Stillness in The Swirl

Have you ever gotten caught up in The Swirl? Life gets too busy or there is a change, a shift in the season, and your realize you don't know how to get back to what was "normal." All of a sudden your realize, "I can't navigate this." Or, maybe God has invited you to step into an adventure with Him into the unknown and you actually said, "yes."

The Swirl in life reminds me of being caught in a rip current that can potentially set you adrift as it pulls you out to sea. A rip current is a powerful narrow channel of fast-moving water that travels directly away from the shore. A rip current is a natural phenomena that catches you off guard. Does that sound familiar? Have there been seasons in your life where all of a sudden what worked yesterday (in the past) is no longer working today (right now!)? Things are racing by you and you feel like you are no longer in control of not only your direction but your momentum?

This happened to me when God moved me from Nashville to East Tennessee. I was blessed by a friend who allowed me space and time to accept God's invitation to move east. I willingly and somewhat cautiously stepped into the sea of the unknown. Moving east was an invitation to swim, to sink, or to walk on water. I love the water, specifically the ocean.

Really! I do! I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The ocean is a place of comfort, beauty, and familiarity. The ocean is big and a lot can happen. Fortunately, I have never been caught in a rip current. I have been intentional to be aware of my surroundings whether swimming or paddle boarding in the Atlantic Ocean.

However, this time at my friend's place was filled with swirl due to the high pressure and presence of the unknown. A lot of questions and unknown began to fill my head. "Why am I here?" "What is my purpose?" "What am I going to do?" "Am I even where You (Lord) want me to be?" "Am in in the right place?" and, the reoccurring question, "Am I going to be living in my car????"

How do you survive a rip current in life?

1. Stay calm. Although what worked yesterday is not working today, continue to do what you did. Just Breathe. Take deep slow breaths. Reset your brain from panic to peace, from wild thrashing to stillness, from loud to quiet.

2. Focus and Just keep swimming...parallel to shore. Keep you eyes on the shore (for me, the shore of safety and surety is Jesus). For me this looks like: Breathe. Get out of bed. Drink coffee. Read my Bible. Journal. Spend time focusing on truth of the seashore right beside me. Have faith that you will get your feet back on the ground (or you will learn to walk on water). Jesus has a plan for your life, a plan and a purpose. We're not going to die in the swirl. Focus on Jesus. Seek more of Him from Him. Spend time with Him. Trust that He has a plan and will make a way. Breathe.

3. Tread water then Float. When I tread water, I work to pursue options. In this case, I was working on creating pottery, specifically dishes to sell at The Cliffdwellers Gallery in Gatlinburg. I was interviewing at Dollywood for a sweet job that was truly made for me. Then float, alternate. Float for a while. For me, floating means resting and taking time to reflect. It is communion with Jesus, giving Him the backpack of fear that I want to carry but which I know is too heavy. The giant ball of fear wants to grow and pull me down underwater. Fear kills and destroys. Don't follow the fearful thoughts. Just float. Floating is time spent asking the Holy Spirit to show me what to do next. Just breathing. Working at Dollywood provided the comfort of a regular paycheck...show up/work/get paid. But, God was leading me to open a business. Completely unknown to me, a kindergarten teacher, a mom. NOPE. I wasn't ready.

4. Signal for help. Talk to others. Go to church. Fellowship. Seek connection. Ask for prayer. Breathe. Believe. I went to church. I asked friends for help through prayer. I listened and prayed. I realized there was no other way. I never heard from Dollywood after the 2nd interview. That safe option was no longer available. But, I still wasn't ready to leap into the unknown.

The swirl seemed to get stronger. I was having to work harder to find peace. It was time to make a move. In the time that you have been moving in the swirl, take a step of faith in the direction that God has been guiding. For me that meant renting a retail space. On July 2, 2025, I signed a lease (with much fear and trepidation, but also with determination). The pressure of the swirl was too much to remain in the rip current. I had to move! This meant having and "all in" mindset. "Okay, LORD, I am ALL IN!" I put my money where my mouth was and accessed my retirement account. I maxed out credit cards. (Perhaps foolishly and ignorantly, I didn't wait to research small business loans or grants.) But, I was determined, surrendered, and all in.

I'd love to say that the pressure of the swirl was immediately replaced by peace and rest!

But, no!

Now, I was pushing through the current, swimming harder, really having to exert strength! I was learning, growing, reshaping, navigating, processing, watching, pursuing leads, listening to and following advice ... the list is endless. But, I was also learning to trust God more in each area of exertion and the unknown. I had to learn not to depend completely on myself. I started writing specific "God will" post-it notes every time I had a need. "God will bring..." "God will pay..." "God will increase..." "God will fix..." I trusted that God would do the work! And, He did! And, He still does! And, I am receiving rest as I continue to give every specific need to Him.

It's been a year...a business owner, a potter. I am so incredibly thankful for this experience!