God Sees through It… Others See through It… It’s Not the Same

I grew up understanding the pursuit of holiness a lot differently than I do now after years more of trusting in Jesus to save me from my sins.
You see, I thought holiness was perfection. And, well, it is… but it’s not immediate. It’s not pretending to be holy, either.
Because holiness doesn’t happen overnight. Holiness is something God produces in us the more of our lives we learn we need to surrender to Him.
It is not projecting perfection. It is not trying to act like we’re perfect all the time & that we never make mistakes.
It is not trying to be a good testimony for God by pretending we have it all together.
And that is sort of how I understood it. I was wrong.

Forever a Work in Progress=ALL of Us

A great resource for better understanding this topic is a little book by Jerry Bridges “The Pursuit of Holiness.” (*You can find the link to it on the “Recommended by Michelle” page of my website, alphabetically, under “Books,” here.) I love how gracious he is about the topic, yet unyielding from truth. He doesn’t make excuses for sin but also doesn’t pretend he has it all figured out, either.
Let’s get it out there right now: We will NEVER reach perfect holiness this side of heaven. Our righteousness–our holiness–was bought by the blood of Jesus–HIS holiness is accounted to US because of our faith in HIM. We don’t automatically BECOME perfect but are ACCOUNTED as without blemish because of the blood of Jesus.
But, we strive for holiness all the same, because it is what God asks of us… it’s how we honor Him… obey Him… love Him.

Pretending Perfection Is Not the Same as Holiness

Be careful, though, that you do not fall into the trap of thinking that means you have to PRETEND holiness in order to please God.

It does NOT honor God to dress up on Sunday, wear a bright smile around others, while you all just screamed at each other on the way to church. Simply looking or pretending the part does not please God. God sees behind the masks.
Look to the MANY repeated examples in the Bible. These authors, inspired by God, did not sugarcoat their messy ministries & mistakes. They failed SO MUCH & it is recorded FOR US.
Because the point is not that we look to their perfection, but to the perfection of Christ as our example… as our hope.
When we plaster a smile, pretend pleasantries, & hide all of our faults from the world around us… we are being like the white-washed tombs Jesus calls out during His ministry on earth. It’s FAKE. That does not honor God. It MOCKS Him, because it gives US the credit… not Him.
It points to US… not Him.

And because it’s quite frankly… a lie. None of us are actually perfect.

A Forever Pursuit of Holiness

Now, this doesn’t mean to be as messy as you feel like because we ought to be “authentic.”
We ought to live with restraint, taking every thought captive & MAKING it obedient to Christ. We need to be working to bow our insufficiencies, mistakes, failures, etc. to His help.
We ought to be seeking His Word, the Bible, meditating on its Truth. Talking with Him without ceasing, leaning on Him & His wisdom & strength in every circumstance.
We ought to be honest with ourselves & with Him about our many weaknesses, ever surrendering those to His pruning & perfecting, to be made more like Jesus Christ.
But this is not a pretending process.
It is a pointing to Him through every bit of it. Revealing your weaknesses as one ever submitting them to the King of kings, Lord of lords… His authority, His Word, His help… for His glory.

Let People See

Letting people see the process.
Letting people see where your hope is found–not in your goodness, but in His.
I will be the first to tell you that I don’t deserve one bit of God’s grace, but that is the very reason it is called grace… the very nature of grace is the fact that it is completely & utterly undeserved. And not a single one of us deserve it!
A speaker came to our church during one particular conference, & while I cannot recall his name, I will forever remember his words, something to the tune of: “The funny thing about holiness is that the holier you become, the more wretched you realize that you are.” How very, very true.

Ever Surrendered

We can never hope to be “enough” for God. Our hiding of sins or sinful attitudes or thoughts behind a smile does nothing to convince God of anything. He knows our heart better than we ever could. He sees the intent even.

I believe that a healthy balance of authenticity & a striving for holiness involves being honest about your struggling, your process, your needs, your strongholds… bringing them to light, supporting one another in them, speaking truth to one another, praying for one another, encouraging one another toward a life that pleases Him.

Not pretending holiness, but an open & honest pursuit of it… together, in prayer, with God’s help.

Shine HOPE by not pretending holiness… but by pursuing it alongside one another, honestly, sometimes raw & vulnerable… seeking to please God together through all of our struggles & weaknesses. Forever a work in progress–submitted to gracious, loving God for help.

“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)***

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!!

Malachite Drop Earrings (Made by Our Artisans in India!)

These stunning Malachite Drop Earrings are handmade in India by women earning fair wages for their work. These earrings feature an organic gold-tone shape with a dangle malachite stone charm, to create a sophisticated fair-trade fashion statement.

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

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

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

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

Short Answer? No

How do you become someone who is ALL IN for God? Is it only certain people who are exceptionally passionate people? Extra spiritual somehow? The right personality for it?

How can you go from just your average person to someone with a ministry like Paul’s? Like authors/speakers/pastors you admire? Is that even possible?

Sometimes it seems tempting to “leave that up to the ones who are “called” to it… those who seem to know what they’re doing… who seem to be naturals at it.” The problem with that line of thinking is literally every example of flawed human beings we read about in the Bible (aka everyone)… that the wonder, power, greatness, wisdom, miracles, etc. did not come from them being great at all… but because they trusted God over themselves.

I’m Never Going to be Good Enough…

I grew up a Christian. But I wasn’t always as I am now: designing/running my own website & blog, leading Bible studies, prayer groups, Sunday school classes, accountability groups, etc. I never thought I was good enough for ANY of that… & I wasn’t… & I still am not.

When I was just 5 years old, God got my attention. The sermon the pastor had preached in church started illuminating, as if it just all started suddenly coming into clear focus. That the sin he preached about was about ME TOO. I lied to my parents, argued, disobeyed, was mean to my little sister… all those things were SIN. I WAS WHY JESUS HAD TO DIE. ME.

I realized that my sin angered God & separated me from Him & made me worthy of Hell. I realized Jesus loved ME enough to die for MY sins. That Jesus was the ONLY way, because I was not good enough.

My parents asked me questions & walked me through how I could lay down my life & trust in Jesus to save me from my sins, that His death & resurrection alone was sufficient.

God, in His infinite grace, through His love for us that compelled Him… saw fit to pay my debts.

I Thought God Was Pretty Hands Off in the Day-to-Day… That His Saving Me Applied Only After Death… I Was Wrong

But, although I knew eternal peace from that young age &, in hindsight saw His fingerprints all throughout my life… I didn’t know much beyond that. I had to LEARN it.

You see, I thought He gave us His Word (the Bible) as good pointers/wisdom & that was that… it was up to me to figure out the rest from there. I didn’t know how He could help illuminate His Word to me through the Holy Spirit, as He had when the pastor had preached about heaven & hell all those years ago. I thought it was up to me to figure it all out.

I also wrongly felt pressures to always be good enough to “deserve” Jesus. As if I felt I needed to add more onto it as my life went on, more clearly recognizing my unworthiness the older I got… & I wanted to balance the scales a bit so I could maybe feel worthy of Jesus saving me… constantly worried that if I didn’t do enough, maybe my salvation was fake because I knew I was so flawed.

I also wrongly believed that God didn’t have much to do with my day-to-day life, other than me trying to read the Bible & live in a way that honored Him. Like… that GOD was pretty much hands-off other than that.

Everything We Say or Do Will All Pass Away… Except for What We Do for HIS KINGDOM

I ALSO wrongly believed that life was just life. You follow the flow of society… go to school, graduate, go to college, get a job, get married, have kids, etc. & that life was just about trying to do your best to live for God by praying before meals, going to church, not cussing, & just trying to be a good person, etc. through all of it.

I didn’t really truly understand the purpose of prayer beyond thanking Him for things, asking for things, or whatever.

Maybe all this describes you right now. That you believe that’s that & there’s nothing more to it.

But can I challenge you to wonder if there could be more?

That the fruit of prayer can be so incredibly richer than you currently believe it to be?

Even in the Quiet, Unappreciated, Unnoticed Parts of Life… They Can be Used to Glorify & Worship God, Too

I am not talking about a “going viral” type of ministry. I am not talking about being an author or speaker recognized nationally. Or even being really popular.

Sometimes it’s in the quiet things & seems to go quite unnoticed (like my little blog—or even like parenting or tending to your home/family). Sometimes it’s so small, but yet so rich.

This is why I write this blog, or at least a huge part of it. I desperately want you to see that going more & more ALL IN for Him is not reserved for the super spiritual type people. It’s for the average, even less than average. I want you to experience the richness of a life full, brimming, & overflowing with purpose, a joy that goes beyond circumstances… a life mission that lives long after you. A life of bringing honor & glory & worship to the One True King of kings, Lord of Heaven & Earth, Savior of our souls.

Even in the mundane. Even in just surrendering your sour attitude on a hard morning. Even in remembering to pray when you feel weak or even when you feel strong, relying on Him over self. Even on caring for others in the quiet, unnoticed things. Living a life surrendered to His purposes & His Will & His provision & His Love. A life that puts Him first in EVERYTHING, praying for His help to do so at every turn, even & especially when you REALLY don’t FEEL like it.

He Can Use the Weakest of the Weak, if They Are But Willing to Surrender Their Meager Self to His Infinite Power & Purpose

I was no one special. I was just some girl growing up thinking it was all up to me to be a good person to please God “enough.” I didn’t know He would help me in doing that better if I but asked Him & relied upon His help.

I prayed only when I needed something, not when I truly believed nothing could change anyway. Now I see the evidence again & again in the Bible of WHY we OUGHT TO TURN TO HIM WHEN THERE IS NO HOPE… because God can do what I can’t. He can make happen what I can’t.

Not vain repetitions, as if He doesn’t already know… but repeatedly & consistently because you know He’s where your hope will be found & nowhere else.

Praying for HIS peace when peace is impossible.

Praying for HIS strength when you are absolutely depleted of it.

Praying for HIS wisdom when you’ve exhausted all options.

Praying for forgiveness when you have fallen short for the millionth time already, knowing His grace has no limits.

Praying for help to make the right choice, to have the right attitude… for even a desire to WANT to make the right choice or have the right attitude (that’s usually where I have to start anyway).

Does Your Personality Determine How “All In” You Can be with God?

You aren’t BORN WANTING to please God, but SELF.

Going ALL IN with God takes a surrendered heart, a surrendered will.

It takes a willingness over & over & over again, not giving up on what God can do with a willing heart, saying, “God, I am unworthy, make me more like Your Son… make me more like Jesus. Help me to honor You better, to love You better, to please You better in EVERY area of my life, big or small. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

I promise you, it is 100% worth it.

I am still a work-in-progress & forever will be. But I have a God Who is so far beyond my limitations. And in Him is where my trust is rooted... not myself.

…. Not myself….

What Are You Willing to Surrender? What Are You Willing to Trust God Can Change in You?

If you want an ALL IN faith, an ALL IN life (one that you can look back on while on your death bed & be proud of), you have to be repeatedly willing to lay yourself, your way, your will, your wisdom, your all… down at His feet as a sacrifice. For Him to redeem it into something more beautiful, more eternally significant. For His Kingdom.

It’s not an overnight thing. I spent YEARS in tumultuous doubts from the clashes of culture vs. God’s Word in my youth, years I never thought could ever end. He ended it by leading me through one of the darkest valleys I’ve ever known. But on the other side, I walked out in full assurance of Who my God is. That I never had to doubt ever again–& for that, I only WISH I could lead everyone I know to that same terrible valley I thought I could only hate & fear. Because it led to TRUE LIGHT of HOPE.

I have a long ways to go, but it’s a journey well worth the pursuit. Everything else is just filler before death… death that leads to me being forgotten completely within just a few generations.

But what I do for Jesus Christ will have eternal value. Shining a light of hope into this world, letting my broken pieces be where His light shines through… showing the world the way to HOPE.

Let Your Brokenness & Flaws Shine His Glory & Grace through the Cracks

My mistakes & my flaws & my failures are no longer mine to keep… they are the cracks & crevices that allow others to see what God can do with our brokenness & our flawed humanity. His redemption. His healing. His grace. His love. His HOPE.

So, the level of your being ALL IN with God, living as a true light for Him in all areas of your life, has very little to do with you or your personality… & it has ALL to do with your willingness to continue laying yourself down to His help & His will over your own.

So… SHINE for Him. Shine HOPE. But first, be willing to start with repeated-throughout-the-years moments of surrender that say, “God, I want to live ALL IN for You, but I have no idea where to begin… or if I have the personality for it… so change me, shape me into someone who lives to live a life that shines hope, found only in Your Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ worthy, holy name, AMEN.”

~It is a journey well worth it.

***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)***

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!!

Moon Earrings (Handcrafted in INDIA)

Showcase detailed Artisanal craftmanship when you style these unique Moon Earrings! These gorgeous, beaded earrings are handcrafted in a workshop in India that’s committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. Featuring white beads in a gold moon shape and finished with a freshwater pearl, the Moon Earrings are intricately crafted to create a subtle, beautiful iridescent design. Not only are the Moon Earrings stunning, but they also create necessary jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in India. 

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

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

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

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

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

At the Feet of Jesus

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

As if God needs my help….

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

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

God Is Entirely Sufficient

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

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

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

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

Stand Up by Laying Down

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

Trade your weaknesses for His strength.

Trade your limitations for His infiniteness.

Trade your lack for His sufficiency.

Trade your fears for His power.

Trade your inability for His inability to fail.

Lay it all down!

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

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

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

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

Oh, What a Merciful God!

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

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

No guilt trips. No shaming. No scolding.

Patient, all-enduring LOVE. Mercy. Grace.

All It Takes Is a Willing, Surrendered Heart

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

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

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

Shine HOPE, by Letting Him be GOD in Your Life

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

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

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

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 7 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

October 2025 Hope Mail (UGANDA + INDIA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Leads the Unexpected

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

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

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

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

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

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

All Else but Jesus Will Fail You

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I will fail you.

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

But God Never Fails… Never… Not Once

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 7 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Cherry Handbag Charm–INDIA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You Don’t Need to Feel Ashamed for Big Emotions

I was talking to a friend in the past months about her struggle through some very strong, painful emotions. Like many of us, she felt guilty for feeling that way, as if it made her seem to not be trusting God enough with it.

That’s how I grew up believing, too. That if I am having very strong negative emotions, it was shameful because it meant I wasn’t trusting God enough.

But let me tell you something that will hopefully loosen those chains for you a little bit if you also struggle with that type of shame—emotions are not sin… they’re simply indicators.

Emotions on Full Display Throughout the Bible

I would like to encourage you to, as you read through the Bible in the coming months, look out for expressions of emotions… how they’re expressed, what comes from them, prayers prayed through them, how God responds to them, etc. You will slowly release any idea of feeling ashamed for feeling.

Emotions are very clearly & strongly expressed throughout the entire Bible!

Now, just as having hundreds of wives & concubines, as many kings did (including kings whom God praised for their faith), just because it’s mentioned IN the Bible does not mean it is automatically not sinful.

And that is why we must look at how God RESPONDS to emotions in the Bible. This is why I strongly encourage you to turn your attention to that as you read in the coming months, so you can begin to see patterns emerge in looking at how God feels about our feelings.

Joy IN the Hurts/Distresses?

As someone who struggles with depression, sometimes pretty severely in certain seasons of my life, I can tell you right now how so many of the Psalms, as well as the “thorn in the side” passage (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) become so clear. This understanding that I can have such intensely painful feelings, not always even see any real, justifiable cause for them (which only makes it more painful & embarrassing), & still feel joy AND intense pain simultaneously. One does not always erase the other.

And that right there is what I think so many Christians misunderstand about having joy in every season, trusting the Lord… as if it means you should therefore not feel pain because you should feel joy.

No. Just as Paul says, “in needs… in distresses,” he doesn’t say the distress is therefore now ABSENT because he now sees the bigger picture of being a testimony for God’s strength in his weaknesses & pains… he says IN IT.

That was me, going through my very dark, very painful seasons. The sun didn’t come out & shine all my sad hurting away because I trusted God in it… the pain very much remained & tormented me, & yet I had this hope inside of me, this “come what may, I know You have a plan, God… I know You have me… I know You won’t waste a single ounce of this pain I feel right now.” A peace, A contentment. A knowing. An assurance. A HOPE.

A joy.

Don’t Suffer in Silence Trying to Look “Strong for God”

So often I see Christians who are very obviously suffering trying to plaster on a smile for all the world around them to see, afraid to be a bad witness for Christ, afraid it will appear that they must not trust Him “enough.” STOP!

The Bible does NOT shy away from pain. It is clear about it. It talks about it. And it shows that God is sovereign, sufficient, & sure through it. Compassionate, gentle, kind even.

Honey, if you are plastering “I’M OKAY” on your face to prove to others how good your God is… stop it.

All the world sees then is you pretending to be strong. It doesn’t show HIM to be strong.

Being a testimony to His strength means being real about your weaknesses. BOASTING even in them. So that others may clearly see that you don’t have all the answers, you’re not strong, you’re not able… but HE IS.

Big Emotions Don’t EQUAL Sin, But They Are Also No Excuse for Sin

Big emotions are not an excuse to wallow, to hide away, withdraw, hold bitterness, lash out, hurt others, be rude, talk about someone behind their back, refuse kindness to others who are undeserving such as yourself. Big emotions are not an okay to sin.

Big emotions are not sin, but they’re also not an excuse for sin.

They’re just indicators. So please stop beating yourself up over them. Stop beating OTHER people up for them. And check yourself if you’re using emotions as your “get out of jail free card” for wrong behavior or bad attitudes that displease & dishonor God. You need to yield them to God for help if you are struggling with this.

God Sees Me & God Cares

Sometimes, when I am flooded by big, hard emotions, whether someone said a careless hurtful thing, it’s that time of the month, something awful happens, or my depression is just kicking my butt… whenever I feel like whimpering, “Can I please just go to heaven now, God? I don’t want to feel this hurt anymore,” I picture God as so big & mighty that He fills a whole 2-story open room, & small little me (in comparison) crawls up into the crook of His elbow & curls up there, nestled in His strong arms. Safe. Protected. Loved.

I stop to remember that He is bigger than me. Stronger. Powerful. Wise. Good. Compassionate. Kind. Loving. He has a plan. He holds me. He hears my cries. He knows my heart. He loves me. He is sufficient in all things. I can trust Him even when everything is hard & everything hurts.

Even then… I can trust Him. And so can you.

How to Please God & Have Big Emotions

Stop trying to be “strong” for God. He is more than capable for the BOTH of you.

Shine HOPE by coming to God, crying out to Him in those big emotions, trusting He sees you, has you, & has a plan in it… turning to Him & crying out to Him as your help in & through it, & by shaking off the shame for those indicators that ought to just draw you right back into His very capable & loving arms. Having joy, even in still feeling very much the hurts of the storm you are in, because He’s got you.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

This blog/website has been running for 7 years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

September 2025 Hope Mail

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

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

Featured in this month’s Hope Mail are the Golden Canopy Earrings, stunning ebony brown and gold earrings in the shape of a leaf. These earrings are crafted using remnant leather, making them eco-friendly as well. Your purchase creates dignified jobs for women in areas of extreme poverty in India.      

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

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

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

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

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

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

Depressed? Depression? What’s the Difference?

I see these two getting mixed up quite a lot, whether it’s in psychology circles or just discussions about it. Even in a recent Bible study book I was reading seemed to equate the two versus understanding their differences. I understand the intent, but it’s important to understand the distinction, so let’s get into it.

To start us off, I highly recommend you first read my previous post about “Understanding Depression with Discernment,” where I break this down in even more detail & offer some useful insight God has given me in my many years of struggling with depression while being a Christian & seeking God for wisdom & answers through those very difficult many years

The 5 Distinguishable Parts of Depression

The blog post I mentioned above helps distinguish between 5 parts of struggling with depression:

1. The Cause (chemical imbalance, etc.)
2. The Symptoms (numb, checked out, bleh, etc.)
3. The Consequences of Symptoms (easy jobs seem harder, you feel weaker/less capable, others may judge you, etc.)
4. How Satan Exploits Our Weakness (suicidal thoughts, questioning our value/worth, feeling beat down & worthless & a burden to family/friends)
5. Our Choice (Trust Satan’s VERY convincing LIES, or CLING TO TRUTH through prayer & God’s Word)

Read the post if you struggle–it was a life-changing & quite freeing realization for me. I hope it is the same for you.

One Doesn’t Automatically Include the Other

But, today, I want to hone in more on the huge difference between feeling DEPRESSED & having DEPRESSION.

The 2 don’t even have to coexist. You can possibly not have depression but be going through something REALLY hard that doesn’t let up & definitely feel very DEPRESSED. But you can also feel pretty okay & have DEPRESSION.

So, let’s talk about it. Because the more we talk about it, the more we can learn to remove the chains of “I have ______________, therefore, I AM _____________,” & learn some freedom through the clouds.

Depression

First, there’s depression. Having depression is something out of your control in some respects, although you CAN learn to help your brain out a bit. It’s not an attitude or bitterness or anything like that. There have been seasons where I felt I could not stop crying, but when I would try to seek out WHY, I found no logical reason. I was just SAD for no reason. It can be maddening. Like a weightiness pressing on me without a cause.

Now, I say that it’s out of your control “in some respects,” because there are things you can do to help your brain out.

Honoring God means stewarding well His blessings & gifts, including our bodies.

How Can We Help Our Brains?

We need to make sure to nourish & fuel it. You wouldn’t put syrup in your car’s gas tank & expect it to run well much longer & our bodies are much like that, but much more forgiving (at least temporarily). Make sure you are checking the nutritious value of your food intake, so your brain has the nourishment it needs to function well.

Drink plenty of water to help flush your body of toxins & keep yourself hydrated.

Make sure you’re getting regular/sound sleep.

Moving your body, even on several walks a week help keep everything in your body running more smoothly.

In some cases, even with stewarding your body well, your brain chemistry is just still out of whack, & so medication may be recommended in some cases. But make sure to try to give your body what it needs before supplementing with meds. All meds have side effects, but treating your body the way it longs to be treated only has good outcomes. Try that first.

THE Ultimate Depression Tip

But, aside from doing your part to keep your body functioning well, helping it out by treating it right, when those symptoms hit, there is an ultimate necessity that will be a make or break for you: PRAYER.

Now, if you rolled your eyes just now… I get it. REALLY get it. But that is because it is so easy to misunderstand prayer. It’s not about special words that do you any good… it’s about considering the WHO you’re talking to that makes a difference. HE can do what you just cannot.

Quick Detour: How Pain CAN Actually HELP Us

I think it’s too easy to skip this part, to think you just need to patch it, fix it, get the uncomfortable OUT. But you know what, in all my years of struggling with this & asking God WHY… “WHY are you letting me suffer?????” His answer both humbled & encouraged me more than I could have ever expected:

It was something like this realization: “You look around & you can see people, even Christians, basically ignoring Me in their day-to-day. They maybe pray before a meal, go to church, some just the “bare minimum.” They don’t think they need Me. But not you… you have never had the “luxury” of believing you could do this life on your own. You have been in a perpetual state of NEED most of your life. And because of it, you have seen Me come through for you & be faithful to you & do for you what others can’t see because they trust themselves over Me. Your faith has grown because you have needed Me so consistently & I have been your enough through every bit of it.”

The need, the lacking, the discomfort, the vulnerability… it is all HARD. But don’t try to run away from hard. Don’t just pop a pill & move on. Use it as your very ever-present reminder of your very real need of HIM as your EVERYTHING & not just when you think you need something.

No Fanfare, But All Power

So, back to the ultimate recommendation: PRAY. Turn to Him. Ask Him to help you where you can’t help yourself. To BE your strength to face your day.

I wake up numb some days. Like everything is through a hazy gray, black & white. Tired. Out of it. Don’t care. Just bleh.

Natural me? Can I fake a cough, put pjs back on, curl under the covers, & skip life today please? (I don’t EVER do this, but the temptation is VERY strong some days, let me tell you.)

But I have learned, that although saying some words to God in my head can sometimes feel like the equivalent of a child thinking they can fly to the moon using a cardboard box because they REALLY want it… basically unrealistic & not enough… it IS enough… because God doesn’t have to SHOW UP with fanfare & blaring trumpets & bright light & filling your room with robes, etc., with sparkling flow coming from His hands as He forms whatever it is you need in that moment or HEAL you in every way possible right there… to show His power to you. No.

His power is quiet. Unassuming. No fanfare whatsoever.

And yet… it works.

I pray. He hears. He helps.

He Helps

My wasted, worthless days, where I am just running at 0% wondering how I am going to even manage to go to work that day, let alone all the chores & responsibilities I have waiting. He helps. He supplies. Every single time.

I pray & I ask God to help be my supply. I ask Him to be my strength when I feel I have none. I ask for encouragement & wisdom, peace & strength. I ask for my next step. I ask for HELP. And He supplies.

Do I do this every day? No. Honestly, some days I give up & get tired of needing to ask for help. I want to be selfish & not need it. I want to be self-sufficient & I get tired of constant NEED. I’m sorry to God for that. For wanting to be my own God. He is SO patient & gentle & faithful with me & I truly don’t deserve it.

The Important Distinction Between Feeling Depressed & Having Depression

Now for the feeling depressed part. It’s actually not synonymous with having depression. You can actually have depression & not spiral into feeling depressed, although you are definitely a lot more susceptible & vulnerable to it…. (*Go back up & read that original recommended post at the start if you want a little more FREEdom on this.)

But, as I admitted, I struggle wanting to surrender my weakness every day. I get worn. I get selfish. I want to be okay without help. I want to not feel so weak anymore.

And yes, deep down, if I am willing to admit how selfish that sounds & then submit that to God for a change of attitude, I can see every time that the weakness is worth seeing how capable God is.

Satan Likes to Beat Us While We’re Down

But there is always that war with the flesh. Always needing to make it die to self, to submit. And that is hard every day. It’s not easy to surrender. And sometimes I have to ask God to even help me to WANT change of attitude. If you know, you know.

Feeling depressed is of the enemy. Satan wants us to give up. He wants us to believe his lies. He wants us to sink into despair. He wants us to demand to be able to count on ourselves vs constantly needing God. He wants us doubting God. Satan wants us in chains, bondage, fear, anxiety, pain, hatred, bitterness. That’s where he wants us.

And when you have depression… it’s true… you’re weaker to it. It feels so easy to believe it. You’re vulnerable, needy even. Others oftentimes don’t get it. Eye rolls are caught in the corner of your eye. Compassion is often lacking. You get misunderstood. You feel like a burden.

Depressed Without Depression

It’s not always bitterness, bad attitude, etc. Sometimes life is just HARD.

Even if you don’t have depression, sometimes life hits you SO HARD out of nowhere. Happy, fun, laughter memories & then BAM sideswiped & your loved one is gone. Or infidelity, cancer, loss of a child, infertility, betrayal, abuse… life on this earth is very very hard sometimes, isn’t it? Sin wreaks havoc wherever it goes.

And it’s hard. So hard. So hard not to just feel the pain wash over you & knock you off your feet, swirling & tossing & trying to come up for air, choking on the hurt in your heart like a lump in your throat.

Sometimes it is sin. Your own sin? Guilt, shame, getting yourself in a mess. Sometimes it’s sin in the form of unresolved bitterness, refusal to forgive, refusal of God’s help, refusal to trust God’s plan or promises.

You don’t have to have depression to be depressed. Life is hard sometimes.

But… God.

God IS ALWAYS Enough

That power I mentioned? The no-fanfare power? The one that seems like “how could it ever?” & yet, does? It’s still there in that, too. God meets us where we are. He doesn’t ask us to pretty up pain before we come to Him IN it.

He can handle it. He can take it.

Sometimes, I have hard days. My depression gets the better of me. I’m not suicidal, but often have days where I find myself asking God if I could have a heart attack maybe so I could just go to heaven so I don’t ever have to feel hurt again. I know that makes some of you uncomfortable to read, but it’s the truth. And the worst part is, I know I have nothing in my life to warrant that. Nothing worthy of wanting to leave for heaven so badly some days. And yet.

God As My Comfort

I sometimes, in the hard, picture God, as best I can from a human mind never having seen Him in all of His splendor & majesty, & I picture Him as a huge giant of a man who fills a room, big & mighty. And I crawl up into the crook of his elbow & nestle in, knowing He has me & won’t ever let me go.

Knowing He’s faithful & kind, gentle & loving. He won’t ever let me go.

And then I thought, but there will be such great demand for this from everyone if this were as He is. But then it dawned on me… God is so infinite in nature, that He could be that for me AND for everyone else INDIVIDUALLY because of how infinite & vast He is.

What We NEED to Remember When We ARE DEPRESSED

In all the hard of life, I think it’s so, SO important to remember what God instructs us in Philippians 4:8 Think on those things. Be INTENTIONAL in it. Life will always have HARD, but it will also always have GOOD, because God is GOOD.

Remember to PRAISE Him… to WORSHIP… to THANK Him. Don’t quote verses about it… DO IT. You will be surprised how often it lifts your soul from the miry muck to peace in remembering an awe for all God is & has done for you. REMEMBER.

Put on the armor OF GOD every day. (Ephesians 6:10-18) Remember the impossible peace He can offer IN the storm. Remember if you trust on Jesus to cover your sins against God by His dying on the cross & rising again… you are SAVED from your sin & NOTHING can take that from you. Remember FAITH… not in the superficial ideal of hope, but faith in what GOD can do where you can’t. Remember God’s Word as TRUTH no matter what you see or feel. Remember to make God-honoring choices, even & especially when you don’t FEEL like it. Remember to PRAY.

(*Read about the armor OF God in more detail on a previous post of mine: “What Good Is the Armor of God? (Part 1/2” & “What Good Is the Armor of God? (Part 2/2)”)

If you can’t fight anymore, I get you. In your heart, when you have no strength to pray, close your eyes & picture crawling up into the nook of His arms, letting Him hold you in perfect peace despite the world. Let Him be for you what you can’t for yourself.

It is okay to not be okay. But don’t let the enemy win… let God.

Shine HOPE by calling out to God & trusting He hears you. He sees you. He loves you.

***Read these other past posts about Depression: “Depression & Me”; “Depression: the Devil’s Playground”; “The Sin Problem That Lurks in Depression & Struggles”; “Pivot, Pivot! #3-The Dungeon of Depression-The Journey of Truth”; “Sometimes God Doesn’t Take the Pain Away.” ***

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!!

Awakening Necklace (INDIA)

Create safe jobs for women in India when you shop the Awakening Necklace. The intricate design of this necklace makes it uniquely customizable, featuring its twisted burgundy and gold cord with a gold-tone pendant charm and adjustable golden bead for easy wearing. This necklace is easy to pull over your head and adjust to your perfect length.

***Every purchase, using the “Shop Here” link below, creates safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty in India.***

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

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

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

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

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

”… the More Wretched I Realize I Am”

Something I find myself quoting pretty regularly these days is something I heard in the past months that really stuck with me, something like: “The holier I become, the more wretched I realize I am.”

In other words, the more that I strive to be more like Jesus, the more that I recognize how far from being like Jesus I am.

But something that I find inexplicably cool is the harmony in that as I strive toward holiness, thus recognizing more & more just how wretched I truly am… it only continues to solidify in my heart just how deserving of praise God is. It humbles me, but leaves me feeling secure despite it, prompting praise for the sacrifice Jesus gave to save a sinner like me.

It is not a recognition that spurs shame, but one that spurs praise.

I don’t deserve Him. I don’t deserve for God to forgive me or for Him to even give me a second thought. I am lower than a flea. A fraction of a drop in a bucket compared to His vast eternal presence. And yet….

Such a beautiful thing to ground you in this life. To humble you. To sober you. To set your mind right. To press you to praise Him.

”Be Holy, for I [God] Am Holy”

Growing up, I would hear, “be holy, for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:16) & I would recoil, cringe, & bristle. It felt so unattainable, so out of reach, so impossible, too high a request. And anything that sounds impossible, when asked of me just makes me want to pretend I didn’t hear it, plug my ears, close my eyes tightly, & back away slowly as if it was never said.

Holiness? ME?

When I hear the word HOLY, I think absolutely perfect, zero flaws, zero mistakes, no room for error, never messing up, never getting anything wrong. That sounded terrifyingly impossible to me. I was scared that if I thought about it too much, I would worry that I can’t ever ACTUALLY BE saved because I knew I could never measure up to that. I was too weak & easily deceived. The word holiness scared me.

We Were Never Meant to Do It Alone

But, between reading influence from Andrew Murray’s book on Prayer, where he talked about how often Christians burn out trying to be good enough for God, when God never asked us to do it in our OWN willpower, but in fact, consistently reminds us to do everything “in faith [in God’s help], through faith [in God’s help], by God, through God, in prayer [asking for God’s help].” Basically, hammering in the fact that WE CANNOT LIVE GOD’S WAY WITHOUT GOD’S HELP.

And then, reading one of my other absolute favorite books: “The Pursuit of Holiness,” by Jerry Bridges, where he gently, & full of grace, walks through what it looks like to pursue holiness, basically to live everything you do through the lens of, “what would honor God most in this situation?” Not that you will get it right every time, or always know or choose what’s best, but that you live with that lens that seeks to please God with your life in all that you do, big or small.

Reading those 2 books really took away the fear over the word holiness for me… because, 1. It is not meant to be through MY perfection or willpower, but by learning to rely on HIS…. & 2. It is not about knowing everything there is to know & never ever messing up, but about living every moment learning how to do life with the perspective of, “what would please God most here?” A growing process, with God’s help.

(PLEASE GO READ THOSE 2 BOOKS! You can find more information about them on my “Recommended by Michelle” tab of my website.)

My Human, Fleshly Go-To Is NOT “How Will This Best Please GOD,” But Rather, “How Will This Best Please ME?”

Some seasons, I really wonder how God has not given up on me by now. I know, you may not know me well, & you may see me from a distance, writing all these blog posts every week & providing resources, & volunteering with different ministry opportunities at church & think I must at least have it more together than you do… but if you only knew.

My human fleshly go-to is not “how will this best please GOD,” but rather, “how will this best please ME?” EVERY DAY sometimes requires a quick lowering of my head in AGAIN recognized defeat, praying silently, “God, please set my heart straight. I’m sorry.”

It is not my gut response to want holiness. It is to want ME… to want comfort & ease, & ME.

Some days, it is easier. Some days I am in awe of Him & am fresh from seeing Him work in some awesome way in my life or in someone else’s life & I am eager to live my all for Him.

But that is not every day. And in some darker seasons in my life, where it is marked with much more pain than happy moments, it’s honestly a rarity. It becomes more of a silently whimpered, “Help. I just want easy. Help. I want to honor You, but I just want some easy again. Help me want You more than that. Please help me want what’s better. Help me please, because all I want is the end of this, when I know what I really actually need is You. Please help me want You more. Help me, please.”

Dying to Self Is Not Easy… It Is Worth It

I am selfish. I am self-seeking. I want comfort & ease. I want to rely on the blessings of God more than I rely on HIM. I want to not be stretched or challenged. I want what comes easily to me. And I have to sometimes moment-by-moment learn to lay that down. To offer it as my sacrifice to Him to want Him more, even when I’m not sure I believe it sometimes because of how badly & desperately I think I need what I want instead.

I have to learn to die to myself. And that is not at all comfortable.

I am wretched. More than you know. HE knows, though

I can’t earn Him. I have nothing of value I can offer Him. I fail Him constantly. I fall short of His glory every single day. I don’t give myself & my life to Him as He deserves. I hold back from Him. I doubt Him sometimes. I am not worthy. I am wretched.

And yet….

Jesus.

Wretched & Wholly Forgiven

How can I be who I am & be so fully loved by God? So wholly forgiven by God?

Jesus.

Because of Jesus, even being wretched, I am wholly forgiven. A beautifully possible impossibility.

I fail Him EVERY day. And yet, JESUS.

Do you see how equally humbling & freeing & praise-inducing that reality is?!?

The Beautifully Possible Impossibility

I WANT to be holy now. I don’t fear that word anymore because I know that my standing before God is secured not through myself, but through JESUS CHRIST, & that ANYTHING He asks of me, He equally promises to HELP ME LIVE it… because I surely could never hope to achieve it on my own or in my own strength.

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!

Wretched & wholly forgiven! The beautifully possible impossibility!!

Shine HOPE by taking your wretchedness to the cross of Jesus Christ, trading in your sin for His forgiveness & hope, not fearing a life seeking holiness for Christ’s sake, knowing full well that you are then fully forgiven & that God promises to help you come what may as you seek to live in a way that pleases & honors His name. So, pursue holiness!

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Coral Sunset Earrings (INDIA)

These stunning Coral Sunset Earrings are handcrafted in India where they are committed to fighting child marriage and helping women become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. Featuring a vibrant coral raffia oval shape with a hammered gold-tone metal piece, this look is perfect to make a fair-trade fashion statement this summer.

***Purchase these beautifully handcrafted Coral Sunset Earrings, using the “Shop Here” link below, to provide safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India.*** 

How You Can Help:

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

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

I Don’t Know???

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

What are you holding back from Him?

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

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

What Is Influencing You?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Know Him As He Is

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

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

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

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

God Is Worthy to be Praised!

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

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

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

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

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

What Are You Holding Back from Him?

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

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

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

What are you holding back from Him?

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

What are you holding back?

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

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

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

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

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

July 2025 HOPE Mail (INDIA)

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

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

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

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

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

How You Can Help:

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

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

Attendance… But Heart Change? Worship?

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

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

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

Why Are We Here?

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

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

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

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

Do you church hop “for a better fit”?

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

What is the purpose of church?

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

Wake Up, Church!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why do you go to church?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Is Your WHY?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where Is Your Focus?

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

Where is your focus?

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

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

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

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

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

Worship Regardless

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Cherry Handbag Charm (INDIA)

How adorable is this Cherry Handbag Charm?! Using red and green leather, women earn a dignified wage crafting this Cherry Handbag Charm. Add to any handbag to instantly change the look! The ethically made Cherry Handbag Charm is handcrafted with care in India. Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India!

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

How You Can Help:

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

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

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!