I have had two conversations this week that stayed with me long after they ended.

The first was with someone I consider a little brother. Something had happened, and as we talked, I found myself repeating a reminder I had shared with him before: be vigilant. By this, I do not mean be fearful or guarded to the point of isolation, but vigilant, paying attention. Be discerning about what is happening around you and within you.

Over the past few months, I have sensed that the environment around him was not unfolding the way he had hoped. In that moment, I explained that vigilance is not about suspicion. It is actually about self-governance. It is about recognizing when something is out of alignment and choosing to protect yourself before the cost becomes higher than necessary.

The second conversation happened the very next night.

A friend of mine—a sorority sister—heard something in my voice. She could tell I was not quite myself. So, when she asked what was wrong, I started listing everything I had going on…responsibilities… pressures… commitments…expectations. Then, somewhere in the middle of that list, a word dropped into my spirit:

Alignment

That is my word for this year.

Suddenly, I realized something important. While I had been helping someone else recognize misalignment in their life, I had been quietly overlooking it in mine.

The next morning, as part of my daily practice, I got up early—earlier than planned, thanks to my husband’s internal clock—and I read scripture. I do this not out of obligation, but because it centers me. It helps me hear clearly. That morning, I read 1 Corinthians 10. It is a rich chapter, layered with warnings, wisdom, and instruction. After I finished reading, the same word surfaced again: alignment. It became clear that those two conversations—though different—were really about the same thing.

Misalignment does not always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it shows up as mental fog, emotional heaviness, irritability, or a vague sense that something is “off.” Other times, it exposes us to situations or people that chip away at our clarity and peace. If left unchecked, misalignment can place us in positions we were never meant to occupy or keep us lingering in spaces we have already outgrown.

What struck me most about 1 Corinthians 10 is how clearly it speaks to the idea that not everything available to us is beneficial. Just because something is permissible does not mean it is wise. Just because we can engage does not mean we should.

Alignment requires discernment.

It asks us to look beyond convenience and impulse and ask deeper questions:
Is this helping me become who I am called to be?
Is this strengthening or confusing my spirit?
Is this influencing the people around me in a way that leads toward wholeness—or away from it?

Our lives do not exist in isolation. Whether we realize it or not, we are always modeling something—especially for the people closest to us. Our choices, our boundaries, our tolerance levels, and even our silence send messages. Alignment, then, is both personal and relational. It is communal. It is a form of accountability rooted not in control, but in care.

Let me be clear: alignment is not about perfection or religious performance. It is about integrity and consistency between what we say we value and how we actually live. It is also about choosing clarity over confusion and wholeness over fragmentation.

Living in alignment with God does not restrict your life. It actually stabilizes it. It gives you a compass when the noise gets loud, and the options feel endless. Additionally, it helps you recognize when something may look appealing but is quietly pulling you off course.

This year, I am learning that alignment often requires pause for reflection and adjustment. Sometimes it means saying no—not because something is bad, but because it is not for you. Sometimes it means revisiting boundaries. Sometimes it means admitting you are tired, stretched, or carrying too much.

The gift of alignment is this: when your life lines up with your values and with God’s direction, peace does not have to be chased. It follows. That kind of peace is not loud or flashy but steady, sustaining, and worth protecting.

So, I ask you: are you in alignment?

Coach Erika