Here’s to 42!

Well, tomorrow is my birthday & it’s the big 4-2 happening here.

Nothing big planned—just planning to go walk around the mall & get dinner with the hubs. It’s how I like it. Simple, good company, small, quiet, good food, & maybe a few presents & light pink balloons, too.

Aging is interesting, isn’t it? For one, I do not feel 42. As my mom says every year, “how are you ________, when I’m still 29?” That’s how it feels, doesn’t it? I wonder if it’s because our souls are eternal & our bodies are not. Our bodies are slowly wearing down over time (I definitely feel that truth more & more with each passing year), but our souls are forever young.

Not Ashamed to Say It… I Love My Birthday!

But I think getting older is cool. I LOVE my birthday. I’m a complete kid with my birthday. It always involves a lot of pink & all my favorite foods & presents I get to pick out (which makes it twice as nice because I so enjoy shopping (even just window shopping is super fun for me—seeing beautiful fabrics & creative designs & people’s artistic expressions).

But beyond those things, I think celebrating my birthday each year is really cool because it’s a reminder of another year I have completed. Another year of experiences lived. New hobbies or lessons learned or new friends met. New lessons God has taught me. New things overcome.

Every year passed is another year of time with family & friends, of traveling, of seeing how God wants to use me during my time on this green earth… it’s like leveling up in a video game—an achievement I have earned (with SO MUCH of God’s help), an achievement worth celebrating.

Another year of life LIVED. Another year of seeing God’s blessings, even through the darkest, hardest of times.

Don’t Fear the Grays–Embrace Them! They’re a Crown of Glory!

God actually says that gray hair is like a crown of glory. (Provers 16:31) Why? Because it shows how much you have faced to EARN that gray hair. A life long-lived.

“Even to your old age, I [God] am He,
And even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

“Wisdom is with the aged,
    and understanding in length of days.

With God are wisdom and might;
    he has counsel and understanding.” (Job 12:12-13)

“So even to old age and gray hairs,
    O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
    your power to all those to come.
Your righteousness, O God,
    reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
    O God, who is like you?” (Psalm 71:18-19)

In My 42nd Year…

In my 42^nd year, I hope to surrender more of myself & my way to God’s will & way. To be used by Him. To surrender more to His leading, to do more of what pleases & honors Him. To use my time well.

In my 42^nd year, I hope for more warm & happy memories with my family & friends… more edifying (building up) & encouraging (lifting up) & exhorting (urging forward) conversations. (AKA, more “3E” conversations.)

In my 42^nd year, I hope for more opportunities to travel (& maybe a couple Disney trips thrown in there, too–Tokyo Disney is so cheap & so fun!).

In my 42^nd year, I hope I will be able to look back at the end of it & see how much I’ve grown, how many fears God has helped me overcome, how many better habits I’ve established & incorporated with God’s help, how far God has brought me from this moment right here writing this.

To 42 Years, & Counting

You see, deserving or not, God never gives up on me. His love compelled Him to give His all for me, when I deserved none of it. He didn’t have to. He wanted to. And He still gives & gives & gives! Peace in the storms, wisdom when I’m lost, strength when I’m helpless, & gentle love through it all.

And I trust that He will continue to work on me, weeding out the not-so-greats & pruning the could-be-betters. He is faithful. He is working. He doesn’t give up on me. Not now, not ever.

And I want my year 42 to reflect that in every high & in every low, not because I have a right to have this platform, but because He has a right to have this platform be used to proclaim His glory with every single letter written from now until my final dying breath.

With every breath, may I praise the LORD.

Shine HOPE, by allowing your age, the number of years you’ve lived, be a proclamation of how far He has brought you, of accomplishments, of experiences lived, of lessons learned, of life LIVED. To God be the glory, forever & ever. AMEN.

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

Snowdrop Owl Ornament (NEPAL)

HOLIDAY EDITION – While supplies last! Create safe jobs with fair wages for the women in Nepal who handcraft the adorable Snowdrop Owl Ornament through this dignified partnership. Adorn your Christmas tree with a beautiful Owl Ornament featuring pearl beaded accents, crafted using 100% wool and traditional wool crafting techniques that have been passed down for generations. 

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!

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

HERE’S TO YEAR 42!!

Never Thinking I’m Good Enough… So Never Wanting to Try

My whole life, I’ve lived life scared. Scared I wasn’t good enough. Scared of getting into trouble. Scared of failing. Scared of looking bad. Scared of disappointing anyone. Scared of not being liked or wanted. Scared to try. Scared of saying the wrong thing. Scared of looking like I was trying too hard. Scared of looking dumb. Scared of not being “wantable” or loved.

It’s turned me into a people pleaser. It’s kept me from trying new things. It’s kept me stuck.

It’s not in everything, but I’ve seen it trickle into my life & I have overcome some, through God’s help, as well.

Getting Married Didn’t Solve All My Problems Like I Thought It Would

Somehow, I think I believed marriage would solve this… you know, find someone who happens to love you for you & all your problems melt away. But, somehow, I think my fears got worse instead.

All of a sudden, another person was tied to me, by choice… which meant they could change their mind.

It’s not like my husband puts unreasonable stipulations or expectations in place or like he holds my imperfections over me… they’re self-inflicted.

So, getting married didn’t actually fix anything. It’s something I need to surrender to God for help instead as I come across it.

My “Anti-Word”

You may or may not remember a couple years ago or something, how, instead of choosing my “Word of 2024,” I chose an ANTI-word: Victim. (Read that post here: “My ‘Anti-Word’ for 2024–VICTIM.”)

I recognized I had been living as a victim. Not an actual victim… but living as if I were one.

God had started whispering the reminder “victim” over my heart every time I was letting it happen, as if to gently make me aware of what I was believing & living… so I could stop doing that.

God didn’t make me to be timid… that is something Satan uses to keep me over-protective of self & closed off from others, while diminishing trust in God & appreciation of God’s many blessings.

God’s Glory or Protecting Self, Living in Fear?

Well, progress (at least in living afraid of disappointing my husband every day), has happened… but I find now I have so much more to go.

For one, I love to sing. Never have I ever sung solo because the idea terrifies me: I am “not good enough, not consistent enough with my range, not confident enough.” (I dropped out of doing choir when I hit high school even because solos were required. That’s a giant NO for me. And it’s why I never joined choir last time I lived on Guam: solo tryouts were required. Automatic NO thank you).

So instead of doing something I absolutely LOVE… that also gives God glory… I run from & avoid it like the plague because I am too scared to look a fool or fail to live up to others’ standards.

Is it just me??

Baby Steps to Living for God WITHOUT Living in Fear

But, I have been praying about all these people-pleasing fears & the lack of singing in my life as well… & God encouraged me to at least ASK about joining the praise team at church. (If solos were required, I was OUT.) No solos required & I was invited onto the team!

Instant regret! Thinking of ways to back out without looking like a complete wimp. Praying constantly 24 hours leading up to it because the urge to drop out was PRESSING.

But I didn’t quit. I prayed A TON. And, although I was shaking like a LEAF the WHOLE TIME… I DID IT!

I determined I would do my best to give Him glory, to sing with my soul & not just my voice, worshipping Him versus worrying whether I sounded good enough to justify being up there.

Where Did My Carefree, Child-Like Love for & Trust of God Go? Just Basking in All He Is?

Did you know, I’m even scared of dancing in my OWN HOME because I’m afraid someone will happen to see me & raise eyebrows at me & judge me? Or worse, film or photograph me looking foolish? Same with belting out singing at home? Same with most things? (Paranoid much?)

When did I become so afraid of everything?

I used to put on socks & headphones, with my little hot pink cd player & blast my music & just dance!

I used to draw & paint & create art.

I used to be silly & light-hearted & fun.

In What Ways Are You Living Life as the Victim? What Are You Missing Out on because of It?

I’m so uptight now. So scared of judgment. So worried someone will take an unflattering picture & blast me with hurtful words. So worried of not looking like I have it together & don’t care what others think… the old move I used to use in grade school, where I got openly mocked for being completely inept at sports because I had been homeschooled & didn’t know any of the rules… so I grew to put on the “oh, sports? pshh, lame. I am talking with my friends instead, duh!” so I would appear as if it were “too beneath me” vs something I was so afraid of everyone laughing at me about. Act like you don’t care & they can’t mock you for caring & failing. So sad.

And I still do it. I live as a victim. If I act like I’m not interested, I can’t make a fool of myself. I don’t attempt friendly games of sport because I feel like a flailing pigeon. I don’t sing or dance because I don’t think others will think I’m any good. I don’t want to sing solo because I don’t want to prove to others I don’t deserve the chance. Still living as a victim.

Let Us Not Live Life Scared

I want to give myself permission to be imperfect… to fail.

I want to give myself permission for people to not think I’m good enough… to be less than.

I want to give myself permission to be misunderstood… to be disliked.

I want to give myself permission to try… even if I’m terrible at it.

I want to give myself permission to ENJOY the blessings God gives me… unashamed.

God doesn’t ask me to be meek BY STAYING SCARED. Those two are not the same thing.

God doesn’t ask me to try to be every person’s “cup of tea.”

So, yesterday I sang with just a few other people… on stage… with my own mic… & I survived. Scared… but I did it. God made my voice to give Him praise… & I want to use it, whether or not I’m the best at it!

Live Unapologetically for Him! Enjoying His Blessings & Using His Blessings to Give Him Glory!

I want to begin living unapologetically. Not in sin… but not in fear either.

God made me to be a light… to live in confidence through Him… to live how He made me… to shine for His glory… not to hide.

I have a long way to go… but with God’s help, I’m going to keep going.

Shine HOPE by living first & foremost to please, honor, & obey God, letting yourself be imperfect, letting yourself fail, letting yourself be a work-in-progress, letting others dislike you or misunderstand you, letting yourself be who God made you to be, even if not everyone likes it or understands it. Above ALL for HIS glory!

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

Emerald Wrap (INDIA)

This emerald green wrap is handmade by women in India who are facing extreme poverty. By shopping this wrap, you’re creating an opportunity for them to earn a fair and dignified wage so they can feed their babies. Each Artisan-made scarf is handcrafted using a soft viscose material.

Every purchase creates safe jobs and fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India.  

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!

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

POST #400!!!

I just want to take a minute before we get started to acknowledge how big a thing this is! Me, the girl who starts & quits a million craft projects, who struggles tons with self-motivation & insecurities, wrestles with dark seasons of depression at times… ME… + FOUR HUNDRED POSTS!

What a faithful God Who helps me even in my hard seasons to remain faithful with this little corner of the internet, however small it may be. What a testimony to our blog topic for this week!

When God began to lead me down this path, in 2018, I was SO nervous… mainly because of all the reasons I listed above. I don’t want to be fake with people either, pretending I have my life together to “be a good testimony.” I really struggled with that. But God reminded me ever so gently, that this space is not about showing how worthy & capable I am… but how worthy & capable HE is.

It’s not about me having all the answers, but knowing Who to turn to for those answers. Not about me being strong, but showing Him as my strength. Not me as the best writer, but Him as worth writing about. Not me as the most faithful, but about Him as worth showing up for, even on days I feel I have very little left to give.

So, here’s to post #400! Praise to God!

He can use our little to do great things, because all the power belongs to HIM.

“The Exceeding Greatness of His Power Toward Us Who Believe…”

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” (Ephesians 1:15-21) (emphasis mine)

When did we stop believing all that God is capable of to those who believe on Him?

How often we underestimate Him & in how many countless ways!

Oh, What God Can Do in & through Us… If Only We Believe!

How much of what God calls us to do we think is up to us to fill in for Him or do FOR Him?

Do we not remember that He walked on water, calmed the stormy seas, freed Israel through miraculous signs, whittled down an army so that even the small could defeat the great in His power? He led David to victory against all odds, shut the hungry lions’ mouths, kept even the SMELL of smoke from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He created the WORLD… from NOTHING… knit us together in our mother’s womb.

The whole Bible SCREAMS at us the power of our great GOD. Do we listen? Do we BELIEVE?

We Need to Get in the Habit of Believing Him Enough to Ask for the Impossible

If you, for one second, think you need to prove your faith by doing it without asking Him for His infinite supply—STOP. Isn’t that just the OPPOSITE of faith? When did we get that twisted? God doesn’t need us to prove WE can… because HE can.

ALL work in our homes, at work, in church, in the world (grocery store even) ought to flow out of time spend before Almighty God & His infinite supply.

If you feel ineffective or like your life is not really being lived all for His glory, but you feel there’s nothing you know to do about it… don’t stop at what YOU know or what YOU can manage. Ask HIM.

Let me tell you something. God is so much more infinitely capable than we could ever even BEGIN to wrap our minds around. So infinite. So limitless. So powerful.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

It’s Been a Hard Couple Weeks

Last week, well… the last couple weeks… have been hard. For one, my cat of 12 years is fading & has stopped eating real food. The vet is out of ideas. Options are out. We’re on our last attempt. We may have to say goodbye soon. It’s been hard watching him become less & less himself. Weaker. Thinner. It’s tough.

But that’s not all.

Work has been infinite for my husband recently. I had strep. Meds are now making me super tired & drowsy. And there’s other stuff I won’t get into for the sake of others’ privacy.

It’s just been one of those months where I feel like I am being slapped back & forth in the face. I’m weary. I’m wounded. And on some nights… I feel I can barely stand under the weight of all that I can’t control or stop or make better.

Even His Little Is Infinitely Great

And I had one of those nights recently. If you follow me on social media, then you saw my posts about it. But it’s worth bringing attention to it again… in case you missed it or forgot.

In the depth of that hurt I felt I was paralyzed… I had no answers, no profound prayer to pray, no strength. Just hurt.

So all I could manage was I whimpered to God: “help.”

That’s all I had. Just a little whimpered, pathetic “help.”

I faceplanted on my bed, & just felt as if I was being directed to one simple thing & then another… pulled over my phone, turned on the music app, set it to my worship playlist, & the first song that played was one I didn’t even remember owning: “Turn to Jesus,” by Katy Nichole (highly recommend).

It’s like God knew & summed up all the whirling pain & overwhelm & just washed His comfort over my heart when I didn’t think comfort was possible. In just the simplest of ways… a song with the words I so desperately needed to hear.

Do Not Forget How Great Is Our God

He doesn’t need my input or my particular profound words to hear my heart & know my need.

He doesn’t need to calm the storm to calm my heart.

He doesn’t need to show up to make Himself shown to me.

He carries the weight. He doesn’t need my help. He can.

I’m the one who needs Him… not the other way around.

And yet, even in my greatest, most weak moments, He doesn’t tell me to get it together… He tells me to come to Him.

Ask Yourself

Where are you selling Him short in your life?

In where/when you’re willing to serve?

In your hurts/traumas?

In your day-to-day task list items?

Where do you leave Him out?

Are you believing in God as the God Who made the WORLD?

As one of the ladies on my hall in college once wisely taught us, “when you write on a piece of paper the most amazing, mind-blowing thing you can think of about God… & you put that piece of paper in a box… just remember that whatever it is that you wrote on that piece of paper… you are still putting God in a box.”

Shine HOPE by believing God is as He reveals Himself to be in the Bible, taking Him at His Word, believing He can work the impossible, willing to say, “Send me, Lord,” knowing this is true about Him. That He CAN where you most certainly cannot. To God be the glory! How great is our God!

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 years now (BLOG POST #400 TODAY!!!!)! 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!!

November 2025 “Hope Mail”

FOR A LIMITED TIME – Only available during the month of November! Enjoy free shipping and 10% off your Hope Mail package when you subscribe every month!  

The Merry & Bright Mini Pouch is a hand-beaded pouch is handcrafted by women in India in a workshop committed to fighting child marriage and creating dignified jobs for women. Every stitch and bead showcases the incredible skill and artistry of our Artisan Partners.  4.5 in x 6 in. Beaded on the front with a cream satin backing.

Your purchase of the November Hope Mail provides one day of school for a girl in an area of extreme poverty, giving her a chance to learn, dream, and thrive.

Each pouch is beautifully unique, with small variations that make it charmingly artisan-made!

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!

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

God Is Patient, God Is Kind…

God is so incredibly patient. Do you believe that? Have you seen that in your own life? Because I have.

Today, I am reminded of the Israelites in the wilderness. They are so easy to pick on until you realize how accurate a reflection of us they oftentimes are.

They complained A LOT.

They had spent SO LONG crying out to God for help. God heard their cries & led Moses to lead them to their rescue & escape from years of being the slave labor of the Pharoah. But nothing was ever good enough for them.

God Always Has a Plan…. When Chaos Seems to be Winning… God Is Working

It had started out as an offering from a king who respected Joseph (remember him?) (Genesis 47) but when that king died & it was now years & years later, the Israelites had multiplied so much that the new king in power was thinking to himself, “they could overtake us, so let’s just squash that right now & make them our slaves & oppress them… oh, & kill all their baby sons.” (Exodus 1)

But God had a plan.

So God led Moses (Exodus 3), did miracles (Exodus 7-11), wowed literally everyone, & after showing that He ALONE was God Almighty, He got His people FREE.

But then, it didn’t stop there. He made sure their clothes never wore out & their shoes stayed good (Deuteronomy 29:5) … And God led them with a pillar of cloud by day & of fire by night for light (Exodus 13:21). He parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21). He provided them with FOOD they didn’t have to farm or buy (Exodus 16). He had water gush from hit rocks to provide water where there was none (Exodus 17).

God HAD them. He cared for them & protected them & provided for them & FREED them... against ALL ODDS!

Instead of Complaining, Have You Tried Praying?

And yet it seems that every single chapter detailing this journey was met with a NEW COMPLAINT AGAINST GOD.

But you know what the absolute wildest part of it is? I am not entirely convinced that God would even withhold what they wanted if they had just believed in Him enough to ASK Him.

Grumbling at every turn. Lusting after the few comforts they had had before, in captivity. Lusting after the known & fearing the unknown. Lusting after comforts over FREEDOM.

It really just sounds DUMB.

Until I realize I do the same thing.

Forever a Work-in-Progress… & Thank God (really, THANK Him) That He NEVER Gives Up on Us

I try to self-solve & self-soothe my way through hard stuff. I avoid it even sometimes. I feel frustrated & overwhelmed & despairing.

And eventually, God gives me a gentle nudge reminder that “oh yeah… God.”

So dumb.

Now, please realize I have definitely grown a lot in the past years with this… but I definitely still have some growing left to do.

Our Complaining Shows We Really Don’t Trust Him

I also see a consistent thread that the reason God was so upset about the complaining was that it showed that the people didn’t believe in Him.

I mean, can you blame Him? I mean, leave out the fact that He literally made us AND the world we live in (without our help, at that… & out of nothing but His WORD) … leave that very important part of the equation out & JUST consider EVERYTHING He did supernaturally to make sure you were set free & were free indeed. Miraculous! Did they not remember?

Instead of complaining & grumbling, they could have taken a moment to consider ALL God had done for them ALREADY & gone TO HIM with their struggles!

Believe that if He did all that for you… He is worth believing & ASKING…. Not complaining.

How Much Do I Lose Out on Because I Don’t Believe He Can Do More Than I Can?

How much do I miss out on because I don’t bother to consider believing in Him over myself or my circumstances or my resources or my time or my hurts?

Lack satisfaction? Ask Him to teach you contentment.

Lack resources? Ask Him to provide.

Lack time for something? Ask Him for timing.

Lack courage or wisdom? Ask for it.

Lack energy? Ask Him for a way forward.

Don’t resort to trusting yourself, your circumstances, or your hurts to guide you.

Don’t resort to grumbling & complaining about your life.

ASK HIM. Turn to Him. Trust Him. Believe in Him.

God Is GOD & You Are NOT

He can do far more than you’re capable of doing. Do you trust that? … And ACT on it by turning to Him in everything?

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

How do you know what to ask for, though? By reading your Bible & praying for wisdom on that very thing.

“Because You Can’t” Is Not a Valid Excuse… Because You Know God CAN

And I think that’s where some lose interest, because complaining feels like we’ve acknowledged that there is a problem that we can’t fix, so we’re free to avoid it & live how we see fit. As if we’re absolved from accountability because it’s “not our fault.”

But God can. We know God can. But we have to trust God can & ASK Him. And God isn’t at all fooled at the fact that our complaining just seems a more comfortable solution… a copout.

Asking seems like more work. Asking is admitting we can’t & need help. Asking is letting someone else be in charge. Asking brings accountability. Asking may require work on our part that we’re intimidated about.

Don’t Stay Stuck… PRAY to the God Who CAN

But don’t stay there. Don’t stay stuck. Trust God knows what He’s doing AND wants a life that is best for you, not just mediocre or “surviving.”

“The thief [Satan] does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

It doesn’t mean the hard will stop, but it does mean He’ll be your enough in the hard.

So ASK HIM.

Shine HOPE by daring to ask the God Who made you & gave His all for you… rather than just copping out with complaints that anger Him because they reveal a lack of trust.

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

Gingerbread Village Set (INDIA)

HOLIDAY EDITION – While supplies last! Shop to support families in areas of extreme poverty in India! Display the darling Gingerbread Village Set along with all your favorite holiday decor! This set of three unique, hand-painted mango wood houses will create a beautifully cozy feel when placed on your mantel or in a tablescape display. Each house is eco-friendly and made from fast-growing mango wood, a sustainable byproduct of India’s mango fruit industry. Each house features unique natural wood grains and hand-painted gorgeous designs.

***Purchase this beautifully unique & handcrafted set, using the “Shop Here” link below, to empower women in India out of poverty, by providing them with safe, reliable work environments!***

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

God Sees, God Helps

It’s been a while since I have struggled like this with getting to my blog for the week. Maybe I’m not sleeping enough. Maybe it’s the gray, rainy weather we seem to be having nonstop these last couple weeks… who knows (I think I am partly solar powered, so these constant gray skies are no bueno). But here we are, so let’s get to it.

Something to Think About

Let’s start off with some questions I want you to think about:

1. What do you keep from God?
2. What in your life are you lord of vs God?
3. What habits or patterns are you modeling after the world/culture over submitting to God being Lord over them?

These are tough questions, I’m not gonna lie. They’re easy to make justifications… to feel like it’s “just the way life goes,” etc.

But, if you’re really, truly honest with yourself (& with God), are you ALL IN for Him?

Do you live your life primarily for Him? Or for you?

Are You Trying to Do “Just Enough”?

I think of the rich young ruler, as talked about in Matthew 19:16-22 & Mark 10:17-22. He was missing such a crucial part of the picture.

He made sure to obey all of God’s laws, to try to live a pretty GOOD life. But Jesus challenged him with something he couldn’t handle.

Jesus challenged him on whether or not he was really willing to go ALL IN... or if his faith was divided.

Jesus knew the young man’s biggest weakness, his biggest stronghold… his reliance on his wealth.

Money isn’t bad, much like most strongholds in our lives… until it replaces your willingness to trust God ALL IN… until it becomes the thing you trust in more than you trust God.

Can You Answer “Nothing” to These Hard Questions?

What do you refuse to entrust to God?

What do you hold back?

What do you hold on to that isn’t God Himself?

What, if God hinted at taking it away, would wreck you most?

What would it take to compromise your trust in Him above all else?

We won’t always understand. We won’t always get it. He is GOD Who made the world & everything in it… we’re just PART of the created… a mere blip in the timeline. It makes sense that we won’t always get it.

But God is GOD all the same. Regardless of whether you GET IT.

And we must submit all the same.

Not in Part, But in Whole

We can quote the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) & be like, “I’m pretty good at keeping those,” as that rich young ruler responded to Jesus… but we forget the tall order brought by the first few commandments, to love God above all else, with zero competition. (Matthew 22:36-40)

Do we live like we love Him that way?

All that God does, every single little tiny bit of it is ALWAYS 100% for BOTH His glory AND our good. He is worthy to be praised! He is worthy of our ALL IN.

It All Starts with a Willing Heart & a Big God Who Can Help Change Hearts

And you know what? It starts with that mustard seed of faith. (Mark 9:23-24) A willingness to say to God, “please forgive me, God, that I feel so afraid, so threatened at the idea of ever losing ____________________, if You so chose it. Forgive me for my small faith. For trusting me above You. Please help me loosen my grip. Help me to trust anyway. Help grow my desire & willingness to go ALL IN, knowing I can trust You with the ENTIRETY of my life…. Not in part, but in WHOLE. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Think About It…….

So, let me ask you again, the 3 questions I asked you earlier:

1. What do you keep from God?
2. What in your life are you lord of vs God?
3. What habits or patterns are you modeling after the world/culture over submitting them to God being Lord over your plans?

We fill our lives with so many good things: family, friends, job, hobbies, church even… but do we allow time for God to give it meaning beyond the right now… for eternity… for His glory?

Do we bow it all to Him to be used by Him & for Him?

Do we take the time to ask how He might want to do that in our lives?

Or do we just keep on living it the way we always have?

Shine HOPE by offering your life to God as a LIVING SACRIFICE, being willing to ask God how you can go ALL IN for Him… His glory… your good.

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

Citrine Cluster Studs (INDIA)

These stunning Citrine Studs from India feature a set of stones and pearl within a gold setting. Perfect to dress up for a special occasion or for everyday wear, these studs create lasting change for families in India.

***Purchase these beautifully handcrafted earrings, using the “Shop Here” link below, to provide safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops.***

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

At the Feet of Jesus

I used to think that being a good Christian was all about all I DID for God.

As if God needs my help….

The more & more times I read through the Bible, the more this perspective has shifted. Because, in all reality: God does not need me.

And in all the retelling stories of the Bible, this reality is echoed over & over & over again. God requested, God provided. People screwed it all up, God still worked through it. God protected. God won wars. God healed. God gave wisdom. God directed steps. God answered the peoples’ cries for help. God created. God IS.

God Is Entirely Sufficient

God is entirely sufficient. Just Him. He has no need that He could need anything from me. He has no lack that I could have opportunity to supply. He is the infinity to my limits. He is the sufficiency in my lack. He provides the air I breathe & crafted the lungs to breathe it.

What a freeing thing that is! He doesn’t need me!

That means there is no expected pressures placed on me except to obey Him!

Now wait! Obedience is expectation! … Well, sort of? Because guess Who knows everything to more than adequately craft the perfect plans for you? Guess Who has infinite wisdom to see what to do with all facets of every ripple effect throughout all time so He knows how to direct you? Guess Who has the power to make the world from nothing & can supply your every need? Guess Who offers Himself to us in everything He asks of us?

Stand Up by Laying Down

Yes, you see… if you want to stand for God… you have to lay yourself down.

Trade your weaknesses for His strength.

Trade your limitations for His infiniteness.

Trade your lack for His sufficiency.

Trade your fears for His power.

Trade your inability for His inability to fail.

Lay it all down!

It Takes Surrender… And That’s the Hardest Part of It

I get it, though. It takes surrender still… it really does. Surrender of your way, your expectations, your ideals, your comfort zones, your pride, your insecurities, your will… for His.

It takes laying down of how you want to live, to live how He designed your life to be.

It takes time spent with Him… Abiding in Him by getting to know His Word (the Bible) & talking with Him regularly (prayer).

Oh, What a Merciful God!

I don’t always get this right. If you’ve followed along my blog journey all these 7 years (how has it been 7 years?), then you’ve seen it in me. The seasons of hesitation, of selfishness, of struggle, of failure.

But always waiting there with open arms He remains. Steady. Sure. Gentle. Kind. Forgiving. FAITHFUL.

No guilt trips. No shaming. No scolding.

Patient, all-enduring LOVE. Mercy. Grace.

All It Takes Is a Willing, Surrendered Heart

I want to live more for Him & sometimes I think that means I need to do more. But really, it means I need to lay down more of myself. I need to lay down my efforts, recognize His deity, authority, & KINGship, & lay down all of me for all of Him.

It starts with a willingness. A saying: “God, I want this. I want to give more of myself & my life to You. I don’t know how that should look, but I want it. I don’t know how to fit it into my current lifestyle, but I want it. I don’t feel I would be good enough for You, but I want it. Show me how. Teach me surrender. Teach me to lay more of myself down at Your feet for Your will. Not spending this life on me, but on You, on eternity. Help me to live the life You designed for me. Not my routines, not my habits or cultural expectations. Show me how to live my life for You, by You, through You. All for your glory & not for mine. Trusting You are worth it. More than worth it. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Because I guarantee you… if you are willing to pray that way… God will show you. He will lead you. He will teach you. He will prove Himself worthy. More than worthy.

Shine HOPE, by Letting Him be GOD in Your Life

So, if you want to stand up for Jesus… start by laying down.

Shine HOPE by taking a stand for truth, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world who may pretend or strongly believe they don’t need Him, but who desperately do all the same. Be a LIGHT. Shine HOPE.

*A beautifully written book on this topic is one I rave about quite often: “Sit, Walk, Stand,” by Watchman Nee. Check out my list of recommended reading to find its link for more information.*

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

October 2025 Hope Mail (UGANDA + INDIA)

FOR A LIMITED TIME – Only available during the month of October! Enjoy free shipping and 10% off your Hope Mail package when you subscribe every month!       

*Your purchase of October Hope Mail provides one day of school for a girl in an area of extreme poverty.*

This exclusive October Hope Mail package makes a great gift for any occasion! The beautiful Nambi Light Bracelet is handmade by women in Uganda. Featuring handmade paper beads painted in cream, ethically sourced bone beads, and gold-tone accent beads.  Every October Hope Mail creates necessary jobs for women and mothers in areas of extreme poverty in Uganda!       

***Purchase this month’s Hope Mail, using the “Shop Here” link below, to create safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Uganda and India where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops and human traffickers.***

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

I had my blog all typed up. Ready to copy/paste. Ready to edit.

But as I sat here, pasted text on my blog editor site… it just felt off. Like I couldn’t get myself to continue with it. Not in a defiant or lazy way, but like a brick wall was preventing me from continuing.

So, now I have 1.5 hours left before I publish & my page is erased & I am writing this instead.

God knows what I need more than I do. He knows what’s on my heart better than I do. He sees the depth of my subconscious & knows all of its triggers & intricacies better than I understand it myself.

I can trust Him with my deepest fears, deepest hurts, deepest longings, deepest failures, deepest insecurities… ugliest of ugly cries.

I don’t have to prove anything to Him. I don’t have to try to make Him like me or want to spend time with me. I don’t have to convince Him to love me.

He just does.

How often I try to pretty up my emotions or wrong thinking for Him, as if He doesn’t already know.

The psalmists inspire me with their rawness. I can be like that with God. He can handle it.

He doesn’t want my cliff notes. He wants all of me… the good, the bad, & the ugly.

How beautiful a truth that is to me.

I don’t have to ever pretend I’m better than I am. I don’t have to project strength or assurance.

I can be scared. I can be unsure. I can doubt. I can wonder. He is patient with it all. He can handle it all.

He is patient & kind. He is gentle. He is enduring in His love for me. Faithful when I flee. Forgiving when I trust His blessings over Him as my blessings-Giver.

I can show my imperfections & weaknesses. I can feel worthless & hopeless. He stands steady & sure. Unwavering. Ready to welcome me home no matter how far I stray.

What a wonderful Father indeed. He will listen for hours & not tune me out. He will take me at my worst & respond with gentle kindness. He is what I lack & supplies generously upon request.

He doesn’t hold back. He doesn’t guilt me or shame me or push me away.

He loves with an enduring, faithful love. A love laced with grace, grace, by definition being undeserved, above & beyond even. His mercies are new every morning. He forgives upon forgives upon forgives.

How faithful. How true. How sure. How steady. How eternal. How infinite He is.

I am always safe & always loved when I come to the arms of Jesus.

Those same arms are waiting to welcome you, too.

And that’s all I have to say today. Turn to Him. He’s what you need. Nothing else will satisfy like the unfailing love of the God Who made you… the steady unchangeable God, shown so beautifully, so completely, so dramatically through the sacrifice of His one & only Son, Jesus Christ our LORD.

I don’t know where you’re at. I can’t see you. I can’t know your thoughts or your fears or what you mask to show strength to the world because you feel the world needs to see you strong.

God doesn’t care about pretense. He doesn’t need a show. He loves you. Just you. Right now. Where you’re at. Whatever that looks like.

He won’t ever stop pursuing you. He won’t ever give up on you.

I know. I’ve seen it. 36 years (as a Christian) full of failures & shortcomings & lessons learned & humbling moments & He has never once left me. He pursues you. He never gives up on you. Even at your ugliest, very worst version of yourself. The part of you you’re ashamed of. He sees it. And He loves you.

He wants to heal those parts of you. He wants to break you free from their chains. He wants you to feel hope swell up in you & overflow across everything that resides in the deepest, darkest depths of your heart.

Every night, I thank God audibly for the same thing. Every night. “Thank You Lord, that You never give up on us.”

He will never give up on you. He is faithful even if you’re not.

He asked Jesus to die for every wrong bit of you, even down to the morning grumpies to the very worst of you. Jesus let them beat Him & torment Him & lie about Him & spit on Him & KILL HIM because HE LOVES YOU THAT MUCH. Nothing you can do can ever stop that love He has for you!

NOTHING.

Repent. Turn to Him. Trust on Him. Lay it all down at His feet & receive His forgiveness. Because He offers it free of charge. His love COMPELS Him to.

Run into the arms of Jesus. He’s waiting for you. And He always will be. And nothing you do can ever change that.

“Thank You, LORD, that You never give up on us.”

One Choice… So Many Excuses

I hear a lot of reasons why people choose not to believe in God, but what it all boils down to is a choice–to believe in the created or to believe in the Creator.

Some have been hurt by the church. Some have seen “believing” parents abuse them at home or act unChristlike outside the church. Some have experienced devastating loss & can’t imagine God to be good because of it. Some want to believe what they want, contrary to God’s Word, & so try to push Him away. Some think they’re a “good enough” person as they are & therefore they don’t need Jesus. Some want at least perceived control over their own lives… their own destinies… with their own view on how that ought to be. Some think because they can’t see, feel, hear, etc. Him, they don’t want to believe in Him.

But whatever your reason… whatever your excuse… it all comes down to a choice. Me… or Him.

Who Is God? Not Me!

I would argue this to be an extremely easy choice, aside from pride, no matter what your views of God or His Word may be, because anytime you assert to know more than the very One Who MADE you (+ your brain) & everything else… WITHOUT your help… well, it just sounds sort of foolish at that point, doesn’t it? I’m sorry if that offends you, but sort of in a sorry, not sorry sort of way… because, well, it is what it is.

I love this little verse that USED to make me so uncomfortable, back when I misunderstood what it was saying: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Why? Because it’s a reminder that if you want to make a wise choice, you ought to start with the source–GOD. And understanding that if ANYONE were to know, it would be all-knowing GOD.

An understanding that HE is God… & I am NOT.

So, basically, whether I agree with Him or not… does not make Him any less GOD or any less Creator or any less in charge as King of kings & Lord of lords. He is still God & still has the final say, whether I like that, want to believe it, or whether I reject it completely. Doesn’t change facts.

What Is Really at the Root of Your Rejection of God? And Where Will That Get You When All Is Said & Done?

Stop believing your excuses for your rejection of God!

If the church hurt you? Well, surprise! They’re human. They’re not God. And anyone, read that ANYONE who takes their eyes off truth or Christ for a single moment is going to act just so… as a HUMAN. They may represent God, but that doesn’t mean they’re doing a good job at it. Would you want someone blaming you for something your family did just because you’re family?

Same with family acting one way at church or claiming belief in Jesus, while being abusive or contrary to Scripture away from church. HUMAN. They are NOT living the way God instructs them to live–don’t blame God for their chosen disobedience.

Loss? Devastating, heart-wrecking loss? I get it. Really. I struggle with depression & have been through such excruciating seasons that lasted for YEARS & felt they would NEVER END. It’s so easy to doubt God’s goodness when pain just will not stop. But let me tell you something. We live in a world broken by sin. We live in a world where we see & very much feel the consequences of sin, GROANING for heaven & relief from it at times. God allows the consequences of sin to play out. But He is the hope IN IT. Don’t push Him away out of anger… pull closer to Him & ALLOW Him to be your strength, comfort, & healing in & through it.

God Is the Answer to What You’re Searching For… Even If You Can’t See That Right Now

Mad at God for His many “rules”? Think of yourself as a little toddler, mad because your parent won’t let you touch the glowing red, pretty stovetop because you don’t know better. Now imagine yourself as an adult, hearing what God says no to. It is the same. Maybe not immediate, but the hurts WILL come… God knows… God says no.

You think you’re good enough on your own? I’m sorry, but don’t fool yourself here. You know deep down you are not self-sufficient. God is absolute purity & perfection & holiness. He cannot be in the presence of anything less. So, would that describe you? If not… sorry… you’re not good enough. BUT, the GOOD news is that God made provision for you because He loves you & doesn’t want to be apart from you—He sent JESUS. (John 3:16-17)

Want to control your own life? Sorry to burst your bubble, but God, in His infinite wisdom, reminds us of one harsh reality—we will always be a slave to something. Either to the world, or to Him. The world will destroy you… He will infuse LIFE into you. Which sounds better?

Of All the Things… He Is More Real to Me Than It All… It All Comes Down to a CHOICE

Are you worried that because you can’t see, hear, feel, etc. Him, you can’t believe Him to be real? Don’t you understand that that as just another excuse you tell yourself to live the way you feel you want to? It doesn’t hold up. Because I know, deep down, you CAN feel Him. You feel Him there, beckoning gently to come home.

Look around you & you will see the evidence! It’s overwhelming!

I love the quote from the Case for Christ movie, based on the book by the same name by Lee Strobel. He fought to disprove Jesus Christ because it made him feel offended & threatened that his wife felt she needed more than him when she trusted on Jesus.

And after all of his evidence gathering, more & more solidifying happened that, if anything, he could only prove Christ true… but he still could not get himself to believe after all that. And I think it was his wife’s character in the movie that explained it like this, “because… of all the things I can hear & taste & touch & smell & see… somehow, some way… Christ feels more real to me than all of that. So, how can I deny Him? It all comes down to a choice… will you believe?” Will you believe?

Will You Choose to Believe??

“Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)

“… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“… that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Stop Believing Your Excuses for Your Rejection of Jesus Christ

No matter your excuse, it all boils down to this: What will you choose?

Will you choose death? Or will you choose life? Will you choose destruction? Or will you choose HOPE everlasting? Will you choose trusting flimsy human SELF? Or will you choose trusting infinite, almighty God, Who gave His own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the debts (in FULL) that your life of self has earned you?

You can call it whatever you want. You can justify it however you want. God is not fooled. A heart that says “me & my ideals first” is a heart that rejects the One Who made it & gave everything for it.

Turn to Him… Find LIFE

Life is hard & will remain to be hard as long as we, as humans, exist in it… because we disobey God’s “nos” & reap the consequences of that, even as collateral damage sometimes.

But God sent Jesus into this world so that we many find LIFE. (John 10:10) We give up seeking life our own way & trust Him… where we FIND it. (Matthew 16:25) So, He could be our Comforter, our Friend, our Helper, our Savior, our Father, our GOD. Because God can trump ANYTHING else… can overcome ANYTHING… can save us from ANYTHING… even ourselves.

Shine HOPE by giving up on the chain of excuses, letting them drop & shatter on the floor, & run into the arms of your forever waiting Lord & Savior, JESUS CHRIST.

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

Joyful Resilience Necklace–INDIA

When you shop the beautiful Joyful Resilience Necklace, you are creating safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops. The stunning hummingbird charm is not only a symbol of joy and persistence but showcases the beautiful craftsmanship of our Artisan Partners. Wear alone or style with our other necklaces for a layered look!

***Buy this necklace to empower women in India out of poverty, using the “Shop Here” link below!***

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

I’m Not Worthy… & I’m Not Just Saying That

This is a question that I wrestle with sometimes: “Why, of all people, do I write a blog?”

I wouldn’t think of myself as the best writer. I’m not especially self-motivated. I don’t feel I am a very faithful person when it comes to God. I fail God so much. I’m selfish & lazy. I feel tired a lot. I struggle with depression. Why me?

Some seasons seem to be the same topic on repeat. Some are bland, honestly. Not the most exciting. Sometimes I feel like a voice in the wind, like it’s so small an impact that it doesn’t really matter all that much. So, why me?

It Looks Like It’s All About Me… When It’s Not

And trust me, I struggle with my website name as well, being named after me, as if I am proclaiming to the world that I am the one to come to for all the answers, as if I am showcasing myself to the world as their source of hope. I’m not.

In fact, when I took the course that taught me how to design & create my own website, we were actually encouraged to name the site after ourselves because, we were told, people want to invest in people—not just ideas. It’s a way to make it personal, not just a generic concept or message.

But I honestly struggle with how others may perceive that choice to mean about how I view myself & my right to be doing this at all. As if, MICHELLE HYDE ONLINE is IT. I’m not worthy of that.

God Leads the Unexpected

But, all that to say, I don’t know why me. I don’t know why God put this on my heart in 2017. I don’t know why, when I prayed about it in all my concerns & apprehensions, He confirmed for me time & time again, guiding the whole process along the way, eventually drawing my attention to a course in my budget to teach me how, addressing every question I had been praying about for months.

And when I prayed about all of my many shortcomings—why I felt He was picking the wrong person—God kept washing this understanding over my heart over & over again: “It’s not about pointing the world to yourself as their hope… it’s about pointing them to Me as their hope. You don’t have to hold all the answers… but to point to Me as the One Who does. Not showing yourself to be strong… but pointing to Me as your strength.”

I don’t get it right all the time. I am okay admitting that. I feel like a bore sometimes, with nothing original or fresh to say. I feel like I sound like a fool sometimes even.

But I know where my hope comes from. I know where I can be sure my faith is proven true. I know how to have a steady foundation when the world falls out from under me. I know Who I can count on when I royally screw it all up.

Trying to be a Faithful Steward, Even in the “I Don’t Understands”

And I will continue to use this little, small, inconsequential, barely noticeable corner of the internet to keep shining for Jesus. He is the way. He is the truth. He is the life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through Him. No one. (John 14:6)

All Else but Jesus Will Fail You

You can try to search for hope in being a good person. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope in love & feeling wanted/wantable. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope in wealth or at least financial security. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope in a bottle, in drugs, in sex. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope through validation or success. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope in getting married & having babies. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope through a pursuit of happiness. It will fail you.

You can try to search for hope through your own adequacies & self-sufficiency. It will fail you.

I will fail you.

I’ve tried so much of the above through seasons of rebellion & doubt, when I have strayed & believed lies. It all fails.

But God Never Fails… Never… Not Once

But God never does. Like the returning prodigal son, practicing his apology on the way, only to see his father run to him with open arms, embracing him before he could utter a word. That’s how God has been to me. (Luke 15:20)

Like the lost sheep, He, like a Good Shepherd, keeps seeking me. He never gives up on me. (John 10:11; Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 19:10)

He is love. (1 John 4:8) He is kind & patient & long-suffering. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) He is gentle & faithful, even when I am not.

A prayer of thanksgiving that I pray every night is this: “Thank You, Lord, for never giving up on me.” It’s a big deal!

Why Do I, of All People, Write a Blog?

I’m not the best at this. I’m not the most profound or engaging, always with some fresh word to offer you & inspire you. I am not as faithful a steward with this website He has entrusted to me as I ought to be. I am just a little voice on the internet, shining my little light in the darkness, hoping someone will see it & find their way to hope.

^“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:17-21)

His way is the only way. No compromise. No deviation. HIS way. Because HE IS the way.

Shine for Christ… That’s Why I, of All People, Write a Blog

“Lord, I know You didn’t choose me because I’m the best at it or because I am especially deserving, but because I am willing to stand up & say that You are where my hope comes from. May others see that truth through my life, even in all my many weaknesses & failures & shortcomings, & come to find that their only true hope for HOPE… is YOU… ALONE. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Shine HOPE by being willing to be a voice in the darkness, even if you feel inadequate or ill-prepared. Trust the One Who MADE you to fill in all the gaps & determine to take a stand for truth that leads to ETERNAL HOPE in Jesus Christ!

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for 7 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!!

Cherry Handbag Charm–INDIA

How adorable is this Cherry Handbag Charm?! Using red and green leather, women earn a dignified wage crafting this Cherry Handbag Charm. Add to any handbag to instantly change the look! The ethically made Cherry Handbag Charm is handcrafted with care in India.

***Every purchase, using the “Shop Here” link below, provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India! ***

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!

What Life as a Christian Ought to Look Like?

I get it. I grew up going to church, but really, I didn’t understand what it meant to have God be “Lord of my life” or to let Him lead or how to live for Him.

I thought it meant: “go to church, read your Bible when you can, pray before meals or when you’re struggling, don’t do the bad stuff God says not to do… & do good stuff that pleases God, like treating people well & serving in church, etc.”

But is it more than that? Yes, & thank God for that!

Who Runs Things?

Imagine with me for a second the reality of the situation here:

1. God existed eternity past… before the world even existed.

2. God created the world & everything in it… including knitting us in our mother’s womb.

3. God sees & knows everything, eternally past & future… to include every person’s every thought.

So, considering those 3 things alone… who should get to determine why it is we’re here & what our life ought to be about?

But who most often determines why it is you’re here & what your life ought to be about?

How Much of My Life Is Determined by ME?

Me. For my life—ME. I take what I learned growing up… how I learned to survive hard situations… how to fit in… what others consider to be right or appropriate…. I observe, I learn, I determine a path based on all of it, to the best of my understanding.

Habits, routines, responsibilities, expectations, needs, desires. I shape my life based on it all.

But who am I living for in all of that? Who is leading? Who do I allow to lead? Culture? Expectations of others? Family? Ambitions?

What Lasts After You’re Gone?

If you were to die today… would your input or contribution or life patterns impact anything about tomorrow?

If someone in your life were to die today… would your input or contribution or life patterns have impacted anything that will matter in their life now that they’re dead & gone?

And I’m not just saying this AT you, as if it’s not also a struggle for me. I think, if we’re really honest with ourselves, this is a struggle for every single person who had ever existed, at least to some degree.

Not many of us live eternity-minded through EVERYTHING we do.

What Can God Do If We Let Him Have Our Every Moment?

How little credit we can tend to find ourselves giving to God. As if He didn’t make the world ex nihilo (from nothing). As if, He being KING, didn’t also give His all so that we could be forgiven of our sins against Him & be redeemed from those sins through the death of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross.

God could make a plant just sprout up out of nowhere & then have it whither the next day.

He can make the aim so perfect for a child to hit a stone into a man’s temple to kill him against all odds.

He can shut hungry lions’ mouths.

He can start plagues & end them.

He can open the ground to swallow people whole.

He can multiply fish & loaves of bread miraculously.

He can make it so that shoes & clothing never wear out.

He can multiply pests & send them away.

He can draw 2 of every animal to a specific place at will.

He can flood the earth.

He can control the wind & the waves.

He can make barren & open the womb again.

He can make scorching fire completely avoid skin & clothes, to the point of not even leaving the smell of smoke behind.

He can heal what no doctor can figure out.

He can cause an animal to speak.

He can predict the actions of others.

He can protect when those who should won’t.

He can make Himself clear to those who ask.

He can cause the lame to walk, the blind to see, the dumb to speak.

He is GOD. He is KING of kings & LORD of lords. Alpha & omega, beginning & end, Father to the fatherless, infinite in power, infinite in resources.

How Much of Your Life Is His?

Who are we letting determine our days? Our moments? Who is running our life? Ourselves with a dash of Jesus for good measure? Or maybe He’s just the backup?

Who is in charge?

Who do you live for?

But me, I didn’t get it. I just lived my life. Went to church, prayed before meals, went to Bible studies, tried to be a good person to be pleasing to God.

But I didn’t get it. I didn’t get why I am here. That He MADE me. He made me to point to Him & to give Him glory. He made me to live for HIM, for HIS kingdom.

He made me to live in light of eternity, not this short breath of a life here on earth.

To impact for eternity! To live for things that will last beyond my life & my death! To live with a surrendered, prayerful focus of letting Him love & serve others through my life. To share JESUS & HOPE that can actually change lives for ETERNITY!

Am I doing that? What parts if my life am I holding back from Him?

How Much of My Life Ought to be for God?

Do I realize a flat tire could be a God-appointed gospel opportunity for a tow truck driver seeking hope?

Do I realize purchasing groceries as an opportunity to be a light in the life of a bagger or cashier?

Do I pray over everything & talk to God throughout my day, asking for His guidance & wisdom & courage & words, or do I just avoid it all for the comfort zones of ineffectiveness? Trusting my limits more? Or His limitlessness?

Who or what am I living for that will matter after I die?

Who am I Living For?

When I am someday on my deathbed, looking back… will I see God’s hand working through my life? Will I feel I did all I could to be a light, to leave behind hope through Jesus? Will I feel I left it better than when I came into the world?

Was I a good steward of the time God allowed me to have on this earth for His kingdom?

Or did I live for the routine & world’s expectations? Did I fall into the world’s rhythms? Did I live for me? Or Him?

Shine HOPE by recognizing Whose life yours is… & when you don’t know what to do with that information, ASKING Him to show you what that should look like & letting Him grow you TOWARD that!

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 FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts ,” as well as “Prayers of Surrender” prayer guides!***)

This blog/website has been running for SEVEN 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!!

Reverie Earrings (INDIA)

Purchase these gorgeous, beaded earrings that are handcrafted in a workshop in India that’s committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. Each Reverie Earring features burgundy, gold, and dazzling CZ beads to create a stunning statement earring. These earrings are not only beautiful, but create necessary jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in India.

***Purchase these beautiful, handcrafted earrings, using the “Shop Here” link below, to both empower women out of poverty & support my website ministry!***

How You Can Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support My Website:

#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.

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!

Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!