How I Am Preparing for 2026 With Prayer, Purpose, and Expectation

As I look towards 2026, I feel more than just excitement about possibilities and opportunities; I feel intentional. I have big expectations, not only for myself, but for what God is able to do when I prepare my heart and life with purpose.

A new year is more than a change on the calendar. It’s an opportunity to reset, realign, and prepare for what God desires to do next.

This season isn’t about pressure, perfection, or performance. It’s about preparation. It’s about becoming the woman who can faithfully steward the prayers she’s been praying and the blessings she’s believing for.

Rather than setting goals rooted in comparison or material outcomes, I’m choosing intentions grounded in faith, obedience, and expectation. I’m learning that what God does through me, in my character, discipline, and daily choices often directs me to the places I’m meant to go, the assignments I’m meant to carry, and the blessings I’m meant to receive.

A new year is an invitation to pause, reflect, and move forward with purpose. It’s a chance to release what no longer serves the season God is calling us into, and to prepare our hearts for new opportunities, growth, and greater responsibility.

Here’s how I’m preparing for the year ahead.

1. Becoming a Wife Who Moves With Actions and Prayer — Not Just Words

One of my biggest intentions for 2026 is shaped by 1 Peter 3, which speaks directly to how a wife carries influence.

“Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”— 1 Peter 3:1–2

This passage has been reshaping me.

It doesn’t tell women to be voiceless; it teaches us that how we live, respond, and move carries weight. That prayer, consistency, and character can speak where words no longer can.

As I prepare for 2026, for me this looks like:

• choosing prayer before reaction

• allowing God to work instead of forcing conversations

• trusting that obedience can do what explanations cannot

I’m learning that marriage isn’t shaped by what you say, it’s shaped by how you show up.

If this section resonated with you, you may also find encouragement in my post on👉 https://www.restoredandrefinedwomen.com/post/how-to-surrender-your-marriage-to-god-the-first-step-to-restoration-refinement

2.  Strengthening My Health, Discipline, and Confidence

My commitment to health and fitness goes far beyond appearance, but I DO believe appearance DOES still matter.

I believe it’s important to show up in marriage as your best, emotionally, spiritually, & PHYSICALLY! This is not out of insecurity or comparison, but out of care, discipline, and honor.

Caring for the body is a way of stewarding:

• energy

• discipline

• confidence

• the ability to show up fully for family and for God’s work

  
  

  “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit…? Therefore honor God with your bodies.”— 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

  
  

My hope is that better health gives me:

• more energy to serve

• more strength to stay consistent

• greater confidence in how I move and carry myself

I believe confidence changes how you show up in marriage. It chips at insecurity. It strengthens presence. It allows you to move with assurance instead of fear.

And confidence doesn’t just affect marriage; it affects how you walk into rooms, how you carry yourself, and how boldly you step into purpose.

I’m preparing my body to support the woman God is calling me to be.

This post might be helpful too. Check it out👉 https://www.restoredandrefinedwomen.com/the-refined-appearance

3. Drawing Closer to God to Hear His Direction, Voice, and Timing

Above everything else, preparation & moving forward through 2026 begins with intentional time with God.

Without closeness to Him, it’s easy to move ahead of His timing or speak when silence would have been wiser.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”— Proverbs 3:5–6

Spending time with God is how I plan on:

• developing discernment on when to speak and when to be quiet

• knowing which steps to take and which not to

• having strength for hard seasons

• gaining protection, wisdom, and clarity

  
  

  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”— John 10:27

I don’t just want God’s help, I NEED His direction. And that only comes from being close enough to hear Him.

My blog post on When Faith Meets Expectation might be a good reminder to not just pray but to expect👉 https://www.restoredandrefinedwomen.com/post/when-faith-meets-expectation-what-god-showed-me-through-2-kings-4-1-7

4. Faithfully Commit to Building and Growing Restored & Refined 

Restored & Refined is not just a blog or message, I believe it’s an assignment maybe even a part of my purpose that God has for my life.

I feel called to help women:

• restore what feels broken

• renew their minds through truth

• refine how they show up in marriage, faith, and life

  
  

  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”— Ephesians 2:10

As I prepare for 2026, my commitment is to:

• show up consistently

• obey even when growth feels slow

• trust God with the outcome

• be honest, vulnerable, & relatable with my content

Purpose isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s faithful obedience in quiet seasons.

The post describes a vision of what God is doing in my life & in my Restoration & Refinement journey👉 https://www.restoredandrefinedwomen.com/post/refined-through-the-fire-the-glassblower-me

5. Practicing Stewardship and Gratitude — Even in a Small Space

Financial increase is something I’m believing God for — but before more, I’m focused on stewardship.

Right now, I live in an apartment. It’s obviously not my forever home, but it IS my current home & responsibility to steward it well.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”— Luke 16:10

Instead of focusing on discomfort or limitation, I’m choosing gratitude &:

• budgeting intentionally

• caring for this space with excellence

• preparing wisely for homeownership

  
  

  “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I believe God watches how we steward what we already have. When we treat the “small” things with care, we show Him we’re ready for more.

For the Woman Preparing for 2026: Here Are Some Intentional Goal Ideas For You To Pray To God For

As you prepare for a new year, consider setting goals that shape who you are becoming, not just what you want to accomplish. Below are intention-based ideas to prayerfully consider as you look toward 2026.

Spiritual Growth

• Commit to a Bible reading plan you can sustain

• Establish a consistent prayer rhythm (morning, evening, or both)

• Learn how to hear God’s voice more clearly through Scripture and stillness

• Practice fasting or intentional periods of silence

• Memorize Scripture that strengthens your identity in Christ

Marriage & Relationships

• Work on responding instead of reacting

• Practice softness, patience, and self-control in communication

• Pray consistently for your spouse instead of trying to change them

• Strengthen emotional safety and peace in your home

• Learn when to speak — and when silence is wiser

Personal Refinement & Character

• Grow in discipline and follow-through

• Release comparison and perfectionism

• Practice humility, gentleness, and grace

• Become more emotionally regulated and self-aware

• Develop confidence rooted in identity, not validation

Health, Energy & Wellness

• Build habits that support consistent energy

• Strengthen your body for endurance, not just appearance

• Improve sleep and daily routines

• Reduce stress and prioritize rest

• Honor your body as a tool for God’s work

Purpose & Calling

• Identify the gifts God has given you

• Take one faithful step toward your assignment

• Serve others using your strengths

• Stop waiting for “perfect timing” and start with obedience

• Stay faithful even when growth feels unseen

Finances & Stewardship

• Create a realistic budget you can maintain

• Pay down debt or build an emergency fund

• Practice gratitude for what you already have

• Learn how to steward small resources well

• Prepare responsibly for future goals (home, family, giving)

Home & Environment

• Create a peaceful, welcoming home environment

• Declutter and organize with intention

• Care for your space as an act of gratitude

• Establish routines that bring order and calm

• Make your home a place of rest, not chaos

Mindset & Emotional Health

• Renew your mind with truth instead of fear

• Release resentment and unresolved bitterness

• Practice forgiveness and emotional maturity

• Set healthy boundaries

• Strengthen resilience during hard seasons

How to Biblically Set, Plan, and Achieve Goals

The Bible encourages intentional planning.

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”— Habakkuk 2:2

To prepare:

1. Pray first — ask God what to pursue and what to release

2. Write the vision down — clarity creates focus

3. Break goals into small, achievable steps

4. Prepare & make steps consistently, even when progress feels slow

5. Trust God with the outcome while staying faithful in action

   
   

   “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”— Proverbs 16:3

If you’re also preparing for a new season and desire faith-filled encouragement, I invite you to subscribe below. This space is for women who are restoring, renewing, and refining one step at a time.