Still Here! “Barely Surviving”
- Summer
- Jul 23
- 2 min read
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”— Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
Some days, the most honest thing we can say is: “I’m here… barely.”
That’s exactly what my friend texted back when I asked her, “Are you alive and well?”
She replied, “Alive… barely surviving.”
And I smiled — not because it was funny (even though it kind of was — I know her so well), but because it was familiar. I’ve been there. A lot. And maybe that’s why her response didn’t surprise me — because I knew exactly what she meant.
It’s not just a mood.
One that too many of us are quietly living in right now.
And it made me pause — not in a dramatic, earth-shattering way, but in a quiet, knowing kind of way. Like, “Oh. I’m not the only one.”
Survival Isn’t Failure
I’ve walked through seasons where survival felt like the only thing I could manage—not thriving, not conquering, not even keeping up. Just… still here.
And I used to think that kind of season was something I needed to explain away — like it meant I wasn’t trusting God enough. Or that I wasn’t organized enough. Strong enough. Whatever enough.
But I’m starting to believe that some seasons just are. And in those seasons, grace doesn’t look like a breakthrough or a bounce-back.
Sometimes grace looks like:
A simple "I love you, Mom," at the end of the day.
Crying in the laundry room… and still switching the load.
Sitting in the car — taking a deep breath and whispering, “Okay, God. Be near.”
You’re Not the Only One
That’s what hit me today.
Not the tiredness — but the togetherness.
The quiet truth that so many of us — single moms, married moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms, empty nesters — are walking through our kind of barely.
Some of us whisper it.
Some of us laugh through it.
Some of us don’t say it at all.
But we all feel it.
So maybe this post isn’t about making it to the other side.
Maybe it’s not even about the next step.
Maybe it’s just about sitting in this moment, acknowledging that we’re here —and that here might not be shiny or strong, but it’s still sacred.
Because God is here.
In the undone.
In the unraveling.
In the overwhelmed.
And somehow… that’s enough.
My Prayer:
Jesus,
Thank You for the quiet kind of grace — the one that doesn’t rush me, pressure me, or require me to perform. Thank You for reminding me that I’m not alone, that there’s a whole community of women carrying invisible weight.
Be near to us today.. Help us show up for each other with grace, and maybe even laugh when we want to cry.
Teach us how to honor this part of the journey, even when it’s heavy. Even when it’s hidden. Even when it’s hard.
Click below to download the "Still Here" devotional and spend a few quiet moments reflecting, journaling, and remembering you’re not alone.
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