As we cross the threshold into 2026, many of us are preparing our ministry binders and digital spreadsheets. We are setting targets for the next twelve months of service. But for the long-term missionary, there is a subtle, dangerous temptation to view the call as a series of outputs to be managed.
For me, this wasn’t a “new” realization. It was a deeper revelation—one birthed in a season of systemic breaking that began long before I touched down in Brazil.
The Breaking of the “Performance” Gospel
By the time I arrived in Araruama, I was a person rebuilt from ash. In December 2024, I walked through the gut-wrenching process of filing for divorce; by February 2025, it was finalized. In the wake of that wreckage, I carried a distorted, heavy theology: I felt that I could only be loved by a perfect God if I remained perfectly “submitted” and “doing.”
I had come to believe that the only point of my gifts was to serve others—that my value to the Father was tied to my utility in the vineyard. I felt like a tool to be used, rather than a child to be cherished.
Then came June 19th. My father passed away.
His memorial service was held just 21 days before my trip to Brazil. I boarded that plane with the grief of a daughter fresh from a graveside, carrying the crushing guilt of leaving my mother at home alone, a new widow, to face the silence of her house.
I didn’t go to Araruama with “much to give.” I went with a soul that felt it had to perform its way back into God’s favor to justify the space I took up on the team.
The Araruama Revelation: From Utility to Identity
Standing in the heat of the city center, supporting Ministério Internacional da Restauração and Projeto Neemias, I felt the familiar weight of the HAVE-DO-BE trap:
- “If I HAVE enough strength to mask my grief and lead these …”
- “…then I will DO the work of a ‘good’ missionary…”
- “…and then God will BE pleased with me again.”
But as I led the Summer Enrichment and evangelized in the streets, the Holy Spirit broke through the exhaustion. I realized that my “doing” was not a payment for God’s love. He didn’t want my performance; He wanted my presence.
1. BE: The Revelation of the Beloved
In the middle of my grief and the fresh sting of my divorce, God met me in Araruama with a singular truth: I am loved because I am His, not because I am useful. For 2026: Your “BE” is not a result of your submission. Your submission is a result of your “BE.” You are a Beloved Child first.
- The Shift: In 2026, I am not setting a goal to “be more submitted” so God will love me. I am setting a goal to BE loved so that I can serve from a place of wholeness.
2. DO: The Revelation of Stewardship
Once my identity was settled as a daughter—not just a worker—my DOING changed. Supporting Projeto Neemias ceased to be a way to earn my keep and became a way to honor the legacy of the father I just lost and the Father who never leaves.
When I evangelized in the city center, I wasn’t trying to “win” points. I was simply sharing the same comfort I had received in my darkest months.
3. HAVE: The Revelation of the Harvest
I left my mother a widow at home to go to Brazil, a sacrifice that felt almost too heavy to bear. But the “HAVE” belongs to God.
For 2026: We may not always “have” the visible results. We may have seasons of loss, grief, and solitude. But because we focused on BEING rooted in Him, we HAVE a peace that the world—and the mission field—cannot take away.
2026 Planning: Setting Goals from the Soul
As you look at your goals for the coming year, I invite you to sit with this revelation. If you have felt like your gifts are only for others, or that God only loves you when you are “doing,” let 2026 be the year that lie dies.
| The Mission Goal | The “BE” (Identity) | The “DO” (Overflow) |
| Leading/Teaching | A Cherished Daughter | Teaching from a place of rest, not a need for approval. |
| Outreach | A Broken Vessel Made Whole | Sharing the Gospel as one who has been personally rescued. |
| Family/Grief | A Restored Soul | Honoring the season of mourning while remaining present in the calling. |
The Result: A Reclaimed Calling
Araruama was the place where God reminded me that I am more than my utility. As you set your 2026 goals, remember: The walls of Projeto Neemias are built with bricks, but the Kingdom of God is built with people who know they are loved in their brokenness.
To wrap up this deeper revelation, I’ve designed two specific tools to help you move from a “Performance” mindset into true, identity-driven momentum.
Before you finalize your 2026 calendar, I invite you to take these two steps to ensure your year is built on the right foundation:
1. Join the Mindset Detox
If you’ve spent years believing that your value is tied to your “doing,” you need more than a new goal-setting system—you need a spiritual reset. The Mindset Detox is a guided journey designed to help you strip away the layers of religious performance and cultural pressure. We’ll dive deep into the scriptures that anchor your identity as a “Beloved Child” before you ever step into the role of “Worker.”
- Reclaim your joy by silencing the inner critic that demands perfection.
- Realign your energy toward the few things God has actually called you to do.
2. Take the Momentum Blocker Survey
Often, we aren’t held back by a lack of vision, but by “blockers” we haven’t identified. Especially for those of us who have walked through seasons of divorce, grief, or transition, these blockers can feel like invisible weights.
I’ve created a Momentum Blocker Survey to help you pinpoint exactly where your “Be-Do-Have” cycle is leaking energy.
- Are you stuck in the “Doing” because you’re afraid to stop? * Is your “Being” wounded by past seasons of loss? Take five minutes to complete the survey and receive a personalized breakdown of what might be standing between you and a restful, productive 2026.
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