PRACTICE - Growing with God (Part 4)
Where faith becomes real, and small steps matter.
There comes a point when wondering isn’t enough.
The dreaming, the questioning, the pausing – they’re all part of the journey, all necessary in their own time. But eventually, something begins to stir beneath the surface. Not always loud. Not always dramatic. Just a quiet ache – a sort of restlessness that says: “I don’t want to just think about this anymore. I want to live it.”
This is where PRACTICE begins. Not the kind driven by pressure or productivity, but something far gentler – the kind that begins in presence. It doesn’t demand a five-step plan or a perfectly curated calendar. It begins with something smaller, something simpler. It begins with one honest yes.
If SPACE helped us breathe and EXPLORE helped us dream, then PRACTICE is where the rhythm becomes real. It’s the moment where we stop circling the idea and start stepping into it – slowly, quietly, courageously. It’s the shift from theory to embodiment, from asking “what if?” to choosing “what now?” Not because we have it all figured out, but because something inside us knows it’s time to begin.
There’s no need for it to be impressive. You don’t need to post about it or perfect it or prove anything to anyone. In fact, the most powerful practices often happen in the unseen places – the early mornings, the whispered prayers, the decision to show up when no one else is watching. This isn’t about changing your whole life overnight. It’s about paying attention to the small things that quietly shape who you’re becoming.
That’s what PRACTICE is. It’s what happens when the pause gives way to movement, when hope becomes habit, when longing becomes lived. And it starts, not with a loud declaration, but with the slow and steady choice to live what you believe – one breath, one step, one yes at a time.
The Next Right Thing
Sometimes, the next right thing doesn’t feel obvious. Sometimes, it feels terrifying.
I often think of Moses in that moment – standing at the edge of the sea, staff in hand, with an entire people behind him and nothing but impossibility ahead. The waters hadn’t parted yet. There was no guarantee they would. It had never happened before. And if he’d let his mind wander too far – if he’d overthought it or let fear win – maybe he would’ve stayed still. Maybe he would’ve tried to bargain with God or delay the moment, convincing himself the timing wasn’t quite right. But instead, he did something quietly courageous. He raised his hand. He lifted his staff. He stepped into the unknown and trusted that God would meet him in it.
That’s what the next right thing is all about. Not certainty. Not control. Not waiting until we’re absolutely sure it’s going to work. It’s about surrender. It’s about doing the one small thing we can do – not because we know the outcome, but because we know the One who holds it. Moses didn’t part the sea through his own power. He simply said, “Here I am,” and acted in obedience. The miracle came after the movement.
And maybe that’s where some of us are now. On the edge of something. Holding our breath. Wondering if what we’ve sensed, dreamed, or prayed about is actually worth stepping into. And if that’s you, if you’ve been hovering in the space between wondering and doing – then this is your invitation. Not to rush. Not to perform. Just to take the next faithful step. The one that’s right in front of you.
Because that’s how PRACTICE begins. That’s how every good and beautiful thing starts – not with certainty, but with surrender. Not with noise, but with presence. Not with seeing the whole road, but with having just enough light for the next step.
Maybe for you, that next right thing is carving out time to rest. Or opening up to someone you trust. Or signing up to a Growing with God taster session (excuse the bias!) – not because you have it all figured out, but because something inside you is stirring. You’re sensing there’s more. And you’re ready – maybe scared, but still ready – to stop circling the idea and start stepping in. You don’t have to know where it leads. You just need to begin.
The Invitation
I won’t pretend I’ve got it all sorted. I’m still learning how to live this rhythm myself – still forgetting, still returning, still catching glimpses of the kind of life I think God is calling us into.
But what I can say is this: something shifts when we stop thinking about it and start living it. When we stop asking what if? and start choosing what now?
The reason Growing with God moves in a spiral – SPACE, EXPLORE, PRACTICE – is because we always return. This isn’t a one-time framework. It’s a living rhythm. A way of becoming.
We make space. We ask the deep questions. We dream. And then we put it into practice – not just once, but as a way of life.
Not by doing the same thing every day. Not by getting it all right. But by showing up again and again – wherever we are – and letting God be part of it. Letting the rhythm breathe. Letting our lives be shaped by something deeper than fear, deeper than hurry, deeper than control.
And if you’ve read this far, there’s probably something in you that wants to live differently. Maybe you don’t have words for it yet – maybe it’s just a sense. A stirring. That’s more than enough.
Because this whole thing – the taster sessions, the reflections, even this post – it’s not about answers. It’s about responding. It’s about choosing the next right thing, whatever it looks like for you.
And that can start right now.
Growing with God is for those who feel stuck. For those who feel called. For those who feel tired, hopeful, restless, curious – maybe all at once. It’s for anyone who’s ready to stop the busyness and to try to step into God’s presence.
If you’re ready to respond – even just a little – there’s space for you.
The next round of Growing with God taster sessions will take place in August 2025. They’re small, yet spacious online gatherings where we explore the rhythm together – not in theory, but in practice. There’s no pressure to share, no expectation to be anywhere other than where you are. Just an invitation to pause, listen, and lean into something that might be calling you deeper.
Each taster is just £15, and for those of you who aren’t already a paid subscriber, includes a month of free access to the paid subscription of A Curious Follower – where I share reflections like this, behind-the-scenes writing, and early access to future sessions.
More dates will be released soon for September, October, and November – but if something in you is stirring, these are the ones available now.
Here are the upcoming dates:
AUGUST 2025
– Monday 4th August, 9am–12pm (UK time)
– Tuesday 5th August – 1pm–4pm (UK time)
– Wednesday 6th August, 7pm–10pm (UK time)
– Monday 11th August, 1pm–4pm (UK time)
– Tuesday 12th August, 7pm–10pm (UK time)
– Wednesday 13th August, 9am–12pm (UK time)
Click the date that suits you to book your place.
And if you're not sure yet – that's okay too. Come back to this when you're ready. The rhythm will still be here.
Josh | A Curious Follower
To catch up on the story so far…
If this post stirred something in you – a question, a desire, even just a nudge – I’d love to hear from you. You’re welcome to share your reflections in the comments, or forward this to someone who might be standing on the edge of their own next right thing.
And if you’re curious to keep journeying – to practise this rhythm slowly, honestly, together – you can subscribe, come to a session, or simply keep showing up here, in this little corner of the internet.
There’s no pressure. Just permission to be.