1 Easy Ingredient to an Intentional, Slow Christmas

Key Takeaways 

  • Building quiet, intentional moments into your day requires emotional and mental energy. 

  • Jesus modeled daily time alone with God, even in the height of His ministry.

  • Common barriers to taking quiet time include fear of being judged, guilt, and FOMO. 

  • Consistent quiet moments throughout your day help you stay present, available, and handle stress with grace and peace. 

  • The virtual Jesus challenge provides a natural simple way to implement daily quiet time in a packed schedule. 

  • Taking quiet moments every day slows down time around you and allows you to experience a slow, intentional Christmas. 



RPM’s run pretty high this time of year. Every weeknight is booked with school concerts, Christmas parties, baking, hectic last-minute shopping, cleaning the house before family arrives, secretly wrapping presents late at night, and on and on. 


You’re familiar. 😅


Every year it feels like the success of this holiday season rests squarely on YOUR shoulders. If you don’t keep everything moving the way it needs to, who will? So you lock in, push down the overwhelm and exhaustion, and just make it happen. 🥵


It’s supposed to be a joyful time, and it is, in certain moments. But the majority of the time you’re on the edge of burnout, just holding yourself together. You lie in bed wondering if you’ve done enough. 

💭 Going through the scribbled lists in your mind. 

💭 Are the gifts perfect? 

💭 How soon will the family break out into drama? 

💭 Will there be enough to eat? 


Oh friend, I understand you. I know you’ve tried to change this frazzled experience, we all have. But somehow the chaos always slinks back into the driver’s seat. 


The single most important ingredient to a slow, intentional Christmas isn’t flashy or undiscovered. You already know it. But somewhere in between knowing it and implementing it, it got lost. 


So let’s reintroduce ourselves to the most crucial ingredient to a meaningful Christmas: building in quiet moments. 


🫁 These are the moments you consciously breathe. 

👥 When God reminds you that He is Emmanuel: God is with you. 

✨ The moments you stop and smile at all the beautiful, messy details around you. 

😌 When you’re completely alone and quiet for a few minutes.  


Building in Quiet Moments 

You and I know from experience how badly we need moments alone this season. Think back to past Christmases. How did you feel? Exhausted? Frazzled? Stretched thin? 


If you’re a busy parent like me, there’s a high chance your emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual tanks are all blinking RED on empty! 🪫


You need fuel. 

You need a nourishing “snack” to reset your soul and mind. 


Just a few intentional pauses throughout your day help you MASSIVELY. 

For example, they: 

  • Calm your racing thoughts 

  • Slow down enough to hear God’s voice 

  • Process reactive emotions instead of lashing out in frustration 

  • Refuel your energy tank to be present with your family 


Even Jesus models this for us! In the Gospels, we see Him consistently taking time to step away from His ministry. 



As you can see, Jesus HIGHLY prioritized stillness and quiet with the Father, even in the height and chaos of His ministry. 🧎


So when you feel the weight of your ministry to family and community this Christmas season, look to the example of Jesus. 

 

Literally: 

🚪 Go into your room. 

🤫 Sit quietly doing nothing for a few minutes. 

🚶 Go on a walk by yourself. 

🧎 Get on your knees in a dark closet and cry out to the Lord. 


He is WITH you. But most of the time we don’t slow down for even 60 seconds to tune our awareness into His presence. 


Why Does It Feel Impossible To Build in Quiet Moments?

I know this isn’t the first time you’ve heard someone encourage you to slow down, rest, or “be more intentional.” You already know it matters! So why is it so dang hard to make this happen in real life? 🥵


The resistance is often more emotional than it is logical. Here are some major emotional players that tackle you when you try to take a quiet moment: 


  1. Fear of Being Judged 😨

This one’s a doozy. 


We’re SO afraid of what others will think of us if we aren’t at the recital. 

If we’re the first to leave a party. 

If we’re late or don’t bring the “right” thing. 

If the house isn’t put together.

If our kids are loud or don’t behave.

If the meal is cold. 

If we don’t “have our ducks in a row.” 


This fear builds up into pressure to hold it all together, so taking a break seems like a big risk. What if it all falls apart? What if someone notices the cracks? 


  1. Guilt for Slowing Down 😩

You finally sit down, and immediately feel like you shouldn’t be. There’s always more to do. Someone else who needs you. Something unfinished. 


Somewhere along the way, we attached shame to unproductivity, inefficiency, taking a nap, showing up late, doing one thing at a time, leaving things unfinished. And now you feel irresponsible for pausing for even 10 minutes. 


  1. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) 🥺

You don’t want to miss ANY moment or memory. You’re afraid that if you step away, even briefly, a special moment will happen without you. So you’re always “on,” afraid to unplug or opt out, even when you’re running on fumes. 


Friend, I wrestle with all of these just like you do, especially when margin is so hard to come by. 


So let me lovingly remind you of the truth: 


👉 God does NOT motivate through fear, guilt, and shame. Read that again. 

👉 He values the state of your heart over your performance. 

👉 He values and even commands rest. 

👉 He perfectly appoints your places and moments so that you’re exactly where you need to be. 

👉 And most importantly, God HIMSELF is the Best medicine to your exhaustion, overwhelm, and burnout. Not coffee. Not more commitment. Not forcing yourself through it. 


What’s the Point of Taking Quiet Moments?

Quiet moments don't come naturally to most of us; they require intentional effort and follow-through. You have to plan it ahead and push back against the pressure to keep going. 


So is this worth the energy you’re already so short on? 


I'll let you be the judge of that. Here’s what happens when you regularly step away to be still and briefly meet with God. 

  • You stop reacting out of your empty tank. 

  • You respond to stress out of grounded, Biblical truth. 

  • You’re emotionally present and available instead of distracted by tasks. 

  • Your family notices your calmer and more patient, even when everything’s loud and messy. 


And most importantly, your kids are watching. 👀


They’re learning whether God deserves your leftovers or your first moments or nothing at all. 🚨 They’re learning what it practically looks like to turn to the Lord instead of snapping. 

 

So yes, you’ll still be busy and go to lots of parties and recitals. 🎉 But throughout all those busy days and nights, you will experience it slowly. Intentionally. Tuned into God’s presence and voice. 


Putting It Into Practice With the Virtual Jesus Challenge 

Ok, time for the million dollar question: HOW? 


You’ve tried to build in quiet moments before, only to watch them disappear into full calendars and unexpected changes. 😟


I know how discouraging that feels. But the problem is NOT that you don’t want it enough or you’re not disciplined enough. The issue is a lack of structure and support during the busiest time of the year!

That’s why I designed a routine specifically for busy moms and dads, to help you get away from the noise for a few minutes each day and be alone with God. It’s simple, practical, and manageable for people with full schedules. 


Here’s how the virtual Jesus challenge helps you build quiet moments in everyday life: 


  1. It creates space and margin.  ⏳

Each day of the challenge includes a short, pre-assigned Scripture passage so you don’t have to decide what to read or where to start. You simply show up and meet with God, no prep required. 


  1. It gets you away from the noise. 🎧

In this virtual Christian challenge, you commit to walking or running one mile a day. That walk becomes your natural getaway from the house, the needs, the lists, the notifications. A much-needed daily pocket of reprieve. 


  1. It relaxes your body and mind. 🧠

Movement regulates stress and your nervous system. It helps clear extra clutter out of your mind and makes it easier to be present and STAY present with God instead of rushing through it as a spiritual task on your list. 


  1. It provides friendly accountability. 🤝

The Jesus virtual challenge includes access to a private Facebook group of people walking this same road alongside you. This is one of the warmest, most encouraging communities I’ve ever seen. It's a place of encouragement, gratitude, and camaraderie. 


  1. It makes quiet moments sustainable. ✅

If it feels impossible to have quiet moments EVERY DAY, this routine helps you build them in bite-sized pieces. The goal here is the journey, not a perfect performance. 


The virtual Jesus challenge is a natural, simple way to practice this idea of a slow, intentional Christmas. 

Stepping away for a moment. 

Breathing deeply. 

Reconnecting your heart and mind to God’s presence. 

Depending on Him as you step back into the busyness. 


Join the Virtual Jesus Challenge

This Christmas is NOT doomed to rush past you in a blur of exhaustion. You can actually experience it slower. More sacred and grounded. 


You won’t be able to clear your calendar; few of us can! But we can create small, intentional moments to meet with God right in the middle of it. 🤲


If your heart is craving that kind of Christmas, the Jesus virtual challenge is a great place to start. 


Join our next virtual Jesus challenge by clicking the link below! 👇


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December 22, 2025 — Melanie Sawatzki
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