More than an Inkling

Learning how to abide and follow in the every day busy moments of life.

Over the course of the last year or so, I’ve been getting a subtle inkling to move our family toward a gluten free lifestyle. I’ve been dabbling in some research and even buying and milling organic wheat berries, but the reality is there’s just no truly “clean” wheat. Sourdough is technically better because of fermentation, but only if you’re using the right ingredients in every step and allowing for a longer fermentation. At this point in my life, I don’t have the time, nor do I desire to invest in the resources to do that.

However, anyone who knows me knows bread is a joy of mine (I mean, duh, I am a woman), but baking it especially brings a peace to my spirit I cannot describe, not to mention an outlet for creativity.

I’ve made sourdough loaves ranging from cinnamon raisin croissant, blueberry lemon cream cheese, to rosemary olive, garlic focaccia, and my all time favorite: jalapeño cheddar.

It’s the best type of experiment with the best outcome, and really, bread cannot fail because 9/10 times it’s still edible when you do. It really is my perfect hobby.

So naturally, I put this inkling on the back burner, chalking it up to a “crunchy” lifestyle conviction, and decided I wasn’t going to live my life with anxiety over every “better” thing. Basically: I’m gonna keep eating my bread, and my family had no objections.

Recently, my husband started meeting with a naturopath to get some labs done because he’s been having gut irritation for the past year. Since he has a family history of chronic gut health issues, he decided it would be good to keep an eye on things. So when his labs came back, he was in perfect health, except for one thing.

He tested positive for celiac.

And then I put a couple pieces together: one year ago I got that little inkling to go gluten free, and one year ago my husband began having gut issues.

So I sat with that a little longer.

In that moment, I realized the Lord was inviting me into something deeper—what it looks like to be a steward over my household. And I started to wonder if it wasn’t just an inkling at all, but a subtle nudge from the Holy Spirit on how to nourish my family for health, not just some crunchy conspiracy, but a lifestyle that actually protects my family on a metabolic level.

This opened my eyes to a new way of relating to God. Instead of shrugging off what can feel like random ideas that pop up in my mind, I’ve started asking if, when it comes with a peaceful presence, it might actually be an invitation. A moment to press in instead of explain or push away.

And I think part of what I’m realizing is that I often expect the Lord’s leading to feel like a burning bush moment, something obvious, something unmistakable, or at least a moment where I slow everything down, get still enough, and hear Him “clearly,” so I can be sure it’s not just me.

But since starting our family, those long, quiet spaces don’t really happen the same way anymore. And yet, I feel like He’s been teaching me how to recognize His voice in the middle of the noise—how His leadership often feels like settled peace, rather than a thought spiral that keeps running.

It’s learning that I can still be still and know Him even while I’m actively stewarding what’s in front of me. That I’m being invited into conversation, conviction, refinement, and guidance throughout the day, but I have to notice it.

And I’m grateful I don’t need a perfect, quiet setup in order to hear Him. These have become small reminders that I am His and He is mine.

I’m learning that the Lord often speaks more like a quiet whisper after the chaos, like He did with Elijah, rather than in burning bush moments that interrupt everything at once.

And as life ebbs and flows in busyness, I’m grateful to learn the gentle whispers of guidance that continue to lead me forward, one step at a time.

Tata for now,

Amanda

Reflection Questions:

• What quiet thought or conviction have I been continually pushing aside that might actually be an invitation into deeper stewardship?

• Do I expect God to only speak in dramatic, unmistakable moments, or do I believe He also leads through subtle peace and gentle nudges?

• Where in my life am I sensing resistance to surrender because I keep trying to rationalize, delay, or explain it away?