Everything you need.
"When we devote all of our actions to a spiritual goal, everything that we do becomes a prayer."
— Muhammad Ali
Rob Bell, Oprah's buddy, reintroduced the idea that everything is spiritual. But he was really riffing on Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the French Jesuit priest who said, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human one."
Either way, it rings true. At least for me.
It makes me take stock of every interaction. Every conversation. Every not-so-random collision with another beautiful soul.
My friends tell me that I'm too serious sometimes. They're probably right. I can be hyper-focused, a bit heady. But I think it's because I've woken up.
I’ve always been sensitive. But these days, I’m seeing with different eyes—ones that see past the facade, past the masks we all wear, yours truly included.
I can't pretend anymore.
Pretend not to notice how much people are crying out. Pretend not to notice how many are chasing answers they already possess. Pretend not to feel the quiet ache beneath the surface—the stress of keeping up, looking good, pretending it’s all fine while quietly unraveling inside.
I know deep down, that’s why I write. Why I coach. Why I've dedicated my life to making room for people to process who they are and who they're becoming. Who they’re meant to be.
This past year crystallized something for me: We already have everything we need. The search isn’t out there; it’s in here.
Christ said in Luke’s Gospel, "The Kingdom of God is within you."
I think this is what he meant. That we really are the answers to our own prayers.
I've met too many people waiting to be rescued from the mess and chaos, eyes fixed on some distant promised land, missing the miracle of being fully alive, right here, right now. Hoping for an escape hatch instead of rolling up their sleeves and living.
Life isn’t something to survive. It’s something to explore.
Eighty years is too long to hold your breath.
This is it. Today is real. Life is happening.
Being the answer to your own prayers means showing up. Sacrificing. Serving. Staying faithful when it’s easier to drift. Digging deep when it would be simpler to give up. Being present, fully present, with the beautiful, broken souls around you.
It’s about paying attention to the signs. Closing the gap between that gut feeling and the next right thing. Making love tangible in small ways, every single day.
This is spiritual living.
I spent years running in what I thought was the wrong direction, only to realize every detour, every misstep, was leading me back to myself—a single soul connected to the rest of humanity. I wanted to be unique, but the truth is, I’m just like you.
Took me 40 years to figure that out.
We have so much in common. If we’re willing to see the patterns, it becomes obvious: We’re all searching for love and belonging. We all want to care and be cared for. We all crave the confidence to make an impact. We all want to take risks, step into the unknown, and become the best versions of ourselves.
Every single one of us is trying to live a life that matters. Even the 8+ billion people who will never read this post.
So, here's the invitation: take a look back over the past 12 months. Count your blessings. Literally. Write them down until you can’t think of any more.
Especially the hard ones. The valleys. The heartbreaks. The moments you thought about giving up but didn’t. The dark times are pure gold. Revisit the pain and the joy with the same gratitude.
That’s where wisdom lives.
We’d be foolish not to notice how far we've come. How much we've endured. How resilient we really are.
And above all, don’t miss this: You’re still here. Alive. Breathing. With the gift of another day.
So here’s a reminder from my heart to yours: You’re a walking, talking, grace-filled miracle. You wouldn’t have read this far if you didn’t suspect that already.
Keep searching inward. Live accordingly just for today.
You’re the answer to your own prayers. And, you already have everything you need.
You really, really do.
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Steve Knox | Kansas City
\\\ I hope this message finds you knee deep in the grace and mystery of this moment. You’re right where you need to be. Take some time today for yourself. Breathe. Get outside. You’re worth it. And, please share this with your circle of amigos. Until next week. Be honest. Be you.