Do You Have Something That Holds You Back? If So, What Is It?

If you grew up in church, like me, then you know that it’s important to read your Bible… now, whether or not you actually do it is another thing.

I didn’t really read my Bible as if a necessity growing up. Yes, I would go through spurts where I would read it regularly… but then that would sort of feign away. I think because I had always been told different “read through the Bible in a year” plans as the way to do it, but because it wasn’t yet a habit… every time I fell behind by forgetting or having an off day, my number of chapters became so unreasonable that I would just give up.

Then came the trend of “I really just feel like I am turning ‘reading my Bible every day’ into a checklist item versus something from the heart, & I just don’t like feeling like that as my motivation—it feels icky, so I just didn’t read it today.”

Looking back, I can see very clearly in hindsight that those were 2 very effective ways Satan has kept me & many other well-meaning Christians from making Bible-reading as major a part of their lives as it should be.

After reading Andrew Murray’s compilation on Prayer book, it changed my whole worldview on Bible reading. (*You can find the link to this book & others that I personally recommend on my website–I do not receive any compensation for promoting this book: Recommended by Michelle | Michelle Hyde Online)

You see, I didn’t really get why it was as big a deal as it actually is.

God Interacts with Our Lives Way More Than We Credit Him

I also didn’t really believe or understand how interactive God really wants to be with our lives. I thought it was ONLY: “I sinned–I wronged God–Jesus paid my debt–I trusted Jesus’ payment for my sin—I get to go to heaven, not because of my goodness, but because Jesus paid my debt on the cross & rose again in 3 days to conquer sin & death. PERIOD.” (Basically, I thought the Gospel + trying to be a “good person” for God was all there was to being a Christian.)

And after that, well, my view was, for a long time—try not to screw up because you’ll make God mad, so try very hard to be a good person at all times so He doesn’t get mad at you… but it all falls on you to make that happen & to be good enough for Him—not for salvation, but because you’re supposed to… so do better. That’s how I thought.

How incomplete & skewed that thinking was.

God doesn’t exist with this squinted, dissatisfied grimace on His face, scowling down at us, constantly pointing fingers, crossing His arms, & slowly shaking His head back & forth as if to say, “well, she screwed that up again.”

 And guess what… I have screwed up A LOT.

Do you know what I have learned from all of those screwups, mistakes & failures? How gentle He is. How kind He is. How always ready to welcome me back He is. How forgiving. How faithful. How loving. How wonderfully longsuffering He is in His love toward me.

His Grace Still Amazes Me

That does not serve as an excuse to disgrace or disobey Him… not one little bit. But His love for me goes so much deeper than whether or not I’m doing a good enough job at it today or not.

He knows I am but human. He knows I am going to fall into trusting myself again, get it all wrong, trip & fall & make a huge mess of everything & then come back to Him for help eventually. And He is kind every single time it happens. It blows me away every single time.

His grace still amazes me is a line in a song that I sing with tears in my eyes every single time–because it’s the truth.

He is not my scowling overlord, but my loving heavenly Father... even when I absolutely least deserve it.

Read Your Bible!

And God is very present in my life, beyond what I could have ever believed to be true as a young Christian. He is very interactive. And the more I get to know Him through talking to Him (prayer about all things big or small) & reading His Word (the Bible, regularly), the more I see Him interacting with me & my life… the more I see Him.

Reading the Bible is so much more important than we make it out to be! PLEASE hear me on that! PLEASE!!

It is NOT just words on a page. It is NOT just a life instruction manual. It is NOT just a “collection of wise words.”

IT IS THE WORD OF GOD.

It is living. It is active. It is sharper than a two-edged sword.

You can read it a billion times & not ever reach its depth, while you can simultaneously read it once & have its truth change your life forever.

It is GOD-BREATHED.

This is not something to play around with. Listen to me, why do you think there are always infinite obstacles at the ready to keep you from reading it regularly???

Satan Will Do WHATEVER He Has to in Order to Discourage You from Reading God’s Word Regularly–Will You Let Him?

Distractions, headaches, tiredness, busyness, boredom, zoning out, feeling it’s just a checklist item… Satan will use EVERY tool he can to keep you AWAY from God’s Word… because even HE knows its power!

You NEED to be reading it. I cannot stress that enough. No amount of capital letters or exclamation points could ever be enough.

You have to read it.

Yes, maybe you go to church, maybe you go to Bible study, maybe you do a daily devotional… but HOW will you know whether any of it is truth if you yourself are not studying it & reading it?

And even if they are leading you rightly, the Bible says to crave it like newborns crave milk… is that a once-a-day thing for them? NO, they crave it repeatedly every single day. They act like they DEPEND on it… because they DO.

Do we treat the Word of God like that?

I don’t CARE if it’s like a checklist item only for you… READ IT ANYWAY. CHECK IT OFF. Let it get in your head & change your heart from the inside out. You may not be like me & crave food all the time, but you still need to feed your body, don’t you? Same with your soul! How malnourished is it right now?

Pray & Trust That God Can Get You Past What You Can’t Yourself

I didn’t get where I am without reading my Bible every day & I need MORE of it… I am a work in progress with you.

Even if you have to pray, “God, You know I’m bored & I check out… but I know You say to do it, so I know it honors You… so help me to focus anyway as I read right now. AMEN.” And then READ & watch Him fight for you.

You won’t be consistent right away maybe, but building a habit takes time.

You don’t stop eating nutritional food forever moving forward because you ate really bad on one day, do you? NO. Your body still appreciates the good you DID give to it… the same with your soul. Miss a day? Come back tomorrow where you left off… every bit matters…. Let it renew you.

Reading the Bible Is SO Much More Important Than We Make It out to Be

God never prescribes “reading through the Bible in a year” plans. That’s man-made. Just start somewhere. Start small, see it change you & make you crave more every year that passes. Watch it change you as you let it.

Just a checklist item for you? GOOD—READ anyway.

Distractions galore for you? GOOD—God is BIGGER… PRAY & READ anyway.

Too boring for you? GOOD—READ anyway.

No letting Satan keep you away anymore, okay? God is on your side on this. He WANTS you to know Him… to hear His voice… to see His care for you….

But you need to open your Bible… & you need to read it.

Stop letting Satan win this part of your life & your heart & your future of seeing & obeying God better.

Shine HOPE by reading your Bible like it’s the best thing you could do for yourself–because it is. God says to read it for a reason… so listen to Him.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 35) on my YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @7pm EST/Wednesdays @9am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

Blue Sage Jewelry Set (w/ Necklace), Handcrafted & Empowering Women in Extreme Areas of Poverty

This jewelry set includes 3 handmade bracelets, a pair of earrings, and a genuine stone necklace that are all handcrafted in workshops in India that’s committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. The Blue Sage Bracelet Stack is crafted using up-cycled bone to create a beautiful look, perfect for daily wear or gifting. Each bracelet is accented with one gold-tone bead and the set features a blue, green, and tan bracelet. The ethically made, gorgeous Blue Sage Earrings features layered shapes crafted out of up-cycled bone. Each earring has a tan circle stud connecting to an olive green rounded bar and a powder blue open arch pendant suspended below. The stunning Blue Sage Quartz Necklace features dyed quartz on a gold-tone adjuster chain and is perfect for everyday wear.

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

The Countdown Has Begun

Every week that I come on here to write my blog, I am familiar with the countdown it signifies… every blog post means another week closer to our move to Florida from the other side of the world, on Guam.

I don’t like it.

Yes, I feel like God is keeping me steady in the day-to-day as of now. I am recognizing when I need to end the spiral by stepping out of the chaos that is sometimes my world & taking time to pour it all out to God & ask for help.

I am working on the step-by-step process. Trying to stay present with friends & ministries here, while also planning for my future there.

It is a hard balance… but God is helping me walk it.

There Are a Lot of Not-So-Funs about Moving

When I tell you that I dislike house-hunting, I am putting it lightly. I hate it.

I hate living out of a suitcase, living in the in-between, knowing wherever you are isn’t really your home–just where you are at that current moment… no settling in. No homey vibes of comfort.

Then the house-hunting itself is so disheartening. It requires repeatedly falling in love with homes, only to have them snatched away last minute. Letting yourself visualize that space as your home, then starting the search over again.

Or maybe just not even finding anything that matches the feel of what you would like, wondering about compromise… & how much compromise… from your dream home.

The negotiations, the high hopes, the snatched away hopes, the waiting, the not knowing when it will end.

House-hunting is not for the faint of heart–& I am faint of heart. I still have trauma from doing it all here. It was the worst.

It’s painful, to be honest. Call me weak if you want…. But I just don’t like it.

Revealing an Area to Pray About

So that’s obviously where I need to be praying most right now, because it’s the thing giving me the most anxiety right now.

I need to rest in the fact that God already sees where we ought to live for reasons only He can see. It could possibly not look like what I wanted or prayed for after all, but it will be what I needed. I have to trust that. I have to trust He knows better than me, come what may–because He does.

Giving up the dream I have in my head of what I want it to look like or be like… fearing the potential need for giving that up… is what’s the hardest for me right now. I don’t want to give up on it.

But God sees what I don’t. He knows… I only think I do. I need to let Him take the lead, whatever that ends up looking like. I need to be willing to let go. I need to be willing to trust Him to do what I need more than what I think I want.

Surrender.

I hate that word sometimes, don’t you?

I Can Trust Him to Know Better Than I Do

But God knows better than me. God, You know better than me—please help me to remember that every time I try to cling to my dream… every time fear threatens to chokehold me.

You’ve got me covered, God… I can bank on that… no matter what my fears may tell me at any given moment. I can trust that at least… even when I may not be able to see it at all.

So, God, please help me. Guide our steps. Calm my heart. Help me to trust You over what I think I know. You know better. You’ve got me. You see it already. You know without having to guess. Help me trust You more with my fears here… with my hurts that are coming in feeling displaced without a home for however long that takes. You will care for me, even if I’m hurting. I know You see me. You care. Help me to remember that every minute so the fears & hurts don’t have power over me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

It’s okay to be afraid—we’re human & we don’t see all that God sees… but that fear isn’t from Him—because He already knows & He wants you to trust that fact when you can’t see it yourself. So, remember that fact when the fears come a knockin’. Because, in a life where we can’t see it all—fears will come… but He is still on His throne… He still cares for you.

So, trust Him. (I’m saying all this to myself right now, too, you best believe it.)

Where Is the Fast-Forward Button in Life?

The anticipation is killing me sometimes. I want to know NOW. I want to put the fears to rest by SEEING the RESULTS. Where is the fast-forward button in life? Can God please CC me?

Do you ever feel that way, too? Worried that maybe what you dream is ahead will all come crashing down? That everything you’ve worked so hard towards will just not come through the way you hoped?

But God is on His throne. He knows better than us. Even if it seems we got “jipped,” we can trust that God did it for an excellent big picture reason that we maybe can’t even see. He has a bigger & broader view of the situation than we could ever hope to have. Maybe we move in a less-than-ideal neighborhood because someone there needs Jesus… or because a future very best friend is waiting there.

I don’t know… but I know that He knows.

Shine HOPE by recognizing to fear is human… but it’s not from God… so take that fear to Him… lay it down… & trust He can do far above what you can do with your circumstances & your future. He’s got you. Always. 100%.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 34) on my YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @7pm EST/Wednesdays @9am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

Magnolia Pouch–Handcrafted by & Empowering Women in India out of Areas of Extreme Poverty

Every purchase of the Magnolia Pouch supports women with fair jobs, helps educate girls, fights child marriage, and empowers families leaving slums in India. This stunning green velvet, versatile pouch is handcrafted by women rising above the grip of poverty in India. Each Magnolia Pouch features beautifully embroidered florals to create an adorable look with a convenient zipper closure.

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

This Girl Likes to be “in the Know”

I am not a fan of the unknown, or, more accurately, I am not a fan of feeling like I can’t have control over a certain aspect of my life.

Because, let’s face it, fear of the unknown is really a fear of not knowing how to prepare, how to handle it, where to go, what to do next… it’s a fear of not feeling any control.

And not having any control in any given circumstance is NOT my comfort zone.

When I Have to Pray Just to Get through Each Moment… It’s Hard

That’s a big reason why feeling weak is so hard on me–like sleeplessness or prolonged injury or sickness—I want to pray the weakness or discomfort away, pray for strength, & feel capable again… without needing to pray for help every second of every day for absolutely everything just to get through the day.

That’s a big reason why moving is so hard for me, too—not knowing where we’ll live or when I’ll be able to make friends or get a job or or or…. I feel super vulnerable. I feel very little control over whether people like me or whether I’ll fit in or anything really. I feel completely out of my element… & I don’t like it.

I think that’s why I so often pray the way of getting comfortable again, feeling capable, feeling “I’ve got this” vibes. I like feeling in control of my environment. (Also why I like having a “buffer friend” in a crowd so I know that if every person there were to reject or dislike me… I’ve still got someone by my side. I’m okay speaking TO a crowd, but not trying to speak IN a crowd, if that makes sense. Crowds make me nervous because I don’t know where I fit in that crowd–it overwhelms me. I’ll do it anyway… because I like making & having friends… but it is not comfort zone approved in any way whatsoever.)

It’s Coming… & the Temptation for Wanting to Know Everything RIGHT NOW or Else PANIC Is So Annoyingly Intense Sometimes…

Well, the unknown is coming… it’s here already, technically.

And I don’t mean “it’s already here” by the fact that “really, if I were to really think about it… every single day is the unknown because I actually have very little control compared to the illusion of control I feel myself to have.”

I mean that God is moving with something in my life & I have no idea what that is going to end up looking like (& no, it’s not pregnancy)… & the huge temptation is unease in the uncertainty… the waiting… the unknown.

I want to KNOW! Now!

But, I am reminded again that God is already there. He already sees it. He already knows. And if there is any delay in getting further information, it is only because God knows the exact right timing to converge the details the exact way they need to be… & any rushing from me would potentially steal away something God is working together because I tried to rush ahead of His timing. I don’t want that.

Stepping into the Unknown with a God Who Knows

I have to be willing to be faithful with what God puts in front of me in the waiting versus trying to rush ahead to the next thing before it’s time… & trust Him with what He hasn’t quite shown me all the way yet. He doesn’t need my help… He needs my obedience to His will, His working… & HIS timing.

Am I so tempted to want to micromanage God a little bit? Honestly, yes.

But would that end up being in my best interest? Probably not, no.

As much as I want so badly to have a say & to be “in the know,” I have to be willing to recognize that He has got things handled far better than I could ever hope to manage.

—God’s got me.—

I Want to Wait on Him… & to Trust Him in the Waiting

So, as much as I may want to rush to the last page of this chapter to see what He is working on behind the scenes, I need to step back & pray about it… pray for peace in knowing He’s handling it… pray for wisdom & discernment moving forward when it’s time… pray for the ability to be present & obedient in the waiting.

God’s got me. He sees. He knows. He’s got me.

“So, here I am, God. Yes, I see You. I know You… You’re working. I don’t have to step in… You’ve got it… You’ve got me. I need to get better at trusting You. I know that. So, help me in the waiting. Help me when the details are still so unclear, when excitement & anxiety & worry all want to swirl together around me & sweep me away. Still me. Remind me You’ve got this & You don’t need an ounce of me to step in to help. Let me let You & help me to be faithful & to show up in the waiting, obeying You where You have me right now. You’ve got the future covered. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

So, if you’re stepping into some sort of transition, too… some new season… a new unknown… will you sit with me in it? Trusting you don’t have to agonize over all the details… you just have to wait on Him, trusting He’s doing His work even when you can’t quite see it… to rest in Him in the waiting… to be faithful with what’s in front of you right now, trusting His lead & His timing not to need an ounce of your micromanagement. He’s got us.

What a comfort that is… to know that I am stepping into the unknown with a God Who KNOWS.

Shine HOPE by resting in Him during the seasons of unknown, trusting He has a plan, He is working, He’s got you.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 29) on my YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

Marcella Earrings–Helping Empower Women in India out of Poverty!

Our stunning Marcella Earrings are handmade in India by women earning fair wages for their work. These earrings have an asymmetrical design. One earring has a pearl stud that features a gold nugget at the bottom of the chain. The other earring has a gold stud with pearl accent beads throughout the chain. Every purchase creates safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops.

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

He Makes Us New

I hear a lot of people feeling pressured to have their life cleaned up before they can come to Jesus, but that is not how the Bible displays the grace of God.

On this recent Sunday, the pastor read from the story of the sinner on the cross.

This man, told about in Luke 23:38-43, recognized that Jesus did not deserve to be on that cross beside him, but that he himself definitely did. He acknowledged his own sinfulness… he did not deny it.

But what that robber also didn’t do was have opportunity to clean his life up before having any chance for heaven. He had no right to heaven & no more time left to prove himself worthy for it going forward. He was already at the end, time was up.

But yet, Jesus verbally welcomed him into heaven.

… Not based on this sinner’s deserving (he had none)… not on his work to make up for it or change (his time was already up)… but based on his belief on Jesus as the One Whom he needed to save him from his deserved wrath.

I know a lot of us know this, & yet, we can get so caught up in judging someone else’s faith or place in heaven based on their weaknesses & past. God cleans us up through our faith on Jesus Christ to pay for our sins–we don’t do the cleaning up–He does.

I STILL Don’t Deserve Heaven Sans Jesus Covering My Sins, Even All These Years Later

I don’t know about you, but I, being saved now for almost 40 years, understand very clearly how undeserving I STILL am.

God is a faithful Vinedresser. (John 15:1-8) He is still weeding those things out of me. He is still cutting off things that distract me from getting properly nourished through Him & from being the most fruitful I can be.

God is faithful in tending to how my heart needs to change, how I need to be renewed & molded to be more in the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. Infinitely being gently corrected & changed, beyond what I deserve.

I see this a lot with sins that are embedded in a person’s perceived “identity.” I have heard people say that those who struggle presently with it cannot be a Christian while still believing those things or living in them.

But I challenge them on the power of the Gospel.

I still have seasons where I am foolish & allow myself to be deceived, where I have excused circles around my sin habit. But God is always gentle, forgiving, & faithful to continue pruning my heart, just as God got David’s attention through a prophet He sent to confront David near a year of David having deceived circles around his own quite major sins. (2 Samuel 12:1-8)

Despite our facing of the natural consequences of our wrong choices, how merciful God is to us.

We Are Naturally Often Afraid of Seeming Like It Means We Are Excusing Our Sin in Mentioning God’s Ever-Gracious, Merciful Nature

The fear we may face of talking about the possibility of being saved while living in sin is usually wrapped around the thought of it being an EXCUSING of sin, as if, “well, it IS paid for, so stop making a big deal about their sin… stop making that a deal-breaker.”

There is no way I am saying that. Sin matters. Your choices matter. Your obedience to God MATTERS.

Sin still causes damage. Sin still hurts us, others, AND God. Sin still tests & angers God, because God knows the damage & hurt it causes & tells us not to engage with it… & when we instead trust OURSELVES—we are then putting our own limited “wisdom” above the God Who made us & the world & everything in it. It is severely insulting to Him. It still has a cost. And sin still makes a mockery of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on that cross for our sin.

So sin still very much matters.

We Still NEED to be Seeking God WHILE Letting Him Prune & Change Us from the Inside Out

Pursuing holiness & obedience to God, living as a testimony of His truth & living FOR HIS glory—STILL MATTERS.

There are so many verses that attest to the opposite of living apart from regular, repeated sin is what allows you to be truly saved.

But by Christ alone.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:3; Romans 10:9)

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

“… for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

Even the prodigal SON passage displays this. (Luke 15:11-32) This story is not one of a stranger becoming a son, but rather a son making a mockery of his Father’s great generosity, WASTING it, & the welcoming grace that awaited him upon his humbled return.

I Didn’t Get Cleaned Up All at Once… But I am Failing Forward with God’s Working in Me

And then, there’s my life. Almost 40 years of mistakes, of failures, of wrong beliefs that were not called out or righted right away. Living sinfully because I was convinced I was doing nothing wrong, or that it “wasn’t really that bad.”

The gentle guiding, teaching, convicting of my heart throughout my life.

I was deceived. I let myself be led astray. I was foolish.

God kept weeding things out of me that shouldn’t be there. Ever faithful, ever working on my heart, ever making me more like Jesus.

God kept leading me & bringing sin to mind so I could lay it down. Sometimes I fought Him, but He kept working on me until I finally obeyed Him over trusting myself. It wasn’t all it once, it wasn’t always a willingness, but knowing it was a necessity, that God knew better than me, even when I didn’t want to believe that.

Only God Knows–Speak Truth, in Love–Warn of the Consequences–But Mostly, PRAY for Them

Is it hard to watch someone proclaiming Christ to be living in sin? Yes.

Does it make it seem like they’re not really saved because they’re not CURRENTLY living like it in this season? Yes.

Will that sin harm them & bring them destruction? Yes.

Does God still HATE our sin while still loving us? Yes.

Ought we warn people about their sin? YES.

Ought we turn away from our sin, even if we enjoy it, believe in it, & have been deceived over it, understanding that God ALWAYS knows better than we do & because obedience to Him still matters more than getting to live the way we want to live? YES.

If what we desires contradicts God’s Word—we’re the ones who are wrong, not Him.

He must be heeded.

We must obey His Word over our desires.

He is in charge, He knows everything—NOT us.

Sin (Doing Opposite of What God Commands or Says Is Right) Destroys. PERIOD. Don’t be Fooled!

But when we see someone proclaiming Christ while living in sin that they have convinced themselves is just fine, we need to warn them not to choose themselves over Christ… of the destruction, deception, & dishonor to God that it brings… while loving them anyway.

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)

BE CAREFUL.

God says that if we don’t HATE everyone that matters to us compared to our LOVE for HIM–in other words that we need to make Him FIRST above ALL ELSE in our lives–that we’re not worthy to be His disciples. (Luke 14:26) If you are choosing yourself or anyone/anything more than you are willing to love & obey Him, you are living in a way that dishonors Him. You are living in sin.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

If you even have an INKLING of a thought that maybe you are wrong about what others call sin… AND you proclaim to trust in Christ… you MUST be willing to defer to Him & His Word over yourself. You must be willing to ask God to examine your life & weed out what He wishes.

Your sin may be your security blanket, but that particular security blanket it eroding away at you, eating at you from the inside out, destroying you. DON’T TRUST IT.

God Cleans Us Up–Come to Him First

God’s Word brings LIFE. Sin DESTROYS.

Every time. Every SINGLE time. Do not trust it.

Lay it down. Let Him have it. Turn it over to Him.

If you are living in sin, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are not saved, but it does mean you are actively making a mockery of the sacrifice that was offered in the life & death of Jesus Christ our Lord…. GOD FORBID we mock His sacrifice for our lives & our forgiveness before God!

Shine HOPE by not determining FOR God the eternal standing of anyone… by refusing to inaccurately represent the need for our goodness to accompany the grace of God in being allowed admittance into Heaven, by warning against the destruction brought on by trusting self over God Almighty, by refusing to make a mockery of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by living our way over His… by living ALL you do for the glory of GOD.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 27) on my YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

July 2026 “Hope Mail”-Empowering Women out of Poverty in India!

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

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

July hope mail includes the beautiful Brisa Hoops, perfect for summer styling! Each handmade earring is crafted with a gold-tone hoop and beaded fringe details.

Every purchase of this month’s Hope Mail creates safe jobs for women to become financially independent in areas of extreme poverty in India and helps fight child marriage.      

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

He Wants Even Better Than That for You

I need to warn you about a pattern I see growing in many church cultures—the “God just wants me to be happy” lie.

Does He care about your well-being? Yes, of course He does.

Does God love you with a love purer than any human being could try to muster? As displayed on the cross of Christ, & of God creating us despite knowing the many ways we would fall short or reject Him, YES.

Does God want the very best for you? Also, yes.

But God also is wiser than we can comprehend. He knows that good does not equal easy & that hard is not always bad.

He lets us face really hard things because He knows He is infinitely capable. He knows how readily we want to trust in ourselves instead of on Him. He wants us to put our trust in HIM more than we put it in ourselves.

And if we never face hardship or pain, we will forever live in the anxiety of our own insufficiencies & live forever afraid of where our sufficiency will end or not prove to be enough.

But when hard things happen… when we are forced to look beyond ourselves… we learn that He HAS us. He IS God. He CAN be trusted… that He infinitely CAN where we absolutely cannot.

Facing Trials & Hardships… As Hard as it Sometimes Is… Is Actually for Our Good

Facing hardships & the uncomfortable grows our peace because it grows our understanding of God’s faithfulness, goodness, & infinite power… His immeasurable grace & love towards us.

He never wastes a SINGLE tear. He NEVER quits on us. He has a plan that goes beyond what we see.

His goal is our holiness, our wholeness, our being fulfilled in Him… more than on our temporary, fleeting, unreliable happiness. PEACE.

I would know. I chased happiness for years & ended up dryer & dryer as time went on… it ended up emptying me instead of fulfilling me.

But when I humbled myself at His feet & trusted Him over my own pursuit of happiness… well, I found joy that the trials of life couldn’t touch. Because I was no longer relying on that temporary, fleeting, unreliable thing… but on the eternal, steadfast, faithfully reliable GOD.

The “God Just Wants You to be Happy” Lie

My life isn’t always happy. Some days really hurt. But even in those, I have hope because I know Who has me. I know He’s using it to shape me. I know He won’t waste it. I know He will use even the most painful of circumstances to teach me more to lean on Him instead of myself, to show better compassion, to be more gracious… to have more peace come what may, because it’s more rested in Him vs. myself.

Don’t chase a lie. Don’t chase happiness as your pursuit. Chase truth. Chase HIM.

Shine HOPE by living like you know where your hope comes from—not in the endless & fruitless pursuit of happiness… but in the God Who made you & Who gave His life for you through the sacrifice & resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ!

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 26) on my YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

Champagne Seashell Pouch, Handmade in India, Empowering Women Out of Poverty!

Create fair-paying jobs for women in India when you purchase the hand-beaded Champagne Seashell Pouch, handmade in India! This stunning mini pouch features a beautifully detailed, shell design.

Every purchase of the Champagne Seashell Pouch creates 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.

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

How Can I Have That?

I think maybe one of the reasons I can tend to doubt these sorts of promises, is because I just don’t always feel it & maybe sometimes I really don’t even understand what it means.

We know we have God’s presence with us always, as He promises “He will never leave us nor forsake us.” (Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:8) So, combining this verse & that, we should always be experiencing this “fullness of joy,” correct? Well, sort of….

I am for sure wearing out this point/topic, but here we go again… chances are, we’re probably missing a VERY key point… abiding in Him.

The POTENTIAL for this “fullness of joy” is for sure always there, but to access it… to experience it… to benefit from it… we need to be spending time IN His PRESENCE.

How to Make Really Hard Decisions When Either Answer Feels Wrong

Similarly, I had an experience a few months ago where I was feeling super over-encumbered by my to-do list. Lots of plans/activities going on, trying to plan for a big trip, coordinating details, booking tickets, making reservations… all ON TOP OF my regular schedule of work & various ministries I participate in… & then I got asked to come in to work to help with something outside of my normal schedule… & they were desperate for help.

Now, this is an especially sticky, hard situation for me, honestly… I knew how busy I already was, but then I felt like I’d be the “bad guy” if I said “no,” because I knew they really needed me.

And the help they asked for was over TWO days, not just one.

Oh, cue the inner turmoil between “I don’t want to look like I don’t care,” & “but I am already way in over my head!” “What do I DO!?!?”

I kept praying about it throughout the morning & emailed back saying as such, to give me time to look over my schedule. I desperately wanted to just say no, but I really didn’t want to leave them hanging in their need.

When the Answer Still Didn’t Come… No Peace Either Way… What Do I Do??

And the answer wasn’t coming. I kept praying. Still nothing. No certainty. No fog lifted to reveal an answer to my dilemma of which I felt absolute peace. No reassurance to turn it down. None to take it & add more to my already busy plate. Just nothing. And I KEPT PRAYING… getting a little more worried with each passing hour before I needed to make a final decision, feeling the pressure increasing.

So, I started praying to that effect, “God, You know I have a deadline… that I need to make a decision… You are the only One Who knows whether I can feasibly accommodate it or whether I would sacrifice my necessary trip preparation responsibilities to do so. PLEASE help me.… Why aren’t You answering me? Why can’t I find peace either way? What should I do?”

Then God Answered… Not My Question… But Where I Needed to Find My Answer

Then it came… this urgency that I needed to STOP my busyness. I needed to STOP scuttering around. I needed to STOP & sit with Him for a minute so I could more clearly hear from Him.

I needed to stop treating Him like my secretary, tossing out a request & carrying on with my tasks while I await His getting back with me. I needed time to just BE in His presence so I could more clearly sense His leading.

So, I did that. I stopped working on my list. I stopped my scuttering around the house. And I went in my room & I knelt down & said, “Ok, God, I hear You. I’m sorry for not taking a minute with You about this, expecting You to answer on MY schedule. Please help me know what to do. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.” And I just STAYED there in silence & awaited in His presence until I could clearly tell what He was trying to tell me.

And you know what happened? All of a sudden, things came into focus & I knew what I needed to do… that I could replace some unnecessary regular plans with instead working some extra hours so that I didn’t need to compromise my responsibilities & I could help them as well. Like a solution that came to mind clear as day. A solution that traded versus added. A solution that hadn’t occurred to me before then. God gave me the wisdom I requested in that still quietness in His presence.

In His Presence… That’s the Key…

I think this “fullness of joy” that He promises us is in the same vein as this. We need to allow ourselves to just BE in His presence.

It is realized when we STOP. When we decide to put aside all else & just take time to be in His presence… to talk to Him like our best friend Who cares about ever single little mundane detail of our lives like nobody else ever could.

It is when we determine to JUST BE with Him… nothing else in that moment… just you & Him.

It refills your cup somehow. It satisfies something in your soul you didn’t realize could be filled or satisfied… those little “that’s just how life feels… stressful & rushed,” that it doesn’t need to feel that way.

Extra time, but time that seems to fill you up.

Extra effort, but effort that seems to settle everything else.

Abiding in Him is an EXTRA in life… but it’s an extra that repays more than you could ever spend.

He sustains. He nurtures. He listens. He cares. He satisfies. He fills. He strengthens. He encourages. He emboldens….

HE IS where we meet fullness of joy.

“IN His Presence Is Fullness of Joy”

So, if you’re not feeling it… this “fullness of joy” mentioned in Psalm 16… are you taking time to BE in His presence? Or are you just flippantly tossing a prayer His way, thinking that ought to be enough?

Not a genie. A Friend. A God Who made you & loves you more than anything… He gave His Son, Jesus, to pay your sin debt to Him. He LOVES you. He CARES about you. He wants you to be in His presence. He wants to fill you with joy even in the midst of the worst of circumstances.

I have seen it. I have experienced it. I have felt it. And I still sometimes forget I need to set aside time for it.

Easily distracted… easily convinced it’s all up to me & I’m too busy… but I NEED it. I NEED Him.

You need Him, too.

Shine HOPE by spending time with Him, abiding in Him, gleaning from Him, turning to Him… being in His presence.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 24) on my YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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 2026 “Hope Mail” (Handcrafted & Supporting Women in GUATEMALA)

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

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

June hope mail includes the Antigua Horizons Pouch, perfect for carrying summer essentials! Each handmade pouch features genuine leather and upcycled traditional fabrics to create a beautiful and functional zippered pouch.  

Every purchase of this month’s Hope Mail creates safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala and allows mothers to send their children to school.   

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

Grief Is Hard…

Today has been a rough day, if I’m completely honest. Our kitty cat of almost 13 years, Cisco, passed away April 30, on a Thursday morning.

That Thursday held a lot of tears & grief. Friday was hard, too, because I work with kids & they who often lack tact were constantly asking about him… (way too much for a mere 24 hours after losing him). I also tried cleaning up his stuff & had to stop because by the first room done, I felt like I had just erased him from that space entirely. Too soon.

By Saturday, I recognized my fear of praying for help through the grief. I was afraid of just picking myself up, brushing myself off, & moving on as if he no longer mattered, as if forgetting he ever existed & moving on without him. But I expressed that to God. God helped me find a balance between reminiscing versus crumbling whenever I missed him. Honoring his long-lasting presence in our home… while letting it bring a smile versus hurt & heaviness.

It Comes in Waves

But a couple times since then, something has really triggered a memory of him & I just lose it.

Today, it was me facing the stress of an upcoming thing for which I would usually just scoop him up & keep him near me as motivation, & just it really hitting me that I will be facing it without him this time. I really didn’t want to.

The hardness of the realization just really hurt hard today. He has been so woven into our schedule & home that it just doesn’t feel normal with him no longer apart of any of it.

I just want him back.

So Busy… Getting Overwhelmed by It All

And I don’t feel great. The stress has been real… more things to do than I have time for… external pressures coming in strong. Feeling overwhelmed, too much to do… too little time… no kitty snuggles to bolster me through it.

The emptiness in that reality hurts me.

Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes it hurts really, really bad. And yes, maybe you don’t get the pain of losing a pet, getting to know their personalities & them wanting to be in your presence at all times, living as your furry unconditionally-loving shadow, sleeping alongside you whenever they can, all that… but I am sure you can, in some form, relate to the pain grief brings.

Are You Willing to Worship God Because Things Are Going Well… Or Because He Is Worthy?

And here is the question: “Are you willing to worship God when things are going well? Or because He is worthy?”

On a Sunday morning, on a good day, it is easy to sing along with the praise team. On an especially great day, worship just seems to flow effortlessly from our heart, lifting up to Him….

But what about on the hard days? What about when your heart is crumbling, defeat overwhelms you… you feel hurts hurdling at you from every side.

Do you praise Him then? Or do you struggle to understand how you could possibly praise Him?

Do you praise Him every day, even on the mundane days? Even when you’re not at church? Every day because He is worthy of your praise?

Or only when it flows easily? Only when things are going well & you feel like you’re on the mountaintop rather than the dark valleys?

Praising Him IN the Storm

I am reminded of God’s response when crying out to Him after being attacked by an animal back in early 2022, I believe it was.

I am reminded of God’s repeated response when I kept asking him for courage in facing the super typhoon that “brushed by” Guam & seemed to never leave… leaving destruction & discomfort & the unknown in its wake.

The same response He gives me every time I feel like I am drowning in life & I cry out to Him for help.

“Worship Me.” “Praise Me.”

God is still on the throne. God is still in control. God will not waste a single tear. God is enough even when we are nothing & have nothing. God is worthy to be praised even when we feel like we have nothing left & like the world is falling apart around us… no matter the cause of it.

God is in control. God is worthy to be praised.

Where Is Your Heart on This Topic? Do You Need to “Pray & Repent & Be Humbled in [Your] Worship…” of Him?

I have mentioned this before & this will likely not be the last time I mention this, but I remember hearing an interview with a worship pastor at a church, who was asked, “Is it hard to lead praise & worship on your hard days, when you’re struggling with having a right attitude?” His response was something to the tune of:

“No, those are actually my favorite days to lead… because I am forced to recognize how unworthy I am to sing His praises, how unworthy I am to worship our great King… how much I need His help every single day… how undeserving I really am to be in His presence. I pray & repent & am the most humbled in my worship on those days.”

What an encouragement. What a realness, as we all struggle with right attitudes some days. What a conviction.

Humble Your Heart before Him, Even on Your Terrible Days… & Lift Your Voice in Praise to Our God Who Is Worthy… Regardless of Any Circumstance in Which You May Find Yourself

Do you need to adjust your mindset about worship? Do you need to learn the habit of moving it even outside the walls of your church building, into your every day?

Do you need to repent? Do you need to be reminded of His great worthiness, despite your circumstances?

Are you willing to worship God because things are going well… or because He Is worthy?

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

NEW!! Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 23) on my NEW YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

Marina Bloom Earrings, Handcrafted in India!

These stunning hand-beaded Marina Bloom Earrings are handcrafted in a workshop in India committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans!

Each earring features a stunning soft blue and white embroidered design to make a fair-trade fashion statement. These earrings are perfect to style every day to dress up any occasion! 

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

Have We Stopped Caring Whether We Neglect/Dishonor God? Living OUR Way Instead of HIS?

As I have seen our culture in America become bolder & bolder in “living their truth” or living their way—living their sin out loud—I wonder if our culture today is lacking a fear of God.

It honestly seems so.

God’s Word—the Bible—informs us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10)

An understanding that God is GOD & I am NOT is where true wisdom begins.

What Does It Mean to “Fear God”?

I have often had a fear of God described to me as–for those who do not trust Jesus to pay for their sins, often referred to as “unbelievers”—this “fear of God” is a trembling fear that they will meet the wrath of God for their actions if they do not humble themselves & trust Jesus to cover their sin, submitting themselves to God….

While, for believers on Jesus, it is a mere “reverence.” An “awe.” Not really FEAR, fear anymore.

But, I think we need to be careful saying that. Of toning down how we ought to behave toward God. How we ought to surrender our lives to Him as our Heavenly KING.

Not of His Wrath, But of His Eternal Deserving

No, we who trust on Jesus do not need to fear the WRATH of God, because we know that we could never hope to pay in full what we owe… we know we are ONLY able to be made righteous because of JESUS, not ourselves.

But it is more accurate to consider FEARing Him vs just “being in awe” of Him.

Because we need to take sin very seriously. We need to understand that God is GOD. He is not to be ignored or trifled with. He is not to be ignored or “tossed in for good measure when we need something.” We ought to treat Him as our Master & our Commander… our KING of kings.

Not that we need to be living in constant anxiety-driven fear, because we know we have the blood of Jesus covering our sins, but also not taking advantage of the cost that was paid for us.

Living, rather, as worthy of it. Living in HONOR of the One Who paid to set us free.

NOT mocking His sacrifice by living by what seems right to us, but surrendering to–& trusting in—how HE says we ought to live.

Are You Living as a Slave to Sin? Or of Righteousness?

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered [the GOSPEL, trusting Jesus to cover your sins because of His death on the cross & conquering sin AND death]. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:15-23)

It Is ALWAYS One or the Other

The Bible says we are either slaves to sin or to righteousness. Either we live to the whims of the heart, tossed to & fro, facing the fine print painful consequences of living according to our fleshly, sinful nature….

OR, living as a servant of Jesus Christ, living under His redemption, the cost paid by Him… slaves to righteousness, living to please our great God, Who gave His all so that we could be called sons & daughters of the King vs. merely as slaves, abused & used.

What Kind of Master Would You Rather Serve?

Imagine with me a tyrant boss who counts you as just a number, worthless–who doesn’t care how poorly they treat you or anything for your well-being. You feel used & like you don’t matter to anyone. You hate going to work because of how you are treated.

That is like living as a slave to your sin. It will wreck you, destroy you, chip away at you. It cares nothing for you or the consequences you will pay as a result of your choices.

But then, imagine with me a boss who uplifts you, treats you respectfully, even sacrifices their own time to make sure you are adequately supported, taking care to treat you with consideration & kindness. Bonuses, little treats, & kind words to help you get through your day feeling seen, appreciated, & that your work matters.

This is what it is like being a slave to righteousness. Sure, the work isn’t always easy, but the more you learn to turn to your “boss” aka God Almighty, the more He supports you & helps you. He never manipulates or shames you, but steps in to be quick to forgive & to help you over your hurdles. It’s a pleasure to serve Him & work for Him because He actually cares about you as a person.

How Would You Rather be Treated?

Both slaves, but each treated very differently, with very different treatment & outcomes.

One makes you loathe going to work, the other makes you eager to start each day.

One boss doesn’t care one bit about you. The other sacrificed His life so you could be forgiven & given a clean slate when you terribly screwed it all up.

One hates you. One loves you beyond what any words could express.

One leads to your destruction. The other leads to your freedom & a full, fulfilling life.

Treat Him with the Respect, Honor, Reverence, Submission & Humility That He Deserves as Your King Who Gave His ALL for You

No, as a believer on Jesus for covering our sin payment for us, we don’t have to fear God’s wrath, but we should still live as if He is worthy of that fear, as if He is deserving of that kind of respect & reverence, knowing that Jesus died a very brutally gruesome death on your behalf… as if we wouldn’t DARE making a mockery of that sacrifice just so you can live YOUR way over HIS.

So, how is your fear of Him? How do you treat God? Do you treat Him as worthy of that kind of fear & respect? Or do you just sort of toss a thanks His way, while living the way that pleases YOU first & foremost each day?

How are you treating Him? Do you FEAR Him in that way? Honoring His sacrifice on your behalf?

Is Our Culture Today Lacking a Fear of God?

How can you change? Start by asking His forgiveness if you have been taking His Word less seriously than it deserves… if you have been living mainly by your agenda rather than His.

And ask Him to continue to shape you to be more respectful & honoring to Him as KING of kings.

And read His Word—the Bible—to know better how to please & honor Him with your life, your time, your resources, your beliefs, your desires, your thoughts, your friendships... your EVERYTHING.

And PRAY. Talk to Him.

Honor His sacrifice for you by how you live for Him.

Turn to Him & FIND LIFE

(And, if you don’t believe on Him & you are still an abused slave to your sin, your dishonoring behaviors & thoughts, not submitted to Jesus to pay for your sins…. Start there. Ask God for forgiveness of your sins, agreeing with God that they are sinful, & humbly ask Jesus to cover your sins, trusting on Him to pay for it all… becoming a slave to righteousness instead from here on out.)

“He who finds his life [lives for self, pleasure-seeking] will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake [lives instead as a slave to the will of God] will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

No more living for US with a dash of Jesus thrown in there for good measure.

Shine HOPE, by fearing God–treating Him the way He deserves, & by honoring His Word with obedience above your desires, even when you don’t feel like it, knowing He WILL help you as you ask Him for it. So, ASK.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

NEW!! Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 21) on my NEW YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

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 EIGHT 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!!

Golden Wave Hoops, Handcrafted in INDIA! Purchase These Below!

In India, poverty often leads to exploitation of vulnerable women in sweatshops.

Purchase these beauties below to provide these Artisans with fair wages, access to healthcare, education for their children, and care for elderly family members. Purchase these earrings and empower an Artisan in India!

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

It’s Just Not Taught as Important as It Really Is

This topic is so very important to talk about, mainly because it does not seem all that important or necessary from a glance.

It is true. You can go through your whole life not reading the Bible or not talking to God through every thought or action, every season of life… & still get by.

And if it was not modeled growing up, maybe you’ve even seen that it wasn’t all that important to your parents either, & they seem to be doing just fine—as you would expect, because hardships come no matter what.

Despite this broad lack of understanding of the importance discovered in ABIDING, it is THE MOST important piece of your entire life (aside from turning to Jesus to pay your sins, obviously).

When the Subtlety of God’s Power in Our Lives–Discovered through Abiding in Him–Becomes Not So Subtle

Something MAJOR has changed in me over the past several years… something I can’t really explain in a way that seems to make any logical sense.

I have been reading the Bible every day, thinking over it throughout the day, encouraged to sing praises to God when my life flips upside down, & taking a second to ask for God’s help with every wrong thought or attitude, bowing it to Him. I have been striving to ABIDE IN HIM.

My peace has grown versus everything knocking me around. My willingness to be gracious versus bitter & frustrated has grown. My sense of direction in life has grown, vs. feeling like it’s all one big guessing game.

I have begun to turn to God for help much more readily as my gut response versus my last resort.

I See God More… I Turn to Him More Readily vs Relying on Myself

And sure, some of it is maturity as I grow older (proud to be in my 40s here!), but I can tell it isn’t all that.

How do I know, you ask? Because a lot of the time, those good responses & habits are not my INITIAL heart response.

I still have anxiety hit me off my feet. I still get frustrated & clench-fisted when someone is mean to me. I still feel lost at times. I still find my flesh fighting back, wanting my way.

But when I pray, I have seen more quickly my need, my wrong, my struggle against Him & against the truth my heart needs, vs being blind to it. I have become more aware of my need to lean on God for help, to seek His Truth, to understand that God is in control, not me.

My mind is being renewed… refreshed… nourished, the more time I spend reading the Bible & the more I turn over to Him for help.

He Renews Our Minds & Our Hearts as We Abide in Him

His thoughts are more quickly becoming my thoughts. My wrong behavior, thoughts, & attitudes are becoming something for which I become more quickly aware of & turn over to God in surrender & repentance. I more easily see His perspective & my need of Him.

I more quickly turn to Him as my help.

My mind & heart are being renewed & restored because my spirit is being nourished regularly with the Word of God & spending time in His presence.

The Bible Is Not Just Another Book of Wise Sayings… It Is THE Word of GOD

It’s not just a book. It’s not just wise sayings. It’s not just biblical history. It’s not just words on a page.

They are the Words of GOD. They have power. They nourish our soul. They provide rich nutrients to our spirit. They are steady, secure, faithful, TRUE words. They are TRUTH. They contain the promises of God & reveal the character of God. They are life-giving words… Because they are words directly given by God, through men who wrote on His behalf.

They are “God-breathed” words.

You Give & You Serve… But Are You Nourished? “Abide in Me”

If you are a believer who constantly feels frazzled, stressed, anxious, thrown to & fro, frustrated, angry, at their wits end…. Do you read your Bible daily? Do you toss up a prayer every single itty bitty time that one of those things threatens your calm or peace? Are you ABIDING in HIM?

Where is your hope? Your efforts? Your “trying harder”? Your “I just need to be better next time”?

Or in His Word & in His presence?

If the former, no wonder you feel frayed & frenzied. You were not meant to do this life by sheer willpower, but by the power of God working in you.

Submit it to Him. Cry out to Him. Lean on Him. Glean from Him. Turn to HIM. ABIDE in Him.

And if you feel major pushback from it, GOOD—that means Satan knows how much you need it & is trying to do everything he can to stop you! But you know Someone greater! So don’t you dare let him win.

ABIDE IN HIM–God Knows You NEED Him

God doesn’t NEED you to read your Bible or talk to Him. Take that pressure of others’ standards OFF YOUR BACK. God gains nothing from it. But He knows YOU DO.

AND ANYTHING He asks of you, you can be 100% sure He will help you do it as you ask for His help in it. Do you bother to ask?

Abiding in Him is purposeful, but it is also a muscle. Start small if you are intimidated. But do not allow your intimidation to keep you away from that which your soul needs above ALL ELSE: God’s WORD & God’s PRESENCE.

Are you abiding in Him?

You give & you serve… but are you NOURISHED? “Abide in Me… for apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-5)

Abide

“How to Do the Things We Know We Should Do, But Just Can’t”

“Talking about Jesus Is Not the Same Thing as Abiding in Him”

On my website, @: MichelleHydeOnline.com, you can find resources under the “Resources & Recommendations” tab that may help you grow in your abiding in Him. They are completely free, no strings attached, & I hope they may be a blessing to you as you seek to love & honor God with your whole heart.

Shine HOPE by abiding in Him vs. just serving Him. He wants your heart more than He needs you to DO for Him. Don’t neglect one for the other.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

NEW!! Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 19) on my NEW YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 7.5 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!!

Bourne Beach Tote w/ Seaside Bag Charm, Handcrafted in India!

Create the opportunity for women in India to earn a dignified income when you shop and carry the Bourne Beach Tote.

Perfect for a trip to the market or as your go to pool or beach accessory, this tote has room for everything you need to carry with you! Each ethically made tote includes a zipper closure, interior zipper pocket, front slip pocket, and is perfect for your everyday essentials! 

When you purchase the Bourne Beach Tote, you also receive the adorable Seaside Bag Charm. Each bag charm is created in a workshop committed to fighting child marriage in India by creating fair paying job and shows of the craftsmanship of our talented artisan partners in India! Each bead is hand-sewn onto the charm to create this pair of adorable friends, a seahorse and crab.

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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

Do You Bow to the Word of God? Or to Self?

I have known a lot of people in my life who have claimed to be Christians, while also believing it to be completely okay for them to live completely opposed to how God says we ought to live: from sex outside of marriage to marrying someone of the same gender to partying & getting drunk every weekend.

I have also known a lot of people who claim to be “religious” or “spiritual,” whatever that means, as if claiming these things is entirely sufficient, which, again, I don’t really know what being religious or spiritual gains for you at all when it comes to whether or not God is pleased with you & your life.

If we want to say we love God, we have to be willing to submit to & obey Him.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

The 2 are entirely inseparable. You cannot say you love God & then live so opposite His Word.

We Don’t Decide Who God Is… He Does.

The deception here, I believe, is thinking that we can define Who God IS. That we choose verses that align with US so that we can feel okay with how we have decided is “Him.”

That is the danger of having the entirety of your knowledge of the Bible come from mere devotionals or sermons on Sundays. While beneficial, they are man-made snapshots… an incomplete picture of the whole of Scripture.

And the further danger is not really knowing God at all… but only the parts that make you feel all warm & fuzzy.

If you’re avoiding the Old Testament, for example, because it makes God seem “mean,” while reading only the New Testament because it makes you feel loved, pursued, & worthy of that love… well, you are missing out on really seeing how wretched God considers our sin… the death & suffering that happens as a result of it… the unrelenting judgment… the wrath of God.

You see, God is the same God throughout all of eternity, & this includes both the OT (Old Testament) & NT (New Testament) portrayals of Him. He is a never-changing God.

God Is the Same Yesterday, Today, & Forever… (Hebrews 13:8)

The OT shows WHY Jesus HAD to die. What complete insufferable wretches we are in our sin nature… the price that must be paid in its wake.

The NT shows that God did not just decide to forget our wretched sin or downplay it, but rather, required Jesus to suffer a brutally gruesome death because of it.

Mercy & Justice met on the cross.

So, when we claim to follow Jesus & we claim to trust He paid for our wretchedness on the cross, to pay OUR debt in such an awfully painful way… WHY then, WHY would you openly KEEP sinning???

WHY would you think YOU get to TELL GOD what YOU, the CREATED, want to believe about Him?

You do not…. He IS.

“And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

Where Love, Justice, & Mercy Meet… On the Cross of Jesus Christ…

Don’t you dare focus so much on His LOVE that you neglect to see His wrath against your sin, paid in the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Yes, His love was displayed so fully & beautifully on that cross, but so was His justice & His wrath against our sinfulness.

Being “religious” or “spiritual” gains you NOTHING without trusting on Jesus Christ Who paid your debt on that cross. NOTHING.

You will go to Hell with ALL of your “spirituality” & “religion” if you do not submit your sin before the cross of Christ.

Do not be fooled. You are not good. You are not good enough… but you are so loved by a God Who loves you SO MUCH anyway & gave EVERYTHING to redeem you from your sin against Him.

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

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

Live Submitted to Him, Not Your Desires or Beliefs

Live like you believe He loves you.

Live like you believe God is the One true God & has a right to our surrendered submission to the truth of His Word.

Live like you believe He alone is GOD—not YOU, or your desires, or your will, or your beliefs… HE is GOD. NOT you.

You don’t get to decide. He does.

You don’t get to determine what He considers sin or truth. He does.

You don’t get the final say. He does.

Being “Religious” or “Spiritual” Is Not the Same Thing as Being Biblical

Submit your life to HIM. Submit your sin to HIM.

Let Him be your authority… not you.

Being “religious” or “spiritual” is NOT the same thing as being Biblical.

Only faith in only Him.

Shine HOPE by determining to honor & obey the Word of God in its entirety—not just the parts that make you feel good. Jesus died so that you may know true hope & have life to its fullness. Trust Him & obey Him with everything. Hold nothing back. Leave nothing out.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***

***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***

NEW!! Watch This Week’s Episode on YouTube:

(*TUNE IN to watch this week’s LIVE STREAM (Episode 18) on my NEW YouTube Channel!! @: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleHydeOnline (*Tuesdays @6pm EST/Wednesdays @8am GUAM*)

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 7.5 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!!

Sparrow Pin, Handcrafted in India!

When you purchase the Sparrow Pin, you create safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops.

This adorable pin shows off the craftsmanship of our talented artisan partners in India! Each bead is hand-sewn onto the pin to create this bird image. This is the perfect addition to any blazer, coat, or canvas bag to instantly give you a unique look!

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

How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?

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

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

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