Finding Our Way Back to the Sacred Well

When we’re overwhelmed, stressed, or feeling like everything is just too much, the first part of us to go offline is our executive functioning—that essential space in our mind that helps us think clearly, make decisions, and respond rather than react.

This isn’t a to-do list. It’s an invitation to pause. To notice the surge of stress hormones and kindly, gently guide us back to center—to that sacred inner well we sometimes lose sight of. These strategies help regulate our bodies and spirits so we can re-enter a space where faith, thoughtfulness, and community can live again.

We share these not just for you, but for your community—for those you love, serve, or lead. These simple practices can be introduced in your personal routine or taken on as a common practice in ministry spaces, especially among those who pour out so much of themselves for others.

Because sometimes, it’s not about pushing forward—it’s about crawling back to the sacred well and remembering that God meets us there, no matter the pace.

1. Go to God

When stress rises, we sometimes forget to return to the One who offers peace that passes understanding. But it is never in God’s best interest—or ours—for us to remain anxious, angry, or disconnected. God wants us whole, not because ministry needs us to perform, but because God delights in our restored hearts.

Let prayer be as simple as breath, as rhythmic as a walk, or as tactile as a smooth stone in your hand.

Try one of these:

• Walk and pray a short mantra like: “Be still and know” or “Lord, have mercy.”

• Sway and breathe while repeating a comforting verse.

• Rub a prayer rock or beads to ground your senses.

• Pull out a prayer app—many include short “emergency calm” options with guided breathing.

• Write out a Psalm by hand, letting the words slow your spirit.

Give God the chance to hold you. Not just so you can return to your work, but because you’re worth holding.

2. Get It Out

Unspoken stress doesn’t disappear—it burrows. It builds. It eats away. One of the most sacred things we can do is release that pressure, even if no one else sees the act.

Here are ways to let the inner storm pass through:

• Journal through your worries until you find a thread of calm.

• Rewrite a prophet’s story—modern-day Isaiah or Amos, speaking truth into your world.

• Write a sonnet, modern parable, or song that expresses what feels impossible to say aloud.

• Color, scribble, or paint your anxiety. You don’t need to make “art.” You need to make space.

• Plant something and let its slow growth reflect your own.

• Cook, bake, or knead—create nourishment with your hands while your heart finds peace.

• Put on music that comforts or reminds you of who you are beneath the stress.

• Craft a “comeback of kindness.” Prepare words rooted in Romans 12:20 to meet harshness with grace. For example: “May you be met with the peace you’ve forgotten how to ask for.”

• Get off social media phone scrolling and turn off the TV

Sometimes, a creative limit—like writing a sonnet—gives the soul something to push against that’s not the world’s weight. A form to hold the formless. A way to count the ways we love… or forgive.

3. Tend to Your Body

Your soul may be eternal, but your body has needs—real, daily, essential needs. And if those are unmet, your spirit might feel crushed simply because your body is trying to wave the red flag.

Before spiraling, ask:

• Am I hungry?

• Do I need water?

• Do I need to lie down or move around?

• Have I seen the sun today?

For extra help when the basics feel out of reach:

• Freeze a favorite treat like yogurt for moments when comfort is needed.

• Keep comfy clothes in reserve—those “special socks” or that soft yoga outfit can become a gateway to gentle movement.

• Plan a trip. Even if you don’t take it, the act of imagining new scenery can breathe life into weary places.

• Pick up a random book and lose yourself in a page-turning diversion.

It’s not indulgence. It’s maintenance. It’s ministry to yourself. And when we care for our bodies, our spirits often follow.

4. Collaborate Creatively & Constructively

Stress can isolate. It convinces us to hide away, even from those who love us most. But when we join hands in creativity—especially in community—we remember: we’re not alone.

Try:

• Group journaling prompts

• A shared playlist of calming or inspiring music

• A poetry or art night where expression matters more than polish

• Cooking together—virtually or in person

• Scripture storytelling—each person adding their voice to the unfolding truth

Even the small act of planning something together can begin to restore a sense of belonging. We are still on the same side—the side of those beloved by God.

A Final Word

Sometimes, we panic and run. We lose our way from the sacred well. But even then, even in the scramble, there’s a quiet truth that never stops calling.

Stop. Breathe. Scan the horizon. You’ll see it—the place where God meets you again.

And if all you can do today is crawl toward it, you’re already on your way home.

You are not alone. And neither are your listeners. Take these tools, use them, share them. Let them become part of how you, your parish, or your circle remembers to stay intact—together.

Written for Pride Faith Voices – nurturing LGBTQ+ Christian ministers and the communities they serve.