Today, I want to talk to you about the compass
and what it means to walk in your true north.
Because in this season of stepping into my calling,
of building a business,
of leading,
of stretching,
of surviving…
I’ve learned something:
No matter what comes my way,
I need something that always brings me back to center.
For me, that’s the compass.
Finding My True North
My journey toward my true north really began in 2017.
That was the year I started developing a real, deep relationship with Jesus.
Not religion.
Not routine.
Relationship.
And He changed my life.
He began to shape my vision.
He gave me dreams—big ones.
But He also gave me grounding, so I wouldn’t get lost inside those dreams.
He showed me who I was.
Where I was going.
And Who I needed to stay anchored to.
That became my compass.
When Life Shatters You
Now let me be honest.
Walking in your calling doesn’t mean life gets easy.
Sometimes it gets harder.
There were seasons that shattered me to my core.
Seasons where everything was stripped away until all I had left… was Him.
And that’s painful.
I’m still healing from some of it.
Some days it feels like two steps forward and five steps back.
Maybe you know that feeling.
Why the Compass Matters
That’s why the compass is so important.
The compass is your vision.
It’s your anchor.
It’s the thing you come back to when everything else is shaking.
And for me, God is the center of that compass.
Unquestionably.
My dreams came from Him.
My calling came from Him.
My strength comes from Him.
So when I stay anchored to Him,
I stay anchored to my purpose.
Real Life Hits Hard
Let’s talk real life for a moment.
I never imagined that 2026 would include:
My son in the ER with seizures.
Me, a week later, with a concussion.
That wasn’t in my vision board.
That wasn’t in my five-year plan.
That was life.
And life will hit you.
The question isn’t if.
It’s when.
And more importantly—
how will you respond?
Will you stay anchored?
Or will you drift?
Drifting Happens
If you lose your anchoring,
you start floating into uncharted waters.
You get disoriented.
You get overwhelmed.
You get tired.
You get discouraged.
That happened to me.
And what it revealed was this:
My focus had shifted off the anchor.
Not because I didn’t love God.
Not because I lost faith.
But because pain is distracting.
Fear is loud.
Crisis consumes your attention.
Don’t Camp in “Woe Is Me”
Here’s something important:
Drifting happens.
But staying there is a choice.
The fastest way to get stuck is:
A “woe is me” mindset
and constant complaining.
That will keep you trapped longer than any circumstance.
So I had to learn to sit with myself.
Extend myself grace.
And choose healing over bitterness.
The Power of Rest
That’s where rest comes in.
Real rest.
Not scrolling.
Not numbing.
Not avoiding.
Rest.
Pause.
Breathe.
Be present.
When we rest, we can see clearly again.
Anxiety quiets down.
Panic loses its grip.
Confusion fades.
And wisdom returns.
Here’s the truth:
Rest doesn’t have a deadline.
Sometimes it takes months.
Sometimes years.
I’ve spent over 14 months learning how to rest.
Not because I wanted to.
Because life forced me to.
And it saved me from a major breakdown.
Surviving vs. Thriving
Most people in crisis aren’t resting.
Their nervous systems are on fire.
Mine was.
I know what it feels like to just survive the day.
But here’s the difference:
Survival is chaos.
Thriving is rest.
The opposite of rest is:
Busyness.
Toil.
Overworking.
Overthinking.
Over-functioning.
And it’s exhausting.
When you’re rested,
you’re focused.
When you’re focused,
you’re directed.
When you’re directed,
you’re walking in your true north.
Hearing God Clearly
When you’re calm, cool, and grounded:
You make better decisions.
You hear God more clearly.
You respond instead of react.
You stay aligned.
That’s where the compass works best.
Not in chaos.
In stillness.
How Do We Practice This?
So how do we actually live this way?
It starts in the morning.
Before your phone.
Before your emails.
Before your to-do list.
Be still.
Sit with God.
Breathe.
Pray.
Listen.
Even five minutes matters.
Because if you miss this,
it shifts the entire trajectory of your day.
Direction is set early.
Final Encouragement
If you’re in a hard season right now…
If you’re tired…
If you feel like you’ve drifted…
Let me tell you:
You’re not failing.
You’re human.
Come back to the anchor.
Re-center.
Rest.
Realign.
Your compass still works.
God hasn’t moved.
Your true north is still there.
And you can still walk toward it—
one calm, faithful step at a time.
Charting The Course with Hannah Boyd 