My Regular Prayer

If you have been following my blog journey for any amount of time, you might have recognized that a common thing for me to pray is, “Lord, Help me to Know & Love You more.”

The story behind this prayer can be found, here, but this prayer has become a priority focus in my life because the weight of it is so profound.

Not Self-Effort, But God-Surrender

In anything we attempt in life, in trying to live a life that gives God glory, we really need to start with this simple prayer in everything we try.

This is true quite simply because if we were to try & perfect every area of our lives, having that be our sole focus, we would constantly be in a scramble & would constantly be beating ourselves up at our mistakes.

But the core or our prayers should be to KNOW & LOVE GOD more, putting everything else in proper balance, with our focus on God in working out our sanctification versus us trying to do it our way, in our wisdom. Our focus should be trained on Him & following HIS lead.

Put God on Center Stage

As this becomes the focus of our prayers & our life, our perspective begins to shift to put Him in center focus. As we know Him more, we learn more of His love for us, which in turn, grows our love for Him even stronger.

So how do we do this thing of knowing & loving Him more? Besides prayer?

Faith, Love, & GOD-Trust

We trust in Him.

This may seem a little too simplistic. If you are anything like I was growing up, I had no idea what it really meant to trust God.

Let’s simplify it even further… to trust God means to take Him at His Word… to consider that He probably knows (aka DOES know) better than we ourselves do.

Now, don’t get me wrong… this is so hard for us, who want to feel capable & in control, to do. Part of our security is feeling like we can come up with a solution & THEN pray about it.

But His Word, as written in the Bible, are HIS Wisdom. His PERFECT wisdom.

And so, learning to trust Him, learning to know Him, starts with taking Him at His Word.

Feeling Capable, But Letting God Lead Instead!

This starts simply by us bowing our “know-how” to God, in saying, “God, I feel VERY strongly that it should be this way or that way, or that I think I know myself pretty well… BUT, You DID make me… You ARE God Almighty. So, if I am wrong, please change my mind.”

Be willing to let God change your mind.

Honestly, we can all agree that we don’t always make the best judgement calls & that our plans don’t usually work out quite as splendidly as we imagined they would. Even if they turn out pretty good, something always just seems off, like we’re missing a piece to the puzzle called life.

So, let God change your mind.

Proven True, Every Time

The more you seek to live a trust in His Word, the more you will find it proven true, no matter how impossible or unbelievable it may sound to us when we first try. He will always be proven right, 100% of the time. That’s PERFECT wisdom for ya.

This week’s post is short, but powerful. And hopefully it being short allows its truth to sink in even deeper. We need our prayers & life to revolve around knowing & loving God more… & as we do that, we begin to set in proper focus all the rest of our life, as we see Him gently guide, lead, & help us every step of our growth through life.

How to Know & Love God More

Let’s review how to know & love God more:

1. Start by knowing His Word: Reading it, taking notes, looking up original Greek/Hebrew words, praying over it for God’s discernment & for the Truth to be made clear to you.

2. And trust His Word, as is—As I said above, learn to let God change your mind. And ask Him to do so in revealing HIS perfect wisdom & truth to overshadow your limited understanding, wisdom, knowledge, perspective, & abilities.

3. And finally, Beautiful one, BE PRAYING. TALK to Him. Get to know Him. Share your heart, your aches, your pains, your fears, gripes, worries, upsets, confusion, doubts, anger, stress, anxiety, weaknesses, hurts, joys, celebrations, excitement, love, hopes, dreams, share EVERYTHING. Talk. To. HIM.

This concept might be simple, but I promise you, it’s profound. Seek Him in everything & learn to know & love Him MORE.

Shine HOPE!

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Lotus Earrings

Hand-cut suede makes these flower petal-inspired earrings a perfect statement.

Artisan Information:

In India, many women are forced to work in sweatshops with unfair pay & dangerous conditions. But with every purchase, the women who make this product are now working in a safe environment, being paid a fair wage & seeing their lives change for the better! They also have access to education & financial counseling. You are empowering women to have freedom to dream again!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

Something Missing

Have you ever felt like something is missing? Like you are scrambling through life, trying to be a good person, trying to please God with your life, but still feeling like you don’t even come close?

Especially for those of us who are Christians (those who have accepted the free gift of Jesus’ sacrificial grace), it can seem exhausting trying to keep up.

But what if that’s because we are missing something?

Is “Being Good” Good Enough?

Most of us want to believe that we’re good people, or at least that we try to be.

And for those of us who have accepted Christ’s gift of grace, having the understanding that we are free from the consequences of our guilt & shame, knowing that, after death, we will have the blessing of eternal love & joy to replace the eternal torment that we so deserve… we can sometimes think His help stops there.

When Jesus Left Earth, God Sent a “Comforter”

But God’s involvement in our lives is not just offered as a future hope from the debt we owe being covered by Christ’s sacrifice… It is offered right now, in daily life.

You see, despite this broken world preventing us from seeing the full vastness of God’s glory during life on this earth, God is with us.

If you remember, Jesus told us in John 14 that He was sending (& DID send!) a Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

So Much More Than Grace

God offers us Himself daily, through the workings of the Holy Spirit.

He offers comfort, strength, love, wisdom, guidance, & so much more.

As we seek to honor God with our lives, we will discover that we are frail & prone to temptation.

But God is infinitely strong, wise, powerful, gracious, loving & able.

The Daily Grind, With God’s Help, To Give Him Glory

As you reach each hurdle or obstacle in life, instead of agonizing over how to honor God or how to live for Him or how to be “good enough”, stop & ask for God’s help in doing those things. (*But, Hint: We will never be “good enough”, that’s why Jesus came to die in our place.)

Ask Him for peace, calm, comfort & wisdom when the kids are unruly (or when they’re driving you to hide in a closet & stuff chocolate in your face, as desperately exhausted tears roll down your cheeks–I get the feeling that every Mom faces these moments).

Ask for His wisdom & guidance before the tears even come.

Ask Him for strength, courage, & wisdom to do the right thing in a tough situation.

Ask for His peace & wisdom to guide your decisions when you’re in a tough spot & even before you’re in a tough spot.

Let God into the Conversation

That’s what “pray without ceasing” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is talking about… make God part of your inner conversation. Invite Him in.

Instead of mulling over, agonizing, fretting, plotting, brooding, moping, worrying, fearing, straining, guessing, or winging it… invite God in & ask what He would do instead.

God Is Our Victory, Not Us

He doesn’t expect us to be warriors for hope & truth in the darkness of this world without HIS comfort, courage, power, strength, & wisdom giving us the resources to make it happen.

I see you… maybe you’re like me & you drove yourself out of reading the Bible & praying & other things because it felt impossible.

But that’s because it is. For us. In our own strength.

But it’s not impossible for God. EVER.

Stop. And Pray.

So, before you throw in the towel, before you storm in to a situation or run away from it, before you rely on yourself to be the only way to make something happen… Stop & invite God in to the conversation.

Crawl, fall, or step into His loving & willing embrace & say something like this to Him:

“God, my [personality, upbringing, understanding, natural instinct, desires, fear, anger, hurt, etc.] is telling me to react like this, but God, You are greater than I. Your wisdom & knowledge & power & strength & courage & love & patience & graciousness are far more vast than my own. Help me to see it Your way. Help me to do it Your way. Help me to honor You. Give me what I need to walk this path the direction & way that gives You glory. You know what’s best for me AND for this situation more than I ever could, so help me to trust in You & rest in You. Guide me. Enable me to do Your will. HELP me to trust You & know You & love You more every day. Amen.”

There is no magic formula or magic set of words. He is waiting & willing to help you as you put your trust in Him.

Let God Do the Change in You As You Put More Trust in Him

Do you have doubts about Him? Ask Him for truth.

Do you have fears or shame that you hide away? Ask Him for His courage & grace.

Do you have worries & confusion that plague you? Ask Him for His wisdom.

Do you feel tired as a daughter, mother, employer, employee, wife, friend, etc.? Ask for His peace & guidance.

He is listening. He is waiting.

Crawl, fall, or step into His waiting embrace. Lean into Him. Trust Him.

And let Him in.

He is waiting for you, Lovely.

Coming Next Week

This week is our Special Feature post, every last Thursday of the month. So, stay tuned for something fun or different than our usual!

Make sure to join me next Monday morning EST, as I do my best to encourage you with the hope that only comes with trusting in Him to be your all, in this life & eternity to come.

Happy Easter (aka Resurrection Day)! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Restoring Hope Necklace

This versatile necklace features mother of pearl in hues of black on one side and off-white on the other, hanging from an antiqued brass chain.

Artisan Information:

In Asia, poverty leads many women to be sexually exploited in brothels. These women want to provide for their families but have so few options. But through your purchase, women are being rescued from these brothels & rehabilitated. Holistic care is given to these women, including a shelter, job training, healthcare, counseling, & educational grants for themselves & their children. You can help these women experience restoration for their future!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Asia!

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