<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Slowing Down to Catch Up to God]]></title><description><![CDATA[Reconnecting souls, one step at a time.]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:03:21 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.slowingdown.org/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[yellow love]]></title><description><![CDATA[A poem Facebook comments, every text,                                                   the calls I was too busy for—                                                  extensions of God's spoken belovedness over my life. Her words paved a trail of assurance,  one that’s hard to find                                                          with her no longer here to guide. The sun’s brilliance stamped upon  lilies,                                                                    ...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/yellow-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c2cccf8f0e652aaa2f3719</guid><pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:43:36 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[out the window]]></title><description><![CDATA[For those who haven't experienced a room like the one described below , I give thanks to God for that. This poem may feel confusing, unfamiliar, and disconnected. That's okay! Perhaps this poem can increase your awareness or empathy toward someone you know that might be stuck in a room like this. It is not your responsibility to diagnose, fix, or take on the heavy emotions and pain of another. What you can do, however, is offer to listen. When you listen, you can understand. When you...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/out-the-window</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695bfe5f3015b8c811044537</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:31:48 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[in pieces]]></title><description><![CDATA[I wrote this poem early in the morning on November 29. I was enjoying some quiet time with God in prayer and my mind continued to wander and process who I understood myself to be. I imagine that we all wrestle with our pieces and attempt to make sense of them. One piece of us is confident, while another piece of us has unresolved insecurity that latches onto attention that someone showed us.  Another piece of us is certain of an important value and belief, while another piece reacts to...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/in-pieces-and-wholly-beloved</link><guid isPermaLink="false">693089d868373123b35ac36e</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 19:30:57 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[all things hold together]]></title><description><![CDATA[Today's scars reopening into  yesterday's wounds. Rhythms of rest unwanted space for pain to inflame secret senses. Slowly leaking, motivation depleting. Mind knows discipline as an aly, body responds like an adversary. God’s crowned creation, a mere six feet away— drenched in spotlight captivating attention, heart feels miles away. The stage is a cage— Sunday entertainment. Looked at not seen. Heard not understood.  Used not loved. Transaction . The chase for consistency  as consistent as...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/all-things-hold-together</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ffb3b4ea8c108faaf778d5</guid><pubDate>Mon, 27 Oct 2025 20:42:00 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[audience of one]]></title><description><![CDATA[I wrote this poem on October 3rd as I was drowning in shame after a heavy confession the previous day. A good friend reminded me of the Gospel I had been preaching for 11 years (from a paid platform) and said, "you've been paid to preach the Gospel for 11 years and NOW is the time for that Gospel to become true in your own life. What Gospel do you really believe, Ryan?" So I ask you: when the rug is pulled out from under you, what Gospel are you believing? When you hit rock bottom, what...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/audience-of-one</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68f63d1f81fa676406641e38</guid><pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:53:07 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I'm done with prayer]]></title><description><![CDATA[Prayer is exhilarating. Engaging with Scripture is like exploring a new country. Setting aside a day for intentional rest is full of...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/i-m-done-with-prayer</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67f94fdbe2fa4bec3f10047d</guid><pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:59:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_f2cc3998b1dd4e06b75d8cbd53db570b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_683,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Disruption of a Comfortable Life]]></title><description><![CDATA[I’m 30 years old and I can’t pinpoint a moment of conscious awareness until about 2001. It was the year of 1st grade, playing...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/disruption-of-a-comfortable-life</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67e70494a0ce12991933d297</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 21:35:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_df925eab89794cd6a540da35f7656428~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_568,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Recapturing the practice of beholding]]></title><description><![CDATA[My wife and I recently drove to Portland, Oregon to spend time with our friends for our anniversary vacation. One of the highlights from...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/recapturing-the-practice-of-beholding</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66c0ee4d55c3540bc1516bf1</guid><pubDate>Sat, 17 Aug 2024 18:49:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_7400d6e7691046ce9781a0a7a20cdb4b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Auto-Pilot to Intentional Rhythms]]></title><description><![CDATA[In my previous writing, I reflected on the fears and joys of an ordinary life. The reality of God's Kingdom invites us into daily joy,...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/from-auto-pilot-to-intentional-rhythms</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66708756731f32f54125b386</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:42:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_19ecc2dc4bdd4961860064f294f7064a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Fear of the Ordinary]]></title><description><![CDATA[For those who have been following along since the first blog, you know that I began my Sabbatical at the end of April. During my...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/fear-of-the-ordinary</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6660d4848c0eb573ce2f1aa5</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2024 21:24:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_eeaa6f4889e64e7eab794f2bd4905976~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Formation Prioritized]]></title><description><![CDATA[To be clear, there isn't much commentary in this blog. The focus is aimed at my experience being in a 9-month cohort called, "School of...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/formation-prioritized</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6658c0b854838787a3ab364f</guid><pubDate>Thu, 30 May 2024 18:20:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_2441d061e4fe47e885bf97843b2be5e8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Allure of Hiding]]></title><description><![CDATA[The first humans (Adam + Eve) did something they weren't designed to do and rather than directing their desires at the God who could meet...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/the-allure-of-hiding</link><guid isPermaLink="false">664b8d9421fd6fc615e50506</guid><pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2024 18:13:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_6a7af581e60e42898ac1b408185b38f4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[New York City made in the image of God]]></title><description><![CDATA[Work starts at 8AM, you snoozed your alarm too many times, and you have 30 minutes to get ready. In your hurried state, you manage to...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/new-york-city-made-in-the-image-of-god</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6638e066b1f595ed8ed72f9c</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 15:01:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b73acf_5153690dd4f74df29c5b8c3dd58c922f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_338,h_396,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Itinerary for a Sabbatical?!]]></title><description><![CDATA[You may find yourself thinking, "is Ryan going to nap and binge Netflix shows for 3 months?!" While I find some appeal to that plan, that...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/itinerary-for-a-sabbatical</link><guid isPermaLink="false">661e8a4f02d9600c5cdc815e</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:41:31 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[the exhausting struggle to rest]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you've ever gone on vacation, taken a day off, or stayed home sick in high school, you understand that stepping back from work is work...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/the-exhausting-struggle-to-rest</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6612ae53dcfbb7b5bae6e133</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:44:03 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Welcome to my blog!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Resting for 24 hours one day a week once seemed impossible to me. Resting for 3 months seems too good to be true and ironically, a heavy...]]></description><link>https://www.slowingdown.org/post/coming-soon</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65faf906486dbea21a2174ee</guid><pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2024 14:56:09 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>rypennington94</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>