About Being Still, Making Space, & Becoming Who You’re Called To Be with Nancy Williams

What if your calendar became a doorway to peace instead of a source of pressure? We sit down with our dear friend and counselor Nancy Williams to reimagine the new year through a single, weighty idea: intentionality. Not vague intentions or rigid resolutions, but the daily practice of making choices on purpose—choices that honor God, care for our bodies, and create space for the right work at the right time.

Nancy shares tender, hard-won wisdom from rebuilding life after the sudden loss of her husband. She walks us through moving from survival to thriving, anchoring each morning with “be still and know,” and filtering decisions through simple questions: What honors God? What protects my health? What aligns with my calling? We talk practicals too: scheduling walks like real appointments, eating to sustain energy, and using Scripture as a living guide rather than a checkbox. Proverbs 3:5–6 becomes a rhythm of trust, acknowledgment, and direction that turns plans into a path.

We also lean into the power of margin. Busyness can masquerade as faithfulness, but God often leads in the space we guard. Nancy’s sponge analogy makes it memorable: wring out to rest, soak up to serve. With stories of “now and not yet,” moments of unexpected provision, and the gentle discipline of reading with fresh eyes, this conversation offers a grounded way to steward health, time, and attention.

If you’re ready to trade reactivity for purpose and coasting for calling, this is your gentle nudge to start small: pick one word, one habit, and one space. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to let us know the first intentional step you’re taking this week.

Transcript

Bodies, Stewardship, And Fitness As Worship

SPEAKER_00 0:30

I want to welcome my guest that you should know by now. Nancy Williams is with me again, my good friend who had a whole career as a professional counselor and continues to uh counsel and encourage this friend quite a bit. She just brought me a whole stack of books so I would get better at uh helping you guys. And we both have that in our hands. She's already great at it, and I'm growing, and that's a good thing. We're just growing together. So today I want to talk a little bit about this new year that started 2026 and goals and plans and chaos, and I don't even know where it's gonna go. We were just talking about exercising and wanting to get our bodies in shape. And I really do believe that's God has this plan that our bodies get in shape. There's actually a verse, but I can't bring it to mind right now. But his word tells us to, you know, buffet this body to get it strong so that we can do what he's called us to do. He created it and he didn't create it uh for us to let it go to pond. Well, we're his temple. That's it. That temple is right. Yeah. Well, he, you know, he has a plan. He sent us for a plan, but you know, when we fail to keep it strong, I feel like he can stop the things that he wants us to continue to do. It's not he'll take care of that. He loves us still, but we want to do it all that he's got for us to do, don't you? I do. I mean, and this year feels like it's gonna be a year of more than we can ask or imagine. That's how it's been feeling to me as I'm starting it. And you might say, Oh, you always think that, but I don't. This year is more than I can ask or imagine, and that Nancy can ask or imagine, and you just have to trust him. So, Nancy, talk to me a little bit about that.

Defining Intentionality Over Reaction

SPEAKER_01 2:32

We're challenged often to set goals, you know, New Year's goals, you know, what are what do we want to accomplish this year? What do we want to do? And society around us encourages that. And we're told all kinds of planning books and calendars and apps and everything imaginable to help us set these goals for how we want our lives to flow in the new year. Um, and I've thought about that some, you know, there are people that sometimes choose a word, you know, as a focus, and they say this is going to be my focus for the year. And uh, and as I've thought about that, the word that has been coming to me of late that I think fits where God is taking me is it's a big word. Intentionality.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

I love that word.

Grief, Partnership, And Life Rebuilt

SPEAKER_01 3:16

And when I think about that, you know, I had to I had to ask Siri, what is intentionality versus intention and you know, and just the different derivatives of it. But what I mean by that is living life, um, making choices on purpose, um, you know, in a determined way, you know, very purposeful way, not just reacting to circumstances. You know, I've come out of a time in the last few years that uh my life just turned upside down and inside out with the sudden death of my husband Solon. You know, and so for quite a while I was living more in a survival mode of just trying to figure life out.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

We've been married 47 years. And more than that, you guys really like every marriage is you know, nobody wants to lose their spouse. Right. But Nancy and Solon were basically joined at the hip in everything they did. If Nancy was working on a project, Sullivan was planning in the background. If Sullen was working on a project, Nancy was planning in the background, and they both were glorifying God in their lives. There was it was a good life. It wasn't like something was off or out of kilter. And yet one day Sullen was here, and a few moments later he was not. And so it's a hard season.

From Surviving To Thriving

SPEAKER_01 4:36

It is we had a strong partnership, you did, and so I'm having to learn how to live life on my own. And I've never lived life on my own before. I went from living with my family to going straight to college and living in a dorm with friends, going from there two weeks after I graduated from college, I was married. And so I've always had someone I've lived with and someone I've managed a home with or whatever. So this is a whole new world for me in so many respects. You've really gotten to get courageous in the last few years. I have gosh. And I've had to um, you know, look at how do I survive, and then I came to a place of saying, I need this needs to be more than survival. You know, God took Solon for a reason, and God and I have had many a conversation, you know, where I ask him why and he chooses not to tell me. But then I think I love Solon so much that he's in the very best place he could be. And when I think about where he is, you know, I thank God that he took Solon to the place that Solon eventually wanted to be. Yeah, you know, it wasn't my timing, but it was my action for Solon, my love for Solon, my desire for him that he's been eternity in heaven. Yes. So then I realized, okay, what am I to do in the meantime while I'm waiting for God to say, Nancy, now it's your time. And so I'm having to move from a survival mode to how am I gonna thrive in this season of my life? Um, it's easy for me to respond out of situations as it is for anybody. You know, you see a fire, you respond, do you want to put it out? You see a problem, you think, okay, how do I solve this problem? You know, we become very reactive. It's easy to do that. And we go from thing to thing, reacting, um, and often led by our emotions, be it love, be it fear, uh, be it excitement, be it curiosity, be it anxiety. Yeah, you know, and I've realized I want in my remaining years, I want to not just be led by my emotions or reacting to just responding to situations. I want to be purposeful in what I do.

SPEAKER_00 6:49

Intentionality, yes, it's great. For me, I think it fits. It is perfect, it's purposeful and and really gives you gives your life like a focus of how you're gonna choose what you do.

Choosing Daily Focus With God

SPEAKER_01 7:03

And and I think your your phrase choose, I think it's it's a choice, and I have to recognize as I think we all do, and we know this since theory, we just lose sight of it when the everyday life goes on, you know? But um, I think I have a choice each day when I wake up, I have a choice. Where's my first focus gonna be? I have a choice, how do I want this day to flow? You know, so I want to be intentional in my choices and say, if I choose to do this, how is that gonna honor God? How is that gonna take care of me? How is that gonna help provide for my needs? How is that gonna help me accomplish what I think God's calling me to do? Yes. So, like we were just talking about exercising, we were talking about walking. And you said, let's set a day and a time and commit that every week, because we tried to do it and we grab when we can. And don't we do that with a lot of things in our life? Yes. I'll do it as I can with well-meaning, we have good intentions, but then life gets in the way, and then weeks go by and we go, we haven't walked of time.

Scheduling What Matters: Walking Example

SPEAKER_00 8:04

Okay, so I just want to interrupt a little bit there and tell you that my friend Vonnie Delauder told me years ago I was in the corporate world and I had a full schedule. And she said you need to walk every day. And I said, Well, I can't, my schedule's too full. She said, Yes, you can. You have to schedule the time for you to walk and not schedule an appointment during that time. And and I really fought, I don't know why. We fight scheduling for ourselves and our and our peace, and which really results in us being more effective in every other area of our lives when we prioritize ourselves in the midst of what we're doing. So I did it, and I actually did it at 10 o'clock in the morning with her counsel, which used to be the day, the time when everybody wanted to schedule. But when I blocked it out, nobody wanted to schedule then. It was like just being faithful and small things, just putting it on my calendar and saying nothing can get in the way of this. Helped me to be consistent with walking, and God cleared the deaths. There you go.

Guarding Time And Small Faithful Steps

SPEAKER_01 9:15

It was so good. And I think that's where it's got to begin. If we say, God, this is your day, I give you this day. Help me to be intentional about the things I do, from what I put in my mouth to how I take care of my body, to what I say to people when I talk, to where I go, to how I look. Help me to be intentional with those choices. So, God, if this is what you want me to do and I make a commitment, I'm going to do that, I'm gonna be intentional in this thing. God, you show me, you cleared the path, and you helped me achieve. Because he says, you know, I thought the scripture that came to my mind, I was thinking about my eating, thinking, okay, I've got to get back on track with eating healthier. I let the holidays take over and I let my emotions drive my diet, and that was not a good thing. So I'm, you know, I thought, God, you've, you know, I need you to help me. And the verse he gave me is, you know, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So I got up and when I went into the kitchen to think about breakfast, I thought about that verse, and I thought, okay, I'm gonna be intentional with what I eat this morning, and God help me do this, because I can be all the intentional I want to be, but without your help, God, I can't take those intentions and turn them into successful realities.

Food, Habits, And Strength In Christ

SPEAKER_00 10:28

I can't take the bad habits out of my life without you, Lord. And yeah. So, you know, when I wake up in the morning, uh, and this has gone on for a little while now, but uh I start the day just talking to the Lord, like before I even open my eyes, he's the one that's there. But last year he helped me to see that the job that I do, my consulting work, tends to be in eruption driven. I have appointments with my clients, but then they have to move it or whatever. So I changed my schedule to meeting them every other week. And that I look back now and see that that significantly changed my ability to on the week that I'm not consulting to wake up with those conversations with God and say, okay, you know, I might have something on the schedule, but mostly I'm just gonna go walk and see who you bring into my life today. And like I've seen miraculous late for me, for somebody that I needed, but also I know for somebody that needed me that day, like he was able to use me. It was intentional that I went out and walked and waited for him to bring somebody into my life, but I wasn't in control. I intentionally gave him space, that's when it was. Yeah, yeah, I intentionally said, Lord, I need to open space for you to lead me. Yeah, and then let me just show you all this. Um, Nancy had been telling me about this book, now and not yet, which is I I can't tell you how important it's been in the last few weeks because God has been saying to me, Yes, you are going to do a lot of things that I've put in your heart. But no, you're not doing it today. Not yet. Not yet. And I'm not giving you the whole picture today, but I'm gonna give you part of it. So he's been giving me little miraculous moments of things to keep learning. Nancy's books that she brought to me, um, a book from Sandy Balachak, a book from the little library downtown. Miraculously, as I continue to just cry out and wait and give God space to show me exactly how to do what I feel like he's given me to do. And so his timing is perfect.

Creating Space To Be Led

SPEAKER_01 12:53

I like to think of God um uh certainly with reverence and an awe. Um, I also like to think of him having um somewhat human personality characteristics. I like to think of him having a sense of humor. Oh, I like to think of his patience when I do things and him just shaking his head and going, Nancy, what are you thinking? I'd sometimes imagine, you know, I I pray and I'm just going, oh God, this and this and there's this and there's another thing, and when are you going to and how do I do? And you know, I'm just going on and on and I like that saying, excuse me, can I get a word in? You know, I'd love to answer these things and tell you if you would just be still and listen to me and wait on me. Yes, you know, and so I think with the intention we can get so busy in our lives, you know, with good things, with things that we think are well-meaning, things that we think are ministerial things, you know, ministries, opportunities, and we think these are good things that I'm doing, I'm serving God in these ways. And you know, and sometimes I think God says, but those are your plans, those aren't necessarily my plans. And I have things I want you to do, but you've got to create space for them. And be okay with that. And be okay with the space. That's hard for me.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

You know it's hard for me.

Now And Not Yet: Trusting Timing

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Well, it is because we tend to think busyness is being productive and it's a good thing. And I think God says, but there are things I want to do with your life, and you need to give me the f space, the free space to go and clear my mind. You know, when we don't have a busy agenda, it helps us to slow down a little bit and say, maybe I'll pick up this book and read a little bit. Um, and then there were times in my life that I would say, I don't have time to read fiction books. I I used to write nonfiction, you know, and I wrote articles and newspaper articles and presentations and did all these things, but I thought, oh, I don't have time to sit and read a fiction book. Yeah. You know, but I think there were times when God says, I just need you to rest, I just need you to relax. The analogy that I used to use a lot, that I need for me often, is about sponge. You know, a sponge is meant to soak up things, right? We use it to wipe things off to clean to soak up. But that sponge, every so often, you've got to wring that sponge out. If you don't wring it out, that's gonna like that. Then it it loses its effectiveness.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

Yeah, if it's full, if it's already full, it has no room to find it.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

But then if you never use it, you just set it aside and never use it over time. If it becomes brittle, it dries out, and you it's of no use then either. But there's times that we've got to ring out our sponge and times we need to use it. So I'm wanting to commit this year to ask God to help me to be intentional about when to use my sponge to do the work that He's calling me to do and when to ring it out. And that might involve walking with you at 7:30 and I'm an early bird.

SPEAKER_00 15:43

I'm sorry.

Busyness, Ministry, And God’s Plans

SPEAKER_01 15:44

I am not. But you know, that's part of wringing out my sponge in some respect from the stresses and other things and preparing me to be able to be productive and the things that God's calling me to do. Um, and it takes some of both. So I'm asking God to help me with this concept of intentionality in my life, to be purposeful in my uh choices of what how I spend my time, how I take care of myself, what I put into my body, what I put into my mind, yes, and what I fill my heart with. Yes, you know, so you've got to be intentional in all those aspects of your life, not just your schedule.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

You know, uh praying that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart please you, Lord.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:31

Um that prayer is intentional. I pray that, we pray that. But then we when we have the opportunity to choose between one thing and another, choosing to read the word.

SPEAKER_02 16:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:45

It I'm not saying fiction, isn't it? Because I love fiction too. But we need to set aside time to read God's word. And if you say, Well, I've already read the Bible through, or because I mean that's true. Some people read the Bible through. But sometimes you just need to stop and give space to God and read what He leads you to so that it will be something that changes your heart. And once it gets in there, it's gonna come out of your mouth when you need it. Then listen, read read intentionally.

The Sponge Analogy: Work And Rest

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Yes, you know, read saying, God, as I read this, show me what you want me to know. And then to be still and give him time to say, Okay, now let me speak and let me tell you what I mean by this, you know, and to be still and to listen to him. Um, and I think that, you know, as Christian women, we say, God, I want you to take my life. Here's my life, you do use me in whatever way you want. Then we sit back and wait on him, you know, and I think there's things that he wants us to be doing that are active. You know, my one of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. And I thought about that even today as under thinking of this whole intentionality, peace. You know, those are action words. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding in all your ways. Acknowledge him, and then he will direct your past. But we've got to trust, we've got to not be limited by what we know or see or hear or feel. Um, to acknowledge him. Mean be aware of his presence, talk to him, engage him in what you're doing, listen for him to show you what to do, and he'll show you.

Intentional Inputs: Body, Mind, Heart

SPEAKER_00 18:18

He will, he'll direct you. And you know, if you didn't hear that right now, I just want to help you to see that what you saw was living word. We both know that verse because we have lived that word with the Lord. That's what he wants for you. He wants his word not to be a stale old book, he wants you to read it like it's today he is talking to you because he is. I've read that verse even more than one time when it was addressing something completely different because he was using it to show me something that I really needed to understand in that moment. And girls, we have got to have it. It's life, it's life and life abundant. When we love the Lord and listen to his voice and read his word, that's how we survive hard things when Ford died, when someone died, when we walk through, when my grandson died, my whole perspective changed when I lost people from this earth. I used to think there were things that were bad. Nothing is as bad as losing somebody you love from this earth, but that even when you remember that where we are going is better than where we are, but we are here for purpose, ordained by God. He created us for that. It's gonna change how you take in his word. And so I pray that you would all read the word this year with intentionality, that you would seek his face, that you would want to know how to love him with all your heart, that his word would be life and life abundantly for you in this new season of your life.

Living Scripture: Proverbs 3:5–6

Reading The Word With Fresh Eyes

SPEAKER_01 20:12

You hear the phrase the Bible is a living, active, breathing word of God. Um, I see that from the standpoint of that being fresh. God can use that verse like the Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. Sometimes, and I've known that verse for many years. Yes, you know, but sometimes the emphasis for me, God has shown me trust. And it's just right there. That's the key verse that jumps out. Nancy, are you really trusting me? You know, lean not in your own understanding. Nancy, you're trying to figure this out in your own understanding. And I've told you in Proverbs, don't be limited by what you know. There's things that are going on that you can't see that I'm doing. So don't draw conclusions just based on what you see. Yeah, there's other times I read that verse and I read through those, and the key thing he's dumb side of me is I need to acknowledge him. I need to remember who he is, his power, his capability, his love for me. You know, his desires for me and his commands for me to acknowledge who he is and acknowledge that he's right here in the midst of this circumstance, you know. And then there's other times I read that and I read all the way through that, and the key thing he wants me to focus on is he will guide my path, you know, which gives me hope. So when we read his word, we can be reading familiar passages. And that might be the place. If you want to start somewhere, start with something new. Read the 23rd Psalm. Yes, read through the song. It's always been a good thing. And you just say, God, show me a free give me a fresh word from you in this scripture, whether it's one I've known since my childhood or one I just discovered today for the first time. But speak to me in a fresh way. Yes. Um, and God is so faithful to do that to me, and that's what gives me the encouragement to know that um, yes, he took Sol into heaven, you know, four years ago. No, he did not take me. And there's a reason for both. There's a reason why. And he has work there to do.

SPEAKER_00 22:03

We both. That's the thing. When we trust God, we need to remind ourselves regularly. We are here for purpose. It's annoying a little purpose. He didn't say, Denise, come on and knit me together in my mother's womb and send me to the earth to just fail and walk through life depressed or looking at other people and Judge. And he didn't, that's not what he wanted. He wanted us to learn from all of this and choose, again you're going to choose, choose him over all of it. But he has more.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

He wants us to be light in the darkness for each other. And not just bide time. I'm I don't believe I'm here just biding my time, waiting until God says, okay, now it's your day, your time to go to heaven. I I don't believe that at all. But sometimes, and I don't think anybody would admit that they believe that. But yeah, we act like that sometimes. I'm just coasting along. I'm just here trying to keep it all together until God calls me home. God is showing me, no, no, no. I have work for you to do. I you are here for a purpose. And so I want you to live with intentionality. Meaning there's things I want you to do. Now get yourself in the best shape possible so you can do what I'm calling you to do.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

And part of it's like you went to me.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

Part of it's talking at 7:30. Yes in the morning. I'd like to see God just laughing saying, okay, Nancy, let you do it. And God knows I'll only be able to do that with to get me up out of bed and dress and out the door with the city.

Purpose Over Coasting

SPEAKER_00 23:39

I can tell you from experience that when I do get up and at 7:30 and get out the door and walk at 7:30 in the morning, my day is so awesome. And yeah, I'm tired of the end of the day. But I have used the day so productively because I started that way. If I wait and kind of sometimes I do, and it's okay when I do, just to sit in bed, drink my coffee, do nothing, but then I get up and I'm not sure what I'm gonna do that day. It's not that productive of a day, which is fine. Sometimes we need rest. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 24:12

And if it's a day that you say this is earlier this week, I needed a day to just say, I'm just gonna take it, be still this morning. I'm gonna take care of myself, I'm gonna be careful with what I eat and do, but I'm just gonna take it easy this morning. I don't feel like I have to accomplish any big things this morning. And that wasn't just sloughing off, you know, it was necessary for me. And I realized I've got to take care of myself. Yes, you know, I'm I'm here by myself and I've got to take care of myself. Yes. I I can't rely on the husband to take care of me anymore. It's just God in me. Okay, but I'm gonna remind you, yes, God was right. So God is we're just having some downtime. Downtime is good, but it's a balance. And then there's days when you say, okay, get up and get going, because I have a lot I want you to do today. But if I don't take care of myself, if I don't wring out my sponge and clean it out and rinse it out so it can be productive, I can't be all that God desires for me.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

We're at the end of our podcast. And if there is any advice you'd like to give us all uh for this new year, and you've gone through some hard seasons. So is there something you wish that you'd known that maybe you would like to pass on to us so we will remember?

Early Mornings, Energy, And Balance

SPEAKER_01 25:30

I think one thing that God is showing me, even at my age in new fresh ways, and and since Solon died, um, it hit me very keenly from the after he because he died suddenly and unexpectedly in the parking lot of HEB on Easter weekend. So it was not something I was expecting, nor was he or anybody, but it was it was God's timing for him, and he took him in a very peaceful way with people that knew him and cared for him, and I'm thankful for that. But God told me in that moment that I knew Solan died, be still and know that I am God, and he's teaching me in fresh new ways who he is, who God is, and what that means in my life, what he requires from me, what he desires from me, what he promises me. You know, and so in those times when I get up early in the morning, he's telling me, be still and know who I am, think about me, pause and acknowledge me in this day. Call out to me, seek me first, and all these things about your day I will give to you in the way that I want for you. Be still and know who I am. And so, part of my desire for this year is to get to know God in a deeper way.

Self Care When Life Changes

SPEAKER_00 26:48

I love them. Jesus said the first and most important commandment is love the Lord your God with all your heart and your all your soul and all your strength, or might, depending on what you're saying. Strength. Right. Um I think that's like the beginning, and we miss it sometimes until you are ready to ask him to show you him, not just what's in the book or what people say, but so that you can really have a real relationship with him. I encourage you this year to ask him to teach you how to love him with all of your heart, you know, especially because we love our husbands, but our husbands are not more than God. And someday our husband may be gone or we may be gone uh before each person is ready. We need to have that love of God as the highest thing in our lives. And I know that's you, but you desiring more of him is what we do, the one that we love the most.

Be Still And Know: A New Depth

SPEAKER_01 27:55

And the more you know, the more you are still and asking God to reveal himself to you. He shows you in little ways. You know, I just have had some how you know some home repairs I need to have done, and I've had a problem that for months I've had multiple contractors, couldn't find the source of the problem, you know, and I would just pray and say, God, I'm not gonna get overwhelmed by this, but I'm asking you to show me. And this morning, he brought somebody new that said, I believe this is the problem and I know how we can fix it. And my response was, thank you, God. You know, I put my trust in you and God, I know. Because yesterday I was praying, God, we've had this problem for months. This is your house. I've committed this to you, and I know you're in charge of it. Can you fix the problem, God? Get it off of my list, and I'm trying not to be overwhelmed. That was my prayer yesterday, and my prayer today is thank you, God, that you sent somebody that seems like he has the answer. So the more you know God, the more you're aware of his presence. Well, you don't carry the burden, right? You say, God, you know, you're here, and I know you're gonna take care of this. Do show me what I'm supposed to do in the meantime. Yeah, um, God, you're here with me now, and the problem might not be solved yet, but it will be in your time and in your way. And so, God, I'm waiting on you.

Loving God Above All Else

SPEAKER_00 29:11

Let's pray. I'm gonna pray, you're gonna pray. We're gonna finish out the session. Thank you for joining us today. We love you so much, and our heart is that wherever you are with your relationship with God, that you would know you are a daughter of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and He loves you. He will never leave you, He will never forsake you. That's the truth. Okay, Father, I just thank you that you see these girls, the ones that will um hear you, that they should watch, help them to realize that this was intentional on your part, that they're watching, to encourage them today, to give them hope, uh, to build them up in their inner man. Father, I thank you for this word that uh Nancy chose, intentionality. Uh, pray that we all uh get a little bit more intentional with our days, and not the way the world does, filling it up with goals, but maybe making space. Uh, Father, I just ask you to meet every need for these women uh that I cannot see. I know that you can uh heal them, deliver them wholly out of that pit of destruction, Father, for your name's sake. And I just thank you in Jesus' name.

Everyday Providence And Trust

SPEAKER_01 30:25

Father, as we step into this new year, we um we have no clue what uh what you have in store for us. Um and uh, you know, it's easy for us to make a lot of plans and set a lot of goals, and those aren't necessarily wrong things, but God help us to hold those plans loosely, knowing that you are the author of our lives, that you've already gone before us. You tell us that in your word, you've gone before us and you've made the way. And God, we just ask you to help us walk in the way that you have chosen for us, and you've promised that anything you call on us to do, you'll equip us to do. Yes. So we know that when we call on you, when we are still and know who you are, and know your promises and reflect on your faithfulness, the way you've guided us in the path, then we can step into this new year with confidence that you're walking before us, paving the way, you're walking alongside us to be our companion and our friend, and you're walking behind us to protect us. Um, so we thank you, God, that therein we can put our trust and our hope in you, and we can live in with intentionality, believing in you, and we can be still and know that you are God. Amen.