How Spiritual Formation Starts with Our Daily Breath

We long for a deeper connection with God and a renewed sense of peace in our daily lives . . . but when anxiety creeps in, how do we begin to even catch our breath? In Our Daily Breath Devotional: 365 Prayers and Practices That Whisper Peace in a Shouting World, Kayla Craig powerfully helps us to slow down and take a breath so that we might truly rest and rediscover God’s presence in the midst of our ordinary days. And what a gift that is—because when we create space to notice God’s love for us, we become more capable of extending that grace, peace, and renewal not only to ourselves, but to those around us, too. You’ll find that Kayla brings curiosity, compassion, and a love of connection to her writing. I’m so grateful for the exhale and encouragement Kayla offers here at the farm table today…

Guest Post by Kayla Craig

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We shuffle inside, leaving our own crammed schedules of work and family, kicking off shoes and greeting neighbors.

Cookies and drinks make their way around the table. I look around at the intergenerational lot of us.

We span backgrounds and perspectives, races and religions. Some are new to the neighborhood; others have watched decades pass and seasons change. There are grandmas and single adults, renters and homeowners, each of us bringing our own stories to the table as we take turns hosting in our homes.

As the neighborhood association president calls the meeting to order, I’m reminded that what brings us together is care for this place and for one another.

We move through our list of talking points—everything from planting trees to replacing lightbulbs in the square—and there’s life scattered between each line of the agenda. It looks a lot like church to me as we pass the peace and the coffee around the table. (There are squabbles too, which is also a lot like church.)

It’s hard to love your neighbor when you don’t know their name. It’s easy to get so caught up in the melodramas of our own lives that we overlook one another. But when we slow down, everything we do and everything we are can be an offering of love to others and an act of worship to the One who sees our work, even when we feel unseen.

The early church thrived on a culture of mutual support, and we’re called to live into those same rhythms today, creating communities of compassion and generosity and hospitality right where we live, where everyone’s gifts are valued and everyone’s needs are met.

If you feel like your work for the common good is unseen, like the school lunches you pack, the texts you send to check in, or the leaves you rake in your neighbor’s yard don’t matter—they do. 

“Everyday moments make up a life. When we care for one another, we are living our love for God out loud. God delights in our ordinary acts of goodness.“

Everyday moments make up a life. When we care for one another, we are living our love for God out loud. God delights in our ordinary acts of goodness.

God breathes life into you so you can exhale that goodness into the world.

Why do you have breath in your lungs at this very moment? What does God ask of you? 

The answer, spoken through the prophet Micah, is clear: Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. Learning to live into these rhythms means asking God to shape our hearts as much as our habits.

Spiritual formation starts in the quiet places of our souls, where the Spirit teaches us, again and again, what God’s love requires of us.

Acting justly looks like choosing integrity, even when it’s unpopular.

“Spiritual formation starts in the quiet places of our souls, where the Spirit teaches us, again and again, what God’s love requires of us.“

It looks like living the way of Jesus at your workplace, in your home, and throughout your community. It’s noticing who’s missing from the table—and doing something about it. Justice requires the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient.

Loving mercy means letting compassion crack open your heart.

It’s forgiving when holding a grudge seems easier, and choosing kindness and care for others—not because they’ve earned it, but because mercy is how God keeps loving the world.

Walking humbly begins with moving through the day aware that you’re not the center—yet you are still so very loved by God.

It’s aligning your steps with the One who walks beside you, listening before becoming defensive, and staying open to learning new perspectives while allowing the Spirit to transform you from the inside out. Humility creates space for God’s presence in every step.

This path is not always easy.

Thankfully, we only need to look to Jesus when we want our feet on the right path, because God has shown us “what is good” through Jesus Christ. And we don’t go alone—we have the Holy Spirit to guide us when we lose our way.

The Spirit is a patient teacher, guiding us back to justice, mercy, and humility. 

For me, practicing simple breath prayers like “You are with me” on the inhale and “In every breath” on the exhale has been a powerful part of my spiritual journey.

Breath prayers are simple phrases to pray with your inhale and exhale. These short prayers match the rhythm of your breathing, helping you focus your body and mind on the One who gives each breath.

Do you have one minute to spare while commuting to work or standing in line at the grocery store? Then you have enough time to borrow a breath prayer.

Breath prayers help us stay mindful of God’s loving presence, which permeates every nook and cranny of our busy days. They are a grab-and-go practice, an offering to tuck into your heart and unfold throughout the day.

By simply praying (silently or aloud) the inhale words as you breathe in and the exhale words as you let your breath go, you can find solid ground for your body and your soul. These simple prayers can return you to the Spirit of God, who is always with you (even when you forget that sacred truth).

When you integrate breath prayer into your day, you don’t need the perfect place or the perfect words to pray. Anyone with breath in their lungs and a heart that beats can pray alongside their breath.

In Isaiah 42:5, we read that our breath is a gift from the Creator, “who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it.”

No matter who you are or where you are, whether you’re aware of it or not, you have your breath. And that’s all you need to awaken to the presence of God in you and around you. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul encourages the people of God to “pray without ceasing.”

As we pray with our inhale and exhale, we become more awake to the presence of God in our messy, holy lives—our real lives, not the lives we wish we had, the ones we feel like we should have, or the ones we shine up for social media.

As we breathe deep the presence of Christ and then release our worries and fears-

with each exhale, we open ourselves to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

INHALE: You are with me

EXHALE: In every breath

As you pray with your inhale and exhale, ask God how you might live into these rhythms today. When you ask, God will always show you the path of goodness and lead you back to the way.

(Note: This essay is adapted from excerpts from September 19, October 1, and part of the introduction.)

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A Deeply Life-Giving Conversation: BellTower Stories

Ann Voskamp and Kayla Craig discuss Kayla’s new book, Our Daily Breath Devotional. Come join us in BellTower Stories, up in the 1896 bell tower our little Village Table church, as “the bells are the voice of the church, with tones that touch and search.” (Longfellow)