The Suede Sofa Blog

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Have you ever stood at the beginning of something…and felt completely stuck?

Not because you don’t care—but because it feels overwhelming. Too many moving parts. Too many decisions. Too many unknowns.

So instead of moving forward…you freeze.

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The Promise We Forget

For the follower of Christ, there’s a promise:

“The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord…” —Psalm 37:23 (AMP)

(And yes—this applies to women too )

Let that sink in.

You are not responsible for the whole plan.
You are not responsible for the outcome.

God is.

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The Shift

Instead of trying to figure everything out…

God orders the steps
You take the step
That’s it.

Not the whole journey. Just the next step.

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When You Don’t Know Where to Start

When everything feels overwhelming, don’t ask: “What do I do about everything?”

Ask: What is the most faithful next step right in front of me?

This is why I love the Low-Hanging Fruit™ Framework.

Because when life feels big and unclear, you don’t need a full plan…

you need an ON-RAMP (And I’ve also found that’s where God’s grace is. )

Low-hanging fruit helps you identify:

• what is right in front of you
• what you can actually do now
• what will create movement

And here’s what’s powerful:

Not everything carries equal weight. There is always:

a 1% step (aka your ON-RAMP) that moves the other 99%

That’s your low-hanging fruit. That’s your starting point.

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Where Momentum Begins

Here’s what most people miss:

Momentum doesn’t come from big moves
It comes from faithful small steps

When you take the right next step you create movement. Movement builds confidence. Confidence builds consistency. And consistency?

That’s where momentum lives.

You don’t need to feel ready. You don’t need the whole plan.

You just need to move.

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This Is a Walk

Following God isn’t a blueprint you execute…It’s a walk you live.

And in a walk:

You can only take one step at a time.

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But How Do You Know It’s the Right Step?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart…” —Proverbs 3:5–6

You seek God. You surrender. And then…

you step.

And as you do, pay attention to this:

Peace → move forward
Pause → seek again
No peace → wait, don’t force it

Not comfort. Not ease.

Peace.

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Final Thought

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

Just be faithful in the step in front of you. Because when God orders your steps…

the pressure is off

the path unfolds

and faith becomes something you actually live

Find your low-hanging fruit
Take your step
Trust Him with the rest

One principle I’ve returned to again and again in my journey of seeking Peace with Food has been this:

Use the resources you have.

This principle showed up often during that season, and when Peace with Food was published in 2015, it even had a chapter all its own. (Page 194 for any of you who still have your copy and want a quick refresher )

Later, when the Low-Hanging Fruit Framework started taking form, I realized this principle was foundational there as well.

Start with what is already within reach. You may not have everything — but you have enough for the next step.

And once you take that step, you’ll have enough for the step after that.

Using the resources you have is really about stewarding well the opportunities God gives you.

“Look carefully then how you walk… making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity].” —Ephesians 5:15 (AMPC)

Faithfulness with today’s opportunity often reveals tomorrow’s provision.

The Lie We Believe

There is a lie we tend to believe. It goes like this:

“If I just had more…”

Time
Money
Clarity
Confidence
Support
Influence
Education
Fill in the Blank

But what if the issue isn’t scarcity — but stewardship of what we already have?

The Biblical Pattern

When Moses felt unqualified, God asked:
“What is that in your hand?” —Exodus 4:2

When the disciples faced a hungry crowd, they saw lack — just five loaves and two fish.

Small? Yes.

Insignificant? It seemed that way. But in God’s hands, it was more than enough. Faith rarely begins with abundance. It begins with what is already in your hand.

Low-Hanging Fruit

The Low-Hanging Fruit principle is about starting with what is already available to you, aka using the resources you have. It simply means:

Use what’s accessible
Leverage what’s within reach
Steward what you already have

Faithfulness with small things prepares you for greater ones. You don’t need a new life to begin. You simply need to recognize the resources already available to you.

What Counts as a Resource?

Resources are not just money.

They include:

Time
Energy
Experience
Lessons learned
Relationships
Mentors
Perspective
Education
Skills
Ideas
Creativity
Technology
Tools
Challenges you’ve overcome
Wisdom gained from pain

Today’s Action Step

Take inventory.

What is currently in your hand?

What resource have you been overlooking?
What under-utilized strength is sitting idle?
What Low-Hanging Fruit is within reach?

Identify one resource. Leverage it. Take one step. Plant the seed.

In doing so, you place something in God’s hands for Him to multiply.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned during what I call my “perfect storm” these past few years is this:

I’ve come to see there is ONE true Source. Everything else in my life functions as a resource.

For me, that Source is God.

“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, who is THE SOURCE of all things and for whom we live; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.” —1 Corinthians 8:6 (AMPC)

But so often, I’ve looked to other people and things as my source.

This was a hard lesson to learn.

And if I’m transparent, I’m still learning it — just at deeper levels.

But once it began to click, it was freeing.

Because when I stop asking created things to be my source — or to satisfy needs they were never meant to satisfy — I stop being disappointed, and I stop placing expectations on them they were never designed to carry.

And sometimes the resource I trust most isn’t money or people — it’s control, reputation, certainty… or my own self-reliance.

This perspective has shaped the way I think about many areas of life. Here are some of the ways I’ve seen it play out across the 8 Domains of Life:

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SPIRITUAL

Growth and transformation are important. We have a role — obedience, surrender, renewing our minds.

But sanctification is ultimately God’s work in us.

He invites us into the process. He is still the Source of the power.

In my experience, trying to change myself apart from Him has been a futile endeavor.

“For apart from me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5 (ESV)

But when I join in with Him by abiding in Him, that’s when I begin to experience His grace — the kind that produces transformation and fruitfulness I could never produce on my own.

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PERSONAL

Self-Discipline

Years ago, I remember my pastor, DJ, saying in a sermon, “You pride yourself on pulling yourself up by your bootstraps — but it’s only because of the grace of God that you even have the desire to do it in the first place.”

I had never thought of it that way before.

It was humbling to realize that even my motivation…

even my drive…

is not self-generated.

The desire to change and grow is a gift of grace.

Peace

God uses resources — friends, therapists, wise counsel, practical tools. I’m grateful for all of them. But I’ve learned that peace itself doesn’t originate in systems or self-discipline.

When I’ve tried to squeeze ultimate stability from people, plans, or my own control, I’ve felt the strain.

When I return to Him as my Source, the pressure releases and peace flows like a river.

Knowledge

We are called to learn, grow, think deeply, and study.

But intelligence is not self-generated brilliance. Knowledge is not something I manufacture.

When pride creeps in, I remind myself: the ability to think, reason, and understand is a gift.

So are the opportunities — mentors, education, resources — that make growth possible.

For me, all true wisdom ultimately traces back to Him.

“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” —Job 12:13 (NIV)

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PHYSICAL

We are responsible to steward our health.

But even if we…

work out,

lift,

eat well,

hydrate,

protect our sleep…

we do not generate life.

“For in him we live and move and have our being.” —Acts 17:28 (NIV)

We care for the body. But God is the Giver of life.

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FAMILY

Family relationships are a gift.

They enrich.

They sharpen.

They comfort.

They bring laughter and lighten the soul.

But no human can carry the weight of being our ultimate fulfillment.

When we look to our spouse, our kids, or other family members to fill what only God can fill, we often feel disappointment — not necessarily because they failed, but because the expectation itself was misplaced.

People enrich and enhance our lives. Only God truly satisfies it.

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PROFESSIONAL

{Because work often feels tied to purpose and contribution, this is an area I’ve had to sort through both reflectively and prayerfully — and I’m still in the process.}

Jobs.

Careers.

Businesses.

Promotions.

Recognition.

We can:

Plan.

Uplevel our skills.

Invest in growth.

Refine our craft.

Work diligently.

Take initiative and pursue excellence.

But opportunity, favor, and provision are not self-manufactured.

Neither are the ideas we steward…

the tools we access…

or the doors that open at just the right time.

We take responsibility for our effort.

But I’ve come to see that the insight, the resources, and the doors that open — all good gifts — ultimately come from God. And even when things don’t unfold the way we hoped, His sovereignty is still at work.

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FINANCIAL

Money is an area I’ve spent time reflecting on, praying through, and seeking to understand from a biblical perspective over the years, so this is simply how I’ve come to see it.

We follow principles.

We educate ourselves.

We budget.

We invest.

We practice generosity.

We use wisdom.

But provision ultimately flows from the One who owns it all.

Security in money, assets, the economy, jobs — or any place we receive income — can feel fragile and unpredictable.

I’ve found that security rooted in God is a whole lot steadier — not dependent on markets or circumstances.

And it brings a kind of peace that transcends understanding.

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REST & RECHARGE

Over the years, I’ve really come to see the importance of this domain.

Vacations — especially with loved ones — are a gift.

Sleep is invaluable.

Sabbath rhythms are wise.

But a vacation, a good night’s sleep, or intentional unplugging don’t automatically produce soul-rest.

I’ve found that the kind of restoration that restores, refreshes, and steadies me from the inside ultimately comes from Him.

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PEOPLE

Friendships are sweet.

Community is necessary.

Mentors are a gift.

But no person is meant to be my foundation.

When God is my Source, people can simply be resources — a true blessing.

It takes the pressure off them to fulfill a role that they were never designed to carry.

I continually need to ask myself:

Where might I be asking a person to be my source?

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The Framework That Changed It for Me

Over time, I realized I needed something practical to help me live this out — not just have the idea floating around in my head. So I began using a simple framework that has been a game-changer for me. I may not live it out perfectly, but it continually re-aligns me. And here’s that framework:

100% Intention. 0% Attachment.

I will be intentional in every domain and assignment I believe God has given me.

I will show up.

I will steward being faithful with my Low-Hanging Fruit.

I will take full responsibility for my part.

But I will hold the outcomes loosely.

I’m learning to trust God, knowing He sees what I cannot see and knows what is ultimately best.

I take responsibility for obedience. And I trust His sovereignty for the rest.

That shift has changed everything for me.

When I Trust God As My Source:

• I can enjoy resources without unknowingly looking to them for what only God can provide.

• I can lose resources without being crushed.

• I can hold success loosely.

• I can endure loss without despair.

The reassuring thing is this: when I understand that God is my Source and everything else is a resource, if a resource is taken away, I don’t have to panic.

Because God is my Source, I can look to Him and trust that He will supply what I need.

It doesn’t make life easy.

But it makes life anchored.

And it keeps my eyes on the One I’ve come to trust as my Source.

Everything else?

A gift.

A tool.

A blessing.

But not the Source.

So where are you in the journey from acorn to oak?

Are you just beginning — an acorn ready to be planted?

A seedling or sapling?

Or are you further along — roots deep, branches wide, offering shade to others?

Wherever you are, Scripture speaks to you.

If You’re Young — Plant Early, Nurture, & Protect.

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…” —Ecclesiastes 12:1 (NIV)

There is something powerful about early roots.

The habits you form.
The beliefs you embrace.
The direction you choose.

Youth is a season of learning His presence.

Of practicing abiding.
Of getting to know His character and His ways.

This is where sanctification begins — not in perfection, but in surrender.

Every prayer.
Every step of obedience.
Every quiet return to Him forms the roots that will hold you steady later.

And even if you feel small or overlooked:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young…” —1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

Youth in the Kingdom is not insignificance.

It is preparation.
It is formation.
It is grace building structure beneath your life.

Deep roots now become strong branches later.

If You’re Older — You Are Still Flourishing.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree… They will still bear fruit in old age…” —Psalm 92:12–15 (NIV)

Age in the Kingdom is not decline.

It is depth.
It is tested faith.
It is history with God.

Sanctification over decades produces something rare.

Maturity.
Steadiness.
A quiet confidence that no longer needs to prove itself.

When you’ve walked with Him long enough, you don’t just believe He is faithful — you know He is.

You can say with conviction:

“The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.” —Psalm 92:15 (NIV)

That declaration isn’t optimism.

It’s history. And that history becomes a gift to others.

Because sanctification is never just personal.

Its fruit strengthens families.
It steadies churches.
It shelters younger believers.

That may be one of the greatest gifts of growing older — not just that we flourish, but that others flourish because we did.

And Here’s the Beauty In It All

There is beauty wherever you find yourself.

If you’re young — plant early. Let your roots grow deep in Christ.

Let Him shape you now.

If you’re older and you’ve walked with Him for decades —keep bearing fruit. Your steadiness matters more than you realize.

And if you’re older but feel like you’re just beginning…

like you didn’t plant when you wish you had…

Hear this:

It’s never too late to plant — there is grace for you right where you are.

The Invitation

Regardless of your season…

The greatest place to be is not a stage —not acorn, not seedling, not sapling, not oak.

It is in His presence.

And that invitation is for today.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.” —Psalm 107:2 (NIV)

I know I’ve shared pieces of this in previous posts, but I feel so compelled to tell the story of the freedom I’ve experienced in Christ.

Maybe it’s because this has been a 40+ year journey — and at times, it truly felt hopeless.

And most definitely, it’s because I want others to know they can experience freedom too, no matter what they are facing or where they are on the journey.

And here’s where I am today:

Completely.

Blown.

Away.

The freedom I’ve experienced has begun to ripple into other areas of my life.

It’s like… slowly, over decades…

and then suddenly…

And I am in complete AWE.

Freedom from anxiety that once hit me with a vengeance after two close-call vehicle accidents (still a work in progress, but with real and noticeable change).

Freedom from mindsets and thought patterns that once controlled me. (Yet another multi-decade journey).

All I can do is give glory to God.

So today, whatever you’re facing…

If you need freedom.

If you need hope. And not just hope — but everlasting hope.

If you need healing.

I am here to tell you that the bondage-breaker, hope-giver, and heart-healer is:

Jesus.

And He has come to set the captives free and heal the broken-hearted — just as this verse about Him describes:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” —Isaiah 61:1 (AMPC)

Here’s the takeaway. Today, there is:

HOPE for you.

FREEDOM for you.

HEALING for you.

So that one day, you too can proclaim:

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story!”

Have you ever read a verse like this and felt instantly overwhelmed?

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)

Or verses that tell us to be patient, be gentle, be self-controlled…

And thought:

How am I supposed to do that when I’m not patient… or joyful… or self-controlled right now?

Here’s a perspective shift that helped me:

Those verses describe two different stages — not one. They speak to both the harvest and the sowing.

We often read them as if God is saying, “Do this perfectly. Now.”

But that’s not how growth and the sanctification process works.

Think about it this way

It would be like walking into a gym on Day 1 and your trainer telling you to lift a 200-lb barbell.

You couldn’t do it.

Not because you’re incapable — but because you haven’t trained yet.

But an 8, 10 or 15 lb. dumbbell? Now, that’s doable.

The 200-lb lift is the goal.

It’s the harvest.

The lighter dumbbell? It’s the seed.

And Scripture never ignores the process that gets you there.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” —Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

So how do you move from where you are… to what God is calling you toward?

We take a page from the farmer’s playbook.

A farmer doesn’t demand a harvest without first planting seed. And the kind of harvest he wants determines the kind of seed he plants.

If you want to harvest a rejoicing heart, you start by planting seeds of gratitude.

And here’s the good news:

You can start right now. Literally.

Like… right now.

Pause for a moment.

What is one thing you can thank God for in this exact moment?

Go ahead.

Thank Him.

That right there?

That’s sowing.

Now take it one step further — grab your phone and set a simple daily reoccurring reminder to give thanks. (If you don’t know how… ask a teenager mine had to show me.)

Congratulations.

You’ve just put the process of sowing and reaping into motion in a simple, Low-Hanging Fruit kind of way.

And here’s something just as important to remember:

Seeds don’t grow by striving — they grow by staying connected.

Jesus never told us to produce fruit through effort.

He told us to abide.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5 (NIV)

Our role isn’t to force fruit.

It’s to stay connected to the Vine — and let God do the growing.

And what about patience?

You don’t become patient by trying to feel patient.

You practice patience in small, ordinary moments.

For example, in your next conversation:

Pause before responding

Resist the urge to fix, advise, or interrupt

Listen all the way through

That small act?

Another seed planted.

“The fruit of the Spirit is… patience.” —Galatians 5:22 (NIV)

Fruit grows.

It isn’t forced.

So no—obeying Scripture doesn’t mean pretending you’re already there or trying to force patience, self-control, or a thankful heart.

It means faithfully planting today what you want to harvest tomorrow, while staying connected to the One who makes growth possible.

Little by little.

Seed by seed.

With God’s help.

Gentle Check-In:

What kind of harvest do you want in your life right now?

And what’s one small seed you could plant today?

You don’t need to lift the 200-lb barbell yet. Just show up… stay connected… and give God something to work with.