In this first episode of 2026, we explore the image of a rising tide — how God’s work in one part of our life can gently lift the rest. Together we reflect on growth, testimony, and the invitations Jesus is extending to us this year. From choosing a “word for the year” to noticing what’s shaping us, this episode is a gentle reminder that as God grows us, He also grows what surrounds us.

Reflection Questions:

1) What do I sense God inviting me into in this season?

2) What word or phrase seems to rise in my spirit as a guide for the year?

3) Where did I experience God’s growth last year?

4) What feels dry, and what might God be wanting to water?

5) Where do I need to surrender control so God can lift the “whole boat”?

6) Who has God placed around me that I can encourage or uplift?

7) How can I create space for shared spiritual life this year?

About Integration (“all of life”)

8) Which everyday area (rest, boundaries, prayer, creativity, work) is God highlighting?

9) Where might growth in one area positively impact the others?

10) What am I believing God for this year?

Background for quote "A rising tide lifts all boats"

The phrase is most famously associated with President John F. Kennedy, who used it in a 1963 speech. [en.wikipedia.org]

But — and this is important — Kennedy did not originate it. His speechwriter, Ted Sorensen, later explained that he picked up the line from the New England Council, a regional chamber of commerce whose slogan since 1950 had been “The Rising Tide Lifts All the Boats.” [en.wikipedia.org]

Even earlier, the phrase appears in religious publications from the early 1900s, including a 1910 reference in the Boston Evening Transcript used in the context of missionary work. [theidioms.com]

You can connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

In this quarterly reflection episode, Sarah invites listeners to pause and look back over Spring—what worked, what didn’t, and what God has been cultivating in their lives. Drawing from John 15:1–8, she explores the tension between fruitfulness and pruning, reminding us that true growth comes from staying connected to Jesus, the Vine. Sarah shares her own reflections on pace, priorities, and the importance of intentional rest as the Christmas season approaches.

She also announces a short break for the podcast until the new year.

Join Sarah as she models how to embrace seasonal shifts with grace and purpose.

Connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

Reflection Questions

Looking back to Spring:

• What worked this past season?
• What didn’t work?
• What did you cultivate?
• How did it grow?
• What was unexpected?
• What did you learn?

Looking ahead to Summer:

• What needs pruning for growth?
• What fruit is God cultivating in me this season?
• How is God leading me in this season?
• How might my pace shift in this season?
• Who do I need to walk with in this season?
• Who needs my support?
• What are my needs in this season?
• How might I share those with the people that can help?
• What do I need to hold loosely vs. tightly?

This week, we’re doing something new—our very first interview! I’m joined by Kelly, who recently led a workshop on cultivating an intentional and joyful Christmas season. Together, we explore practical ways to prepare for Christmas with peace and purpose, from choosing commitments and setting budgets to creating traditions that truly matter. We also talk about showing goodwill to others—and to ourselves—during this busy time. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the holidays, this conversation will help you slow down, reflect, and make space for what matters most: celebrating Jesus.

You can connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

You can connect with Kelly kellycoopercoaching.com, and on Facebook and Instagram Kelly Cooper CoachingReflection Questions:

CHRISTMAS

What feelings does the word ‘Christmas’ evoke for you? What emotions do you experience?

Where do you feel them in your body?

What thoughts come to mind?

CHRISTMASES PAST

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the Christmases you’ve enjoyed the most in the past. What made those times feel special? Was it the company, the activities, the pace, the expectations or the traditions?

#1 CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON, NOT A DAY

Choose Your Commitments

What events or activities do you choose to say ‘yes’ to this year?

What events or activities do you choose to say ‘no’ to this year?

Choose Your Budget

Almost nothing is more stressful at Christmas than money. What is realistic and manageable for you this year?

Consider – Who do you want to give gifts to this year? Who do you feel obliged to give a gift to> Is there a way of celebrating without gifts? How can you be creative with your gift giving?

What do you need to communicate with others about your budget boundaries to manage expectations?

#2 GOODWILL

Choose Your People and Parameters

What choices are you going to make about how you will celebrate the Christmas season? Who do you want to spend time with? On which days? Remember – It is okay to disappoint people and choose something different.

What are your shared expectations for food preparation, budget and presents?

What are some alternative suggestions and compromises you could make?

Are there any ‘tricky’ people in your life that you’ll be spending time with this Christmas season – those who will require a little bit of extra energy or patience? How can you mentally and emotionally prepare yourself to respond intentionally during your time with them?

Traditions are a fun way to create boundaries around expectations. What you spend, what you choose to eat and where you celebrate can become traditions. What traditions do you love and want to continue and which traditions do you want to let go of this year?

#3 GOODWILL FOR YOU!

Choose Yourself

Take a few moments to check in with yourself – How are you really feeling?

What do you need or desire to recharge your energy during this time of year? (Reflecting on your values can be helpful if you’ve had the opportunity to define them.)

What are three ways that you can show goodwill to yourself in this season?

What can only be done by you? What is truly important? What can you let go of?

What do you need to communicate with others about the support or help you require during this season?

CHRISTMAS

What feelings does this word evoke for you? What emotions do you experience?

Where do you feel them in your body

What 2-3 steps will you take to create a more intentional Christmas season?

When was the last time you felt awe and wonder? Creative rest is more than taking a break—it’s an invitation to reconnect with the Creator through beauty, nature, and play. In this episode, we talk about why creative rest matters, practical ways to embrace it, and how it can refresh your soul and deepen your walk with Jesus.

Miramar Salvation Army Message Archies: Messages Archives | The Salvation Army Miramarhttps://miramarsalvationarmy.co.nz/messages-archives/#seriesStarting Feb 13 2022, Create: In His Image

Reflections Questions:

• What inspires awe in you?

• How might engaging with beauty help you reconnect with the Creator?

• What creative gifts has God given you? How can you use them to worship Him?

• how could you make space for creative rest in your season? What might this look like?

Connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

What if your word for the year still has something to teach you before December ends? In this episode, Sarah reflects on her words—contentment and hope—and shares practical ways to finish the year with purpose.

You’ll find reflection prompts, tips for staying focused, and encouragement to listen for what God might be saying for the next season.

🎧 Listen now and take 10–15 minutes to journal your own reflections!

Word for the Year Check-In: Reflection Questions

1. Looking Back

• What was your word (or goal) for this year?

• Why did you choose it? What did you hope it would shape in you?

• How have you been shaped by it so far?

2. When It Was Tested

• When did your word or goal feel hardest to live out?

• What helped you stay anchored during those moments?

3. Practices That Helped

• What rhythms or habits supported your word?

(e.g., journaling, prayer walks, gratitude lists, accountability)

• Which of these could you keep or strengthen for the rest of the year?

4. Holy Discontent

• Did you notice areas where you felt stirred to act for justice or change?

• How did you discern what God was calling you to do?

5. Finishing Strong

• What do you sense God inviting you into for the remainder of this year?

• What could derail you before the finish line? How will you guard against that?

• What practical step can you take this week to lean into your word?

6. Looking Ahead

• Are you beginning to listen for next year’s word?

• What themes or patterns have you noticed that might shape that choice?

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This week, Sarah reflects on the worship song Nothing Else by Cody Carnes—a song born from conviction and a longing to return to the heart of worship. Through scripture, personal experience, and theological insight, we’re invited to strip away distractions and rediscover the beauty of simply being with Jesus.

Featuring:

• The story behind the song
• Key scriptures: Philippians 3, Luke 10, Revelation 2, and more
• Reflection questions to guide your spiritual posture
• A call to linger in God’s presence

Whether you’re in a season of spiritual dryness or renewal, this episode offers space to be honest with God and seek Him above all else.

Reflections Questions:

1. Heart Check: Am I seeking God for who He is—or for what He can do for me?

2. Spiritual Posture: What does it look like for me to “sit at Jesus’ feet” in my daily life?

3. Repentance: Is there an area where I’ve been going through the motions in my faith?

4. First Love: What was my relationship with Jesus like when I first believed? How can I return to that?

5. Distractions: What “else” might be competing with Jesus for my attention or affection?

You can connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

This week, Sarah explores the spiritual practice of social rest—the intentional rhythm of managing relational energy in a way that honours God. From Jesus’ example of withdrawing to pray, to the wisdom of setting boundaries and choosing life-giving relationships, this episode invites listeners to reflect on how rest in our social lives can be both sacred and strategic.

Sarah shares personal rhythms, biblical insights, and practical ways to discern when to connect and when to step back. You’ll be encouraged to seek the Holy Spirit’s leading in your relationships and consider how rest can help you live freely and lightly in the dust of Jesus.

Reflection Questions:

o Who in your life helps you rest in God’s presence?

o Where might God be inviting you to step back socially to restore your soul?

o Are your relationships life-giving or draining right now? What boundaries might help you honour God with your social energy? What does it look like to honour God with your boundaries?

o What relationships might need to be dialed up in this season? Iron sharpening iron?

o Who might God be inviting me to bring refreshing friendship to?

o Am I using socialising with others as a way to avoid working on myself?

o If you have limited choice over your social interaction – family, job, other reasons, what insights and options could God be leading you to?

Connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

This week, we take a closer look at sensory rest—the kind of rest that helps us quiet the noise, reduce overstimulation, and make space to hear God more clearly. Sarah shares personal reflections, biblical insights, and practical ways to honour God with our senses. From tech sabbaths to silent commutes, this episode invites you to consider how stillness can become a spiritual discipline.

Scriptures referenced: Psalm 46:10, Mark 6:31, 1 Kings 19, 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
Reflection questions included to help you discern how God might be inviting you into deeper rest.

o What environments help you feel most at peace with God?

o What sensory inputs might you need to reduce to hear God more clearly?

o When was the last time you truly experienced stillness? What might God be inviting you to turn down or turn off?

Connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

This week, Sarah explores how pain and societal conditioning lead us to embrace self-sufficiency—but how God’s Kingdom calls us into interdependence and connection. Through Scriptures like John 17 and Acts 2, she reflects on Jesus’ example and the early church’s care for the vulnerable.

Sarah shares personal stories, spiritual insights, and practical tools like Examen questions and affirmations to help us soften, trust, and grow in community. It’s a gentle invitation to peel back the layers and rediscover the beauty of being known and held.Examen questions • Where did I feel most connected today?

• Where did I resist help or connection? Why?

• Did I notice any moments where I felt alone or believed I had to handle things on my own?

• Was there an opportunity to trust someone today that I didn’t take?

• What emotions surfaced when I considered asking for help?

• Where did I experience grace or tenderness from another person?

• What protective habits showed up today? What might they be guarding?

• Did I offer someone else a safe space to be vulnerable?

• Where might God be inviting me to soften or open up?

• What truth do I need to remember about God’s design for community and connection?

Affirmations

• I am not alone. I was created for connection.

• It is safe to be seen.

• God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness.

• I am worthy of love, even when I need help.

• Asking for help is an act of courage and trust.

• I honour the protection I’ve built—and I trust God to gently peel it back.

• I release the lie that I must do everything on my own.

• I am part of a body, not meant to function in isolation.

• Connection is holy and healing.

You can connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast

This week, Sarah shares reflections from aprayer walk up Mt Kaukau, woven with scripture and spiritual insight. As she walked and prayed for friends planting a church, the journey through bush, stairs, and lookout points became a metaphor for the spiritual path we each walk. From staying close to the living water, to trusting the custom-made steps ahead, this episode invites listeners to consider how God is guiding them in their current season. It’s a gentle, thoughtful encouragement to pause, reflect, and walk with purpose—keeping eyes up and hearts open.

Reflection Questions:

• Are there areas in your life where you feel tempted to turn to the left or right instead of staying on the path God has marked out for you?

• What helps you stay focused on the path God has set before you?

• What might be blocking the flow of “living water” in your life right now?

• How can you stay close to the source of life even when the path leads away from it?

• What “step” is God inviting you to take in this season?

• Does it feel like a steep step? What encouragement can you draw from knowing others have gone before?

• Are you journeying with others or trying to go it alone?

• How might slowing down to walk with others enrich your spiritual journey?

• Are you currently in a season of shade or sun? How does that feel?

• What might God be doing in this part of your journey?

• What does it look like to be a good guardian of the spiritual ecosystem you’re part of?

• Are there ways you can nurture rather than dominate the space you’re in?

• What markers has God placed in your journey recently?

• Who can you honour that has gone before you in faith?

• Is there a “top” you might be missing without realising?

• What might God be inviting you to explore further?

• What recent “exercise” or step of faith has shown you how you’re growing?

• What’s going well in your spiritual walk, and what might need attention?

You can connect with Sarah on Instagram: inthedustpodcast