Blessed but Tired

I would be lying if I said I had it all together.

I would be lying if I said I never fell short.

I would be lying if I said I had energy every day.

Some mornings I wake up and whisper, “Here we go again,” and some mornings I wake up and whisper, “Thank you, Lord, for this day.” And both are true. I, too, get overwhelmed. Even as I type this, my chest feels heavy and my thoughts feel crowded. So much has happened these last few months — blessings, losses, little wins, big messes — and somehow all of it has left me tired.

People might look at my life and say, “Girl, you should be blessed — Why are you so overwhelmed?” Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful. I thank God every day for the open doors, for protection, for the way He shows up in small ways. But gratitude doesn’t cancel out exhaustion. You can be thankful and still be worn down. You can praise and still be TIRED!

I’m tired of being the strong one. Parenting is not cute and cozy all the time. It’s long nights, decisions that feel too heavy for my shoulders, and wearing a smile when my spirit needs rest. Friendships has felt heavy lately, too — being present while healing, showing up while carrying hurts that sometimes feel too big to mention. Work keeps calling, bills keep demanding, and the idea of doing “one more thing” sometimes makes me want to crawl back into bed and hide.

“Pray about it. Give it to God,” someone will say.

Well….I do. I kneel. I cry. I journal. I worship. But what about the seasons when words don’t come? When your soul is drained and prayer feels like just one more thing on the to do list? Nobody talks about that enough. We’re quick to hand out scripture and encouragement and scripture is real and powerful — but we forget to name the raw, tired places and sit with them.

Being a woman of God doesn’t exempt us from fatigue. It doesn’t mean we’re always joyful or always “on.” Faith isn’t a badge that cancels human feelings. It’s a lifeline that we cling to when our own strength runs out. It’s okay to be exhausted. It’s okay to tell the truth about how you feel. It’s okay to need a minute (or a week) to rest and recalibrate.

If you’re reading this and you feel seen — if you’re the tired parent, the friend who’s been giving more than you have, the person holding down a job while trying to survive emotionally — hear me: your feelings are valid. You don’t have to perform peace for anyone. Let yourself breathe. Let God meet you in your silence. Rest isn’t a sin, it’s a necessity.

One of my favorite reminders is that God is near the brokenhearted. He doesn’t require perfection. He meets us in the middle of the mess, in the middle of the messy prayers and the messy hair and the messy kitchen. He sees you. He loves you. And it’s okay to not have it all together.

If this hit you, say a quick prayer — even if it’s one word and then go do something small that refills you. Take five minutes. Sip your coffee slow. Send the text you’ve been avoiding. Cry if you need to. Rest when you can.

You are blessed. You are tired. You are human. And you are not alone.

Stay encouraged. Stay grounded. And stay blessed.🤍

-Kristen