Dancing the Line

I grew up looking for what I could get away with when it came to the Bible. I was definitely swayed by the world around me, wanting to fit in, but also wanting to “technically” obey God.

Dancing the line between honoring God & still getting to live the way I wanted led me to lean heavily on the “well that’s okay as long as I don’t __________” judgment calls I made along the way.

For example, I may have been a flirt, making inappropriate jokes, but I didn’t use foul language or have sex, so I thought I was doing okay.

Sometimes it’s just the “acceptable practices” of other Christians I saw that helped me feel justified in doing what I wanted that wasn’t technically a sin at all.

Taking a Step Back

But I think it’s important to take a step back & consider those things… not just only for the purpose of better honoring & pleasing God with our choices, trying to be a “better Christian,” but also because God puts those boundaries in place because He KNOWS that without them, we set ourselves up for more hurt, struggle, & temptation that He never wanted us to have to battle.

So, in learning discernment, it is important to ask yourself, even in the “accepted by Christian society” options available to you, do your decisions sow or stir discontentment &/or temptation?

Even in the Innocence… We Can Sow Feelings of Discontentment or Temptation

For example, I have found that certain tv shows, while mostly clean & widely acceptable in church family homes, may hint at sexual tension & therefore create a temptation in my struggle against lust/fantasizing. The show may not display sexual activity, but it sows & stirs temptation I wouldn’t otherwise have to combat.

Another big one for me was actually the lovey dovey tv shows/movies (I think we can all think of a certain channel known for these, especially during Christmastime) that, while pretty PG, sowed & stirred in me great discontentment during my years of singleness that seemed to never end (I got married at age 28, while most all my friends & even my younger sister were married way before me).

Those movies & tv shows aren’t raunchy or bad, but even in the innocence, they made me wrestle with that longing to be loved, making me feel impatient & frustrated at my ringless finger rather than keeping my eyes on finding HOPE in God’s love.

I Set My Eyes on Things That Won’t Actually Satisfy

I all too easily cling to things as my idol. It may not be a little carved image that I physically bow down to or chant my allegiance to, but they are definitely things I put before God.

Instant gratification culture, brought on by online shopping, fast food, & quick internet search results have led me to covet ease & comfort… So much so, that when I struggle with depression, my idol becomes the end of my struggle, rather than trusting God to be sufficient in the struggle.

The same thing can happen when we make decisions that sow or stir discontentment or temptations. We start focusing more on what we feel we “ought to be able to enjoy” rather than letting discernment tell us to trust God & that while it may be socially accepted in Christian circles & may in & of itself not be sinful at all, it may not be worth the discontentment &/or temptations it breeds.

Now Hold on a Minute…

Making these decisions to deny ourselves something that doesn’t even seem sinful is not easy & oftentimes seems quite the opposite of logical or reasonable. It seems unnecessary at best & legalistic at worst.

Your flesh may rear up in defiance. You may feel defensive because it’s not even something sinful or bad. You may feel like clinging to that thing you enjoy because it’s “not even bad.”

But is it worth the extra fighting? The added struggle? The sadness or worry or wrong desire you now become burdened with? Is it worth all that?

Learning Discernment: Do Your Decisions Sow or Stir Discontentment &/or Temptation?

I have felt all those things. I don’t automatically say, “Yes, LORD, I see it now! Those things pull me down & make my life more complicated than it already is… more difficult than it needs to be! And although they’re not technically bad choices, they affect me negatively, so they’re not worth it! I will stop right now!” No, sadly, that’s not usually my quick response.

I “like” to learn by making the same poor decision again & again & again because I don’t want to miss out on or give up something I enjoy that’s not even BAD!

It doesn’t feel fair. It feels like missing out. I don’t like missing out.

I NEED to Lean into Him… But I Often Justify Myself into Discontentment &/or Temptation Again & Again

But sometimes I feel a gentle, soft whisper over my heart… a gentle awareness really, the Holy Spirit nudging my heart, saying, “do you remember, Michelle, how much it hurt dealing with the aftermath of this decision last time? Don’t do this to yourself again… trust Me to be enough in its place so you don’t have to go through that again.”

But I don’t listen. I keep justifying, based on how innocent it seems in & of itself, or how accepted & embraced it is by Christians I respect. I don’t like missing out.

And God keeps whispering, nudging, beckoning my heart to trust Him.

When I choose to listen, I find freedom.

A Prayer I Often Don’t Want to Pray

It starts with a reluctant prayer for help: “God, I hear You. I can feel the conviction tugging at my heart to leave this behind. But it’s not even “bad” & I don’t want to miss out. But I do want to trust You better than just getting this… but I need Your help trusting You more than my desire for this. Help me trust that You are nudging me because You see & You don’t want me to keep putting myself in situations where I am discontented or tempted. Life can already be hard enough… I don’t need to enjoy things that just make it harder. I get that. Help me let go. Help me trust You instead. Please help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Let Yourself Fail… & Keep Trying to Trust God More… With His Help

It starts small. I may fail. But I can expect to not be good at something when I am not used to practicing it. So, I must determine to keep trying, allowing myself grace to fail, & to keep trying again, with God’s help & grace along the way.

Lovely, God may be asking you, nudging your heart, to give up something you feel justified in enjoying. You may feel threatened, feeling that He’s saying you’re not being a good enough Christian & that maybe He’s guilting you or testing you.

But hear me on this… God is always gentle & loving & kind… & He also knows ALL things. He doesn’t want you enjoying something that is actually HURTING you, EVEN IF that something seems completely justifiably embraced by other Christians. EVEN IF that something is not sinful in & of itself.

Because He loves you & will always fight for what is best for you–even if the thought of the change makes you uncomfortable. He will never give up that fight because you mean that much to Him.

Let the Conviction Bring a Smile Rather Than Fear

So, if that conviction keeps tugging at your heart, let it bring a smile to your face, reminding you that God is fighting for you right then & there, to give you His absolute best in this life.

For example, I don’t use umbrellas like EVER… I am a run & deal with the wet type of person. But some mornings I feel a little nudge that I need to get my umbrella. I dismiss it with a scoff, “ha, I never use it anyway, so no thanks.” Then it ends up downpouring at a time I am stuck outside, wishing I had that umbrella. God doesn’t just say, “hey, an umbrella would typically be favored for the typical person on a day it will rain, like today,” but rather, “I know YOU will want one today, & because I know that, I am giving you a heads up.” What a good & loving God!

Take a deep breath. Let it out slowly. And ask God to help you trust Him more than you cling to that thing you are clinging to that sows or stirs feelings of discontentment &/or temptation… because “ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Shine HOPE by being willing to give up those “okay” things that sow or stir discontentment &/or temptation within you so that you can trust God’s call with it in its place.

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!!

Mini Leaf Dish (India)

Sold as a single dish. Artisans in India handcraft this nature-inspired Mini Leaf Dish from neem wood with subtly carved veins to add a realistic touch. Neem wood is a fast-growing hardwood that grows abundantly in arid regions of India with natural color variations, anti-microbial properties, and interlocking grains that make it an ideal, durable material for furniture and home décor.

Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages, health care, and clean water for women in areas of extreme poverty in India.

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!

Don’t Believe the Lies

Have you ever felt pressure to be “good enough” to be loved?

I grew up believing I wasn’t good enough. In my perception, I was too fat, not pretty, & anything good I accomplished seemed to be because someone else helped me get there. I talked too much, was too loud, & had too many emotions. I was too silly or not fun enough, depending on my mood.

Basically, because of those things, I felt like I would never be good enough to be loved.

Not Ever Feeling Good Enough Made Me Always Nervous I Would Lose Friends

This perception of my value translated to how I felt about interactions with both romantic interests & friends alike. I felt like I was the ugly fat friend who was a complete joke to most everyone else around me, trying my best to be funny or something to hold some value in different friend groups, to hopefully distract from the many bad qualities I felt I possessed.

When I tried to “dress cute,” I felt like a clown trying to look cool but failing miserably–giving people “reason” to laugh at me.

If you haven’t read my old post: “Trusting God, Losing Friends, & Finding Myself”, it also talks about how this led me to become the class flirt, hoping I could earn some attention that way… but that didn’t end up quite as positive as I had hoped & the constant act felt like if I slipped up at any point & let my guard down (aka was myself & not the image I felt others wanted to see), then my friendships would just fade away & leave me a friendless loner.

A New Kind of Pressure–Church & Social Media Culture

But this post today isn’t about my past or my insecurities growing up.

Though I have grown older & God has helped me overcome many of those fears & hurts of my past, growing in me a deeper confidence in who He made me to be & letting that be enough, I have noticed a different kind of pressure emerging around me.

Both church culture & social media culture have grown to have some damaging effects of its own. Now, I am not saying that these are evil or anything as shocking or generalized as that, but rather as a warning to be sure that we break these trends or at least don’t succumb to them.

Church Culture Can Often Become Pressure of Perceived Perfection

In church culture, the pressure can become almost palpable to be the perfect, smiling, shining example we ought to be of a perfect Christian woman… hiding our faults & our sin temptations & our struggles… our hurts, our doubts, & our failures… all in hopes of “fitting in.”

But let me remind you of something right now. We are all naturally sinful… we are bent toward evil. Our flesh still wants its way… EVEN AFTER we submit our sin to Jesus’ paying for it on the cross..

And we can sugar coat it in layers upon layers of denial & justifications & downplaying it, but it’s there all the same. Even Paul recognized it in himself! (Romans 7:14-15)

Only God is GOOD

We don’t become good just because we accept Jesus’ offer to pay our sin debt to God Almighty. There is no magic sauce that is poured over us that washes away our fleshly desire to bend toward sin. Only God is good.

Even Jesus mentions this fact when He is called good & He responds with: “Why do you call Me good? Only God is good,” knowing the man he was speaking to did not consider Him God, but man. (paraphrase) (Mark 10:17-18)

God Offers Us His Power to Overcome Sin (When We Turn to Jesus), But That Doesn’t Mean He Removes Our Sin Nature

It is definitely, absolutely true that once we accept Jesus’ gift, that God sends us His Holy Spirit to guide us & that God breaks the chains that sin had over us, so that we can choose NOT to sin & OVERCOME sin (with His help & power), but the desire to sin is not washed away.

How damaging it is to pretend otherwise! Even Paul did not shy away from admitting his own wrestling with it—& for great purpose! Because if we all think we’re supposed to have no desire for sin, yet we are tempted to sin, yet we all pretend we aren’t tempted… then that just communicates to other Christians that we feel we have it together… aka, then why do they NOT have it all together?

We Ought to Be Transparent

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15) Notice how he doesn’t say he WAS the chief of sinners… but that he IS the chief of sinners.

We ought to be transparent. We ought to bear one another’s burdens! We ought to pray for & with one another through those struggles! We ought to be honest about the fact that while we are imperfect, God is perfection! While we are prone to sin, God is holy! While we fail, God does NOT!

Don’t strive to look perfect. Strive to point to Him as perfect.

Yes, strive to honor & glorify Him in all you do. Yes! Do that! But in that, don’t pretend you always get it right & never slip up.

God Knows We Need to Be Honest in Our Weakness to One Another

I struggle with depression, as you probably know by now, but while that is not sinful, the fleshly pull I consistently have is to let myself succumb to all the lies of exploitation Satan likes to yell in my heart while I am weak. I don’t want to have to trust God IN the hard… I just want the hard to be GONE! So, a major sin pull for me is to just selfishly demand the end of that hard OR ELSE I doubt God & draw away from Him in bitterness & hurt feelings of betrayal.

But let me tell you, God has shown me that if I can find a safe person to share that temptation & struggle with, AKA my husband, & let him know how much I am struggling & ask him to pray with me when I don’t feel I have the strength or will to pray for myself… it helps break the chains Satan is trying to wrap around my neck with all of his lies.

Satan wants us to struggle alone. He wants us to pretend we’re perfect. He wants us to feel like we’re the only one who can’t seem to get it right. He wants us to think when we fail that everyone else just wants to obey God 24/7 in ALL things so that we only want to withdraw, isolate, & are more vulnerable to his deception & exploitation of our weaknesses.

So stop pretending! Stop being okay with letting other people feel like they have to pretend!

BE A SAFE SPACE for someone else.

Strive to be Holy… Don’t PRETEND to be Holy… There’s a Difference

It’s not up to you to act like a picture-perfect Christian, because guess what… none of us are.

God calls us to BE holy, to strive for holiness, aka to live in a way that seeks to honor & please Him with all that we think, say, & do (not to earn His favor but because we know it pleases & honors Him & because He is SO deserving of it!) but He knows that doesn’t mean we will never want to sin anymore.

What a harsh lie/burden to put on ourselves to believe otherwise… because absolutely no one can live up to it at all times.

The Extreme Pressures of Social Media to be “It”

And I see the same thing just exploding on social media, with all the different apps & “influencers” who take 30 pictures to get that right one to post (guilty!), who trim off a few pounds or adjust the lighting or cover blemishes or erase wrinkles… all in the name of saying they have it all together & are worthy of your following, but to the end of feeling they never quite measure up to the perceived perfection of the rest of the world.

“I don’t have a boyfriend… & no wonder because I can’t seem to ever get my [hair, skin, body, life] to look like hers.”

“I don’t have any friends… probably because I’m not as [successful, all-together, confident, cheerful, pretty, etc.] as her.”

We need to stop letting this pressure to compare to others’ scripted, edited, faked life make us feel like we’re not good enough to be loved… that if we just did more, were more adventurous, more friendly, more successful, etc. etc. etc., then maybe, just maybe, we would have more deep friendships or have our dream relationship.

I Don’t Have to be “Good Enough” to be Loved

You don’t have to be “good enough” to be loved. Period.

There is no perfect standard that others have achieved–guaranteed.

There is no person who does not have their own bend toward a specific sin desire–guaranteed.

There is no person who never makes mistakes & gets it right all the time–guaranteed.

So, if you are alone (or feel like you are) & you wonder why… ask God. Start there. Because I guarantee you that it’s not at all because you’re “not good enough.”

Always Ask God for Help & Wisdom & Help Trusting His “Enoughness”

Say, “God, I am so tired of trying to pretend perfection to be liked. I feel so much pressure for it & I don’t see how I could possibly be liked if I stop. But God, help me to trust You more than I do. I am trying to be the one to make it happen, but help me trust Your leading instead. Help me to have confidence in how You designed me & show me what that design is even more clearly. Help me to know how to stop trying so hard & instead, help me know how to better lean into You for Your help & Your enoughness. I’m sorry that I always feel the need to supplement. Forgive my unbelief & help me believe in You more. You are enough, I just don’t know how to rest in that. Help me learn to love & trust You more. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Shine HOPE by allowing your imperfections to show, relying on God’s perfection to help you live His way, versus trying to pretend you can be perfect in & of yourself… & by removing the pressured lie that you have to be good enough to be loved. You’re already so loved by the God Almighty Himself!

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!!

Arise Bracelet (East Asia)

This colorful and fun stretch bracelet is made by women rescued from the brothels of East Asia. Each Arise Bracelet features genuine dyed agate stones with mesmerizing “crackle” textures, 14k gold-plated accents, and a soft navy tassel.

Every purchase helps a sex trafficking survivor in East Asia “arise” out of poverty by empowering her with safe housing, health care, trauma counseling, job skills training, and dignified income.

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!

A Letter to My Fellow Expat:

Being a foreigner is hard. Period. Whether you’re in the military, mission field, or are a contractor, it’s tough being the odd one out.

… If you have ever been a foreigner, you probably understand what I mean.

The fact that being a foreigner comes with unique challenges does not negate the fact that there is much adventure to be had while making good memories with great friends… but it is hard.

Feeling Out of Sync with the World Around You

There just seems to be a rhythm in each place in the way they do things & when you don’t know that rhythm, you are automatically out of sync with the world around you.

This could show itself in their customs & etiquette in specific situations that differ from your home country, or slang used in a particular area that you are unfamiliar with, or even how the checkout line or gas station operates—not to mention the currency differences.

Communication takes on a whole new level of hard when you have to use broken sentences, speak slowly, use translation apps & pictures just to find simple things you previously took for granted as a quick in & out stop.

Sometimes employees make a quick 180 & hope you didn’t notice them noticing you before they dart away to avoid an uncomfortable language barrier ridden conversation.

Sometimes children point & stare like you have three heads.

Sometimes you’re hurt or lost & you don’t know how to ask for help.

The Well-Meaning Advice of Others Just Falls Short

Friends & family will often give well-meaning advice, but they don’t really get it & the things they offer are things you’ve tried unsuccessfully a million times… because life is just hard as an expat in a way that not many people will ever experience personally.

Whether it be to avoid things you can’t avoid or try things that can’t be tried the way one may imagine, some advice just doesn’t work when applied to every situation. Because try as you may, it may still just be hard.

The Struggles We Face

Loneliness is a companion you never wanted to ever feel so acquainted with… isolation from a world going on around you… not understanding the signs or billboards or words spoken all around you as people pass on the street.

Straining your ears for a smidge of understanding when listening to announcements or alarms. Keeping your eyes glued to the scrolling train signs for English to appear so you don’t miss your stop because you can’t understand the announcements.

The world goes on around you in a specific rhythm & you are out of sync, lonely while surrounded by people who don’t speak your language.

I know it’s hard because I have been that expat.

The Strange Blend of Happy Memory-Making & Overwhelm/Stress

You can still enjoy where you live, taste the adventure, not be particularly unhappy… & still experience the very real HARD it is to live abroad as a foreigner. It doesn’t stop being hard just because you’re having fun. And the constant striving to adapt is a constant challenge to the brain.

As an expat, your brain is working on constant overdrive, sometimes burning out or overheating from constant input that it can’t make any sense out of. It gets tired more easily. It feels overwhelmed more easily. And even things that once were taken for granted as “simple” now make you want to cry because you’re already maxed out.

The stress on your brain is real. Culture shock is not just an initial adjustment period, but a literal shock to your brain with every new thing your brain can’t compute easily or understand because it’s not the way you’ve always known things to be.

Overwhelm, stress on your brain, loneliness, isolation… all of these can happen for an expat because they don’t fit the rhythm of the world going on around them… even while you’re making wonderful memories.

You’re Not Crazy… It’s Just Hard

So, if you are an expat, if you’re military or a missionary, please know you’re not crazy. Even if no one seems to understand just how hard it can be or why it feels so hard for you specifically, you’re not crazy. It’s just hard.

Friends & family don’t mean to belittle your struggle. They’re not trying to say you’re weak or weird for struggling… they just may not have experienced it the way you have… they just may not understand & how could they if they haven’t themselves experiences it before?

Even I, before moving to Hokkaido, didn’t understand one bit. I visualize their experience as an extended, adventurous vacation & would romanticize “how cool it would be,” not realizing how hard it would be right alongside that “cool.”

Please be Kind to Others… Even if It Doesn’t Make Sense to You

And if you haven’t been a foreigner, please be kind to the foreigners you know, whether they be friends from your home country who are now overseas & their struggle doesn’t make much sense to you, or whether it be friends who are foreigners in your home country… be kind… because it’s hard.

Be patient with them as they struggle with the language & the customs & the way of life & the unexpected & the out of the norm for them. Give them grace.

Pray with them as their emotions & stress & overwhelm struggle with being out of rhythm with their world, feeling isolated & maybe alone. Pray with them & for them.

It’s okay not to understand why they feel what they feel, but God understands, so remind them of that & offer to just take a moment to sit & pray for them, asking God to help them manage the stress, to comfort them & give them peace, to be their strength, & to give them courage to face the unknowns of each day, with each new wave of culture shock that may catch them off guard.

Give Yourself Grace… & Pray/Lean into God for Help

And if it’s you who struggles right now, I get it, friend. I get it. It’s hard & somedays all I could manage was to cry because the strain & stress & overwhelm & isolation felt so oppressive. It’s hard.

But God IS greater & bigger & stronger than you are.

He CAN give peace where peace seems impossible.

He CAN BE your strength if you let Him.

Some days I rocked it. I cried & prayed & asked God for help with some semblance of normalcy & comfort & peace & strength & courage… & He gave it & I overcame that day with His help.

But other days… I just cried & tried to shut out the oppressive overwhelm that threatened to consume me.

Give yourself grace in the hard. It’s okay that it feels hard because some days it is. You don’t have to conquer every day with easy courage. You’re allowed to struggle & recognize you need help.

As Always, Ask God for Help in the Hard

Lean into Him. Take your burden to Him, drop it, & say, “God, this is too heavy for me today. I feel like I am being swept down river. Help give me my footing. Help me cling to You & not let myself be swept away by the stress of today. Help me trust that You really are enough when I am not. Help me to have grace when others may flippantly dismiss my struggle, not understanding how it could be such a struggle for me. Help me to be patient with them & with myself. Help me to recognize that it’s okay that it feels hard & that You can be enough for me in the hard, when I come to the end of myself. Even in loneliness, You are my Friend. You counsel me & love me & are faithful through every bit of it. Thank You, Father for Your consistent love. Amen.”

It’s okay that it’s hard. God is enough in the hard. Cling to Him.

Shine HOPE by letting Him be your enough even on days when you realize you really, absolutely are not.

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!!

Dali Earrings (East Asia)

LIMITED EDITION – While Supplies Last! Add some sparkle to your wardrobe with these totally unique 14k gold-plated Dali Earrings with stunning cubic zirconia crystals. These abstract sculptural hoop earrings are ethically made by women rescued from brothels in East Asia.

–>Every purchase provides safe housing, health care, trauma counseling, job skills training, and a dignified income for sex trafficking survivors.<–

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!

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!

What Is Our Motive in Doing Good?

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) (emphasis added)

What a freeing command that is right there.

Basically, don’t do something to measure up to someone else’s expectations, don’t do it to “be good enough” or to do “enough” to be considered a “good” Christian… & don’t do it as a means of striving for praise &/or recognition (aka chasing your “identity” from a job well done)…

… but do anything & everything simply & solely to give God the glory.

That Little, Powerful Word: FOR

This idea of doing everything for God’s glory may seem to come with the territory of trying to live God’s way, as He instructs in the Bible, but that is only part of it. Otherwise, that verse would say to do it BECAUSE it glorifies God.

Let’s be careful that we don’t mistakenly assume that just because we’re doing the doing, that we’re also doing it FOR His glory.

I always assumed this little verse of 1 Corinthians 10:31 was reminding us that in all we do, we ought to do it the way that God instructs, but the more I grow, the more emphasis I am seeing in that little (yet powerful) word “FOR.”

The Dangers of Any Other Motivation

So, even if I do all the right things, I can still be doing it to look like a good person/Christian, or because I “want to do what’s right all the time,” or basically other motivations that stem from me being a good person versus striving to let God have the glory.

You can do all the right things & still be doing them with all the wrong motivations.

The danger in just keeping God’s Word & doing as He says ONLY, without this proper motivation of “for His glory,” is that it can easily puff us up or make us feel self-righteous, like we somehow deserve His grace because of our good behavior… as if we deserve Jesus’ sacrifice… because really, who doesn’t want to try to pay Jesus back somehow or let Him know we “really mean it” when we accept His free gift? It’s natural, but it again, is missing the point.

So How Do I Do Everything FOR His Glory?

One way that comes to mind is instead of trying to sheer willpower your way into doing the right thing because you know it’s the right thing, even though you sure don’t FEEL like doing the right thing then… to instead surrender your honest feelings in the moment & asking for God’s help in them versus trying to power through & pretend they’re not there.

God isn’t fooled & eventually you are going to wear yourself thin trying to be everything God asks of you in your own strength, wisdom, & power.

A Surrendered Prayer to Live Each Situation for His Glory

But when I choose to take those very real, very human natural responses to Him & say, “God, I know You see clearly how I don’t want this [to be loving to someone cruel, to serve even when it doesn’t come easy, to read my Bible even when I’m tired, to do what’s right even when I am tempted the opposite direction]. You’re not fooled. I’m sorry I feel this way. Help change my heart here & to see the perspective of Your unending grace. I’m sorry I feel so pulled to act on these feelings & that I feel like I have to FORCE myself to do otherwise sometimes… but Lord, You don’t have to force it because it’s Who You are. You are loving & kind, merciful & gentle, gracious & majestic. You are infinite & sufficient. So, help me respond for Your glory. Let others see Your goodness, grace, & love, despite my fleshly feelings. Help them to see You in this [love, act of service, obedience, overcoming of temptations, etc.]. Let those around me see YOU & not me. I am NOT good, but You are. I am NOT always patient, but You are. I am not always feeling like showing love, but You ARE love. So help me display Your glory & do this thing for that reason alone… not to show myself worthy or righteous, but to show that those words describe YOU ALONE. In Jesus’ ALL-powerful name, AMEN.”

Your Motive Matters-All for His Glory

Don’t just do something because it’s “the right thing to do” or because you don’t want to look like a “bad Christian.”

Do it always & only FOR HIS GLORY.

To put Him on display.

To point to Him.

To show Him as your HOPE & sufficiency.

To let others see that you’re not sufficient & you’re not always willing… but that HE IS.

To say it’s His grace, not your goodness.

To make it all always about Him.

What a beautiful reminder that it’s not about ME being “good enough” or “deserving,” but that I can put those things aside, knowing I’m not & never will be, but that God is my goodness, through Jesus, & that ONLY HE is deserving of any praise. And that He gives me His grace just the same.

Shine HOPE by watching your motives & doing ALL *for* HIS glory! AMEN!

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my 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!!

Leaf Coaster Set (India)

Create the ultimate autumn tablescape with nature-inspired decor that empowers families in India out of poverty. These coasters are made from sustainable natural acacia wood with carved whitewashed accents and are designed for you to enjoy your favorite hot comfort drinks without worrying about heat damaging your furniture. Complete your fall look with our Harvest Napkin Set, Harvest Placemat Set, and Pumpkin Trivet.

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

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!

We Have a King Eternal

Reading through the Bible, you can find this phrase: “and the people did what was right in their own eyes” repeated quite often & when this phrase was used, it was often in direct correlation to their kingdom lacking a king. (Judges 17:6; 21:25; & find list of other mentions throughout the Bible, here.)

But our kingdom, the kingdom of God, is never lacking a King. Our King eternal is God Almighty. Despite this fact, I find myself living as if it weren’t true quite often, living as the Israelites did during the time periods talked about in Judges when they were without a king—doing what seems right in my own eyes.

This is not to say that I am indulging in sin, but rather the fact that I often forget, “oh yeah, I should probably ask God what His opinion or direction is here.”

Even If, He Should Still be Consulted

As I have talked a lot about recently, I like feeling capable. I like feeling like I am able to find a solution to whatever problem arises & ask God to help me do just that. In other words, I like to be in the driver seat (in control), with God acting as my assist when I “need” it.

But even when I DO feel capable, DO figure out a solution, & DO feel confident in my ability to carry it through, I need to stop & consider whether I am simply doing that which seems right to me… in my own eyes… or whether I am turning to my King for direction & wisdom.

There is so much I could unpack with this particular topic, but let’s touch on a few key points today in regards to “gray” areas in the Bible, allowing God to disrupt our plans, & letting God direct how we confront situations… rather than doing what seems right in our own eyes.

1. “What about the ‘gray’ areas in the Bible, where it doesn’t specifically call something a sin? Is that my call to make?”

The answer to this seemingly innocent & obvious question is: no—just because something is not clearly forbidden or called sin in the Bible, does not mean it is then up to you to do what seems right in your own eyes. It could be a concern of a weaker brother or sister (someone in your friend circle who struggles (openly or secretly) with it as a gateway to sin), or it could be that for you personally, (whether or not you willingly admit it). Either way… God knows better than even you in making those decisions.

When Jesus ascended to Heaven after He rose from the dead, after dying to pay our sin debt to God, He sent to us the Holy Spirit to act as our Helper & Counselor. (John 16:5-7)

Whenever a situation is questionable on whether or not something not specifically forbidden in the Bible is okay, whether it is based on a rule from a particular church or pastor, or whether it was just how you grew up, we always ought to defer to God, through the Holy Spirit, for His guidance in your situation & circumstances particularly.

Conflicted Feelings Is Often a Sign to Avoid Something

If you feel conflicted about engaging in whatever it is, I highly discourage you from participating, as this could be a clear sign that the Holy Spirit is sending your heart a warning signal… & the Bible does tell us that if we are unsure whether something is a sin & yet we indulge in it, to us it IS a sin because in the indulgence we are making a decision that even if we aren’t sure if it is okay with God, we’re willing to risk dishonoring Him for our own gratification. (Romans 14:23)

A personal example of this would be my second ear piercing. I grew up believing that it was sinful to have more than one piercing, but couldn’t find evidence of this & I really wanted one. And, knowing my intentions were because I thought it looked cute versus a way to show off, I felt it was okay… but wasn’t quite sure if it was sin… & I got that piercing anyway. God reminded me that because I wasn’t sure & did it anyway, that it was a sin for me to have done it… so I asked for forgiveness, removed the earring, let it grow back, & asked for Him to give me a clear answer, determining to give it up if that clear answer never came. For me, it was a sin because I chose to do it not knowing whether it was a sin, showing I cared more about my desire for it than honoring God with it.

The Holy Spirit will give you peace if you determine to turn to Him rather than doing what seems right to you. It may not be immediate & it may not be the answer you were hoping for, but keeping that determination to wait on His response will ensure that you do not dishonor God with your choices.

2. “What about my day-to-day living in the little moments/routines? As long as I try to do good & not sin, is it okay to make my own judgement calls?”

This one is a little trickier. It is both a “yes” & a “no.”

I would say, if you are living your life with the goal to please God with your thoughts, words, & actions (even if you mess up sometimes & have to turn to that daily repentance to clear your conscience & move forward in His grace), then you are living in a way that honors Him.

BUT, the big but in this instance is the willingness to let God interrupt your plans & also making sure to bow your fleshly instinct for His lead & wisdom to win in every situation–this is a lifelong learning process.

It can be so easy to have a schedule, a routine, & the little ways you like to do things or how to spend your free time to relax (aka your “me-time”), but we always must bow those routines, habits, way of doing things & me-time moments to Him, being willing to let Him interrupt it with His own plans, wisdom, & way.

I Like Knowing What’s Coming & Having a Plan

I don’t like having my plans interrupted. If you read my post about “What If I Ruin My Children,” you’ll see that one of my concerns for having children was my own selfish fears of having my schedule & free time interrupted daily. That is a sinful fear because I want control of my own life versus letting God take the reins & guide my moments.

We need to be willing to lay down “the way we do things” to His will & plan for any given day, knowing He sees past, present, AND future, as well as the innermost thoughts of every person. We need to learn to have a heart that is willing to say, “God, these are my plans for today, but help me be willing to let You interrupt them if You so desire… & help me to ask for Your help in following Your detour versus clinging to my design for my day. AMEN.”

So, you can be living in a way that overall brings God honor & glory, while still making small choices to do what seems right in your own eyes by grasping to Your plans & being unwilling to be interrupted by letting Him lead with His plans, wisdom, & way.

3. “What if I am taking a stand against something that displeases & dishonors God? Isn’t it enough that I am DOING something, when so many people, even Christians, seem to only sit & watch it happen?”

Oh, this one gets many a Christian & I have most likely fallen into this very trap myself on occasion.

We can be doing godly THINGS with the right HEART, but still completely miss the mark because we are doing it in such a way that makes sense to US.

God sees beyond what we see. I can be as determined as ever to create change in something, but if I am doing it in a way that makes sense to me, without bowing that urgent, desperate desire to fix things to HIM, then my attempts are not going to be as effective as I would hope them to be.

I need to be willing to see a wrong, take a deep breath, & PRAY as my first instinct… taking that concern to Him for a solution: “God, this really makes me angry & I really want to speak out about it… but give me the words… help them be bold, full of Your Truth, grace, & love… & give me the timing & place that is appropriate, so the right ears may hear & change may occur. Show me & guide me on how I may help!”

We can easily get drawn into self-righteousness when He is the only One Who can create any real & lasting change on others’ hearts. So, instead of blaring your agenda, no matter how noble & biblical it may be, make sure you take that concern to God first for guidance & wisdom rather than reacting in a way that seems right in your own eyes.

Is Life a Big “Choose Your Own Adventure” Story?

So, is life a big “choose your own adventure” story? This topic is such a deep one. There are so many areas of our lives that it touches & so often, because oftentimes something just seems right to us, there are circumstances where we can be completely clueless to the fact that we are indeed living in a way that simply seems right in our own eyes & may not be what God desires in a given situation.

But we must always remember that we are NEVER without a King who can guide us & strengthen us, & Who gives us wisdom as we seek Him.

So, go to your King every day, in every decision big or small, in everything.

Shine HOPE by letting your King be KING in your life, in matters of discernment, in letting God interrupt your plans for His, & in fighting concerns you have in life.

Our King is worthy of praise! Amen!

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

(***Check out my 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!!

Merry Mice Ornament Trio (Nepal)

LIMITED EDITION – WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! This set of three whimsical Merry Mice Ornaments will add some playful charm to your holiday decor with their cheerful smiles, fluffy tutus, and festive gifts! Each adorable wool felt mouse is handcrafted by a woman in an area of extreme poverty in Nepal. Every purchase of our Merry Mice Ornament Trio empowers a woman in Nepal with dignified income and education.

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!

Let’s Take It a Step Further…

Stemming off of last week’s topic: “Overcoming Stubbornness: More Willpower or More Surrender?”, where I fleshed out the important distinction between more willpower versus more surrender when trying to overcome personal stubbornness or hard-heartedness is this very important need for daily repentance.

Now, this is not repentance unto salvation, as in when we recognize we are personally sinful & have personally wronged God & are deserving of His wrath & so also recognize & admit our need for Jesus Christ to cover that sin & make us right before God unto our forgiveness by God once & for all, by admitting our wrongs to Him, asking His forgiveness, & turning away from indulging in those sins….

This is not the repentance I am referring to in this post, but rather committing to a consistent heart-posture of laying my daily pride or selfish thoughts or thinking I know better or doubting God or complaining versus praising… this is a repentance of continually being willing to admit to God that I am wrong & He is right & asking Him to restore & grow me in His will & way, putting my trust fully in Jesus’ FINISHED work on my behalf.

What Is Sanctification & When Is It Complete?

Sanctification is a work that God does in you through the Holy Spirit. It is not immediate. It is not instant. It is a lifelong process of renewal & growth, weeding out the sinful patterns we grow up with & exchanging those for God’s will, way, & perspective in all things.

Because my sanctification is lifelong, I will continue to make mistakes & get it wrong along the way as I learn & grow. I do make mistakes… & sometimes intentionally, out of pride or hard-heartedness & selfishness of wanting to cling to His blessings & comforts more than I cling to Him as the One Who blesses & comforts.

And my mistakes are seen in having those little thoughts of praying & then acting versus praying & then waiting on Him or clinging to comforts He provides over clinging to Him or any number of ways that I get it wrong.

It is so easy to see my balance sheet of life, if you will, begin to pile up with my wrongs… & if I am not quick to trust on the grace of Jesus, holding in those wrongs & trying to just ignore them &/or move past them, because they continue to pile as I continue to make mistakes, Satan will undoubtedly begin to exploit that & tempt me to believe that my mistakes are too great for the grace of Jesus.

Don’t Let Satan’s Cunning Trick You into Acting on a LIE

I can’t tell you how many times in my life, having been a Christian (accepting Jesus to cover my sin) since I was a child, that I have allowed Satan to convince me of that… that my sin is just too great… that I shouldn’t disgrace God’s grace by asking forgiveness for the millionth time of my life… that I should just bottle that guilt & live under the weight of it because it’s what I deserve.

And inevitably, when I did get tricked into believing that & I let that guilt & shame pile & pile upon me, I began to drift away from my relationship with God because of my shame & the weight of my wrongs being too painful to face... which is exactly what Satan wanted.

But let me tell you something: JESUS PAID FOR THAT, TOO.

Jesus paid for that. He knows I can’t save myself. I can’t even BEGIN to save myself… that’s why—JESUS came & JESUS paid… ONCE & for ALL.

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!

And to deny the depth of His grace is a much greater offense to God, because believing we shouldn’t come freely to Him about our sins as they happen tells Him that we believe His grace to be lacking.

Keep Short Accounts with God

Don’t determine to carry the weight of your wrong behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, or actions. Come clean as soon as you realize it. Embrace & grasp hold of His grace every moment.

“God, I’m sorry I just thought that. Please forgive me & help change my pattern of thinking to better honor & please You. Thank You Jesus for paying for that, too.”

“God, I’m sorry I just doubted You when You prompted that on my heart. Please forgive me for thinking of You less than You are. Thank You Jesus for paying for that wrong thought.”

“God, I am sorry I judged them. I am no better. Forgive my pride & thank You Jesus for paying for that.”

“God, I am sorry I didn’t wait on You & instead acted on my opinion after I prayed to You for help. It shows I am not trusting Your timing, willingness to help, &/or Your power. Please forgive me & remind me that I CAN wait on You & trust Your timing to be perfect. Thank You Jesus for paying for that, too.”

“God I am sorry for being rude & lacking graciousness & patience just now. Forgive me & help me to rely on You for help next time. Thank You, Jesus for covering that.”

Don’t wait. Don’t hold it in with shame or guilt. Don’t avoid going to God. Don’t try to just do better without apologizing for not getting it right this time. Trust that Jesus is enough for that, too.

Apologize & ask for His help with better patterns & impulses moving forward, to trust Him first.

And trust that Jesus’ payment on the cross & rising again victorious over death & your sin is an ALL-SUFFICIENT GRACE.

The Great Power of Daily Repentance

That repeated, consistent, daily repentance habit is what allows a surrendered heart to grow in you… an understanding that you are weak, but He is strong… you are insufficient, but He is ALL-sufficient. It cultivates a submitted, humbled heart before an Almighty, loving GOD, freed from the great burden of shame & guilt by the power of Jesus–daily.

Not more willpower, but more surrender.

Because Jesus paid for that, too. That unwillingness, bad habit, bad attitude, poor reaction, selfish desire, prideful thought, ALL OF IT. PAID IN FULL. Because of Jesus—hallelujah!

Shine HOPE by living the habit of & shining the great power of daily repentance because Jesus is always sufficiently enough in all things.

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!!

Woodland Friends (India)

The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, & receive education & healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!

Purchase these Woodland Friends & empower a woman in India!

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 Don’t Determine What Is True… God Does

I am a stubborn person & my past demonstrates my constant desire to “fact check” God.

When I used to read God’s Word, the Bible, I would do so comparing it to what I “already knew about the world” & sort of parse through it with that lens, as if I were determining which parts of the Bible I could rely on.

Now, I know, this seems incredibly arrogant of me, but my view of the Bible was that of a slightly outdated tool that could still be useful today versus the living, active (still completely accurate TRUTH) of Almighty God.

And because I viewed the Bible this way, I would read it, looking for the Truths that I could still apply today… the little “nuggets of wisdom” still tucked in its pages, if you will. And when I felt God highlight a certain part in my heart, I would determine which parts to toss aside because it didn’t mesh well with what I could logic & then try to follow the rest.

But now God has shown me that His Word is living & active, sharper than a two-edged sword & that if I don’t understand something to possibly be true, with my logic, reasoning, & understanding, then I am the one missing something, not God… & I have learned to take that gap to Him when I feel one, to seek His wisdom & understanding on the issue to better align myself with His Word.

Because God determines what is true–not ME.

I Tend to Second-Guess God First

But, my stubbornness does not end with me hesitating to full-on trust whatever God says as is, apart from my understanding or “getting” it. My stubbornness can most often be recognized through my hesitation to obey.

What do I mean by a hesitation to obey? I mean, being a Christian since I was 5, I did not read my Bible all the way through now read it consistently/daily until just a few years ago, even though I know it honors God to learn His Word & to meditate on His Truth daily.

I struggle doing uncomfortable things. I struggle reaching out to someone who seems gruff when God puts them on my heart. I struggle speaking truth, in love, to someone God nudges me to speak to. I struggle feeling inadequate & so wanting to keep hidden in the background versus stepping out to connect.

I struggle with stubbornness because I second-guess God.

Are “Good Intentions” Good Enough for God?

I used to think this was on me to fix. I would try to set daily schedules & routines, which would get forgotten or missed & then the habits would quickly fade into the forgotten.

I used to think I just needed to be “a better Christian” to achieve that level of obedience & well, I just wasn’t that yet.

I used to think “I’m just not good at concentrating that long” or “I’m just not good at speaking up” or “I am just insecure, that’s life.”

I used to think I was just too easily distracted or that I just couldn’t very well control disruptions from others, so “it’s not really even my fault.”

In other words… I had excuses lined out the door because overcoming my stubbornness seemed an undefeatable feat. And yet, I had good intentions… so “God understands.” But God knows I need His help & that He is willing to offer His help, so really, I was hiding my disobedience behind my good intentions because that just seemed easier.

I struggle with stubbornness.

Overcoming Stubbornness: More Willpower or More Surrender?

But something happened along the way, as I prayed about this insurmountable obstacle within myself… God showed me that overcoming my stubbornness had very little to do with what I could manage, & all to do with what HE could.

In other words, overcoming stubbornness is not about more willpower, but more surrender to His help.

If I truly AM willing, versus making excuses to avoid that which seems uncomfortable to me, then there is definite, sure HOPE because my overcoming has very little to do with what I am personally capable of doing & so much more to do with my willingness to surrender that lacking for His help instead.

Be wary of human wisdom, yours or that of anyone else… no matter how popular or appealing or intelligent they may seem. If anything contradicts God, it’s wrong. PERIOD.

A Prayer of Surrender

What does that surrender look like? It looks like a humbled, willing heart of prayer to an Almighty, loving God:

“God, I know this honors You, so I want to do it. I know I ought to trust Your Word 100%, so I want to do it. But, I feel so stubborn! Why do I resist You at every turn? Why does it feel the odds are always stacked against me? Why is it so HARD to just trust & obey when I know I ought to!? Please forgive my stubborn, selfish heart. Forgive me for forgetting. Forgive me for it being less of an absolute priority to me than it ought to be. Forgive me. And help me. Take my unwilling, hesitant heart. Shape me to Your will & way. Give me Your wisdom in the how & Your strength in the doing. Help me to stop at my self-made roadblock & instead of turning around to head the opposite way, help me to stop & pray. Help me to determine to keep asking in it versus a one-time prayer & then, “nope, still too hard, BYE!” Help me to SIT & WAIT & say, ‘God, I am not moving from this until You help me because I want to obey You but I need Your help!’ Help me to be persistent in my prayer for Your help versus giving it up when it stays hard. Habits take time to cultivate & grow, so help me just keep asking You for help in it each & every time, because You ARE enough, even when I am just a complete stubborn fail. Thank You for Your faithful persistence in Your love for me. Thank You for Your future help with this. Help me live to love & honor You above all else in this world. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Overcoming stubbornness is NOT easy. It feels impossible sometimes, even.

But… God.

Trust Him, lean into Him, & let Him show you that He indeed is quite sufficient in it.

Shine HOPE by not trying to overcome stubbornness, but rather by surrendering it to Him for His help in the overcoming.

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!!

Botanica Charms Set (India)

Designed to coordinate with your other favorite Botanica Collection designs, this set of six pairs of versatile jade, Acacia wood, ethically collected animal bone, & metal charms are handcrafted in India by Artisans who are committed to fighting child marriage & providing opportunities for women to become financially independent as fair-trade Artisans. Designed to mix & match, create a new look each time you wear them with our Customizable Silver Hoops or your favorite bracelets & necklaces!

Every purchase supports vulnerable women in areas of extreme poverty in India.

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!