God Can Heal What Can’t Be Healed

Okay, this one’s personal. This one isn’t a very popular topic to be openly discussed, but again, if the church isn’t talking about it, then all we can hear is the world’s opinion, & seeing how God says that our hearts are “desperately wicked” & “deceitful above all things,” well, we probably shouldn’t be turning to the world around us for truth on this subject. (Jeremiah 17:9)

When I was [single digit] years old, I was flipping through our 8-channel tv (yes, I am that old), & I saw a woman with no clothes on a man with no clothes. Showed too much (not like porn, but definitely much too much for a chance sighting through simple channel flipping by a child.)

That singular moment bore itself into my brain a proclivity toward lust. Fantasizing. (With the amount of raunchy &/or suggestive ads that come up when playing a kid game app on my phone, I worry about these next generations & the addictions that will stem from it, completely unbeknownst to their parents.)

I Felt the Need to be “Wantable”

Couple that with the fact that I felt like the fattest, most unappealing girl in any given friend circle, leading to me using flirting & innuendos to gain affection & admiration from my peers at school.

Desperate, hormone-charged, insecure, ill-judgment-ridden me thought I had to be what guys wanted in order to be wantable or likeable. And I wanted to be wantable & likeable.

I didn’t always make the best decisions. But boy did I have loopholes “figured out” in my mind to “justify” them, because the big offender was sex of any kind & well, I was “just using words.”

[God wasn’t fooled.]

A Friend Hurt Me

And eventually, I faced sexual assault. I wasn’t raped, but I was touched inappropriately without consent repeatedly & on multiple occasions, & some by close male friends. I had made them believe that’s the type of girl I was—not that that gives them any right remotely, but I did make them think I was okay with it. I very much was not, but was too afraid to seem “prude” or like I was making too big a deal of “nothing“ to speak up.

It made me feel cheap, used, disposable. It made me feel I had no worth or value, just seen as an object for desire… to be used… & not much more. It left me feeling an ick no length of shower could wash away.

We’re Often Treated As Disposable… Not Treasured

This is no new thing for many, MANY females. (I once had a guy ask to touch me somewhere inappropriate within MINUTES of being introduced to me by a friend, “because he liked them.” (ew) And that was one of MANY countless harassing/uncomfortable situations I have experienced, even by strangers, throughout my lifetime.

Tv shows, music, movies, all have examples of women depicted as sexual objects, comments from men/boys in them being centered on how hot they are or whether they would want them based on how hot they are, or the opposite, how much they would be grossed out if she didn’t “look hot.”

Women are used to being portrayed as the busty eye candy ogled & talked to/about suggestively throughout a movie, music video, show, etc., not holding much additional value to the plot.

Sexual Assault/Harassment Causes Heart Scars That God Can Heal

Assault is common. More common than you think. Some is just minimalized as “just joking around,” but it’s not funny. In my travels abroad, even, I have witnessed grown men ogling nude magazines shamelessly in the middle of a convenience store aisle, & even countrywide laws where no phones are able to have a feature where you can turn off the sound for taking a picture so as to prevent men taking pictures up skirts on the train. It’s nothing new—there are forms of the exploitation of women all over the world.

Even in dating, the pressure to have sex is almost unquestioned these days by youth, as if it’s just EXPECTED. As if our dating value is dependent on offering our BODIES once again!

No wonder there is so much damage in this area! No wonder there is distrust, closed off-ness, lack of vulnerability, distance, turning to erotica, fantasizing, or even porn. Women are widely taught that men are not safe spaces when it comes to sexuality.

We Bring the Damage Done with Us

Then, we get married. And all that baggage gets dumped on our husband. And he doesn’t get why he has to pay the price for what he didn’t do to you.

But he does. The fear gut reaction doesn’t just go away because you’re married now.

The ick of giving in to being ogled or heckled or touched or talked about inappropriately because you didn’t want to make a big deal out of it or cause a scene… it sticks with you.

Because I was assaulted by someone I cared a lot about, multiple times before my other friend coached me & pushed me to have the courage to stop it… I was subconsciously terrified of someone desiring me, because last time it had happened, it made someone who I cared about choose getting what he wanted from me above caring for my wellbeing... choose hurting me over protecting me–because of his desire for me.

And it wasn’t fair to my husband. He never hurt me.

When You Have Trouble Believing God Knows What He’s Talking About–Sexual Vulnerability/Intimacy After Hurt

But you read how God talks about marriage & sexual intimacy & the safety & security there… the freedom to love your spouse wholly & freely & to be loved back just the same way… & it just seems like a joke, a pipe dream… an impossibility… a nice thought… a non-reality. But God DESIGNED sex. And He set rules for it to protect it–if we but trust Him.

So, after all of those distorted views on sexual intimacy through fantasizing, that only became worse after I was assaulted because then I was in control & no one else… plus being degraded by strangers & friends alike throughout my lifetime… plus seeing how pretty much all media portrayed desire/worth/value through how hot you were (aka your value equaling mainly sex appeal)….

Well, how am I supposed to believe God knows what He’s talking about? That HIS design WORKS?

Sin Robs Freedom & Joys

The fear of being vulnerable was so intense the first 5 or so years of marriage. It was so hard to switch from protect-myself mode to intimacy with another person. I still struggle on occasion.

I so often relied on fantasies vs my husband because it felt safer than being vulnerable. I used to go into fight or flight in intimate situations & eventually learned to excuse myself to the restroom so I could reset, pray, & re-coach my brain by telling it this was different… this wasn’t THAT.

How was I supposed to trust HIS design, when literally everything in my world SCREAMED the opposite?

You see sitcoms where the running joke is implied that after marriage, sex just doesn’t happen anymore. And I think part of that is a whole lot of what I’ve been talking about. Plus, the fact that for women, it’s usually us feeling SAFE & CARED FOR & absolutely CHERISHED that gets us in the mood really, & when life is crazy & busy & distractions are ABOUNDING, it’s really hard for a woman to settle into that head space & trust in being vulnerable.

Though It Seems Easier to Trust Our Own Solutions… Trust Instead That God Can Heal What’s Broken & Renew That Sense of Safe Space to be Vulnerable Again

It just seems easier to rely on steamy novels for some women, fantasizing, or even porn (let’s stop pretending men are the only ones who struggle with THAT temptation). Even if it’s “just” steamy novels, don’t pretend that’s any better either (as someone once wisely put it to me—those novels being made available to us means someone had to write it—so reading it encourages those people to keep fantasizing up sexual stories).

But all that just leaves us with is further disconnect. A lack of intimate connection to our spouse. Distance. Lack of enjoying each other together. Lack of freedom in your expression of love for each other.

That’s how fantasizing hurts. It encourages solo vs shared. It encourages selfish control vs shared vulnerability. It encourages isolation vs intimacy.

And it’s something I still have to wrestle. Ever since that one little scene my innocent single-digit me saw when flipping channels, fantasizing has been my companion. I was in control. I was safe… or so I thought. And now it’s addiction that I have to battle from time to time. And I lose sometimes… or rather, I choose to dishonor God because my lust shoves Him aside selfishly & foolishly.

God Designed Sexual Intimacy… So Let Him Set the Boundaries… & Trust Him to Renew What Is Broken or Hurt

But I have seen God help shift the narrative. I have seen Him working. I have seen changes. I am learning to say, “God, I don’t think I can go without this, but I have to believe Your plan & design is better than mine, even as false as that may seem to me at any given moment. I have to trust that You can where I can’t. That You can change me. That You can help me rebuild. That You can help me have the free trust in my own marriage despite all of the poison I have encountered throughout my own lifetime, whether through media, strangers, friends, or through myself & my wrong, sinful choices. Please help me to believe that You know what You’re talking about & that Your design is best AND possible, even in the reality I’m in… even after all the years of mistakes I have made in contributing to my damaged view of possibility. Help me continue to change for Your way over mine, choosing to trust You more than my own desires for safety my way. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Shine HOPE by choosing to trust God & do it His way, even when you have trouble believing it can ever be possible. Where you can’t. He CAN. God is in the business of making all things new—even you, even in this.

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 6.5 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!!

Ginkgo Leaf Earrings–Golden (INDIA)

When you shop the Ginkgo Earrings (also available in silver-tone), you are creating safe jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in India. These stunning, sculpted earrings are the perfect fair-trade fashion statement! Each gold-tone Ginkgo Earring features two connected ginkgo-shapes to create this beautiful dangle earring!

***Shop these beautifully handcrafted earrings from India, using the “Shop Here” link below, to empower women in India out of poverty!***

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!

Let’s Talk with Compassion

Bear with me. This is something that needs to be openly talked about in the church because it’s already being openly talked about in the world. How fitting that this topic should follow discussion on forgiveness.

There is a lot of built-up hurt surrounding this topic. A lot of identity is wrapped up in this topic. A lot of passion & fight & anger wrapped up in this topic. So, I want to start by saying that no matter how it may feel, God made you… God designed you… God knit you together even in your mother’s womb. You were not a mistake. The way He made you was not a mistake. And as stark a contrast that may seem to your present reality, it is very much factual. God didn’t make a mistake when He made you just the way you are.

From Hurtful Name-Calling to Harmful Identity-Claiming

I have seen a huge shift happen in the realm of sexual identity, even just from when I was in high school, starting late 90’s to now. It went from “you’re so gay” as a hurtful insult, to “I am gay.” The subtle shift from it being a hurtful label to becoming a harmful identity. An adjective to a noun. A descriptor to what you equal.

Never should the hateful, hurtful shaming have taken place. There is no excuse for public or private shaming of another person in ANY context–Jesus doesn’t do it to us, so we should definitely NEVER do it to others. But the shift has turned to it being WHO THEY ARE vs something about them.

Let’s Not Put Words in God’s Mouth, As Well-Intentioned as We May Be

I honestly think part of it started with the rise in unnecessary gender stereotyping. If a girl prefers trucks, dirt, & grit over pink, lace, & baby dolls… labels were given…. If boys preferred pink, playing dress up, or playing with dolls, over dirt, “stereotypical manliness,” or shooting games… labels were given.

We need to be SOOO careful doing that. Obviously. Because God didn’t make everyone the same! Some girls love adventure & grit, while some boys enjoy fashion & caretaking. That doesn’t mean that now they HAVE to like someone of the same gender in a sexual way!  How do we get from one to the other?

Do not add to the Bible. When the Bible talks about men not dressing as women & vice versa, the implication is not trying to pass yourself AS the opposite gender. The Bible says nothing about liking things stereotyped about the opposite gender.

Now It’s Seen as “Who You Are” vs. a Hurtful Description ABOUT You

But here we are. Gender stereotypes taken too far & name-calling turning into identity. And Satan has woven the seemingly perfect trap. Because NOW, it feels like it’s WHO YOU ARE vs just something ABOUT you.

When I prayed over this topic a decade or so ago, seeing the shifts happening, not knowing how to face or address it, God’s response came to my heart quite surprisingly: “I did not create gay people & straight people. I just made PEOPLE.”

STOP CALLING PEOPLE GAY. You are only solidifying the web Satan is trying to weave to keep people strangled in their TRAP of believing it is JUST WHO THEY ARE & THEY CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

Do NOT keep perpetuating that LIE!

God DID NOT create gay people & straight people. He just made PEOPLE.

We ARE Born Sinners… That Is Why We Need to be Made NEW

Now we have people all over America believing they cannot ever meet the grace of God, through Jesus, because WHO THEY ARE is contrary to God’s Word! Lies!

I’m sorry, this is not the turn I expected to go with this topic. I just have heartbreak seeing so many people convinced that God made them so they are unable to come to Him. God did not make them gay.

Listen, I have a proclivity toward lust, toward comfort as a straight up idol where I am, in some seasons, tempted to just stick up my middle finger to God (figuratively) because I have clung so tightly to said comfort as an idol in my life, trusting the blessings more than the Blessing-Giver. That’s just to name a couple. I was BORN with those tendencies because I was BORN a SINNER.

It doesn’t mean I HAVE to do those things, or that they are good for me, or that I should embrace them because it’s “who I am.” No. It’s the very reason God needed to make me NEW. To replace & redeem the sin-filled heart I have & replace it with HIS righteousness.

When You Have Trouble Believing God Knows What He’s Talking About–Sexual Identity

You were born a sinner. Of course your natural draw is to SIN. You need to be made new. Only Jesus can do that. Not you, not WANTING to change or wanting to be different. It takes Jesus.

And yes, many other factors, including trauma &/or abuse, harmful stereotypes & labels, certain sin preferences/desires… but what it all boils down to is that you have a choice. You were born a sinner. You were born with a flesh contrary to God’s righteousness. You were born into a world of sinners, with an enemy crafty enough to lead you to your own destruction, while you willingly & naively follow toward said eventual destruction.

(Sin ALWAYS destroys you eventually. Why do you think God warns you SO strongly away from it???)

It takes Jesus. You NEED Jesus.

Jesus Never Loses

And guess what, He doesn’t say, “once you have stopped have sexual desires for the same sex,” or, “once you decide to agree with the gender I created you to be.” He says come as you are.

Because you, with your sinner flesh, plus the enemy Satan? You lose. Every time.

But Jesus never loses. He is the Victor. He is the Redeemer. He can do what you never could—He can make all things new. (Will you still slip on occasion? Probably yes, especially if it’s been a longtime habit, but will Jesus be right there to help you pick up the pieces & grow you some more? Yes! Progress! Renewal! But what will be guaranteed is that Jesus paid that debt so you don’t have to anymore.)

“Lord, I Believe, Only Help My Unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24)

Will you trust Him with that? Will you believe that God knows what He’s talking about because He made you? He loves you, you know? He could have said, “rebel against Me? Sin against Me? HELL FOR YOU!!!” Because it is what we deserve anyway.

But instead… Jesus.

God’s only Son. Sent to die. Came & gave His life in place of ours. He took our shame, our punishment… upon Himself… for us. God didn’t have to do that. But He did.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

And God doesn’t even ask you to clean yourself up first. He asks you to come to Him, to turn from trying to get to heaven YOUR way, to trusting Jesus is your only hope & letting Jesus pay for you. Then HE does the cleaning up, the more of yourself you submit to Him to cleanse & grow & redeem.

He is faithful. He won’t ever give up on you. Turn to Him. Don’t believe the lies.

Jesus is Who you need more than anything else could ever satisfy.

Shine HOPE by aligning with God on who HE says you are & who HE created you to be, trusting He didn’t make a mistake when He made you just the way you are.

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 6.5 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!!

August 2025 “Hope Mail”

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

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

Make a fair-trade fashion statement with the Wildwood Earrings! These gorgeous, beaded earrings are handcrafted in a workshop in India that’s committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. Featuring white and wooden beads, these earrings are not only beautiful but create necessary jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in India.    

***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 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!

What Is the START of Wisdom?

To start this off with a bang, I am just going to get right to it. Whether you believe God exists, whether you hate or love God, whether you believe in Jesus as the only way or that you can find another, whether you trust Him or not, the Bible gives us one truth to rule them all: “The fear of the LORD is the BEGINNING of wisdom….” (Proverbs 9:10a) (emphasis mine)

Do you know what that means? It means understanding that God is GOD & you are NOT as the very START of wisdom.

So, in other words, whether you want to believe Him or not… the start of wisdom is knowing that you don’t have to believe the GOD Who made you in order for Him to be absolutely correct on all things. And that to just reach the outskirts of wisdom, you have to start there.

Today (& next week), I would like to take a deeper look at some topics where these lines of truth seem to blur quite often. The 4 things I will be looking into are, this week: forgiving yourself & forgiving others, & next week: sexual identity, & sexual vulnerability/intimacy.

Unforgiveable Sin… BUT

Do you feel you have sinned in a way so disgusting, so wicked, so twisted, so shameful… that you think no amount of grace could ever save you?

Now, God says that none of us are without sin. (1 John 1:8; Romans 3:23) We all fall short. None of us measure up or are good enough. Makes sense, seeing as how God made everything, holds absolute authority, & yet we still have the cockiness to EVER assert ourselves above Him in any capacity, even doubting Him. In fact, the word “sin” actually has more of the idea of “missing the mark” rather than “doing bad stuff.” And I think we could all agree that we don’t get it right every second of our lives, even if we try really hard.

But, Jesus, right? God doesn’t say, “look how badly you screwed this up… well, Hell for you!” No, He takes no pleasure in any of that. In fact, knowing we could never pay our limitless debts to Him for our falling short… He sent His OWN Son to die in our place, taking on our shame & punishment… so that we could find forgiveness before God. (1 John 2:2; Romans 5:8; 1 John 1:9) WOW. Grace. Mercy. LOVE.

So, when we avoid surrendering that sin to God, in exchange for the grace bought by Jesus, not only is it like calling God a liar, but it’s also saying Jesus wasn’t enough for you. Ouch. When we recoil because we think, “nah, He can’t forgive that… that’s on me…” you belittle what Jesus gave for you… You make His death for you in vain. His suffering for you in vain. Jesus doesn’t have to pay extra for you. You don’t have to supplement what Jesus gave for you. You just have to take God (as GOD) at His word.

What are you waiting for?

How Can I Be Expected to Forgive THAT?

Next is forgiving others. Wow that is a TOUGH pill to swallow for some, is it not? I mean, I have had people do hateful, spiteful, careless, wreckless things to me. I have even faced sexual assault by a friend of mine & faced years of verbal assault as well, but that is NOTHING compared to the evils some have faced on this earth. (I am not minimizing what I have faced, but only recognizing that the trauma I know is only a mere fraction of what some carry.)

How can God ask us to forgive those people? That wickedness? How are we possibly supposed to not walk around with bitterness as our constant companion? Despair? Disgust? Hatred?

How can we LOVE them? PRAY for them? Do GOOD for them? Forgive them?

Honestly, sometimes I struggle with it myself. But when I consider how God made me, the world, & everything in it… & is seated on His throne & could have just let me face my deserved consequences… but rather sent His own Son to suffer horribly & die in my place, taking on the full weight of all of my sin, when He could have stayed on His throne instead… all so I could go to heaven not even based on my own righteousness…. It makes it a little harder to question Him.

It’s something that takes a dying to self for sure, because it is not comfortable or easy… & it can feel like I’m letting them off too easy.

When You Have Trouble Believing God Knows What He’s Talking About-Forgiving Self & Forgiving Others

But consider this… if they don’t repent of what they did to you, accepting Jesus as LORD over their life in place of their sin, you can be SURE that God is not going to be letting them off easy one bit. They WILL pay for EVERY wrong they have ever done. And it will be severe. Eternal suffering, in fact.

And if they DO repent & ask God for forgiveness, turning from their practicing of sin to making Jesus Christ LORD over their life… you can be sure that Jesus cared enough about you to take on every bit of deserved vengence & suffering upon Himself. No bad deed goes unpunished.

AND, to carry through from forgiving yourself… if you are the abuser…. If you are the one who committed unspeakable wrongs against someone else, I want you to read all that again. IF you do NOT repent & turn to Christ as your LORD & redeemer, you WILL suffer the consequences. God will NOT let you avoid the punishment you deserve. BUT, IF you repent, truly remorseful & wanting forgiveness, surrendering your life & will to Jesus Christ, He has ALREADY paid your debt in full & you WILL be forgiven & given a chance at a new beginning, as a new creation in Christ. Debts paid in full to God, by Jesus.

When It’s Hard to Forgive… Pray & God WILL Help You

It is not always too easy for me to consider forgiveness. I am a lot like Jonah, when I witness unspeakable horrors, I am admittedly not the first one to desire their redemption. I want them to pay for it. I want them to suffer. I want them to get what is coming to them.

I don’t want them to get off easy.

It’s something I have to pray through. I have to deny myself as God instructs. (Galatians 2:20; Luke 9:23) I have to consider what JESUS, Lord of heaven & earth, gave up for ME. And I have to pray & ask for God to help me respond in a way that pleases Him over how I naturally WANT to respond.

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

What Happens When We Forgive the Unforgiveable

But think of what can happen when we respond the way God asks us to in place of how we feel is best….

Not only are we set free from dragging the bitter chains of painful agony around with us, darkening & poisoning our lives forever, letting the trauma continue to destroy us within…. The abuser expects attempted retaliation… hatred even. Sometimes they even crave the power trip it gives them. And if not, they just don’t seem to care.

But, when we, like God instructs, do good, even to those who mistreat us… that isn’t weakness. (Matthew 5:44-47; 1 Peter 2:18-24) That is an inner strength that God can supply as we allow Him to that is able to rise above anything thrown at us. To respond in grace versus pain. That gets noticed.

And, it opens space for repentance. That when God gets a hold of them, they don’t stay locked in a prison of their own shame, shackled by their guilt. It gives them space to discover the transformative power of the grace of God. To make them a new person who, by God’s grace, would never do that to another person ever again.

Look How Mightily God Used Paul, a Forgiven Sinner Underserving of Forgiveness

I imagine many a person was hesitant to believe Paul (formerly known as Saul)… to forgive Paul… for facilitating so much death & suffering on Christians. (Acts 7:57-58; Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-7; Acts 22:4-5; Acts 26:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:9) And yet, God flipped that man on his head, got his attention, & turned his life around for the glory of God. Don’t prevent someone from seeing God change the worst of hearts. God can do the impossible. So step aside, trust your suffering to Him, & learn to be a forgiver as Jesus Christ forgave you.

Shine HOPE by believing that God knows what He’s talking about, by accepting that when He says you are forgiven & that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient for your sins… He MEANS it… & by forgiving others as Christ first forgave YOU.

***Come back next week as I cover the continuation of this topic: when you have trouble believing God knows what He’s talking about with sexual identity & sexual vulnerability/intimacy.***

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

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

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Coastal Treasures Necklace (INDIA)

This feminine, gold-tone necklace features dainty Amazonite, Citrine, Rose quartz, and Green Amethyst charms. Handcrafted by women earning a dignified income in India, this necklace creates lasting change. The Coastal Treasures Necklace is perfect for daily wear or paired with other styles for a layered look!

*** Purchase the beautifully handcrafted Coastal Treaures Necklace, using the “Shop Here” link below, to help create safe jobs for women ending poverty cycles in India.***

How You Can Help:

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

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

I Don’t Know???

We all have something, even the most seasoned of Christians. We’re all a work in progress & forever will be until Heaven.

What are you holding back from Him?

Now, the problem with this question is that oftentimes, we just frankly don’t know.

We try to check all the right boxes & do all the right things… but there is always something, as subtle as it may be to us… that we are holding back from God.

What Is Influencing You?

Influences over us come in countless shapes & sizes. Sometimes it’s so deeply ingrained in our subconscious, that we have never even stopped to consider that it doesn’t line up with the way GOD says it ought to be.

And everything we think, believe, say, do, etc. should necessarily be run through that filter ultimately, should it not?

Sometimes it’s even the culture of your church, things the people generally seem okay with or don’t approve of or let slide or whatever else. And because it’s our church, we can tend to trust it blindly, allowing it to influence our understanding of God & His Word. (*Not that church influences should be something we fear, but rather that we intentionally make sure we check EVERYTHING against the Word of God, which requires us getting to know what the Word of God says. *I had a pastor in years past that would frequently encourage his congregation to question him by searching out the truth against whatever he preaches by reading about it in the Bible themselves. WISE WORDS.)

Everything we do, say, believe, etc. is a reflection of something we believe about God.

What Are You Hoping to Get Out of Your Time in the Bible?

I think it’s good to study your Bible—necessary even, but sometimes we can look at it all wrong, getting so caught up in the wrong things.

I have realized in my 36 years of learning about God through the Bible, since I was a child, that the most important thing we can gain from reading the Bible is not as a guideline rulebook for life, but rather a rich understanding of Who God is… what He cares about, what He hates, how He handles sin, what honors Him, how great & all-powerful & all-knowing He is, how eternal He is, how outside our understanding He is.

God is so far above anything we can comprehend, & yet our humanness screams to put Him in an understandable, relatable box. Something that makes us comfortable.

Something that allows us to feel some sort of control. What are you hoping to get out of your time in the Bible?

Know Him As He Is

Truth is, God made this world, in its entirety, before we were also made—He didn’t need our help then & He doesn’t need it now.

Truth is, God holds power beyond our wildest imaginings: making from nothing, controlling the winds & waves, making completely possible the completely impossible, working outside of time itself, bringing back from the dead, etc. etc. etc..

Truth is, God ABHORS sin & its inately destructive nature, which is why Jesus had to die.

Truth is, God sees everything (even what is hidden), including all thoughts & actions all around the world, in every hidden heart, throughout all time RIGHT NOW.

God Is Worthy to be Praised!

Truth is, God cannot be exhausted in ANY capacity. His power, His strength, His resources, His time, His presence, His faithfulness… NOTHING. He does not run out.

Truth is, God deserves to smite us ALL for falling short of His glory, for being ANY fraction less than what His glory deserves… & YET, He sent His own Son to die to pay our price.

Truth is, God doesn’t need us to get it right. (*He desires it, but He doesn’t NEED it.) He doesn’t need us to know what to do. He doesn’t need us to make the right choice or have the right attitude or the right response. God even hardens hearts just to show how even if we put up the worst of fight against Him, He WILL prevail.

Truth is, God will not be defeated. He isn’t scared. He isn’t planning. He isn’t frantic or worried. He is SEATED. He holds supreme sovereignty & absolutely nothing can even stand against Him—so He doesn’t have anything He needs to ever fear or worry about.

Truth is, God is worthy to be praised indeed! A God (THE God) with that much power & glory & authority & power… caring about US? Wanting US to be a part of HIS beautiful plan throughout all time? WHAT MERCY! WHAT GRACE! WHAT LOVE!

What Are You Holding Back from Him?

Do you treat Him like He has that kind of authority? Because He DOES.

Do you praise Him like He deserves it? Because He DOES.

Do you submit & surrender the whole of your being for His workings? Because He MADE you.

What are you holding back from Him?

What ideal? What belief? What understanding about Him or His desires for your life?

What are you holding back?

Trust Him to Rewrite What You Believe & What You Think about Him

Are you willing to say, “God, if I believe amiss, no matter how ingrained that thought of you may be… please change it in me. Help me to know You as You ARE… NOT how I believe You to be or WANT you to be.” Are you willing?

What are you deciding FOR God? What limitations are you placing on Him? What are you clinging to for security in your life over Him? What might you believe amiss?

Shine HOPE by allowing God to be LORD in your thoughts about Him, in your ideals, in your beliefs, in your presuppositions, in your subtle subconscious ideas, in your desires, in your hopes, in your fears, in your worry… in your everything.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

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

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

July 2025 HOPE Mail (INDIA)

FOR A LIMITED TIME – Only available during the month of July! Enjoy free shipping and 10% off on your Hope Mail package when you subscribe to receive the monthly selection every month!

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

Wake up to change the world with the Daybreak Necklace! The Daybreak Necklace is featured in this month’s exclusive hope mail. Create dignified jobs for women in India when you purchase this month’s hope mail that includes the Daybreak Necklace. This gold-tone necklace includes a sun charm and a faceted labradorite bead charm to complete the look. 

Each Hope Mail comes packaged in a handmade Sari Pouch, to create a thoughtfully curated look.  

***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 India where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops and human traffickers.***

How You Can Help:

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

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

God Made Us All Different for a Reason

One of the reasons I have grown to love reading the Bible is seeing over & over again how great God is. Seeing through the whole expanse of time, how He displays His limitlessness, His power, & His ability even when we have so little to offer Him.

The patience He showed with Jonah. The miracles He worked through Moses. The might He showed through Gideon. The gentle care He showed to former prostitutes. The sovereignty He showed through Job. The faithfulness He showed through the Israelites.

I could go on & on & on. And yet, through all of these examples (& more!) something amazing stands out to me. People in the Bible were not all the same in willingness, in faith, in making right choices, in personality… & yet, God used them all in such mighty ways that we still talk about them today!

We all have different backgrounds. Different upbringings. We have all lived different experiences. We all have different traumas, (even those subtle ones where we would claim with vehemence that it is not trauma, but are revealed in our unhealthy gut responses to things we have learned hurt us in the past). We all have grown up with different ways to protect ourselves or feel strong or avoid showing weakness. We all are made different by our personal circumstances & life experiences.

So, when I see God discussing the call for us to have unity in the body of Christ, I cannot fathom the thought that He intends for us all to look & sound the same, dress the same, handle things the same way, have the same strengths or the same weaknesses. To all be carbon copies. God is way more creative than that.

God Is Creative + God Is Sovereign

Diversity + unity seems to be the perfect blend.

We are called to have one mind—to be on the same mission: to know & love God more… all on the same team: seeking to serve & love others to the glory of God. Living as Jesus Christ’s ambassadors.

He calls us to obedience, to honor Him with our choices, our thoughts, our words. In the matter of following God’s law, in the matter of showing respect & honor where it is DUE… we are called to be the same.

But that doesn’t mean WE are all the same…. But in all of our differences, unity.

Avoid Only Being Around People Who Think Just Like You—Allow Room to Grow

The tendency of humanity is as the age old saying goes: birds of a feather flock together. While the fellowship & community with other believers is vital, it is so easy to hang out ONLY with other believers that make us feel comfortable in what we already think & believe.

I think one of the beautiful aspects of being part of the body of Christ is the concept of iron sharpening iron. We all have different growth needs. We all have different areas of strengths & weaknesses. And we can all help each other toward the goal of better representing Jesus to the world… toward striving for holiness. We will all be a forever work in progress & we NEED each other through it!

But we also need to live with grace toward one another.

The Struggle Spots in Some Friends Can Spurn Greater Growth in YOU, Too

Don’t avoid discomfort! We need it!

I have had friends in the last 10 years in every place I have lived in whom I could see some sort of trauma at work in their heart, trumping the truth of God’s Word. And they were unwilling to see it. That is very uncomfortable for me (even though I can also exhibit the very same stubbornness in certain seasons of my own life).

My temptation was to not spend time with them anymore because their ruts made me so unbelievably uncomfortable in some circumstances, even though I respected their faith & understanding of the Bible in areas where I was weak. But God challenged me that even through their weaknesses, it was challenging me to pray & study to solidify in my heart whatever truth of God’s Word their situation represented, challenging me to grow & grow myself!

I needed to be challenged versus just taking what I knew for granted… versus only talking about something that comes easily to me. It was good for me that they didn’t think like me because it challenged me to grow in my thinking more like Jesus & in better knowing God’s Word.

Don’t Kick Others While They’re Down… Even If It’s Behind Their Backs

It hurts my heart when I hear Christians talk ill of other Christians. And I see it A LOT. I probably have been guilty of it as well when frustrated & caught up in a conversation about said frustration.

But shame on me. Shame on us. What are we doing? Don’t we get that we’re all family under God because of Jesus?

We can shake our heads at Jonah, but which of us would see outright murder of young children to false “gods” & not feel like they ought to get what’s coming to them?

We can look at Abraham & be like, “DUDE, why are you putting your wife in a compromising-to-her-safety situation to protect yourself AGAIN,” but which of us would not also feel panic rise up when up against a royal army & possibly moody king with the power to kill you on a mere whim?

We can be absolutely disgusted by David’s infidelity (& basically murder), but which of us has not allowed the temptation of sin to deceive us at one point (or many times over a lifetime)?

(But how easy it is to relate to Job in his laments, right? Because his pain “makes sense” to us.)

Shame on us for holding up the judgment stick against another believer. Are their choices always good ones? No. Is hindsight always 20/20? Yes. Can we know God knows all & still end up doubting Him, fearing, or hesitating? Also yes.

How Easy It Is to See the Weaknesses of Others

I heard somewhere how we tend to look at our own misbehaviors or weaknesses or failures through a telescope, but for others, a microscope. Isn’t that the truth?

We know our intentions. We MEANT well. We didn’t MEAN to screw up so badly.

And yet… did you see how badly THEY screwed up? How poorly THEY are handling this? How long THEIR season of weakness is lasting?

Shame on us. Shame on me.

I think we can all agree that we have all had our own lapses in judgment, when flesh won out over spirit, even if “only” in our own heads. If that were broadcast about us as the subtitle to our life, wouldn’t that be embarrassing? Wouldn’t that HURT?! So why even consider doing that to someone else?

Give grace upon grace!

Be the One Who Edifies the Body… Versus Tearing It Down When It’s Weak

We are meant to build up one another toward Christ. We are meant to be the strength in another’s weaknesses. We are meant to comfort the fainthearted. We are meant to live in LOVING-as-an-action UNITY, even with our many differences.

Some of us are just a finger. Some are a whole foot. Some are the spine. Some are the eyeballs.

And you know what, I think our part to play changes through different seasons of our lives. But we are ALL meant to work alongside each other toward the same goal—honoring God with our lives & giving Him glory through the way we live & treat others.

Using your gifts. Using your resources. Using your time. Using whatever you have to offer Him in either your strengths or weaknesses.

He Is Worth It! Proclaim It!

Proclaiming to the world that whether you’re strong or weak… He is worth it.
Whether you fail or succeed… He is worth it.
Whether you get it right or have to try again… He is worth it.
Whether people “get you” or talk poorly about you… He is worth it.
Whether everyone loves you or everyone hates you… He is worth it.
Whether everything goes right or everything falls apart… He is worth it.
Whether you win it all or lose it all… He is worth it.
Whether you’re surrounded by loving family & friends or feel all alone… He is worth it.
Whether you’re strong or weak… He is worth it.
Whether you have everything to give or nothing at all… He is worth it.

It is never an “US” vs “THEM” situation. Only US.

Grace Upon Grace

We are ALL a work in progress. None of us have “arrived” & none of us ever will. Strong in a lot of areas? I guarantee you are not strong in EVERY area… & if you truly believe that you are… you are greatly blinded by deception my dear friend. Pray for God to show you your blind spots if you dare. (And you should dare… because He is gentle, faithful, already knows them, & Jesus already died for them—they don’t own you.)

And you should treat others with the same grace. If you see something, don’t be afraid to speak up IN LOVE, not to tear them down, not to feel self-righteous, not to look like “it’s a good thing they have me because BOY do they have a lot they need to work on,” but IN LOVE, to HELP them.

Yes, strive for holiness! Yes, obey God’s Word & encourage others to do so! But also, show grace in the failings. Support & encourage versus tear down. Pray for versus talk about. We’re all at different stages of growth in different areas. We need each other.

Don’t expect others to have it all figured out & pruned & perfected. Walk alongside them & encourage them as the Holy Spirit does that work in them throughout their lifetime of seeking to know, love, & obey God better. Fail forward.

God Doesn’t Need You… He WANTS You

GOD DOES NOT NEED THEM (OR YOU) TO BE PERFECT. Jesus died & paid IN FULL. PERIOD. God is infinite. He doesn’t need ANYTHING from us. But it’s because we trust Him to know best & we obey Him because He deserves it most, even when we don’t always understand. He CHOOSES to ALLOW us to participate in HIS work…. Don’t forget that.

We don’t need to talk down about others, stick our noses up at them, look down on them, feel shame paralyze us, worry what other people think of us, or put ourselves down.

JESUS. PAID. IN. FULL. ALREADY. FOR. THAT.

Obey Him As Lord, Trust Him As Your Savior

If you really love someone, if you really TRUST someone… the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. You will SEE it.

If others saw your life… would they see your love for God? Would they know?

God Can Use Even Just a Willing Heart…

We don’t all have to be on the same level in every area of growth for God to use us.
We don’t have to all look or act the same way for God to use us.

We don’t have to have the same upbringing or church background/knowledge for God to use us.
We don’t even have to respond rightly every time or get it right every time for God to use us.

We don’t have to have all the right answers for God to use us.

We don’t have to be capable at all for God to use us.

Because He is GOD. He doesn’t need our contribution. He is sovereign. He is good. He is far more gentle than we often are with each other. And He wants to use HIS power THROUGH us to love others & offer them a lighthouse home… to hope found only in the arms of their Savior Jesus Christ.

Diversity + Unity = The Perfect Blend

Diversity + Unity. All on the same team. All have different strengths & different weaknesses. All of us will have different seasons of victory or failure. All supporting one another & working together with one mind & one goal: to better love, honor, & obey God tomorrow than we did today, no matter where you’re starting from.

But we all serve the same great God. And Jesus died for ALL of it.

Let others be weak. Let them not have it all figured out. Let them make mistakes.

Because you are too, you don’t either, & you do too.

But God is strong when we are weak.
God knows all.
God is sovereign over even our mistakes, failures, & weaknesses.

ONE TEAM. FOR JESUS. THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT & THE POWER OF GOD ALMIGHTY.

Shine Hope by not looking at how differences make you uncomfortable or different, but how God uses all sorts of people in all states in every circumstance. Knowing God is more than capable of filling in the gaps. Not arguing. Not talking about. But loving, supporting, encouraging toward honoring God in every circumstance & weakness & struggle, come what may—Diversity + Unity = The Perfect Blend.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

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

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Mother of Pearl Earrings (INDIA)

Make a fair-trade fashion statement with these genuine mother of pearl earrings! These gorgeous earrings feature a gold-tone, organic-shaped stud with a mother of pearl circle. These unique artisanal earrings are handcrafted in a workshop in India that’s committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans.

***Purchase these beautiful earrings, handcrafted in India, by using the “Shop Here” link below, to empower women in India out of poverty!***

How You Can Help:

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

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

It’s not about the music you listen to

It’s not about your church attendance record

It’s not about the clothes you wear

It’s not about the places you go

It’s not about the books you read

It’s not about your future or past

It’s not about how much you serve

It’s not about how much you give

We all need a whole lot more of Jesus

You can’t earn God’s favor

You can’t earn your way to heaven

You can’t impress God by doing more & more

You can’t manipulate or one-up God

You can’t even the scales

You can’t control your fate

You don’t make the rules—no matter how badly you may wish to

We all need a whole lot more of Jesus

You can have raised hands & a closed off heart

You can attend every service & think only of how good it felt

You can dress modestly & feel a step above the rest

You can go to bars & be a witness

You can go to community outreaches & think of how good you seem

You can read good books & do it to try to feel self-sufficient

You can have a hard future ahead & God can use it for good

You can have a hard past & know God can redeem it

You can serve & give merely to calm a guilty conscience

We all need a whole lot more of Jesus.

We need to sing to Him & not just about Him

We need to bow our hearts & not just our heads

We need to dress in a way we feel pleases Him & not just the trends

We need to live the gospel wherever we go & not just at church

We need to read to learn more about how to please & honor Him with our lives & not just for entertainment

We need to trust Him with our future & bow to Him our past & not just see things as they seem to us

We need to serve as an extension of our love for Him 1st & others 2nd & not love in our own strength, but His through prayer

We all need a whole lot more of Jesus.

Shine HOPE by bowing all your efforts, all your beliefs, all your ideals, all your understanding, all your plans, all your heart, mind, soul, & strength… to the God Who deserves your all & gave His all through His Son… Jesus.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

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

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Jasper Breeze Bracelet (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)

Every Jasper Breeze Bracelet supports a safe house in the Dominican Republic that provides housing, education, legal services, and trauma counseling for survivors of human trafficking. The stretch-to-fit bracelet features beautiful jasper beads varying in color and a rare genuine Larimar stone that can only be found in the volcanic regions of the Dominican Republic.

***Purchase the Jasper Breeze Bracelet, using the “Shop Here” link below, to support & empower women in the Dominican Republic toward brighter futures.***

How You Can Help:

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

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

Attendance… But Heart Change? Worship?

Have you noticed the growing trend? Getting dressed, plastering on a smile, & walking into church… getting in some good Jesus feels… feeling encouraged & blessed… doing what good Christians ought to do….

But take a step back. Yelling at the kids in the car… haven’t prayed all morning… feeling frazzled… worried about a million things… don’t remember the last time you sat down to read your Bible… not involved in serving anywhere in the church….

Why do you go to church? What’s the point, really?

Why Are We Here?

Does it make you feel good about yourself? Does it check off the “good Christian” box? You’ve always grown up going so it feels like you’re supposed to? Spiritual high? To get encouraged? As your only dose of the Scripture for the week?

If you really take a moment to evaluate yourself… what would you say? Why do you go to church?

If I am honest? It has definitely included a lot of the above. (I also really enjoy singing, so sometimes I am not even hearing the words because I am focusing on trying to harmonize or whatever—I’m no pro. That’s an outlet that uplifts me as well.)

Have you ever sat in church thinking the sermon was a bit dry, the decorations were a little tacky… or lame, the music seemed too loud… or too outdated, they didn’t offer enough programs, you don’t feel you have enough friends, people aren’t friendly enough or they’re too friendly… basically everything you see they’re “just not doing right,” Etc.?

Do you church hop “for a better fit”?

If your church changes pastors after one retires… do you move on “because you don’t like that pastor as much”?

What is the purpose of church?

I will tell you one thing… it is not about us, that’s for sure.

Wake Up, Church!

Church is about 2 things & 2 things only—the greatest commandment of God & the one like it. Love God with all of your thoughts, all of your feelings, all of your efforts, & all of your being. Everything, all for Him… & the 2nd like it? Love others.

The church is meant to be a body. If you were a body part, would it be limp & unused? Or would it be strong & contributing to the strength of the body as a whole? (Note: there are indeed seasons where we feel useless, struggling in life & hurting, needing the comfort of others… it’s okay to not be okay. But we ought not use that as an excuse to remain detached. We NEED each other.) (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

Do you go to be served? Or, like Jesus, LORD of heaven & earth… to serve others? (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; John 13:13-17)

Do you go to be encouraged? Or to encourage others?

Do you go as your only time of worship/Bible-reading for your week? Or as a chance to come & worship before Him together as one body?

Do you go because it’s the right thing to do… or because God is deserving of our bowed hearts… our praise… our everything?

Why do you go to church?

The Church, as a Whole, Needs to Wake Up!

The world NEEDS what WE have to share! The better-than-seems-ever-possible GOOD News!

People can have different opinions, believe whatever they want to believe. But when they die, they will everyone of them face the same God Who made them. The day of reckoning will come for each of us…. They will offer all of their efforts & beliefs & ideals & will come up grossly short for what ONLY Jesus can pay for them. They NEED Jesus!

Do we love people enough to live like we believe that?

Do we care so little about the world moving around us that we don’t care what happens to them? It’s not our problem?

Church isn’t a Christian country club! Bow your hearts to Almighty God. Ask forgiveness for making your life about the wrong things. Ask for His help in making a change… & bow to His help in living a life that shines Hope EVERYWHERE.

Just like Moses, it’s not about what you have to offer or how brave you are of how good you are or how insecure you are but how GOOD GOD IS & WHAT HE CAN DO THROUGH YOU. Wake up!

What Is Your WHY?

God doesn’t give you brownie points for going to church. You don’t get extra favor from Him for it. He’s not impressed by your going through the motions.

God wants your devotion, your obedience, your love & your worship. God alone DESERVES it. He wants you to work as a body with other believers, with Him as the Head.

When you sing, is it because it uplifts you? Because it sounds nice? Or because you know He is worthy to be praised, worthy of your all?

You know, I grew up always thinking ministry was for all those “other people” who were better equipped than me, but guess what… Moses felt that very exact same way! And look how God used HIM all because he was willing to let God lead him in his own lacking & insecurities.

Are you willing to trust God beyond what you like… what you feel comfortable with… what you feel you have time for… what you feel you’re not “gifted” enough for? Will you trust like Moses did?

Why do you go to church? Why?!?!

Where Is Your Focus?

Do you bow your heart low? Do you lift Him up in your heart in praise for all His deserving? Do you ask forgiveness when you get tense & yell at your kids on the way to church (forgiveness from them & from God)? Do you dress to impress or to honor Him with your best? Who do you do life for? Do you sing out because you sound nice or because He deserves your praise? Do you serve or come to be served? Do you judge decoration choices more than you focus on worship?

Where is your focus?

(An aside here: Parents—APOLOGIZE TO YOUR CHILDREN OFTEN. You can say, “It was not right how you were acting/disobeying, & it did hurt me when you made that choice, but it was not okay for mommy to react that way toward you either, so for that, please forgive me.” DO NOT say, “I’m sorry I did that, BUT you __________.” Instead, “I didn’t like when you _______, but that still does not give me the right to respond wrongly. Will you please forgive me for my wrong choice?” Rebuild bridges! Display humility. Demonstrate asking for forgiveness & owning wrong behavior with grace & humility. Kids will define themselves based on your sinful, flesh-led responses to them in a heated moment—don’t allow that to happen just because your pride got in the way.)

Their Doing It “Wrong” Should Not Prevent Your Doing It RIGHT

Are you distracted by how everyone could be “doing it better”? More engaging. Less flashy. More interesting. Less noisy. More up-to-date. Less boring. Less modern. More interesting decor. Weaknesses galore.

On this side of heaven, guess what? You will be led by imperfect people. You will encounter fellow PEOPLE. They won’t always get it right. They WILL have room to grow. They will get it wrong sometimes. They will still be learning. They will be a work-in-progress JUST LIKE YOU. Don’t let that distract you from bowing your heart & lifting God up in the praise He deserves from you.

Unless they’re preaching counter to the Truth found in God’s Word or teaching ANYTHING other than Jesus as the way of salvation before God… don’t turn away from your church family just because it’s not a “good fit.” Siblings don’t always get along, but siblings we remain. Learn to work toward unity & togetherness in the body regardless.

Worship Regardless

I have mentioned this many a time, but it seems to aptly fit this topic: when I was a youth leader for youth group in my twenties, the worship music, led by a teen band, felt more like their moment to shine & be admired & cheered on by their peers than having anything to do with bowing your soul before Almighty God in reverence & respect & awe & praise. It grated my nerves & was all I could focus on every week because it seemed so blatantly obvious that they were more focused on themselves than on true worship. I prayed REGULARLY about it because it just annoyed me so much what they were making worship out to be for likes. What was God’s answer one night during the worship music? …

“Whether or not THEY are truly worshipping me should not determine whether or not YOU are truly worshipping Me.” OUCH.

Do You Love the Lord Your God with… Your Everything?

Are you looking AROUND? Judging? Nitpicking? Annoyed? Bored? Coming for yourself? Coming because you ought to? … Or are you too busy bowing down your heart & looking UP?

Why do you go to church? For WHOM do you go to church?

“Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

Shine HOPE by serving others as part of the church BODY, not coming to BE served, but to SERVE… & most of all, come to bow your heart before an Almighty God Who MADE you & Who gave you His only begotten Son to pay your unpayable debt.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

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

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

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 provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India!

***Purchase this adorable Cherry Handbag Charm, using the “Shop Here” link below to help empower women in INDIA out of poverty!***

How You Can Help:

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

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

If the Church Isn’t Talking about It…

I know this is an uncomfortable topic, but as someone once said to me, “if the church isn’t talking about it, then we’re only hearing what the world says about it.” So let’s not let that happen, because the Bible sure isn’t shy about it.

Whether it’s an innocent-seeming, secret, “harmless” sexual compromise habit like pornography, or even more easily justified—fantasizing sexual thoughts… or whether it’s adultery or desiring someone of the same sex or wanting to be a different gender or whatever your thing may be… whether you’re blatant & confident & bold in it… or whether it’s a hidden secret you have tucked away in shame, the world says we feel icky about it because of those who don’t validate our desires.

The truth we cannot see is that even if the WHOLE WORLD validated it… it would STILL feel icky.

Why? Because deep, deep down, our soul KNOWS God is not pleased… that God did not make us for that… that we are dishonoring the God Who made us, working to go against His design.

But justify we do, do we not?

We Make Excuses for It… Satan Knows Where to Hit Us…

Whether it’s an “I was born like this & don’t try to be this way!” Or whether it’s an “it’s not hurting ANYONE because no one even KNOWS about it!” Or whether it’s a desire so strong it feels impossible to believe you could ever feel any way differently & just resign to it being “just the way you are.”

Satan’s lies feel so good, don’t they? So satisfying. So validating. So EMPOWERING. So convincing.

But poisonous they are. Subtly deadly.

”When We Lay It All at the Feet of Jesus”

I saw a powerful video the other day about a woman who called herself “trans” & believed herself to be a man SO STRONGLY that it SICKENED her to even consider differently. Her husband? … Wanted to be with a man. They even INSISTED the person who married them address them as Mr. & Mr. So & so.

But however long into their marriage, something cracked in all of this.

Something broke through… the truth of God & the grace brought through Jesus Christ.

They discovered that all that time that they felt God was “trying to take something away from them,” that when they actually “surrendered it all at the feet of Jesus,” they discovered that God ACTUALLY wanted to BLESS them through HIS WAY ABUNDANTLY beyond what they ever imagined possible.

God restored them body & soul. She no longer desired identifying as a man, but desired Christ. He no longer desired to be with a man sexually & realized it was her all along. And they both surrendered their feelings, their desires, their “just the way I am” to a God Who knows BETTER THAN THEM… Who MADE them.

And they discovered the beautiful reality that God really actually did know better than them all along.

Beautiful!

God Redeems! God Breaks Chains! God Gives Freedom!

Then, I have someone I know personally who has struggled, as a man, with a desire to be with other men. It was a lifelong struggle for decades upon decades. He brought shame & hurt on his family with his choices, convinced he was in the right to act as he did, other than the hurt wreckage his choices brought in their wake.

For years, he seemed to wrestle with “still wanting what he wanted,” but when a life-threatening condition hit… he was forced to wrecken with the reality of heaven & hell. And God brought him to his knees, where he left it all at the cross.

God has transformed his life from a life of chains, brought on by his dishonoring-to-God desires, to a life of FREEDOM & RENEWAL.

He now takes all he has faced, believed, & surrendered to openly help others who wrestle with God & addiction to harmful, dishonoring-to-God chains, find the same freedom that he found when he finally “laid it all down at the feet of Jesus.”

I Have Been Deceived… I Have Felt the Chains of My Own Choices…

Same for me. I am no exception.

As a child, I was flipping channels on our 5-channel selection back then & I was maybe in single digits age. I saw a flash of a woman without clothes from the side view & it implanted in my brain forever (leading to a lifelong addiction of sexual fantasies from the curiosity it ignited in me—PARENTS, WATCH WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE WATCHING!! I HAVE PLAYED A CHILDREN’S GAME WHERE THEY HAD FAKE PORN ADS WITH REAL PEOPLE—FULLY CLOTHED BUT THRUSTING LIKE PRETEND SEX—WATCH WHAT YOUR KIDS WATCH!!!)

For years & years, I convinced myself of my innocence. I was fooled so deeply by the lies of Satan that it sounded so right. The Holy Spirit tried to warn me & I didn’t listen because I had loopholes upon loopholes to convince myself it was harmless—no sex before marriage, no porn, “they” were never real people so I wasn’t “committing adultery in my thoughts because they weren’t real people,” no one knew about it… “no harm, no foul.”

But there was harm. I became addicted. Simple things were no longer enough. It got worse. I was shackled & could no longer feel strong enough to convince myself to trust God’s way out (because He will ALWAYS provide one, but you have to be willing to take it). (1 Corinthians 10:13)

My “Secret” Choices Still Caused Hurt

And when I got married, the damage had been done. 2 decades of damage had been done.

I no longer felt safe being vulnerable with a real, actual person—my own husband. I never felt comfortable not having complete control over every bit of it—like my perfectly curated fantasies, where every bit was imagined & not real. I never felt safe enough to connect that way in real life. I would check out. I would feel scared of someone else desiring me because I didn’t feel in control.

It hurt my marriage because of my addiction & because of my choices.

My sexual compromise was indeed not freeing at all. It shackled me, chained me, prevented me from enjoying the real thing with my own husband.

Sexual Compromise-Seems Freeing, But Brings Only Chains

You can justify it all, my friend. But God knows. He knows the TRUTH. And He warns us of that truth. He provides a way out. But we HAVE TO BE WILLING to let HIM be God & let Him call the shots. You have to be willing to “lay it all down at the feet of Jesus.”

Until you do that, the chains shall remain.

And you can blame anyone & everyone. You can say you feel that subtle little twinge of not-rightness because of EVERYONE ELSE NOT ACCEPTING YOU THE WAY YOU ARE… but that icky feeling will remain right up until you are finally willing to “lay it all down at the feet of Jesus.”

“For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” (Proverbs 9:10) for it means you are finally willing to accept that God is GOD… & you, my friend, are not.

Shine HOPE by dropping those sexual compromise CHAINS—your will, your way, your desires, your opinions, your “just-the-way-I-ams,” & laying them ALL down at the feet of Jesus.

Coming Next Week

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.

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

Share with friends & Subscribe by Joining My Tribe, so you never miss a week.

A Note from Michelle:

This blog/website has been running for 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” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Soleia Clutch (INDIA)

The Soleia Clutch creates the opportunity for women in India to earn a dignified income, in some instances for the first time in their life. With its fun summer look, this straw clutch resembles a sun with it’s woven design and fringe semi-circle on the flap it’s perfect for carrying around your summer essentials! Featuring an interior slip pocket and removable cream crossbody strap, this artisanal summer bag will not disappoint!

***Purchase this clutch—using the “Shop Here” link below—to empower women in India out of poverty, giving them opportunity for a brighter future with their families!***

How You Can Help:

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

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

I Honestly Just Want to be Comfortable

Our culture screams our right to comfort, doesn’t it?

Everything at our fingertips. Stores galore. Choices galore. Advertisements constantly drawing us toward things that will “make our lives better.”

I feel it. I’m drawn to it, like a moth to a flame.

Honestly, it almost seems like it has crept into our churches as well, becoming Christian country clubs where we can come, sit, be entertained, feel good about ourselves, check off the “good Christian” box & go home to the rest of our life.

And if we’re bored or the sermon isn’t captivating, well… why bother… maybe we just need a new church… maybe zoning out is the best bet so that we’re still “technically” going to church. We want to be comfortable at church.

Why Should I Go to Church?

Are we there to be served? Or to serve & praise God?

Are we there to feel good? Or to serve & praise God?

Are we there to get comfortable? Or to serve & praise God?

Why go to church? Why do you go?

And I am preaching to myself here, too, don’t get me wrong about that. These are questions I need to remember to ask myself from time to time when my attitude isn’t quite where it ought to be.

Going to church does not get me any brownie points with God. It doesn’t absolve any bad behaviors or attitudes from my week. It doesn’t earn me anything. God doesn’t need me to go to church. In fact, God doesn’t need ANYTHING from me at all.

But He still calls us to it… to worship Him TOGETHER… to serve TOGETHER… to live as a body with Jesus Christ as the Head. To build up (edify) & lift up (encourage) one another.

What Do You Think It Means to Worship?

Admittedly, in my 41 years of attending church, there are definitely weeks where I am just not feeling like I am getting anything out of the sermon or worship songs even.

So, when that happens… what do I do? What’s the point of it?

I think, to really answer this question well, we must strip it back to the meaning of one singular word—WORSHIP.

What is worship?

Is it getting dressed nicely & sitting in a pew so that you can check that “Christian box”?

Is it singing Christian-y songs in church?

Is it repeating a prayer or a Bible verse?

Is it listening to a sermon?

Um… nope.

Worship is a posture of the heart. Worship is a bowing down of your heart, your ideals, your beliefs, your understanding, your desires… & lifting up Him & the truth of His Word, the Bible.

What Does Worship Look Like

And to be honest, it’s hard to know when someone is being genuine in their worship just by looks alone–that’s why it’s not too great an idea to be looking around for it when you should be focusing on the posture of your own heart.

I once had a woman, who saw 20-something year old me sitting during the time we were asked to stand & sing, ask me to show respect & stand because “we’re singing now & I should not be sitting down.” What had I been doing? Feeling so overwhelmed by something in my life that I just sat down & prayed right there while others sang, calling out to God for rescue in a moment of deep hurting. I was worshipping… but it didn’t look the way some may think I “ought to” worship.

On the flip side, some may sing fervently & passionately, knowing every word, but inside, they’re thinking more about how great their voice sounds rather than truly bowing their heart to Him & lifting Him up in praise. (I have been guilty of that, too, on days when my voice surprises me.)

But true worship isn’t about appearances at all. In fact, even if we are SURE someone is NOT worshipping, as God whispered conviction over my heart years ago: “Whether or not they are truly worshipping should NOT determine whether or not I am truly worshipping.” Ouch, but true.

Worship Is About the Heart

Looking back, especially to my few years at Liberty University getting my degree in Business Marketing, I learned what true worship looked like.

It wasn’t raising my hands or bowing my head or even kneeling at my seat.

But it WAS a willingness to let my pride be washed away so my heart could elevate Him over myself, which often included a lifting of my hands a bowing of my head, & sometimes even a kneeling at my seat. Because it became more about laying aside others’ opinions of me so that I could lift Him up.

There was so much zeal, so much zest, so much LIFE in my life back then.

Some Settings Make It So Easy to Live a Life of Worship

But you know what? Everything in my life back then was always, consistently pointing me back to WORSHIP.

My professors, prayers before classes, weekly convocation, discussions in the dorms, student leadership, Bible Studies, church… everything in my life pointed out to me the “WHY” I ought to live each day—JESUS.

AKA to live a life of Worship.

And because I was surrounded by reminders & testimonials of seeing God always at work around me, it was easy to want to be all in—I could see very clearly that He very much is deserving of my everything.

So, even though surrender is still hard—it still requires a laying down of self & what I want or believe or think, in exchange for His ways… surrender to Him felt always like the better choice—because it always is.

Everything in my life pointed back to Him, back to worship… & as a result, I was encouraged to lay more of my life down to Him.

And as a result of that… joy was a defining feature of my life.

Why Do You Go to Church?

We ought to go to church….

Not because it makes you feel good, but because He is good.

Not because it is always easy, but because it is always worth it.

Not because you feel you ought to, but because He deserves it despite however you feel.

What Happens When the Zest Fades?

It’s been 15 years since I graduated (& that is WITH waiting until I was in my mid-twenties to go back to college).

Not everything in my world points back to Him nowadays. Every discussion around me no longer encourages my focus back to Him. Distractions are everywhere & testimonials are few & far between at times.

And my craving for comfort seems to win far too often.

I mentioned on social media last night how I feel like I have lost my zest for life. I feel more somber, more gray, more tired.

“Peppy & full of life” doesn’t really describe me most days anymore. “Tired” seems more accurate.

“I Will Praise You in This Storm”

My life doesn’t really feel like it’s in a “storm,” but more like a fog has settled over it. More clouds than sunshine maybe.

And I am tempted to pray for that zest to return once more—to feel that alive again when I worship.

But true worship is not defined by how much zeal I feel. It is tested in the murky waters, too, when it doesn’t come so easily. I realize that oftentimes, I am tempted not to be intentional in my worship when I am just not “in it.” As if that were the point of worship.

It’s not.

Worship Is About Him

Worship isn’t about me or how good it feels to praise God. Worship is about Him… His deserving, His worthiness, His holiness, His goodness, His grace, His everything.

And you know what… it’s been a good reminder for me, not feeling so full of zeal & zest… to realize my worship is not about me anyway.

Do I crave the type of worship where my heart was all in, full of joy, full of zest, head low, hands raised, heart lifting Him up in all of His splendor? Oh yes, for sure.

But maybe not yet. Maybe right now, right here is where I need to be… learning to praise Him even when it doesn’t feel so easy, when I’m more tired & He’s still the same.

Go to Church Anyway

It is a humbling reminder of how great He is even when I don’t feel so great.

He never changes. He is still & always will be worthy to be praised.

And that is why I should go to church… Even without my zest. Because I need community. I need edifying. I need fellowship & testimonials. I need reminding.

I need to worship.

On those days where I feel out of it, somber, gray, tired… when the sermon “isn’t hitting” & it falls flat on my heart… when I don’t feel like I am “getting anything out of it,” I can take a moment to remember that none of that is a factor in whether or not my God deserves my worship.

Have a Surrendered Heart Anyway

I can still bow my head through my numbness & be honest with Him:

“God, forgive me for not feeling “into it.” You are worthy regardless of how I may be feeling. Help me to learn more about You through Your Word today. Help me to be an encouragement to others today. Help me to serve You well in the ministries You have encouraged me to help with, ever pointing them to find their lasting hope in You alone. Help me to remember who You are & all that You deserve from me. Help me to serve You faithfully. Help me to live with a surrendered heart, willing to obey… even when it doesn’t create happy zest feeling in my life. You are fully deserving, no matter how I may be feeling in any given season of my life. Thank You for never ever giving up on me, though I deserve it more than I could ever even realize. You are worthy to be praised. Always. AMEN.”

He Is Deserving

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised….” (Psalm 48:1a)

“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm 100)

Shine HOPE, by determining to praise/worship God & go to church anyway, even when it doesn’t always give you “happy feels”… even when life isn’t comfortable… even when you feel gray… because no matter what, He is worthy to be praised.

Hope Mail (June 2025)

FOR A LIMITED TIME – Only available during the month of June! Enjoy free shipping on your Hope Mail package when you subscribe every month!    

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

The stunning Sea Breeze Earrings are beaded in a workshop committed to fighting child marriage and creating dignified jobs for women in India. These drop earrings feature dusty blue and white beads with peach moonstone accent beads to complete the look.   

Each Hope Mail comes packaged in a handmade Sari Pouch, to create a thoughtfully curated look.   

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

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 6.5 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!!

June 202

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 Never Contradicts Himself

There are a lot of verses in the Bible that, upon first inspection, can seem to contradict one another, but aside from a point I highlighted in a previous post, where “In the Bible–Audience Matters,” sometimes we just need to take a moment to consider both sides of the same coin.

For example, the Bible warns against vain repetitions in our prayer, because doing so implies that God doesn’t already know…  but it also instructs us to “continue steadfastly in prayer.”

“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7) (emphasis mine)

“… continuing steadfastly in prayer.” (Romans 12:12b)

So, what exactly is the Bible getting at here? Our motivation behind what/how we pray.

Vain Repetitions…

Is there a feeling of pressure? As if there is a desperation calling you to “just repeat the prayer as much as you can so that God will listen & hear you?” That would be the vain repetitions God warns against. He doesn’t need us to tell Him multiple times–He knew before you even asked Him. We also don’t need to feel we need to manipulate or strong arm or convince Him. Although He may not answer the way YOU think is best… He DELIGHTS in helping you. (Psalm 147:11)

Think of your absolute best friend, your best friend of a sibling, your spouse, boyfriend, etc. If they were to have a problem they know you could easily help with & they begged & begged & begged repeatedly, as if they feel you wouldn’t care about helping them otherwise… wouldn’t that be kind of offensive? It would show that they doubt whether you care enough to help them & feel they have to REALLY convince you in order for you to care about them. Ouch.

Think of how God feels. He already even knows your heart & your need. He DELIGHTS in helping you. How do you think it feels when you repeatedly plead with Him as if He doesn’t?

Why Do You Pray?

On the other hand, at least for me, I can have a tendency to pray & then act. Pray & then do. Pray & then figure it out myself. Pray & then disregard my need for Him. Basically, praying out of habit versus waiting on Him at all–just doing it myself, my way, with just a little dash of prayer “for good measure.”

That is also offensive, isn’t it?

If I really believed He DELIGHTS in helping me & that He is MORE THAN capable (Ephesians 3:20-21)… why would I treat Him like prayer is just the backup plan or the little bit extra “just in case” cherry on top? Ouch again.

Continued Reliance

No, the staying at it is not to convince Him enough to help me… it’s not to somehow “activate” His power… it’s not a backup/”just in case” measure… it is THE answer.

It is to live in a constant state of “You, God. YOU are where my help comes from. YOU are the answer. YOU are my source of wisdom. YOU ALONE. Nothing else. I need YOU.”

No matter what you need. No matter the distress. No matter what you can’t figure out. No matter what you can’t do on your own. No matter what brick wall you hit. No matter the temptation. No matter the fear. No matter the lack. No matter the obstacle. No matter the worry. No matter the hurt. No matter the confusion. No matter the lack of direction. No matter the trial. No matter the problem. No matter the question. No matter the whatever else you can think of….

He IS THE answer. Not AN answer. Do you pray like that?

Why Do You Pray? Vain Repetitions VS Continued Reliance

Why do you pray? To get your way? To “convince” God to listen to you? To “convince” God to care? As an extra measure, “just in case”? To “get” God to carry out YOUR plan that YOU figured out that YOU think is best?

Why do you pray?

Or do you pray to bow yourself before an ALMIGHTY GOD Who made heaven & earth… & YOU? … to trust He alone is your true source of hope & help & wisdom & strength & power to do what you cannot?

That’s why we KEEP praying, because whenever we doubt, it is a determining to CONTINUE again & again to remind ourselves to always GO BACK to the ONLY One we KNOW we can turn to as our help & our hope in EVERY circumstance—to GOD ALONE.

Why do you pray?

Shine HOPE by putting your continued hope in HIM AS your answer–Him alone…. in continued reliance upon Him.

(*Read these previous posts about prayer & its purpose: 1.)“Intentionality–Making Prayer a Priority,” 2.)“Pray Continually–What Does Prayer Actually Accomplish?”, 3.)“Why Pray When God Already Knows?”*)

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 6.5 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!!

Enda Necklace (INDIA)

When you shop the beautiful Enda Necklace, you are creating safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops.  Enda is an Irish name, meaning “like a bird” and it is a sign of endurance or a reminder of one’s ability to rise to new heights. The Enda Necklace is beautifully beaded with turquoise-colored glass beads, featuring dangling pearl charms throughout. Wear alone or style with other necklaces for a layered look!

***Purchase this beautifully handcrafted Enda Necklace, by clicking the “Shop Here” link below, & help empower women in INDIA out of poverty!***

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!