We All Have ‘Em & God Can Handle Them

Last week, we talked about “How to Handle Doubts & Still Honor God,” but this week, I want to talk about specific common doubts I have wrestled.

We all have doubts, & as was mentioned last week, doubts are one of Satan’s oldest tricks to push us further from hope & truth by making us withdraw from God.

But as we also mentioned last week, God already knows about our doubts because He knows all things hidden & revealed. He can handle your doubts & He understands that we are limited, created, & finite, while He is Limitless, Creator, & Eternal.

There will just be things we don’t understand sometimes & He knows that.

Remember, God Will Help Us Work Through Them

And when we turn to Him in those doubts, instead of pulling away from Him, He is able to help us work through them, either by giving us an “aha!” moment of clarity, revealing how it all fits together with your specific doubt, OR, He will reveal more of Himself to you—His love, His patience, His gentleness, His wisdom, His strength, His power, etc. to reassure you that while you may not be able to understand how to work through that doubt, you can definitely rest assured that trust in Him is sure & steady & always worth it.

So, now that we’ve reviewed, let’s take some time to focus in on some specific & common doubts, always remembering that God always knows best.

1. “How Do I Know Which Religion Is the RIGHT One?”

This is one that plagued me for years growing up, claiming I was a Christian, but not really sure if I was right or whether we were ALL right in some way? I really didn’t know.

But it can’t be one of many, because Jesus claims that He is THE way, THE truth, & THE life & that no one comes to God except through Him. (John 14:6)

That may sound like a stuck up, arrogant, self-absorbed claim to make, but here’s why it’s THE BEST news you will ever hear.

All other religions leave it up to you to be “enough”, the ambiguous, always shifting, unsteady push to be better & earn it in one way or another.

The “Good News”-Jesus Paid Our Debt IN FULL

But JESUS lets us know that even if just counting our inner thoughts, not to mention all the wrongs we have done, we CAN’T earn it… But that HE earned it FOR us.

I really believe that Jesus came later in history to die for us in order to reveal to us that no matter how much we reject & hate Him, no matter how wrong our wrongs are, no matter how much we could never earn it by balancing the scales ENOUGH in our favor… NO MATTER WHAT, Jesus STILL was faithful & STILL chose to die on our behalf.

That’s some GOOD NEWS if I ever heard any!!!

We strive to do good, not to earn His favor or balance any scales because our debt it PAID IN FULL. We do it out of a grateful heart that realizes that because His love is SO GREAT for US, He is worth giving our all to!

2. “What If God Isn’t Even Real? I Can’t See/Feel/Hear Him.”

The quickest & simplest way to dispel this doubt is to consider the wind. We can’t see it, but we can see its work as it blows a leaf across the ground, rustles the grass, & even knocks down big structures. It is gentle & soft sometimes & overwhelmingly powerful at other times.

If you remember our Matthew 5 (Part 2) talk, we mentioned how the “Pure in Heart” are blessed because they “will see God” (Matthew 5:8). As we strive to live with an undivided heart, in seeking to filter everything we do or think through God’s will & way, we begin to see Him more clearly in day to day life.

Talk to Him in All Things-Prayer

The more we talk to God & share our fears, worries, anxieties, anger, pain, scars, excitement, goals, plans, thoughts, etc., the more we begin to see Him interact in very intimately specific ways to our thoughts shared with Him. It’s pretty amazing!

If you never spend any time reading His Word (the Bible) consistently or talking to Him (prayer) consistently, don’t expect to recognize His fingerprints everywhere. The opposite is true.

Also, just look at the complexity of our mind & body… & babies forming in the womb, the sky’s clouds/sunsets, the ocean, the variety of flowers, the variety of tastes, smells, textures, temperatures, etc. This world was made (by God’s hand) with both specific order AND vast complexities/varieties. HOW COOL!

3. “I’ve Done Too Much Bad Stuff in My Life. If God Knew/Knows, He Would Never Forgive Me.”

OUCH. This one hurts, doesn’t it? I have BEEN there.

People like to look at me now & think, “such innocence, such grace, such sweetness of the soul…” (No? Okay, so maybe that’s just my wishful thinking, haha.) but God sees it ALL. He sees every decision I have knowingly made to reject Him & do things my way. He sees every excuse I made to back out of obedience. He knows when I have had a terrible attitude & was only looking out for numero uno (ME).

He also sees my list of past sins & ones that sometimes pop up & snag me for a brief time when I am not diligent in seeking God first, before I started trying to turn my life over to Him in meekness/letting Him take the reins of my time & life.

I’m not fooling Him in any way. And neither are you, if you’re trying. He sees you. He sees ALL of you.

And yet…

And YET, review doubt #1 above.

“I really believe that Jesus came later in history to die for us in order to reveal to us that no matter how much we reject & hate Him, no matter how wrong our wrongs are, no matter how much we could never earn it by balancing the scales ENOUGH in our favor… NO MATTER WHAT, Jesus STILL was faithful & STILL chose to die on our behalf.”

He sees it all. He knows it all. AND YET, He still forgives it all & He still came to die for us, that if we admit our wrongs, ask forgiveness for them, & turn from them, claiming Jesus as our SAVIOR & REDEEMER & LORD of our life, He is faithful & just to forgive us (ALL) of our sins! (1 John 1:9)

Don’t let Satan’s lie of “you’re just too far gone,” keep you from realizing the freedom & hope & security & JOY of Jesus’ grace meant for you!

4. “Why Pray? Can He Even Hear Me? If He’s GOD, Doesn’t He Know Already & Won’t He Just Do What He Wants Anyway?”

That’s a whole lot of doubts rolled into one (which I may delve deeper into each specifically later). But….

Yes, He can hear you just fine. And yes, He hears you even when you talk to Him in your mind. He hears you every moment.

Prayer is still something I wrestle with understanding fully because it seems so beyond imagination that the God who created EVERYTHING can hear me AND every other person at all times & that He condescends Himself to work through our prayers.

AND, while He can hear all of it all at once, & while He has a perfect will & plan, He can ALSO work our prayers INTO His plan.

Always Check What God Says About a Topic

If we check out 1 John 5:14-15 we are told, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

This doesn’t mean we can ask for an ice cream cone & one will appear in our hand. He isn’t our personal genie.

This also doesn’t mean He will always answer the way we think or hope or want. Because He knows better.

For instance, if we pray for true love, meaning particularly the man we have our eyes on, God may see how that man’s path or future does not line up with you as well as you think it does, & so He starts shaping the path toward someone else & ENDING this one, making you feel ignored & hurt & betrayed, when really, God is answering what you want, in His perfect fore-knowledge & wisdom, without you seeing it.

God Is Always Working

Sometimes, God will use the words of someone else, a book, a sermon, a tv show, etc. to speak right into what you’re asking Him about. (I don’t mean, “she said YES, so God is telling ME yes!!” but more of a lesson learned or teaching moment.)

He also knows that oftentimes, what we really need is not to have our way, but to trust HIM more with whatever it is. Like yearning for marriage/dating, when we really could stand to see how fulfilling God is to us when we really put effort into seeking Him—a steady love we can stand on versus an uncertain romance that could leave us hurting worse than before.

He Will Help Us As We Turn to Him for It

God never lets us down. (By the way, I feel the need to point out here that while Jamie & I are imperfectly learning together, I am certainly glad I waited for Him because our imperfections work well with each other’s strengths—but I cannot lean on him in all things & he can’t with me because we are JUST HUMAN… we have our limitations, while God DOES NOT.)

I could go on for a LONG time about all the different things I have learned about prayer—most of all that even in learning to or WANTING to trust Him, we CAN ASK for His help & He WILL HELP us.

(Check out the Categories listed on this site (at the bottom or to the right in a drop-down menu) & go to “Prayer” to read more!)

More Next Week…

I feel like this is a good stopping point, even though there are SO MANY more doubts out there, but I will possibly do Part 2 on Doubts next week, so stay tuned!

Shine HOPE by turning to God through ALL of your doubts & letting Him help you work through them!

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Iris Earrings

Iridescent pink crystal beads sway on these golden teardrop hoops.

Artisan Information:

In Peru, rural citizens have been affected by extreme poverty & guerrilla warfare. Women are affected the worst as their husbands generally leave them in search of work. Many are unable to get the basic needs of food, shelter, & clothing. But with every purchase of this product, women are finding hope & an income by hand making this beautiful product. Because of you, these family businesses are now empowering the next generation!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Peru!

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

Who Else Doubts God Sometimes?

Let’s talk about doubts about God, today.

We’ve all had them, whether we readily want to admit that or not. It’s natural to do it, since God’s working is so out of our ability to understand on so many levels–He is infinite in His knowledge of time & history… past, present, & future.

What Do You Do About Them?

So, what do we do about them?

I’ll tell you what I used to always do growing up—stuff them.

That’s right. I saw my doubts flutter across my mind, felt guilty for feeling/thinking it, & then just tried to pretend they weren’t there at all.

I will be the first to tell you, don’t do that… you’ll always regret it at some point.

Stuffed doubts tend to grow underneath & can create even bigger problems down the road for you.

So then what do you do with them if you can’t ignore them?

The Oldest Trick in the Book

Well, let’s start by saying that doubts are not only natural to mankind, they are also the oldest trick in the book for Satan—Garden of Eden story ringing any bells for you on this?

“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1) (emphasis mine)

He twisted what God had commanded about not eating from that one tree, to undermine God’s authority & make it seem an outlandish, unreasonable thing for Him to command, by clumping in every other tree to exaggerate his point to Eve.

And he does the same to us…

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Doubts Once Consumed Me As I Sought to Hide Them

Let me begin this section by reminding you that the following doubts, while are common to cross a person’s mind at some point, are ALL laced in deceit (LIES).

“Did God really tell you you could never have ANY fun? What kind of life is that?”

“Did God REALLY tell you to spend your time reading an old, boring book? As if that will help anything?”

“Did God really do all of those harsh judgments written in the Old Testament? Wouldn’t that make Him evil & someone to avoid?”

“Did He really say you shouldn’t do what feels so natural & right to YOU? Does He even know what He’s talking about?”

The questions go on & on, & I have wanted to buy into them almost every time a new one shows up. That’s why the guilt… & the avoidance.

God Already Knows Your Doubts & He Can Help Set the Record Straight

But let me comfort you with something right now… You are safe with bringing your doubts to God.

He understands we have limited foreknowledge & limited wisdom & limited understanding. He understands that we grew up believing differently than what His Word tells us is best for us.

And He KNOWS how to help you with those same doubts & every other one that sneaks in & threatens to take over.

Don’t Pull Away… Draw Near

You see, when I once hid them away, trying to ignore them, they would fester & sprout & grow as doubts against God in my heart. They made me pull AWAY from God, which is what Satan wanted all along.

But God is compassionate & loving & kind. He is all-wise & all-knowing. He can HELP you sort through those doubts & to set you free with a big dose of TRUTH to wash them away, even when you see no possible way.

Twu Wuv, It’s What Bwings Us Togevah Today

Look at what the Bible tells us about TRUE love (or, & tell me if you get this reference–TWU WUV) in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (emphasis mine)

Now compare that with 1 John 4:8: “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (emphasis mine)

God IS love.

Now read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 again with this in mind & tell me whether you believe that God will receive your doubts with kindness, understanding, & HELP.

He Beckons Us Closer

You see, the biggest thing I had always been missing when my doubts sprung up was that God was okay with me admitting they were there.

And not only that, but He wanted to help me know the Truth with which to replace those very lies.

I can’t begin to tell you how many doubts about God I have had in my lifetime & I am no longer ashamed to admit that. I venture to guess that I am not the only one.

So, This Is What I Know Now About Doubts

So, what I know about doubts is this:

1. They exist in (most likely) every single person at some time or another.
2. Satan puts a lot of those doubts there to distract you & to deceive you to push away from your only source of TRUE hope & Truth & love.
3. God understands that we will have doubts & welcomes us to bring them to Him for help & understanding.

Knowing these things, how do we handle those doubts while still honoring God & not pulling away from Him like Satan wants?

Suit Up

Here are some helpful weapons to use against the doubts WHEN they come:

1. Being aware that they’re a cunning & ruthless tactic of Satan & that he is known as the Deceiver.
2. Not hiding from them, but rather admitting them to God & asking for His help either to understand the TRUTH to counter that doubt, OR to learn how to TRUST Him regardless of whether or not you can grasp the Truth (because, let’s face it, there are things about God’s plans that span beyond our lifetime & understanding & therefore, we may never see exactly how something fits in God’s plan, but we can know that He has one & that it’s a good one & that it’s also meant for our good & the good of all mankind.)
3. Staying consistent in reading the Bible & learning a deeper view of WHO God is, so that when those doubts come, you are planted more securely in a broader perspective & are less easily rattled by those springing doubts.
4. Memorizing God’s Word, even bit by bit, tucking away Truths in your heart to act as a sword & shield against doubts that try to knock you down. Be ready!
5. Asking a pastor or Christian mentor whom you trust their discernment or knowledge of God’s Word & ways better than you do, who can give you perspective on it deeper than maybe what you see on the surface of that doubt.
6. Lastly, & most importantly, STAY CONNECTED to God by talking to Him frequently, asking for His wisdom, direction, peace, strength, courage, hope, comfort, etc. Connect yourself with Him & cultivate that trust by spending time with Him. Not just in following rituals, but by talking to Him about your worries, stress, anger, hurt, doubts, hopes, aches, plans, loves, relationships, etc. EVERYTHING. Let Him in & let Him help & let Him teach you to love Him more by Him showing you more of how much He loves YOU.

Embrace God’s Willingness & Ability to Help You Face Your Doubts Head-on

Don’t run from doubts. Don’t let them fester.

Face them head on & embrace God’s willingness & ability to help. He knows where that doubt is coming from & He has the wisdom to reassure you or teach & grow you into a better understanding.

He can handle it. Trust me.

So, run to Him, always, in all things, & talk to Him without ceasing.

HE is where your hope comes from.

So shine HOPE by taking those doubts to Him & getting them sorted out & dealt with BEFORE they become a problem, or even as healing, clean-up, & growth AFTER they already are a problem. Either way, He’s got you, babe.

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Ramala Bracelet Set

A set of 2, these bracelets are silver, adjustable, & one features real moonstone, with varying hues of lilac, blue, & purple.

Artisan Information:

The poverty cycle in India continues primarily because of the lack of education. Most schools are not free or affordable. Therefore, many children never learn to read or write & grow up with limited opportunities. However, every purchase of this product empowers women to provide for their children & send them to school! You have the opportunity to end poverty & create an impact for generations to come!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

The Grand Finale

So, here we are on Week 3 of our Matthew 5 “ladder” of a life given to, lived for (& through), & hoped in God!

It’s exciting to see the growth we can experience as we surrender more of ourselves to the hope & security & strength & peace & wisdom of God, isn’t it!? So much better than going it alone & in your own strength, wisdom, & willpower.

This week covers the last few rungs of this ladder, but first, a quick recap.

(To catch up on the first 6 rungs of this ladder of a life lived for God, make sure to read Part 1 & Part 2 by clicking their respective links.)

We started off by reading Matthew 5:1-12, which you can click here to read on Biblegateway.com before we get started.

So, here is what we have covered so far:

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”

This one refers to a personal awareness of our own sin (doing it our way & disregarding or rebelling against God’s way), our own depravity (inability to even the scales & save ourselves), & our need for Someone outside of ourselves to make us right again before God (AKA Jesus Christ—read more about this on my Hope Is Found tab on this site.)

We are blessed in this realization, as Matthew 5 tells us, because we can then be made right before God & ours is the kingdom of heaven. Pretty great, right?!

2. “Blessed are those who mourn…”

Once we realize how truly wrong we really are in God’s eyes (the only ones that actually matter in light of our eternal punishment or peace), despite our lifelong efforts to prove how good we are, but always coming up short… it is only natural to mourn… to feel the weight of our wrongs & our sin & how much we have disappointed God & rebelled against Him.

But, again, He promises us blessedness because He won’t leave us in our grief & mourning, but instead He promises that we shall be comforted. We have been saved (through Jesus) by a compassionate & loving God who cares for us!

3. “Blessed are the meek…”

Once we realize just how Good God is for rescuing us when we least deserve it & once He has comforted our grief over our wrongs, we step up onto rung 3 of our ladder in putting our strength & power under His control, letting Him take the reins of our lives.

We are promised blessedness in this again, because when we are letting God make the calls in our life, we find so much more richness in life as we inherit the earth.

4. “Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness…”

And now that we have a taste for this “richness in life” from giving God control of our lives more & more, we begin to naturally crave more. We begin to hunger & seek after living God’s way, as written in His Word—the Bible.

And God promises blessedness in that when we hunger & thirst for more of living His way, we will be filled.

5. “Blessed are the merciful…”

As we begin to strive after living God’s way, we see His heart for people, including us. We begin to have a heart of mercy & forgiveness for others, whether they deserve it or not (if they did deserve it, it wouldn’t be considered mercy).

We see how He has treated our sin by meeting it with grace & mercy & love & comfort… & we begin to desire to love the people He loves (*everyone) in that same way. And when we do, He promises blessedness in being shown mercy ourselves.

6. “Blessed are the pure in heart…”

As I mentioned last week, this pure in heart is intending to portray an UNDIVIDED heart. In other words, we are seeing more & more the blessings come from a life seeking to be lived God’s way that we no longer are as interested in what everything else has to offer.

We begin to filter everything through a focus of giving God the honor He so rightly deserves & making sure the world knows just how magnificent & gracious & powerful & loving He really is! Everything begins to be filtered through this focus in how we love our family & friends, spouse, children, strangers, & even our enemies. He is the true focus in how we live in all areas of our lives—the way it was always meant to be!

And guess what, God promises that we will “see God”. We will begin to hear His truth from the Bible wash across our minds in distress. We begin to hear His wisdom answer our calls for help. We begin to see His hands working all around us, His majesty & power & love coming into a fuller, brighter picture in everyday life! How amazing to strive for a life lived this way!

And now we step up to the 7^th rung of our ladder, as we near the top:

7. “Blessed are the Peacemakers…”

As I mentioned above in #6, “Everything [in life] begins to be filtered through this focus [on all God is & all He has done for us & all He rightly deserves from how we honor Him] in how we love our family & friends, spouse, children, strangers, & even our enemies.”

We are learning to see who God really is, not who people claimed He was or who we misunderstood Him to be, but who He REALLY is—gracious, kind, loving, patient, sacrificial, merciful, gentle, all-wise, all-powerful, Creator, Redeemer, Lover of all mankind… & we want the world to know Him the way we are starting to see Him.

We want to help shine the light of HOPE, pointing others to this same HOPE we have found in Jesus Christ!

It’s no longer a “take it or leave it, I don’t care,” but becomes a desperate cry of our hearts to see people find this same freedom & hope & peace & strength & wisdom & power & LOVE that we have found in Jesus!

We become the Peacemakers, seeking to share Jesus with others, so that they can find this same HOPE.

God says we will be blessed in this heart cry because we will be called children of God.

We are His. No one can change that or take that away. He holds us fast & strong for all eternity. We are sealed. We are set. We are FORGIVEN. And we want that for everyone else, too!

8. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…”

Our flesh, our natural selves loves itself. It loves sin because it is attractive & instantly gratifying, a perverted (distorted) version of the richness of life we crave in Heaven, watered down into a sick reflection of the truth, twisted into a lie.

And people will hate us for standing against their addiction to temporary & fleeting pleasure… they won’t understand & they will hate us for it sometimes.

But yet, we know the Truth. We know its true value. We know the peace & love & grace & freedom & power wrapped up in it & given to us by the sacrificial love & blood of Jesus Christ. We know how much they all matter to HIM.

So Worth It!

And so we continue this honorable fight against that deadly grasp of sin, seeking with all our heart to honor God & give Him glory in how we love those people who reject Him but who mean SO MUCH to Him. We are peacemakers with a purpose to see the lost found, to show them hope that won’t disappoint or hurt or abandon them, but will comfort & heal & fulfill them.

And we hold on to this hope, knowing how much it matters, despite their mockery, slander, rejection, & hurt, because we know Him & we know how much they matter to Him.

And here it comes full circle, in saying that just as we realized our need for Jesus Christ & we reached out to Him as our Savior & thus we find eternal life & eternal hope by joining the Kingdom of Heaven, we are reminded once again that no matter what comes of the persecution against us & no matter how much it may hurt on any given day… Ours is the Kingdom of Heaven.

An Encouraging Arrival to the Top of the Ladder of a Life Lived for God!

This is but our temporary home—a mere shadow of the extravagant love & peace & joy that is to come where we are headed—when we go to heaven– (If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior!)

And it is repeated again at the end of Matthew 5 with more detail on how they will persecute us, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, & falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” (Matthew 5:11)

And He (all of Matthew 5 is actually quoted from Jesus speaking) tells us just a bit more than “just” the blessedness of our part in the Kingdom in Heaven, in verse 12. “Rejoice & be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.” (Emphasis mine.)

An Eternal Hope

Life isn’t promised to be easy, ever.

But this journey is just our temporary home. We have eternal hope to look forward to.

So, come what may, we can rest in knowing to Whom we belong & to where we are going.

Keep seeking to know & love God MORE (or even at all if you need to start there). Ask for His help. It won’t happen all overnight, but it will continue to grow the more you entrust your growth to Him.

Always Trust He Is Waiting to Help You All Along the Way!

If you want it, but struggle—ask for His help.

If you want it, but feel trapped by the sparkly sin that snares you—ask for His help.

If you want it, but you’re too afraid you’re not worth it to Him—ask for His help (because He died for you!!)

If you hurt—ask for His help.

If you just don’t know how to do it—ask for His help.

If you keep failing—ask for His help (& keep failing forward).

If you feel too weak—ask for His help.

In ALL things that threaten to hold onto your ankles as you crave to climb this ladder—ASK FOR HIS HELP!!!!!

Push Out the Lies & Cling to the Truth

Don’t let Satan lie to you that a struggle means God will give up on you—He won’t!

Don’t let Satan lie to you that your past is just beyond forgiveness—because it isn’t!

Trust GOD & CLING to Him EVERY step of the way! He’s got you, babe.

Shine Hope by seeking to live a life that is ever-climbing this ladder in Matthew 5 of a life given to, lived for (& through), & hoped in GOD.

It is worth it 100%.

Coming Next Week

I hope you enjoyed these last 3 weeks as much as I did! They were such an encouragement of the hope found in diligently seeking to climb this ladder in life, why it’s SO worth it, & remembering to ask for His help every step of it!

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Lotus Earrings

Hand cut suede makes these maroon flower petal-inspired earrings a perfect statement.

Artisan Information:

In India, many women are forced to work in sweatshops with unfair pay & dangerous conditions. But with every purchase, the women who make this product are now working in a safe environment, being paid a fair wage & seeing their lives change for the better! They also have access to education & financial counseling. You are empowering women to have freedom to dream again!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

Quick Reminders

So, last week we talked through some thoughts from the beginning of Matthew 5.

I never really understood this passage of “Blessed are…. For the shall…” verses, but in my recent study, I learned to see them as a sort of ladder for a life given to, lived for, & hoped rested in God.

I also wanted to remind us to see these not as, “It’s a good thing if you…. For you will be blessed,” but rather, “When you…, you will be blessed.”

PART 1 Recap–Matthew 5

(All emphasis/brackets are mine in verses.)

We already talked about the first three rungs of this ladder last week, in Part 1, but let’s do a quick review.

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:3)

This one, as we discussed last week, refers to a recognition of our own depravity (our own sin & a realization that our “good” deeds cannot save us—that we need a Savior outside of ourselves—Jesus Christ).

We are blessed in this recognition because we are opened to receive God’s free gift of grace & reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ, allowing us to join the kingdom of God!

2. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

When we realize how wretched & helpless to save ourselves that we really are, it is natural to mourn & to feel grief over how we have mistreated God.

But God doesn’t leave us in that grief-stricken state. He offers us His comfort!

3. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

As we discussed last week, meek means strength/power under control versus timid/pushover. The implications being that instead of self-solving, self-soothing, & self-shielding… we learn to hand over the reins of how our life is lived to God. We give Him control instead of claiming it ourselves.

I also want to remind us that this is a lifelong process of learning to give more & more of ourselves to Him. Give yourself grace, fail forward, & ask for His help in doing it every step of the way!

(To catch more on each of the above three rungs of the ladder, read PART 1/3, here.)

And now that we’re all caught up, we move onto the next few rungs of this ladder:

4. Blessed Are Those Who Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Once we realize our own depravity & need for Jesus Christ, mourn over our sin & wretchedness (& are comforted), & then submit the reins of our life to doing it God’s way… we begin to hunger & thirst for righteousness.

Basically, we get a taste for the goodness in God’s way of life & we want more.

We want to learn more about what pleases Him & honors Him & how He designed it to be. We want to cling to His way!

It doesn’t mean we’ll get it right all the time or even that we will always have the right attitude (I have to pray & ask God for help with a willingness to seek Him sometimes on days when rebelliousness is luring me every other way).

But it does mean that we hunger for it. We thirst for it. We want more of it in our lives!

We recognize that our way led to pain & dissatisfaction & emptiness & we want to be filled with Him in all areas of our lives, to feel complete, loved, filled, purposeful, secure, steady, & healed! Those are the things that come naturally in living a life lived for Him—even in the struggles!

And God promises that we will be blessed because we will be filled!

5. Blessed Are the Merciful

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

Once we have seen God’s mercy & tasted the freedom, the healing, the filled joy that comes in it… naturally, we begin to see others in need of that same mercy & grace that we didn’t deserve either.

(NOTE: This one can be difficult for us (including me) when someone intentionally hurts us. It is definitely an area we should ask God for help with when we want to hold a grudge or a hurt. Trust Him with healing & a right perspective.)

So, being merciful means basically having a forgiving heart. It means recognizing that the other person is equally loved by the same God who loves us SO MUCH.

Be quick to forgive.

Because, when we are merciful to others, God says we will be blessed in also receiving mercy. So, let’s strive to live that way toward each other, shall we?

6. Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

Have you ever wondered how people seem to hear from God when they pray? Well, hopefully talking about this verse will shed some light into that.

When I looked up “pure in heart”, the definition that stood out to me was “undivided.” Basically implying that the more you turn the reins of your life over to God & the more that you crave to learn & live God’s way & the more you seek to extend the same mercy to others that you were given by God… the more your heart will become undivided in its focus to live completely for Him in all things & to look to & turn to Him through every situation or struggle or trial or pain.

He becomes our main focus in life—the way it was always intended to be, like walking together with Him in the Garden of Eden, except now with a broken-by-sin world (in which we need Him all the more).

Oh, how blessed this is… how irreplaceable… how indescribable!

An Undivided Heart Begins to See His Work & Love All Around Us!

You may be intimidated (as I was) over the wording of this “pure in heart” knowing how impure we are… & we may never perfect this in our lifetime, as we still battle with our flesh while on this earth—but as we seek to grow in being undivided, we begin to also recognize God’s voice.

Sometimes it’s a whisper across our heart when we are drenched in sadness, reminding us how loved we are & how capable He is to be our strength in the unrelenting storm.

Sometimes it’s an inner strength & courage (coming from outside ourselves aka the Holy Spirit) when we turn to Him in times of great fear or worry, knowing He can handle anything.

Sometimes it’s a whisper of a verse you memorized once, reminding you of God’s Truth in the midst of Satan’s guilt-saturated shame game that he tries to torment us with our past.

Seek Him in & for All Things

It’s an undivided focus that is grown out of a heart & mind & efforts devoted to God in how we seek Him through prayer & through reading/studying His Word, the Bible.

And when we live that way, we are blessed with seeing God work in the mess. We see His fingerprints in every situation, working it out for our good. We are comforted seeing Him at work all around us, even to the displayed splendor of His majesty in His ever-changing artwork of the sky. We SEE Him everywhere.

And we see Him in His love for those He loves—every person past, present, & future. Angelic facades & outward rebellion & everyone in between. He loves them all.

Shine HOPE

And, in preparation for next week’s grand finale of this life lived for God, that’s where we’ll leave it for this week!

Shine HOPE by realizing your need for Him, mourning your mistakes, being comforted by God, turning the reins of your life to Him, seeking to learn & live His way, being merciful to others as you have been shown mercy, & seek above all to have an undivided heart for God, through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice & the help of the Holy Spirit, through prayer & the study of God’s Word!!

 He’s got you, babe.

Coming Next Week

Next week is Part 3/3 of this topic! Woot!

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Onyx Necklace

Modern hammered brass necklace features 3 genuine onyx drops.

Artisan Information:

The poverty cycle in India continues primarily because of the lack of education. Most schools are not free or affordable. Therefore, many children never learn to read or write & grow up with limited opportunities. However, every purchase of this product empowers women to provide for their children & send them to school! You have the opportunity to end poverty for families & create an impact for generations to come!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

A Framework to Live By

Today, I want to talk about a framework of a life lived for Him, given in Matthew 5:1-12, otherwise known as the “Sermon on the Mount” or the “Beatitudes.”

We will only get through the first three this week, so make sure to check back next week for more! Let’s start by reading that passage.

Matthew 5:1-12:

(Emphasis & Brackets mine)

¹¹ Blessed are you when they revile & persecute you, & say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice & be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Clearing Up Some Personal Misconceptions

I always misunderstood this passage in two distinct ways:

1. I thought they were just a set of random sayings, in no particular order.
2. I thought they were meant as if, “It’s good if you… because….” Versus “When you…, you’re blessed because….”

But, in a recent study, I learned a helpful way to look at this passage. When looking at a Matthew 5 commentary on enduringword.com, I learned to see this passage as a ladder versus a random set of quotes. (See that commentary, here.)

So, let’s walk through this ladder idea together, to see what it looks like to surrender your life to Him, live your life for Him, & hope in Him for your eternity.

“Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit”

Being poor in spirit means to recognize that you sin & that you can’t save yourself… that no amount of goodness can out-good the bad. It is a recognition that you need Someone else to save you (AKA Jesus Christ). (See my personal story about finding hope, here.)

It’s easy to go through life, trying to convince yourself that you’re a “pretty good person” but if you were to lay down that charade to realize that God knows every stray or lingering thought as well as sees every action of yours public or private, how long can you maintain that you are a “pretty good person”?

Let’s face it. You need Someone to save you. I need Someone to save me. We ALL need Someone to save us.

And that Someone is & can only be Jesus Christ.

Being “poor in spirit” recognizes that you have sin in your life. And it recognizes your need for a Savior.

THAT, is the first rung of the ladder… the first step in submitting to God… realizing your need for Him.

And the benefit of coming to that realization & turning to Jesus Christ instead, is that you join the “kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed Are Those Who Mourn”

I always read this through the lens of, “It’s good that you mourn, because you will be comforted,” & I always thought that was a silly thing to say because I would rather just NOT mourn!

But, consider it like this, “When you mourn, you are blessed, because you will be comforted.” Sounds much more appealing now!

So, why mourn?

Well, stepping up on the next rung of the ladder in a life submitted to living for Jesus Christ, once we recognize our sin’s existence & our need for a Savior to rescue & redeem us, we naturally mourn.

It sucks to recognize how awful & sin-stained we really are.

We like to see ourselves as pretty good people & we feel reassured in that bubble, but once it’s popped, we are left feeling raw & vulnerable & pretty darn crappy, am I right?

And so, we mourn our wretched state.

But in that admitting of our wretchedness, we are blessed because God promises that we will be comforted. He doesn’t leave us feeling sorry for ourselves because He has rescued us from our sin!

“Blessed Are the Meek”

And this will be where we leave off this week, to pick it up again next week for the rest of the ladder… but for now, let’s check this one out.

I always viewed meek as synonymous with timid or pushover. I was wrong about that, too.

Meekness is more indicative of POWER or STRENGTH, but under control.

In other words, maybe you CAN handle something your way & your timing, but you instead choose to hand the reins over to God, in His way & His timing.

It is a form of humility, taking your strengths, desires, plans, will, way, etc. & submitting it to God, asking for God to be the Author & Guide of your life.

This is hard & our human nature screams to retake control, but it takes time & a lot of trying & failing & a lot of asking for God’s help.

Re-Learning a New Normal in Meekness

Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re fighting God for control because we have grown up doing it a certain way without a second thought.

The place to start with having a meek heart is to ask God for help over & over again.

My Ever-Repeated Prayers–Asking for God’s Help in Giving the Reins of My Life to Him

“God, here I am again. I feel so strongly that I want everything my way, even though my way never quite works out the way it does in my head. I always second guess You, even though I know that You know EVERYTHING & are supremely wise. How am I so dense that I keep having this power struggle with You after so many lessons learned? Will I ever learn? Or is this a conversation I am going to need to have with You for the rest of my life? *sigh* …

… I need You, God. I need You in even just helping me have awareness … so when I try to grab the reins again, You gently let me know. Help me see when I do it. Help me to learn how to trust You more & more. I know You have proven Yourself more times than I can ever remember, but God, I am so stubborn! Help me grow & learn….

… Thank You for Your patience & kindness & gentleness. Thank You that You understand me & keep working with me, never giving up, even though I earned Your abandonment many times over. You still stay by my side & never give up. Thank You! Thank You that You are all-wise, all-knowing, & all-powerful & that I can count on You in everything always. Help me remember that when I fight You. Help me see Your goodness again & again. AMEN.”

Those prayers aren’t literally repeated-I don’t have them written down for me to re-pray them. There is no power in what words I use. The power rests in Who I am talking to-GOD.

So, just speak your heart to Him. Be honest. Be vulnerable. Ask for His help. He is listening.

Self-Reflection

Take some time to see if you have gone up these 3 ladder rungs yourself.

Even if you slip from time to time, just keep moving in the right direction, not letting Satan lie to you saying imperfect progress isn’t worth it, because it always is, every time.

Keep trying toward a life lived for God, God’s way. And keep asking for His help as you do it… because it’s hard fighting our temporal humanness for God’s eternal blessings, but His blessings are always far more worth it than temporary gains of us winning the power struggle against Him.

So, don’t just struggle… ask for God’s help every step of the way… & every ladder rung taken. He’s got you, girl. He’s got you, always.

Shine Hope by asking for God’s help to live for God, God’s way. He’s always worth it & always able.

Coming Next Week

Next week we continue working up the Beatitudes ladder, found in Matthew 5, so make sure to join me then!

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Mirage Earrings

With just a touch of glimmer these earrings are fun and easy to wear.

Artisan Information:

In Asia, poverty leads many women to being sexually exploited in brothels. These women want to provide for their families but have so few options. Through your purchase, women are being rescued from these brothels & rehabilitated. Holistic care is given to these women, including a shelter, job training, healthcare, counseling, & educational grants for artisans & their children. You can help these women experience restoration for their future!

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

Fear Pendulum Recap

We talked about fear on here recently, with how it often incites a fight or flight response, & in the case of this recent pandemic, is usually expressed with either buying copious amounts of toilet paper or sharing specific memes that express a complete disregard &/or carelessness for anything virus-related. (See that post, here.)

We also talked about how neither of those options work.

Of those responses to fear, it either leaves us crippled & crushed under an unsurmountable mountain of anxiety or the other response leaves us being disrespectful to those in harm’s way.

But the third option is putting our full trust in God. Letting Him quiet our hearts, by leaning into Him… While also respecting the fear of others & seeking to protect them from potential harm by seeking our confidence in Him over ourselves & our “wisdom.”

Another Type of Fear-Reverence, Respect, & Awe

But there is another type of fear I want to talk about today: Fear of God.

Some of you, in going through this pandemic, have been faced with this fear a little more directly than you may have admitted to yourself in the past.

It is something we should all possess, but not necessarily in the way you might understand it.

Perfectly Just & Perfectly Merciful

You see, God is both our perfect, unprejudiced Judge & our merciful, loving Redeemer.

As the perfect Judge, He has to maintain His law.

His law says that the punishment of sin (or rejecting His way & rebelling against His way) is death. This death leads to eternal separation from His love & every good thing, leaving us with only pain unimaginable & unyielding.

But, He is also our perfect, merciful Redeemer.

In this, knowing we could never perfectly uphold His law without fault, God sent His very Son, Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf, taking our sentencing upon Himself & rising again, victorious over both sin AND death, that anyone who turns from their way to put their hope & trust in Jesus instead of themselves, will be met with REDEMPTION to an eternity with NO pain or hurt or tears or sorrow, but only joy & goodness & love.

But, Fear GOD

So, in the Bible, we are told roughly 500 times (according to a quick Google search) to “FEAR GOD.”

One being, in Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.” (Also in Luke 12:4-7.)

This could also be stated as, “And do not fear [this pandemic, which kills] the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (edit mine)

Now, this is not a fire & brimstone message, so don’t worry… stick with me for the Good News….

Fear, Reverence, Awe

So, keeping in mind that God is both our Perfect Judge & Perfectly Merciful, what exactly does it mean to “fear God’?

Think of it in the terms offered by the original Greek “phobeisthe”: to fear, to be alarmed by, to revere, or to be in awe of.

God loves you so infinitely & perfectly & unconditionally that NO MATTER your past or present, HE PAID IN FULL your debt to Him, through Jesus taking your sentence by dying for you if you but put your faith in HIM. That is LOVE.

BUT, He also deserves our undying respect & honor & reverence & awe as our Almighty God… Our KING… Our Creator.

A Joy Eternal

In this time of uncertainty, fear, inconvenience, discomfort, worry, sickness, & death, let us remember that while it is true that this pandemic is wreaking havoc, it cannot have our souls.

We can rest in God’s ALMIGHTYness. We can rest in knowing that He has a plan for GOOD to come from this. And for those who have said “YES” to Him in accepting His FREE GIFT of redemption, we can rest in knowing that whether we lose to this virus or not, our eternal home is one of no tears, no pain, no suffering, no hurts, & no sorrow.

There is hope.

HOPE

(Emphasis in all verses in this post are mine.)

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure….” (Hebrews 6:19)

“Guide me in Your truth & teach me, for You are God my Savior, & my hope is in You all day long.” (Psalm 25:5)

“… put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love & with Him is full redemption.” (Psalm 130:7)

Fearing the LORD Is:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, & knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” (Proverbs 19:23)

Sometimes, when God displays His great power, we are tempted to hide & run, knowing we are unworthy. But, when God displays His power, it is to remind us that He has everything covered. He is the GREAT I AM. He is Creator, KING of kings, Lord of lords, Almighty God!

He deserves our respect & our trusting obedience. And while it is easy to self-protect, self-soothe, or self-solve, we CAN TRUST HIM with our burdens, fears, worries, etc.

Crave the Display of His Power, For in It Lies Our Confidence

I don’t know about you, but having that perspective makes me crave the display of God’s great power rather than avoiding or fearing it. It is a reminder that He is SO MUCH BIGGER than me!

And so, in this terrifying & uncertain time that we live in, look to Him. Fear HIM—revere Him, respect Him, honor Him, be in awe of Him… rather than cowering or running away from Him.

Exodus 20:18-21

Choosing a Response

Will you “remain at a distance” as the Israelites responded?

Or will you approach where God is & trust Him over all else?

Don’t run from His power, but crave it & submit trustingly to it.

God is still God. He is greater than this pandemic. His plan spans eternity. He loves us infinitely & unconditionally. He is Almighty God.

Even if it has to start with an uncertain whisper of the heart (where I began & where this man in the Bible began): “Immediately the father of the child cried out [to Jesus] & said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Shine Hope. Fear God, not the virus.

How will you respond?

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Manilla Bay Earrings

Local capiz shell is dyed a light blue/green hue and hand cut into half moon shapes accented with silver toned metal.

Artisan Information:

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! 

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

Have You Ever…?

Have you ever felt like no one cares about you?

Have you ever complained that no one ever offers you help?

Have you ever turned away a helping hand?

Picture Perfect Perception

In this life, in this social media-saturated world, it’s so easy to present our best selves, while omitting our weaknesses.

It’s not to be proud or arrogant or fake. It’s to keep up with the world that seems so much more capable than we feel we are.

I know I struggle showing others where I lack. I know I struggle to show fear or weakness or insufficiency.

I want to seem like I can handle anything, because can’t everyone else take care of their own just fine?

A Lie We Tell Ourselves

It’s an insecurity maintaining a perception of perfection, I know. And yet knowing that does not make it much easier to show it as such.

I want the world to see me as doing just fine, not needing anything outside of me.

But the closer I come to Jesus, the more I realize the truth that none of us, not one of us is without flaws, faults, & failures.

We are human, every one of us, & that comes naturally with weakness, despite our ongoing efforts to hide it.

The Beauty of Seeing Imperfection

But there’s a beauty in seeing that the world’s just as broken as you feel… And that we all could use a helping hand.

It makes such a difference to offer a smile of encouragement. To offer a helping hand in someone’s time of need.

But it starts with us, a change in us, a willingness to show our vulnerability… to let the world see just how in need we are.

Let Our Needs Show, Ask for & Allow Help

It starts with not only offering to help others, but in allowing others to help US.

It’s easy to judge others who don’t seem to want to help. It’s easy to hold a grudge for the care not offered us.

But are we willing to lay our hearts on the line & not only offer that help to others, but accept it ourselves?

Accepting help allows others to see where we lack. It’s vulnerable & uncomfortable & it’s sometimes easier to just shrug them away & deny their help.

We’re All in This Together!

We must realize that we could all use the help.

We must realize that no one else is perfect either.

We must be willing to not shrug help away & allow them in when they offer a hand.

And we must bow our hearts to help others in need, as well.

Can I Help You? “Yes & Thank You”

I find myself so easily saying, “No, I’m fine. I’ve got this.” And rarely do I say the words, “Yes & thank you.”

I think it’s become so easy to claim we’ve got it all together, thinking of vulnerability as a thing to avoid & because of that, it’s easy to feel like offering help to others can be seen as an insult or offense of their inability to do it themselves.

But offer anyway! And if offered, accept with gratitude & humility!

Better Together

Let us all accept that we have frailties & limitations & that every one of us could use a helping hand.

Let us be free to encourage & offer up support. Let us be honest with ourselves & the world.

We need each other.

God’s Reminders & Wisdom

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) (emphasis mine)

“Therefore encourage one another & build each other up….” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) (emphasis mine)

“”Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10) (emphasis mine)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other & pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful & effective.” (James 5:16) (emphasis mine)

Ask God for Help Being Vulnerable & Serving

Take a moment to ask God to help you to be willing to show you need help. Ask Him for courage to share your needs & awareness & willingness to help others. Ask Him for help with humility-a willingness to show your insufficiencies.

And be the “hands & feet” of Jesus as you seek to live a life of love for others & ultimately for Almighty God, through the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Shine Hope by offering AND accepting help.

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Northern Lights Studs

These studs hold labradorite stones, displaying multiple captivating colors that vary in different exposures to light, just like the Northern Lights themselves. Flash-plated posts.

Artisan Information:

The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, & receive education & healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

Can It Stop, Please?

If you’re anything like me, you’re pretty ready for any news of the Corona Virus to end…. Not to just stop talking about it, but for it to not be a thing we have to think about anymore.

As humans, we don’t like the discomfort of the unknown or of feeling a lack of control.

We want a solution.

The Pendulum Swing

Some of us rush to every extreme to protect ourselves, living in constant fear & anxiety over what we can’t solve or can’t control.

Others of us want to exude control over the situation by trying to override it or ignore it completely, mocking the very presence of the fear displayed in others.

While both reactions are completely natural—fight or flight—they both lack some very important information:

While we DON’T know, God knows EVERYTHING.

While we have VERY LITTLE control, God holds ALL control.

A Third Response to Fear

So, while human nature either tells us to stock up on toilet paper with a several month supply & act harshly toward anyone we feel might be a threat to us…

OR, while we mock everyone who seems to even care to protect themselves or feel concern over it…

There is a 3^rd option that we may be quick to overlook.

Both of the first two reactions involve trusting in ourselves & what we can figure out or control, but the 3^rd option invites us to trust something (or rather SomeOne) as our solution in the crisis, instead.

Let’s go over some things God knows & God tells us in His perfect Wisdom that can give us direction & peace & understanding in this pandemic panic culture.

1. God tells us He “hasn’t GIVEN us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, & a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

(Emphasis mine.)

This fact doesn’t mean nothing will ever scare us or that it is a sin to become scared, but rather inviting us to see that because the fear is not from Him, it doesn’t HAVE to be there… as in, if we ask for His help in removing what He has not put there, He WILL help us remove it.

He never makes us to be afraid as part of His will, but rather invites us to lean into Him & trust Him when we are faced with fear.

God is called “a very present help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) So, call out to Him when fear hits hard.

In fear, it’s easy to panic, but instead, we should ask God for His peace to replace our fear & for help in changing our attitude so we can help create a calmer atmosphere.

2. God calls us to “be wise as serpents but as harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)

That means we should be diligent in pursuing wise, cautionary measures to prevent the spread of harmful situations.

Don’t go out in large public areas unless necessary, cough into your inner elbow, wear a mask if you cough, wash hands often, don’t shake hands, etc.

Helping to slow down the spread of the virus allows doctors ample resources & time to treat each person as they happen versus all getting sick at once.

Be wise in helping to flatten the curve in this pandemic.

3. God Calls Us to “be Subject to Every Human Authority for His Sake” (1 Peter 2:13-17)

(Note: Unless that authority commands you to directly disobey God’s Word. Remember Daniel with the lion’s den in Daniel 6 or Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego in Daniel 3? There are other examples, so feel free to share in the comments.)

If you hear word from government authority or CDC to avoid or stop doing certain things or to stop going certain places to help protect others, realize that while you may be in the healthy, young percentage of those most likely to recover just fine, others do have pre-existing conditions or are elderly & more susceptible to risk. Follow authority’s instructions willingly for the sake of those at-risk.

Please be thoughtful of how your actions may affect others with whom you may come in contact.

4. God Calls Us to “Love Others As [Ourselves]” (Mark 12:30-31)

Fear is not an excuse to be unkind to others, but it IS a great time to be extra kind & to ask God how to live this kind of love to others.

People are experiencing inconvenience & fear & loss during this time. Some need help with their kids or pets because they have been quarantined somewhere. Others need help with their kids because they still have to work but schools are shut down. Others have spouses they can’t be with because of travel closures. Some are tired & overworked trying to help put an end to this. Some feel panic because they are one of the at-risk. They could all use some help & encouragement.

Consider these & many more. Be gracious. Be kind. Be patient. Ask how you can help & ask God for help in serving others & knowing when to step in.

NOTE: This also probably means to be careful what Corona Virus memes you post, because some have actually lost loved ones or are at risk themselves.

You wouldn’t make a joke about cancer, so please don’t make a joke out of this.

5. God Tells Us to “Lay All Our Cares on Him for He Cares for Us” (1 Peter 5:7)

He is where our help comes from, so cry out to Him.

Ask for His mercy on the world through this pandemic & to stop this virus.

Ask for His wisdom on how to combat it or how to be wise in the midst of it.

Ask for His peace to quiet the fear that may trickle in or flood your heart during this time.

Ask for His help in being patient with others… in being kind & thoughtful & helpful to others.

Ask for His guidance & courage on how & where & when you can offer help.

6. God Tells Us to Share HOPE with Everyone (Mark 16:15)

This (& EVERY DAY) is a perfect time to let people know that despite anything that may happen to them or to loved ones during this pandemic, they can have eternal hope through Jesus Christ.

God created us. He knew we would spit in His face & rebel & think we know better than Him. He knew we would turn away. He knew we would never be able to undo it by being good enough because our hearts are desperately wicked, looking out for ourselves rather than the honor & glory of God, through trust in Him. He knew we would fail & yet He still created us out of LOVE for us. And better yet, foreordained our redemption story, planning all along to send His very Son, Jesus (perfect, sinless, loving Jesus–God & man in One) to willingly die on our behalf, taking upon Himself EVERY single one of our wrongs & then taking our PENALTY upon Himself to death on a cross (mocked, beaten, spit on, & murdered by those He came to rescue), but then He ROSE AGAIN, VICTORIOUS over sin AND death. Allowing us a clean slate, a fresh start, a REDEMPTION to return cleansed to God our Father through the blood of Jesus. That if we repent of our wrongs, recognizing our fault & our inability to be good enough to save ourselves, asking forgiveness & turning from our sin lifestyle, claiming Jesus as our one & only Savior, that we can be forgiven, washed in grace & allowed into the eternal, loving arms of God when we die, free from fear & pain & worry & hurt, safe & secure & LOVED. And that while on this earth, we are given the HOLY SPIRIT of God to reside in us, guiding us, helping us, loving us, teaching us, comforting us, & strengthening us as we call out to Him for help in living for His honor & glory.

That is the Good News. That is the HOPE. That is the Gospel.

God Is Still King… Lord Over ALL-Trust Him Always in Times of Fear

Share HOPE during this time of so much uncertainty, panic, & lack of control, by reassuring others that they can be sure of the hope of being made right with God in His love, through Jesus’ sacrifice. And then will have access to help, guidance, strength, & comfort from the Holy Spirit.

Don’t let fear rule.

Let God Almighty take that role as rightful King over all & TRUST HIM.

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Onyx Necklace

Modern hammered brass necklace features 3 genuine onyx drops.

Artisan Information:

The poverty cycle in India continues primarily because of the lack of education. Most schools are not free or affordable. Therefore, many children never learn to read or write & grow up with limited opportunities. However, every purchase of this product empowers women to provide for their children & send them to school! You have the opportunity to end poverty & create an impact for generations to come!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

Crushed Confidence

Have you ever done your best to live for God & then just had your confidence crushed because someone doesn’t like you?

I like to be liked. Who doesn’t. But sometimes, that can become an idol in my life that I desire to put above God.

We have to be careful with this sort of crushed confidence because it can come from people we respect as well, people who mean well, & even our leaders or mentors.

It hurts when it happens. We feel misunderstood.

We Don’t Always Get It Right–Failing Forward

I, through many mistakes & failures, have been seeking to follow God most of my life (with definite detours where I thought I knew better—spoiler alert: I didn’t actually know better than God, ever).

This doesn’t mean I always get it right or that I am always good or focused at it.

BUT, it is something I have failed forward in seeking to let God change me from the inside out so I can better live for Him.

And still, this being a core desire of mine—to live for God—I have been met with others who seemed to just not like me (even Christians) or those who seemed unable to avoid pointing out the many ways I was lacking… the many ways I was human.

God Is Patient, God Is Kind–The Perfect Teacher

I have heard the phrase used, “Do not expect someone to grow overnight in an area that took you years to learn.”

The gist behind that phrase is that while all of us who have surrendered to Christ as their Savior for their wrongs, to make them right before God through Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, WANT to live for Him, we are all learning different things at different times.

God is a patient Teacher. He guides us so gently. He is so wise & kind.

God knows EVERY area where we lack or have a hang up. He sees it all, even the inner battles against temptations to sin & rebel that we either successfully or unsuccessfully resist (success comes in leaning full weight into Him for help until the temptation stops).

And even though He knows all of this more specifically than even we ourselves, He is still patient & loving & gentle as He guides us & when we fail Him.

Graciously Patient & Praying Together for Each Other & Ourselves

But we are not always so patient, especially when it grates our nerves to see a specific lacking in someone else.

We can easily step into the role never intended for us to hold—being the other person’s judge & jury.

And while we are called to help bring attention to each other’s sin to pray over it & help them to weed it out & overcome it by seeking God’s help together… we are NOT called to be hurtful or mocking of them in their failings.

Is It a Sin or Non-Sin Issue We Are Pointing Out?

We are also not called to nitpick people in areas that are not sin-related. That is between them & God.

And even if you have a personal weakness or trouble in that area, it does not mean that they do. We need to trust non-sin issues to God & follow His guidance personally, without inflicting those personal boundaries on others.

We are not their Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit can handle Himself just fine.

Just Not Their Cup of Tea–And That’s Okay

But sometimes, we can follow God with the best intentions, doing our best to love others & confident in how He created us & living out what He has called us to, & we can STILL rub people the wrong way.

Sometimes it’s jealousy & sometimes it’s insecurity. Sometimes it’s sin. Sometimes you made a mistake (you are human, after all). Sometimes conviction is at work in their heart. Sometimes personalities clash.

We are still called to love them.

Comparison Can be the Thief of Joy… Differences Strengthen Us

When someone else is confident & receiving praise, while we are struggling in that area, it can make us feel inadequate or it can make us feel small.

We need to learn to admire someone’s strengths, while not holding the strengths against that person just because their strengths are our weaknesses.

In fact, it is FANTASTIC that we all hold different strengths because together we can lift each other up & we become even stronger together.

Seek to Live for Him… Not for Praise

I get easily hurt when someone doesn’t like me. I don’t always get to find out WHY they don’t like me either.

But God has taught me that it is okay if I am not “everyone’s cup of tea,” as the saying goes.

If I am not living a sinful/rebellious-to-God lifestyle & if I am seeking to LIVE for Him, but someone doesn’t like it… that is okay.

So Many Maybes & That’s Okay

Maybe they have a sin in that area that they are struggling with & are feeling convicted by you.

Maybe they have a blind spot in that area that is being brought to light & it makes them uncomfortable. (That has happened to me!)

Maybe your confidence makes their lack of it even more obvious to them.

Maybe they’re used to having the spotlight & feel threatened by your confidence.

Maybe they’re just having a bad day & it will pass.

Whatever the reason, if you are a human being, you are bound to meet someone who doesn’t find that you’re their “cup of tea” & that, my friend, is okay.

Not a People Please, But a God Pleaser

You are not called or created to please every person on this planet & that is a very good thing because we are oftentimes polar opposites.

We are simply called to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Ask God who HE MADE YOU to be.

Ask God how HE WANTS you to live & follow the Bible’s Truth in trusting obedience, seeking Him for clarification.

Ask God when & to whom you should speak up in truth & love.

Ask God for the right words.

Ask God for courage & confidence, with an undercurrent of humility in understanding that your ability & wisdom is God-made.

Ask God to help your focus stay on pleasing Him with your life—not everyone else.

Talk to Him.

My Prayer in My Hurt

My prayer from last year during a struggle of feeling hurt by this:

“God, please help me. Lately I feel attacked from every angle & it’s distracting & maddening & it hurts. God, help center my mind on You & what You want me to see or do, not on everyone else’s differing opinions about who I should be or how I should act or what I should be doing. Only You. Clear the rest out so I can clearly see only You. Your will. Your patience. Your perspective. Your majesty. Your vastness. Your power. Your love. Your design. Your plan. Your will. Let the flaming arrow attacks swish right by me, while I keep walking Your will & way. Lift the burden of trying to be perfect in everyone’s eyes. Help me be gracious to others who are hard on me & express their will on me. Help me to love them in Your power. Help me to see & trust Your direction. Only You. Wash the rest away. Amen.”

Ask Him, Trust Him, Love Others, & Leave the Rest Up to Him

Live for Him & love others regardless of how they feel about you.

Graciousness is hard, especially when you don’t understand why others may not like you, but God loves you despite your flaws… so be willing to love others, too.

Shine Hope by keeping your eyes fixed on Him as your guide & as the One you live to please with your life.

Leave the rest up to Him.

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Chelsie Necklace

This curved bar necklace features gold & rose gold tones. Hanging from a gold colored chain.

This piece was named after one of our co-founders because of her golden & modern style, along with her passion for using sustainable business to end poverty.

Artisan Information:

The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, & receive education & healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

Doing Right Is Not the Same As Being Good

Self-righteousness is a tricky animal, isn’t it? Most of the time, we cannot even TELL when we are feeling it creep into our thoughts on how we view ourselves.

If you grew up in a home with at least one parent or caregiver that spent much effort in teaching you right from wrong, I’m sorry to say it, but you have probably been guilty of self-righteousness at least once in your life (if not every day).

Am I saying it’s wrong to teach children a sense of morality? No way. Keep at it!

BUT, we need to be careful that in teaching right from wrong, we do not equate “always choosing the right thing” with being a “good person.”

“There is none righteous, no, not one….” (Romans 3:10)

Even Our Good Doesn’t Make Us Good

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) (Think used pads filthy. Gross, right?)

This is tough because if I were to guess, most of us (including myself!) feel like we’re pretty good people… especially when we hear about awful things like human trafficking & preying on children with pedophilia.

But I have a little bubble burst for us today: NONE of us are good people. Some of us are just better at acting good aka making right choices outwardly.

Outward Good Deeds, But a Deceitful Heart

“Outwardly” is the key word in the above section.

If you have read the Bible, you are likely to have seen some of these verses:

“The heart is deceitful above all things….” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Do you know what that verse is followed with? “And desperately wicked.”

Desperately. Wicked. As in, we all have a sin nature.

All of us.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23) (emphasis mine)

God Knows Our Innermost Thoughts

Whether we spend our time in homeless shelters or soup kitchens, God still hears & knows our inner thoughts, whether it be complaining inwardly, lusting after someone who is not your spouse, envy, hatred, rebellion, or even our rejection of Him, etc. The Bible warns us to:

“… and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Why would God even mention the possibility of taking every thought captive if it wasn’t necessary? Thoughts come in our head with little to no warning, so how does that even work?

It’s not a natural thing to stop those thoughts because they seem so natural to us. I mean, you can’t help how you feel, right?

Well, sort of yes & sort of no.

You Rule It. It Doesn’t Rule You.

Thoughts will naturally pop in because you are flesh with fleshly desires, fears, etc., but God can help you put those thoughts in check so that you control them & so that they don’t control YOU.

You can either say, “Oops, well, that’s just what I think or feel, so I am going to go with it.”

Or, you can say, “God, help me to combat that bad thing that I keep thinking about. I want my thoughts to honor You & others… & I know those thoughts don’t. So, help me clean up my thoughts.”

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) (emphasis mine)

Obedience from Trust

God wants you to choose the right things, but not to prove our goodness.

He wants us to trust HIS WAY of doing things. He wants us to understand that He can be trusted:

1. Because He created all
2. Because He is infinitely wise
3. Because He loves us each with an everlasting love

If we all followed HIS design of how HE tells us to live, we would have perfect harmony, but unfortunately, we often choose our way instead, not to mention that none of us are without sin.

Doing Good Won’t Earn You a Spot in Heaven

BUT, doing good things will NOT get you into heaven.

You cannot earn God’s love because He already loves you infinitely more than you could EVER imagine.

The fact of the matter is that ALL have sinned & fall short of the glory of God. ALL, including me & including you.

None of us are good.

But God is. Knowing the penalty for our wrongs, our sin, is DEATH (Hell), & knowing that no one is good, no, not one, He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die on our behalf, rising again in GLORY, conquering both sin & death, paying our penalty so that we could be made RIGHT in God’s sight.

Made Righteous in God’s Sight Because of Jesus ALONE

We are not SELF-righteous, we are MADE righteous by the death of Jesus. He paid our debt, in full, despite the fact that NONE of us could ever earn it.

That’s why we seek to live RIGHTEOUSLY, not by our own efforts or our own goodness, but by leaning into God for help to live in a way that honors Him… A life of gratitude & trust & FORGIVENESS.

A life built on grace.

Do Good out of a Grateful Heart to God

Don’t let Satan convince you that because you’re not good, you should try to prove your devotedness to God by being good without asking for God’s help to make you new.

We can’t do it alone & we weren’t meant to because God’s throne room is open to our requests night & day. God allows us to openly come before Him & ask for His help in living a life for Him.

So, ask Him—daily, moment-by-moment. He hears you. He loves you.
You may not be good, but He is & He loves you with an infinite, overflowing love that can never die, no matter what you feel you have done wrong (even purposely to spite Him). He forgives. He is patient & kind.

God IS Love

“God IS Love.” (1 John 4:8) (Emphasis mine)

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails….”

God is Love.

Shine Hope by taking your thoughts of self-righteousness to His feet, apologizing, & thanking Him that His grace covers you in full. Shine Hope by living good deeds, not to earn favor, but to honor God.

Trusting in Jesus to Rescue You Means:

If you want to know more about this, please read my testimony of how I finally submitted my doubts to trust Him with my all & learn how you can find His grace for your own life on the “Hope Is Found” tab.

Don’t wait for a tomorrow that may never come.

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:

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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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!!

Nairobi Necklace

Small hammered ovals & ethically sourced bone shapes adorn this golden necklace that shimmers in the light. Crafted in Kenya.

Artisan Information:

In Kenya, where many people struggle with starvation & poverty, the women we partner with are defying the odds! Your purchase empowers these women to earn an income, overcome physical disabilities, & become important parts of their communities!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Kenya!

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