November Newsletter: Giving Grace to Changing Plans

Hello dear friend,

Welcome to November.

It is difficult to believe that we have already reached the final two months of the year. At the beginning of January, twelve months can feel like such a long stretch of time, filled with plans, ideas, expectations, and all the things we hope to accomplish, but somewhere along the way life inevitably unfolds a little differently from the picture we had in our minds.

Some things happen exactly as we planned, others take longer than expected, and occasionally we realise that something we intended to do needs to be postponed because our time and attention are needed elsewhere.

I have been thinking about that quite a bit recently, particularly about how easy it is to interpret a change of plans as though something has gone wrong. Yet sometimes wisdom looks like recognising that we cannot do everything at once and giving ourselves permission to adjust our plans without feeling that we have failed.

As November begins, that is something I am carrying with me, and perhaps it is something you need to hear too.

Thank you, as always, for being here and for continuing to make The 6Eleven Life part of your walk with God. Whether you read the blog, watch the YouTube videos, enjoy the poetry, use one of our resources, or simply stop by from time to time, I am grateful that you are part of this community.

A Month of Reassessing and Making Room

October reminded me that plans are useful, but they also need to remain flexible.

There were things I expected to begin last month that did not happen as planned, while other priorities required more of my attention than I had anticipated. Rather than trying to squeeze everything in simply because it appeared on my calendar, I have had to reassess what I can realistically give my time and energy to right now.

I think this is something many of us wrestle with. We make commitments with the best intentions, but circumstances change, responsibilities shift, and sometimes we simply have to acknowledge that continuing with everything at the same time would mean doing too much and doing none of it particularly well.

For me, November is less about trying to catch up with everything I thought I would have done by now and more about being intentional with what remains in front of me, while trusting that the things that need more time can wait until I am able to give them the attention they deserve.

The 6Eleven Life: Continuing the Journey

The Blog

The blog continues to be at the heart of The 6Eleven Life, and throughout October I have continued sharing practical, Scripture rooted encouragement for the realities of everyday faith.

We have been exploring the questions that often arise when we are trying to trust God, understand His direction, remain consistent in our spiritual lives, and live out what we believe when circumstances are not always straightforward. I have also continued building our collection of Scripture based articles and prayer resources so that, whether you are looking for Scriptures to pray through a particular situation or a longer reflection to help you think through something you are experiencing, there is something you can return to when you need it.

My hope remains that the blog becomes a library rather than simply a stream of new content, with articles that continue to be useful long after the week they were originally published.

The 6Eleven Life Podcast

I also owe you a little update about The 6Eleven Life Podcast.

Last month, I shared that Bible Stories with Biyai would be returning for Season 4 and that we would begin exploring the book of Exodus together. Unfortunately, the new season will not be airing as originally planned.

A few other priorities have required my attention, and after looking carefully at everything currently on my plate, I have decided that it would be better to postpone the new season rather than try to fit it in without being able to give it the time and attention it deserves.

I am sorry for the change, particularly if you were looking forward to beginning Exodus with me this autumn, but Bible Stories with Biyai is not going away. I am planning for the podcast to return next year, and when I have a new date confirmed, you will be among the first to know.

The book of Exodus will still be waiting for us, along with the stories, conversations, and guest discussions I have been preparing behind the scenes. In the meantime, Season 3 remains available if you have not yet completed our journey through Genesis, or if you would simply like to revisit some of those episodes before we continue the story next year.

Thank you for your patience and for allowing me the flexibility to give this next series the preparation it deserves.

The 6Eleven Life YouTube Channel

While the podcast is taking a longer pause, the YouTube channel continues with our regular teaching videos and illustrated spoken word poetry.

I have really enjoyed seeing these two forms of content sitting alongside one another. The teaching videos give us room to explore Scripture and the practical questions that arise in our everyday walk with God, while the illustrated poetry allows us to approach faith, hope, healing, waiting, and our relationship with God through story and creative expression.

The illustrated spoken word project in particular has reminded me that not everything needs to be communicated in the same way. Sometimes we need teaching that helps us understand something more clearly, while at other times a story or poem gives us space to sit with a truth and experience it differently.

If you have not watched any of the illustrated spoken word videos yet, you can find them on the YouTube channel alongside our regular teaching content.

The Resource Library

The Resource Library continues to be available whenever you need practical support for spending time with God.

There are resources for Bible reading, prayer, Scripture reflection, biblical affirmations, identity in Christ, and rebuilding spiritual rhythms when life has become particularly full. Some are completely free, while others are part of The Gentle Reset collection.

One of the reasons I continue creating these resources is because I know that our relationship with God has to exist within the realities of everyday life. We do not always have uninterrupted mornings or hours available for Bible study, but we can still create meaningful moments with Him within the time we have.

If you have not visited the Resource Library recently, November might be a good opportunity to explore what is there and choose one resource that supports where you are right now.

Journals and Planners on Amazon

Our collection of journals, Scripture inspired notebooks, and planners is also available on Amazon if you are looking for practical tools to support your Bible study, prayer life, journaling, or everyday planning.

The Abide Bible Study Journal was created to give you a dedicated place to record what you are learning as you spend time in Scripture, while Conversations with My Father provides space to write your prayers, reflections, answered prayers, and those personal conversations with God that you may want to return to later.

You will also find Scripture inspired notebooks and planners that can be used for sermon notes, personal journaling, planning, prayer, reflection, or simply capturing the thoughts you do not want to lose.

As we begin looking towards a new year, these can also be useful resources for anyone wanting to become more intentional about writing, planning, studying Scripture, or developing a regular journaling habit.

Scripture Inspired Apparel and Gifts

The 6Eleven Life Etsy shop also continues to offer our collection of Scripture inspired apparel, mugs, and gift items.

With Christmas approaching, November is a lovely time to begin thinking about meaningful gifts for the people you love, particularly if you prefer giving something that carries a message of faith and encouragement.

The collection includes Scripture inspired clothing and mugs designed around simple biblical truths, with pieces that can be given as gifts or enjoyed as everyday reminders of God’s Word.

Between the Etsy shop and the journals, planners, and notebooks available on Amazon, there are several options if you are looking for faith inspired gifts as Christmas approaches, so do take a look and see if there is something that would be meaningful for you or someone you love.

Click Link to shop: Shop Here

Poetry, Spoken Word and Story Telling

Wordplay Wednesday continues each week, and I remain grateful for this little space where I can share original poetry directly with subscribers.

The illustrated spoken word poetry has also given some of that writing a new life beyond the page, allowing me to combine words, narration, illustration, and storytelling in a way that feels very natural to the kind of work I enjoy creating.

I have also recently started sharing some of my spoken word poetry videos on Instagram again, which has been lovely after taking a step back from sharing them there for a while.

Earlier this year, I deliberately slowed down my Instagram content because I wanted to move away from the feeling that I needed to constantly create and post simply to remain visible. Taking that time away helped me think more carefully about what I actually wanted to share and how I wanted to share it.

Returning to spoken word on Instagram now feels different because I am approaching it without the pressure to maintain a demanding schedule. I can simply share a piece when I have something meaningful that I want to put into the world.

So, if you enjoy the poetry I share through Wordplay Wednesday, do check out my Instagram handle @biyaigarrricks as well. You will now find some of my spoken word poetry videos there, alongside the other reflections and content I share.

The illustrated poetry will continue on YouTube, while Instagram gives me another space to share spoken word in a simpler and more immediate way. I am enjoying allowing both expressions of the poetry to exist alongside one another without feeling that they have to be identical.

Behind the Scenes

October has involved quite a bit of reassessing, planning, creating, and making decisions about where my attention is most needed.

Some of those decisions have meant moving things around, including postponing the podcast, while others have created space for me to continue developing the blog, YouTube channel, illustrated poetry, spoken word, resources, journals, and other ideas that I hope to bring to life over time.

I am increasingly learning that sustainability sometimes requires saying, “not yet,” even to good things. There will always be another idea worth pursuing and another project that could be started, but that does not mean everything has to happen at the same time.

Interestingly, making space in one area can sometimes create room for something else to return in a healthier way, and perhaps my gradual return to sharing spoken word on Instagram is a small example of that. I stepped away when the pace no longer felt sustainable, and I am returning now in a way that feels much more manageable.

Part of building something that can last is learning what deserves attention now, what needs to be approached differently, and what can be allowed to wait.

That is something I am still learning, but I think it is an important lesson.

A Gentle Reflection for You

As November begins, I wonder whether there is something you need to give yourself permission to reconsider.

Perhaps you made plans earlier this year that no longer make sense for where you are now, or perhaps you have been carrying unnecessary guilt because something you intended to accomplish has taken longer than you expected.

Changing a plan does not always mean abandoning it, and postponing something does not necessarily mean giving up. Sometimes we simply need enough wisdom to recognise that the right thing at the wrong time may still need to wait.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

There are times to begin, times to continue, times to return to something we once put down, and times when wisdom asks us to wait.

Rather than looking at everything you have not accomplished as the year begins to draw towards its close, perhaps November can be an invitation to ask a gentler question: What is God actually asking of me right now?

The answer may be very different from what you expected at the beginning of the year, and that is okay.

Final Thoughts

As November unfolds, my prayer for you is that you would have wisdom to recognise what deserves your attention and grace for the things that may need to wait.

I pray that you would resist the pressure to measure this year only by completed goals and visible achievements, and instead recognise the ways God has been shaping you through the unexpected changes, unanswered questions, ordinary responsibilities, and decisions that nobody else sees.

There are still two months left in this year, but we do not need to spend them frantically trying to prove that we made the year count. We can remain faithful with what God has placed in front of us today, return to the things He may be inviting us to pick up again, and trust Him with everything that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thank you for being here, for reading, and for continuing to walk this journey with me. Your presence in this community means more than you probably realise.

If you would ever like to share a reflection, a prayer request, or simply say hello, you can always reply. I would love to hear from you.

With love and grace,

Biyai