Toward Consistency

As we enter a new year (hello, 2025!) it’s easy to reflect on where we’ve been and to consider the plans ahead. We want to live with intentionality. Making a difference is on the forefront of our minds. We consider, “How could I help someone else?” At our core, we know we were designed with intention, by a Creator who made us to be a blessing to others and to bring glory to Him.

In a world constantly vying for our attention, it comes easily to take our eyes off of where our focus should be.

The truth is, we don’t naturally drift toward consistency.

Big Rocks for Consistency

In recent years, there are things (BIG things) I’ve realized that we do that I actually don’t want to change. Long ago, we established rhythms that were important to us as a family as we followed Jesus.

Indeed, if you want to see successful growth in your life, consider the impact that consistency will have on changes you hope to see.

“Successful people do consistently what others do occasionally.” – Craig Groeschel

Specifically, we call these things big rocks. They are what we put in first to our schedules. Undeniably, the big rocks get first dibs on our time and effort. They take priority. Particularly, are things that over time have become quite regular. But, regular things that are consistent add up over time and impact us in ways we hadn’t imagined. Here are some of our big rocks.

Big Rocks we Put Priority On

• Our family prioritizes being at church weekly. The why: We want our kids to know Jesus has first place in our life. We show up to share in worship with others and we show up to serve.
• We eat dinner together. The why: We value coming together as a family during the day to pray together, talk about our day, and laugh together. More nights than not, you’ll find us around the table together.
• I spend the first part of my day with Jesus. The why: For us, it’s a priority that shapes the course for our day. We love reading along with the Bible Recap through the Bible in a year.
• My husband and I spend just a few minutes talking together before the kids are up. The why: It gets us on the same page for the day and helps us feel like we got a few words together before we move into the routines of the day.
• We prioritize being in a small group with our church. The why: God designed us to be in community. Life truly is better together. The encouragement we’ve found from sharing in community with others has encouraged us, strengthened our prayer life, and helped us show our kids that we share our home and what we have with others.

“Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.” – James Clear

So, we’ve found that consistency in habits adds up over time. Certainly, it’s been a little less about goals, and more about having the right systems in place. Break down what your goals are into actionable habits you can implement daily or weekly and watch change happen over time as you grow.

Consistencies We’re Leaning On

Undoubtedly, my husband and I also love to find new ways to grow. New habits to implement. Areas we want to improve. And guess what? New habits get easier to implement when you get the most important stuff in place. So, if you’re curious, here are a few new things I’ll share about that we’re up to in 2025.

1. My husband and I are reading one book per month together. The why: We love learning and we love growing and we’ve found that happens best through a shared experience. We’re leaning into that by choosing a book to read together each month. I usually grab a hard copy while Brad listens to the audiobook version.
2. Walking. Lots of walking. At least everyday, with a goal of 10,000 steps. The why: Obviously, because walking is good for you! This may seem easy or even silly, but like I mentioned, consistent things add up over time. I realize everyone is walking these days, but I’m here for it!
3. Weekly date night & praying together nightly. The why: We show the kids that marriage is a priority and something to invest in. We pray together because it reminds us that all we have, the good times and struggles we face, is in His hands.

We do this process for all areas including marriage, parenting, community, work, and finances. The key is to setting up systems that change your life over time. Ultimately, the main reason we are crazy serious about this process is because of the idea of stewardship. We believe all we have is a gift from God, and we hope to do our best in the careful and responsible management of all that has been entrusted into our care.

Lord, Help me do more of what matters…

Recently, I read a prayer for the New Year that went like this:

“Lord, help me do more of what matters…and less of what doesn’t.” – She Works His Way

It really struck me as a type of simplicity filter. What matters most to me? Lord, help me do more of that. If you are overwhelmed with what to do for your year, consider what matters most to you. If you’re walking with Jesus, what matters most to him will be what matters most to you. And those are the things are want more of each day.

While we love goal setting or developing healthy systems for new habits, it isn’t so we can become a perfect version of ourselves. It’s not so we can look better than the next person. (That makes me sick to even type.) When we set our thoughts on consistency, it’s a way of focusing on what matters.

“Being consistent is not the same as being perfect.” – James Clear

Doing more of what matters is not an aim for perfection.

It’s an aim for keeping our eyes on Jesus.

My heart is that we are intentional and at the same time not dependent on our own effort. Our dependence is in the faithfulness of God.

And He is faithful.