This Rule of Life is offered as a public confession of posture... a way of naming how I seek to live before God and with others. It is not a checklist for spiritual success or a system for self-improvement, but a relational trellis that supports attentiveness to the God who is already present.
Anchored in my word for the year, Immanuel (God with us), this Rule reflects a desire to live as if that truth is real, trustworthy, and formative. Rather than striving to reach God, it invites me to notice Him. Rather than rushing toward outcomes, it encourages a slower, more faithful attentiveness to presence. This Rule is shaped by a commitment to congruency of life - that what is confessed with words is increasingly aligned with how life is lived.
While this Rule is personal, it is shared in the hope that it may encourage others to consider their own rhythms of presence, abiding, and love.
“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16)
This Rule follows a simple, relational movement:
Presence — God is with me. My role is awareness.
Abiding — I remain in God, even when I feel distracted or dry.
Blessing — What God forms in me flows outward to others.
I do not earn blessing through effort, I receive it through presence and release it through love.
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you.” (John 15:4)
Posture: Availability and trust
Begin the day by acknowledging God’s nearness: “God, You are here.”
A brief prayer of surrender, offering heart, mind, body, and soul.
Scripture reading shaped by The BibleProject: One Story That Leads to Jesus, asking:
Where do I see God-with-us in today’s word?
A simple breath prayer or moment of silence to anchor attention.
Aim: To start the day from belonging, not urgency.
Posture: Attention and alignment
Pause to notice where God feels near or distant.
A short prayer: “Help me remain with You here.”
Practice embodied awareness (walking, breathing, noticing creation).
Aim: To remain present with God in ordinary moments, not just sacred ones.
Posture: Reflection and trust
Review the day with God:
Where did I notice God’s presence?
Where did I resist or rush past Him?
Where was I given life (consolation)? Where was life drained (desolation)?
Confess, receive grace, and give thanks.
Pray a blessing over specific people God brings to mind.
Aim: To end the day grounded in grace, not judgment.
Engage Scripture not as isolated verses, but as God’s unified story.
Read with Jesus at the center and transformation as the goal.
Gather with others for worship, prayer, and honest conversation.
Practice deep listening and shared discernment.
Choose presence over fixing, curiosity over certainty.
Set aside time each week to stop, rest, delight, and trust.
Resist productivity as identity.
Receive rest as a gift from Immanuel - God with me.
This Rule also serves as the foundation for a weekly devotional rhythm, designed backward from desired fruit.
Weekly Question: How am I living this week as if God is truly with me?
Each week may include:
A presence theme (e.g., God with us in creation, suffering, obedience, blessing, hope)
A Scripture anchor from the BibleProject reading
A practice of attention (silence, blessing, slowing, listening)
A relational posture toward others (hospitality, encouragement, prayer)
The goal is not completion, but formation.
This Rule is held with gentleness.
When I fail, I return without shame.
When I forget, I notice again.
When I am weary, God remains with me.
Faithfulness is measured not by perfection, but by returning to presence.
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” (Psalm 145:8)
This Rule of Life reflects my ongoing response to God’s invitation to walk with Him—daily, slowly, and honestly. By grace, through the Holy Spirit, I seek to live a life marked by presence, abiding, and blessing…
with Jesus, like Jesus, and for Jesus.
Amen.
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)
The life of Jesus models what a life lived with God looks like... one of steady growth, relational depth, embodied presence, and faithful obedience. Immanuel reminds us that God is not distant from this process but fully present within it. As Jesus grew in wisdom, character, and relationship, so this Rule of Life seeks to hold space for holistic growth - heart, mind, body, and soul - in relationship with God and with others.