Ten miles down, 90 to go.

Hi friends!

As I walked and prayed for Clarksville and Manna Café this morning, I thought about how fitting it is that this 100-mile trek aligns almost perfectly with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Why? Because I love fresh beginnings: a new year, a birthday, even the start of a new month always feels like a clean slate to me.  

A new year is the perfect time to think about the future and ask ourselves what matters most. I’ve been asking myself this question all summer long. Many things matter — but only a few matter most. Unfortunately, in our culture that celebrates doing more, having more, being more, possessing more, and achieving more, we can spend our energy, time, resources, and even health on things that scream for our attention but that simply do not matter in the long run. 

Recently I’ve been reprioritizing how I spend my time in light of what matters most to me: loving God and loving people. This is why walking/praying for roughly 30 hours in just 10 days is a worthwhile endeavor even though it probably sounds foolish to some folks. I’m confident I’ll never look back with regret on the time spent zigzagging all over town while conversing with God about the precious people who live here.  

My challenge to you today is this: take a courageous, honest look at how you spend a typical day. You might be surprised what rises to the surface as you consider how you’ve been investing your time, your strength, your income — your very life. You might need to make some different choices. I know I did. We barrel through life like we have unrestricted reserves of energy and endless time, but no one has that. We all have our limitations. We must choose wisely.

I’ll be honest: making room for what matters most often requires sacrificing a good thing in favor of the best thing. Learning to say no; downsizing or decluttering; refusing to spend time or money amassing more stuff; drawing boundaries; learning how to truly rest (without feeling guilty!); locking up your phone on the weekends — changes like these can feel uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or even frightening. But you can do this. I believe in you. Make some changes; and spend your life on what matters most. 

Here’s my prayer for you: May this autumn of 2025 be a season of realignment for you. May God give you the courage to prune every aspect of your life and to eliminate what doesn’t matter as you make room for what does. 

Until next time, may the love of God be made complete in you. Talk to you soon!

Vicki