In church recently, the pastor has been covering the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6 & I feel like I have been learning so much I had never really considered.
When asked by His disciples how they should pray, Jesus lays out a model prayer for them (& us) in Matthew 6:9-13.
“In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom & the power & the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13)(emphasis mine)
Your Kingdom Come
One of the things this pastor’s sermons has taught me is highlighted in verse 10 that says, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
The pastor pointed out the two-sided meaning to this little phrase, “Your kingdom come,” meaning both an immediate understanding of living under God’s kingship & an eternal, ultimate authority that God has & will have.
The Power of a King
This aforementioned sermon pointed out to me the importance of understanding how kingship works.
Throughout history, a kingship (vs. a presidential position), means ultimate authority. He could have someone killed on a whim or take away land or do basically whatever he decided he wanted, without any sort of committee, vote, or approval of anyone else.
And again, throughout history, there have been benevolent kings who have obeyed God’s commands & have looked out for the good of their kingdom… & there have been malevolent kings who live according to their own whims, regardless of who they have to hurt along the way.
God’s Kingship
Well, in considering God as a king, He is the ultimate benevolent king, Who is perfectly good, moral, just, & holy.
But His kingdom is FOREVER because He cannot & will not die to leave His kingdom to the next ruler. He has perfect, ultimate, eternal control & power… & not just over a finite area, but over ALL.
God always operates as He says He will in His written Word—the Bible. He is faithful even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13), but there are also consequences to dishonoring & disobeying His commands to run your own kingdom your way (Romans 6:23).
He doesn’t answer to anyone else.
Am I the Queen of Me?
So, if I lived in a kingdom, with a king (good or bad) & understood his rule was absolute, how would that affect the way I live out my life?
And if I understand that God has this same ultimate Kingship authority, power, & control… except on a much grander, infinite scale… how would that affect the way I live out my life?
Am I queen of my own life? Am I the Queen of me? Do I act like I am? Do I have the final say-so? Do I make my own decrees or judgements? Do I rule me?
Or do I understand that this is GOD’S kingdom… NOT mine…?
God Is My KING
The pastor did such a wonderful job at expounding the concept found in this little short verse that I now realize more clearly that I am a part of a bigger, greater kingdom & regardless of who the current president or person of power may be, God is my ultimate authority as my KING.
And even if earthly leaders don’t command me to follow God’s laws, I am still under the authority of God’s eternal reign. I am still a citizen of HIS kingdom. And I will still be held accountable to God for the decisions I make that disregard or disobey His laws.
God is my KING.
Fearing God Is the Beginning of Wisdom
We talked a few weeks ago about fearing God as the beginning of wisdom(Check out that post, here) & this idea of God’s Kingship nicely rounds out those ideas with an understanding that, as Christians, we are a part of God’s kingdom… not just the eventual & ultimate reign of God, but currently, right now, on a personal, daily level… an understanding that HE is in charge… NOT me.
The question we need to ask ourselves on a daily, moment-by-moment basis is, “Do I serve God as King over all, or do I expect Him to serve me?”
He Is Good, SO GOOD
But, dear one, when we serve Him & submit to Him, we can take rest & peace in knowing He is perfect, without fault, holy, just, forgiving, patient, loving, kind, & Good.
He even made a payment possible to satisfy His wrath & need for justice by sending Jesus Who willingly took our punishment for our wrongs upon Himself, died for us, & rose again as victorious over both our sins AND death. God is GOOD! Amen!! (John 3:16-17)
He is the ultimate benevolent King, seeking the very absolute best for the people of His kingdom.
Perfectly Designed for Our Good
For those of us who have humbly accepted the Gift that Jesus offers to every one of us in paying our debts, we can rest in His Goodness & benevolence & trust Him through obedience, knowing His every command is perfectly designed to bring us Good… & that when it doesn’t seem so, it’s because Satan has planted his claws of trauma & deception… & in that case, God can heal… God can redeem… God can restore… God can renew.
Shine HOPE by determining to let GOD be KING… by stepping down as “Queen of Me”… & letting “[His] kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”(Matthew 6:10)
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Zoya Earrings (India)
(Fashion as a force for good! Every purchase empowers women in India out of poverty. Shown: Zoya Earrings & 1 strand of Ellora Necklace Set.)
Zoya means “shining, life” in Hindi. These stylishly stunning gold-toned earrings are handcrafted in India, featuring genuine freshwater pearls on a delicate linked-chain design. Every purchase provides fair-trade jobs 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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
“By the grace God has given me, I [Paul] laid a foundation as a wise builder, & someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, & the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”(1 Corinthians 3:10-15)(emphasis mine)
Am I Living Like 1 Corinthians 3 Is True?
It is frustrating for me looking at a large majority of American Christianity.
… Until I realize I am a part of it.
There is a little phrase in a verse that I never really understood & so just breezed by in the past, until recently.
“… the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”(1 Corinthians 3:15)(emphasis mine)
How Often?
How many of us just live our lives, letting whole days or weeks go by without asking for insight from God into God’s plans?
Filling the time with jobs, hobbies, errands, chores, responsibilities, busy auto-pilot living….
And how often do we recognize that God has good works that HE has planned in advance for us to do? (Ephesians 2:10) … That He has an agenda that is not just “get through this day, get through this week, get through this year, the end.”
God Has Even Better Plans
Have you ever heard of the term, “Divine Appointment”?
The idea behind this is that God sees every heart & every need & hears every cry & sees every tear.
He also has a planned way to serve those needs & bless those hearts.
And oftentimes, we get to be a part of it, if we are willing to be a vessel of HOPE for Him.
Are you willing to trust HIS plan over your own?
What Are We Modeling? What Beliefs Do Our Choices Reflect?
And how often do we feel we “know enough” from church or maybe a Bible Study we go to, that we don’t really take time to bother with personal reading, studying, or praying? Because we “just don’t have the time”?
What are we modeling for children? For other believers? For those who are still lost?
In whom do our actions say we have our faith? Others? God? Ourselves?
Who?
Getting Honest with Yourself
Reflecting on your current priorities, do you think your lifestyle will be described as being ”a good & faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) trusting God’s lead?
Or… “saved as if by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15) aka barely making it by the skin of your teeth, doing the bare minimum to live for God?
I want my life to represent a life of joy & faith, trusting & obeying God, letting Him use my life to bless those around me, letting Him have the lead of my life. I want His abundance!
Redeeming the Time, for the Days Are Evil
I want to be a part of the plans HE has for my life…
… a life as SALT & LIGHT in this world.
… redeeming the time because evil will keep on happening (Ephesians 5:14-16) even if I don’t.
… letting God’s goodness shine hope into it!
What Will Our Legacy Say?
What do you want your legacy to say about you? About God? About JESUS?
And if, like much of my routine, you have everything out of order or feel you just “don’t have the time for anything else,” remember that for that reason, the verse says to REDEEM your time. Give all of your schedule to God & say, “God, I know this is all out of whack, but I am too busy & I don’t know what needs to go or how it needs to shift or how to create the energy I will need to do what honors You….
… But You are God. And You can help me know what to cut or move & how to do it. You can give me more energy to do what honors You….
… Your capacity & power, dear God, far exceeds my own. So, take my time. Redeem it for a better way. AMEN.”
Saved As If by Fire?
I have had to pray something similar throughout the years for my scheduling in general, but I need to learn to pray this way every moment… to be willing to let Him take the reins of my life moment-by-moment.
Because I want to honor Him.
I want to be His vessel of Hope.
I don’t want to just live & then die… I want to LIVE FOR HIM, through Him.
I want my life to point to Him & give Him glory.
I want to add His light more into this evil-filled world.
I want to be His light, edifying, building up, & making this life fuller & richer, by our Victor’s design.
I want to make the most of the days I have, no matter how many or how few.My life is a vapor, here today & gone tomorrow.
Shine HOPE by living as an intentional legacy of HIS GRACE & LOVE & HOPE in this world.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Truth Earrings
(Fashion as a force for good! Empower women in the Philippines & India out of poverty with these beautifully hand-crafted Truth Earrings & Silver Medallion Necklace.)
These incredibly light earrings are made with genuine local capiz shell.
In the Philippines, finding employment as a woman in poverty can be extremely difficult. Poor working conditions, lack of job security, & unfair pay are often the realities. Through your purchase, these women are receiving an income, health care, & social development programs. This allows these women to realize their potential & pursue their dreams in a safe environment. You have the opportunity to change lives!
Purchase these earrings & empower a woman in the Philippines!
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
A long time ago, all children of a certain age were ordered to be killed by the Pharaoh, but Moses’ mother hid her son & eventually placed him on the river, in a basket (sealed to keep out the water) as a last effort to keep her son alive. (Starting in Exodus 1-Exodus 15, you can find the story of Moses & the Passover.)
As the basket floated down the river, followed by the watching eyes of Moses’ older sister, Pharaoh’s daughter found him, & having compassion for the small child, took him in as her own.
Moses’ sister boldly stepped out of hiding & offered their mother as a potential nurse maid for him, allowing him to stay near to his birth mother in his early years.
But Moses grew up in the palace, surrounded by wealth, watching his own people enslaved by his adopted grandfather.
Some Context to the Story
But Moses’ native people, the Israelites, were not always enslaved to Egypt… they had once been invited in amicably & given lush farmland to call their new home. They were welcomed in because of their ancestor Joseph’s good works, led by God’s plan. (Starting in Genesis 37, with the offering of the land in Genesis 47)
In a time of great famine, Joseph (with God’s help & guidance) helped to allocate resources to keep the Egyptians & neighboring lands from a harsh death & as a reward of gratitude, the pharaoh at that time welcomed Moses’ people(before Moses’ time) & much farmland became their new homes.
But, when that pharaoh passed away, a newer pharaoh began to feel threatened by their growing numbers, & in order to prevent an eventual perceived takeover (ie paranoia & fear), he enslaved the people of Israel (Moses’ people).
A Torn Heart
And so, Moses grew up in luxury watching his people being harshly mistreated, whom he no doubt knew about because of his mother who had helped serve as his nursemaid.
He loathed the situation & his heart undoubtedly felt in constant battle between his comfort & their turmoil.
But he eventually ran away from home, after killing a guard that he witnessed mistreating one of his fellow people… he could no longer ignore their pain.
And while on the run, God got a hold of his heart, directing him not to run away, but to head right back to the Pharaoh & tell Him to “let my people go!”
After Moses expressed insecurity of his weakness in speech, God offered Aaron to accompany him.
So That God May be Glorified
This began the dance of Moses presenting to the Pharaoh his plea to “let his people go!” only to be met with a firm, “NO” from the Pharaoh.
Following each “NO,” from the Pharaoh, God would present a plague of some sort, from grasshoppers that ate the crops, to locusts that invaded even the palace, to frogs, to rivers & water turned to blood. But still, the Pharaoh’s heart was hardened & although he seemed to waiver in his resolve occasionally, he always went back on his word & ended with another firm, “NO.”
Until the final response from God: the angel of death who would kill off every firstborn male among man & beast… Otherwise known as “the Passover,” because God added a way out with this one.
God Provided a Way Out
Whoever killed a lamb & placed its blood on their doorposts, everyone within its walls would be spared… aka Passed Over.
It didn’t matter their merit. The angel didn’t go in each house to see the people prove something first.
The blood of the lamb was all-sufficient.
God Doesn’t Look at the Merit within Us—With Jesus
But what I want to focus on right here & now is the blood of the lamb, symbolic of the blood shed by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, on our behalf.
We will all face judgement before God at our death.
… In other words, the angel of death is coming.
… But the blood of this Lamb of God (AKA Jesus Christ) is also ALL-sufficient.
And if we ACCEPT His blood offered on OUR behalf, covering our life with His sacrifice, then the same goes for us that there is no “looking inside us to see if there is merit” or “checking for proof that we’re deserving.”
His shed blood is sufficient.
His innocence covers our guilt.
… If we accept His blood to cover us.
We All Deserve Hell… But JESUS
The consequences we will face upon death, as we face the judgement of God, is no respecter of persons… in other words, it doesn’t look at whether we’re a good person or whether we’re well-liked by our peers… whether we’ve “done a lot of good” or whether we haven’t even bothered to try… whether we’re a success or perceived failure.
We all deserve the guilty verdict.
We all deserve to face the angel of death.
We all deserve Hell.
But.
But, JESUS CHRIST, the LAMB of GOD died on our behalf so that HIS blood could cover us, telling that judgement & deserved punishment to PASS OVER us.
Don’t Wait… Don’t Be Fooled… Don’t Forget the Blood of Jesus
So, the question is not whether you feel you have done “enough”, but whether you have been obedient in taking seriously God’s “way out” as He offered during the Passover in Moses’ time. AKA, the blood of the Lamb to cover YOU.
Don’t wait until tomorrow, for you to sin “one more time,” as you may not be offered a tomorrow to do so.
Don’t let Satan continue to lure you in with sin that seems shiny, appealing, & fun, but is littered with fine print consequences that keep you trapped & imprisoned by lusts of your heart.
Don’t let your deceitful heart fool you into thinking it knows better than God Almighty.
Don’t give room for missing out on a chance to have Jesus’ blood cover your life, because I promise you that the judgement day will come whether you wait or not.
Be prepared.
Let His Blood Cover You
Accept Jesus as Lord of your life.
Ask Him to forgive you & make you whole.
Turn from you sins (even the “not-so-bad” ones that are easy for you to justify or excuse).
Be set free.
Be PASSED OVER when judgement day arrives.
And be welcomed into Heaven, where there is no more sorrow or pain, no more tears… only rejoicing & wholeness & complete, pure contentment & peace.
This earth is our temporary home. Where will your permanent home be?
Shine HOPE by accepting the blood of Jesus & telling others about this “way out” that God offers to EVERY single person who will accept it!
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Silver Medallion Necklace
(Fashion as a force for good, featuring the beautifully hand-crafted Sllver Medallion Necklace, made in India!)
This textured silver-tone chain from India can be worn separately or layered with other necklaces from our One World Collection. The uniquely textured pendant adds the perfect artistic touch. Three length options allow you to choose your comfort & style. Every purchase provides fair-trade jobs in areas of extreme poverty in India.
In India, poverty often leads to exploitation of vulnerable Artisans in sweatshops. Every purchase provides these Artisans with fair wages, access to healthcare, education for their children, & care for elderly family members.
Purchase this necklace & empower an Artisan 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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
I will be honest with you: staying faithful to God is not always an easy feat for me. I am stubborn & selfish & often automatically think I have things figured out already my way.
And when I am distracted by something “shiny” or feel the least bit tired, the willingness to be faithful in my submission to God drops quite a bit.
I often forget to pray for help & instead either quit or try my own way until I wear myself down & want to quit because I like instant gratification.
… Let’s just say that God has had to show me a lot of grace & exercise much patience with me.
An Opening for Sin
Whenever I have a need, I immediately want to see it fixed to my satisfaction—emphasis on immediately.
It is pretty common for me to face temptation or face some sort of hardship, pray for help, not see it made easy for me to resist (by removing it altogether, because I don’t want to have to choose to obey when temptation is calling me), & then blame God when I give in.
Or, I go to God for help but then go to my own Plan B or Plan C pretty quickly, not trusting God enough to wait on Him & rest in Him.
This is also why sin is such a temptation for me, because Satan always seems to package it as the shiny quick fix to all of my problems.
Make Sure to Read the Fine Print
But there is always fine print to sin. That’s why God commands us to avoid it, because while it seems justifiable & safe & the perfect answer… it always comes back to bite you… it always has consequences you’re not always aware of when you dive into those sins.
So, being aware of this fact, I know even more how important it is to stay faithful & submit to God’s commands (aka God’s way).
And, you would think this would be motivation enough to stick to God’s ways, but that instant gratification addiction is strong with me. I want it to be made easy for me to follow & obey God.
I Want It Easy
It takes a lot for me to go from knowing what I need to do, seeing an obstacle that makes it less than appealing to follow through, to stopping to pray for help from God versus quitting & running the opposite direction toward something easier or more appealing.
I get stuck in the lazy &/or anxiety trap way too often.
I get paralyzed with overwhelm or with a pull toward an easier-seeming way & head straight there.
And I often turn to the television, or a tablet, or something else where I can engulf my mind into something that doesn’t cause me anxiety, numbing everything else out because it just seems easier… versus asking God to help me push through it—trusting Him for victory.
Our Good God Is a God of VICTORY
But, what I need to learn to do is to realize that no matter how strong the pull to something else may seem & no matter how appealing that instant gratification promises (lies) to be… I need to stop giving in… I need to fall to my knees if need be. And I need to cry out to God for help.
And so, this has been something I have been trying to intentionally be aware of lately, asking God to help me see when I am coveting instant gratification over trusting in Him—because God is Good & God is a God of VICTORY.
My Prayers Against Giving In
I have been praying something like this, “God, please help me! I don’t know how to handle this or how to follow through on this, so I just want to run toward whatever feels easier & more instantly gratifying. And I know You have an answer & You always have a plan & I can always trust You in everything, but I often fold & turn to whatever seems quicker, shinier, or easier.Please help me to stop compromising at every other turn. Help me lean into You more. Help me to be aware of the times I am seeking ease more than a peace in You. Help me know when I am compromising for something less than what You have to offer me out of Your lavishing love for me. I want to honor You. You deserve my full honor & respect. You are faithful even when I am not. Thank You for continuing with me, for giving me grace, for showing me patience…. Thank You for never giving up on me. You are so Good… all the time. I love You because You loved me first. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.”
Staying Faithful-Without Instant Gratification
So, if you’re with me on this… struggling to stay faithful when instant gratification seems to sparkle & shine for your time & attention, determine to stop & ask God for help trusting Him in everything big & small.
Shine hope by turning to God every time it’s hard to stay faithful to His way & by asking for His help in saying, “NO” to those shiny instant gratification opportunities. Staying faithful-without instant gratification-can seem impossibly hard sometimes, but with God, nothing is impossible.
“Jesus looked at them & said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(Matthew 19:26)
He’s always worth it, 100%.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Silver Medallion Necklace
(Every purchase of this Silver Medallion Necklace empowers women in India out of poverty!)
This textured silver-tone chain from India can be worn separately or layered with other necklaces from our One World Collection. The uniquely textured pendant adds the perfect artistic touch. Three length options allow you to choose your comfort & style. Every purchase provides fair-trade jobs in areas of extreme poverty in India.
In India, poverty often leads to exploitation of vulnerable Artisans in sweatshops. Every purchase provides these Artisans with fair wages, access to healthcare, education for their children, & care for elderly family members.
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
If you read my blog & think to yourself, “Man, this girl has it all together with her weekly blog posts & she is way more faithful & strong in her faith than I am…” well, let me stop you right there to give you an honesty check—everything I post about is something I have struggled through (or am still struggling through) myself.
I don’t come to you as someone who has figured it all out.
I don’t come to you as someone who is always sure & strong in her faith, always making the right choices.
I come to you as a fellow woman on a journey to trust God with more of her life as she fails, forgets, drops the ball, messes up, etc., leaning into the Holy Spirit’s work in her life.
The Hard-Headed Truth
To be honest with you, I am one of the most stubborn, hard-headed skeptics I know. It’s a miracle, truly, that God has grown me to where I am today.
Then, there’s the fact that even when I DO learn… God reminds me & I forget & He has to remind me again. I am hardheaded that way… or maybe prideful in always wanting to try my way first.
I am by no means perfect & I have a loooong way to go, but I just keep trying again… failing forward, letting the Holy Spirit work in me as I lean into Him.
And the key, I have learned (from my many failures & prideful mistakes) is to KEEP coming to HIM for help in the learning to trust & obey Him… even & ESPECIALLY after you mess it all up first.(That, I have learned from my own personal failures… Satan likes to use our mistakes & failures to create a rift between us & God, but God says, “Yep, Jesus paid for that, too. Come back to Me, My child.”)
Let’s Do This Together!
It’s a PROCESS & a JOURNEY we are ALL going through.
That’s where my confidence comes from—not in thinking I am better than anyone else, but in realizing that we are all broken & in need of God’s help & that any good I accomplish is because of the abilities, gifts, opportunities, strength, wisdom, etc. that HE has given me.
I NEED Him.
And so do you.
Hello, We Meet Again…
I am no stranger to this inner battle against temptation, just as much as I know you are no stranger to it either–& we all have our personal weak spots that Satan knows how to exploit. This battle is one we are all familiar with & is one we will continue to fight throughout our life, as Satan’s key personal mission is to pace the earth, seeking whom he may devour, seeking to kill, steal, & destroy. (1 Peter 5:8; John 10:10)
It is very true that the more we spend time talking to God about every detail of our lives, asking for wisdom or strength or comfort or counsel or any of the promises God offers us, that we are much less likely to be troubled with temptation, but none of us are immune to it.
It is also true that when we follow the instructions & guidelines laid out for us in Ephesians & summarized at the end of Ephesians, with the armor OF God, that we will also be much less vulnerable to these attacks… but the attacks will still come. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
Satan Knows Where to Hit Us
Satan can’t MAKE us sin, but he will & does definitely cultivate scenarios where we are much more prone to take our eyes off of God & choose sin instead.
Whether it be that phone or laptop that no one else has access to… making it easy to search, read &/or see what I know I shouldn’t (Fine Print: it leads to joyless emptiness & further destruction)… or even whether it be watching that show on tv that has content that far too often ignites my triggers for that temptation. (Matthew 5:28-this is addressed to men, but also applies to women lusting after men!)
Whether it’s the temptation to eat one more slice of cake or snack a little (or a lot) more than my body says it needs because I am stressed &/or bored. Or to eat foods consistently too full of fat, sugar, & preservatives, things that are quick & “more fun to eat” & avoiding nutritious, beneficial foods that my body really needs. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Whether it’s the temptation to talk about someone else, thinking I’m being a friendly neighbor to warn someone about that someone because they said something they shouldn’t have, unknowingly slandering them in the process, versus taking that concern to God & watching what words come out of my mouth, that they may only be edifying, for the building up of others, as God instructs. (James 4:11; Ephesians 4:29)
Oh, & There’s More…
Whether it’s harboring bitterness because someone wronged me or hurt me, versus praying for them as God instructs us to do… & then leaning into God for comfort & healing, while asking His help to let it go & offer grace, trusting God with the justice & with that person’s heart… Letting HIM be their righteous Judge, not me. (Hebrews 12:15; Colossians 3:13)
Whether it’s nursing personal wounds or giving way to my anxiety, letting Satan stir that pot of discontentment & trauma so that I can stay the victim rather than accept my part of responsibility & turn to God for healing & growth, trusting that I don’t need to manipulate Him with a sob story to gain His love & care & help & gentle attention. (Psalm 73:24; Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6)
Whether it’s not praying &/or not reading my Bible consistently because I’m too… tired, too distracted, have a headache, am too busy, too bored with it, too restless, or don’t feel I understand what I’m reading enough anyway… Rather than trusting that God is bigger than me & can help in ALL of these areas. (Philippians 4:6; Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 3:20-21)
These are all things I have wrestled & sometimes still wrestle with… I am surely a work in progress… & in all of these areas, I have prayed.
But, I have not always accepted God’s help when He offered it… because I chose my way instead.
An Example I Want to Emulate
I have basically been the opposite of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, as told about in Daniel 3.
You see, back in their day, a statue was erected in their king’s honor & a decree was issued that everyone in the kingdom bow down & worship that statue.
Well, in God’s Word, the Bible, God commanded that we worship no one but Him, knowing full well that worshipping the creatED in place of the CreatOR was unwise & dishonoring to the only One who deserves that worship—LORD Almighty.
So, when everyone was told, “Now is the time, all you people! Bow down & worship!” they didn’t.
They stood tall, proclaiming with their inaction that they really believed only One to be worthy of that worship.
Putting on the PRESSURE to Sin
And when the guards took notice, these three men still refused to bow &/or worship anyone but God alone.
So, the guards collected them & they were taken to the king himself, having their disobedience announced before his presence. And they still didn’t bow.
They were EVEN offered a chance to bow in private, only in front of the king, so that they could “technically obey the decree, without ruining their reputation before all those people.” And they still didn’t bow.
THEN, they were threatened with being thrown to their deaths in a fiery furnace SO HOT that it sometimes killed those who would go to throw them into it. And they still didn’t bow!
Their response? “Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, & he will deliver usfrom Your Majesty’s hand. But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18) (Emphasis mine.)
Their response was to honor God & trust & obey God NO MATTER WHAT… EVEN if it was NOT made easy for them!
“Technically Obeying” Is Still Disobeying
You see, I am not like that. I would have done a short bow to “technically not disobey God while technically still obeying the king.” I would have looked for a loophole to do both versus standing for obedience & honor to God alone.
I would have bowed in front of the king, asking him to just not tell anyone & letting him know I didn’t agree with it because only God should be worshipped, but still doing it in private to spare my life.
I would have been afraid of the consequences of obedience.
I would have hesitated.
I would have given in… I would have looked for a loophole… & I do.
I don’t have a very strong, “And if not” attitude. I want it made easy for me.
It’s Just NOT Worth It!
Those three men understood. They knew it wasn’t worth it. They knew that the king would believe in his heart that he was bigger than the true God because the men listened to him over GOD.
They knew it wasn’t worth defaming God. They knew the worst is that they would die & go to Heaven.
They knew that God could save them from death in that fiery furnace in exchange for their obedience (which He DID!!-Daniel 3:24-27) but that IF NOT, they were still determined to obey & honor God NO MATTER the cost.
And because they trusted & obeyed God above the king AND their own fear of death, the king realized the Truth-that GOD ALMIGHTY IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS & ONLY HE IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP! (Daniel 3:28-30)
Our War with Temptations
How often have I prayed for God’s help in overcoming the temptation to just cave in any of those scenarios I confessed to struggle against… knowing full well that although I prayed fervently, I had already determined in my heart that I was going to do it anyway… that I was going to bow.
Because I wanted it more than I wanted to honor & obey God.
Because I wanted it more than I wanted to risk not being happy, trusting in it more than in God.
_______________… & THEN I’ll Obey!
Because I wasn’t (& am often not) willing to NOT bow UNLESS it’s made easy to resist.
Take away that fiery furnace & then I’ll obey!
Take away the decree completely & then I’ll obey!
Make the king change his mind & THEN I’ll obey!
Make it easy for me to obey & then I’ll obey.
God’s Way or the Highway!
But I don’t want to live that way anymore. I have already seen the victory that comes in saying “God’s way or the highway!” when I was willing to say to God: “Okay, God, even if I perceive that I may never be satisfied-if I don’t escape with fantasies-because of my assault trauma… you know what, I would rather lose that then to keep dishonoring You by doing it my way, because you know what… my way is NOT WORKING. My way seems appealing but always has a catch. My way always comes with damaging fine print that I too often ignore or pretend isn’t there. And if You MADE sex to BE ENJOYED between a HUSBAND & his WIFE, then YOU are the ONLY authority on how it works & how to find the satisfaction I have been seeking to fulfill my way. So, NO MORE. I want Your way & ONLY Your way from now on!! AMEN.”
Be Willing to Say, “But If Not… I Will Still Obey!”
And that’s how I need to be in EVERY area of my life… in EVERY one of those scenarios I listed at the beginning of this.
That “& IF NOT”… if it’s still boring… if I still want to stir that pot of discontentment… if I’m worried I will end up discontent or unhappy… if I am too busy… if there are too many distractions… if NONE of the obstacles are removed, that I WILL STILL WALK FORWARD IN OBEDIENCE, TRUSTING THAT GOD CAN HELP ME, but that IF NOT, it is ALWAYS worth doing it HIS WAY.
Our war with temptations ends when we determine that God has the final say, God knows best, & only God’s way can bring the satisfaction we so desperately try to cling to our way…
… When we say, “Temptations, I WILL NOT BOW… because I KNOW MY GOD CAN SAVE/HELP ME… but IF NOT… I still will NOT bow to you!”
Suit Up in GOD’s Armor-Ephesians 6
Shine HOPE by suiting up with truth to counter the lies we’re fed & believe… by determining to do it God’s way even when it seems impossible… to remember God’s got you in the palm of His hand… by being wrapped up in God’s peace that always seems too good to be true, by remembering Who has ultimate authority & power, & by knowing God’s Word as a sword against any attack Satan may try against you.
Because when we suit up in GOD’S armor, that’s how we win our war with temptations.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, & he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Not today, Satan, not EVER. In JESUS’ name, AMEN.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Andean Earrings (Peru)
(Fashion as a force for Good! Empower women in Peru out of poverty with these beautifully hand-crafted Andean Earrings! These are some of my favorite earrings because they remind me of a certain Disney princess.)
Handcrafted by our newest Artisan partners in Peru, these unique statement earrings are showstoppers with 24k gold-plated oval studs & framed teardrop chrysocolla stones. Designed to pair with our Andean Ring, hammered metal & natural variations of swirling green chrysocolla add “Old World” charm to these ethically made earrings.
Every purchase of these beautifully hand-crafted earrings provides safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty in Peru.
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) (Emphasis mine.)
I have heard this verse fluffed up so much that from what I have been taught, I think it has mostly lost a huge part of what makes this fact so phenomenal.
This idea of “fearing God” has been often taught as an idea of awe… that God is so great that we think, “Wow, God! You’re great!” And that fearing God as wisdom basically means it’s wise to think He’s pretty great.
But the more that I learn about who God is, the deeper my understanding of this phrase becomes.
All That God Is… & He Is So Much More
You see, God is SO far above & beyond what we can even IMAGINE(Isaiah 55:8-9).
He existed before time & exists out of time, knowing everything past, present, & future simultaneously & how every aspect interacts throughout the existence of time (Psalm 139:13-16).
The name of God holds more power than anything else (Luke 10:17).
“For by Him all things were created, in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him & for Him.” (Colossians 1:16)
God can do immeasurably above what we can ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).
We don’t have to believe in Him for Him to exist & for His laws to stand according to what He says.
And THAT is just the beginning behind the WHY we ought to fear God… & why the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
It’s a clear understanding that HE is God & I am NOT.
It’s an understanding that HE will prevail & He WILL get the glory & His plans will NOT be thwarted.
It is an understanding that only God holds the final say & will have the final word.
… That His judgements will stand, whether you agree or not.
Fearing God Is the Beginning of Wisdom
And so, having this fear (reverence, awe, & understanding that ONLY HE is GOD) & understanding that what He determines will stand… & living with that understanding… is the beginning of wisdom.
It’s a deferring to Him in everything, whether you agree with it or understand it… or not.
It’s an obedience to Him in everything, whether you think it should be done differently or believe otherwise… or not.
It’s a laying down your course of life for His will & plan.
And here is the beautiful thing… looking at the verse that followsProverbs 9:10…
Proverbs 9:11 tells us, “For by Me, thy days shall be multiplied, & the years of thy life shall be increased.”
We Can ALWAYS Trust Him in ALL Things
In other words, fearing God is the beginning of wisdom BECAUSE God ALWAYS knows what He is talking about.
Sometimes it may feel like real FEAR… that we feel like, “I don’t know God. This doesn’t make sense, because life seems to be this way instead or culture says it’s this way instead. I don’t know how to believe what You say… BUT You are God & I am not, so no matter how scary it is to step out of what seems logical to me, I will obey You as the ultimate authority above my own logic, because You alone are God. Help me to obey, even when I don’t get it. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN.”
God Is a God of PROMISE
And the same goes with God’s promises. His promises are not “this could happen” or Him saying, “I can do this” but rather, “This WILL happen & I WILL do this.”
So, when we pray, we don’t have to beg or plead or petition for God to go through with a promise… we need to CLAIM it as FACT.
Don’t pray from a position of assumed defeat, but from an understood VICTORY, when you pray God’s promises.
If anything, say, “God, please help me to REST in this PROMISE.” Or, “God, help me to see how to move forward, knowing this is Your promise.”
CLAIM His promises as FACT.
God IS Who He says He is. God DOES what He says He will.
Shine HOPE by fearing God as the the beginning of wisdom.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Pearl Drop Hoops (India)
(Fashion as a force for good! Empower women in India out of poverty with these beautifully hand-crafted items!)
Removable freshwater pearl drops & classic gold-toned hoops make these Pearl Drop Hoops from India stunning enough to dress up any evening outfit, yet comfortable enough to wear every day. (Pearl shown on Long Chain Necklace-Golden (India) with Darling Charms Set charms.)
In India, poverty often leads to exploitation of vulnerable women in sweatshops. Every purchase provides these Artisans with fair wages, access to healthcare, education for their children, & care for elderly family members.
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
This week, I want to talk about something that I never really understood growing up as a Christian.
Aside from misunderstanding that Christianity was just a bunch of rules, versus the Truth that Jesus paid our debt to fulfill God’s laws & that obedience to Him is not to PROVE our faith to God, but as a way to live our faith in God. We believe, so we trust & obey….
But aside from that misunderstanding, I also mistakenly believed that Christianity had mostly to do with after death, in whether or not you will go to Heaven (eternal contentment & joy) or Hell (eternal restlessness & agony). I didn’t think God had much to do with our life before death, other than trying to “be a good person” as I believed it.
But I was wrong.
SO wrong.
There’s More to Life
And there are so many verses that point to this fact, including …… where it tells us that Jesus “came, not to condemn the world, but to save it” (John 3:17)… & “that we may have life & have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
Also, consider the other, lesser talked about brother in the story of the Prodigal Son, how his father told him, in essence, “you had all of this the whole time.” (Luke 15:31)
Do we really live like we believe that God wants for us more than just to “get through life” so we can experience Heaven when we die?
His Beautiful Design
Think about how God designed & created us with our senses & then extravagantly designed & created this world with so much unique beauty for our senses to appreciate, where every one of the same flower is recognizable as that type of flower, but comes in many shades & height & sizes & colors. Everything is unique & beautiful to behold. (Genesis 1)
Or, remember that God created in advance good works for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
HE planned them. HE arranged them.
And HE provides what we need when we need it & lean into Him for it. (2 Peter 1:3)
Be Being Filled
In Ephesians 5:18, God tells us to “BE FILLED with the Spirit.” (emphasis mine)
And to clarify, the Holy Spirit is with every single person who has submitted their life to God through accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, but this verb of “Be Filled” has a deeper meaning.
This verb actually has the understanding of “be BEING filled.”
In other words, while the Holy Spirit is WITH us & is made available to every single person who has accepted Jesus Christ, we are called to this “BE BEING FILLED” idea.
We are called to submit to His lead in every relationship, in every conversation, in every task, in every decision, in every day.
We are called to lean into Him in EVERYTHING.
We Are But a Branch
This is why we are told to PRAY WITHOUT CEASING (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) & to ABIDE (stay, continue) IN CHRIST as a branch to our Vine (John 15:4).
The Bible even warns us about living as “wise in our own eyes.” (Isaiah 5:21)
Submit every preconception, every “way I grew up/was raised”, every assumption, every ideal, etc. under God’s authority & say-so, because where we can err, He will never.
Tuck everything you think you know into His unchanging, infallible Truth.
He Can
And where we drain & deplete & come up as insufficient, He does not.
He can provide peace where only chaos reigns.
He can redirect our misunderstandings to the truth.
He can see the thoughts & intentions we cannot.
He can see how this will ripple effect a future beyond our lifespan.
“Now to Him [God] who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church & in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever & ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
We need to submit to this command of be BEING filled, a continual filling, a continual leading, & a continual submission to His Lordship.
God Is All-Sufficient for Our Needs
I cannot even tell you how many times I thought I “needed” something other than God to fulfill me… something not quite in line with the impossible standard God commanded. (Impossible because I was trying to live it in my own wisdom, power, & understanding… aka without His help.)
I missed the mark (sinned). I chose my way, my solution, my “wisdom.”
And there were always unforeseen consequences… fine print.
What I yearned after never fulfilled me, but left me always searching for more… I felt like something was empty & off in my life… I felt restless & discontented.
Until it dawned on me, “Wait. If God made me… & He knows literally everything… Wouldn’t He KNOW what’s best for me in this? Shouldn’t I drop my way & try His? Doesn’t that make sense?”
Sins –> Harmful Fine Print –> Turning to His Way –> Blessings
And guess what, this has always worked in every area where I was compromising to get what I thought I was missing from God, getting hurt by the consequences of a wrong solution, to turning to God’s way & realizing the blessings His way brought me.
… with flirting to gain approval & to “end” my insecurities (only to be left feeling trapped that if I don’t keep playing the game, I lose)… with turning to fantasies because it felt less vulnerable than dealing with assault trauma from my past… with turning to tv/games/numbing myself vs turning to God in my despairing moments, including fights with depression…
With all of those above examples, when I had that realization that “God made me… knows everything… would know what I need…” & I STOPPED my “wisdom” for HIS… I found the hope I was so desperately searching for.
We need to submit to Him because only He actually knows what we need.
We Need to Submit to Him–Continually
We need to submit to Him because only He knows what we were designed & created for (because we were designed & created BY GOD.)
We need to submit to Him because ONLY He has any real authority over anything in life.
He alone is King.
He alone is GOD ALMIGHTY.
And only He loves you infinitely/unconditionally, sent Jesus to willingly pay your debts to Him, & knows you better than you could ever know yourself.
Be BEING Filled. Submit to Him in EVERYTHING.
Our Part in Life… Letting HIM Shine
Because 100% He knows better & already has a plan in place.
You just have to be willing to follow His lead, with His help.
That’s it. That’s your part.
You shine Hope by letting HIM shine through YOU.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Moonstone Hoops (India)
Fashion as a force for good! Empower women in India out of poverty with these beautifully hand-crafted Moonstone Hoops! (Also shown: Long Chain Necklace (Golden), Darling Charms Set charm, & a pearl from the Pearl Drop Hoops.)
Artisans from India cut & frame moonstones on these gold-toned elliptical hoops. Moonstones are prized in India for the unique way they reflect light.
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
This week will mark NINE years of marriage to my loving husband, Jamie.
To celebrate, we had a lovely weekend visit to Morioka, Japan over this past weekend, complete with a trip to the zoo, a stroll through a beautifully landscaped castle ruins park, Mario Kart face offs at a giant arcade, enjoying (twice!) the best brunch I have had in Japan (@ Brunch Morioka), & lots of shopping.
It was a great trip made even greater by the company I shared with my best friend AKA my husband.
Not a Façade, But We’re Not Perfect
Many people have told me that me & my husband seem like newlyweds at times, laughing & teasing each other, being flirtatious, & just being good friends with one another.
But we’re not perfect. Neither one of us is.
We have our days in the grumps, we argue sometimes when we disagree, & we don’t always agree on everything.
But we have a secret weapon. We know the Truth… We know the Way-Maker.
Every Relationship… We Are All Imperfect
Satan would have married couples believe that one disagreement or fight (or maybe many) means your marriage is a sham… that “maybe you’re not meant for each other after all.”
But isn’t difficulty & challenge present with every close friendship? Even every family relationship (aka sister cat fight, haha)?
When one imperfect person marries another imperfect person, it is only logical that you will imperfectly relate to one another.
That doesn’t make your marriage broken… just human. And Satan likes to twist that to cause even more damage, sorrow, & anxiety.
Growing Up with a Sister
One of my sisters is just two years younger than me, so we grew up together. And there were days where we would “hate” each other so much that we would yell as much while running to our room, followed by a door slam that echoed throughout the house.
Of course, typically, my mom would FORCE us to hug it out & tell each other, “I’m sorry” & “I love you” (but made us repeat those words until we said it “like we mean it”).
It was the WORST. But I am super grateful for it now.
What I once had to say to her with a rolled eye & a squeaked out “I love you” (full of disdain), has ended up developing a bond in us that cannot be easily broken.
My mom always said to us, “She is your sister. She is your lifelong friend. Where other friends come & go, you will always have your sister. So, make it work!”
Such wise words & ones I have clung to throughout my life.
And the same goes for marriage.
We’re not perfect. But he is my lifelong friend. And where other friends may come & go from my life, I will always have him.
A Husband Can’t Replace God
Early on in our marriage, I put a lot more pressure on my husband than I should have. He was working long hours & came home ready to be a vegetable for a while, but I was lonely & put that weight on his shoulders.
This created a lot of strain on our friendship because he wanted to help but couldn’t & I felt unloved if he didn’t.
(I hesitate to say, “it put strain on our marriage” vs “on our friendship” because God says two become oneflesh(Mark 10:8-9) when you commit yourself to marriage (just as my mom mentioned about sisters… my sister & I will always be sisters, even if we were to stop associating with one another), so we’re in it regardless… but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.)
In other words, I was looking to the wrong one to fulfill me. My husband was never meant to be that missing piece. He is meant to be my partner in this life… my friend… the other half of a marriage meant to give God glory.
And through my tearful prayers, God revealed Himself as our Way-Maker.
God Is Our Way-Maker
When I felt alone & depression threatened to flood my heart, putting full weight of it on my husband’s already tired back, God encouraged the both of us to turn to HIM instead of pressuring or pushing away each other.
Instead of being pit against each other, debating against each other for our right solution or even growing numb & giving up on the solution altogether, God encouraged us to rejoin as ONE team, turning to GOD for the solution against the problem.
God reminded me that we do not wrestle against flesh & blood. That yes, we may have disagreements or misunderstandings, but that God can bring a solution… while Satan wants to twist & aggravate the situation until the relationship is “damaged beyond repair.”
God brought us back to the same side so we could fight the problem (vs each other) together under God’s direction, wisdom, & peace.
God was our glue… our bridge… our Way-Maker.
God Always Knows How
And through our prayers, tensions waned & our friendship grew.
God helped fulfill me & see the little ways that my husband expressed his “I love yous” & He helped me to be a better support to the stress my husband faced with his long hours.
And over the years, this has become our pattern: have a human moment of grumpiness or disagreement, maybe not handle it right at first, but remember & turn to God for wisdom, peace, & a solution.
This has helped us cultivate TEAM HYDE.
We are not impervious to Satan’s jabs & attacks. We fall for them sometimes.
But we know the way back.
We have to turn to God & stick together, unified against the threats of Satan’s attempts to attack our marriage & friendship.
Pray Over Close Relationships with Family & Friends–You Better Believe Satan Wants Them OVER
And the same goes for other family members or even friends.
Anything that has potential to give God glory is for sure a target Satan will attack.
Remember that fact when faced with disagreements & arguments… especially for those relationships that encourage you to look to God as your hope & source of solution. Those who edify & encourage you… or those for whom you edify & encourage.
Turn to God. Ask Him to help you cut through any lies or misunderstandings.
Ask God
Ask Him to put a hedge of protection around your close friendships.
Ask Him to keep you alert to Satan’s tricks, schemes, & lies when it comes to those close relationships.
Ask Him for His wisdom, peace, & help.
And always turn to God in all things big or small….
Because GOD is our WAY-MAKER.
Shine Hope by always turning to Him as the Bridge back together, the Glue to keep you together, & the Way-Maker when things seem impossible.
Because God is in the business of doing the impossible EVERY DAY.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Andean Earrings (Peru)
Fashion as a force for good! Empower women in Peru out of poverty with these beautifully hand-crafted Andean Earrings! (Also pictured: Long Chain Necklace (Golden) & Darling Charms from India & Pearl from our Pearl Drop Hoops.)
Handcrafted by our newest Artisan partners in Peru, these unique statement earrings are showstoppers with 24k gold-plated oval studs & framed teardrop chrysocolla stones. Designed to pair with our Andean Ring, hammered metal & natural variations of swirling green chrysocolla add “Old World” charm to these ethically made earrings.
Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty in Peru.
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17) (Emphasis mine.)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test & approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing & perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) (Emphasis mine.)
So, what is God’s will? That’s what I would like to talk about today & it’s a two-fold answer.
First: God’s Law Is Perfect
On one hand, you have the more obvious answer of how to know what God’s perfect will is, & that is His Word… His law.
Now, I have talked about this many times, but the word “law” should not evoke feelings of recoil or indignation, but, as shown all throughout the longest chapter in the Bible—Psalm 119, God’s law is so beautiful & wonderful & something to be highly treasured & valued!
You may be thinking as I did through the many times of running across the many verses of Psalm 119—“People can’t actually ENJOY & TREASURE God’s law… Because laws are constricting & limiting. The writers of these psalms are just saying what they think He wants to hear because it makes them look ‘spiritual’.”
I get that, if that’s you… I totally get that because that was me for most of my life.
But, as I get to know & love God more… the more I seek after Him… the more I am proven completely wrong on that front. God’s laws ARE amazing.
As 2 Timothy 3:16 puts it, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness….” Or, as many a pastor has put it, “the Bible is good for knowing what is right, what is wrong, how to get right, & how to stay right.”
God’s Law Is Perfect in Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom, & LOVE
Why? Because God literally knows EVERYTHING & has PERFECT understanding…. AND He made sure we had that information available to us.
What a wonderful, loving God indeed!
And so, knowing everything, understanding everything perfectly, AND making sure we have that information available to us… it only stands to reason that HIS WILL stems primarily from HIS WORD.
To KNOW His perfect will, we need to get to know God’s Word—that’s where reading & meditating on & studying His Word comes in as SO IMPORTANT, nay, even the MOST important way we can spend our time.
And the most VALUABLE way we can spend our time on earth.
Knowing Is Not Enough
But KNOWING is not enough.
Now, before the recoil comes bubbling up again as it would have once done to me… this is NOT a guilt trip post. This is NOT a post to say “YOU’RE NOT DOING ENOUGH, WOMAN!”
NO.
This is to say that just knowing is not going to do very much good at all. Just like faith (in God) holds little value unless we ACT on what we claim to believe & live it out. It’s like knowing the cure & not taking it.
As my earlier post pointed out, if you want to grow in your faith… you need to DO what God says aka OBEY His Word. (Check out that post, here: “Want to Trust God? Obey Him.”)
James 1:22-25 has something to say about this, too. That knowing without doing is like a man (or woman) who looks in the mirror & then immediately forgets what they look like… aka it’s worthless, pointless, & doesn’t do you any good. It’s wasted.
Second: Letting God Be in Charge of You
And here’s where the two-fold part comes in… we can have book-knowledge of God’s perfect will, through His Word… BUT, we also need to ABIDE.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain [abide] in Me & I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing,” is what Jesus tells us in John 15:5.
God tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:16-18) & to be as branches on Him as the vine for a reason… we NEED to constantly be drawing FROM HIM.
ABIDE in Him.
We need to get used to telling Him everything, asking Him for every need, turning to Him in every situation, & drawing from Him for all things big & small.
… but help in knowing how to apply His Word at any given moment.
Let God Interrupt Your Plans
AND, being open to let God change your schedule to work out His plans… His good works that He has prepared in advance for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).
And how better to redeem our time, as Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us, than to offer our schedule to God & be willing to let Him change it according to His perfect will for that day?
God instructs us, in James 4:13-15, not to hold too tightly to our own plans, but to be willing to stay open to GOD’S PLANS.
Be willing to let Him have the reins of your day & to guide your hands & feet as you go about it.
To know God’s perfect will… to redeem the time for what has lasting value in this world… you need to be leaning into Him consistently & saying, “God, I have this planned for my day, but if someone needs You, help me to be sensitive to it…. If You have a good work set out for me today, help me to be willing to sidestep my schedule to be available for Your plan for today. Help me make myself available to You over my routines, habits, & plans. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN.”
Because, only when you are willing to have God shake up your schedule & let Him work out His own perfect plans will you begin to see His good & perfect will fleshed out in your life.
Personal Example
I promise that letting God interrupt you is 100% always better than what you had planned.
In college, I was on the spiritual leadership team on our dorm (Go LU!) & there were many times where I had tests to study for or papers to finish or speeches to memorize… & then a young lady would knock on my door, asking for counsel, a listening ear, or prayer support.
I wish I could say I was immediately willing, but I have a hard time tossing my schedule to the wind, so every time I would stop & pray silently where only God & I knew & I would say, “God, I know she is more valuable to You than whatever grade I may get on this assignment, so if you want this to consume my time in place of my task, please give me peace, give me compassion, & help me love her on Your behalf. I trust You with the rest. Amen.”
And she & I would talk & she would share her woes & we would pray together. We would both leave the conversation refreshed, edified, & reminded of God’s goodness, power, & love.
And EVERY time, God would either give me the strength to study way past my old self felt capable (I went to college later in life & late nights were not a thing for me, haha)… or the test/paper/speech would be postponed… or the assignment would be easier than I was believing it would be & that extra study time would have been a wasted effort.
God always took care of the rest when I surrendered my schedule to His plans.
What Is the Perfect Will of God
So, what IS the perfect will of God?
To understand the answer to this, you have to learn to seek to 1—KNOW His Word, & 2—LEAN INTO HIM moment-by-moment.
Only then will you begin to redeem your time in a fulfilling way, the way God designed it to be.
Consistent in His Word, consistent in time talking with Him & made available to His lead for each day.
It’s not easy.
I go on auto-pilot… I set my plans & have a hard time with impromptu plans….
But, I want to be used by God. I want my time to mean more than getting through the week.
Shine Hope Through God’s Good & Perfect Will
God sees the hurting hearts. He sees you if you’re reading this with a broken heart. He knows our struggles & tears & hurts & trauma & fears….
He sees EVERY individual even better than they see themselves. And He knows their needs on an intimate & deep level. AND He cares so SO much for them all.
So, be a vessel of hope. Because we may not see a need, but He does. He knows. And He knows how to help. All we have to do is be willing to trust His lead.
Redeem your time.
Don’t live as unwise, but as wise.
Understand what is the perfect will of God.
And be a light of HOPE for Him, through Him.
Shine Hope by knowing what is the perfect will of GOD.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for over TWO years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Silver Medallion Necklace (India)
(Fashion as a force for Good! Empower women in India out of poverty with this beautifully hand-crafted Silver Medallion Necklace!)
This textured silver-tone chain from India can be worn separately or layered with other necklaces from our One World Collection. The uniquely textured pendant adds the perfect artistic touch. Three length options allow you to choose your comfort & style.
Every necklace has variations as a part of the Artisan-made charm! And every purchase provides fair-trade jobs 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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
Have you ever stopped to realize that we are all dying? And there’s only one cure?
Because of our sin, without this cure, the preset destination for every one of us is hell.
And there’s only one cure to what ails us.
And whether or not you believe you need the cure, you do.
And whether or not your neighbor or co-worker or friend or family member believes they need the cure… they do, too.
There’s Only One Cure
I term it this way, as a cure, because we can often go through this life, poisoned by our wrong choices, destined to eventually be called to pay a price we can’t pay, clueless to this fact that our sin has written our death sentence for us… It has written our destiny in Hell.
You can deny it, reject it, or ignore it… but it won’t change the fact that you desperately need the cure.
And Jesus is the cure. He paid our debts for us already… but we have to take the cure aka ACCEPT Jesus’ payment… or eventually we will be called to pay a price we could never fully pay.
So, there’s only One cure that will actually save us… JESUS.
Set My People Free
I was listening to a song this morning by Dara Maclean, called “Set My People Free” where the singer talks about how Jesus pursued her heart & set her free, paying her debts & in exchange, she says, “I will be your hands & feet, follow where You lead, as You say, “Set My people free.”
While it’s not us setting His people free, but the grace of God, through Jesus Christ… the message in the song urges us to recognize the reality of how many others are trapped in their sins, destined to pay the price they could never pay, chained & lost in living the lies Satan feeds them throughout life.
And maybe we’ve taken the cure of Jesus that God offers us… but they still need it.
Go & Make Disciples of Every Nation
The Great Commission, in Matthew 28, urges the same determined battle cry to go set His people free, by proclaiming the Truth that can break their chains & pay their debts… & SET THEM FREE.
It’s not just a recommendation… it’s a command.
It’s not just for pastors or missionaries… it’s for us.
It’s not just on missions trips or service projects… but AS we go.
God’s love sets us free. He paid our price through the sacrifice & victory or our risen-again JESUS. And people need to KNOW about it!
It’s Not a Suggestion, But a Necessity!
That’s why we NEED to pray without ceasing, learning to lean on God for every decision, every attitude adjustment, every time emotions threaten to call the shots… to love a relentless, STUBBORN type of love that refuses NOT to love others, even if we have to lay down what we think we deserve to trust Jesus to fill in where we’re lacking & to LET HIM LOVE THROUGH US.
We NEED to know His Word, to have Truth flowing through our veins, pushing out the lies we’re spoon-fed from all around us.
We NEED to obey Him! Don’t deceive yourself by just knowing what God says… it won’t do anyone any good unless you DO what it says.
We NEED Him.
There Are People Out There Who Still Need the Cure
Picture that everyone is dying of a venom that flows through their bodies. They don’t know it’s killing them, but it still is all the same.
And you know the cure… the ONLY cure… the anti-venom that will allow them LIFE.
They may not know they need it, but they DO. DESPERATELY.
The world may deny, until they are blue in the face, their need for hope, but they need it all the same.
They NEED JESUS.
We Need Jesus
We each owe a debt we could never pay & it’s killing us.
But Jesus paid that debt & offers us LIFE.
He’s the cure. He’s the ONLY cure. And we ALL need Him.
So, share your faith. Pray for the boldness to love when it’s hard. Determine to know His Word & to talk to Him through every life situation or feeling or rejection or loss or insecurity or insufficiency.
He. Is. Enough.
So, Share Hope by Sharing JESUS.
If You Don’t Know Jesus
If you don’t know Jesus & you’re reading this, then you know you need the cure, too.
And the Gospel, meaning news-so-good-can-it-possibly-be-real, is that even though we have wronged God (every one of us), God loved us so much that He made a plan to pay our price, through Jesus dying on the cross & taking our payment upon Himself & then rising again after death (Easter) having victory over both sin & death.
And to accept His payment on your behalf, all you have to do is recognize your sin for what it is–SIN… confess it to God, ask for forgiveness & ask Him to take over as LORD over your life… letting His GOD-wisdom call the shots from now on (even though you will mess up because we all do) & letting His love & mercy & GRACE wash away every wrong, giving you a clean slate & fulfilling LOVE in its place.
That’s all there is to it. It won’t make you perfect, but God will begin to work on you from the inside out as you begin to submit more of your heart, past, & future to His perfect love, wisdom, & care.
So, what are you waiting for? Take the cure & accept Jesus as your Savior & LORD!
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.
A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for almost THREE years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, 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, 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! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Luminous Studs (Asia)
(Fashion as a Force for Good! Empower women in Asia out of sex trafficking by getting a pair of these beautifully hand-crafted Luminous Studs.)
These 14k gold-plated mask-friendly studs are mesmerizing, as they sparkle in the light, creating iridescent shades that change with your every move.
Every purchase helps support a sex trafficking survivor in North Asia with safe housing, health care, trauma counseling, job skills training, & dignified income.
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 to continue supporting them as well as continuing this website/blog, encouraging women all around the world with the HOPE we have in Jesus. Win win!
