The Daily CHEW™
Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
Yesterday, walking between back-to-back client sessions, I felt my phone buzzing with what I knew would be urgent messages—a frustrated team member, a client request that needed immediate attention, and three emails marked “high priority.” I thrive on solving problems and serving people well, my instinct was to dive in immediately. But I also felt that familiar tightness in my chest, the subtle shift from confident service to anxious scrambling. I had maybe two minutes before my next session, and I realized I had a choice: react from stress or respond from love.
Maybe you know that exact moment when your day accelerates beyond your emotional capacity to keep up. Maybe you’ve felt the tension between your desire to serve excellently and the underlying anxiety that whispers “you’re behind, you’re not enough, you need to work faster.” Maybe you’ve wished for a way to reset your heart in real time—not after work, not during your morning quiet time, but right in the middle of the chaos when you most need to remember who you are.
This isn’t about slowing down your pace or becoming less responsive to genuine needs. High performers actually perform better when they operate from secure identity rather than driven striving. The Gospel truth is that God’s love doesn’t compete with urgency—it transforms it. When we know we’re as loved as Jesus himself, we can engage intensity without being controlled by it, handle pressure without being crushed by it, and serve others from overflow rather than emptiness.
Join me for the In-the-Moment CHEW—your 1-3 minute reset for those busy, stressful, or tempting moments when life won’t wait.
The In-the-Moment CHEW: Quick Resets for Real Life
The In-the-Moment CHEW (1-3 minutes)
Best used: For busy moments, stress, transitions, temptations, or whenever you need a fast heart check
1. Begin with Adoration
Center your heart with a brief prayer:
“God, You are King of everything. You aren’t weak or limited in any way, and yet you love us.”
Remind yourself: You don’t need to be perfect or have all the answers. Just bring your real self.
2. Confess: What Are You Feeling or Facing?
- What am I feeling or facing right now?
- Name the emotion, temptation, stress, or distraction on your mind
- Bring your struggle into the light, knowing you’re already loved
- Honestly confess: How am I missing or forgetting Your love in this moment?
3. Hear: Listen for God’s Truth
- What Scripture or truth speaks to your situation?
- (Choose one Gospel promise that speaks directly to what you just confessed, or browse these targeted categories to find the biblical truth your heart most needs right now.)
- Trust that God’s Word can shape your heart, even in a quick pause
4. Pause for Awe: Linger and Notice
- Take a slow breath and linger for 10 seconds
- Ask: What am I really feeling? What am I afraid to feel?
- Don’t rush to the next step—this pause matters
- Whisper “thank you” for God’s love, even if you don’t feel it
- Notice any shift, comfort, or challenge—even if you feel nothing, God’s love remains true
5. Exchange: Watch How God’s Love Reshapes You
Use this question:
If I really believed God’s love is [truth or characteristic], how would that change [my situation, feeling, or response] right now?
- Answer honestly—even if it’s just a word or a feeling
- Explore the full impact, not just the “right answer”
6. Walk: Take a Practical Step
- What is one small step I can take, trusting His love?
- Sometimes the step is simply to rest, breathe, shift your focus, or reach out to someone
7. Reflect and Celebrate Every Honest Shift
- Notice: What changed in me after this CHEW?
- Why does this matter for my heart or faith?
- Every honest moment of awareness is progress—celebrate the moment of connection, not just the outcome
- You don’t have to feel a certain way or have a big breakthrough. Even a small, honest answer is real growth.
Summary Table: In-the-Moment CHEW Steps
| Step | What to Do | Key Question or Prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Adore | Center on God’s presence and love | “God, you are with me and loving me—even in this moment” |
| Confess | Name what you’re feeling or facing; bring it honestly to God | “What am I feeling or facing right now? How am I missing your love?” |
| Hear | Listen for God’s Word or truth | “What Scripture or truth speaks to my situation right now?” |
| Pause | Linger for 10 seconds; notice your heart | “What am I really feeling? What am I afraid to feel?” |
| Exchange | Imagine how God’s love would change your response | “If I really believed God’s love is [truth], how would that change this moment?” |
| Walk | Take a small, practical step trusting His love | “What is one small step I can take, trusting His love?” |
| Reflect | Notice what shifted in you | “What changed in me after this CHEW? Why does this matter?” |
| Celebrate | Thank God for every honest pause and shift | “What shifted in me? Why is this a win?” |
Real-Life In-the-Moment CHEW Examples
Between client meetings with urgent messages waiting:
“If I really believed God’s love is present and sufficient right now, what would change? I would read these messages from security, not anxiety, knowing God holds my client relationships in His hands.”
During a difficult team conversation:
“If I really believed God’s love is patient and wise, what would change in my response? I would listen more carefully, speak more thoughtfully, and trust God to work through honest conversation.”
When tempted to eat emotionally after a stressful day:
“If I really believed God’s love is more satisfying than any comfort food, what would change? I would pause, call a friend, or take a walk, trusting God to meet my deeper need for comfort.”
Why 1-3 Minutes Matters for High Performers
As leaders, we don’t always have the luxury of long reflection times during busy seasons. The In-the-Moment CHEW acknowledges this reality while providing a way to stay connected to God’s love throughout your most intense days. Research shows that brief, consistent practices often create more sustainable change than longer, infrequent ones. These micro-returns to God’s love build neural pathways of trust that serve you in every situation.
When to Use In-the-Moment CHEWs
- Between meetings or appointments when you need to reset your heart
- During stressful conversations when emotions are running high
- When facing temptations and you need immediate spiritual support
- During transitions from one task or environment to another
- When you notice anxiety, frustration, or overwhelm building up
- Before important decisions when you want to respond from love rather than fear
Normalize the Process
Not every In-the-Moment CHEW will feel powerful or transformative. Some will be purely functional—just a brief pause that keeps you connected to reality beyond your immediate stress. Others might bring surprising peace or clarity. Both are exactly what you need. God meets you in the simple act of turning toward Him, regardless of what you feel in response.
CHEW On This™:
If you really believed that God’s love is available and active in the smallest pauses of your busiest days, how would that change the way you handle stress, transitions, and unexpected challenges?
Community Call
In-the-Moment CHEWs work best when they become a shared rhythm. Consider introducing this practice to your team, family, or accountability group. Share what changes when you pause for 60 seconds to remember you’re loved in the middle of life’s intensity—not just during quiet, private moments.
Get God’s love from your head to your heart—subscribe to The Daily CHEW™ and experience real change, peace, and hope every day.
Ready for lasting transformation? Learn how to make CHEWing a daily rhythm in CHEW Groups and beyond.
Chew on God’s Love. Live Transformed. Multiply Hope.
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