How do you stop comparing yourself to others—and what might comparison be helping you receive or avoid?

In Day 10, “The Stronghold of Comparison,” we explore Peter’s “What about him?” moment, my temptation to stop building Unstuck Patterns until I finish graduate school, and why someone else’s established season is not evidence that you are behind.

Behavior analysis teaches us to look beyond what a behavior looks like and ask what purpose—or function—it may be serving. In this episode, we introduce the four common functions of behavior:

• Attention or connection

• Escape or avoidance

• Access

• Automatic reinforcement

Today’s featured function is attention or connection.

We often hear the phrase “attention-seeking” and immediately view it negatively. But sometimes the behavior we see on the surface may be communicating a deeper need:

“Please see me.”

“Please stay close to me.”

“I need to know that I can still reach you.”

Through Disney’s live-action Moana and a tender lesson from my five-year-old daughter, Briar, we explore what it means to look beneath an outward reaction and become curious about the need it may be communicating.

Briar has learned to express her need for connection by saying:

“Mommy, I need some love.”

There is no shame in needing connection. The goal is to recognize the pattern and learn to express that need more directly.

Today’s behavior tool is The Function Check:

• What happened immediately before the comparison?

• What did you do?

• What happened immediately afterward?

• What did the pattern help you get—or help you avoid?

📖 Anchor Scripture: Galatians 6:4

👤 Biblical Mentor: Peter

🧭 Behavior Tool: The Function Check

🔎 Featured Function: Attention or Connection

🎵 Companion Song: “Fix My Eyes” by for KING & COUNTRY

You can find the companion song and the other songs recommended throughout this journey on Spotify by searching for the Unstuck Patterns: Turn North Playlist.

Someone else’s established season is not evidence that you are behind. This may not be your season of being widely seen—it may be your season of being deeply prepared.

Explore Unstuck Patterns:

https://unstuck-patterns.stephanie-cox1.chatgpt.site

I am a graduate student sharing what I am learning about behavior analysis and how I apply these concepts to everyday patterns. This content is educational and faith-based and is not individualized behavioral or mental-health treatment.

You are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north. 💛🧭

#StopComparing #ChristianEncouragement #UnstuckPatterns

Why do we keep reaching for temporary comfort—even when we know it will not truly satisfy us?

Sometimes we reach for food, our phones, distractions, familiar routines, or anything that gives us a moment of relief. The comfort may be real, but it does not always reach the deeper thirst underneath it.

In Day 9 of the Unstuck Patterns devotional journey, “The Comfort Seeker,” we meet the woman at the well in John 4. She arrived looking for ordinary water, but she encountered Jesus—the One who already knew her story and offered her living water. After meeting Him, she ran back to town with her heart on fire, eager to tell others about the One she had found!

In this episode, we’ll talk about:

• Why we reach for temporary comfort

• What may be hiding beneath our cravings

• The difference between temporary relief and lasting satisfaction

• How Jesus meets the deeper thirst of our hearts

• A simple water-bottle practice that can help us pause and turn toward God

Each time you take a drink of water today, pause and ask:

“What am I reaching for right now?”

You do not have to shame yourself for needing comfort. Instead, you can become curious about what your heart is truly seeking—and bring that need to Jesus.

Anchor Scripture: Jeremiah 2:13 (NASB)

Mentor: The Woman at the Well

Toolkit Action: The Thirst Check

Song Recommendation: “The Well” by Casting Crowns

You are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north. 🧭

Subscribe and follow along with the 100-Day Unstuck Patterns devotional journey as we move from survival patterns to sustainable rhythms through faith in Jesus Christ.

Unstuck Patterns website:

https://unstuck-patterns.stephanie-cox1.chatgpt.site

#ChristianDevotional #FindingComfortInGod #WomanAtTheWell #EmotionalEating #UnstuckPatterns #ChristianEncouragement #FaithBasedHealing #Day9

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why did I do that again?”

You promised tomorrow would be different—but when tomorrow came, you returned to the same response, the same habit, and the same discouragement.

In Day 8 of Unstuck Patterns, we are becoming pattern detectives—not judges. Using the ABCs of behavior from Applied Behavior Analysis, we will slow down and examine what happened before the behavior, what we actually did, and what happened immediately afterward:

A — Antecedent: What happened before the behavior?

B — Behavior: What did I actually do?

C — Consequence: What happened immediately afterward?

I’ll walk you through my own pattern of trying to wake up at 5:00 a.m. to exercise—including the interrupted sleep that made the pattern more likely and the immediate relief that helped keep it going.

This is not about excusing our behavior or prosecuting ourselves in the court of our own minds. It is about understanding the pattern clearly enough to begin choosing a healthier response.

Faith reveals the direction.

Behavior analysis helps us understand the pattern.

Small faithful actions help us turn north.

Anchor Scripture: Romans 6:19–23

Mentor: Paul

Tool: The ABC Pattern Check

Song Recommendation: “Different” by Micah Tyler

You are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north.

Subscribe and join me for Unstuck Patterns: A 100-Day Journey of Turning North—from survival patterns to sustainable rhythms through faith in Jesus Christ.

#UnstuckPatterns #BehaviorChange #ChristianDevotional #AppliedBehaviorAnalysis #HabitChange #TurnNorth

Have perfectionism, procrastination, or fear of failure kept you from starting—or caused you to quit when your first attempt didn’t go as planned?

In Day 7 of the Unstuck Patterns 100-Day Journey of Turning North, we are uncovering the Perfectionist Pauser: the pattern that makes us wait for a perfect beginning or abandon an imperfect one.

My first attempt at writing a devotional was not exactly a big hit. Hardly anyone engaged with it, and I began questioning—and even despising—the passion God had placed on my heart. But Zechariah 4:10 changed how I viewed that small beginning.

📖 TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” — Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

In this episode, we’ll talk about:

• Why an imperfect beginning is not a failed assignment

• How other people’s response can make us question our calling

• What Zerubbabel’s plumb line teaches us about beginning

• How God uses small steps like breadcrumbs

• Three simple actions to move beyond perfectionism and begin

🧰 TODAY’S TOOLKIT ACTION: PICK UP THE PLUMB LINE

1. Name your small beginning.

2. Expose what has caused you to pause.

3. Choose one visible action you can take today.

Your plumb line is not proof that everything is finished. It is proof that you have started—and the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.

🎵 TODAY’S SONG RECOMMENDATION

“Dream Small” — Josh Wilson

As you listen, ask God:

“What is the small beginning—or next faithful step—that You are already rejoicing over?”

You do not need to see the entire trail. Follow the breadcrumb God has placed before you and take the next faithful step.

You are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north.

#OvercomePerfectionism #ChristianEncouragement #UnstuckPatterns

Are you afraid to move forward because what’s familiar feels safer than what’s next?

Sometimes the hardest part of getting unstuck isn’t leaving behind what’s hurting us—it’s trusting God when we can’t see where He’s leading us.

In Day 6 of the Unstuck Patterns: A 100-Day Journey of Turning North, we’re talking about Leaving the Safe Desert and learning to trust God in the unknown.

📖 TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” — Deuteronomy 31:8 (NASB)

Today, we’ll talk about why familiar doesn’t always mean safe, why freedom can sometimes feel scary, and how to take the next step without needing to see the entire map.

🧭 TODAY’S COMPASS CHECK

What part of your “stuck” season feels safe simply because it’s familiar?

What is one step toward North that you already know you need to take?

🎵 TODAY’S SONG RECOMMENDATION

“Brave” — Moriah Peters

Listen along with the songs from this journey on the Unstuck Patterns: Turn North playlist on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7JkjmBfBoLkGSRJa5TdHF8?si=T-6iIO33R6SbdpIDtRYogA&utm_source=copy-link&sci=spotify%3Acard-config%3A6kcesyel3b9Nu8wPRfZQbv

Also available on:

🍎 Apple Podcasts

🎧 Amazon Music & Audible

❤️ iHeartRadio

🎙️ Podbean

🔴 Pocket Casts

📻 TuneIn

💙 Pandora

You don’t have to see the whole map. God has already gone before you.

You are not stuck.

You are becoming.

Keep turning North. 🧭

Do you ever feel like God has forgiven you… but you still haven’t forgiven yourself?

In Day 5 of the Unstuck Patterns 100-Day Journey, we’re talking about the difference between conviction and condemnation—and why continuing to punish yourself isn’t the same thing as repentance.

Romans 8:1 tells us:

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

We’ll also talk about one of my favorite moments from The Chosen—when Jesus sees Mary Magdalene at one of the lowest points of her life and calls her by name.

That scene reminds me that Jesus doesn’t wait until we have everything together to know us, see us, and love us.

If you confessed it…

if you surrendered it…

if Jesus has forgiven it…

you don’t have to keep picking the dagger back up.

🤍 Today’s reminder:

Conviction says, “Come closer.”

Condemnation says, “Go hide.”

Put the dagger down.

You are known.

You are loved.

You are still becoming.

🎧 Today’s song: “Known” — Tauren Wells

📖 Anchor Scripture: Romans 8:1

You are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north. 🧭

#UnstuckPatterns #ChristianEncouragement #CondemnationVsConviction #Romans81 #ChristianWomen #FaithJourney #StopBeingSoHardOnYourself

What are you hiding from God—not because He doesn’t already know, but because you’re afraid to bring it into the Light?

Welcome to Day 4: Total Cleansing of Unstuck Patterns: A 100-Day Journey of Turning North.

Today we're talking about confession, forgiveness, and what happens when we stop trying to clean ourselves up before coming to God.

📖 Today’s Anchor Scripture: 1 John 1:9 (NASB)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Sometimes the stronghold isn't only the habit itself. It's everything that has collected around it—the fear, shame, excuses, hiding, and attempts to manage it ourselves.

But confession isn't about telling God something He doesn't already know.

It's about bringing what we've been hiding into the Light.

Today we'll practice The Root Wash and look beneath the pattern. Is there fear underneath it? Shame? Control? Dependency? Or maybe the belief that you can't handle life without it?

You don't have to scrub yourself clean before coming to God.

He is faithful. He forgives. He cleanses.

One honest confession.

One surrendered pattern.

One step North. 🧭

🎵 Today’s Turn North Song:

“O Come to the Altar” — Elevation Worship

As you listen, remember: you don't have to fix yourself before coming to God. Come as you are. Bring it into the Light and allow Him to do the cleansing.

🎧📹 Listen to the Unstuck Patterns on YouTube

https://youtube.com/@unstuckpatterns?si=dY6vwb0Ktk3_HHIA

Day 3: The Hummingbird Hunt | Stop Focusing on the Negative

What are you looking for?

In Day 3 of the Unstuck Patterns: A Journey of Turning North devotional, we’re going on a Hummingbird Hunt—learning to notice the sweet, life-giving “nectar moments” God has already placed around us.

Just like a vulture searches for what is dead while a hummingbird searches for what is sweet, our minds can become trained to look for what is wrong, missing, uncertain, or frustrating.

Philippians 4:8 gives us another way.

Today, we’ll practice slowing down, shifting our focus, and truly marinating in the good—not simply checking gratitude off a list, but noticing the little gifts that can so easily pass us by.

The laugh of your children.

A hug.

A warm cup of coffee.

Birds chirping outside.

A quiet moment with God.

The ordinary things that remind us: God is here, and there is still nectar to be found.

🎵 Today’s Song: “Good Day” by Forrest Frank

📖 Anchor Scripture: Philippians 4:8

🎥 Watch Unstuck Patterns on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/@unstuckpatterns?si=tqPghhJrrNcwbWNs

You are not stuck. You are becoming.

Keep turning north. 🧭

The Squeeze | Day 2 | Unstuck Patterns | Psalm 51:10 Devotional

What comes out of us under pressure often reveals what has been sitting in our hearts all along.

In Day 2 of the Unstuck Patterns devotional, we explore how God uses life's "squeezes" to lovingly reveal what He wants to heal. Whether it's fear, anxiety, control, unforgiveness, or self-reliance, God isn't exposing our hearts to shame us—He's inviting us into healing and freedom.

Together we'll reflect on David's prayer in Psalm 51:10:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Today's Heart Emergency Toolkit Action features the Heart Sponge exercise—a tangible reminder of surrendering what you've been carrying and allowing God to create a clean heart within you.

🎵 Today's Song Recommendation: Clean – Natalie Grant

❤️ Heart Emergency Toolkit Heart Sponge used in today's devotional:

https://a.co/d/0fsU9RUl

🎙️ Listen to the Unstuck Patterns Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/033SUEfG0c3Hdg5yO4Eb47?si=J2fpNlf9SEiO6XneHWhSLQ&utm_source=copy-link

🎵 Follow the Turn North Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7JkjmBfBoLkGSRJa5TdHF8?si=PgP59Ac-RLy6-umU2Zi6bA&utm_source=copy-link&pi=3__8kLZZS4uwR

📧 Contact: [email protected]

If this devotional encouraged you, I'd love for you to subscribe and continue this 100-day journey of turning north with me. Remember—you are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north.

Day 1 of Unstuck Patterns: A 100-Day Journey of Turning North.

Have you ever felt like you've been going around the same mountain over and over again?

In Deuteronomy 2:3, God gives a simple but powerful command:

"You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north."

In today's devotional, we'll explore what it means to stop living in survival patterns and begin walking toward the sustainable rhythms God has for us. Together we'll reflect on Scripture, look honestly at our hearts, and take one practical step toward Jesus.

📖 Bring your Bible.

📝 Bring a journal.

❤️ Most importantly, bring an open heart.

I'd love to hear from you in the comments:

What mountain has God been asking you to turn from?

If this devotional encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs hope today.

Remember: You are not stuck. You are becoming. Keep turning north.

Season 1 – 100-Day Journey of Turning North

Episode 1 – Feeling Stuck? God Says: Turn North | Deuteronomy 2:3