Faithful, Not Rigid: Adjusting My Habits, Routine, & Substack Flow in a Full Season

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

— Proverbs 19:21

Ever come up with the perfect plan for a project, a party, or a Substack post, only to have it go in a completely different direction?

I’m not talking about a little detour into left field.

I mean clear-out-of-the-stadium different.

Like your plan was playing baseball… and God decided it was time for a swim meet.

If you’ve ever been there, you’re not alone. In fact, that’s exactly where I’m standing right now.

The Plan I Had

When I launched Faithful Habits in late February 2025 (about four months ago), I came in with purpose, prayer, and a well-mapped weekly rhythm.

• Weekly post every Tuesday afternoon (PDT)

• 2–3 thoughtful Notes per week

• 30-45 minutes max per day engaging with readers and other writers

I even built out a repeatable structure that looked like this:

• Monday: Final revision | Ask a question related to post | Bible Study Invite | “Pray Before Write”

• Tuesday: Publish main post > Share on socials | Restack quotes from post

• Wednesday: Wisdom Wednesday (Proverb or key quote re-stack)

• Thursday: Subscriber Chat + “related/unrelated” open thread | Restack & interact

• Friday: Promo Day (Community Shoutouts, Coaching) | Catch up on others’ content

• Saturday: Personal Share

It was purposeful and life-giving. But what happens when life itself demands a new rhythm?

Welcome to My “Full Season”

Over the next 4 months, here’s what I’m walking through:

• Planning a wedding

• Searching for a new home

• Transitioning careers

• Managing travel and family responsibilities

• And learning to rest, breathe, and enjoy the journey

Sure, I could try to grind through the original schedule. But to what end?

Burnout? Resentment? Or worse—missing out on the very life God is inviting me to live?

So I’m making adjustments. Not out of laziness or fear. But out of trust. I believe flexibility can be faithful too.

My New (Simplified) Substack Rhythm

If you’re in a busy season (or sense one coming) maybe this list will encourage you to step back and realign too:

• Continue weekly Tuesday posts, but batch-create 3–4 at the end of each month to stay ahead

• Limit daily Substack interaction time to 20 minutes max

• Catch up on others’ writing mostly on Saturday evenings

• Reduce Notes to one per day or none, depending on the flow of the week

• Let the content library work while I rest since I’ve seen natural, steady growth even with lighter interaction

A Word to the Overachievers (Preacher Mode Activated)

If it stops being joyful,

If you feel you’re producing just to keep up,

If your schedule is “holy” but your soul is heavy…

Then maybe, like me, it’s time to re-examine your system.

Faithful doesn’t mean frantic.

Consistent doesn’t mean crushing.

Jesus modeled rhythmic obedience—not performance anxiety.

Habits Are Meant to Serve the Mission—Not Replace It

Habits are tools, not chains. They’re meant to help us stay anchored, but not enslaved.

There’s nothing unfaithful about adjusting the way you work when life shifts.

Flexibility can be Spirit-led, not flaky.

Pacing yourself can be wise, not weak.

One Mission, One Calling

At the end of the day, our goal isn’t to post more, stack more, or go viral.

It’s to remain rooted in God’s purpose however that flows in each season.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

— Matthew 28:19

So whether you’re full steam ahead or slowing things down…

Batch posting or free-styling…

Writing daily or weekly or pausing altogether…

Let’s stay faithful—

Not rigid.

What habits or expectations might God be inviting you to hold more loosely this season?