A Thank You to 2025 and a Look Ahead into 2026

As this year comes to a close, I want to pause and say thank you.

Back in October, I accidentally deleted my previous publication. I was genuinely devastated and, for a moment, I almost didn’t want to start over. Starting again felt vulnerable and discouraging—but I did, and writing here on Substack has been such a gift.

Since October, this space has grown to over 300 subscribers, which truly humbles me. But I want to say this honestly: even if there were fewer than 100 of you, I would still feel deeply honored to write here. This has never been about numbers. It’s about connection, shared values, and having a place to show up honestly.

Between 2018 and 2023, I walked through a long season of burnout—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Chronic health challenges, anxiety, undiagnosed ADHD, pregnancy loss, and early motherhood during the pandemic all collided at once. Healing didn’t come all at once. It came quietly, through slowing down, returning to the Word, and creating gentler rhythms for my body, my faith, and my motherhood. Romanticizing motherhood, for me, was never about pretending life was perfect—it was about noticing what was still sacred in the middle of the mess.

That season shaped everything I’m building here now.

As I look toward 2026, I’m slowly and prayerfully thinking about what this space could become. At its heart, I want this to be a place for modern Christian moms who are rebuilding after burnout and longing for a softer, more intentional life rooted in faith—not just another version of slow living content, but something grounded, honest, and useful.

Here’s what I’m gently exploring as I map out the year ahead.

For free subscribers, my hope is to continue offering faith-rooted encouragement, Christian reflections, and high-level, approachable guidance on soft, intentional living for modern Christian moms. Community will always matter to me, whether that looks like Substack group messages or a simple shared space for connection and prayer.

For paid subscribers, I’m considering offering deeper support over time—things like honest, seasonal recommendations I personally use and love; access to a small, evolving library of digital resources; and deeper dives, practical tools, and updates as this work grows. I have already been working on putting together a digital product and frameworks and I’m so excited to share it in 2026!

I also want to be transparent about my heart in all of this. I love writing. I love researching, synthesizing, and building community. This space is meaningful to me as a stay-at-home mom who wants to create something life-giving for both her family and herself. Yes, I would love to eventually monetize my time and work in a thoughtful, values-aligned way. Anything I share here will always come from my own experience, care, and conviction, with a desire to glorify God through faithful, honest work.

So as I close out this year, I’d love to hear from you. Does this vision resonate? Is this something you’d enjoy reading, supporting, or paying for one day? Or something you’d prefer to keep as a free, quiet place to land? All feedback is welcome and genuinely helpful.

Thank you for being here—for reading, for sharing, for being part of this space. I’m deeply grateful, and I’m excited to tend this slowly and intentionally in the year ahead.

With love.

Sarah

If you’ve been encouraged by this post and want to support my writing, you can “buy me a coffee” to help me keep creating gentle, faith-filled content: buymeacoffee.com/bysarahsmith