Tears, Anxiety, & a Hot Mess, Oh My!

I have had a lot of opportunities to feel weak over these last few months.

From dealing with the disappointment, bitterness, & anxiety of moving back to Guam from my favorite home—Misawa, Japan, to all of the problems with the entire process of the move (prep fails & all of the move process problems), to then the struggles that seem to barrage us at every turn since we have arrived… I have definitely felt beaten down by life a lot lately.

If maybe only a few of these things had happened, any of those things may have been merely a temporary frustration, but when it happens again & again & again & again & doesn’t seem to have any end to the “agains,” it starts to feel defeating & exhausting, my nerves already shot & my patience spent, turning a near nonissue into another fail to add to ever-growing pile.

A Display of Weakness

And I don’t try to hide it. Why? Because my weakness is a canvas for God’s glory & all He is capable of when I am clearly not.

Tears come more easily lately & anxiety rears up more readily & I just feel tired & distracted & disheveled pretty regularly these days… not all the time, mind you… but pretty regularly.

I don’t like hard. I covet easy comfort. I know it’s an idol of mine & boy has God made it clear to me how much I yearn for it over Him these past several months.

This journey of moving back to Guam, in all of its struggle & trouble, has led me to cry out like Paul when he cried out to God about the thorn in his side. “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

I don’t try to hide it because I want everyone to know just how weak I really am, so that they know any strength or peace I possess is not from willpower or personal strength, but because I turn to God & ask for HIM to BE my enough when I’m not.

In the Waiting, May My Weakness Display His Strength

I cry something similar pretty frequently these days. I just want a period of peace, where I have nothing new to report & at least nothing new goes wrong for a while. I don’t even need it to be perfect & fun necessarily, I just want a break from the hard for just a little bit.

And maybe that day is coming soon… or maybe not….

But just like Paul was reminded, God reminds me also that God is enough for me IN the hard. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

A Blessing Is Not Just When Everything Is Going Right

I see so often a list of GOOD things shared by friends, followed with “I’m so blessed!” but sometimes the blessings come most preciously when nothing in life seems to ever go right… where NOTHING seems good… because in those moments, we can most clearly see that while nothing else seems sufficient, nothing seems to be working out, everything is going wrong, & I don’t have the strength to be capable & strong seeming in & of myself… that God really IS sufficient.

My weakness is a canvas for His glory… for His strength.

When everyone sees just how weak & incapable & foolish I am… me as a mess… then any good that comes from my story can only be explained One way… Him.

God, I Need You… Every Hour I Need You

When I am weak, where peace seems an impossible thing, where rest feels to be eluding me at every opportunity, & I am beaten down by life… I can slump down & cry… I can be honest with Him about how it hurts & hold nothing back… & then I can say, “God, I need You. I need You to be my enough right now. Thank You that because of Jesus paying my debt & restoring a right relationship between You & me, I can come to You with it all & trust You to be enough, even when I most certainly am not. Thank You for being faithful even when I feel faithless. Thank You for Your sufficiency & grace. Thank You for giving me Your peace even when any peace seems impossible to me. Thank You! Amen.”

Only He Is Perfect

We’re not meant to try to present ourselves as infallible & perfect, someone who never fails, struggles, or makes mistakes. We are meant to present Him as such.

Should we strive to honor Him in all of life? Yes, of course.

Will we always succeed? Nope.

Should we pretend we always succeed “for our testimony”? NO.

We should humbly accept where we fall short & draw back to Him for His loving grace & mercy, displaying His grace, love, mercy, faithfulness, & power in every circumstance.

Shine HOPE by letting your weakness be a canvas for God’s glory in the lives of those around 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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for over FOUR 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!!

Celebrate My Birthday This Week by Getting Yourself a Treat:

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!!

Capiz Dove Ornament Set (Philippines)

LIMITED EDITION – WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! This elegant set of three handcrafted capiz shell ornaments begins at the bottom of the sea surrounding the Philippine Islands. Divers collect basketfuls of beautiful “windowpane” shells for Artisans like Emelyn, who cut each custom shape and bind them by into delicate gold-plated frames to create these dove-inspired ornaments. Every purchase of this ornament set empowers women in the Philippines out of poverty!

How You Can Help the Artisans & Support My Website:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

I Crave Affirmation & THIS Is My Gifting??

Have I established well enough that I don’t particularly enjoy being uncomfortable? (Understatement alert!) That I like when people like me? That I don’t like doing anything that might prevent the words of affirmation I so crave from others?

Recently, God helped me hone in on & define more succinctly one of the grandest purposes in my spiritual gifting: to break up fallow ground. (Jeremiah 4:3-4)

If you do a quick internet search on fallow ground, it shows that it is untilled, unused land. If land is untilled, that means it has been packed down & hardened, making it pretty difficult to sow seeds for new growth.

And this seems to be one of the key purposes of my spiritual gift–to break up fallow ground in people’s hearts. And trust me, it does NOT always stir up a desire for others to offer me words of affirmation.

Why ME, God?

To have me be a woman (men don’t always receive well God’s direction from a woman), who struggles with depression (& who craves affirmation), AND to also give me this spiritual gift just seems mean.

I know God isn’t mean & I know God doesn’t make mistakes, but it just would not be the gifting I would have chosen for myself. Don’t get me wrong, this gifting, while being sometimes seemingly unbearable, has also been one of the greatest blessings in my life… but hard is hard… & I don’t like hard.

What Does It Mean?

So, what does it mean for ME to break up fallow ground as part of my gifting?

(By the way, a spiritual gift is a particular gifting God gives you when you surrender your sins to God for forgiveness through accepting Jesus paying your own debt to God.)

I have mentioned before that I see things in black & white, where some see gray. (See my mention of this in my recent post: “Is Life a Big ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ Story?”) This doesn’t mean I am militant in my “THOU SHALT NOT”s, but rather that God has particularly gifted me to see the excuses, justifications, intentional or unintentional ignorance when it comes to those gray areas… in other words, there is no gray area for any INDIVIDUAL.

God doesn’t leave it up to us to GUESS… He guides us through the Holy Spirit, whether it’s situational, temporary avoidance of something not expressly forbidden in the Bible for the sake of another person you may or may not realize may struggle… or whether it’s a weak point for you & you may or may not recognize it… or whether you feel conflicted about it, but can’t find proof it’s wrong, so you want to move forward with it (warning: don’t! Romans 14:23). The Holy Spirit is a faithful & sure guide.

This insight is part of it. Helping others recognize something for what it is so they can take a personal inventory of such things & be convicted to turn those over to God versus avoiding or ignoring them because it makes them uncomfortable to confront it.

Sometimes I Am Tempted to Keep Silent…

I don’t always like this discernment into other’s good intentions versus God’s leading, to be quite frank. (Ever heard the phrase: “Don’t shoot the messenger?”) Whether it’s an inner, personal conviction, or whether it means standing up & speaking the truth when no one seems to be either willing or interested in doing so—going against the grain. I want to be liked!

So, if I ever speak something to you that just cuts deep into something you have been wrestling with & you feel that disdain for my presence & you wish I would just keep my mouth shut & mind my own business because you want to leave that fallow ground well enough alone or maybe even deny that it is fallow altogether… trust me, I want the same!

If that ever happens, most likely I had just spent 5-10 minutes (or days) wrestling with God on how He could possibly address it without me being involved, (or maybe AT LEAST that He would give me words that would make you not hate me for saying it) before I ever said a word out loud!

I Can’t Block Out His Prompting, No Matter How Badly I Want to Sometimes…

But, rarely can I ignore the prodding, as if a weight were placed on my shoulder & a gentle, loving voice whispers over my soul: “Speak now. You need to speak now,” while I shuffle in my seat uncomfortably trying to find a way to honor God & NOT speak now.

He always wins because He rarely lets me rest until I obey, like the restless Jonah that tried to run (literally) from God’s command to him.

I Never Know How Someone Will Respond to God’s Prompting Me to Speak Up

Sometimes I am humbly & graciously thanked for being willing to speak God’s Truth into their heart even if it must be uncomfortable (it is!) but sometimes I get glares & defensive responses & they take their frustration out on me, sometimes even going as far as telling their friends things to the tune of me being a stuck up, know-it-all, arrogant, self-righteous snob.

Slander hurts, folks. Slander hurts.

But I get it. I SOOOO get it. Because I don’t always want to listen to His love-generated tender convictions either. My flesh rears up. I defend. I feel threatened. I feel called out & embarrassed & defensive. I don’t like when God reveals an area of fallow ground in me. I don’t like it one bit.

So I get it. I really do.

Sometimes It Feels Like a Blessing AND a Curse…

I call my gifting a blessing & a curse because when someone is willing to receive how God wants to speak into a particular situation, it is a testimony of how wise, all-knowing, & fiercely determined to love us no matter the cost He is. But sometimes people hate me for it (or at least dislike me) & call me names & budding friendships turn to avoidance & sideways glances & whispers.

But, living my mission-to break up fallow ground, sometimes in a “but does it have to be this way? Please let there be another way! Use someone else here!” whine, I most likely will finally relent with a “Okay, I get it… it’s me… now… no matter how uncomfortable this makes me right now & no matter the risk… You have called me, so give me the words & please give me the courage!”

What an honor it is to see the heart of God… to be able to speak life-giving, God-given TRUTH to people as God leads it. What an immeasurable blessing it is to be called to break up the fallow ground in the hearts I come across… when they are willing to receive it & when I am willing to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

My Plea for You… If Something I Say Ever Offends You

You don’t need to be upset with me, because most likely, I am feeling the conviction brought by my words just as much as you are… You don’t answer to me… You don’t owe any explanation to me… My opinion in the issue doesn’t matter one bit.

You don’t have anything you need to prove to me. I am just as much human as you are.

But let me share a plea with you. If I say something that offends you because it challenges something you grew up always believing… or excusing… or justifying… or ignoring… or ignorant of… when you are tempted to shut me out & close the door on me moving forward… fine… okay…. (I would rather be shunned than either disobey God’s call or miss a chance for you to see God bring fruit to an area of your life laying stagnant or hardened)

BUT PLEASE promise me that you will AT LEAST PRAY about whatever I said that makes you feel defensive or angry. Ask GOD for HIS opinion.

Let God Decide… Not You… Nor Me… HIM

Say, “God, that’s not true, is it? I’m not doing that! I’m not making excuses! You know my intentions here, no matter what Michelle says…. But…. (sigh) If I’m wrong somewhere here God, or if I missed something, or if You are trying to show me something here through what she said… help me be willing to hear it. Regardless of what I may not believe from her, if it is from You, I want to know. Confirm to me what Your will is in this, even if it clashes with what I understand or want to believe here… YOU show me. YOU teach me. YOU guide me. Let me be willing to hear Your opinion in this & to have it overshadow & overrule my own, no matter how uncomfortable the thought of it feels to me right now. Help me be willing to trust You more than myself if I am wrong… show me Your will in this. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Because you don’t owe me any explanation. You don’t owe me anything. If I am wrong, then I am wrong, but if there is even a SLIM chance that God is trying to break up a piece of fallow ground in your heart… you take that to Him & ask Him for His will over your own.

Not you. Not me. HIM.

Living My Mission-To Break Up Fallow Ground

Living my mission to break up fallow ground isn’t easy. It’s sometimes a battle of my will & flesh, wanting likes & comfort more than a ready obedience to God… sometimes it’s fear instead of faith leading my heart when God directs me… but every time, if it’s God leading me, I can be 100% sure it’s for His glory & their good. Every time.

Because that is the God we serve. He IS love. (1 John 4:8)

Shine HOPE by living God’s call in your own life & by being willing to be obedient to His leading, even if it means bowing your will to His & asking for His help in even that.

He knows what He is doing all the time. And He is Good. Praise GOD.

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for over FOUR 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!!

Festive Finch Ornament Duo (Nepal)

LIMITED EDITION – While Supplies Last! This set of two whimsical finch ornaments from Nepal will add some playful charm to your holiday decor with their festive winter accessories, puffy bellies, and adorable wire bird legs! Each Festive Finch Ornament is handcrafted using traditional felt crafting techniques that have been passed down for generations. Your purchase provides a woman in an area of extreme poverty with a safe job and fair wage. 

How You Can Help the Artisans & Support My Website:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

This May Ruffle Some Feathers…

This topic is an unpopular opinion because no one praising God sets out to worship themselves & so I may ruffle some feathers with this one, but it weighs on my heart & so I feel I must address it—Does our worship reflect giving God the glory or giving it to ourselves?

Now, it may be true that a song is encouraging & uplifting & hits all the right feels, but if we consider the heart of true worship, does our worship point all eyes & hearts to Him as our source, our help, our King Almighty? Or does it uplift us in our own abilities?

Turning Our Hearts to Him… In EVERY Song

It IS true that almost any song can be turned to worship, because worship is the posture of your heart toward our loving Almighty God, in song & in life.

So, even if a song never mentions God’s work as His work, (think Esther), we can still acknowledge from Whom those blessings & delights that are mentioned in the song are from (as long as they are not promoting or discussing sin or something that displeases or dishonors God).

Or, even if a song DOES promote self-worship, we can still personally make the choice to bow our hearts to Him as we sing, praising God that we feel strong BECAUSE OF HIM, or we feel capable BECAUSE OF HIM, lifting Him up in our hearts as we sing.

Our Worship Should ALWAYS Direct ALL Glory to HIM

But, we must use discernment in the songs we use to lift up our holy God. He is sovereign & almighty. He is perfect & pure. He is eternal Creator, Redeemer GOD.

Our worship should ALWAYS promote & lift HIM up. It should ALWAYS glorify Him for who He is & all He has done, still does, & will do because of who HE is.

So, when we are drawn to songs that make us feel strong & capable, singing lines like, “I am able,” “I am strong,” “I can,” or “I am enough,” make sure that it also includes (at the very least, in your heart), “because HE enables me,” because HE strengthens me,” “because HE gives me all I need,” or “because even at my worst & in my complete undeserving, JESUS made me so by HIS sacrifice for me.”

Not I, but CHRIST.

The Lines So Easily Blurred Because It SOUNDS Spiritual

I know it feels good to feel good. I know it can be easy to blur the lines in music that mentions God, is sung in church, & sounds so spiritual, encouraging, & uplifting…

But beware lest you find yourself unintentionally worshipping yourself instead of God.

I have nothing of myself, but He provides.

I am weak, but He is strong.

Even my righteousness is counted as dirty rags to me, but Jesus makes me righteous because of His sacrifice & my faith in that sacrifice.

I can offer nothing to God that He does not already have & that He has not been the One to give me.

But I can WORSHIP Him as He so richly & rightly deserves.

Does Our Worship Reflect Self-Glory?

So, as you prepare to worship… as the praises begin to ring… ask yourself: “Does our worship reflect self-glory? Or does it give ALL glory to Whom it truly belongs?”

He is my strength & shield & Redeemer.

He is my Maker & my King.

He loves me with an unconditional, everlasting love.

Even in my complete undeserving, I can worship & praise God because He offers His all to me despite me having nothing of worth to offer Him.

Praise GOD!

Shine HOPE by giving God all the glory in all that you do, all that you say, & all that you SING!

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for over FOUR 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!!

Lola the Llama Ornament

LIMITED EDITION – While Supplies Last! This adorable single Lola the Llama ornament will add some fair-trade fun to your decor all year long! Handcrafted by women in a rural family-owned workshop in Mexico, this fun smiling llama with colorful tufted ears and a festive hand-stitched saddle blanket is made with 100% wool felt!

Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Mexico.

How You Can Help the Artisans & Support My Website:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

The Move of Continuous Struggles… But… God

You may or may not have followed that my husband & I just moved back to Guam a few months ago & that we are in temporary living until we can work through details for a home purchase.

Well, the saga continues with even more issues. It looks like temporary living is extended yet again & our longings for a HOME put off once more.

To say this entire process has been trying would be an understatement. From the process of the move continually blowing up in our face at the last minute to the MANY trials of the 2.5 days of travel, to now our seemingly never-ending pursuit of a place we can call HOME… it has been ROUGH.

And to admit it continues is disheartening. When does it end? Why is this happening? How many times can stuff go wrong? How many mistakes can be made by how many professionals whose job it is to guide us through this? Why? How? What? WHEN?!

But God has confirmed to us His hand in this, so we are left with a giant “shrug” emoji as our response to it all.

How Can I Trust God When Everything Falls Apart?

We have no clue how God is working or what He is planning, but we know He sure has His hand in it somehow because He has overwhelmed us with reassurance of His guidance for this path.

So, *shrug*

How can I trust God when everything falls apart as it seems to be so readily & consistently doing every step of the way?

Some have told us, “kinda makes you wonder if this is actually where God wanted you if so many things keep going wrong,” & trust me, I have been tempted to think this way sometimes, too, because satan easily & often convinces me of the easy-to-believe LIE that hard=bad & easy=good.

God’s Fingerprints & Reassurance in the STORM

But the ease in how this job came to our attention & how the pieces almost seemed to form together as we followed, without our trying to make it happen, show us His fingerprints in the plan.

And still the fact that EVEN with EVERYTHING seemingly sitcom-worthy nonsensical mishaps & craziness en route just all worked out anyway even though it seemed there would be ABSOLUTELY NO WAY POSSIBLE after everything that went wrong… almost like God was saying, “Nope, not even THAT can keep My plan from moving forward.”

He has SHOWN UP in this.

Hard Hurts

But hard hurts. Hard doesn’t feel good. Hard isn’t easy.

So, hard feels BAD. But hard is just hard.

I want to feel capable & in control, with a plan that I can execute, with God’s help, & feel strong & well able to charge ahead in this new path… but I’m not.

Throw depression in the mix & it’s like, “Really, God? Really?”

It’s like my life & my inner self is being stripped of everything that makes me feel strong & capable…. Glaringly obvious signs that I am NOT, in fact, strong & capable.

And it doesn’t feel good, let me tell you. It does NOT feel good.

So HOW can I trust God when everything falls apart? HOW?

Fearing God Is the Beginning of Wisdom

Because it all boils down to the repeated phrase throughout the Bible, as mentioned so well in Proverbs 9:10, “Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom.”

(Read my previous post on this topic, here: “Fearing God Is the Beginning of Wisdom.”)

That sounds foreboding & menacing, like a threat to submit & fear Him… maybe… but listen up….

For someone who rejects God, then yes, very much yes… you WILL face judgement whether you want to believe Him or accept Him or not. And if you insist on rejecting His grace, you WILL be called on to pay for your sin. The debt will fall on you.

But if you have accepted the gift of God, through Jesus paying your debt in full, submitting your life to Him… fearing God doesn’t come with a sense of doom, but rather facing a fact that God is GOD… & you are not.

So, taking that to heart, God’s absolute authority, Kingship, power, & control as ALMIGHTY GOD… I can trust that even if it seems like a hot mess of a dumpster fire with doom & destruction where absolutely NOTHING seems to work no matter HOW HARD you try… that HE HAS IT COVERED.

PERIOD.

We Know He Has It Covered!

Like I said, through God working the move together despite every turn being met with something or other falling apart at the last minute, coupled with the confirmation He has provided to me & my husband on this path with this house… we KNOW HE HAS IT COVERED.

Is it easy to have no say & absolutely no control whatsoever in this working out? NO!

Is it easy to not know what will happen & having to step forward without knowing where we will end up or when we will be able to call someplace HOME again? NO!!!

Is it easy to trust God when I don’t know His plan? No, no, no!

I have cried. I have felt like giving up. I have struggled with feelings of anger & bitterness. I have intimidated by the problems. I have wanted to just quit & run toward something that feels easier to me. I have had days where I just feel WEIGHED DOWN with ALL of it!

I don’t always have good days where I JUST TRUST. I don’t always submit in prayer immediately or respond with a gracious heart right away. My attitude has not always been honoring to God through this process.

But in those days & times, God whispers over my heart to praise Him, to recalibrate my heart to fix my eyes on Him & not on what I see or can’t see.

He reminds me to trust Him to be better & stronger & more capable than ME… by INFINITE amounts.

He reminds me that He WILL work everything not just for His glory, but always also for my good.

My Role Is to Just. Trust. Him.

And my role? Just. Trust. Him.

Let go & just trust Him.

Fall at His feet. Crawl to His throne. Whisper prayers in my weaknesses. And just trust Him.

“God, help me please oh please to just trust You.”

Shine HOPE by DETERMINING to trust the FACT that He has you, EVEN when EVERYTHING seems to be falling apart. Because He does. Oh, He DOES! Amen!

Just. Trust Him.

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for over FOUR 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!!

Pippa the Penguin (Vietnam)

LIMITED EDITION – While supplies last! Cuddly, soft, and squeezable, Pippa the Penguin is timeless, fair-trade, holiday fun with a festive red winter scarf! Artisans in Vietnam hand crochet each lovable penguin with soft cotton-blend yarn and gray, white, yellow, and red colors that make this adorable stuffed animal an ideal winter gift or addition to any holiday decor. Each huggable penguin is hand stuffed by visually impaired women in areas of extreme poverty.

Every purchase provides fair-trade jobs for local women and villagers who are overcoming disabilities, homelessness, and extreme poverty in Vietnam. 

How You Can Help the Artisans & Support My Website:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Am I Fit for Motherhood?

Have you ever had the fear that you were not good enough to be a mother or that you would somehow ruin your children if you had any?

Dealing with depression, I have definitely had that fear. When I am at my lowest, I struggle to even take care of myself, so I sometimes am afraid that if God were to give me children, I would do a terrible job at taking care of them in those lows.

I’m also selfish. Well, not all the time… but honestly, there are some days that I think, “I would never have the freedom to do this so easily with children… do I even want them?” And if I have days with those thoughts, how could I ever be fit to be a mother?

Many Women Have This Same Concern

Some ladies have confessed to me that it’s their past that scares them away from motherhood… whether it’s their own childhood with abuse, neglect, or even just the human shortcomings of a parent… or whether it’s their own personal mistakes of their past that make them feel unfit.

And since I have heard this fear expressed multiple times through my life, of: “Oh no, I could never have kids… with my [mental disorder, past, history of mistakes] I would ruin them for sure!”

Take heart with this simple but profound Truth: no one is beyond God’s reach & no one is unredeemable.

God Fills in the Gaps

There are so many strong Christian women I have met who were abused, neglected, cheated on, or were completely failed by their parents in some way & yet, through their surrender to God’s healing hand, their life was redeemed & God used their past for His glory & for their good.

It is common for parents to fail their children in some respect, despite their desperate attempts to avoid doing so… because they are human.

This is not an excuse to use in order to ALLOW the poor behavior, wrong responses, neglect, etc., but is simply a fact. Humans will always fall short.

But the good news is that God is always willing & perfectly able to fill in the gaps.

Scenarios Where God Can Redeem

Picture a military wife, wide-eyed & excited to be wooed by a military man in uniform, falls in love, gets married, has children, & then he gets deployed. Now she’s raising them on her own, she’s tired & stressed & feels alone in the day-to-day, just trying to make it through until he returns… she gets short with her children, easily upset, tense, checked out, sad, frustrated… just living in survival mode, running on empty….

The yelling. The “just leave me alone” over-stimulation. The short temper. The tears.

Will it have a negative impact on her children? Most definitely it will. But… God.

But then picture a new scenario, where a mother has full support from her husband, attends women’s Bible Study to stay filled & encouraged, but on days where she hasn’t gotten enough sleep the night before, she slips & screams in response to her child repeatedly disobeying & ignoring her instructions.

Will that have a negative impact on her children? Most definitely it will. But… God.

And sometimes it is simply just repeating the patterns the mother saw growing up, oblivious to the potential of it being any different because it’s all that has ever been modeled to her.

Will that have a negative impact on her children? Most definitely it will. But… God.

We ALL Fall Short

The point is not to scare you into thinking, “why bother then?!” but to encourage you that NO mother will EVER be perfect. We ALL fail in some regard. And it WILL have a negative impact on the children.

BUT, GOD.

We live in a sin-torn world & God tells us we WILL have trials & tribulation, BUT that HE has overcome the world! (John 16:33)

He also tells us that He PROMISES that EVERYTHING will be worked for the GOOD of those who love Him & are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

We all fall short of His glory. (Romans 3:23-24) He heals & binds up the wounds of the broken-hearted. (Psalm 147:3) He is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

In other words, GOD CAN REDEEM ANY PAST & HEAL ANY HURT. And though we do & will fall short… HE IS ENOUGH.

What If I Ruin My Children?

We don’t have to be imprisoned by the fears of all the ways we could mess it up because 1. We can trust that God can help us each step of the way IN our weaknesses & failures, & 2. We can trust that God can heal & redeem anything broken.

This gives me confidence that I can lay down that fear at His feet & say:

“God, I see that I am insufficient. I have my own personal struggles & past hurts & bad patterns that were modeled to me by the world I grew up in (some that I am sure I am not even aware they exist yet!). But God, You are greater. You are sufficient. You can fill in the gaps where I lack. Help me not to be controlled by my fears of insufficiency, but by Your power & love. Help my trust to be in You & not in me. Help me to lay this down. Forgive me for my failures & redeem those situations. Give me wisdom moving forward & help me to always remember to stop & ask for Your help where I am lacking (in mood, wisdom, strength, willpower, patience, & anything else I struggle with in each moment). You are enough. You are sufficient. Praise to You! All glory & honor belong to You. Watch my [potential future] children & hold them in Your capable hand. I love You. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Shine HOPE by laying those fears of “what if I ruin my children?” at His feet & asking Him to redeem in your mistakes day-by-day.

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for over FOUR 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!!

Noel Nativity Art (Haiti)

LIMITED EDITION – While supplies last! Wish everyone on your gift list Merry Christmas with this ethically made Noel Nativity Art from Haiti! Artisans meticulously hand cut, hammer, and embellish the word NOEL with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in a manger beneath the nativity star. Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for Artisans in Haiti.

How You Can Help the Artisans & Support My Website:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Redeeming the Narrative

Okay, let’s take a moment to kick Satan out of this conversation. He has too long written the narrative for mental illness & it is about time we take it back & place it under our loving ALMIGHTY God.

So, if you are no stranger to my blog, then you know by now that I talk about my battle with depression—a lot—how it has shaped me, how it torments me in some seasons of my life, & how God has used it in my life to make Himself & His love known to me.

But something I have not really addressed, at least not with much detail, is how to parse through a life with mental illness & come out with victory versus defeat. So, let’s redeem the narrative.

Victory In, After, & Through

Now, I am not talking only about victory after the fact… you know, the struggle & fight & maybe eventual crash that God uses to show Himself sovereign, in control at all times, faithful, full of grace & love, & His ever willingness to turn any bad in my life for His glory AND my good… But victory IN & THROUGH the struggle as well!

For me, this seems to be an occasion for a good eye roll. “In & through the struggle” means the struggle is still going on, so how can that mean any victory is happening at all???

But hang with me & let’s flesh this out so that if you struggle with a mental illness (or any illness, really) or whether you simply know someone with that struggle… then you know how to have wise discernment in it, you know how to pray through it, & you know you don’t HAVE to give in to it—you CAN have victory IN & THROUGH it!

Our Struggle or Sin Does Not Define Us

First of all, we need to recognize that one of the cunning tactics of the devil is that he loves to take our struggles with sin or our circumstances & wrap them into our identity.

Satan does this with homosexuality, for example, as we can clearly see in our culture today. God gave me the discernment to see there are no “homosexuals” only PEOPLE. Some people PRACTICE homosexuality & some don’t, but all are PEOPLE—an important distinction!

The same is becoming true with regard to mental illness. “I struggle with mental illness” is becoming an identifier for ourselves.

This isn’t necessarily sinful, but rather a way we learn how to relate to the world & accept our limitations, but Satan is not without his tricks & cunning manipulations.

When we begin to IDENTIFY as “one who struggles with ________________ mental illness,” we can fall into the trap of limiting ourselves along with the limitations that illness creates within us… & limiting God right along with it!

The Five Parts

So, today, I want to break apart this issue of depression (or mental illness) into the 5 separate parts involved in how we identify mental illness (cause, symptoms, consequences of symptoms, Satan’s exploitation of those, & our CHOICE in how we respond to it all) & help us understand mental illness with discernment so we do not have to feel controlled by it.

I want to break mental illness into five parts—I will be using depression as my example, since that is my personal struggle, but this can be applied to any limitation you face mentally or physically.

Parts 1-3 (Cause, Symptoms, & Consequences of Symptoms)

First, consider the actual, medical problem that exists, also known as the cause—for example, depression can mean that your body does not properly regulate how much serotonin or dopamine is released in your body.

So, secondly, because your body does not produce or regulate well its proper levels of these chemicals in your brain… the symptoms, or the second part of depression, are what results from this lowered or unregulated release of these chemicals in your brain. The symptoms may include sluggishness, feeling tired or checked out or numb to goings on around you. You can feel a lack of energy or excitement.

And now, the third part would be the consequences of the symptoms… maybe not being as engaging, cheerful or personable, tasks seeming more difficult to complete, you don’t feel happiness in accomplishing tasks, making simple tasks feel complicated, frustrating, &/or difficult. In short, life feels HARD even in situations where those things may typically seem simpler or easier for us or others.

Part 4-Satan’s Exploitations of Our Weak Spots

Here is where we typically go wrong in how we determine what IS depression or mental health: Satan’s exploiting those symptoms & consequences, using our limitations & insecurities.

These manipulating exploitations often feed off of insecurities or poor reactions from others & sound similar to: “you are no fun at social gatherings, so just stop going & just avoid people altogether-who cares about them anyway, you don’t need them.” Or “You annoy everyone with your symptoms, so they would be better off without you,” or “everything is hard all the time because you’re a failure of a human being, so just quit already.”

These are twistings of the truth & that is Satan’s specialty. He is cunning & has had a lot of practice. He knows where to hit us & how to kick us when we’re down. He is a liar. (John 8:43-44)

Part 5-The Choice

But that is where part #5 comes in: WE HAVE A CHOICE IN HOW WE RESPOND.

We can either A.) believe Satan’s lies, cave under the weight, & just give up trying because everything just feels hard & quitting just feels like the easier &/or only option.

OR, B.) we can CHOOSE to DETERMINE to cling to God as our hope, our strength, & our comfort. This one takes a humbled, surrendered heart for God’s help to replace our desire for self-sufficiency.

My Cravings for Self-Sufficiency… But… God

I get it. I struggle EVERY time with this choice. I crave easy. I crave comfort. Easy & comfort are some of my main idols in life that I wrestle regularly. It seems SO MUCH EASIER to just be like, “screw it. It’s too hard. I can’t do it anymore. I don’t have it in me to always have it this hard ALL THE TIME!”

BUT… God.

I like to feel capable & in control. I like to feel like “I got this!” & move with confidence that I can handle anything life throws at me… that I can figure it out & work past it & do okay.

But depression reminds me that this isn’t real. I am NOT enough. I DON’T have enough strength. I WANT to quit. I WANT to be capable in & of MYSELF, but I’m NOT!

But… God.

I Am Not Meant to be Self-Sufficient

I’m not meant to be self-sufficient. I was made (& you were made) to have God be our sufficiency. WE WERE MADE TO NEED HIM.

And that’s hard for me, to be honest. It’s really hard.

I don’t like feeling weak. I don’t like SIMPLE tasks feeling SO DANG HARD. I don’t like struggling. I don’t like not being enough. I don’t like when things don’t wrap up all neatly with a nice pretty bow on top.

Depression brings me to the end of myself quite frequently & I quit… a lot.

But when I make a pattern of quitting, Satan knows his tricks well… they seem easier… they seem better… they may even seem like the only option left… but continuing to quit leads to darker & dimmer & a spiral of despair that leads to a darkness so thick you don’t even know how to get out anymore… & Satan knows it.

But… God.

With God, There Is ALWAYS Hope

God can get you out of that darkness you don’t know how to find your way out of… But He can help you well before that, too.

But it takes humility. I’m not going to lie to you… Humility & surrender is HARD, but not as hard as giving up will end up being.

I have to be willing to accept my weakness… my limitations… the HARD, take them to God, & say:

“God, please help me. Help me discern the lies of Satan so he can’t trick me anymore. Don’t let me follow him. Help me cling to You. Help me trust You to be my enough. Humble me to accept YOU as my strength when I have none. To trust You as sufficient in my struggle. To trust You as my comfort. Teach me HOW to do that. I don’t want to live according to Satan’s tricks anymore. I want to choose You—I want to choose LIFE. You are my LIFE. You breathe life into me, so please do that now. Bring joy where I only feel pain. Bring Your strength where I only feel weakness. Help me to praise You IN this. Don’t let me retract into loneliness. Help me give grace to my family & friends because I don’t understand why everything is so hard—it doesn’t make sense to me how it can be this hard—so how can I expect them to understand? Forgive me for my anger at them for not understanding. Forgive me for wanting my control back, for wanting to feel capable & self-sufficient. Help me slump into You. Help me grasp hold of Your hand. Help me trust You against every odd. You are enough for me. Help me to remember that You are enough for me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!”

Understanding Depression with Discernment

Hard doesn’t have to equal bad… it’s just hard… & that’s okay, because HARD allows us a reminder that we are not enough & to look to Him who IS.

Hard allows us the miraculous insight into the grace & love & comfort & peace & strength & faithfulness & HOPE of God. WHAT AN UNCOMPARABLE GIFT!!!

And check this: Easy doesn’t always mean GOOD. And don’t let Satan convince you otherwise. God calls him the father of lies for a reason. (John 8:43-44)

Don’t define yourself or others by an illness, instead, consider the 5 parts so you know how to ask God for help & how to discern where Satan may be trying to exploit your symptoms & the consequences of those symptoms. God is greater still!

Shine HOPE by CLINGING to God & HIS Truth, HIS comfort, HIS strength, HIS peace, HIS faithfulness, HIS love, & HIS grace, even when you can’t seem to find any of that within yourself.

HE. IS. ENOUGH.

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR 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!!

Turtle Backpack (Guatemala)

Handcrafted in Guatemala from upcycled traditional Mayan tipico fabric, every 100% cotton backpack features a zipper closure & totally unique patterns & colors. Send your kids to school with this adorable turtle backpack to help moms in Guatemala send their kids to school too!

Every purchase supports women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala.

How You Can Help the Artisans & Support My Website:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

I Didn’t Plan to Talk About This Today, But Here Goes…

I sat down today, ready to write, with my blog post topic ideas list in hand… but I guess God has something different in store for today.

I struggle with depression & depression is often highly misunderstood & oftentimes avoided by others, as if to say: “it doesn’t make sense to me how you can feel this way, so it makes me uncomfortable being around you when you talk about it.”

But it can also be so easy to allow my depression to take over my life.

With Depression, Life Is Hard… But Hard Doesn’t Have to Equal Bad

It’s true that people seem to default toward gaslighting & downplaying the struggle of depression symptoms, because 1. They don’t understand it, & 2. It makes them uncomfortable that they don’t understand it, but it’s also true that it can be easy to just give in to it & use it as an excuse to avoid life—because, with depression, life is hard.

And, while it’s not great when people try to minimize my struggle, I also have a responsibility to not use that as an excuse to “show people just how hard it really is” & give up… because sometimes that’s the temptation for me.

I Am Losing Some Ground in the Tug of War with Depression

If you have been following my posts recently, it’s probably no surprise to you that my depression symptoms have started to take a stronger grip on me lately–change is hard.

My temporary living space is somewhat depressing (some mold found, new cat litter is terrible at blocking smells in this tiny space, + I have to pretty much start my life completely over here in finding my place in this new space).

Moving is hard & it’s especially hard on the spouse, I would argue, because the one moving for the new job gets to plug right into their new job, while the spouse has to start from scratch & just figure something out every time.

Our moving process was hard this go around as well—with so, so many things that went wrong or fell through (of which it seemed God just stepped in every single time & was like, “Nah, I am going to just make it work out anyway, even though it really shouldn’t be possible at this point.” So effortless for Him when everything was falling apart at the seams, but it wasn’t a fun experience to go through—except in hindsight, seeing all the many ways God came through when there seemed to be no way forward.

So, with all the goodbyes, the suddenness of the move in general, the falling apart at the seams process, to now a depressing tiny apartment for the next month, + now starting my life over… again… well, it’s been pretty rough on me… & I have not handled it so well.

Sometimes, It’s Good to Cry It Out

Crying is cathartic for me. When stress builds up or I have to go through hard things, allowing myself to cry is a release… but lately, I have felt the need to cry almost daily.

My depression symptoms make it hard to function on top of all that I mentioned. I often have brain fog & feel empty & numb, like I’m someone who really cares trapped in a body/brain of an overwhelming “so what, who cares, what’s the point?” It’s maddening because I want to try but I just go into a numb fog where even simple things just feel so much more difficult than normal.

Satan Likes to Twist the Truth

And then, in my weakness, my vulnerability… Satan is at the wait… ready to lace everything with insecurities, highlighting every failure & slump, the reactions of people I care about… reactions even of facial expressions that say, “Really? Again? *sigh*,” & Satan jumps in to remind me, “look, not only is your life harder right now because of your depression symptoms, but you’re burdening everyone you care about. Now their life is harder just having you be a part of it. They shouldn’t have to deal with your problems.”

And, to an extent, he is right. And because satan likes to take truths & twist them, he is ready & waiting to do just that. The truth is, those people do still care about me. Do they like facing my burdens? Probably not. But they would rather have me with those burdens than not have me at all.

So, when people downplay or gaslight me, it just feels like he’s right. Period.

But I have to remember something very important: that whether others get it or not, whether they handle it well or not, whether it’s easy or not… the symptoms are real & they do make my life harder than it should be, but they don’t define me.

Depression & Me

Hard doesn’t have to mean bad.

And that’s my responsibility. I can’t hide behind the hard.

I have to be willing to submit the hard to God versus letting the hard define who I am.

I must determine to take that hard to God & say, “God, I am trapped by this. I feel like I’m drowning in it. I feel like I am ruining everyone else’s life just by existing. Please help me! Help me see that You are still in control! Give me peace that seems impossible! Help me to cling to You versus letting go when it feels easier to let go. Help me trust You come what may. Help shut out the lies of satan. Help me to surrender this struggle to You. Give me courage to step out of my survival mode to try something new—volunteer, a job, a friendship, discipling a young lady, something. Give me a purpose. Show me Your plan & purpose for me here. Hold my head above the water. Help me not to just give up & give in to the weight on me. Help me trust Your strength when I feel I have none left. Help me to be gracious to others who don’t understand or who discount what I say. Help me cling to You & not their understanding or lack thereof. Help me to be willing to go where You lead, even if it doesn’t seem ideal. Show me Your path & light my way & be my Comforter in this storm. Don’t give up on me & don’t let me give up on myself. You are greater. Your love is infinite. I have hope because of these things. I have hope because I know You care always & always have a plan. Guide me & lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Help me to praise You in my storm. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Don’t Romanticize the Idea of Giving Up–Determine to Cling to HOPE… Sure, Real, Trustworthy HOPE

Sometimes I romanticize giving up (not suicide at this point, but just to stop trying at life), because it seems so ideal to just no longer care so “it doesn’t have to be hard anymore,” but again, that is a twisted lie from Satan..

So I have to be willing to keep fighting by submitting that romanticized “solution” of mine to God’s feet & saying, “God, giving up seems so appealing because it feels so much easier than continuing to care so much, but I know that is a trap & a lie that will lead to even darker & deeper despair, so remind me to lay aside that fantasy to quit & instead fall into You for help, determining to trust You against ALL ODDS. You are enough. Help me to remember that & cling to that NO MATTER WHAT. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Depression Is HARD… Some Won’t Understand It… But God’s Still Got Me… & That’s the TRUTH

Depression is HARD. It annoys me & everyone else around me who has to deal with me not being “cheery enough” to the socially accepted amount. It annoys me that I annoy others. I feel like a failure of a human some days.

But I don’t want to let satan write the script. I don’t want to believe his lies.

I want freedom, but even if not, I want to remember that God is good & He’s got me & He has a plan to use it for my good & His glory. Always. 100%. Even if I can’t see that now. I know it.

Shine hope by determining, against all odds, to trust that God has you in His hand, will care for & comfort you in the storm, & has a plan always to turn it for your good & His glory. Because THAT is the TRUTH.

Say it with me: “You’re done here, satan.”

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR 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!!

Heritage Earrings (Haiti)

Make a fair-trade fashion statement with these totally unique ethically made earrings from Haiti! These hand-beaded Heritage Earrings are reminiscent of delicate butterfly wings with 14k gold-plated studs, eye-catching black & white oval designs, & cascading fringed ends with maroon & gold-tone accents. Every purchase of these stunning earrings helps provide these Artisans in Haiti with safe jobs, fair wages, educational resources, & counseling.

How You Can Help the Artisans:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

God Knows That I Need to Know That He’s the One in Control

I like feeling confident… & as someone who struggles with insecurity, finding my confidence feels amazing—like I can do anything.

But typically, my depression battle doesn’t let my confidence stay too long, because when it hits, I lose any & all motivation & feel numbness overtake my ambition. And, of course, satan will jump on any & every opportunity to remind me of my insecurities & exploit those vulnerabilities brought on by my depression.

And, to be honest with you… I often feel—knowing God is in complete control at all times—that God works my depression symptoms for my good so that I can be reminded that I’m not in control, but He is.

Circumstances That Strip Away My Confidence

And then there are circumstances that strip me of my confidence—see “moving back to Guam when I didn’t really want to.”

Or maybe a rude or reckless comment from someone… Or maybe indifference from someone I thought I could turn to for support… Or an illness or injury that knocks me off my feet.

My point is that circumstances come into my life—often unexpectedly—that knock me from my point of confidence.

And I don’t hate it… even though I hate it.

Maybe that sounds contradictory & you’re thinking… “Michelle, you obviously DO hate it if you’re SAYING you hate it.” But here’s the thing: I DO hate the circumstances I sometimes find myself in… but I DON’T necessarily hate that I am in a situation I hate.

Why I Don’t Hate the Circumstances I Hate

If you follow me on social media, you know that every few weeks brings a surrendering post of “I DON’T WANNA! …. BUT, God help me do it anyway.”

I don’t like doing uncomfortable things… like AT ALL. Like trying to make new friends in a new place, or moving to a place I didn’t really want to go to, or being lonely.

I don’t like feeling discomfort at all. Whether it’s editing my blog to ready it for publishing versus sprawling in my pjs to binge tv, or whether it’s confronting a hard situation I would rather avoid.

I don’t like feeling insecure. (Although I feel I have so MANY reasons to feel insecurity–has anyone tried having small talk with me & has left feeling SO awkward? You’re welcome.)

I don’t like facing things I don’t like… Like speaking up with Truth when I would rather blend in to the background, or allowing myself to be vulnerable so that people can see His glory in my failings.

And sometimes, I quite literally feel like I even HATE my circumstances…

BUT, in those hated circumstances, I can feel God beckoning me, reminding me (convicting my heart, really), that my reactions to those circumstances really reveal that I need more trust in HIM & less on myself.

And being brought humbly back under that perspective is a true & powerful comfort.

My Depression Leads Me (Often Unwillingly) to Humility

I shared a memory recently on my social media, talking about my depression—how sometimes I feel so drained of energy & motivation & care for anything at all really… & how in those times, I have learned I need to pray & ask God for help… but that on that particular day, I actually felt WORSE AFTER I prayed to God.

I didn’t get it. I was frustrated, angry, & felt like God just turned His back on me in my time of need.

It hurt.

So I continued to beg God for help, feeling like just quitting & giving up on my day’s productivity altogether in response to His seeming silence for my request.

And I felt His gentle whisper over my heart, a reminder that there was the problem—I wanted God to answer my prayer by giving me my strength back—my confidence, my ability to do it myself, my control in the situation—versus wanting to rely only on HIS strength.

I wanted MY confidence in ME to come back. But God knew better. He knew I really needed my confidence in HIM back.

“God, EVEN IF…”

I need to learn to say to Him, “God, EVEN IF it’s hard. EVEN IF it doesn’t get any easier. EVEN IF it sucks every single second… I will choose to praise You because I know YOUR STRENGTH is enough to carry me through moment-by-moment, EVEN IF I don’t get MY strength back.”

I hate not feeling control… like I can’t just FIX something… like I can’t overcome it.

I hate feeling like it’s not up to me… like I have no say… like I’m not enough.

I hate going where I don’t want to go… I hate facing trials & unknowns that I would prefer to avoid… I hate the things that I hate.

But I DON’T hate them, because they force me to reevaluate where my trust lies—Is it in ME? Or is it in HIM? “God, EVEN IF…”

I am NOT Enough–& I Was Never Meant to Be!

So if you ask me why I don’t hate the circumstances I hate… those circumstances I hate force me to humility… to recognize my need for Him… to rely on HIM INSTEAD.

It’s not fun & it flat out feels TERRIBLE & TERRIFYING sometimes… but the result is a renewed realization that EVEN IF—HE’S GOT IT COVERED & I CAN REST IN HIM COMPLETELY.

Give up the “I am Enough” quotes. Quit misleading others by telling them God says THEY are enough—what a terrible burden that cannot be relied upon!

Instead, tell them HE is enough.

That even if they hate their circumstances… they don’t have to hate them.

That even in those circumstances that they hate—the wonderful truth is that God can use them to bring them into a humbled reliance on their Savior, where peace thrives.

I am not enough. Not even close. One sign of struggle & I am either complaining in frustration or I am bumbling through sobs of despair. I am prone to quitting as my default. I HATE struggles.

But I don’t hate them.

Love Having Your Confidence in HIM

Do you struggle with this, too? Do you like feeling self-confidence more than relying completely & only on Him? Do you need this reminder to view differently those circumstances that you hate?

I love feeling confident. But I love having my confidence in HIM even more… because EVEN IF all fails & falls apart… I can rest in my LORD GOD ALMIGHTY Who LOVED me (& you!) SO much that He made a Way to pay my debt to Him, through Jesus. (John 3:16-17)

Shine HOPE by taking the circumstances you hate to Him & by learning not to hate them for their impactful ability to remind you where to recalibrate your trust—in Him versus in yourself.

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR 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!!

Huipil Saddle Bag (Guatemala)

Artisans in Guatemala handcraft this colorful, eco-friendly saddle bag design from genuine leather & upcycled Mayan Huipil – the beautiful traditional blouses worn by women in Guatemala to signify which village they call home. Each bag is one of a kind, as the front features Huipil colors, patterns, & motifs that are unique to each woman’s village.

Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in Guatemala.

How You Can Help the Artisans:

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

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

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Back on Guam

Well, we made it. Barely, but we made it.

My husband & I just moved back to Guam, after having lived here for 3 years, leaving in 2015 to move to Japan… we now back again to Guam.

This wasn’t my first choice, in fact, when my husband built up the story of discovering this job opening, ending with, “… & guess where it is???” my initial thought was, “we’re moving to Florida 2 years earlier than we expected?!?” Haha, nope.

But here I am, sitting in a nice hotel room with a beautiful ocean view (not bad for a temporary living situation), shaking my head in disbelief. It feels like a dream. It doesn’t feel real.

But it’s true… I am back on Guam.

A Swirling Mess of “All of the Above”

Guam is such an out-of-the-way place, so when you leave here, you don’t expect to ever come back… you close that chapter in your mind because the chances are so slim the first time around, that a second time just seems an impossible scenario… but here we are.

I wasn’t excited. I was devastated. Not just the unexpected jolt to my routine/life. Not just the disappointment of “not Florida.” Not just the loneliness I felt last time I lived here. And not just the fact that it meant we had to leave our home & friends 2 years sooner than we expected. It was a swirling mess of “all of the above.”

One Tough Move!

If you followed my journey to here, you know it was one of the hardest moves I could have ever imagined from start to finish.

From the movers miscalculating our allowed shipment size, almost leaving behind some furniture & boxes, only to finally agree to call to verify, finding out they had indeed miscalculated & were trying to deny us a THIRD of our shipment space. (oof)

From the movers receiving incorrect information about what we were allowed to ship & us only finding out after we had to pay for alternative means of shipment (ie medicine cabinet, spices, etc.) (oof again)

Then there was the whole shipping our cat thing. EVERY step acts as if they just want you to give up & give up your furbaby. EVERY step. In some cases, we had to come on the phone more informed than their own staff or we would have been denied altogether! How does that happen!? But God provided a dear contact who helped us to know who to ask what to make it happen anyway! Praise GOD!

And the last step for our cat required a military id, which we had for my husband’s job in Japan… but just a couple days before our departure, my husband was notified that instead of the remote relinquishment of his id, they decided they wanted to do it BEFORE we left & nothing we said changed their opinion. It had the potential to leave our cat stranded on our last layover & it was too late in the game to do anything about it.

To say this move was a stressful one is an understatement.

The Mess CONTINUED

Once the military ids were relinquished & our journey began, the mishaps did not end there.

We had 6 bags, plus a medium-sized dog kennel for our cat to lug around the airport.

We had a shuttle to take, with no underneath baggage space, with said bags & cat kennel.

We had to clear Japanese animal export in Tokyo.

We had an overnight layover in Hawaii, of which we were greeted with the news that our airline had no reservation for our cat—by the animal holding facility, who were unwilling to call to check whether it was just my name where it didn’t show, or any pet reservation at all (it was booked under my husband’s name, not mine) & that we should “just check when we get there.” (No stress, right?!)

Then all 6 bags were lugged around the giant hotel area, only to find out no shuttle tickets could be gotten, so we had to find a taxi.

The Last Leg of the Race Didn’t Get Any Easier

And to end it all with a bang, the check-in process for our sweet kitty took THREE hours & although we were first in line, even with running to the opposite side of the airport to my gate, I was 10 minutes late & ONLY because Jamie had pre-check & could get there early, did I make the flight at all, receiving many uncaring responses of, “sounds like someone didn’t allow enough time to catch her flight.” (Ohhh boy, if only they KNEW! … I was not thinking God-honoring thoughts about them at this point & had to bite my lip a few times there.)

The airline was telling my husband they couldn’t wait any longer & that he needed to just leave me there. I couldn’t respond to his messages because I was running WITH bags, asthma, & a bad hip/back… but I made it.

And when I got on that plane, with my mask hiding my face & the loud hum of the engine masking the sound, I cried for maybe the first 10 minutes of it… just flat out sobbing in relief & frustration & hurt that it had to be that hard the whole way.

He Can Do What I Can’t

But I’m here. We made it. Cisco made it. We’re here.

I don’t write all of this for sympathy, but to show you that this whole move was one giant IMPOSSIBLE, but we leaned into God & asked others to be praying, & God put the right people in our path at the right time (because we were trusting in Him over ourselves) & HE made it happen!

So much of the last few weeks was completely out of my control. But God was still in control.

I didn’t know who to call or where to start, but God led me.

I couldn’t control the decisions of others, but God made a way anyway.

I couldn’t know what I didn’t know, but God showed me & put people in my path who did know & could tell me.

This move was impossible from start to finish.

BUT… GOD. He can do what I can’t!

Cling to TRUTH in Times of Troubles

God tells us not to be anxious for anything (I still need to work on this one! It shows I often trust what I can see over what I know God can do & His will/plan & His care for me), but to pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6-9)

He tells us to not rely on our own understanding, but to turn to Him in everything. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

He tells us to be still & know that He is GOD. (Psalm 46:10)

He says that nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37) & that He can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

He says in all our ways to acknowledge HIM (His leadership, His power, His will, His ability, His love, His lead) & He will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

He reminds us that His comforts delight our soul IN the multitude of our anxieties. (Psalm 94:19)

His Will… He Will Make a Way

Where I am limited, He is limitless.

Where I can find no way, He is a Way-Maker.

If He leads you to something He WILL make it work out… we don’t have to worry about the hows, only focus on the Who.

This was a job He led my husband to. The way seemed impossible. But with God, anything is possible & His plans cannot be thwarted. Where we can’t, He CAN.

Continued Prayers Appreciated

Prayers are still appreciated as we look for a home—one that has been well-maintained, feels inviting, & has parking/space for guests. And for 2 reliable cars—rust damage is common on an island & problems are often left undisclosed.

Ask God to help us with discernment for unforeseen problems, that we trust His lead & have patience to WAIT to see HIM move versus just ACTING, & that we find peace during our long period of displacement. Thank you in advance!

Shine HOPE by leaning into Him in every high & in every low in life, letting HIM take the reins of your life, directing & leading you in His plans, not yours. Because even if you’re scared, apprehensive, or anxious, God ALWAYS KNOWS BEST & He WILL work everything together for the good of those who love Him & are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR 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!!

Kala Scarf

This floral-print scarf is handcrafted in India using ancient Bagru block printing techniques & azo-free natural dyes. Trimmed with an elegant multicolor jewel-toned border. Every scarf has variations as a part of the traditional Bagru block-printing process & Artisan-made charm!

In India, poverty & gender discrimination make it difficult for women to find safe dignified jobs with fair wages. But with every purchase, these Artisans are earning fair wages in safe working environments while preserving the ancient Artisan traditions of their ancestors & investing in the next generation.

Purchase this scarf & empower a woman in India!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

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!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!

Apprehensions, But God Is in Control

Well, this is it. In just 3 days, my husband & I will be flying to our new again home—Guam.

As you may remember, I wasn’t excited when I found out about this possibility a mere few months ago. I thought Guam was beautiful, of course, & I made some friends who invested in me as a friend… but life on Guam back in early 2010s was hard for me.

Maybe it was the fact that I was on the other side of the world from family & friends for the first time in my life.

Maybe it was figuring out being married & being a wife, learning to work together & communicate & work through tough things together for the first time.

Maybe it was my husband’s crazy work schedule that kept him away from home so incredibly often, leaving me alone on the other side of the globe (pre-smart phone & video calls, too, when all I had was a limited international calling plan).

Maybe it was feeling like an outsider—not hired staff, not local, not military… just fallen between the cracks in so many areas with a mostly absent husband.

Maybe it was a combination of all of that. Whatever it was—it was hard… & now I am moving back.

God Is Holding Me through It

I know circumstances are different now. I have been overseas for 10 years & am no longer a newbie at this. I have been married to Jamie for 10 years &, while still growing, as we always will as human beings, we are much more established in our relationship. His work schedule won’t be as crazy. Things have changed to better include outsiders like me. And… I own a smartphone now… with video calls.

But still, the trauma is there a bit & the apprehensions settle around this move.

Gratefully, God has–despite these apprehensions– helped me to have a better attitude with this move. He is giving me peace & helping me to just take one step at a time. He is helping me to trust Him & not worry, that even if it turns out just as bad (or worse), He has a plan & He can carry me through the potential storm.

I Don’t Play Baseball…

And here I am, just a few days away from leaving this country of Japan that has become our home these last 7 years & curveballs are swinging left & right & I feel emotionally & physically spent. I feel “out of batteries” as I like to say when I get to this point.

But I have more to do. Preparations have to be completed in just a couple more days before our flights. There is no time to quit or pause. It either gets done or left behind forever.

There are so many details that I couldn’t begin to share them all with you, as it would take hours to explain every facet of ever-needing-to-be-changed-or-adjusted details. It is seriously a whirlwind of information & details & needing to know more than the people who ought to know & inform me.

And I am out of batteries. I want to quit, if I am completely honest. I want to check out, curl up under the comforter–with it pulled over my head, cry until I get all the cries out & just sleep until it’s all over.

But I can’t. I have to be a grownup.

I Was Ready to Check Out

I didn’t want to write today. I wanted to toss it out with everything else I wanted to forget about to escape any & everything that could add to my pile, but God kept whispering over my heart ever so gently that even if I just share my prayer–my crying out to Him– that’s enough.

Because I am NOT enough.

But HE is.

I NEED Him

So, today, I leave you with my heart bare in prayer, laying down my weakness for His strength, my inability for His limitlessness, my burden for His care, & my dead batteries for His Almighty power:

“God. I am so tired. I am frustrated & a little angry. So much of this process has required us to know more than the ones we’re supposed to be able to call for help. How is that even possible? How are we supposed to plan & know if THEY don’t even know? I just can’t anymore. I am so tired & drained & I just don’t want to anymore. I can’t handle one more thing falling through or one more mistake due to misinformation or one more re-do because of that misunderstanding or one more authority unwilling &/or too uncaring to bother to help us when we NEED it. I can’t handle any more of it emotionally. I feel so drained. Please, God. You are the Author. You are Almighty. You can do anything. You KNOW everything. Please give me peace where peace seems impossible. Give me rest of heart. Renew my strength. Bolster my strength & resilience. Pave a way & fit the pieces together. Direct us to the ones who know & are willing & able to help us when we need it. Give us patience & a reminder to lean on You over quitting. Thank You for all You have already moved for us. Thank You for stepping in when all seemed lost along the way already. Thank You for being bigger than me, with more patience & wisdom & knowledge & power than me. Help me trust in that more. Be my strength. Get us to Guam. Please get our kitty to Guam safely, too, & watch over his nervous, scared little heart—comfort & calm him please Lord—I hate not being able to explain to him what is happening, so please care for him on our behalf. Help me to consider more Your plans for this move versus how it may or may not directly benefit me. Thank You for always being enough when I most definitely am not. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Shine HOPE by taking your human weaknesses & limitations to HIM.

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 newly added FREE Journal Printable Resources: “Accountability Partner Guide + Question Prompts” & “Bible Study Question Prompts”!***)

This blog/website has been running for FOUR 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!!

Mosaic Clutch (Guatemala)

Made in Guatemala from upcycled traditional blouse fabric called Huipil, with each pattern symbolizing the village from which the woman came. (Colors & patterns vary widely.)

In Guatemala, women struggle through abuse & poverty. But these women are now becoming proud business owners! By utilizing their traditional skills, they are able to create beautiful products that reflect their culture. They can provide for their families at home rather than leaving home in search of work & can also send their children to school to pursue their dreams. This is because people like you purchase their work!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Guatemala!

How You Can Help the Artisans:

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!

Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!