Us or Him?

So, here’s a charge to my Christian friends….

God has burdened my heart with an analogy that I would like to share, in hopes that it will encourage you to change how you interact with those around you on a daily basis.

As Christians, we hear a lot about, “let us glorify God today.”

… Sounds pretty holy & GOOD, doesn’t it…?

But do we ever really stop to consider what it is we’re saying when we pull out that little phrase, to “glorify God”?

Most Christians would agree that to glorify God, you should be kind to one another, be friendly, & try not to mess up (SIN) today. But is there more? Is there more to giving God glory than pleasantness of character?

What it Really Means

In reading Beth Moore’s “Breaking Free,” she challenges us to look at Scripture to see how IT describes the process of glorifying God.

Do you know how God describes the act of giving Him glory?

It says:

• … to make God known
• … to make God famous
• … to show HIM off [His love, His power, His forgiveness, and His might–not ours] to a hurting world

So let me ask you this, does being a nice person, smiling, being kind, being “good” & trying not to mess up do those things?

Do your good behaviors glorify HIM or do they glorify YOU?

What Do Others Say About You?

Let’s use this measure to help us determine the answer to that question... Do you typically hear these  responses when you do those things?

• “YOU’re such a nice/good person!”
• “Well, of course that would happen for YOU, YOU’re a good person.”
• “YOU’re such a strong person.”
• “YOU always seem to have your life so together.”
• “YOU have a perfect marriage.”

Hmmm….

Maybe There’s More

So that got me thinking….

How does one ACTUALLY bring GOD glory??

Now, I definitely do not have an exhaustive list of ways one can glorify God, but here’s a start… God brought an analogy to mind that I will call “The Tale of Two Cakes.” (I love food, so this worked well for me [Insert Your Laughter Here]).

The Tale of Two Cakes

The analogy’s foundation is that everyone eats ONE of two cakes. The FIRST cake will kill you. But it won’t JUST kill you. It will be a disgusting, bloody, terrifying, painful, excruciating, shameful, and unending (sounds awful, I know–but it is) DEATH.

The second cake will give you LIFE, HOPE, meaning, purpose, strength, PEACE, forgiveness, & LOVE.

Christians are eating the LIFE CAKE. They’re no better than anyone else, but they have discovered it’s life-giving ability through Christ’s sacrifice for our: sins, debt of wrongs, & shame–to give us new life in its place.

Everyone else… well, you get the idea. (HINT: They’re NOt eating the LIFE CAKE)

Our Efforts Can Fall Short

We all have had a friend come to us with a trouble, pain, hurt, trial, worry, affliction, confession, etc. And since we don’t want to come off as too “preachy”, we do what ANY “good” friend would do. We support them, of course!

I am sure most of us have said things like these:

• “You’ve got this!”
• “You can do it!”
• “You’ll be better next time!”
• “You don’t need that mean ex!”
• “Just try harder next time!”
• “Everyone fails & messes up, but you have to pick yourself up & try again!”
• “Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!”
• “Never give up! Never Surrender!”
• “You got this, girl!
• “You’re tough!”
• “You can do it!!”

Aww, we’re SO nice…. Or ARE we???

The Truth Behind the Curtain

Where is the emphasis placed in each of those phrases as the source of their hope for change or for salvation out of a horrible situation or for redemption from shame or regret?

On THEM.

But you & I both know that we are limited. We are fallible. We have weaknesses & shortcomings & temptations. We fail. We don’t have infinite strength, wisdom, or will to carry on through trials & pain. We are only human, after all.

So, by placing all of their hope (or rather, pressure), on their shoulders… are we really helping them at all? Or are we making it worse… feeding the lie that if they just try harder next time, everything will work out?

Point Back to the Source

Are we pointing them to the true source of HOPE, by pointing out how ABLE GOD IS?

We are taught early on to give that “Go Team!” encouragement in times of trouble, but do you know what we’re doing when we give our “Go Team!” pep talk to encourage friends to pull themselves back up & try harder next time–without adding CHRIST as the true source of that hope?

Favorite Frosting? Mmmm.

Well, let me take a detour & describe it this way…. What is your ABSOLUTE FAVORITE frosting?

• Chocolate glaze?
• Whipped cream frosting?
• Buttercream icing?
• Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting? (I’m starting to drool a little, so I better stop, haha.)

So, imagine that you choose this favorite icing of yours… make a big, YUMMY batch of it, (since you feel so bad for them & want to make it all better, of course), & you lather it ALL OVER that DEATH CAKE of theirs.

**Ouch.**

Make it Matter

Because, without pointing them to the source of TRUE HOPE, do you know what you did for them with that pep talk? Absolutely nothing.

… Except to maybe make it easier for them to swallow their portion of their “Death Cake”.

… Because in saying those things, you are propelling the lie that we were made to & should be able to do this life on our own... That if we just try harder… That if we just try again… That if we were only smarter, stronger, wiser, etc. etc. etc., then maybe it will get better next time….

Bring It Back to HOPE

Did you warn them? Did you tell them about the LIFE cake? Did you point them to the FREEDOM of grace & the HOPE found in giving our cares to an able God who loves us & can set us free from the bondage of our wrongs?

Nope. You just hugged them & handed them back an even tastier DEATH CAKE & sent them on their “merry” way.

You (maybe accidentally, unintentionally) lied to them.

But God Forgives

I am sure we have all done it… With great intentions… But the truth remains that we sent them on without the hope that we hold in our own hearts.

It’s true… It’s a lie that Satan has been feeding us for ages past. The lie says,

• “You’ve got this ON YOUR OWN!”
• “You don’t need that ex (or CHRIST) because YOU’re tough!”
• “YOU’re enough (on your own)!”
• “You can do it (ON YOUR OWN–WITHOUT Christ)!”
• “YOU are strong! YOU are a warrior!”

But the Truth is, they can’t… They aren’t enough. And that’s okay. God can fill in the gaps as we entrust it to Him.

We Need a Savior–& It’s Not Us

On our own, there will always be another sin. Another failure. Another hurt. Another wrong done to us or done by us. Sin & Satan will still be in control–on our own.

BUT, please realize another important piece of Truth–God gives victory & He forgives US in OUR shortcomings as well. So if you’re guilty of turning friends away with a smile full of false hope… repent of it, ACCEPT God’s FORGIVENESS, & move FORWARD!

We have hope in Christ! Hallelujah!

How to Give “Life Cake” Instead

The important question moving forward is this, “How can you transform this “DEATH CAKE-DELECTABLE ICING PEP TALK” into a LIFE-GIVING message of actual, lasting HOPE?”

The simple answer? By giving God the glory He deserves!

How can we start offering our friends the “Life Cake” instead of trying to make their “Death Cake” taste better?

When You Grow, You Can Help Others Grow

Well, one way that comes to mind is making efforts of memorizing Scripture. That’s right, it’s not just for your OWN personal battles!

Truth is Truth.

The more our focus is set on Truth & the more Truth that we are consistently absorbing through the reading of God’s Word, the Bible, the more prepared we will be on the fly, when a friend approaches us with a problem, to tackle that problem with grace, Truth, & love.

And Pray, Always Pray

And pray! Pray with your friends when they come to you with a struggle–even if they don’t know Jesus. Because Jesus knows & loves them just the same, & He died for their shame & guilt as well.

God loves them, so let your friend know that fact & pray with them through it.

Making a Change

Now, say that same friend came to you, & during your encouragement pep talk, you threw in some Truth (AKA Scripture) along with it & then prayed with them.

Try something like this, “It’s okay to not have it all together! That’s why we need Christ! The Bible says that He is our refuge and our strength–a very present help in time of trouble. Put your trust in HIM as your hope & He will give you the strength & peace you need to get through it! Let’s stop & pray right now. You don’t have to if you don’t feel comfortable, but please allow me to pray for you.”

OR “God tells us, in the Bible, that His love covers a multitude of offenses. That’s why we need Christ. Trials are a way to show us how much we need Him in our lives. He gives hope! Let’s pray about it!”

Now don’t get me wrong, you MIGHT get an eye roll or two–I know I have given plenty on the downlow.

But Truth is Truth. Be encouraged & stand for Truth, because it’s WORTH IT–And, they are destined to die without it.

Be a Living Testimony

And in the future, when you face a trial of your own & YOU are the one struggling & you share with THEM, you can cling to the TRUTH & say, “but I am so glad I have Christ, because His promises stand true,  one of them says “He is my refuge and my strength–a very present help in time of trouble. I need to stop & pray & ask for His help.”

Be a living testimony of how much God loves us & how He interacts in our lives during times of trouble.

So, when they see God work that very Truth in YOUR life, they will maybe want to start questioning that little eye roll they gave you before.

Sorry, But Our Goodness Can’t Save Us

You see, our goodness can’t save us long-term–eternally or otherwise, only God’s perfect goodness can do that for us & for our friends, through His gift of Christ’s payment. (*Read more on my Hope is Found page, here.)

I heard a quote once that said, “The way we, as Believers, live ought to cause Unbelievers to question their unbelief.”

Join Me in Giving God the Glory While Offering Others “Life Cake”

So join me in this movement to PRAY on ways to bring HIM glory & not to live for our own glory! To make God known! To make HIM famous! Not for MY glory, but for HIS glory alone, forever & ever, AMEN.

Shine HOPE.

Coming Next Week

A new post goes live every Monday morning! See you next week!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

The Imani Necklace

Representing & Empowering Women in Uganda & India!

This stretch cord necklace carries cream and aqua paper-rolled beads.

Artisan Information:

We partner with the ministry founded in 2008 by then 19-year-old Katie Davis Majors (author of Kisses from Katie). This ministry feeds, educates, & encourages vulnerable children & families in Uganda. Katie goes into a slum community once a week to meet with artisan women, build relationships, lead them in a Bible study, & provide job training. Your purchase of this paper bead jewelry gives a bright future for women!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Uganda

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE, Lovely!

Sounds Good to Me…

We all like to think of ourselves as good people, don’t we?

Except for those low days that we may feel self-loathing, we generally feel like we are pretty good.

At least I do.

Maybe it’s because we help others who are hurting. Maybe we give money to people in need. Maybe we are generally pretty kind with others. Maybe we’re good at forgiving others. Maybe a million other things that are good things in & of themselves… But do they make US good?

I Like to Think of Myself

I like to think about my good qualities, & ignore my bad qualities. Weaknesses are a different thing altogether—I can acknowledge those pretty easily—but “badness” or evil or sin? Nope… I like to justify those into oblivion.

Are you with me on that? Do you also try to excuse your own bad behavior? Bad thoughts? Bad past (or present)?

Sometimes we are too busy comparing the bad with the good, feeling the latter outweighs the former.

Sometimes we are too busy comparing our badness with someone else’s whose is “worse.”

Sometimes we are just plain ignorant.

Sometimes we are too busy justifying our own actions to see there actually was a better alternative.

We all have our own personal ways of covering up the less appealing sides of ourselves.

The Pressure to “Be Good”

We sometimes feel pressure from others who expect better or seem better than we are, & we fake a façade to fit in or be liked.

But count on this… that evil is there.

I grew up in a Christian home & was taught from a young age all of the right things to say & all the right things to do. I was pretty much taught how to ACT good. But on the inside, I was just like anyone else. Rotten.

Growing up, knowing I knew all of the “right” things to do & say, I began believing that I was a pretty good person, compared to the world, at least.

I grew accustomed to subconsciously conducting a goodness check on myself, realizing that I at least wasn’t doing “that.”

But all of that was a lie I used to make me feel good about myself… justified… deserving of the grace God had given me.

HA.

Anyone else fool yourselves into thinking such things?

We Can’t Earn It, Sista!

Like we could ever earn the grace of God?

God tells us in the Bible that there is none who is good, no not one—[including myself—Michelle Hyde].

He tells us that our righteousness is like dirty rags.

He tells us it is by Grace that we are saved, through faith, so that no one may boast.

You see, when we believe we are generally good people, we are lying to ourselves. Flat out lying.

The Missing Piece

We are also depriving ourselves when we tell ourselves these lies.

How are we depriving ourselves? Because we are placing the weight of our redemption on the measure of our own goodness—continually falling short, of course.

There is freedom in recognizing our evil condition. There is freedom in realizing our complete depravity.

There is freedom in recognizing our lack of goodness because instead of trying furiously to maintain the right to grace, we can fall on our face before God & fully accept His free gift, knowing His love is so great that even though we don’t even come close to deserving it—He still offers it to us, even knowing us better than we know ourselves.

A Rocky Road with Zero Marshmallows

I have mentioned before that God has been taking me down a path of learning, to learn to rely on Him more than I rely on myself.

It’s been hard. (Hard is a huge understatement, by the way—imagine instead, me crumpled on the floor in tears some days).

It’s been hard because He has been revealing my own depravity to me. And that’s never fun. He has slowly been revealing my inward, hidden & excused-away SIN.

It’s a comfort to us, to feel like we somehow deserve the grace God offers us & to feel like we can somewhat control each situation on our own, without His help or guidance… But when God takes that lie away, it’s not so fun–trust me.

He has let me wallow in it at times, merely to show me that it’s not my own goodness or strength or wisdom that gives me victory over it—it’s His alone.

On My Own is Not Where I Want to Be

If He left me to myself… I would be just as capable of doing the worst things as anyone else… Things that would ruin me.

I am naturally a sinful person. We all are.

I like to look out for myself first. I like to think I’m great. I like to hope everyone believes I am so, so good.

But the reality is? I am just as depraved as the “worst” of us. And I am just as undeserving as the “worst” of us.

We All Need It

God is revealing to me my inward struggle. He is letting me see the shameful temptations & the awful, selfish attitudes that live in me. He is letting me see the NEED I have for HIS GRACE.

The even more beautiful truth behind this self-revelation is how wrong it is for me to gauge how deserving certain people are of God’s grace compared to others.

I don’t do this consciously, mind you—I am not a heartless, uncaring person—but it’s a natural thing to see certain sins or wrongs & wonder if they could ever submit to the grace of God–or maybe they just deserve it less than others.

But God…

But God does the saving, not us (Thank God!!!), & His redemption & grace covers everything, without discrimination of our past (Again, THANK GOD!).

Take Saul, in the Bible, for instance. He murdered Christians. A LOT of Christians. He was infamous for it & just his name alone could scare people to the core.

But God spoke to Saul, humbled him, & changed the course of history through his life. God gave him a new name—Paul–& Paul became one of the absolute most influential ambassadors of hope to the world.

God Does the Changing in Us

God changes people.

Let me say that again, in case you missed it… GOD. CHANGES. PEOPLE.

Not us. Not our goodness. Not our efforts. GOD’s. HIM, ONLY.

All we are asked to do is to take our sorry state of depravity, bow before His HOLY throne, & pour it all out at His feet.

We don’t have to become perfect first. We don’t have to prove our goodness or worth. We don’t have to offer sacrifices & earn our way into grace….

He Sees Us… All of Us… And He Loves Us

He looks at us. He sees our depravity. He sees the helpless attempts to hide our sin. He has compassion on us. He reaches out His hand & draws us to Himself. He changes us. He saves us. Him.

You see, He created us. He gave us free will to choose Him or reject Him. He never wanted to force us against our will to love or obey Him—that wouldn’t be love. But He knew before He created us, that this would create opportunity for sin—a rejecting of His ways for ours. He knew the hurt this would cause. He knew that we wouldn’t be able to fully ever wash ourselves from that sin & depravity to enter again into His HOLY presence. He knew all of that before He created us.

He knew that we would need a Savior. He knew He would have to send His Son, Jesus, to cover what we could not, in order to pull us back into His HOLY presence.

And guess what? He still created us. He watched us fall. He watched us try & fail at redeeming ourselves. And He sent Jesus to save all who would come asking.

We are lost without Him… Every single one of us.

God is Enough

We have shame.

We have guilt.

We have stains we cannot wash away.

We have hurts.

We have scars.

We have a “ME” we hide away.

But God is enough.

God is enough.

God is ENOUGH to wash it all away.

So, come to Him.

Lay it all before Him.

And let HIM be the Goodness & Redemption that your hungry heart craves.

Lay It All Down

We may be REALLY good at hiding our sin & our depravity—even to ourselves.

But God sees it. He sees it all.

And still He holds out His hand to us, an open invitation for Grace & Redemption. To become His beloved children. To be freed from the chains of our sin & shame. To live in His LOVE.

So, Lovely, take a moment to consider your own depravity.

You don’t have to cover it or hide it, because God already sees it & loves you anyway.

Just come to Him with it all.

Say something like, “God, I can’t. I just can’t. I try so hard to convince myself & others that I am so good, but we both know it’s a lie. I am so selfish, so proud, so undeserving. Please forgive me for my wrong attitudes, my wrong thoughts, my wrong choices, & the wrongs I have done to others whom you also love. Please forgive me. Change me. Help me become the woman you created me to be. Help me see the me You intended me to be. Wash me clean. Change me. Shape me. Forgive me. Be my Lord, my Savior, my Father, my HOLY GOD. Amen!”

That’s all we have to do to receive God’s grace. Lay it all before Him & allow Him to work in & change you into His beautiful vision of you. The old you washed away. The new you just beginning.

God Doesn’t Discriminate

God doesn’t discriminate based on “severity of sin” but rather loves us all indiscriminately.

So, come to Him, depravity & all, & let Him be the change you seek.

Let Him have the GLORY, forever & ever, AMEN.

Shine His Light of HOPE to the world, Lovely—SHINE HOPE.

Coming Next Week

To be honest with you… I don’t know.

I had a plan, but God seems to be washing that away, whether to show me that I need to lean on Him, or whether He has a different plan than I do, I don’t know. But I had nothing to say today, other than a prayer that God would use me as a vessel of hope somehow in the blankness of my mind today, & this is what came of it.

Stay tuned & pray for me. Pray that I don’t hide away from the hard lessons I need to learn. Pray that I don’t put on a façade of perfection, but rather bare my soul & weaknesses to the world, so that others may see His HOPE & not me.

Love you, Lovely!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Willow Necklace

Representing Women Artisans in Haiti!

Wear this hand-rolled clay and paper bead piece as a double strand necklace or detach one strand for a matching bracelet. Accented with micro paper beads.

Artisan Information:

Haiti is home to almost 500,000 orphans. The majority of these orphans have not been orphaned by parental deaths, but by parents who had to give them up simply because they could not afford to feed them. No mother should have to give up her child. Through your purchase, you provide parents with a sustainable income, so they can keep their children with them! Be a part of families stepping into bright futures together!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in Haiti!

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE, Lovely!

What I Have to Offer

I am nothing.

As I sat down to write this week’s encouragement post, I was left blank.

Not that I haven’t been thinking over this topic & mentally preparing to write it–I have–but as I sit to write, the words escaped me & I was left with a glaringly blank screen in front of me. All day.

I am reminded again & again that when I try to do things on my own, or simply to keep a schedule, words & actions come out flat & meaningless–like my prior edits to this post.

God Works Despite Our Failings

You see, God tells us some amazing things in the Bible. He is faithful. He is Good. He loves us all EQUALLY–even when we spit in His face, whether in ignorance or indignation.

But God is faithful. He showers blessings of hope & joy & love, whether we deserve it or not (Hint: We never really deserve it.)

And so here I am, once again being reminded of this astounding Truth–we need Him.

A Journey of Bitterness

Let me take you on a journey over my last year or so….

Rewind back to my arrival on Guam, six years ago. High hopes. Tropical island dreams floating in heart-shaped bubbles above my head. All full of confidence & a readiness to take on this new adventure on an island paradise. I was ready to jump in and be a light of hope & encouragement to everyone around me.

But then it happened… Discouragement hit me like a slap in the face.

I didn’t see it coming. But reality was cruel. Jamie, my husband, worked almost constantly & was away from home. I had little means of communicating with family or friends back home–plus an opposite time zone to work around. And most hopeful friends were so bogged down by work & other responsibilities, they hardly had time to breathe, let alone have the endless time to hang out like I did. That’s when I realized I was mostly alone.

Now, let’s stop here to consider a fact that I failed to capture in those moments–God can redeem alone time & spring wonderful things out of it. He can inspire growth & a chance to see Him work in our weaknesses, making His works stand out gloriously bright in our lives, in contrast… when we submit those hard moments to Him.

But for the most part, I didn’t.

I mostly only prayed for the loneliness to end. For comfort. For friends. I wanted my rosy view to return.

He didn’t answer the way I wanted Him to, so I took it as silence–when I should have stopped to ask Him how He would like that time to be used.

Bitterness took root.

And On Goes the Journey

Fast-forward to Chitose, Japan–three years ago. A hopeful beginning. A second chance to start anew. A chance to escape the loneliness. A chance for adventure in a foreign land.

I had dreams of clustering together with many other Americans to support each other in a foreign land. I had hopes of having English-speaking friends with whom we could learn the lay of the land together, ready to make new friends & form tight bonds.

Reality hit when I realized English was actually rarely spoken & other foreigners were few & far between. Add to that the fact that unless someone has lived far from other English speakers for several years, they simply don’t know the inevitable stress that you might manage every day, as your mind constantly tries to make sense of the foreignness around you everywhere you go–so even talking with friends can seem strained. I was alone again.

Again, I could have asked God to teach me how to handle it & still have had grand adventures, albeit alone, during those three years… But I wanted comfort. I wanted friends. I wanted my rosy view to return.

I mainly just wanted to feel some comfort & a sense of HOME somewhere.

Bitterness dug her claws deeper.

But Wait…

Fast-forward to close to a year ago. I was hit by the reality that bitterness & loneliness & stress from foreign living seemed to completely rule my life. I had become jaded & cynical in many ways--much darker than I was in the past.

I had pushed God out of that area of my life & as a result, that area was left cold & dark & empty.

I was growing numb to the concerns of others, too bogged down by my own pain & misery festering underneath the surface–even if I didn’t always consciously acknowledge that being the cause.

The waters were rising up, threatening to drown me out. I was losing hope that things could ever improve.

My stark callousness woke me up to my condition & I started praying a little differently. I started asking God to WAKE ME UP. I wanted Him to show me again His grace & love & to show me how much I really needed Him.

He Is LIFE

I knew from my past that where I was following Him, there was LIFE. I wanted that again.

But I had grown so cold that my heart had built a sort of stone wall to protect itself. I wanted it to come down. I wanted to let Jesus’ love & hope & peace & strength to come pouring over my cold heart so I could LIVE again. Really live.

I felt a small whisper on my heart when I started asking God to change me & wake me up… “I will. But it will take time.”

I knew it was the only way. He had to show me that it wasn’t magic that snapped me out, but rather a loving Father willing to take the time to teach me & guide me to Truth in a way that will stick in my mind & transform my heart.

A lasting change.

In the Now

Fast-forward to now, & there really isn’t ANY guarantee that things WILL ever improve.

That’s just life.

We live in a broken world, you & I. There WILL be pain & discomfort at times.

But that doesn’t mean God cannot work through it, Lovely.

The Secret to Life

And there you have it… That’s the secret to life–We can’t do it on our own–we were never meant to.

God offers Himself to us. Completely. With all His resources.

He offers grace & redemption & a CLEAN SLATE to anyone who asks Him whole-heartedly, too!! (*Read how on my Hope is Found page, here).

Why should we ever WANT to do it on our own?

Created FOR HIM

We are nothing. We are flesh & bones–tempted & weak & insufficient.

But He is everything. He is ALMIGHTY–All-Wise, All-Powerful, & All-Sufficient.

And He is faithful. He tells us that He rains on the just AND the unjust. That means, even when we KNOW with all certainty that we don’t deserve it, He still blesses us with GOOD things.

So the secret is out. We were created BY Him & we were created FOR Him. We are the created. He is the Creator. We are the clay. He is the Potter.

We were created to praise & honor & glorify our Creator., by loving Him & loving others. We were created to love & serve Him & others. We are offered all of His wisdom & strength & resources to accomplish what He sets before us.

We are nothing, but He is everything.

Not Easy, But Worth It

God didn’t give me an easy outflow for this post, by the way. I finished it merely an hour before it was to go live.

He allowed me to feel the discomfort of my insufficiency, but He did answer & He did provide. He is Good. And even if He hadn’t? He would have a reason for it & He would work through it for the best. It’s funny how amazing He is at that.

Shine HOPE, Lovely. HIS hope. Let everything flow out of this Truth. That we are His… Created by Him… Created for HIS glory & honor & praise.

Coming Up Next!

Make sure to check back in this coming Thursday to see this month’s special feature post (every last Thursday of the month), PART 2/2 of my short story, “Falling”! I can’t wait to share it with you!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Sea Glass Necklace

Representing Women Artisans in the Jordan & Cambodia!

The sea glass used by the artisans to create this piece was once collected from the shores of the Red Sea, but because of their recycling efforts, the beaches have become so clean that they now gather & upcycle bottles from locals hotels & restaurants before they are discarded. How beautiful! The glass is then tumbled in water from the Red Sea to create a similar look.

Artisan Information:

Many Jordanian women have their lives controlled by their closest male relative. They balance many customs at home, creating a lack of independence. Some of these women are divorced, widowed, or married to a man who may already have many wives. But amid struggles, these women we work with arrive to a family-like workplace. They can be heard singing, laughing, and drinking tea while creating our unique jewelry made from upcycled glass bottles. Your purchase empowers them with boldness and financial independence for the first time!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in Jordan!

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE, Lovely!

A Quick Glance Back

A couple weeks ago, I began discussing the topic of “Living Love”. The first topic I discussed was about living graciously, with intentional kindness. (Read that post, here.)

Last week, I introduced the topic of loving people, even when it’s hard. I honed in on five different reasons that make it hard for us to love others. Those five reasons include:

1. Loving Our Enemies
2. Loving People Who Are Difficult to Love
3. Loving People Different Than Us
4. Loving Through Trauma & Pain (today’s post)
5. Loving When We Don’t Feel Like It (also today’s post)

(To catch up, check out Part 1 + Introduction to this topic, here.)

Today, I would like to finish off the topic we started last week of living love, even when it’s hard, by talking about those last two areas of difficulty in loving others—Loving Through Trauma and Pain & Loving When We Don’t Feel Like It.

Sometimes We Don’t Get It, & That’s OK

To begin talking about loving others through trauma & pain, I need to address this very important point—sometimes we don’t get it, & that’s ok.

Have you ever had a friend or loved one pour their sorrows on you, only to leave you feeling completely helpless & uncomfortable—squirmy even—eager to change the subject?

I know it has happened to me, & I know I can’t be alone in this.

We are called, by God, to share each other’s burdens. We are called to lift one another up & encourage one another, pointing each other back to the hope & promises of God.

So, then why can it be so uncomfortable?

Partly because we are caught off guard, but I think partly because we feel a pressure & a guilt to make all their troubles go away. And if we don’t know how to do that, we freeze & are left feeling uncomfortable.

Another reason is maybe we are personally strained or stressed, & taking on the strain or stress of your friend seems too much to bare.

Bringing Back Perspective

But let me bring everything back into perspective…

We ARE weak. We ARE insufficient. We ARE incapable of juggling or solving it all…

BUT…

Guess who isn’t any of those things? GOD.

God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, & all-capable!

HE IS ENOUGH.

So, when you feel the weight of the world crushing you to the floor, in the midst of the struggle, stop trying to carry it yourself!

And when a friend comes to you with burdens, take them to Him—right then & there.

If they were desperate enough to wear their heart on their sleeve, pour their heart out to you, & risk rejection through vulnerability—then it is important enough to step aside or stop right where you are & respond with this:

“Hey, I am so sorry you are facing this right now. Can I give you a hug? Can we stop right now & pray together? I may not know how to help, but God is big enough & He can bring wisdom or healing or grace to this situation, so let’s go to Him right now & ask Him for it.”

You don’t need to know all the answers—because He does. You don’t need to know how to fix everything—but God gives peace & wisdom & strength to those who ask Him.

So, ask!

Loving Through Trauma & Pain

So, keeping that in mind, we come to the topic of loving others who are hurting immensely, maybe more than we have ever or will ever experience in our lifetime.

It can be easy to be intimidated by the great pain that others face, especially when we can’t understand their situation & we feel like fools with nothing useful to say… And that’s okay.

Like I mentioned above, we really can’t fully relate to or understand others, & we don’t have to. God can give us the words. God can give us the strength. God can give us the wisdom.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of sitting silently with your friend or being a listening ear. Sometimes you just hold their hand & sit by them. Sometimes you just PRAY.

But keep showing up (or sometimes giving them space), keep loving them, & keep praying!

It’s Hard to See Them Hurt

Whether the pain or trauma is a chronic illness, life-threatening health condition, depression, anxiety, or a traumatic life event (or other difficult situation), take the time to listen to your friend. Let them know that you are not going anywhere & that it’s ok to not be ok—that they don’t have to pretend with you.

Pray with them & love them as they are.

Society puts a lot of pressure on seeming happy & confident & self-reliant, so when we aren’t those things, we feel broken & in the way.

Let your friends know they don’t have to fake it because you love them even in the storms of life—even when their life’s a mess & even when they feel broken & scarred.

God is Able!

Let God fill in the gaps where you are inadequate. Let God direct your words & let God encourage your friend through your words & presence.

Let God use you to be a light to them in their dark moments.

Because whether we like to admit it or think about it, we all have dark moments arise in life. There is sin in this world & that sin results in a broken world. Pain is inevitable at times.

So, trust God through the storms & keep on loving when it’s difficult.

Loving Others When You Don’t Feel Like It

There are two areas I want to touch on with this specific area. Sometimes we don’t feel like loving someone because of our own stress, strain, or pain, & sometimes it’s our own attitudes that keep us back from loving others the way we are called to love them.

Loving Through the Storms

Here’s a little mental picture of how life felt for me a couple times this past week….

Imagine trying to walk on stormy seas. The waves are crashing around you, loud & thunderous. The skies are dark & menacing, seeming to close in around you. The ocean water is seeming to grab at your heels, & you are so tired from the fight that you almost want to let it pull you under. Drowning seems imminent because you feel the fight being drained from your body.

But up ahead, you see the hand of Jesus, stretched out to meet you. You hear His tender voice saying, “I am here. I am with you. I am enough. I will keep you above the waves. Don’t focus on the threats surrounding you—only keep your eyes on me & you will be okay. Troubles will come in this world, but lo, take heart, for I have overcome the world.”

But it sucks.

The pain & strife & struggle & fight… they all suck… big time.

And sometimes you don’t want to fight. You forget that God is a prayer away & that He has strength for you if you but ask. But sometimes you just want the struggle taken away & it just isn’t.

But God is enough.

Don’t let insecurities, stress, struggles, fears, challenges, exhaustion, etc. keep your eyes off Jesus—because He is enough.

Let Him be your strength & keep honoring Him with your life, even when you feel you can’t. Because Satan will do all he can to stifle our opportunities to glorify God in this life, but GOD IS BIGGER.

So, keep your eyes on Him & keep shining His light through the storm.

Loving Through Anger & Strife

Sometimes our own pride gets damaged when someone says an unkind word or is short with us. The bad attitudes of others tend to rub off on us, don’t they?

And sometimes their bad attitude is directed toward us, & all of a sudden, we are left angry, hurt, & upset.

But other times, it’s simply a misunderstanding that can flip a happy situation into a confusing, upsetting spiral of emotions.

In those moments, we feel justified with our, “You apologize first!” mentality. But when both parties feel this way, things get stuck.

This is especially prone to happen when it’s with someone who is typically encouraging you toward Christ, because guess what? Satan hates it & wants to split up your friendship at all costs.

But, GOD IS BIGGER.

Keep those thoughts in mind next time, & love & trust God enough to ask Him to help you love past your hurt, misunderstandings, & anger.

He is big enough!

Ask that friend to pray out loud with you, even if you can’t look at each other while you do it.

You will be surprised of the healing, grace, reconciliation, & growth that God can bring through that painful situation when we entrust it to His wisdom & love.

A Call to Love

So, there you have it. Love when it’s hard. Pray when it’s hard to love. Let God fill in the gaps.

And when the storms of life rage on, keep your eyes pinned to Jesus & let Him guide you through the storm.

Because GOD. IS. ENOUGH.

Shine Hope… Live LOVE—even when it’s hard.

Coming Next Week

Next week, I have a special, unplanned treat for you. I want to talk about the secret to life. I want to share with you the not-so-secret key that fits all of life together.

… So, make sure to check in next week to see what’s in store!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Empress Necklace

Representing Women Artisans in India & Thailand!

This bib necklace is hand embroidered with an adjustable cotton cord.

Artisan Information:

Even though it is curable, patients with leprosy are often rejected by their families and villages. Due to the visible signs that label them as “lepers”, they usually end up as beggars on the street, often with their children at their sides. This group has changed this lonely lifestyle for these women. They have found a place of life, love, and dignity where they can take pride and gain confidence in their beautiful work.

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in India!

(*Also Pictured: Stella Earrings from India & Royalty Wrap from Thailand.*)

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE, Lovely!

Sometimes It’s Hard

Last week’s blog was about Living Love Intentionally, but I felt I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t make sure to talk about living love, even when it’s hard.

Now, I don’t just mean with a spouse or romantic relationship… We are called to love EVERYONE, even people we don’t know well. (But this definitely can apply to romantic relationships in certain circumstances).

Loving someone even when it’s hard can have several meanings:

1. Loving an enemy
2. Loving a person whose personality or character is hard to love
3. Loving someone different from us, whom we don’t understand
4. Loving someone through a life or death situation
5. Loving when you really don’t feel like it (arguments, anger, hurt, etc.)

Now, I am not a licensed psychologist, so I don’t have all of the techniques down, but I do know that this is an area of great importance to God.

He loves us ALL, even when we are (or, rather, feel that we are) unlovable.

And because of that, we should all strive to love all people, whether we want to or not, because Christ first loved us (including them) & died for the sins (wrongs) of all of us (including them).

So, let’s talk about that for a bit & hopefully we can all encourage each other to trust this area to God more & to grow better at it as we go.

Loving an Enemy—God’s Perspective

First of all, loving our enemies seems like the absolute hardest thing to do, but God expressly tells us to do so, so it must be possible & it must be important to Him.

We are all enemies of God, on our own. We are born selfish & self-focused. We want what WE want & we want it NOW.

God is so patient in loving us through our stubborn pride, even when we figuratively spit in His face & turn our backs on His Truth, Promises, Grace, & LOVE.

There is no extent to His patience & willingness to extend grace to us. He is like a loving Father, waiting with open arms to welcome us home.

He also sent Christ to die a cruel death to pay our debt & offers freely a debt-free gift of His grace, if only we are humble enough to accept it. No strings attached. No conditions based on how wrong our actions or attitudes of the past were or what nasty secrets hide in our closet of shame. (Read my Redemption Story, here.)

He paid it all & forgives freely.

He loves the “unlovable.” He loves those “too far gone.” He loves EVERYONE.

And we are called to love them, too. Even when they are an enemy.

Loving an Enemy—in Practice

So how do we do this? How do we love someone who might be cruel, heartless, reckless, etc.?

How do we love the unlovable?

Through PRAYER, first of all! It is by no means natural for us to love someone we naturally want to hate.

Not natural at all!

But because God tells us to do so, it is definitely possible—just not by our own efforts!

So, if someone has hurt you, turn to God as your strength.

Lay your burdens & pain & anger & fear at His feet & trust that HE IS BIGGER than any evil you face.

Pray for that person.

Pray that God soften their heart & wake them up to repentance.

Pray that God give you strength & peace in the midst of the turmoil.

Pray that God show you how to be a light in that person’s life.

Pray that God teach you to be gracious.

And sometimes, if needed for personal safety, pray at a distance.

But PRAY.

God Can Do All Things

Do you know of Paul, in the Bible?

Well, Saul became Paul.

Saul murdered Christians as his mission in life, but God stopped him dead in his tracks, woke him up to the Truth & the MAJESTY of God’s POWER.

And Saul surrendered his life & became one of the biggest influencers for HOPE & LOVE & GRACE, of all time!

God can do anything. So, love that person by learning to be gracious (knowing you were once an enemy to God, but that He also offers you endless forgiveness & grace) & never stop praying for that enemy!

Loving the Difficult

Sometimes loving someone is difficult simply because the person you are called to love is difficult. Maybe they are a loud mouth. Maybe they gloat about doing wrong. Maybe they are crude or rude. Maybe they talk about others behind their backs.

Whatever the reason, maybe that person just straight up rubs you the wrong way.

I definitely understand that!

But also, maybe their personality just simply clashes with yours. Maybe they intimidate you. Maybe they just irk you.

Guess what, Lovely… We are called to love them, too.

Cue the loud, long *SIGH*.

I get it, it’s tough loving someone that gets on your last nerve.

But, reality check, God loves them, & so should we.

As always, start by praying. Pray for your attitude, because sometimes it’s simply your impression of them & we need to take personal responsibility as well & take the time to get to know that person past our perception of them.

Pray for that person. Pray that God show you ways to bridge the gaps & to help you better understand & love them the way God calls you to.

And be kind. Always be kind. And pray.

Loving Differences

Whoo, this is a big one, too, isn’t it?

We all like to believe that we don’t hold any prejudices, but let’s face it, Lovelies… that’s a lie that we all tell ourselves because the word “prejudice” sounds so awful.

And it is awful!

Prejudice comes in many forms, aside from the obvious hot topic of race, & it usually stems from simply not understanding where that other person is coming from & why they are the way they are.

Differences are scary sometimes, because we don’t understand them.

It can also take form when recognizing different upbringings, different personality types, different social statuses, different amounts of wealth, new money vs old money, culture differences, language barriers, large age gaps, etc. etc. etc.
It’s easy to feel different from other people—because we are all different people!

But God warns us against favoring one person over another, mainly because He sees past all of that to the souls of all His creation–& He loves us all just as much as the other.

It is reasonably tough to love someone different from us, mostly because it’s hard for us to understand what we don’t understand.

So, start by getting to know that person better—their culture, their upbringing, their roles in life, etc.

Learn to look through God’s eyes, to see them as souls. To see them as a person just like you, even though they’re different.

Living in Japan—Perspective

One thing I have learned from living in Japan for several years, (Read more about that on my “About Me” page), is that we are all essentially the same.

We ALL have hopes, dreams, fears, insecurities, aspirations, a need to be loved & accepted, & most of all, a need for HOPE & GRACE.

Most of the Japanese may not speak my language. Their fashion may be somewhat different from mine. They may have a different lifestyle, history & cultural upbringing…. But they are all created by & loved by God, just like me.

So, strive to look past the differences & LOVE those who are different from you, as if they were just like you, but different. 😉

… to be continued.

Shine Hope, Lovely!

Coming Next Week

I wish I had time to continue on in this post for this topic of “Living Love-Even When It’s Hard,” but there’s just too much to say about this topic to condense it down any further, so make sure to check back next week, as we finish this topic & discuss “Loving through Other’s Pains” & “Loving through Personal Hurt.”

It’s going to be good—See you next week!!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Joy Ring

Supporting Women in Nepal with my Joy Ring!

This adjustable ring is made of intertwining silver and brass metal alloy and a white powder stone.

Artisan Information:

In many areas of Nepal, women are not considered equal to men and are vulnerable to sex trafficking. But the women making this product are earning an income and learning entrepreneurship, giving them confidence to break social norms! With every purchase, these women are provided with education, seminars on health, nutrition and also on women’s rights. Your purchase will create change for generations of women to come!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Nepal

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE, Lovely!

Closing a Chapter

Well, this week closes out this series on intentionality with regards to growing your relationship with God & to finish it up, let’s talk about being intentional with how we love others.

The Bible mentions the need to love others again & again, which shows me how important this topic is to God. That is why I want to make sure we take some time to cover this in a little more detail.

Why?

People are all around us. Every person has a different story, full of their own personal life experiences, hurts, struggles, insecurities, & God-given gifts—some of which they may never share with you, even if you’re close to them.

Every person is also equally loved by God & equally offered His gift of redemption. Read my story of redemption & learn how to find your own, here.

Last week’s post (Read it, here), talked about Purposeful Fellowship, & the importance of being purposeful with how we spend time with & love our friends.

But this week, let’s go a little broader.

When We Feel Limited

As mentioned above, people matter to God & people are everywhere around us & people have secret hurts/insecurities/struggles that they may never share with anyone other than their closest friends.

Because of this, we need to make it a priority to spread love with whomever we come in contact.

It may seem a little out of our comfort zone to purposefully love others who don’t expressly make mention of their needs or ask directly for help, but here are some quick ways to begin training yourself to live love intentionally each day:

1. Pray about it—God knows your insecurities or hesitations in this area & He has unique ways to specifically help you to grow in this area, but it takes practice learning to set aside our apprehensions & get in the habit of asking Him for help versus avoiding the discomfort altogether. So, when you feel that hesitation, stop & ask Him for courage, opportunity, & inspiration on how to live love.
2. Take the “Love on Purpose Challenge”—Every day, choose one friend (or acquaintance) whom you possess their phone number, email, or other means of reaching them, & send them a quick message asking how they are & whether you can be praying for them in any specific way (& then pray for them!) We live in such a digital age, & it can be easy to feel invisible in the mass of social media buzz, so take time to single someone out & show them that you see them & love them.
3. SMILE!—Show your beautiful smile to the world! You never know when a quick moment of eye contact coupled with a polite smile can mean the world to someone who feels overwhelmed or alone in the world. So, smile away!
4. Love in the Little Things—Courtesy can go a long way in expressing care for another person’s well-being. Take the time to hold the door open just a little longer & smile as you pass it on. Rush to help someone pick up something dropped. Offer to get someone at your table a refill when you get up to get your own. Be courteous & be kind. It goes a long way to make this world a kinder place to live in!
5. Be the Welcome Party—If you have a new co-worker, a new neighbor, or see someone new at church, take time to go over & introduce yourself with a few quick questions to show attentiveness. Maybe even invite them to meet for lunch or invite them to an outing. It’s hard being new, so remember that as you show care & love to them. Try some of these questions:

• Are you new to the area? Where did you travel from?
• What brought you to the area?
• What hobbies or activities do you typically enjoy with your free time?
• Would you like to get coffee or join in for lunch afterwards? (Only with females—otherwise you might give the wrong impression of flirtation.)

There are so many ways that we can intentionally share love around us. Sometimes it can be hard to notice those ways when we are consumed by our own stressors & routine, but it is always worth it to spread some more hope & love out there to make the world a more pleasant place to live.

A Personal Story

I remember being in middle/high school & feeling so alone, especially during my freshman & sophomore years, as I was struggling with crippling depression.

No one knew.

Even my family was clueless. They knew something was wrong, but usually assumed it to be teenage rebellion, attitude, & hormones.

But for me, I was fighting each day to convince myself to hold onto life one more day. I was being suffocated & strangled by the torturously cruel thoughts (lies) that haunted & attacked me daily. It was like fighting for my life every day, & that got to be too difficult to even try. Read more about my struggle with depression & my road to hope, here.

You see, the world around me kept moving forward, but I felt like the kink in the wheel that was holding everyone back from being happy.

I felt like “the problem” because I couldn’t “fix myself.”

But no one knew that I was battling for my life every day, because I would smile on the outside & cry when alone in the dark.

It is Okay to Not Be Okay

It’s important to actively seek to love people around us because no one’s life is perfect, & others have lives that are far from perfect—suicidal thoughts, family abuse, etc.

And maybe that’s you. Maybe you’re the one fighting to survive each day.

Darling, you are beautiful & worth it.

And let me tell you something… IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.

Don’t pressure yourself to fit the mold if you are struggling with a mental illness like depression, anxiety, etc.

Seek help through counseling & find friends who will love you AS IS & who will just will pray with you, without expecting you to “snap out of it.”

You are worth it.

God knows your struggle & He will NEVER waste your pain. So, give it to Him & ask for His consoling love & hope.

Make an Impact

But if that is not your situation, remember that others DO struggle secretly, even if in a much less severe & debilitating way. Everyone has times where stress overwhelms us or chaos rules the day. And everyone is worth a world of love because God loves them that much, too.

Be kind.

On purpose.

Love intentionally.

It’s a Pretty Big Deal

Pray about it. Pray when faced with an opportunity to love. Smile at others. Be courteous. And take time to show love in the little (or BIG) things.

We are called to walk in love as Christ also has loved us & given Himself for us.

That’s a big deal.

So, if it intimidates you or doesn’t come naturally to you, then pray about it & do it anyway. It will come easier to you the more you put it in practice, until you don’t even have to think about it anymore.

So just start somewhere & love intentionally.

Shine HOPE.

Coming Next Week

Now that I have spent a few weeks talking about the importance of intentionality in our walk with Christ, tune in next week as I introduce our next area of intentionality. 🙂

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Pearls of Hope Bracelet

Representing & Empowering Women in Thailand, India, & Guatemala!!

This multi-threaded bracelet is accented with freshwater pearls.

Artisan Information:

In remote areas of Thailand, we focus on restoring the strength of women in their country as artists. Your purchase empowers a diverse people, from the Karen Hill tribe, the Thai people, and the Hmong women. In this area, jobs are limited. Many women have to move to the city to find work and have to leave their children. Your purchase will help mothers stay in their hometown and earn an income, allowing them to take care of their children and watch them grow up!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in Thailand!

(*Also pictured: Beloved Necklace (with artisan fingerprint) & Stardust Studs*)

(**Matching Pearls of Hope Necklace, also available.**)

(***The Love Bowl, featured in this post’s featured image, is also available & supports women in India!***)

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE, Lovely!!

Growing

Announcer’s Voice: “This week, on Intentionality…!”

Haha, that’s how I am starting to feel with this series, but to be honest, intentionality is an area where I fail daily, so it’s helpful to flesh it out, see where I could pick up the slack, & also encourage others where I might be getting something right.

So, let’s dive right into our next area of focus with regards to intentionality—”Purposeful Fellowship.”

Making it Matter

How often have I hosted game nights or coffee dates with friends & missed opportunities to reach into their lives to really bless them?

Have you ever had a friend whom every time you met with her, you left feeling refreshed, renewed, inspired, & ready to take on the world?

I have, & what a blessing those friends are!

It always seems like they are so wise & so patient. It is so easy to assume that they are naturally this way (and maybe, to some degree, they are), but it’s also important to realize that ANY of us could have that sort of impact on our friends.

Woah, Woah, Woah

Now, for me, being reminded that ANYONE is capable of having this impact on others, immediately causes me to recoil into defensiveness.

The “lazy me” (& maybe “selfish me”) begins to think:

“I can’t do that.”

“They may be gifted with that, but not me.”

“I can’t put that pressure on myself.”

“When I’m with friends, I don’t want to pressure myself because I need encouragement.”

“I don’t know how to be that kind of friend.”

But really, if I am completely honest with myself, I know that although it may come more naturally to others, we are all capable of being that kind of friend.

How? Start by praying about it.

Pray About It & Have a Plan

Frame it this way… When you make plans with a friend, start praying about that upcoming encounter as you go about your time leading up to it. Pray for that friend & pray about how you can be intentional in loving that friend.

Because really, God knows your friend better than you do! God knows how to kick past all of the pretense to the real needs she might have.

Be intentional about how you spend time with your friends.

When you hang out, try one (or all) of these ideas:

1. Ask your friend if there’s something specific you can be praying for her.
2. Ask your friend how God has been leading or growing her lately.
3. Ask your friend if she has any needs where you can help relieve the burden.
4. Ask to pray with/for your friend before you close out your time together.

Be intentional! You won’t be disappointed!

Reality Check

This does not at all come naturally to me, as you could probably tell from the list of excuses I provided above, but I have never been disappointed when I took the time to do this.

Also, I’m pretty insecure sometimes… which makes me a little nervous stepping out of my comfort zone.

I don’t know why, but since friendly conversation doesn’t always naturally lean in that direction of focusing thoughts back on God & on intentionally encouraging each other beyond the basics, being intentional here makes me feel a bit insecure—like someone is going to think I am self-righteous or something.

But why should that hold me back from being a blessing to my friendships?

And why would I think encouraging & lifting up my friend sounds self-righteous?

My insecurities & fears like to dictate how I interact with others, & that is why it is SO VITAL to make sure we start praying about it beforehand.

Take the time to dig a little deeper than the surface with your friends. Put yourself on a limb to lift them up. Let God guide your thoughts, words, & actions so you are not putting the weight of your insecure thoughts on yourself. He can handle it.

A Tip for the Holidays

Holidays are a great time to be intentional with our interactions, while also putting a theme to it!

Here’s a little something I do, in order to bring focus back to God, when getting together with friends for Thanksgiving:

1. I cut out different large leaves & write verses about thankfulness on each one.
2. I pass them out to our guests.
3. We take time to each read our leaf.
4. Then we go around the room & each pray what we are thankful for. (*We used to just go around saying what we are thankful for, but we realized, “Why not just tell God what we’re thankful to Him for, versus telling each other what we’re thankful to Him for?”)
5. To close, I give them each a cute printout containing all of the verses that were read that day, so they can reflect on it later. (*I will probably add this as a Bonus Downloadable when we get closer to Fall).

Push Through with Prayer

So be creative in how you bring the focus back to what really matters: pointing each other back to the HOPE of Christ & encouraging each other along the way.

It may not come naturally for you, but God is able to cut through the fears & insecurities & bless your time with friends. So always pray about it, friends!

Live intentionally & Shine Hope!

Coming Up

Make sure to tune in next week for “Intentionality-Living Love.” I hope this week has been an encouragement & please be praying for me as I prepare for each week’s post, so that I can clearly present a message that inspires you to live with intentionality. Love you!!

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, 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!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Western Stud Trio

Representing Women Artisans in India!

These simple yet modern studs come in a set of three pairs: a golden, a silver, and a rose gold pair.

Artisan Information:

The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, and receive education and healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in India!

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thanks, Lovely!

Studying the Bible & Why It’s Important

So, if you are not a Christian, you may be rolling your eyes at this, or maybe you’re more polite than I used to be about this topic, before I understood it.

A Quick Reflection

It has been so neat seeing God grow even me as I begin this blogging journey.

I began this journey expecting to inspire & encourage others, but as is true in most cases, the more I apply myself to pray over & encourage others in these areas, the more I inevitably grow & learn along the way.

Diving in Together

As you can probably tell from the title, “Intentionality Part 3”, I am wanting to park on this subject for a little while & really take some time to work through different areas of our lives where intentionality may be less than we hope.