The Invitation to Pause! Motherhood Reflections AND A FEW NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS!!

Happy August!!

One early morning on my back porch, I opened my Bible and started reading about the disciples fishing all night, and as they pulled their nets in, they were empty. Jesus asked Peter if He could climb into His boat. He invited Peter to “Put out in deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” As they did, they were amazed at the fish they caught! Jesus invited Peter on the adventure of his life… fishing for men. He reminded him, “Don’t be afraid." 

“So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5: 1-11 NIV)

I have been reflecting on the story of Jesus climbing into Peter’s boat and the invitation to follow the call on his life. Have you ever felt like you were on one path, and then it seems like Jesus is inviting you to another path? A lot like climbing into your ‘boat’ and inviting you to something? I am not sure about you, but it can feel scary. 

How do we know when Jesus is inviting us to another path? 

I want to welcome my daughter, Brooke, to the blog! I wanted her to share a little of her journey and her new path of becoming a mom recently! We’ve had some raw and real conversations the past few months. I am grateful for her willingness to share some of her journey. I meet with several women who are preparing to be a mom, pregnant with a little one, longing to be a mom, or becoming a grandmother. No matter where you are on your journey, we all have people in our lives who are in one of these seasons. You might be in one of those places. Please feel free to share this with them as I pray it will encourage each woman in their spiritual journey.

Share a little about you and when you became a mom.

My name is Brooke. I have been married to my sweet husband Nathan for four years, and we have two Australian shepherds. I’m a registered dietitian, and I love to do anything outside or work out. I got pregnant in August 2024 and carried my sweet baby girl for 39 weeks until my water broke on May 10. I officially became a mom on May 15, 2025, when sweet Ava Rae was born. 

What were the first few weeks like as a new mom?

The first couple of weeks as a new mom is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Your body is healing from birth and delivery all while having a small human need your attention 24/7. I often see it described as a newborn bubble. You truly are in a little bubble, a whole other world that’s just you and your baby and your family. You try to take care of yourself as your body is recovering while also trying to get to know your new baby and meet their needs and see what they need on a daily and nightly basis. I’m not gonna lie, as sweet as the postpartum season is with your new baby, those very first couple of weeks can be really hard. It’s a whole lot of learning and a whole lot of grace. But also know that it’s just for a short season - after those first couple of weeks, your body starts to feel like itself again and you get to know your baby and get in some kind of routine. You slowly start to feel like yourself. If I could give any advice in those first two weeks, it would be to rest, snuggle your baby, and enjoy those precious moments with just you as a family. The company, the friends, the extended family - everyone will be there when you need them. Ask for help when you need it, but also don’t feel bad to say no and that you just need to rest. If the first couple of weeks are hard, know that it will only last for a short season - it truly gets so much better, and it’s so hard to see that in the moment when you’re in the thick of the hard, but just wait - there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

What are some things you wished you had been a little more prepared for as a new mom? 

I truly don’t think anything can prepare you for becoming a mom. I am very type A, so I got all the advice, did all the research, thought I was so prepared to become a mom - but did not know what that entailed until Ava was born. I now think of motherhood, kind of like my relationship with Jesus. Being a mom means you’re open to change and open to learning for the rest of your life. I don’t think you ever stop being a mom and learning. Just like your relationship with the Lord, you’re always learning new things about Jesus and what he wants to teach you. But if I could give any advice in my ten weeks of being a mom, it would be to give yourself grace. The laundry is always gonna be there, the dishes are always gonna be there, someone is always gonna want your time and attention, but your little girl or boy will only be their age for a short time. Don’t miss the little moments. There will be frustration, and it will be hard. But at the end of the day, the reward outweighs any hardships that come with becoming a mom. 

What are ways you and God are growing in your relationship? 

The first couple of weeks of Ava’s life, I felt like I had no time to spend with the Lord. I was either sleeping, feeding, changing diapers, etc. All I could do was pray and listen to worship music. Since getting more in a routine the last month of motherhood, I have had time to sit down and read and journal and pray like I used to. It might look a little bit different with a baby in your arms, but all the Lord is looking for is the effort and your heart posture behind it. I have grown tremendously in my trust in the Lord and my patience. I would say the last ten weeks in my pursuit of Jesus have taught me how important being a mom and family is. 

Anything else you would like to share to encourage new moms or moms-to-be? 

Enjoy the journey. It truly flies by. I do have one piece of advice that I had never heard from anyone. Usually you hear that as soon as your child is born, you’ll have this deep, immense love for your child - the second they’re born. This was not the case for me; it took me a couple of weeks to truly fall in love with my baby girl. So my advice would be: Give it some time. The first month postpartum is very hard, but give it time to truly get to know your baby and fall in love with them. Just like your relationship with the Lord, the more you get to know Jesus, the more you fall in love with him. The same is true for your baby - the more that they become who they are and start to exude their personality, you start to fall in love with them. Talk to people and tell them how you are doing and how you are feeling - you might feel like you’re all alone on this little planet by yourself, but you truly are not alone. Find moms that you look up to and reach out to them - not to get advice, not to get opinions, but truly to just talk and tell them how you’re feeling. Give it time and give yourself grace along the way.

Thank you, Brooke, for joining us on the blog and being you! I am always grateful for spaces where women can be real about the struggles and joys of life. I pray women are encouraged and comforted by you sharing. 

How do we know when Jesus is inviting us to another path? 

How do we courageously and faithfully step into that path?

What do we do when we feel alone as we follow Jesus?

These are questions that I love exploring with women, teams, and groups. I have been exploring this with my daughter recently in her new season as a mom. This process is one of discernment and following. Over the years and looking back, I have been in this very place. Even recently, I was there in my ‘boat,’ and then Jesus began to gently invite me to another path. Did I hear an audible voice? I did not. But I began to learn what it meant to pay attention to what brought me life and what drained me. My rhythms left me feeling depleted and exhausted, and doors were opening in unexpected places. I felt a push and pull, not peace, as I went about my day. I honestly felt far from God at times. Now, these are the places I get to explore with those in my path. After a season of stepping onto this new path of offering spaces where people could be real and notice and pause, I felt a sense of unexplainable peace and joy and a new invitation from Jesus. I dreamed of starting my own business and inviting others to grow in their relationship with Christ, too! Just like He was inviting me! 

I was on a run one day and remember inviting the Lord to show me and guide me. As I ran, I began to reflect on the power of pausing. This new practice in my spiritual journey, and really my ordinary life, had been helping me to notice and grow in some profound ways. The words ‘Holy Pause’ came to mind on my run. I loved it and realized that the practice of pausing creates space for us to notice and invite God into the space and give Him room to work as He desires. He has met me in the pause as I discern, pray, notice, reflect, create, open, and listen. Holy Pause was born a little over two years ago. Thank you for journeying with me in this community. I want to call it a community because that is what God has been forming over the past two years! I am grateful for those in this community of spiritual direction and groups and retreats! I have taken the summer to discern God’s invitations as this community grows. It has been a time to slow down, pause, and make space for His gentle whispers. 

Are you wondering what’s new around here? I am excited to share more!

A Holy Pause Community! The Holy Pause Community is created to invite women to pause in their ordinary lives to grow deeper with Christ, others, and individually. 

Through spiritual direction and life coaching, I love to walk alongside women as they notice where they are in their life journey and where they want to go. I can’t wait to share some simple tools to help you discover more of who God made you to be through learning what you truly value, planning life rhythms to step into who God created you to be more fully, discovering how to take a pause and tangible steps each day, and planning time each week to do what matters most to you and God!

What if the rhythms you created in your life truly brought you more peace, purpose, and growth in your relationship with Christ? 

What if you stepped more fully into the invitation Jesus has in your life?

Have you been looking for a group of women to learn spiritual practices that allow you to grow deeper in your journey with God?

Each month, I will offer space to learn holy pause spiritual practices such as discernment, listening, prayer, life mapping, life rhythms, triggers, stuck places, and so much more in this beautiful community of women. Lastly, we will gather in small groups to share and reflect and meet new friends on this same journey! 

I hope you will come and be a part!

I would love for you to be a part of the Holy Pause Community! To learn more, feel free to reach out and sign up to be a part! Visit holypause.com or email me at tracietack@gmail.com. 

Here is our Holy Pause Practice for the month. You can print this off and use it as you spend time with God reflecting and growing. We practice Pausing, Praying, and Following. May this bless you as you journey with Christ. You can also do it with a friend or group. 

Holy Pause… Pausing to notice what is going on in and around you. Jesus is with you. 

Take a deep breath. Slowly. Notice your thoughts. Notice your feelings. Notice if you are feeling any tension in your body. Spend as much time as you need pausing and noticing. 

Ask Him what He wants you to notice in your pause. You are making space to be with God.

Imagine being on the beach with Jesus on that particular day. 

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Circle and highlight anything that stands out to you. Spend some time reflecting with Jesus. Sit or walk in silence as you pause. Make space for God to speak or simply be with you. 

Pray… Invite the Lord into a conversation.

Receive His love. He is with you. He delights as you make space for Him. I want to invite you to a breath prayer for this month. Breath prayers are a beautiful way to slow down our mind, body, soul, and spirit. Breath prayers are simply breathing in and breathing out. Slowly. You can say out loud or silently.

Breathe in - Lord, I release fear.

Breathe out - Lord, you are with me. 

You can practice this prayer all throughout your day! 

Follow… Help me go where you go. 

Is God inviting you to next steps through the scripture you underlined or highlighted?

How do we know when Jesus is inviting us to another path? Here are a few discernment questions to spend some time reflecting on with Jesus. 

• What’s my real question?

• What feels life-giving? Draining?

• How am I experiencing God in this path?

• What do I hear when I pray?

• How might my faith community be supportive and helpful?

(Some of these questions are adapted from Is that You, God? Cultivating Discernment as a Way of Life by Lois Lindbloom.)

 Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Experiencing God in the Pause,

Tracie Tackett

Spiritual Director/ Life Coach 

Invitations to a holy pause~https://www.holypause.com