SEEK: Days One and Two- Practice Control: Grace, Restraint and Baby Goats
Practice Control: Grace, Restraint, and Baby Goats
I started my 2026 SEEK Fast yesterday.
The SEEK Fast is something I’m doing through a church that’s lead by a Pastor I’ve been following in Alexandria, VA for the past decade, intentionally. This is a season of slowing down, praying more, and cutting out distractions so I can pay closer attention to how I respond to things and how I navigate the life God has now set before me. It’s not about food or material things. It’s about reactions, words, and learning when to pause instead of react.
The phrase “practice control” isn’t new to me.
It’s something my Mommy used to say to me all the time when I was younger. Usually when I was upset, talking fast, or ready to respond before thinking it through. Back then, I didn’t always appreciate it. Now, as I move through SEEK, I realize she was teaching me the very thing I’m studying - how to pause, regulate myself, and choose a response instead of letting emotions take the lead.
SEEK is asking me to do as an adult what Mommy was teaching me as a child.
Day One made the fast feel real right away. I became aware of how instinctive my reactions can be and how often I feel the urge to respond quickly. Instead of leaning into that, I slowed myself down. I paid attention. I practiced control. That awareness alone felt like progress.
Today ~ Day Two ~ has been about GRACE.
Grace for myself. Grace for others. Grace that says I don’t have to carry yesterday into today. I made a conscious decision not to sit in the tension from the day before and not to replay conversations in my head.
That decision led me somewhere unexpected.
To the country.
To a goat farm.
To holding baby goats.
I was completely overdressed and absolutely unprepared to be holding animals who had been walking around in goat and chicken dookie moments earlier. 😂 But standing there, laughing and holding those goats, I felt lighter than I had in days.
The quiet helped.
The animals helped.
The simplicity helped. The mountain air helped.
Nothing needed to be explained. Nothing needed to be resolved. I was just present.
That’s what grace looked like today.
Day One helped me understand the work.
Day Two helped me feel the reward.
This fast is already teaching me that practicing control doesn’t mean shutting down or ignoring things. It means choosing when and how I engage. And sometimes, it means letting peace lead you somewhere unexpected, even if you’re dressed wrong and standing in the goat dookie with a bunch of other farm animals and loved ones.
Would you mind if I said a little prayer before we end this time together? If not, keep reading. If so, that’s totally okay! Much love to you and see you soon! 🫶🏾
Closing Prayer
God, help me slow down.
Help me notice myself before I react.
Help me practice control with grace.
And thank You for meeting me in the quiet.
Amen.
This is just the beginning of this SEEK journey for me. I’ll continue sharing reflections as I move through the fast - honestly, imperfectly, and in real time.
If you feel led to walk alongside me, you’re welcome to join the journey too!!
I’m using the SEEK app to guide this season, and I’ll link it here for anyone who’s curious or wants to participate in their own way.
Stay tuned! 🫶🏾
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