A Sacred Pause: Seeking God’s Voice for the Future of This Blog

By Dr. Tim Orr

Why I’m Taking a Break

Over the past few months, I’ve begun to feel unsettled about the direction of my blog. What once felt like a meaningful space for sharing insights, encouraging believers, and engaging thoughtfully with theology and culture has become something less fulfilling. I currently aim to write six blog posts a week, but in that process, I’ve started to prioritize output over inspiration, productivity over prayerfulness. The pace has worn me down, and I’ve sensed a growing gap between what I feel called to do and what I’ve been doing. Rather than continuing to push forward in this state, I believe it’s time to pause and seek God’s direction afresh. This is not just about adjusting a writing schedule. It’s about recalibrating my heart and listening for His voice.

A 30-Day Sabbatical

That’s why I’ve decided to take a 30-day sabbatical from blogging. During this time, I won’t be writing or posting new content. Instead, I’ll devote time each day to prayer, reflection, and listening. I want to bring the future of this blog before the Lord and wait on Him. I’m not looking for a quick fix or a content strategy; I’m seeking clarity, renewal, and a sense of purpose. I believe God has more to say to me than I’ve been giving Him space to say, and I want to steward this calling with fresh dependence on Him.

Three Guiding Questions

As I enter this sabbatical, I’m focusing on three questions that I believe are crucial to discerning what’s next. First, am I writing with prayerful dependence, or am I simply striving to produce content? Second, has the blog become a burden rather than a joy? If so, why? And third, what might the Holy Spirit be saying to me through this time of rest and recalibration? These questions are helping me to probe not just the structure of my blogging life, but the spiritual posture from which I write.

Listening for God’s Direction

I hope that by the end of these 30 days, I will have a clearer sense of my calling and a renewed joy in writing that flows from intimacy with God, rather than pressure to perform. Whether that means changing the frequency of my posts, shifting my focus, or even laying the blog down for a season, I want to walk forward in obedience. I want to write from a place of overflow, not obligation. If my words are to have lasting value, they must be rooted in prayer and shaped by the Spirit. I’m inviting God to reframe the purpose of this blog so that it reflects His heart, not just my effort.

An Invitation to Pray

If you’ve been reading my blog and have found encouragement through it, I’d be grateful for your prayers during this sabbatical. This isn’t an ending—it’s an invitation to begin again with God’s guidance leading the way. If you’re in a similar season of reflection or reassessment, know that you’re not alone. Sometimes stepping back is the most faithful thing we can do.

I look forward to returning with more clarity and, I pray, a deeper sense of calling that can bless you and glorify Him.

Who is Dr. Tim Orr?

Tim serves full-time with Crescent Project as the assistant director of the internship program and area coordinator, where he is also deeply involved in outreach across the UK. A scholar of Islam, Evangelical minister, conference speaker, and interfaith consultant, Tim brings over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural ministry. He holds six academic degrees, including a Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University and a Master’s in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College in London.

In addition to his ministry work, Tim is a research associate with the Congregations and Polarization Project at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University Indianapolis. His research interests include Islamic antisemitism, American Evangelicalism, and Islamic feminism. He has spoken at leading universities and mosques throughout the UK, including Oxford University, Imperial College London, and the University of Tehran. He has published in peer-reviewed Islamic academic journals. Tim is also the author of four books.