Let’s Begin Again
by Stephanie Llorente
You may or may not have noticed, but it’s been a while since I authored a blog post for Restored. It’s also been six months since I posted on social media, and there were stretches when newsletters paused and gatherings disappeared from the website. For all intents and purposes, Restored took a hiatus.
In full transparency, I was flat out overwhelmed with life. My kids started a new school program. My husband changed jobs. Our finances were OK, but weird. My business went through a transition. And, if I’m being honest, I didn’t know what was next for Restored.
Were any of these life changes bad in and of themselves? Nope. It was just a lot at once. And it required a lot from me.
As you well know, a working woman’s time is in high demand - always. With all these life shifts, there was room in my life only for the essentials. Interestingly, the season I made me redefine what “essentials” really meant.
I eliminated what wasn’t necessary and allowed “no” to become a frequent refrain.
Can you meet for coffee? No.
Can you join this committee? No.
Can you attend this event? No.
Can you volunteer at school? No.
Can you write a blog post? No.
Can you respond to a long text? No.
It’s not that I didn’t want to. It’s that I couldn’t. I didn’t have the bandwidth, and I wasn’t willing to sacrifice church time, family time, or work time for the things that weren’t essential – even if they were good, fun or impactful.
I’m not writing this to explain my absence, but to remind anyone reading this that I’m in the trenches of life and motherhood right alongside you.
I’m busy and pulled in 10 directions at any given point. Just like you.
But - and let’s recite this part together - we’re also blessed beyond all measure. We serve a God who can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask for or imagine (Eph. 3:20). We are given agency to choose our essentials. And, we’re often better on the other side of struggle – refined like silver (Ps. 66:10).
I’m happy to report that our family is now in a new steady rhythm, and my overwhelm has dissipated - at least enough to pick Restored back up with a few thoughtful tweaks. What’s especially meaningful is that in my absence, some incredible women stepped in to share their insights, struggles and solutions on this blog, and for that I’m grateful. I’m considering their collective contributions as the exclamation point on the entire heart behind Restored – community matters.
When I couldn’t, they could – and did. They kept Restored relevant and rooted, and now it’s time for us to begin again. We have gatherings, blog posts, giveaways and so much more planned for 2026…and I would love nothing more than to see you connect with one of them.
And if you haven’t had a chance to read through the 2025 blog posts yet, they’ll be here when you’re ready. They’re good, but perhaps not essential. 😉