Idolizing My Comfort Zones

Now this idea of praying for my daily bread, resting in Him, not the storehouse is something I struggle with for sure. I talk a lot about idolizing my comfort zones, & this topic plays right into that.

How Jesus Says to Pray

When visiting Virginia last summer, I attended Grace Baptist Church, where their pastor discussed “The Lord’s Prayer,” as found in Matthew 6:9-13, an example Jesus gave when the disciples asked Him how they ought to pray. (You can watch that sermon series starting, here. That whole series is well worth the listen, even for those who grew up in the church! The series dates are 6/6/21-7/11/21.)

This “Lord’s Prayer,” as it is offered called, demonstrates humility & a need to rely on God in every detail of life. It emphasizes our need for submission under our Almighty God, while teaching us to rely on Him for all of our needs.

It is easy, especially for those like me, to sometimes breeze through the verses almost by memory, not really stopping to consider the weight & wonder of the words Jesus demonstrates to us in this particular prayer.

Daily Bread

One such example of a notion I had always breezed past is found in verse 11, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Now, at first glance, this seems just “merely” a call for turning to God for our provisions & sustenance, but taking a deeper look, we notice the word “daily.”

This request was not a “give us a storehouse on which we may rely,” but rather a, “help us to daily recognize that our provisions are truly & only from You, God.”

Well, oftentimes I want the storehouse. What about you?

My Daily Bread-Rest in Him, Not the Storehouse

Sure, I know I ought to ask God for my provisions & needs, but what I really want is for Him to provide me a comfortable amount so I have no need to hope on Him for it again every single day.

And when I am required to ask daily, I begin to lose hope versus growing in trust, because when I pray that, I am really wanting Him to place the control back into my hands so I don’t feel as much a need for Him so constantly.

Shame on me.

When Pastor Tim Perrin talked on this topic, (a pastor who I respect a great deal for his sermons that both stir the heart with conviction for a change toward holiness, while also emphasizing that the work can only be done by relying on & leaning into the Holy Spirit for help), I for sure felt that tug of conviction—my true heart was exposed.

Is God Your Backup? Or Your Master?

I like relying on me first & God second… as my backup, if you will… when really, I shouldn’t even be part of the equation at all… I should have my faith wholly & only on Him.

This prayer for daily bread also reveals that clinging to the comfort zones that I am so quick to do.

I start to rely on His provisions more than I rely on my Provider.

I rely on His comforts rather than on Him as my Comforter.

I rely on the blessings versus the One Who Blesses.

Again, shame on me.

Do I treat God more like my backup, my side-kick? Or as the Almighty God, Master & Creator of the Universe, LORD of my life?

You Can Probably See Where My Heart Is At

When you follow along with my blog posts, you can most likely see the patterns emerge over time.

The seasons where I am full of hope & vigor to strive after holiness is when I am also plugged into Him as my Vine, while I am but a branch nourished by the Vine. (John 15:5) God calls this “abiding in Him,” relying on Him for wisdom & direction, peace & strength, comfort & enabling me to follow His lead. We do this by praying for everything & submitting to His Word as Truth, walking obediently in His Truth, with His help.

On the other hand, the seasons where you sense the turmoil & stress & resistance in me are most likely when I am relying more on me… more on the storehouse of provisions versus the Provider.

Guess which season I am leaning more into lately?

I Need Him

My heart is convicted. I need more of Him. More praise to Him. More prayers to Him. More reliance on Him. More obedience to Him. More of HIM.

Less of ME.

It is human nature to look out for ourselves: our wants, desires, needs.

But it takes practice to rely on Him for those things & to trust Him to even weed out some of those things as His wisdom & love leads Him to do.

My dependence should be on what HE says I need & relying on HIM to provide it… versus ME.

Making my life about His glory versus mine & my comfort levels.

Because He is worth it. Every time. One hundred percent. Always.

Shine HOPE by trading your reliance on the storehouse for a reliance on your DAILY bread from HIM instead, trusting His love & provision more than what you can control or see on any given day.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Impressions Cosmetics Bag

Carry your cosmetics in style in this spacious, block-printed floral bag with zipper closure. Artisans in India blend ancient Artisan traditions with modern function to handcraft this beautifully practical Impressions Cosmetic Bag with a waterproof nylon interior. Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win-win-win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

When Nothing in Life Seems to be Going My Way…

Have you ever asked yourself this question of “Why is my life always hard”? Do you feel like you’re constantly dealt “a bad hand” in life & nothing ever seems to work out & that nothing good ever lasts?

Are you tempted to just give up trying because you don’t think it will work out anyway? Are you expecting to be disappointed yet again? Are you tired of having it seem like everything in your life always goes wrong while nothing ever seems to go right?

I have struggled with those questions. I have let Satan twist & turn negative circumstances so much in my heart that I just easily believe every lie of angry, hurt frustration boil up consistent bitterness within me.

I have asked the question: “Why is my life always hard?!”

It’s Not All Depression’s Fault… & It’s Not All Everyone Else’s Fault

Depression seems to be an ugly monster, for sure, as it can make me so droopy & out of it… but the true enemy is Satan… & my readiness to believe him… as he takes my weakness & twists & exploits it at every opportunity.

And then there’s the sin-torn world I live in, where lows & hardships are inevitable this side of Heaven… & it can be pretty easy to fixate on everything wrong with culture & sin….

It seems justifiable & reasonable to blame my depression… & satan’s exploitation of it… & the sin in the world, shown through all the wrongs in this world… & wrongs people commit against me personally.

BUT, another UNDENIABLE, yet often overlooked culprit for turbulent times of my life… is my own pride.

How Does My Pride Have Anything to Do with Feeling So Unsatisfied in Life?

I want things to be easy. I don’t like to struggle. I don’t like the effects of sin in this world (or its pull on my own heart). I don’t like depression or feeling Satan kick me when I’m down. I don’t like it when people wrong me or when things just don’t seem to be able to ever work out in my favor.

I don’t like facing hard things in life!

And, in facing all of the moments of dissatisfaction or disappointment, leading to sprouting bitterness… if I am completely honest with myself, & with God, I can see my pride welling up within me.

I think I know what I want… what I deserve… what I have a right to… what others seem to easily have with no problem while I struggle fruitlessly… I see the smiling faces of social media & how everyone else seems to get the life they want… so why can’t I?

My pride tells me: “I deserve!” “I earned it!” “Everyone else gets it!” “I want that life/success, too!”

My Ideal… Based on MY Ideal

I don’t know about you, but I had built up an understanding of what it would look like for me to “make it” in this world.

I wanted a job full of “well done!” accolades… a reputation of respect for my diligent hard work… to prove I was smart & capable enough.

I wanted to get married & feel loved despite all my flaws that others had implied were unlovable… to prove them all wrong.

I wanted to have kids & have my ideal little family with inside jokes born of silliness, family game nights, & adventures… I wanted to be a mom that my children respected & adored, who could someday be their best friend when they were grown with families of their own… to prove I could be a good mom.

I wanted to be admired & liked & to prove to everyone that I was good enough… but that was all based on MY ideal versus seeking GOD’s plan & will for my life.

I Need to be Willing to Let Him Change My Mind… & My Path… For HIS Glory, Not Mine

And that struggle born of childhood ideals didn’t end there… I faced it again leaving continental America for the first time to Guam with the loneliness that engulfed me… I faced it again when I moved to Hokkaido, where everything was bathed in the stress of a language barrier or culture shock… And again here in Guam again, facing the fear of my past.

My default is to focus on my story being MY story versus HIS… on what isn’t going the way I imagined or wanted or was told I could have because I “earned” or “deserved” or “had a right to” it.

I make my life all about what I think I should get out of it, versus humbly being willing to be shaped & directed by an Almighty God, giving Him the glory no matter my circumstances.

Why Is My Life Always So Hard?

Surrender… I struggle with surrender.

Am I willing to surrender MY ideal for His will?

Am I willing to surrender the way I always thought it would be or should be?

Am I willing to surrender the way I want it?

Am I willing to surrender to something “less than” for God’s leading instead?

Am I willing to give up what I think I should have for what God determines I should have?

Surrender.

And guess what? Until I choose to submit to that one little word, I will remain in my misery.

I have to be willing to get to the point where I lay down all my wants & ideals & determinations & ambitions & desires & what I “deserve” or “have a right to”… & lay it all down in surrender to my loving God who knows better than me.

A Prayer of Surrender

“God, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I think it has to be such & such way for me to be happy. I am sorry that I cling to “HAPPY” like an idol or drug to get me through… versus YOU. I’m sorry that I make my wisdom my lord instead of asking for You to have authority in my life. I am sorry I try to make myself equal to or greater than You. Forgive me for my vanity in thinking my wisdom should determine Your actions. Forgive me for thinking I drive my life. Forgive me for making it more about me & not about You. Forgive me for my lack of surrender. Please forgive me. Teach me how to have my satisfaction in You. Teach me how to let You lead & to listen to Your wisdom over my own. Help me know You more & trust You more & love You more. Take my life & let it be all for You. Whether a janitor or a leader, whether well-known or invisible, whether poor or rich, whether respected or rejected, take my all & make it Yours. Help me rejoice in You. Help me live for YOUR GLORY & NOT my own. Help me know how to determine satan’s lies so I can shut him out & cling instead to Your Truth & hope. Thank You for JESUS despite my obvious undeserving. All to You I freely give. Whether I eat or drink, or whatever I do, help me to do it ALL for YOUR GLORY. AMEN.”

Shine HOPE by surrendering your dissatisfaction, bitterness, & disappointments to His working, will, & way.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Mia Hoops (Peru)

Enjoy a modern twist to classic hoops with these unique, oblong, open-hoop earrings. Handcrafted in Peru, these gold-tone Mia Hoops are made in a workshop committed to empowering the next generation with traditional Artisanal skills training. Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Peru.

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win-win-win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

God Knows That I Need to Know That He’s the One in Control

I like feeling confident… & as someone who struggles with insecurity, finding my confidence feels amazing—like I can do anything.

But typically, my depression battle doesn’t let my confidence stay too long, because when it hits, I lose any & all motivation & feel numbness overtake my ambition. And, of course, satan will jump on any & every opportunity to remind me of my insecurities & exploit those vulnerabilities brought on by my depression.

And, to be honest with you… I often feel—knowing God is in complete control at all times—that God works my depression symptoms for my good so that I can be reminded that I’m not in control, but He is.

Circumstances That Strip Away My Confidence

And then there are circumstances that strip me of my confidence—see “moving back to Guam when I didn’t really want to.”

Or maybe a rude or reckless comment from someone… Or maybe indifference from someone I thought I could turn to for support… Or an illness or injury that knocks me off my feet.

My point is that circumstances come into my life—often unexpectedly—that knock me from my point of confidence.

And I don’t hate it… even though I hate it.

Maybe that sounds contradictory & you’re thinking… “Michelle, you obviously DO hate it if you’re SAYING you hate it.” But here’s the thing: I DO hate the circumstances I sometimes find myself in… but I DON’T necessarily hate that I am in a situation I hate.

Why I Don’t Hate the Circumstances I Hate

If you follow me on social media, you know that every few weeks brings a surrendering post of “I DON’T WANNA! …. BUT, God help me do it anyway.”

I don’t like doing uncomfortable things… like AT ALL. Like trying to make new friends in a new place, or moving to a place I didn’t really want to go to, or being lonely.

I don’t like feeling discomfort at all. Whether it’s editing my blog to ready it for publishing versus sprawling in my pjs to binge tv, or whether it’s confronting a hard situation I would rather avoid.

I don’t like feeling insecure. (Although I feel I have so MANY reasons to feel insecurity–has anyone tried having small talk with me & has left feeling SO awkward? You’re welcome.)

I don’t like facing things I don’t like… Like speaking up with Truth when I would rather blend in to the background, or allowing myself to be vulnerable so that people can see His glory in my failings.

And sometimes, I quite literally feel like I even HATE my circumstances…

BUT, in those hated circumstances, I can feel God beckoning me, reminding me (convicting my heart, really), that my reactions to those circumstances really reveal that I need more trust in HIM & less on myself.

And being brought humbly back under that perspective is a true & powerful comfort.

My Depression Leads Me (Often Unwillingly) to Humility

I shared a memory recently on my social media, talking about my depression—how sometimes I feel so drained of energy & motivation & care for anything at all really… & how in those times, I have learned I need to pray & ask God for help… but that on that particular day, I actually felt WORSE AFTER I prayed to God.

I didn’t get it. I was frustrated, angry, & felt like God just turned His back on me in my time of need.

It hurt.

So I continued to beg God for help, feeling like just quitting & giving up on my day’s productivity altogether in response to His seeming silence for my request.

And I felt His gentle whisper over my heart, a reminder that there was the problem—I wanted God to answer my prayer by giving me my strength back—my confidence, my ability to do it myself, my control in the situation—versus wanting to rely only on HIS strength.

I wanted MY confidence in ME to come back. But God knew better. He knew I really needed my confidence in HIM back.

“God, EVEN IF…”

I need to learn to say to Him, “God, EVEN IF it’s hard. EVEN IF it doesn’t get any easier. EVEN IF it sucks every single second… I will choose to praise You because I know YOUR STRENGTH is enough to carry me through moment-by-moment, EVEN IF I don’t get MY strength back.”

I hate not feeling control… like I can’t just FIX something… like I can’t overcome it.

I hate feeling like it’s not up to me… like I have no say… like I’m not enough.

I hate going where I don’t want to go… I hate facing trials & unknowns that I would prefer to avoid… I hate the things that I hate.

But I DON’T hate them, because they force me to reevaluate where my trust lies—Is it in ME? Or is it in HIM? “God, EVEN IF…”

I am NOT Enough–& I Was Never Meant to Be!

So if you ask me why I don’t hate the circumstances I hate… those circumstances I hate force me to humility… to recognize my need for Him… to rely on HIM INSTEAD.

It’s not fun & it flat out feels TERRIBLE & TERRIFYING sometimes… but the result is a renewed realization that EVEN IF—HE’S GOT IT COVERED & I CAN REST IN HIM COMPLETELY.

Give up the “I am Enough” quotes. Quit misleading others by telling them God says THEY are enough—what a terrible burden that cannot be relied upon!

Instead, tell them HE is enough.

That even if they hate their circumstances… they don’t have to hate them.

That even in those circumstances that they hate—the wonderful truth is that God can use them to bring them into a humbled reliance on their Savior, where peace thrives.

I am not enough. Not even close. One sign of struggle & I am either complaining in frustration or I am bumbling through sobs of despair. I am prone to quitting as my default. I HATE struggles.

But I don’t hate them.

Love Having Your Confidence in HIM

Do you struggle with this, too? Do you like feeling self-confidence more than relying completely & only on Him? Do you need this reminder to view differently those circumstances that you hate?

I love feeling confident. But I love having my confidence in HIM even more… because EVEN IF all fails & falls apart… I can rest in my LORD GOD ALMIGHTY Who LOVED me (& you!) SO much that He made a Way to pay my debt to Him, through Jesus. (John 3:16-17)

Shine HOPE by taking the circumstances you hate to Him & by learning not to hate them for their impactful ability to remind you where to recalibrate your trust—in Him versus in yourself.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Huipil Saddle Bag (Guatemala)

Artisans in Guatemala handcraft this colorful, eco-friendly saddle bag design from genuine leather & upcycled Mayan Huipil – the beautiful traditional blouses worn by women in Guatemala to signify which village they call home. Each bag is one of a kind, as the front features Huipil colors, patterns, & motifs that are unique to each woman’s village.

Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala.

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win-win-win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

In Everything… Praise Him

Something God has been nudging me about ever since this last September, is the need to intentionally & regularly praise Him.

As I mentioned back around that time (see that post, here), this initial nudge seemed insensitive at best & uncaring or mean at worst. I was facing a trauma I had never before experienced, & when I cried (literally cried) out to God for help facing the hurt, His gentle response was my need to praise Him.

You can possibly see why this response was not so easily received by my heart. I needed comfort & healing from Him, & yet, His response was to offer Him praise?

But, in my stubborn hard-hearted misunderstanding response, I kept praying for help… & His steady response remained the same: I NEED to praise Him.

His Call to Praise Him Expresses His Love for Me?

I came to understand why this call to praise Him was the MOST loving solution He could have offered me. If I turn my eyes from the turmoil tearing apart my heart & intentionally fix my eyes on all of His goodness, mercy, grace, love, power, & the HOPE He offers us… well, that trauma didn’t seem so end-of-the-world painful anymore… & the comfort did indeed begin to replace my fear & hurt.

His call to praise Him was a loving call, because He knew I needed to shift my perspective from the trauma to HIM.

So, this journey, this CALL to praise did not end there. It has been echoed repeatedly in my heart ever since. “Michelle, you NEED to praise Him.”

He Keeps Calling Me

I feel tired. Moving is hard & I don’t need to tell that to anyone who has experienced it before. The goodbyes, the letting go of belongings for an easier move, the lasts, & the heading into the unknowns… all of it is hard. Not to mention all of the logistics & juggling a life where all of your routines, habits, etc. have just been tossed in the air to land as they may.

Life becomes a mess of upheaval during a move. Nothing is where you left it because everything has been moved. You don’t have a home to go to after all the long travels. Plus, adding logistics for moving with a pet during a time when most airlines no longer fly pets internationally.

It’s stressful!

All of the emotions that come along with the stress just make it a hard time.

And you know what? This call to praise Him keeps echoing along the way.

I Grew Up Singing, So Why Does This Feel So Difficult?

I grew up in choir. I was in choir in elementary school, then in youth choir at church, to choirs all along the way as we have moved since I got married in 2012.

In fact, choir life has been so engrained in me, that my middle sis & I used to sing all the way home after practice each week—turning nursery rhymes into Broadway-worthy renditions (okay, maybe that’s being a BIT generous—but we would dramatize any nursery rhymes by belting them out dramatically, with dramatic hand gestures & choreography of course).

I love singing. It just lifts me out of the moment & just floods my heart with joy to escape the present situation or circumstances. I even sing to my cat sometimes….

But somehow, I feel devoid of song. I feel numb-ish. I feel stubborn & selfish & clinging to comforts more often than I cling to God.

The Danger of Relying on Comforts to Ease You… Over Turning to God

The red flags are there… I have grown colder recently… withdrawing into temporary comforts versus turning to God for help in every little thing… Relying more on what He has blessed me with than on Him.

And because of this, I have grown ungrateful. I am easily irritated. I get frustrated when things don’t work out the way I visualized. I complain. I mope. I withdraw. And I can feel Satan coupling that with my struggle with depression, threatening to pull me under by the weight of it.

But I know the warning signs now. I’ve been through this before. I see his tricks. I am not falling for it. Not this time.

And God continues to gently nudge: “Michelle, you need to praise Me.”

I NEED to Praise Him

Praise is non-negotiable. And it’s not something we ought to reserve for celebrations.

Our hearts NEED to be REGULARLY re-calibrated to set our focus on HIM. We NEED this.

I know. I need to kick satan right in the jaw by intentionally & regularly turning my eyes from ME-centered to GOD-centered, & not just fixing my eyes on Him, but PRAISING Him come rain or shine!

Praise God!

I need to get back to praising God—even (& ESPECIALLY) when I don’t feel like it!

I need to get back to praising God—INTENTIONALLY & on purpose–Regularly!

My heart is bleeding. I am wounded by the stressors. I am weak.

And if I don’t fix my eyes on Him in PRAISE, satan will not hesitate to twist all of that into a whirlwind of defeated despair through the aid of my predisposition for depression.

I need to praise God.

You need to praise God.

Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good! His Love Endures Forever! (Psalm 118:1)

We need to be intentional on lifting up praise to Him, thanking Him for His salvation through Jesus, for paying our debt & being our Way to God, despite our sin.

We need to thank Him for His many blessings, even & especially in the midst of really hard times.

We need to humble our hearts & lift Him up instead.

We need to fix our eyes on Jesus.

In EVERYTHING, Praise the Lord!

So, if you are down… If you feel beaten up… If you feel little (or big) stressors wearing you down… If someone you know is irking your nerves… If you’ve been hurt or are struggling with trauma… if you’re stressed beyond sanity….

If you are happy, overjoyed, & everything seems to be going your way…

If you are ____________________…

PRAISE HIM.

Intentionally… Regularly… Even when you least feel like it… PRAISE HIM.

Shine HOPE by praising God from whom all blessings flow! Maker of Heaven & Earth! Eternal, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, REDEEMER!

PRAISE HIM!

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Daisy Anklet (Thailand)

Add a touch of summer to your ankle with this feminine & fun, stretch-to-fit Daisy Anklet from Thailand. Handcrafted with delicate, muted blue, matte glass beads, each anklet features three white & gold, hand-beaded daisy flowers. Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Thailand!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win-win-win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Does Our Salvation Require Works &/or Obedience?

This topic is a delicate balance that often is wanting to swing from one side to the other.

How are we saved by God? Is it through our works (being a good person, or DOING for God)? Or is it through faith (in Jesus’ death for our sins & resurrection, conquering our sins & death)? Or is it both?

Do we have to prove our sincerity *enough* to deserve & receive Jesus’ gift before we get to go to Heaven?

What Salvation Is

All of us have sinned… every single one of us… & we all DESERVE Hell.

We also cannot earn Heaven. No matter how much good we do, we can never be near good enough to earn Heaven.

But… Jesus.

Our salvation (being made right with God from our sins against Him, through the payment by Jesus for those sins) is most definitely something that can only be accredited to Jesus alone.

Faith or Our Good Works?

So, understanding our complete lack of ability to atone for ourselves, knowing Jesus paid that for us, this question of faith vs. works seems a simple answer—by faith!!—but this quick answer is often misunderstood, so let’s talk about it.

There is absolutely no amount of good works that we can do to merit salvation from Hell. Nothing. If left to us, we would all go to Hell (& deserve to be there), but by God’s love & grace, HE MADE a Way possible for us anyway, through Jesus… & ONLY through FAITH in JESUS’ work on that cross can we achieve salvation.

But…

BUT, the Bible also tells us that faith without works is dead (in other words, if you *really* BELIEVED it, wouldn’t you try to live it?) (James 2:14-26) & it reminds us that true love for God is shown through obedience to God (John 14:15) (again, if we really have our faith in Him, wouldn’t we trust what He says & try to do it?) which sound an awful lot *like* works are involved in there as well.

And that is where a hang-up occurs for many Christians. It is a crack of misunderstanding that Satan likes to wedge himself right into & exploit to have us question our salvation altogether.

But let me be clear, while true faith is demonstrated by our works, it is not the amount of works that earns you salvation–only Jesus.

You Can’t Ignore Obedience

And still others, ignoring the whole “faith without works is dead” truth altogether, think that as long as they *say* they believe in Jesus & *say* the “magic” prayer: “Lord, please come into my heart & save me, blah blah blah,” that they’re all set & ready to prance right along into Heaven, living a life of unremorseful sin in the wait.

You see, it’s not the not-so-magic *words* that get you into heaven… it is BELIEVING ON Jesus’ work on your behalf! And if you BELIEVE on Him… don’t you think you will want to trust as He says we ought to live & try to live that way instead?

Salvation is ALL faith & ONLY faith can save you from your sins—faith in Jesus paying your price for you & rising again, conquering your sin—but that faith, that utter trust in HIM, if sincere, leads us in a DESIRE FOR HIS WILL & WAY.

Sanctification Is a Lifelong Process, Worked out by the Holy Spirit

We don’t become perfect when we accept His payment on our behalf, but the desire in us shifts from a desire for MY way, to a desire for HIS way.

We will get it wrong. We will fail. But we will desire His way to win, not our own.

When we accept Jesus’ work, through our faith in Him (aka salvation), through TRUE repentance (a desire to turn from our ways to His), GOD works in us, called sanctification (a lifelong process of God helping to weed out the sinful habits/patterns, & trading up for habits & patterns that give Him honor & glory, that please Him–holiness).

The level of sanctification we achieve does not determine salvation, but it is sure evidence of that salvation.

And the even better news? He doesn’t leave us to figure out how to do it or HOW to do it (sometimes change feels IMPOSSIBLE, doesn’t it??) But rather, HE works it out in us.

HE prunes us. HE leads us. HE instructs us (through the Bible). He enables us (through prayer). HE points the way.

Not a Better DOER, But a Better ABIDER

So many of us, including myself, can get lost in the DOING. “Do more,” “be a better Christian,” etc.

But God desires something different from us after we put our faith in HIM.

He desires our ABIDING more in Him–to act according to the reality that He is the Vine & we are the branches… apart from Him, we can do nothing. We NEED to rest in His presence, to be still & know that HE is God (Psalm 46:10), to acknowledge HIS role as GOD ALMIGHTY Who loves us beyond measure. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 3:14-19)

“Abide in Me, & I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, & I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)

God Wants Us Near Him Because He Loves Us

He wants us to talk to Him, to pour our heart out to Him, to come running to Him first for comfort or peace, to lean into His strength & power to enable us when it’s hard, to rely on His knowledge & wisdom.

Basically, He wants us to go back to living like we are in the Garden of Eden, taking His hand & letting HIM be GOD, doing as He leads & enables.

This doesn’t mean NO doing. It just means abiding so you can recognize which works specifically He is calling you to do.

Not doing everything “Christian-y” in hopes you’ll get it right some percentage along the way, but instead, reading His Word & being in His presence & talking with Him more so you can hear your Shepherd lead YOU.

Salvation + Works + Obedience?

True repentant faith will produce works & obedience as you seek to live His way over your own, but you can’t do it on your own & you will fail completely at times.

You are human. You WILL fail. (I know I do—I do not deserve to be here!) And Satan will be quick to whisper, “stop going back to Him when you fail… you’re mocking Him with every failure… stay away from Him this time….”

But God will whisper, “Come home, My child. Yes, Jesus paid for that, too.”

From my social media yesterday: “Obedience (or a desire for & striving in obedience) to God’s commands does reveal whether we are truly repentant—as in, saying “the magic words” doesn’t get you a ticket to heaven, but believing on Him & seeking to live His way through His enabling (by abiding in Him). But we will still fall short, so salvation is not something hinged on whether we get it right every time or enough times, but whether our heart truly believes on Christ as our Redeemer & as ultimate Almighty God, & if that’s truly the case, God will work in us sanctification (weeding out the bad habits/thoughts & training us up in righteousness to better live for & glorify Him). It’s a working He does in us as we surrender our hearts more & more as we abide in Him. The level of sanctification achieved does not determine salvation, but sanctification is evidence of salvation as He works in us as one who believes on Him.”

Shine hope by having faith in His work & His way, surrendering more of your heart for His sanctification, & abiding in Him more so that He may work through your life to reach a hurting world that so desperately needs to know of the HOPE we have available to us in JESUS.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Grove Bracelet (Thailand)

This stunning adjustable slide-knot bracelet from Thailand is colorful & unique with natural fluorite & apatite crystals, lime-green jade, red jasper, glass, & gold-tone beads. Hand braided with dark green cotton string, each bracelet is finished with knotted ends and gold-tone accent beads. Every bracelet features naturally unique stone color tones.

Every purchase provides vital opportunities for women in Thailand’s rural villages to earn income & help their families thrive.

Purchase this bracelet & empower a woman in Thailand!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win-win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Back on Guam

Well, we made it. Barely, but we made it.

My husband & I just moved back to Guam, after having lived here for 3 years, leaving in 2015 to move to Japan… we now back again to Guam.

This wasn’t my first choice, in fact, when my husband built up the story of discovering this job opening, ending with, “… & guess where it is???” my initial thought was, “we’re moving to Florida 2 years earlier than we expected?!?” Haha, nope.

But here I am, sitting in a nice hotel room with a beautiful ocean view (not bad for a temporary living situation), shaking my head in disbelief. It feels like a dream. It doesn’t feel real.

But it’s true… I am back on Guam.

A Swirling Mess of “All of the Above”

Guam is such an out-of-the-way place, so when you leave here, you don’t expect to ever come back… you close that chapter in your mind because the chances are so slim the first time around, that a second time just seems an impossible scenario… but here we are.

I wasn’t excited. I was devastated. Not just the unexpected jolt to my routine/life. Not just the disappointment of “not Florida.” Not just the loneliness I felt last time I lived here. And not just the fact that it meant we had to leave our home & friends 2 years sooner than we expected. It was a swirling mess of “all of the above.”

One Tough Move!

If you followed my journey to here, you know it was one of the hardest moves I could have ever imagined from start to finish.

From the movers miscalculating our allowed shipment size, almost leaving behind some furniture & boxes, only to finally agree to call to verify, finding out they had indeed miscalculated & were trying to deny us a THIRD of our shipment space. (oof)

From the movers receiving incorrect information about what we were allowed to ship & us only finding out after we had to pay for alternative means of shipment (ie medicine cabinet, spices, etc.) (oof again)

Then there was the whole shipping our cat thing. EVERY step acts as if they just want you to give up & give up your furbaby. EVERY step. In some cases, we had to come on the phone more informed than their own staff or we would have been denied altogether! How does that happen!? But God provided a dear contact who helped us to know who to ask what to make it happen anyway! Praise GOD!

And the last step for our cat required a military id, which we had for my husband’s job in Japan… but just a couple days before our departure, my husband was notified that instead of the remote relinquishment of his id, they decided they wanted to do it BEFORE we left & nothing we said changed their opinion. It had the potential to leave our cat stranded on our last layover & it was too late in the game to do anything about it.

To say this move was a stressful one is an understatement.

The Mess CONTINUED

Once the military ids were relinquished & our journey began, the mishaps did not end there.

We had 6 bags, plus a medium-sized dog kennel for our cat to lug around the airport.

We had a shuttle to take, with no underneath baggage space, with said bags & cat kennel.

We had to clear Japanese animal export in Tokyo.

We had an overnight layover in Hawaii, of which we were greeted with the news that our airline had no reservation for our cat—by the animal holding facility, who were unwilling to call to check whether it was just my name where it didn’t show, or any pet reservation at all (it was booked under my husband’s name, not mine) & that we should “just check when we get there.” (No stress, right?!)

Then all 6 bags were lugged around the giant hotel area, only to find out no shuttle tickets could be gotten, so we had to find a taxi.

The Last Leg of the Race Didn’t Get Any Easier

And to end it all with a bang, the check-in process for our sweet kitty took THREE hours & although we were first in line, even with running to the opposite side of the airport to my gate, I was 10 minutes late & ONLY because Jamie had pre-check & could get there early, did I make the flight at all, receiving many uncaring responses of, “sounds like someone didn’t allow enough time to catch her flight.” (Ohhh boy, if only they KNEW! … I was not thinking God-honoring thoughts about them at this point & had to bite my lip a few times there.)

The airline was telling my husband they couldn’t wait any longer & that he needed to just leave me there. I couldn’t respond to his messages because I was running WITH bags, asthma, & a bad hip/back… but I made it.

And when I got on that plane, with my mask hiding my face & the loud hum of the engine masking the sound, I cried for maybe the first 10 minutes of it… just flat out sobbing in relief & frustration & hurt that it had to be that hard the whole way.

He Can Do What I Can’t

But I’m here. We made it. Cisco made it. We’re here.

I don’t write all of this for sympathy, but to show you that this whole move was one giant IMPOSSIBLE, but we leaned into God & asked others to be praying, & God put the right people in our path at the right time (because we were trusting in Him over ourselves) & HE made it happen!

So much of the last few weeks was completely out of my control. But God was still in control.

I didn’t know who to call or where to start, but God led me.

I couldn’t control the decisions of others, but God made a way anyway.

I couldn’t know what I didn’t know, but God showed me & put people in my path who did know & could tell me.

This move was impossible from start to finish.

BUT… GOD. He can do what I can’t!

Cling to TRUTH in Times of Troubles

God tells us not to be anxious for anything (I still need to work on this one! It shows I often trust what I can see over what I know God can do & His will/plan & His care for me), but to pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6-9)

He tells us to not rely on our own understanding, but to turn to Him in everything. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

He tells us to be still & know that He is GOD. (Psalm 46:10)

He says that nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37) & that He can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

He says in all our ways to acknowledge HIM (His leadership, His power, His will, His ability, His love, His lead) & He will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

He reminds us that His comforts delight our soul IN the multitude of our anxieties. (Psalm 94:19)

His Will… He Will Make a Way

Where I am limited, He is limitless.

Where I can find no way, He is a Way-Maker.

If He leads you to something He WILL make it work out… we don’t have to worry about the hows, only focus on the Who.

This was a job He led my husband to. The way seemed impossible. But with God, anything is possible & His plans cannot be thwarted. Where we can’t, He CAN.

Continued Prayers Appreciated

Prayers are still appreciated as we look for a home—one that has been well-maintained, feels inviting, & has parking/space for guests. And for 2 reliable cars—rust damage is common on an island & problems are often left undisclosed.

Ask God to help us with discernment for unforeseen problems, that we trust His lead & have patience to WAIT to see HIM move versus just ACTING, & that we find peace during our long period of displacement. Thank you in advance!

Shine HOPE by leaning into Him in every high & in every low in life, letting HIM take the reins of your life, directing & leading you in His plans, not yours. Because even if you’re scared, apprehensive, or anxious, God ALWAYS KNOWS BEST & He WILL work everything together for the good of those who love Him & are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Kala Scarf

This floral-print scarf is handcrafted in India using ancient Bagru block printing techniques & azo-free natural dyes. Trimmed with an elegant multicolor jewel-toned border. Every scarf has variations as a part of the traditional Bagru block-printing process & Artisan-made charm!

In India, poverty & gender discrimination make it difficult for women to find safe dignified jobs with fair wages. But with every purchase, these Artisans are earning fair wages in safe working environments while preserving the ancient Artisan traditions of their ancestors & investing in the next generation.

Purchase this scarf & empower a woman in India!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win-win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Apprehensions, But God Is in Control

Well, this is it. In just 3 days, my husband & I will be flying to our new again home—Guam.

As you may remember, I wasn’t excited when I found out about this possibility a mere few months ago. I thought Guam was beautiful, of course, & I made some friends who invested in me as a friend… but life on Guam back in early 2010s was hard for me.

Maybe it was the fact that I was on the other side of the world from family & friends for the first time in my life.

Maybe it was figuring out being married & being a wife, learning to work together & communicate & work through tough things together for the first time.

Maybe it was my husband’s crazy work schedule that kept him away from home so incredibly often, leaving me alone on the other side of the globe (pre-smart phone & video calls, too, when all I had was a limited international calling plan).

Maybe it was feeling like an outsider—not hired staff, not local, not military… just fallen between the cracks in so many areas with a mostly absent husband.

Maybe it was a combination of all of that. Whatever it was—it was hard… & now I am moving back.

God Is Holding Me through It

I know circumstances are different now. I have been overseas for 10 years & am no longer a newbie at this. I have been married to Jamie for 10 years &, while still growing, as we always will as human beings, we are much more established in our relationship. His work schedule won’t be as crazy. Things have changed to better include outsiders like me. And… I own a smartphone now… with video calls.

But still, the trauma is there a bit & the apprehensions settle around this move.

Gratefully, God has–despite these apprehensions– helped me to have a better attitude with this move. He is giving me peace & helping me to just take one step at a time. He is helping me to trust Him & not worry, that even if it turns out just as bad (or worse), He has a plan & He can carry me through the potential storm.

I Don’t Play Baseball…

And here I am, just a few days away from leaving this country of Japan that has become our home these last 7 years & curveballs are swinging left & right & I feel emotionally & physically spent. I feel “out of batteries” as I like to say when I get to this point.

But I have more to do. Preparations have to be completed in just a couple more days before our flights. There is no time to quit or pause. It either gets done or left behind forever.

There are so many details that I couldn’t begin to share them all with you, as it would take hours to explain every facet of ever-needing-to-be-changed-or-adjusted details. It is seriously a whirlwind of information & details & needing to know more than the people who ought to know & inform me.

And I am out of batteries. I want to quit, if I am completely honest. I want to check out, curl up under the comforter–with it pulled over my head, cry until I get all the cries out & just sleep until it’s all over.

But I can’t. I have to be a grownup.

I Was Ready to Check Out

I didn’t want to write today. I wanted to toss it out with everything else I wanted to forget about to escape any & everything that could add to my pile, but God kept whispering over my heart ever so gently that even if I just share my prayer–my crying out to Him– that’s enough.

Because I am NOT enough.

But HE is.

I NEED Him

So, today, I leave you with my heart bare in prayer, laying down my weakness for His strength, my inability for His limitlessness, my burden for His care, & my dead batteries for His Almighty power:

“God. I am so tired. I am frustrated & a little angry. So much of this process has required us to know more than the ones we’re supposed to be able to call for help. How is that even possible? How are we supposed to plan & know if THEY don’t even know? I just can’t anymore. I am so tired & drained & I just don’t want to anymore. I can’t handle one more thing falling through or one more mistake due to misinformation or one more re-do because of that misunderstanding or one more authority unwilling &/or too uncaring to bother to help us when we NEED it. I can’t handle any more of it emotionally. I feel so drained. Please, God. You are the Author. You are Almighty. You can do anything. You KNOW everything. Please give me peace where peace seems impossible. Give me rest of heart. Renew my strength. Bolster my strength & resilience. Pave a way & fit the pieces together. Direct us to the ones who know & are willing & able to help us when we need it. Give us patience & a reminder to lean on You over quitting. Thank You for all You have already moved for us. Thank You for stepping in when all seemed lost along the way already. Thank You for being bigger than me, with more patience & wisdom & knowledge & power than me. Help me trust in that more. Be my strength. Get us to Guam. Please get our kitty to Guam safely, too, & watch over his nervous, scared little heart—comfort & calm him please Lord—I hate not being able to explain to him what is happening, so please care for him on our behalf. Help me to consider more Your plans for this move versus how it may or may not directly benefit me. Thank You for always being enough when I most definitely am not. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Shine HOPE by taking your human weaknesses & limitations to HIM.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Mosaic Clutch (Guatemala)

Made in Guatemala from upcycled traditional blouse fabric called Huipil, with each pattern symbolizing the village from which the woman came. (Colors & patterns vary widely.)

In Guatemala, women struggle through abuse & poverty. But these women are now becoming proud business owners! By utilizing their traditional skills, they are able to create beautiful products that reflect their culture. They can provide for their families at home rather than leaving home in search of work & can also send their children to school to pursue their dreams. This is because people like you purchase their work!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Guatemala!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

I Live with Depression

If you have been following my journey for a little while now, you probably know that I struggle with depression.

Depression has been a regular companion of mine for the most of my life & ebbs & flows with the severity of its symptoms. Sometimes I just feel worn out & a little out of it, other times I have brain fog that makes me go numb & check out, while other times sink me into a dark hole so deep I fear I may never come back out again.

I always understood depression to be only the last one I mentioned above, but depression takes on different forms in different phases of life.

But one thing I have learned in this lifetime battle is that depression is the devil’s playground.

Sometimes I Feel Like a Broken Human

Depression makes me vulnerable. When at its worst, I feel I lack any value because of how checked out I feel in any given situation. I don’t feel I can be “on” for people—you know, humor people & smile at socially appropriate times & be engaging & fun. I just feel numb—so numb that I feel broken.

The regular me becomes trapped under layers of uncaring numbness from the lack of serotonin &/or dopamine. I am still me, just with a thick cloud of numbness engulfing my passions & ambitions.

Because of this, I feel helpless when it gets bad. I feel stuck & trapped & sometimes like I am drowning.

Misunderstood

And people typically don’t get it—understandably. And they want me to just turn “on” & stop acting that way… when I genuinely can’t.

I mean, I got pretty good at acting back in my first two years of high school, after receiving many “looks” & unwelcome responses… but deep down, I knew I was lying to everyone around me, drowning in it alone… misunderstood.

All of these outcomes of depression often make me vulnerable & insecure… misunderstood.

I want to be what people want from me. I want to be the ambitious, determined, friendly person buried in all the blah, but I just can’t… & again, it makes me feel broken, beyond repair… misunderstood.

Depression: The Devil’s Playground

And Satan knows & sees all that vulnerability & insecurity in my weakest phases of my depression.

He knows the lies to whisper to me late at night, reminding me of the weird looks or responses from friends & family who don’t understand why I have inexplicably changed… why I am not as engaging or friendly or “on.”

And because I am in a vulnerable state during my lows, it’s so easy to believe those lies & that shame… & withdraw, thinking their lives would be better & less of a burden without me in it… that’s why depression is oftentimes associated with suicide, because, if left unchecked, believing all of the torrent of lies satan pours on your head… it can feel completely helpless & hopeless of any relief.

But I have to be on guard even more when the lows make their rounds back again, taking up the armor OF God (Ephesians 6), determining to grasp onto God’s Truth as my lifeline—because it is.

Cling to Truth

I have to remind myself of verses I have learned. I have to remember to pray instead of withdrawing & giving up. I have to be diligent in shutting out those little whispered lies of hurtful stabs to my heart.

Depression is the devil’s playground because he likes to kick when we’re down. He likes to exploit our weak spots & insecurities. He likes to lie & say people are better off without us burdening them with our brokenness.

BUT THEY ARE LIES.

And I have to determine to cling to Truth so I don’t get sucked into the vortex of shame, brokenness, & pain.

God As My Anchor

I have to determine to remind myself that IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.

I have to find a friend who is a safe space who will remind me of that & pray with me through it & not demand I shape up or get out… to sit with me in the lows & not need me to be “on” for them to keep me around.

Right now, I am not drowning. I am not in the deep end.

But I feel it. I feel the claws of numbness reaching out to me.

I feel the uncaring, checked out feelings hovering over me.

And I am determining to not give in to become the devil’s playground… to instead stop, accept my weakness as human & cry out to the almighty God for His mighty hand to hold me & keep me going.

Victory In Jesus

Depression used to feel like a curse… like something I would not wish on my worst enemy. A deep void of nothingness & pain.

But I have grown to see it a little differently over the last few years, as I have learned how much of the pain is from giving in to believing satan’s lies versus the depression itself.

That depression makes me weak & vulnerable, yes.

But that the reality is: we are all weak & vulnerable… trying our best to be strong & capable—getting us into trouble. And depression reminds me of my humanity… that victory comes only in Jesus.

A Curse Turned Blessing

Depression reminds me of my very real human need for God.

Depression reminds me that I am not God… but that He IS.

Depression reminds me of my need to learn & to tuck His Truth inside my heart.

Depression reminds me that I am just human & that that is all I am really meant to be—human.

Depression reminds me of why I need Jesus. I am weak. I am flawed. But I am offered grace because of Him.

I Need Him… & Depression Reminds Me of That

He is God. I am not.

He can. I can’t.

I need Him. You need Him. We ALL NEED HIM.

And our reliance should be on HIS ability, not our own.

So, I don’t hate my depression anymore.

Do I enjoy being reminded of my human weakness? No, not really.

But do I enjoy being regularly reminded of my need for Him? Definitely yes.

It’s Okay to Need God’s Help… Because, in Reality? We ALL Do

If you struggle with depression—with lower-than-normal levels of serotonin &/or dopamine, know that it’s okay not to be okay… that it’s okay to be weak… that it’s okay to need God’s help.

Don’t allow satan to play with your vulnerabilities. Don’t let him lie to you & manipulate you.

Determine to cling to God for help, in prayer. Determine to cling to Truth & God’s armor, as laid out for us in Ephesians.

And don’t let your depression become a playground for the devil.

“God Is Our Refuge & Our Strength… Our Very Present Help in Time of Trouble” (Psalm 46)

If you don’t struggle with depression, don’t expect your friends to always be “on” for you. Let them know it’s okay to just BE sometimes… that you would rather have them with you like that rather than to keep your distance. Be their safe space. Pray WITH them, FOR them—when you are weak & vulnerable & feel broken, sometimes it feels like you’re drowning too much to pray—so pray WITH & FOR them.

You don’t have to know the answers & be what they need, because you know the One who does know the answers & Who IS what they need.

Shine HOPE by placing your cares on Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Andean Drop Earrings & Andean Ring

Handcrafted by our newest Artisan partners in Peru, this 24k gold-plated, natural chrysocolla stone ring can be worn alone as a stunning statement piece or paired with our Andean Drop Earrings. Hammered metal & natural variations of swirling green chrysocolla add “Old World” charm to this ethically made ring. Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty in Peru.

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Parenting Is No Easy Task

Parenting is hard work. It comes with many blessings, for sure, but it cannot be denied that it takes intentional effort & investment into the lives of the littles in your care.

I may not seem qualified at all to talk about parenting, having no children of my own, but I do know that as a fellow human, even without the extra challenges of motherhood, life is hard sometimes & I need God’s help.

Even knowing I need His help, I so often struggle doing life on my own without seeking God’s help right away, & I often see mothers struggle the same way… getting exhausted & losing their cool, sinking in stress, not considering the role God must have in the parenting journey.

I don’t know about you, but it’s much easier for me to react to situations versus prayerfully respond, & I can guess with fair certainty that if I were a mother, that would not immediately change.

God Is with You… Be Still & Know That HE Is GOD

So, I am here to remind you that you don’t have to do it alone.

Even if you have a spouse who doesn’t help out or a father who is out of the picture… even if friends & family don’t come around you… you don’t have to do it alone.

Even on nights where tears of frustration &/or exhaustion are your only companion… you don’t have to do it alone.

Even when the nerves are shot & nothing seems to work & “it’s just the way it is” & it’s the last straw… you don’t have to do it alone….

There IS hope.

Our Struggle Does Not Define Us or Our Lives… God Is Able

Consider my depression. If I am not careful, it becomes my identity, much like mothers who assume the identity of a tired, frayed, can’t-handle-it mom. Our struggles can begin to cling on to our lives like a label of reality we can’t escape.

But God is GOD. He is ALMIGHTY. He is ALL-WISE, ALL-KNOWLEDGEABLE, & ALL-POWERFUL… AND, to top it all off, His actions, His very being is defined by His LOVE.

He can move in the impossible. He can work solutions that weren’t even considered. He can make things happen where there seems no hope &/or no solution.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to be able to control every action or behavior. You don’t have to live feeling like a failure.

You have HIM.

Surrender Your Parenting to Him

Surrender ‘those’ days & ‘those’ nights to Him.

Surrender that stress to Him.

Surrender your anxiety & frustrations to Him.

Surrender the “it’s just the way it is” thoughts to Him.

Surrender your parenting to Him.

“HOW?!?” …You may ask….

Pray. Talk to Him about it. Lay it down at His feet, opening up your heart & admitting your struggle & need for Him. Admit to Him & to yourself that where you can’t, He can. Where you see no way, He makes a way.

Bow Your Needs to HIM As Your GOD

Ask Him continually & daily in prayers somewhat like this:

“God, I can’t do this. I feel like a terrible Mom right now. I can’t do anything right. I try to teach them & they don’t listen. Chores never end. I am tired & stressed & just feel like a failure! But You are GOD. I am not, but You ARE. Help me. Give me Your peace that goes beyond understanding. Teach me. Grow me. Help me to honor You in how I respond to this. Help me know HOW to respond to this & empower me to do it right! I react but I want to prayerfully respond in a way that honors You, trusting You to help me in it. Help me learn how to do that. Help me parent. Help me surrender my parenting to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

A Prayer for the Supermom, Too

Maybe you don’t feel stressed with your kids. Maybe you feel capable & strong & like you know what you’re doing. Let me give you another call—surrender that to Him, too.

What seems wise to us is often foolishness to God. It seems right in our own eyes, but we don’t see the whole picture. Only God does. So surrender that capableness to Him, too.

“God, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on this parenting thing, but I want You running the show. I want You guiding my words & my actions & the lessons I teach—not human wisdom… YOURS. Help humble me & allow me to listen for Your guidance over my own. Help me to slow down & bow to Your leading. Thank You for Your patience with me & that You always know best, even when I think I do. Thank You that I can always trust You. Help me trust in that better & to lead with You as my guide… not me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, AMEN.”

The Importance of Intentionally Surrendered Parenting

Some days will be hard. Some days it will feel easier to just not be intentional… to just take a break from trying. Some days you will feel like supermom.

But every day, you ought to surrender your parenting to Him.

Shine HOPE by determining to INVEST moment-by-moment into Your children, raising them up in the way they should go… BY & THROUGH prayer & a surrender to Him in it ALL.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Green Tea & Jasmine Soap Bar

Make every day a spa day for someone you love or make this month a little sweeter & treat yourself to the refreshing natural floral scent & cleansing benefits of our Green Tea & Jasmine Soap Bar from India. Made with essential oils of Green Tea & Jasmine blended with moisturizing natural coconut oil, olive oil, & shea butter, this luxurious soap will delight your senses!

In India, many women in traditional communities still struggle to overcome centuries of gender discrimination. Women are often discouraged from working outside the home. Women with disabilities are often further marginalized by society, making it even more difficult for them to find dignified work & making them even more vulnerable to exploitation by sweatshops. But through your purchase, these artisans are given opportunities to overcome these obstacles & succeed!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

It’s My Life

Doesn’t it make sense that I would be the main character of MY life? Why would it be any different? It’s MY life, after all… right?

That’s what we grow up hearing, isn’t it? To “live our best life” & “be true to you”. Everything we hear in culture reinforces this idea of it being MY life to live to its fullest.

Even in my walk with learning to lean on & trust in Jesus more each year, I typically frame my life experiences & life lessons around how it grows ME & how it benefits ME.

Now, of course, EVERYTHING God does, from Creation to Jesus is designed for my benefit, but I would be terribly wrong to believe my life is about ME & not about HIM.

Made in His Image

We were made in God’s image… to reflect HIM.

We were made to give Him glory, to glorify Him in EVERYTHING. And as I have talked of this before, this is not arrogance or self-indulgence on His part, but rather gracious, relentless LOVE because He knows that He ALONE is the source of hope we are all seeking & yearning for… the HOPE we NEED—because we ALL deserve Hell & it is our default destination… without JESUS.

So, in giving Him the glory, in pointing to Him as our hope in every situation in life, we are in turn pointing everyone to the only true source of HOPE.

When we glorify God, we point others to HOPE.

And so, it stands to reason that our main reason for existence… our main mission… our ONLY real mission… is to GIVE GOD GLORY.

I’m Missing the Mark

We are not the main characters of our individual lives. We are but the supporting roles to HIS STORY—And until I understand that to my very core, I will be missing the mark.

No wonder the anxiety our culture experiences! A life where we are the main focus leads us ever-searching for that next benefit, next comfort, next thing to give our life meaning & depth & happiness.

But a life that seeks to make it ALL about Him, as the supporting role in HIS story, isn’t concerned about seeking out how it benefits ME but how it benefits HIM.

My self-focus, even in well-meaning “desire for personal growth,” leads also to an ungrateful heart because it makes it all about ME & when something doesn’t seem to benefit ME, it makes me feel snubbed.

Not Easy, but Purposeful

We sing a lot about God being “our Mountain Mover” & how He has a solution & a fix for us, so just keep holding on, etc. etc., but let’s be careful to think about how we frame the context of those phrases.

He of course is a Mountain Mover, but that doesn’t mean His goal is to maintain our certain level of comfort moving mountains to maintain that for us.

In reading the Bible, we can clearly see this is not the reality. People were imprisoned, wrongly accused, betrayed, beheaded, etc. But even when God didn’t get them out of their troubles, “moving mountains for them,” He did give them inexplicable PEACE in the midst of it & moved mountains by reaching the hardened hearts that previously rejected God with hatred. He softened hearts & changed perspectives. Not every mountain moved was to maintain comfort, but to bring HOPE.

He changed lives & infused them with HOPE.

And the disciples didn’t get it easy. They didn’t have everything tied in a pretty bow, made comfortable & easy with everyone loving & accepting them. But they had peace where peace made no sense & they trusted that no matter how little it seemed to benefit them, God had a plan for His glory… to bring HOPE to the hopeless.

Am I the Main Character of My Story?

Let that be my heart cry! Let that be my focus! Let me make HIM the main character of “my” story… because all of our stories are really His anyway.

What does your life speak about Him? What does it tell others about Who He is?

Is He the main character in your story? Or are you?

How does your life point others to the hope He offers through Jesus & when you die, will others know Jesus because of the time you lived on this earth?

Who is the main character in your story?

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement right here on my blog/website @ www.MichelleHydeOnline.com.

Share with friends & family… & SUBSCRIBE by “Joining My Tribe,” so you never miss a week!

As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox (make sure to check your other inbox folders), along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Botanica Charms Set

This set of six pairs of versatile jade, Acacia wood, ethically collected bone, tassel, & metal charms are handcrafted in India by Artisans who are committed to fighting child marriage & providing opportunities for women to become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. Every purchase supports vulnerable women in areas of extreme poverty in India.

How You Can Help:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!

Your purchases not only help these women, but my commissions help me in continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win! Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!