Three days into 2026 and the Serenity Prayer has been on my mind a lot.
After extended time off, my husband and I both resumed work on January 2. My work isn't what caused me the stress that lead me to the Serenity Prayer. Rather, a delayed/lost progesterone prescription, decisions regarding some items I inherited from my parents, and delays related to a new prescription have weighed on my mind. Being a member of AA, this prayer is one of the first things I learned and my husband even bought me a canvas print of it for my home office.
I took my concerns to God here is how my circumstances relate to Serenity Prayer.
I accept the things I cannot change - missing/lost/delayed prescriptions and decisions related to inherited items.
The courage to change the things I can, which is my mindset.
I ordered "pregnenolone" from Amazon as a "stop gap" if my progesterone prescription does not arrive before I run out of pills. It isn't ideal but it can help with perimenopause symptoms until my actual medication arrives. Although I ordered my refill in what I thought was plenty of time before Christmas, somehow, the medication is lost/delayed.
Regarding the inherited items, I hold my horses and wait for my financial advisor to get back from vacation next week. I've had these items for 10 years and only recently decided to seek advice on what to do with them so waiting is NOT a big deal.
For the new prescription; I accept that processing new prescriptions take time and I'm the one who submitted the request a couple days before the end of 2025.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens -- Ecclesiastes 3:1*
I can look at what has gone well. We had bad weather here both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. I committed to Crossfit classes on both days. Although the roads weren't in good shape, our county wasn't under a snow emergency so this buttercup "sucked it up" and prayed my way to the gym and back both those days. We had ice on New Year's Day and I actually put my Jeep into "low four wheel drive" which is four wheel drive used at low speeds. I went 15 mph on my drive to the gym. While at the gym, the sun came out and more people got out on the roads so they cleared up. I didn't need to four wheel drive on the way home and actually got up to 20 mph. All this to say that the Good Lord got me to the gym and back safely both those days. My husband went running around those days and God kept him safe, too.
My transition back to Crossfit is going well although it certainly hasn't been easy. Two of four workouts this week were partner workouts and I was blessed to have great partners - my friends Nancy and Jeanine. The workouts taxed muscles and produced soreness. I know this is making my muscles stronger. The workouts also got my heart pumping so I'm working on the cardiovascular endurance that I'm wanting to improve.
True serenity begins when we release our need to control everything and place our trust in God. Scripture reminds us that peace is not found in perfect circumstances, but in a surrendered heart. When we accept what we cannot change, we make room for God’s grace to work within us. When we ask for courage, God supplies strength beyond our own. And when we seek wisdom, He gently guides us to discern the difference.
As we live one day at a time, God’s peace guards our hearts, steadying us in uncertainty and anchoring us in hope. Stillness before Him becomes the place where serenity grows—not from having all the answers, but from trusting the One who does.
Resources:
I learned The Serenity Prayer is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr according to Marquette University.
Serenity Prayer Image from Pray Ray Prayer Journal.
*Bible Verse from Bible Gateway
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