Shownotes
Life is a wild ride, and sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle that we forget to ask ourselves what we really want. What dreams have you tucked away because they felt too selfish or unrealistic? It’s time to dust them off and let them breathe!
Let’s talk about the sacred practice of stepping away and listening to God, to ourselves, and to the desires that have been whispering quietly in the background. BONUS: I’ve created some fabulous, free permission slips just for you! These are designed to help you reclaim your right to dream, rest, and reflect. It’s time to give yourself permission to be who God created you to be, not just who the world expects you to be.
Episode Highlights
- Sometimes all you need in life is a moment of reflection to spark change.
- It’s absolutely okay to want things for yourself.
- We often bury our desires under guilt and busyness, so let's dig them out!
- God's activity in our lives is an invitation to partner with Him in our purpose.
- Reflecting on what brings us joy can help us realign with our true selves.
- Printable permission slips can help you reclaim your time and prioritize your desires.
Resources Mentioned
- Free Printable Permission Slips
- Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God by Ruth Haley Barton
Related Episodes You Might Also Like
- EP 26 - Conquering Your Insecurities with Jenn Schultz
- EP 40 - Pursuing Purpose with Rebecca George
- EP 41 - Are You Sleepwalking Through Life?
- EP 55 - Breathing Room: How Stepping Back Makes You a Better Mom
- EP 60 - You're Not Too Late: Trusting God’s Timing with Rebecca George
Connect with Rachel
- Website: racheldbaker.com
- Instagram: @rachel.d.baker
- Email: rachel@racheldbaker.com
It means so much to me that you are part of this community! I never recommend anything to you that I don't truly love and believe is worthwhile. Some of the links I share are affiliate links, and I will earn a tiny commission if you go through them to make a purchase. It's no extra cost to you, and buying through the links I share is one small way you can support this ministry and our podcast.
Mentioned in this episode:
Renewal Retreat 2025
When was the last time you had a full day - let alone a whole weekend - that felt calm and refreshing? A weekend where you could rest without guilt? To think without interruption? To let God speak without having to multitask Him? If that question hits a little too close to home, I want to invite you to the Renewal Retreat. It’s happening October 16–19 in a beautiful lakehouse in central Arkansas. This is three nights of worship, rest, coaching, good food, and encouragement that goes beneath the surface with other women who get it. No pressure. No performance. No pretending. Just space to remember who you are and Who you belong to. Whether you’re worn out from doing all the things or just longing for a reset, this weekend is for you. And the best part? There are payment plans that make it really doable. It’s time for rest, real connection, and a reset that actually sticks. Come join us!
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcripts
You're listening to the podcast where we ask, how's all that working for you?
Speaker A:Because sometimes all you need to change your life is a moment of reflection.
Speaker A:In this space, we are done with sugarcoating and we embrace keeping it real.
Speaker A:I'm your host, Rachel D.
Speaker A:Baker, guiding you on this journey to create some breathing room, set healthy boundaries, and reclaim your time guilt free.
Speaker A:This is real talk with a bit of sassy and we are always seeking the truth in God's word.
Speaker A:Last week we talked with Rebecca George about her beautiful new book, you're not too Trusting God's Timing in a Hurry up World.
Speaker A:That conversation stirred something up in me.
Speaker A:It got me thinking about desires and wants, about things we still want to do in life.
Speaker A:But maybe we feel like we've missed our chance, or it's just too late.
Speaker A:Or maybe even that it's selfish to want something for ourselves.
Speaker A:Or maybe the hamster wheel is spinning so fast we haven't even had time to consider there could be something else whispering to our heart.
Speaker A:So today I want to invite you to pause with me and ask yourself this.
Speaker A:What is that thing that I still want to do?
Speaker A:Not what someone else wants for you, not what you think you should want want.
Speaker A:But what has God placed deep in your heart that still whispers in the quiet?
Speaker A:Are you ever even in the quiet long enough to hear it?
Speaker A:Let's ask it.
Speaker A:What's that thing I still want to do?
Speaker A:Maybe you've been praying for it.
Speaker A:Maybe you've been too busy to even name it.
Speaker A:Or maybe it's buried under guilt, fear, busyness.
Speaker A:Cuz let's be honest, who.
Speaker A:Who has time to dream when you're keeping all the plates spinning?
Speaker A:We're going to talk about that today.
Speaker A:And I'm also going to share something I created just for you.
Speaker A:Free printable permission slips to help you claim your right to pause, reflect and live on purpose.
Speaker A:I am so excited about this, but more on that in a minute.
Speaker A:First, I want to bring in a resource that has been deeply meaningful for me.
Speaker A:It's a book called Invitation to Retreat by Ruth Haley Barton.
Speaker A:It was recommended to me by a friend and it has quickly become one of my all time favorites.
Speaker A:In it, the author talks about the sacred practice of stepping away with God and not just to rest, although the good Lord knows we need it, but also to listen, to reflect, to get quiet enough to hear what God is doing in your life.
Speaker A:There's this quote that jumped off the page at me.
Speaker A:She says it's one thing to be aware that God is present with us all the time.
Speaker A:It's quite another to recognize God's activity in our lives and seek to join God in whatever God is up to.
Speaker A:Mic, drop that right there.
Speaker A:That's everything.
Speaker A:Yes, it's comforting to know God is present in the chaos, but to know that he is active, that he's inviting you to partner with Him.
Speaker A:That's where life starts to feel purposeful again.
Speaker A:So how do we know what God's up to?
Speaker A:How do we know if we're joining him or if we're just spinning our wheels?
Speaker A:The word that I keep coming back to is discernment.
Speaker A:In the book, Ruth Haley Barton defines it as an increasing capacity to recognize and respond to the presence and activity of God in both the ordinary moments and the decisions we face.
Speaker A:That's the kind of woman I want to be.
Speaker A:Don't you?
Speaker A:Not just busy, but aligned, recognizing and responding to God in all things.
Speaker A:One of the prayers she shares in this book is now something I have been coming back to again and again.
Speaker A:God, help me see my life as you see it and myself in it as you see me.
Speaker A:Oh, that feels like a really big ask, but also it feels necessary.
Speaker A:How does God see your life?
Speaker A:How does he see you in it?
Speaker A:And maybe you've never asked yourself those questions before.
Speaker A:And if that's you, please know.
Speaker A:Same girl, same.
Speaker A:I've had so many conversations with women who have said things like, who has time to think about that?
Speaker A:It feels so selfish just to focus on me.
Speaker A:I am too busy taking care of everybody else to mess with that.
Speaker A:Does that sound familiar?
Speaker A:Yeah, me too.
Speaker A:But here is what you have got to hear today.
Speaker A:It is not selfish to reflect.
Speaker A:It is not selfish to desire.
Speaker A:It is not selfish to live on purpose, taking time to live in your purpose on purpose to serve others well and bring glory to God.
Speaker A:It's literally the least selfish thing you can do.
Speaker A:So it's permission slip time.
Speaker A:I have handed out so many verbal permission slips in coaching sessions, conversations, past episodes, guesting on other podcasts, but now you can literally print one out.
Speaker A:You don't actually need anyone's approval to rest, reflect, realign with your purpose.
Speaker A:But sometimes I know better than most.
Speaker A:A visual reminder just helps.
Speaker A:These free, printable permission slips are for the woman who is always showing up for everybody else, but struggling to show up for herself.
Speaker A:Is that you?
Speaker A:If you've been running nonstop, feeling spiritually exhausted, wondering if it's too late to reconnect with your purpose, you're gonna get four designs of beautiful.
Speaker A:Fill in the blank printables 20 permission slip ideas to get you started just in case you're like, what am I even giving myself permission for?
Speaker A:I don't even know.
Speaker A:I've got you covered.
Speaker A:I've got ideas of what you could fill in.
Speaker A:You pick the one that your heart needs.
Speaker A:You've got permission to pause, actually reflect.
Speaker A:This is just a simple but powerful tool to help you reconnect with God and yourself.
Speaker A:So get it, print it, fill it in, keep it where you'll see it.
Speaker A:There is a link in the show Notes you can click.
Speaker A:You just put in your email address and I'm going to send them right to you completely free.
Speaker A:Let this be your invitation to breathe.
Speaker A:Listen.
Speaker A:Let God speak.
Speaker A:These are designed to help you press pause on the Daily Hustle and tune into that still, quiet voice that you can't always hear to help you listen for what God might be whispering beneath the noise to remind you it's okay to want things and to pursue them with God.
Speaker A:The goal of this whole episode and of these printable permission slips, it's to encourage you to claim the freedom to to be who God is calling you to be.
Speaker A:Not who you are determined to be or who others expect you to be, but who God created you to be.
Speaker A:I pray a couple of verses from Psalm 139 a lot, and I know it's going to sound familiar if you've been reading your Bible for very long.
Speaker A:Search me, Lord, know my heart.
Speaker A:Test me.
Speaker A:Lead me.
Speaker A:Please Lord, I want to be led in his way.
Speaker A:One last quote from Invitation to Retreat as we wrap it up today, she says we are all called to take responsibility for the stewarding of our own lives in response to the desire God has placed within us.
Speaker A:I love that reminder.
Speaker A:And if you're not sure where to start with listening and reflecting, I've got you covered there too.
Speaker A:I'm going to give you four reflection questions right now to get your heart and your mind engaged so you can come back to this.
Speaker A:You can pause after a question if you want to sit with it for a hot second.
Speaker A:They are here for you forever.
Speaker A:So here we go.
Speaker A:What is stirring in my heart right now that I haven't had space to name?
Speaker A:When was the last time I felt fully alive in what I was doing?
Speaker A:What might God be inviting me to say yes to in this season?
Speaker A:What might God be inviting me to release?
Speaker A:Use these questions alongside your permission slips.
Speaker A:Sit with them, journal.
Speaker A:Pray.
Speaker A:And please remember, you do not need anyone else's approval to live your life with intention.
Speaker A:But just in case it helps, I'm giving you permission.
Speaker A:Permission to want, to dream, to rest, to reflect, and to live aligned with what God is doing in you, not just what everyone else needs from you.
Speaker A:I'm gonna say that one one more time.
Speaker A:You have permission to live aligned with what God is doing in you, not just what everyone else needs from you.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Go print your permission slips.
Speaker A:They are free for the taking.
Speaker A:Take five minutes today.
Speaker A:Just five.
Speaker A:Go sit in the car or lock yourself in the bathroom if that's what it takes.
Speaker A:Five minutes.
Speaker A:And start asking the questions your soul's been waiting to answer.
Speaker A:I love you big.
Speaker A:And we'll talk more next time.
