How unused passion, grief, and quiet nudges from God can lead you back to clarity, creativity, and purpose

There’s something I can see from my window at the moment that’s been sitting with me all day.

It’s my pear tree.

It’s winter now, so the tree is bare — no leaves, no movement. And there are still a few pears hanging on that never got picked. They’re shrivelled, brown, and honestly… quite rotten. I never got round to removing them.

And as I stood there looking at that tree, I realised something important.

Those pears weren’t bad pears.

They didn’t rot because they weren’t good enough.
They rotted because they weren’t gathered.
They weren’t tended.
They weren’t used at the right time.

And suddenly, I couldn’t stop thinking about unused passion.

When God nudges… and we quietly say “not now”

This post is for the woman who feels foggy, tired, or stuck.

Not because she doesn’t love God.
Not because she’s done something wrong.
But because life has become noisy.

Grief. Responsibility. Caregiving. Work. Money worries. Church hurt. Burnout.

Purpose doesn’t disappear — connection just gets noisy.

I wonder if you’ve ever sensed God nudging you toward something and immediately thought:

• I’m too busy

• I’m not ready

• I’m not good enough

• It’s not the right time

• There’s too much going on

If so, you’re not alone.

I’ve done exactly the same.

Grief, creativity, and a tender God

Last year, when my dad was dying, I was travelling back and forth between the Isle of Wight and London to see him in hospital. I was still working at the time, seeing clients in the mornings and then visiting him in the afternoons.

I won’t pretend it was easy. It was hard. It was uncomfortable. And it was heartbreaking.

When I came home from one of those trips, I realised I couldn’t just carry on as normal. I needed to do something with what I was feeling. I needed to create.

So I spent time painting with a friend over Zoom — someone who was also going through deep pain of her own. Different circumstances, but similar weight. We created together, held space for one another, and let God meet us there.

I painted a picture for my dad.
We’d had a beautiful conversation about life and faith, about accepting Jesus, about what was coming next. And as I painted, God gave me an image of a golden city — a place of peace and wholeness.

The painting wasn’t perfect.

But God was present.

Even in grief, He was tender with me.

“Be still” doesn’t mean “try harder”

At the time, my mind was telling me:

You don’t have time for this.
You should be coping better.
There’s too much going on.

But God was gently reminding me of a verse we often quote without really listening to:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Stillness doesn’t mean striving.
It doesn’t mean forcing clarity.
It means stopping long enough to notice God again.

And that’s where purpose begins — not in pressure, but in presence.

Listening to God is a relationship, not a skill

Jesus says:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

Listening isn’t a talent you either have or don’t have.

As a former speech therapist, I know the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is physical. Listening is relational. It’s about understanding, attention, and response.

The same is true with God.

You don’t “fail” at hearing Him.
You practice listening.

And sometimes creativity — drawing, painting, journaling — becomes the space where we finally quieten enough to listen again.

When purpose feels unclear, it doesn’t mean it’s gone

If you feel foggy right now, it doesn’t mean you’ve missed your purpose.

It may simply mean that something God placed in you hasn’t been tended for a while.

Like those pears.

Good fruit.
Left too long.
Waiting to be gathered.

An invitation (if this is stirring something)

I’m sharing this because I’m about to begin a 6-week live journey called Purpose With God, starting 18 January.

It’s a gentle, faith-led space for women who want to:

• reconnect with God

• listen more deeply

• explore their creativity

• and discern how God wants to use who they are — their heart, skills, personality, and experiences

I’ve priced it at £120, with a £20 per week payment plan, because I believe discovering your purpose with God is worth investing in — and should be accessible.

👉 You can find out more here:
https://www.christianartjournaling.com/purposewithgod

Doors close on 10 January.

And whether you join or not, I want to leave you with this gentle question:

What do you sense God once placed in you that you stopped tending?

It may not be lost.
It may simply be waiting.

Final Thoughts

Your creativity isn’t just cute. It’s God-breathed.
Your calling isn’t too late. It’s right on time.
And your worth is not up for debate.

So let go of guilt. Step into purpose.
You are here — for such a time as this.