New Year, Grace, and the Gift of Time

Every year, the turn of the calendar comes with a flood of social media posts promising a “new year, new you.” As a young mom of two, I’ll admit: I’ve felt the pressure. Lose ten pounds. Read twenty books. Organize your house. Start that side hustle. And somehow, do it all in the first few weeks of January. The message is loud: if you haven’t started, you’re behind.

But here’s the truth I’ve had to remind myself of over and over: God gives us a year, not a few frantic weeks. Our lives, our growth, our progress—they are measured in grace, in patience, in small, consistent steps. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Waiting doesn’t mean doing nothing—it means pacing ourselves under God’s strength, not the world’s.

When I look at my toddlers running around, spilling milk and scattering toys, I see a daily reminder that life is messy, and that’s okay. Trying to overhaul your life in a week is like expecting a toddler to sit still for a whole hour—you’re only going to end up frustrated. The Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” There is a due season. There is a rhythm to growth and change, and God is patient with us, even when we are impatient with ourselves.

So this year, my goal isn’t perfection. It’s consistency. It’s taking a deep breath when the house is a mess. It’s reading one chapter while the baby naps. It’s saying “no” to guilt and “yes” to grace. One small step at a time, one day at a time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the “new year, new you” pressure, remember this: God’s timeline is longer than Instagram’s. You have twelve months to grow, to improve, to learn, to love more. Not twelve days. Not twelve frantic hours. Twelve months. That’s plenty of time for His work in you to flourish.

So let’s take a deep breath, mommas. Let’s pray for patience, for guidance, and for joy in the little victories along the way. Because with God, even small steps are never wasted.