God Never Contradicts Himself

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

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

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

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

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

Vain Repetitions…

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

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

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

Why Do You Pray?

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

That is also offensive, isn’t it?

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

Continued Reliance

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

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

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

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

Why Do You Pray? Vain Repetitions VS Continued Reliance

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

Why do you pray?

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

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

Why do you pray?

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

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

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Enda Necklace (INDIA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:5-6)

Do You Call Yourself a Christian?

Do you call yourself a Christian?

Do you know what it means to call yourself a Christian? It is like calling yourself “little Christ” or “Christ follower.” Would you say you live like those descriptions were true?

Calling yourself a Christian is not an automatic “get out of hell free card.” There is no power in giving yourself the title.

The power is in Christ, not you.

Just Because Jesus Paid for [It]… Doesn’t Mean We Should Live Excusing [It]…

But then… knowing it is not of myself, knowing I need & rely on Jesus Christ paying my debts before God… one can be tempted to think we’re free to live how we want… because Jesus paid for it.

But, if you walk/live according to your own rules & your own ideals, can you really say you’re a “Christ follower”?

If we live counter to God’s ways because “Jesus paid for it,” aren’t we just making a mockery of the sacrifice Jesus paid for us? (Hint: in that case, we are.)

Don’t Make Excuses for Your Sin

I find it surprisingly & shockingly common to see people who would label themselves as a Christian also blatantly live completely opposite to what God’s Word says.

Whether it’s sex outside of marriage, getting drunk with friends, pursuing same-sex romantic relationships, regularly using foul language, gossiping & painting someone else in a negative light to others, harboring bitterness, regularly screaming at your kids (guys, I GET it—overstimulation is so very much real—but still, we must learn to PRAY & bow down before God with it to replace the knee-jerk outbursts that dishonor God & hurt the children—I don’t have kids, but I have been one), cutting off people on the road & driving aggressively…. The list goes on.

If you live with these attitudes, behaviors, or actions, while actively excusing them away or thinking nothing of them… well, be careful. Don’t make excuses for your sin.

Imagine having a Jesus bumper sticker on your car while driving recklessly & being a jerk on the road. Not a great representation of the Name that bumper sticker represents, huh?

Same goes when we call ourselves a Christian while also living counter to how God asks us to live.

We Are ALL a Work in Progress, Though

I get it. We are ALL a work in progress. I am NOT talking about little bad habits that spike up from time to time & that which we have to keep bowing down to God for His help in changing us from the inside out. That will be a LIFELONG process for ALL of us.

I am instead talking about perpetual sins that we excuse away as “not that bad” or for which we have decided we know better than God already in that area & we’re okay living exactly the way WE want, as if that were actually true… WHILE calling ourselves a “Christ-follower.” Uh-oh.

It’s better for you to just not call yourself a Christian at all… taking off the bumper sticker, so to speak… so as not to misrepresent the Word of God or Jesus Christ to the world.

God’s Word is TRUTH, whether we have “decided it is” or not. Fact is, we didn’t make the world… HE did. He alone gets to determine what defines TRUTH. NOT us, whom He made.

Do People See Christ When They See You?

How do you represent Him?

What would the world assume incorrectly about God by viewing your attitudes, behaviors, or actions?

Would they see grace? Would they see Truth? Would they see accurately the mind & heart of God?

God doesn’t need your PR efforts. He doesn’t need His Word fluffed or prettied up. He doesn’t need help making His Word more palatable.

He calls us to obedience–even when it doesn’t make any sense to us: His creation. He calls us as His holy priesthood, His ambassadors. We represent Him, whether we’re good at it or not so much.

How do you represent Him?

Be a Light for Him to the World, Even in Your Imperfections

Don’t make excuses for your sin. Don’t sugarcoat it. Call it out for what it is. Repent of it. Ask God to change your heart. Bow your ideals & your ideas to Him to be changed how HE wills it.

Who do you make to be LORD in your life? HIM? Or you?

Shine HOPE by laying down your excused habitual sin habits, turning from them, asking God’s forgiveness for it, bowing it before the King of kings & LORD of lords, Creator of heaven & earth. And by living your life as a truer representation of being called “little Christ” to this hurting world that needs hope only He can provide. POINT to HIM with your whole self & whole life. Not your will, but HIS be done. Amen & amen.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Adventure Bundle (USA & DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)

The Adventure Bundle combines style, purpose, and impact in one thoughtful package.

It includes our ethically crafted olive-green t-shirt with a classic fit featuring the message “Adventure with Purpose” and is ethically made in Nicaragua using 100% U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Standards. Designed with care for both people and the planet, this piece is as ethical as it is stylish!  

Paired with the tee is the Kairo Bracelet made by human trafficking survivors in the DR. Each stretch-to-fit Kairo Bracelet features a striking combination of grounding black lava beads, warm brown wooden beads, and a dainty gold accent bead at its center. The natural textures and earthy tones make it a versatile piece for any style.

*** Purchase this bundle, using the “Shop Here” link below, to support a safe house in the Dominican Republic, providing education, legal services, safe housing, & trauma counseling for survivors of human trafficking. ***

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

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

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

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

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

We All Have Trauma of Sorts… But We Also Have a Choice…

We cannot always control our circumstances… but we can always control our response.

All of us have trauma of some sort, whether it was unkind words that stuck, or bullying, or a tough childhood, or loss, or betrayal or injury or witnessing something awful. So many other things as well.

And we may downplay it, as if it isn’t actually trauma because we think it may not be as bad or as extreme as someone else’s trauma, but if it has had a negative impact on how you view yourself, others, life, or God… it’s trauma.

It’s important, I think, to dig up that trauma & face it/deal with it. Not to rehash it or grow in bitterness, but to avoid stuffing it or avoiding it when what we ought to be doing is turning it over to God by praying through it & finding healing in it… moving forward in freedom versus hiding from it in fear.

We have no control over our past, but we do have full control on how we respond to it.

Talk about TRAUMA

Other than Jesus, Joseph is my favorite example of this attitude of choosing to respond rightly even in the midst of just absolutely terrible circumstances.

(***You can read this gut-wrenching story laced with grace & honor & a trust in God that rose above every harsh circumstance, in its entirety, in Genesis 37-50. Easily one of my favorite stories told about in the Bible.***)

Most adored by his father (don’t show favoritism parents, just don’t do it), hated by his brothers because of it, Joseph was thrown into a deep pit to be left trapped to die by his brothers who resented him.

His eldest brother thought to just scare him, leave him in the pit (allegedly to die) so he could secretly free him later… but when big brother left the scene, the rest of the brothers decided they would make more profit from their hatred by SELLING their own brother, Joseph, into slavery.

Hated, thrown in a pit, his life threatened… to being sold as a slave by his very own flesh & blood.

That’s brutal.

He Couldn’t Control His Circumstances… But He Still Chose to Respond Rightly

But, did Joseph lash out & blame a poor response on all of that trauma he had most definitely just experienced?

The Bible doesn’t say. What it does say is that he did his very best at being a slave, serving his master honorably. So much so that his owner took notice that God was literally blessing & flourishing everything Joseph was put in charge of doing or managing.

Then, that same master who praised him & gave him power over ALL of the workings of his household had a wife who got mad that Joseph refused her advances in order to show respect & honor to his master, her husband. So, he got imprisoned because the angry, rejected, & likely embarrassed wife accused him wrongly of attempting indecency with her.

Joseph Kept His Eyes above the Storm… He Trusted GOD

But, did Joseph lash out & blame all of that trauma for it?

Again, the Bible doesn’t say. But it does say that he did his very best at being a prisoner, & that much like his recent master, the prison guard witnessed the very same thing about God obviously blessing everything he set his hand to & therefore put him in charge of the other prisoners. Like, what?

Not exactly how I would initially respond, that’s for sure. I would be demanding my rights!

Joseph understood–He couldn’t always control his circumstances… but he could for sure always control his response.

And let’s not neglect to mention that he felt so sure in his right responses because of one very important thing… he trusted that God had a plan & that God was in control in all of it somehow–even through all of that horrible trauma he had experienced.

Trauma Hurts… But it Doesn’t Define Us… & It Doesn’t Need to Control Us… & We Still Have a Choice in How We Respond to It…

I can’t say my sisters have ever hated me, but they for sure have never plotted to push me into a pit & leave me for dead (not to my knowledge anyway), nor have they ever sold me into slavery.

I’ve for sure been falsely accused & misunderstood & been lied about many times in my 41 years, with some just not feeling concerned with clearing the air, seeking reconciliation, or hearing my side of the story… content to dislike me for whatever they believe to be true about me–that kind of thing hurts, doesn’t it? But I’ve never been to prison for it like Joseph.

I have had plenty of very unkind things said to or about me that still ring in my head from time to time. I have been bullied, mocked, betrayed, & ostracized.

I have lived in an area of Japan where English wasn’t spoken much aka so much isolation, been through a pandemic of even more prolonged isolation, & have survived a once-in-20ish-years super typhoon of mass destruction. I have witnessed a whole lot of very real pain of people I care a whole lot about.

The Hurts Are Real… But So Is My God

I have wrestled through seasons of deep depression throughout my life, where suicidal thoughts were near daily & have gone through intense seasons of loneliness when I was in a place where I couldn’t seem to make any connections despite my efforts… where isolation was a very real reality for me.

It may not be the type of trauma that everyone can relate to or understand. It may not be as severe as a cancer diagnosis or losing a loved one… but trauma it is all the same.

And I couldn’t choose whether any of it happened to me.

But I can choose how I respond to it.

I can trust (& now see) that God always sees the future & has a plan & WILL always use every traumatic experience BOTH for my good & for His glory. Always. Every single time He has done so.

God Never Wastes Our Traumatic Experiences

Whether it is to strengthen my character or teach me compassion or give me personal perspective over the struggles of others so that I know how to better relate & be with them in it/through it. Whether it’s to see Him come through for me over & over & over again so that my trust in Him would solidify… so that it could anchor my soul… so that I could know rest in Him is possible despite the circumstances.

To see that the impossibilities He promises, through Him, are actually possible.

We need to take every opportunity to look for how we can trust God above all of our circumstances, honoring Him over self in all of our circumstances, knowing He has a plan & has it all figured out & knowing we just have to be good stewards of what we’ve got right now—through the good, the bad, & even the horrible.

Because God never wastes our traumatic experiences.

Think Like Joseph…

Even if a family member threatens your life.

Even if you were to get sold into slavery by your own family.

Even if you work hard & do your very best, only to have people accuse you of doing something you would never dream of doing… not leaving any room for reconciliation or hearing your side of the story.

Even if you are thrown into prison for a crime you never committed.

Even if you are hated & scorned, spit on & beaten, wrongly accused & everyone wants you dead. (Isaiah 53)

Even if you came to give your life for theirs but all they do is scream for your death. (1 Peter 2:24) (Luke 23:20-25)

Even if no one understands you.

Even if you feel alone in this life.

Even if the hard doesn’t ever seem to stop.

We just can’t blame our trauma.

We have to choose to respond in a way that gives God honor anyway, trusting that God has a plan every step of this very hard way. Trusting He will provide a way through it all with His help, every step.

Where Have You Allowed Your Trauma to Call the Shots in Your Own Life?

Where’s the stronghold in your own life?

What are you allowing to run the narrative?

What are you using as an excuse for inaction, for a bad attitude, for doubting God, for simmering in bitterness, for closing yourself off from others…? What excuse are you using?

Do you need to pray & ask God to help you better honor Him despite your poor circumstances?

Do you need to pray & ask God to help you trust that He will always have a plan & that He will always use every awful circumstance both for your good & for His glory?

Shine HOPE by recognizing why we can’t blame trauma… by choosing to give God glory & honor anyway, despite it… by choosing to trust that God is ultimately in control no matter how bad the current circumstances may be… by choosing to trust that God has a plan that you may not see, a plan that is 100% always both for your good & for His glory.

AMEN & AMEN.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Daisy Gift Set (INDIA)

A thoughtful gift set to share with someone you love! Create fair paying jobs for women in a safe working environment in India when you purchase the Daisy Gift Set. This impactful set includes the Daisy Raffia Studs and the Daisy Handbag Charm. The Daisy Raffia Studs support women with fair-paying jobs, helps educate girls, fights child marriage, and empowers families leaving slums in India. The Daisy Handbag Charm is also created in a safe working environment for women in India to earn a dignified wage.

***Order this set, using the “Shop Here” link, to empower women in India out of poverty!***

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

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

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

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

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

Good Thing God Fills in Our Gaps

Well, here I am sitting down to write & nothing is coming to mind. I don’t feel like I have anything new to talk about.

But I guess that’s not entirely a bad thing, because this blog isn’t really supposed to be about me being profound. Its main purpose is really to point to where I find my hope… to use my failures & shortcomings to point you to trust Him & obey Him & live for His glory through every season of life—good or bad or all the in betweens.

He is truly what it’s all about.

I am nobody special. And that is okay.

Boy, Do I Fall Short

To be honest, despite trusting on Jesus to pay my sin at an early age, I grew up still testing boundaries & doubting God, wanting to assert myself & my ideals. I misunderstood a lot about who God is. I thought He was all about rules & controlling me… & that honestly made me squirmy. I wanted a reason to doubt Him so I wouldn’t have to follow all the rules. I had a rebellious heart.

God really was gracious & patient & kind as He grew me. No “I told you so” responses, but always met with patient grace.

I didn’t know how to tell what was God’s voice, my voice, or Satan’s even.

I’m inconsistent in my devotion to Him even. Sometimes I am on fire & am in complete surrender to Him, trusting Him completely with no hesitation. Other times, I’m selfish & self-focused & have a bad attitude about everything.

Sometimes I doubt God’s best & try my own way, EVEN STILL!  (I mean really… you’d think I’d learned better by now & be immune to that.)

Oftentimes, I begin to trust & rely on His blessings more than on Him Who supplied those blessings.

I have to pray for help righting my attitude more often than I’d really like to admit.

I would not be my first choice.

God Can Use the Unusable

I never thought I would ever lead Bible studies, be on student leadership in college, teach Sunday school for all different ages from K4 to college age girls, be a lead camp counselor, disciple others or lead accountability, design/launch a website, do a weekly blog for 6+ years. Me? No… I was not good enough for that.

All those inadequacies I mentioned were why I was so scared to start this blog back in 2018.

Like, choose someone else, God. You know everything, so You ought to know best all the reasons I’m just not it.

But here I am. God reminded me all the way back then & even today as I feel so completely void of anything useful to tell you… it’s not about me really anyway.

He’s Worth It

It’s about me showing up for Him anyway.

Hard days? He’s worth it.

Good days? He’s worth it.

Selfish days? He’s worth it.

Victorious days? He’s worth it.

Complete & utter failure days? He’s worth it.

Right attitude days? He’s worth it.

Bad attitude days? He’s worth it.

Lazy days? He’s worth it.

Sick days? He’s worth it.

Have very little to offer Him? He’s worth it.

He Can Where I Can’t

It’s not about how much I have to offer Him–God can supply. It’s about how much He has to offer us, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

I can’t. He can.

I’ve got nothing. He is infinite.

I fail. He doesn’t.

I fall short. He supplies.

I get it wrong. He is sovereign.

I hurt Him. He forgives.

I live in a perpetual state of undeserved GRACE. I can’t earn it or deserve it. But God keeps on giving it.

I’m Nothing… & That’s Okay

And that’s why I’m here each week. Not because I feel I’m profound or better or worth listening to or anything else… but because He’s worth it.

I’m nothing… & that’s okay.

Do you justify not serving or honoring Him with something because you don’t feel you’ve got what it takes… that you’re not good enough… neglecting to consider He can fill in that gaps wherever you lack & still use your life for His glory as you seek to obey & honor Him with your life?

It doesn’t have to make sense to you. You don’t have to be your first choice. You just have to be willing to show others that He is absolutely & always worth showing up for.

Shine HOPE by living that reality every day around every person God chooses to put in your path. Even on the days where you feel you really have nothing special to offer anybody.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Calla Carryall Tote (INDIA)

Create the opportunity for women in India to earn a dignified income when you shop and carry the Calla Carryall Tote. With its iconic look, this faux croc-leather styled bag has room for everything you need to carry with you as a woman on the go! Each ethically made tote includes a snap closure, padded interior laptop sleeve, interior zipper pocket, slip pockets, and is perfect for your everyday essentials!

***Use the “SHOP Here” link below to purchase this beautifully handcrafted bag & to empower women in India out of poverty!***

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

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

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

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

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

God Takes Care of His People

God DOES promise prosperity to those who obey Him, but that may not look the way you think it will.

It doesn’t mean a lack of hardships, nor does it mean having all your dreams come true or things always going the way you want. It’s not a get rich quick scheme.

(Genesis 39:3; Deuteronomy 29:9; Psalms 1:1-3; Proverbs 11:25; Proverbs 13:21; Proverbs; 28:25)

And motive matters. If you are obeying Him TO prosper from Him… you’re missing the point. You can’t manipulate God. He knows your thoughts & motives better than you do yourself.

This is a humble type of obedience. An obedience that says, “Your will, NOT my will be done.…” An obedience that says, “even IF things stay hard & don’t go my way….”

And it’s more of having an outlook that says, “I don’t NEED to strive for self, because He will care for me just fine as I seek to obey Him over living for myself.” (Matthew 6:30-33)

Joseph Honored God ABOVE Demanding His Rights in Unfair Circumstances

Think of Joseph, one of my favorite examples of humble obedience. He was sold into slavery as a TEENAGER by his OWN brothers who actually first considered KILLING HIM instead (less than ideal & definitely a painful betrayal) (Genesis 37). He didn’t get to scream his “rights” but instead did his very best living as a slave who honored God & submitted to authority, even though it felt his master had no right to hold that authority over him because of how it came about (Genesis 39).

But God prospered him in all of his work because Joseph was faithful & obedient even when circumstances were beyond unfair. God prospered him so much, in fact, that Potipher (his owner) put him in control of all the affairs of his home because everything Joseph was in charge of ended up prospering. (Genesis 39:2-6)

And then, after all of that prospering, he was STILL falsely accused & wrongly imprisoned. (Genesis 39)

But again, Jospeh humbly submitted & was obedient to God in all he did, despite it being grossly unfair treatment. Even though his reputation was smeared for something he did not do.

And again, God prospered all he did so much so that the prison guards left him in complete charge of the other prisoners. (Genesis 39:20-23)

We Can Rest in Him. We Can Trust in Him. We Can Believe in Him.

There are other examples you notice of God prospering people written about in the Bible that you get to witness as you read through the chapters (Abraham, Job—after much heartache & loss, King Solomon…), but in every case, the prospering is as a result of humble obedience & submission to God’s will & way & is not necessarily a prospering without hardship, but despite it.

What can we draw from this information, if not as a way to manipulate God into “getting what we want”?

We can rest in the fact that despite hardship, unfair treatment, needing to submit to authority even when the authority doesn’t seem to have a right to be your authority… despite any of that, if our focus turns from our unfair or harsh circumstances to a determination to humbly submit to God’s will in it, we can be absolutely assured that God will take care of us—even when no one else will.

We can trust that God has things under control & that God will provide when all odds are against us.

We can believe God has us no matter what our circumstances are.

Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Eternity… Not Right Now

Our job is to be willing to submit. To be willing to honor undeserved authority, trusting that God is big enough to fill in every place where they fail. (1 Peter 2:18; 1 Peter 3:1-2; 2 Peter 2:10b-11; Titus 3:1-2)

Our job is to work unto God & not unto man, so that whether appreciated or noticed or not… to do right anyway because we know that it honors & pleases God. (Colossians 3:23-24)

Our job is to trust God to provide where others won’t, even when you have no one to advocate for you. (Psalm 23; Genesis 12:11-20; Genesis 20; 1 Peter 3)

Our job is to be obedient, humbly to God, despite the circumstances, no matter how undesirable those circumstances may be.

God Prospers Us as We Humbly Obey Him

Life may not go the way you want. Your dreams are not guaranteed to all come true. You are not promised a mansion with horses & a wait staff. Prosperity may not look the way you imagine.

But you can stand firm on the fact that God takes care of & richly blesses those who determine to please & honor Him despite their circumstances, humbly submitting to Him in ALL circumstances… even in the hard & very hard.

You don’t get a great catered-to-you life nor automatically get what you want by obeying Him. You can’t earn your way to heaven by obeying Him (only through believing on Jesus through admitting your sin & turning to Him as Lord of your life). Your dreams won’t come true because you obey Him. But God will provide for you & bless you as you aim to live for Him over yourself.

Shine HOPE by trusting your future to Him, in the good, the bad, & the ugliest. He sees. He knows. He rewards faithfulness.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

May 2025 Hope Mail

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

The stunning Willow Earrings are crafted in a workshop committed to fighting child marriage and creating dignified jobs for women in India. These drop leaf earrings feature green, teal, and silver seed beads beautifully set in gold-tone frames to complete the look. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who Needs Sleep?

Well, this morning, at 8am, I sat at my laptop, ready to begin writing my blog for the week… after having not slept a single bit last night.

If you remember, I had that wonderful, great 4-day weekend I was so looking forward to last weekend, only to be sick for all of it & get nothing done on my list.

Fast forward back to THIS weekend, & I am thinking redemption is HERE. I am going to MAKE UP for last weekend! YES!

Oh, silly me.

Sick Again? Didn’t We Do This Last Weekend?

Friday, I woke up nauseated for no reason. I am used to my yearly ish dehydration sickness battle & this was not that. It also wasn’t as brutal as food poisoning—had that before, too. AND, it didn’t feel as bad as a stomach bug either. Literally only a couple “bathroom runs” & finally threw up only once (but, warning for tmi a LOT) sometime in the evening. I just felt stuck all day. No videos, no games, no movement or I felt it bubbling up. Just lying still with nothing to entertain me ALL DAY while feeling nauseated.

 Saturday, my wonderful husband remembered only a couple days prior that he had forgotten to tell me about a boat trip he had signed us up for that day. AND, what I expected to be the usual 3-4 hour boat trip was a SIX-HOUR boat trip, plus 40 plus minute drive each way. That day was shot, basically. Beautiful & fun with swimming, snorkeling, sea turtles, tropical fish, dolphins, sunshine, sunset, cool breeze. But gone nonetheless.

And Sunday? Stayed home from church SICK—with another cold! I cannot catch a break. Wasn’t I just sick with a cold all last weekend?

So, then I slept zero hours last night because my nose was like I had plastic wrap wrapped tightly over my nose, with zero airflow, so if my mouth even THOUGHT about slumping closed, I felt like I was literally being suffocated. Needless to say, it made it pretty hard for me to let myself relax enough to feel that again after the first few times.

Now that we’re all caught up… 8am at my laptop… no sleep… sick AGAIN… zero productivity AGAIN.

*deep sigh*

Pay Attention, Michelle!

I feel like God is trying to teach me something about trusting Him.

I mean, last week it was all “God AS my strength reminders” + “Jesus went through MUCH worse than this VOLUNTARILY to die for MY sin.” (Read that post, here: “What to Do When You’ve Got Nothing Left.”)

This week, I am feeling like my plans just are not working out. And they’re good plans.

Trying to Get Ready

My sister & nephew are coming to visit our home for the FIRST TIME since we moved overseas THIRTEEN years ago. FIRST time. I want it to be perfection.

And not because I think she’ll judge me or be disappointed in me. No, I know her well enough to show the messy & feel confident she’ll still love me without judgment. No problems there.

But, this is her FIRST time. Probably her ONLY time. She won’t get to see a before & after. Only one or the other. I want it to be a summation of all the years my hubs & I have spent growing in our marriage & life & home together. I want her to see it at its very absolute best if she’s only going to get to see it once.

Plus, these are things I want to accomplish anyway, & having a deadline to work toward is a good motivational kick-in-the-rear to get moving on those projects.

Crafting My Plan to Stay on Task

Back in January, I recognized clearly how busy life gets. How easily “I have so much time to get things done” can turn into “oh no! I only have 2 weeks left!”

So, I started a general “20 Tasks in 20 Weekends” list to help me track with the ticking clock. I made a list of the 20 most desirable to-do projects I want done before they arrive, while also listing the dates of the next 20 weekends.

I’ve done pretty well, but not where I’d like to be & so I have been trying to spend a weekend these last few weekends just knocking several almost-done ones off to help level the numbers. But… well you see how well THAT’S going.

My Personal Strength Is but a Mirage… But So Is Any Semblance of Control in My Own Life

It’s almost like God is DELIBERATELY pulling the rug out from under me, as if to say again & again, “remember, Michelle, you are not the one who is in control here.”

So, I don’t know. Maybe God will just have tons to be left undone & I will have to settle for their one & only experience being the “before” experience rather than its shiny final form.

Maybe God wants to show me how no matter what curveballs life may throw at me, they have nothing on Him & He will come in clutch & just make it to all work out when it seems I don’t have close to the amount of time I will need to complete it all.

I don’t know. God does. I don’t.

When Things Don’t Go as Planned… God Is Still in Control

Basically, I need to just rest in my being sick state. I need to rest easy & know that whatever happens, it’s in His hands completely. He doesn’t lack control for one single second. He knows what will happen before it happens. He can also very well make the impossible happen.

And He can also show me that even if it doesn’t work out at all as I’d really hoped it would… He has a reason somehow in that, too. Even if I can’t at all see it.

Because when things don’t go as planned… God is still in control.

Amen? Amen.

What Holds You Back & Stresses You Out?

What keeps getting pushed back against your preparations & efforts that is stressing you out? Have you thought to trust that God sees & God knows? That He can help you? That He has a plan in what just looks like a mess right now to you? That you’re not in this alone? That His timing & priorities are higher than the ones we come up with for ourselves? In other words, we ought to be trusting HIS judgments way above even our own. He doesn’t ever have to guess or panic.

Shine HOPE by resting in His all-knowing plan, not letting messed up plans throw you off or stress you out, knowing they’re all in His hands & He’s got it covered. Every bit of it. Even when you don’t.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Calla Wristlet (INDIA)

The Calla Wristlet creates fair paying jobs for women in India to earn a dignified income, in some instances for the first time in their life. This ethically made design is functional and stylish with its multi-colored, woven wristlet strap as well as a zippered card pouch that includes two card slots and another zippered coin pouch. The cream color of this zippered vegan leather wristlet is perfect for the woman on the go. 

*** Purchase this beautifully handcrafted Calla Wristlet, using the “Shop Here” link below to empower women in INDIA out of poverty! ***

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

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

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

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

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

When Things Don’t Quite Go the Way You’d Imagined

Well, I have been through the wringer these past 4 days.

I was so excited about this recent 4-day weekend. After having traveled over Spring Break, losing a week of opportunity to check off items from my house project to-do list because we went stateside for the week instead… to losing the last 4-day weekend I thought I would have because I ended up needing to work through it… I was so excited to finally have a stretch of time where I could feel refreshed, enjoy the beach, maybe hang out at the mall for some girly time… plus a huge chance to check off several things in my queue.

Let Me Tell You About My “Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad” (Last 4) Days

Well, Thursday… cue the beginning of a cold.

Thursday night… cue less than 4 hours of sleep because of clogged sinuses from said cold & not having taken medicine before bed.

Friday… cue Cisco (our cat who just finished his antibiotics for a gastrointestinal infection on Wednesday & we thought was now all better)… vomiting every 10 minutes all day, followed by a really not great visit to the vet (he does not do well at the vet), with no time for any rest or nap because whenever I would begin to nod off… cue vomit noises coming from somewhere in the house. (Plus, the crashing disappointment & sadness of thinking the meds made him all better to realizing it’s not over yet.)

Friday night… 2-3 hours of sleep. Sinuses… managed to fall asleep, but got woken up by something & couldn’t fall back asleep because of how dried out my throat was from falling asleep with my mouth open. Could not find our soothing throat drops ANYWHERE. The physical discomfort was too “in my face” for me to relax enough to fall back asleep.

And It Doesn’t Quit…

Saturday… more cat vomit, me being weak from not much sleep/my cold–most of the day spent in bed. Sad that the vet had already closed by the time he threw up again.

Saturday night… 5 ish hours of sleep aka better but not great.

Sunday… no vomit… feeling better… hope swelling.

Sunday night… NO SLEEP. Between “that time of the month” meaning consistent bathroom trips throughout the night, plus my sinuses, plus the desert throat from trying to breathe with my mouth open…. SO tired.

And now it’s Monday… After a night of ZERO sleep, I reset my alarm for an hour before work… had a jackhammer headache screaming in my skull all morning… felt I couldn’t even take off from work because I may need it for another vet visit once Cisco’s anti-nausea medication runs out… used my migraine cooling mask (lifesaver) & went back to bed until the reset alarm time & managed about a 1 hour nap before I had to get ready for work.

I don’t feel like I have much in me left.

The Physical Strain, the Mental Strain, the Emotional Strain… I Was Being Hit from All Angles

I am so physically weak. So discouraged about Cisco & feeling helpless while I watch him in pain at times & I’m out of it mentally because I’m not sleeping & sick & my sinuses.

There’s this little “Squeezamal” squishy stress ball thing I keep on my nightstand & I may have chucked it at our bedroom wall.

I feel like I am being tormented… attacked. Physically with sickness. Emotionally with Cisco. Mentally with no sleep.

Living on a Prayer

This morning was a battle for the ages in my mind that was SCREAMING for me to crawl back in bed & not get out until the jackhammer in my head stopped. To not get out until I knew Cisco is all better & I’m feeling all better.

The amount of PRAYING that had to happen this morning for me to even function enough to get up & get dressed & drive to work was…. A lot.

I have cried more in the last few days than I have in the last month… from just being so frail & fragile on lack of sleep combined with watching as my sweet kitty cat just suffered while I watched & couldn’t stop it from happening. Plus being sick on top of all that.

But Wait

But God reminds me of something in all of this misery. That my strength is but a mirage. It’s not real. My very life is sustained by His breath. I live because He gives me life. I am because He made me to be. Nothing is really actually of myself.

And when all of my perceived humanly strength is stripped away & the illusion washes away… I am forced to actually remember it’s Him where my strength comes from. And to lean into Him because I have none without Him… even when it hurts.

Hi IS

I don’t have to be strong to be strong.

I don’t have to have answers to know He does have answers.

I don’t have to see a way forward to know He sees one.

I don’t have to hold myself up to be held up.

I don’t have to bring anything to the table to receive Him.

He is not diminished by my depravity, my weakness, my frailty, my need.

He is endless. He is limitless. He is strength. He is love. He is faithful. He is the covenant-keeper. He is the Savior. He is the Creator. He is the Redeemer. He is my portion. He is everything… even when I am nothing.

Jesus’ Love Compelled Him

Jesus endured worse than me… but signed up for it… knowing full well what was to come.

And He came anyway. His love for me… for you… COMPELLED Him to come.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

One of my favorite newly discovered quotes puts it so incredibly well:

“Jesus came to pay a debt He did not owe because I owed a debt I could not pay.”

-author unknown

Jesus, King of kings, Lord of heaven & earth, creator & sustainer of all things…. Came down from His heavenly throne to die on a cross because I could never measure up… I could never hit the mark every single time. I failed Him. And He redeemed me.

Because love compelled Him.

And He rose again & is SEATED at the right hand of God!

What to Do When You’ve Got Nothing Left

So, what to do when I’ve got nothing left?

Praise Him for all that He is for me in my lack.

Praise Him for His sustaining when I have nothing to offer.

Praise Him for His love & great sacrifice to pay for MY sin against Him.

Praise Him for having control even when I don’t… for being faithful through it all.

And show up for Him, telling others where I find my hope when it feels all hope is lost.

Praise God. Hallelujah. Amen.

In God, through Jesus Christ.

Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here, I find my rest
Without You, I fall apart
You’re the one that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
You’re my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You” (Song: “Lord, I Need You” by Matt Maher)

Shine HOPE by remembering Who you can turn to when you’ve got nothing left, & by telling others where you find that hope, even when you reach the end of yourself.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Resilience Bracelet (GUATEMALA)

Each Resilience Bracelet creates dignified jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala. Featuring mixed gemstone beads in soft pastel tones and a silver flower charm, the Resilience Bracelet is perfect to wear daily or as a gift to a loved one.

***Purchase the beautiful Resilience Bracelet, using the “Shop Here” link below, to help empower women in Guatemala out of poverty!***

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

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

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

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

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

God Breathed

God created us to worship Him… & not in a selfish, arrogant way, either, but simply because He IS. He is our whole existence. He is the reason we are. He created us & gives us life & made all the resources we need to survive.

Thinking back to the Garden of Eden, life for us was meant to be simply tending to what He already had made. Enjoying His beautiful & bountiful creation. Walking alongside Him in the garden. Trusting Him while we carry no worry or fear.

Life was meant to be simple, carefree, peaceful, FILLED with beauty everywhere we looked. No shame or awkwardness. No insecurity. No stress or worry or anxiety.

Just peace. Just beauty. Just love & trust in the God Who formed us.

But… sin.

Self-Asserting over God

Sin is a breaking away from God’s way for our own. Sin is thinking we know better. Sin is distrust & self-seeking. Sin hurts.

God gave us His Word with His commands, not to control us, but because He designed the world & everything in it & He knows how it all best fits together, even when it doesn’t seem to make logical sense to us in our limitedness. That’s why He made sure to tell us, because He knew it wouldn’t be something we could perfectly piece together.

But… sin.

Sin doesn’t trust God. Sin wants to figure it out. Sin wants to make sure we’re covered & cared for our way. Sin wants to double check God. Sin wants to see for itself. Sin wants to take care of self. Sin wants to trust self over the God Who made us.

Sin wants to believe: “my life is about me.”

This Is His Story

I am not the main character in my story, in my life. I am a supporting character. So are you, I’m afraid.

This story is about GOD, not you or me.

The whole Bible, with all of the flawed humans written about in it… they’re to constantly & consistently point back to GOD, not the people. GOD’s faithfulness, GOD’s power, GOD’s grace, GOD’s love toward us who don’t deserve it.

They fail… He perseveres.

They are weak… He proves strong.

They can’t… He can.

They mess up… His faithfulness stands true.

They lack… He sustains.

They sin… He forgives.

They get in trouble… He rescues.

They get it wrong… He is sovereign.

They are limited… He is Almighty.

They are fearful… He is capable.

They die… He remains from generation to generation.

They sin… He redeems.

They are human… He is GOD.

Every story in the Bible… & in our life… is actually all about HIM, not us.

Living Your Life for ____________________

You get up, get ready, go to work, care for the kids, study, shop, run errands, do chores, do vacations, go to church, relax, enjoy hobbies, etc. etc. etc. & it feels very deceptively like this life is about YOU. YOUR world. YOUR activities. YOUR hobbies. YOUR responsibilities. YOUR family. YOUR job. YOUR skills. YOUR money. YOUR LIFE.

But it is NOT.

We are FOOLED into thinking our life is about us.

We are lulled. We are deceived. We are short-sighted.

All of this is going to pass away! Years from now, no one will even likely remember you existed! This life is NOT ABOUT YOU.

This is all temporal, fleeting, inconsequential.

Your job won’t matter after you die. Your hobbies won’t matter. Your cares & anxieties… Your responsibilities… None of it will matter anymore.

We’re fooled into thinking our life is about us.

God Is Eternal…

We need to WAKE UP.

The ONLY thing that will last beyond our lifetime is God, His glory & His grace & His power & His sovereignty & His LOVE.

He is ETERNAL. He has no beginning & no end. He knew your great great great grandparents that you probably don’t ever give a thought about. He KNEW them.

He will know your kids’ kids’ kids, long after you’re dead & gone. Your existence may never even cross their minds… But God knows them, too.

What in your life will matter after you are gone? Decades later even?

What Will Matter When You’re Gone?

When on your death bed, will you be able to look back & say that you lived your true & only real purpose? To give God glory? To make Him known? To live in worship of Him?

What matters to God should matter to us.

Who does God put in your path each day? A spouse… kids… coworkers… boss… cashier… passerbys… beggars… family… friends… neighbors…?

Do we care enough about our neighbor we may only occasionally see in the driveway? Knowing they spent however long living next door to someone who knew THE way to forgiveness from God? Because they will have to answer to Him, too, even if they don’t believe in Him. (We don’t get a free pass for our sin against God because we claim not to know better. God reveals Himself to us in so many ways, so we are without excuse.) (Romans 1:20) Have you told them?

What about the cashier at your grocery store? Do you seek to strike up conversations with them, to show them they matter more than just as a means to an end? To grow opportunities to share hope with them? To see them as a person with a NEED?

*If you died tomorrow, would you regret not telling someone you had the chance to warn of their need for repentance & hope through Jesus alone?*

We are God’s AMBASSADORS. Do we live like we are? Or are we fooled into thinking our temporal, fleeting life is all about US?

We’re Fooled into Thinking Our Life Is About Us

Our life is about HIM. Do you live like that? Do you live with an eternal focus? Of what matters beyond your lifespan? Or are you consumed with the NOW?

How are you living? Who are you living for? Who does your lifestyle imply you’re living for?

I don’t mean to say you can’t ever have fun or enjoy shopping or enjoy your job. God gives us good things to enjoy, doesn’t He? We can see that in all the extravagantly creative beauty of nature, as well as in His sending Jesus to die for OUR sins.

But do you recognize yourself back in the Garden of Eden? Enjoying all of the good gifts from the Lord, but also trusting Him in all things & letting Him guide the steps of your days, trusting Him fully & peacefully? Letting HIM be God in your life?

Where Is Your Focus? What Is Your Priority?

Do you praise Him for all of His faithfulness, grace, & care? Worship Him? Lean into Him for peace when your world swirls out of control? Bow your heart before Him? Go to Him first in troubles or anxieties? Ask for His leading in decisions? Trust He knows more than you when you can’t decide on something? Know He will empower you as you seek to obey Him? Repent & trust Jesus’ payment for a forever clean slate with no shame hanging over you? Love others sacrificially, knowing it all comes from Him & He will supply? Call out to Him for rescue? Use your job or errand interactions as platforms to be an ambassador for Christ, as if God was pleading through your life for them to be saved? (2 Corinthians 5:20) Talk about God’s work & growing in your life with friends to encourage them as they also seek to live for Him? Lead children to trust & obey God? Obey God even when it doesn’t seem to make sense to you?

Who are you living for?

Who is your life about?

Are you fooled into thinking your life is about you?

Shine HOPE by bowing your all, your life & everything in it, to the very One Who made you & gave you all things. PRAISE GOD, through the saving work of JESUS CHRIST!

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Hope Bracelet (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)

Create hope for human trafficking survivors in the Dominican Republic when you wear your Hope bracelet! This adorable friendship-styled bracelet beautifully represents our partnership with these young women, who were once trafficked themselves, and who now earn a dignified income in a safe working environment by creating this Hope Bracelet. Each stretch-to-fit bracelet features blue-grey, faceted crystal beads and silver-tone letter beads that spell out “Hope”.

***Purchase this handmade bracelet, using the “Shop Here” link below, to support a safe house in the Dominican Republic that provides rescue, housing, education, legal services, and trauma counseling for survivors of human trafficking.***

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

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

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

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

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

God Is Love

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

God gets misunderstood quite often. It’s understandable, really, because not only is He so far above our comprehension… there’s also an enemy actively seeking to twist & distort everything about Him.

For one, it is really hard to comprehend someOne who is completely set on Justice, while simultaneously being completely merciful. He never will sacrifice one for the other—they exist in tandem for Him.

He Literally Knows What Is Best… He Doesn’t Have to Guess

He made everything. He has absolute power & authority over what He made. He alone gets to determine what is right or wrong. And there are consequences to breaking that.

But imagine knowing literally everything there is to know… to its absolute core… because you made literally everything in existence… imagine with me that our little creatED brains cannot even come CLOSE to all He KNOWS. We can somehow kinda sorta begin to see that that our “knowledge” & our “wisdom” doesn’t even scratch the SURFACE.

AND, He didn’t leave it at that, did He? Nope. He GAVE us a book to teach us how He made things to work. He didn’t leave us to guess at it, inevitably screw it all up, all so He could punish us.

NO. He GAVE us His Word!

Then, imagine with me again that if He knows literally everything there is to know about the natural order of things, our thoughts, our intents, every ripple effect throughout all of time… even to our subconscious… that He also knows what is absolute best, whether it makes sense to our creatED minds… or NOT.

God Redirects Us

“For the Lord corrects those He loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:12)

AND, knowing ALL of that… GIVING us His Word… He says that the consequences of our “missing the mark” (aka sin), is DEATH. Because not only does He KNOW… He also WARNED us. So, for us, with our little creatED minds to have the AUDACITY to think we know better than the One Who MADE us… & then to do what WE THINK over what He KNOWS… it will 100% of the time cause harm to ourselves & to others, which He ALSO KNOWS. So, there are major consequences….

He is not punishing you for not assimilating. He is punishing you because He KNOWS everything, MADE you, GAVE you His Word… & because disobedience to God means you will every single time hurt yourself AND others AND Him.

The GOD Who CREATED the universe gave you EVERYTHING you need to succeed (His Word & this world & HIMSELF) & when your response is essentially “… nah,” even at the risk of hurting others…. There are major consequences.

He gives His Word out of love for us.

God Shows His Love through All He Created, Including His Vast Expressed Creativity

He made this world, in all of its extravagant beauty out of love for us. He could have made everything one color, one shape, one size, all uniform, all bland, all flat. But that’s not the world He made for us, is it?

Ears to hear the lapping waves on a shore, waterfalls & rivers rushing, breezes through tall grass & the leaves on the trees, a kitten’s purr, a baby’s laugh, kind words.

Taste buds to taste fresh hot apple pie a la mode, your favorite meal, a sweet treat.

A nose to stop & smell the roses, kitten fur, baby skin, fresh air, something baking in the oven, perfumes, fresh cut grass.

Skin to feel the warmth of a hug, the softness of a blanket, the comfort of soft fur, the rush of water on bare skin, the breeze across your face.

Eyes to see a rainbow, kittens, tropical fish, a sunset, a beach, a smile from a friend, flowers in bloom, mountain peaks, the green grass on rolling hills.

God didn’t skimp out on us when He made this world for us, did He? Not one bit. What a LOVING God He is!

He Showed Us His Unimaginable Love through JESUS

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

And not only did He give us His Word because He cares about our wellbeing & knows He sees beyond what we’re capable. Not only does He hold accountable those who are reckless in their destructive sin to protect them & those they hurt with their recklessness. Not only did He lavish His excellence on us through His creation….

But, JESUS.

Jesus is the ABSOLUTE embodiment & display of God’s love for us.

We Could Never Earn It… So, Jesus Paid It

Guys. Even IF we determine to live up to God’s standard & trust His Word & live by it… we still fall short of it every single day… honestly probably every single moment.

And yet… He could have said, “well, too bad, huh? I gave you this world. I gave you My Word to live by. You STILL screwed it up? That’s on you.”

But instead… JESUS. I mean… WHAT?!?

He looked down at all our screw ups & the feeling He felt toward us was not hatred or resentment… but COMPASSION. Like, all our lack is just filled in with HIM.

God Condescended Himself FOR US

God CONDESCENDED Himself from His THRONE to come be born in fleshly state & be rejected & scorned & mocked & beaten by those He loves & came to die for. (Isaiah 53) And His response? “Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

GUYS!!!?

Love came DOWN to US!

Believing on HIM BECOMES OUR righteousness! Grace, by definition is UNDESERVED!

What LOVE!!

AND… God doesn’t even stop there!!!

Creation, His Word, Jesus, & Now, the Holy Spirit… Love Is ALWAYS His Motivator!

After we have trusted on His death for our sins & His raising from the dead conquering that sin… God offers us HIMSELF. He promises us the Holy Spirit to indwell us, to guide us, to be our helper & counselor & comfort.

In other words, we no longer have to even try to obey Him or live for Him in OUR OWN strength, but through HIS!

A consistent laying down of our lack & a requesting for His ALL.

A consistent life of letting Him shape us to look more like Jesus to this hurting world around us.

Please understand this, in all the misunderstandings there are out there about God: Love is ALWAYS His motivator.

Shine HOPE by sharing the love of God with others… His Word, His creation, His sacrifice, His ALL… His LOVE.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Flora Bunny Decor (NEPAL)

LIMITED EDITION – While supplies last! How fun is this Flora Bunny Decor that creates jobs for women in Nepal! This adorable wool bunny hanging decor is perfect to add a little springtime fair-trade fun to your decor! Each Flora Bunny is handcrafted using traditional wool-crafting techniques that have been passed down for generations.

***Your purchase, using the “Shop Here” link below, provides a woman in an area of extreme poverty with a safe job and fair wage.***

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

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

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

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

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

God Is Not Intimidated

“Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:1-3)

Why is it so easy for us to think we know better than the One Who MADE us?

America, the Beautiful… Needs to Return to God

America seems to be plagued at the moment—plagued with a sense of self-importance, self-actualization, self-declaration, self-promotion, etc. etc. etc. SELF.

The arrogance I see amongst so many people blows my mind. It also makes me brace myself a little because God will not be mocked. (Galatians 6:7) He WILL have the final say. He WILL be proven to be in control & Sovereign. Nothing anyone may try to do can stop that from being reality.

God Is SEATED-He CanNOT be Moved

“He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.” (Psalm 2:4-8)

God is SEATED. He is not swayed at all by the “intellect” of man or the whims of our culture. God is seated. He’s not worried.

Whatever our world thinks it is to accomplish against or outside of His will quite simply will fail every single time. God is Sovereign to the absolute. In fact, He LAUGHS when culture does its very absolute best to abdicate Him from His throne & Godship. He owns it ALL. Everything.

He is not intimidated.

We Cannot Win When We Go Against the God Who MADE Us

“You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” (Psalm 2:9)

Culture & “progress” cannot win against God. He is outside of time itself, eternal.

Do not set yourself up against God. Do not presume to know more than Him. He MADE the very mind you may use to come up with wills against Him! (Psalm 139:13-16)

“I was BORN this way & He tells me it is wrong!” Then LISTEN to Him! He is the very One Who MADE you! Don’t ever tell God how He made you. How foolish!

We Were Born in Sin, Wanting to Satisfy Our Flesh… We Must be Born Again to Live to Satisfy the SPIRIT

We were born with a desire for satisfying our fleshly desires. We were born with a draw for our way. We were born in a world defined by SIN. We were born INTO sin.

That is the very reason why God says we must be “BORN AGAIN” of Him, setting aside the wills of the world & flesh to now desire His will & way, through putting our trust in Jesus Christ instead of in ourselves. (John 3:1-21)

He didn’t MAKE you HAVE to sin. But we are born into sin. And the only way to break those devastating & suffocating & deceitful bonds is HIM, the One Who made you & Who didn’t stop there. He sent His only Son, JESUS, to condescend Himself from His throne in heaven to willingly DIE for that proclivity toward sin, to set you FREE from their bonds forever!

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

REPENT & Turn to Him!

But don’t be fooled… if we resist Him & reject the One Who gave us life… He will not be mocked. He is patient & long-suffering with us, to the point where it seems He can’t or won’t do anything… but if you persist down that self-path, you will personally discover the wrath of God firsthand, & you will fall.

“Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.” (Psalm 2:10-12a)

This is not a sense of coercion: DO THIS OR ELSE! But rather a warning that EVEN IF you don’t believe Him nor want to do it His way, His way IS the ONLY way. He WILL prevail. He CANNOT be thwarted. He CANNOT be moved. He is Sovereign to the ABSOLUTE.

Not a Threat… A Promise.. You WILL NOT Win Against God, in ANY Scenario

So, even if you think you still want your way & you can’t get past your rebellion, wisdom says you should bow. Surrender. Understand you can’t win & that you SHOULDN’T win, no matter how badly you WANT to or think you SHOULD win.

He is GOD… & you are not.

These past few verses are not a threat or coercive instructions… they are FACT. Fact that you WILL lose if you come against the One Who made you… God Almighty.

He Is the Very Place You Will Find the Rest You So Desperately Seek

“Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 2:12b)

And the truth is, a funny thing will happen when you decide to submit. The blessings you fought so hard to get YOUR way are actually found in HIS way.

Your way, your wisdom, your intellect, your plans, your ideals… they all PALE in comparison to HIS.

You discover that He is what you were searching for in all of it… you just didn’t realize or understand it. You were fooled. You were blinded. You were deceived.

But now you’re FREE from all of its hold on you… once you finally submit & put your trust in HIM over YOURSELF.

God is not trying to be Sovereign over you to control your life like some maniacal dictator so He can ruin your life into misery.

He IS Sovereign & He IS in control & He wants to set you FREE from the misery you already live in.

Turn to Him & Find the Rest You Seek

You may feel like you’re being “progressive,” but God exists outside of time itself & sees into eternity future. He already knows where our “progressive” “ideals” lead… & He knows they will fail & fall short in the end. We cannot outthink God. We cannot outwit or outsmart God. He IS.

God is SEATED. He canNOT be moved.

So, what are you holding against God? What are you holding back from Him? What are you shaking your fist at Him about? Where is your rebellion? Your rejection?

Will you submit to the One Who made you? Will you submit to the One Who holds time in His hands? Will you submit to the One Who sent His Son to die for your wrongs against Him? Will you submit to the One Who loves you more than you could ever comprehend?

What are you holding back from Him?

Shine HOPE by turning to God Almighty, & by living in the blessing it is to put your trust in God more than you place it in yourself.

(DO NOT BE DECEIVED: Romans 1:18; Romans 2:5; John 3:36; Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Peter 2:21-24)

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 6.5 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Hope Mail-March 2025 (INDIA)

These uniquely beaded Vera Earrings create necessary jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in India, allowing them to leave the slums and become financially independent. These intricately hand-beaded earrings feature a stunning floral mural showing off the finest craftsmanship of our Artisan Partners. Make a fair-trade fashion statement when you style these stunning earrings!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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