Reset & Renew: 30 Days for a Holy Reset

Reset and renew your heart with Jesus with these grace-filled thoughts for slowing down, restoring quiet time, and beginning again with hope.

• Let this be a holy reset.
• A pause.
• A return.

January carries a quiet invitation many of us need after the whirlwind of December: You can begin again.

Maybe your time with Jesus slipped during Christmastime. Between family gatherings, travel, full calendars, and the emotional weight that often comes with the holidays, the momentum can quietly spin out of control. Even good things can crowd out the best thing. And before we realize it, our quiet time feels distant, rushed, or missing altogether.

The beautiful gift of the New Year is not pressure—it’s grace.

A fresh beginning doesn’t require guilt or grand promises. It simply asks us to turn our hearts back toward Jesus and re-establish simple rhythms that draw us closer to Him. This is the heart behind Reset & Renew.

This practice creates space to reflect on the past year and look ahead with faith, trust, and expectation—without trying to control what’s coming next. It allows Jesus to lead, rather than asking us to power through with sheer determination.

When I choose one word, I’m not trying to predict the year ahead. I’m opening my hands and asking the Lord to guide me through whatever lies ahead—known and unknown—with His presence front and center.

Looking Back: Seeing God’s Faithfulness

This past year, my life was marked by a significant interruption. God led my husband and me to relocate from the East Coast to the Midwest—a move that shifted our routines, our surroundings, and our sense of familiarity.

In the middle of all that change, I actually forgot my word for the year.

Yet when I looked back, I could clearly see that the word was still at work. It quietly shaped decisions, anchored emotions, and met me in moments I couldn’t have anticipated. God didn’t need me to remember it perfectly—He was faithful to carry it through each season.

That’s one of the reasons I love this practice so much. It’s not about performance. It’s about awareness. Over time, you begin to recognize how God weaves His purposes into everyday life, even when things feel unsettled or unexpected.

Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

One thing I love about doing these Bible Reading Plans is that I delve deeper into a verse than I would by reading a chapter or more.

If you look up the definition of ‘still’, it means to stop striving, stop fighting, to calm down, repent, or return.

Choosing One Word for the New Year

As January begins, I’m inviting you to join me in choosing One Word for the coming year.

Not a goal.
Not a checklist.
Just one word to prayerfully hold before the Lord.

Your word might reflect something you need—peace, rest, trust, courage.
Or it might reveal something God wants to grow—obedience, faithfulness, surrender, hope.

There’s no right or wrong word. The beauty lies in listening.

You might find it helpful to:

• Pray and ask God to guide your choice
• Reflect on the past year—where you struggled and where you grew
• Read Scripture slowly and notice words that linger
• Write down a few possibilities and sit with them for a few days

Trust that God can speak gently and clearly, even in the quiet.

Abide in Me

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

Abiding in Jesus is the natural process that comes as we faithfully spend time with Him each day. It’s all about a personal relationship.

Resetting Your Quiet Time

January is also a beautiful time to reset your quiet time with Jesus—without overcomplicating it.

If your Bible reading has felt scattered or inconsistent, start small. A reset doesn’t mean doing more; it means returning to what matters most.

Scripture Writing: Letting the Word Sink In

One of the simplest and most meaningful practices I return to again and again is Scripture Writing.

There’s something powerful about slowing down long enough to write God’s Word by hand. It anchors truth in your heart and quiets the noise of your thoughts. You don’t need artistic skill or special supplies—just a willing heart and a pen.

You might choose:

• A verse connected to your One Word
• A Psalm you can return to throughout the month
• A short passage you write repeatedly over several days

Let the words sink in. Let them shape your prayers. Let them remind you of who God is and who you are in Him.

Daily Bible Reading: Simple and Sustainable

Daily Bible reading doesn’t have to be complicated to be life-giving.

In January, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s presence.

Choose a plan that feels doable. One chapter a day is enough. Even a few verses read slowly and thoughtfully can nourish your soul. Over time, those small moments of faithfulness build a steady foundation.

The key is sustainability. A rhythm you can return to—even when life feels busy or unpredictable.

Bringing It All Together: A Grace-Filled Reset

Reset & Renew is not about fixing what feels broken or making up for what you didn’t do last year. It’s about returning—again and again—to the steady presence of Jesus. This 30-day journey is an invitation to slow your pace, soften your heart, and allow the Lord to gently restore what feels rushed, weary, or scattered.

As you begin this holy reset, remember that renewal doesn’t happen all at once. It unfolds quietly, often in small moments that might feel ordinary at first. A verse read slowly. A prayer whispered in the middle of a busy day. A few minutes spent writing Scripture by hand. These simple practices create space for God to work deeply, even when life remains full.

Choosing One Word for the year is one way to remain attentive to God’s leading. Your word becomes a gentle companion, reminding you to notice how the Lord is present in both the expected and the unexpected. It may guide your prayers, shape your perspective, or anchor you when circumstances shift. Over time, you may begin to see how God uses that single word to draw your heart closer to His.

Resetting your quiet time doesn’t require a perfect routine or long stretches of uninterrupted silence. It simply begins with showing up. This devotional encourages you to start where you are, not where you think you should be. Whether your days feel calm or chaotic, God meets you in the willingness to return to Him.

Scripture writing and daily Bible reading are offered here not as tasks to complete, but as rhythms to receive. Writing God’s Word helps truth settle more deeply into your heart, while consistent, simple reading keeps you rooted in His promises. Together, these practices help cultivate a steady awareness of God’s faithfulness.

As you move through these pages, allow yourself grace. Some days will feel rich and focused; others may feel distracted or short. Both are part of the journey. What matters most is not how much you do, but that you continue to turn your heart toward Jesus.

I hope these 30 days become a gentle turning point—a season where you breathe more deeply, listen more closely, and trust more fully. Take a look back and see not perfection, but faithfulness. And may you move forward with hope, knowing that the God who invites you to begin again is the same God who walks with you every step of the way.