrier something that I'm that I'm ashamed of? Is it selfishness? Um, I think we have to be willing to be honest with ourselves. Yeah. Um and then no, we're still okay.

Tessah 35:41

Yeah.

Courtney 35:42

Like we can know that maybe there's something I need to work on and I can still be wholeheartedly loved by God.

Tessah 35:49

Yeah, for sure. A hundred. That doesn't change. Yeah. Yeah. No, yeah. Our our worth isn't found in the things that we do for him.

Courtney 35:57

Why do we keep tying it to that? Right. Yeah. Like I sometimes We need measurement. I'm like, we need measurement. Like, where did you learn that? Mm-hmm.

Tessah 36:05

Yeah. No, I think it is just like our humanity and like our flesh that constantly goes to misunderstanding grace. You know, like we it is so hard to wrap our minds around um because we are so human and we it's I think a lot of times we just we think we have to earn it, we have to work for it, you know, and I and like thankfully no. Like Jesus that work is was finished on the cross, you know, like praise the Lord that like we don't have to, and that from our time that we spend with God and the faith that we have in Christ, good works come from that. You know, like we can like we can't manufacture it. Like we were talking about earlier, like we are better versions of ourselves when we are in scripture, you know, like it is we are just better versions of ourselves. Um, and hope this episode encouraged you, Courtney. I'm so excited to co-host with you this season. It's gonna be so fun. Um so excited to be here. Yes, it's gonna be so good. And ladies, I hope you all have a great rest of your day. And if this podcast encouraged you, if you liked it, feel free to share it with a friend, share it on your socials and tag us. And we will see you on the next episode.