Just Imagine…

Picture this: Beautiful, lush greenery… colorful birds flitting & flying above & around you… the sound of chirps & kitten purrs & peaceful wild animals trodding about… sunny skies & calm breezes brushing against your warm skin… smelling rich aromas of flowers & the fresh scent of clean air filling your lungs… walking barefoot in soft, green grass beside God as a confidant & friend, protector & creator, loving you so fully that you feel no hint of fear or worry at all in the world.

That is my best visualization of the Garden of Eden.

All It Was Meant to Be

The Garden of Eden was literally meant to be a safe haven of perfection, full of acceptance, love, & pure joy. Just imagine how amazingly & breath-takingly beautiful & serene it was!

And yet, that one tree, with that one kind of fruit that was forbidden by God… that because of one rebellious act would eventually blur, distort, & crumble the beautiful life we were created to live out in that wonderful garden.

Let’s Go There

What was the big deal about that fruit? How could it really, seriously doom the human species to live in this broken, sin-filled world we now call home?

How could God claim compassion & even allow us to eat it… or doom the world because it got eaten?

Let’s go there.

Forbidding Was a Reflection of His Goodness & Love

For many people who become followers of Christ, we can sometimes just tend to accept the fact that it happened… the rule not to eat the forbidden fruit, the eating of the fruit, & the curse on mankind as a result… without actually stopping to consider how Him forbidding it really reflects the GOODNESS & GREAT LOVE of God.

Give me a second to explain why I specify it as an act of Goodness & Love on God’s part.

The Knowledge of Good & Evil… But Not the Capacity to Manage it…

Let’s start with the purpose & nature of that fruit. It was called “the fruit of the knowledge of good & evil.”

Think about human life now. The tendency toward stress, anxiety, hurriedness, failures, pride, selfishness, weaknesses, mental illnesses, major mistakes, hurts, fears, insecurities… & so much more that we fight to prevent throughout our lives.

Now, think about what that tree offered. The KNOWLEDGE of good & evil…. Not the wisdom of how to process or manage it. Not the knowledge of how it all fits together & how to best work it all together… just the knowledge OF it.

Why We Should Have Trusted God & Should Do So Every Day & Forever

And here is where God’s gracious, all-knowing, all-wise, ALL-LOVING GOODNESS comes into fuller display….

God knew that yes, we would gain that knowledge, but that if we did, we would then be carrying a burden & weight on our shoulders that He never wanted or intended for us to struggle & hurt under.

We gained that knowledge, but being created beings, versus the CREATOR, we don’t have the capacity to carry that weight within our own limited understanding & wisdom, & under our own limited strength & power.

He Saw It All… He Knew… & He Warned Us

He knew it would wear us thin. He knew it would cause anger & hurt & tears. He knew it would result in misunderstandings & mishandling of that information, which would in turn hurt others along the way.

He saw the ripple effect that that knowledge of good & evil would create in our lives… & all He asked was for us to TRUST HIM enough to let Him handle it FOR US so we could just relax, in a trusting, loving, safe environment.

And He still asks you & I to trust Him in the now. To turn over what we do know & ask Him to be our guide & source of wisdom to navigate this difficult world.

We Still Choose to Eat the Fruit Every Day…

And that knowledge got passed down to us… & every day, in our own ways, we choose to take the bite ourselves.

WE want to make the decisions. WE want to make the choices. WE want to run things.

Even knowing the truth, I feel my flesh rearing up as if to say, “but I want to do things THIS way!”

So Hard to Trust That He Can Do It SO MUCH Better Than Us

That’s why submitting to His wisdom, His will, & His way feels so hard! Because of what we DO know, we think we have all there is to know to best guide our own lives, even with all of the limitations that limit us.

That’s why God asks us, even now, to take His hand & to trust Him as a little child trusts a strong, loving father.

God loves us so much that He never wanted that pain for us.

Then Why Even Create That TREE?!

Maybe this information is equally freeing & frustrating to you. Maybe you see the benefit of trusting Him, but feel hurt that He even gave us the option to doom ourselves.

So why was that fruit even created? Why even dangle that irresistibly forbidden fruit in front of Adam & Eve in the first place?

Why not just remove that temptation completely so that there would be no risk of damning the world & then we could just be free to enjoy God’s intended life in paradise & direct presence & relationship with God Almighty?

You Have No Choice, You MUST Love Me…

Would that feel like true, genuine love? To have no choice? A love that is forced?

We can want to be loved so badly that we can attempt to force it on people. We can try to be likable & a people pleaser & cling to someone we feel gives us worth, even in the midst of abuse or neglect, human nature clings to the need to feel loved.

But, can love be forced? No. Why not? Because true love grows out of trust. And trust cannot be forced on people.

God Designed Us to Experience True, Unconditional Love in His Presence

God wasn’t designing us to be forced to love Him. He designed us to experience His love genuinely, built from genuine trust & relationship with Him.

So, maybe He put the tree there to allow Adam & Eve the choice to either trust in Him or to trust in themselves instead…

He wanted us to know His love through trust. He wanted us to obey, not because He felt like controlling us, but because we learn to trust Him completely.

But That Was Adam & Eve… Not ME! So Why Does the Curse Affect Me Too?

Well, as I mentioned earlier, we choose to take that bite ourselves almost every day, as we seek to live according to our limited wisdom & design.

But, there IS hope!

The Punishment Is for Our Good

Apart from the fact that we face natural consequences of wrong or misguided decision-making on our part, God also made life more difficult than it was meant to be… And He did it to bring us back to Himself.

If everything was just as easy as the Garden of Eden, we wouldn’t realize what greatness we were missing out on. We wouldn’t feel the need to look for something more. Or Someone more.

It serves as a reminder & a prod to come back under His protection & care & to allow Him to remove the burdens we face every day as a result of that knowledge of good & evil, so we may rest peacefully in His love instead.

Everything He does is just. Everything He does is His right.

And Then There’s Jesus

Everything God does is marked by His love & graciousness that He offers us in every moment that we turn to Him, & for all eternity if we accept His free gift of Jesus’ life for our debt.

You see, God is perfectly just & yes, He demands a debt be paid for our rebellion. BUT, He also LOVES us infinitely, despite our stubborn rejection.

And because of His perfect LOVE, He also sent Jesus to pay that debt FOR US, if we but accept Him.

He Is God

Turn to Him. Submit under His leadership. Ask HIM to HELP YOU trust Him.

Let me say that again, because every single one of us needs to grow in this, whether it be a pastor, the “worst” sinner, or anyone in between…

Ask HIM to HELP YOU trust Him more every day.

He is God. We are not. And that is OKAY.

Let Him be God.

He Takes Joy in Forgiveness & Redemption

Let Him cover you in HIS love, HIS power, HIS grace, HIS joy, HIS peace, HIS assurance.

He is waiting, always… & willing.

He is not there with crossed arms & a tapping foot, pointing at you, like, “Look what you’ve done! And NOW you want me to help you? HA!”

No.

He has His arms wide, a big grin on His face, waiting every moment without fail to welcome you home, with a, “Darling One, come close! Let me hug you! Let me help you! Let me cleanse you & refresh you & give you a new start. I love you always & always have, my precious daughter & I have been waiting so eagerly to welcome you home!”

Shine Hope, by trusting Him.

It’s worth everything.

Coming Next Week

Join me next Monday morning EST for some more encouragement, & next Thursday for our monthly Special Feature post! Make sure to “Join My Tribe” (subscribe) so you don’t miss out!

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 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!!

Inverted Capiz Earrings

These earrings feature shimmery, creamy white capiz shells, each framed by a black edge.

Artisan Information:

In the Philippines, finding employment as a woman in poverty can be extremely difficult. Poor working conditions, lack of job security, & unfair pay are often the realities. Through your purchase, these women are receiving an income, health care, & social development programs. This allows these women to realize their potential & pursue their dreams in a safe environment. You have the opportunity to change lives!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in the Philippines!

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!

Let’s Shine Some Light in the Dark

Hello there, Beautiful.

Let’s take an opportunity to see things in new light. Let’s shine hope into a desperate situation. Let’s walk away from this with a new sense of hope for each new day, together.

Maybe…

If you are like me, maybe you feel a child-shaped hole in your heart.

Maybe you have spent countless hours with tears streaming your face, wondering why you can’t seem to have this child that your heart aches for so longingly.

Maybe you feel hurt by God, that maybe He is punishing you for your past or that maybe He just doesn’t trust you with a child.

Maybe you tell yourself you don’t need kids, just so that the bitter sadness doesn’t keep you from living each day. Maybe some days you realize this thing you tell yourself is a lie, & you cry.

Maybe you beg & plead & wonder if God can hear you.

Maybe you feel forgotten.

Maybe you feel as if your prayers go ignored or denied.

Maybe you wonder if God cares about this child-shaped hole in your heart.

Maybe.

If you are anything like me, a combination of all of those thoughts have drifted into or settled into your heart & mind.

This Doesn’t Feel Perfect

Maybe, like me, you have even felt guilt for being mad at God, for feeling like maybe He doesn’t care about your hurting heart. Maybe you feel guilt at your distrust in His plan.

You know He is perfect. You know His will is perfect. You know He is Good & He is Love.

And yet, this doesn’t feel perfect. This doesn’t feel good or loving at all.

And maybe that realization hurts your heart a little more than you’re willing to admit out loud.

Hope in the Darkness

But, Dear one, there is hope in the midst of this darkness. I promise you that.

I have been on a five-year journey of these emotions & thoughts plaguing the back of my mind. I have had five years of denial that my bitterness has grown in this hole in my heart, in place of trust in God’s perfect will, plan, Goodness, & love.

I don’t know if I am barren. I am told that everything looks good & we are cleared by the doctors for having a baby, & yet five years of attempts have left us childless.

I have had tests & ultrasounds & taken supplements to help… & yet nothing.

I have obsessed over temperature charting & ovulation testing… & yet nothing.

I have cried & begged God to answer my heart’s cry… & yet nothing.

For God’s Glory

I even wanted a child for the main purpose of raising them to be a light of God’s hope into this world… wanting to glorify God & train the child(ren) how to live a life that honors & glorifies Him so that hope will continue flowing into the next generation, long after I am gone… & yet nothing.

I have felt betrayed by a seeming lack of God’s love & favor. Watching my friends pop kids out continually while I am left… the barren woman.

I am able to push aside my hurt most often to celebrate the new lives being born into the homes of my family & friends, but the ache still lingers.

God Shines Light into the Darkness

But here is the hope, Beautiful one.

In reading through the current Bible study I am attending weekly (& working through the corresponding homework each day for the study), I came across something I had never seen before.

The study is Beth Moore’s “Breaking Free.”

The Dreams of Little Girls

In this particular study book, Beth Moore has a whole week dedicated to the dreams of little girls: to get married, be beautiful, have children (or, be fruitful), & to live happily ever after.

That pretty much nails it on the head for all of my girlhood dreams.

But here was her point… each of us have these childhood dreams that we long(ed) for, but that God can satisfy infinitely more than this world can.

Just a Shadow

It is a shadow of the deeper longing of our hearts. It is a hint of what God already promises us.

To get married–we want to feel loved & special & wanted… God fulfills this by loving & cherishing us more than we can ever comprehend. If you don’t believe me, He tells us it’s true & He will show you… Just have faith enough to ask Him to.

To feel beautiful—He thinks we are gorgeous because He created us! And when our time comes, as believers in Christ, to go to heaven, He sees us as His beautiful bride! (also satisfying our marriage desire).

To live happily ever after—(I am purposely skipping to have children (be fruitful) until the end)—but to live happily ever after points to the fact that this earthly existence is merely our temporary home. Sin has marred this world, but heaven will be amazing & beyond imagination! No tears! No sadness! Only joy & love & peace. A TRUE happily ever after!

To Have Children (Or, Be Fruitful)

And back to our childhood dream to have children (or, to be fruitful).

And this really struck me with God’s amazing provision & plan. It showed me His will & Goodness really is perfect. And His love is lacking NOTHING. Praise God!

In Beth’s section about dreaming to have children, Beth spoke to my soul by spending a majority of the lesson addressing barrenness.

There is Hope

Beth didn’t shy away from the hurt that comes with barrenness, but she did point to Scripture & the amazing reality that God has not forgotten us in our temporary (or permanent) inability to have children.

Beth started by having us read about Elizabeth. The Bible called Elizabeth a righteous woman, followed immediately with the fact that “& she was barren.” (Check it out in Luke 1:5-7.)

Then, Mrs. Moore paralleled the Old & New Testaments’ discussion on being fruitful. In the Old Testament, fruitfulness referred to making lots of babies, while in the New Testament, it often referred to being fruitful as spreading your faith in order to lead others to become new Christ-believers!

You see, while God mentions many times how children are a blessing from God & how they are gifts… & while God often talks about leading your children to follow & trust Him… He ALSO spends a significant time talking about sharing the hope of Christ!

Even More!

AND… in Isaiah 54 (you really should stop & go read that right this moment), God says that a barren woman is able to have more children than a married woman. WHAT?

You see, when those who are blessed with children are raising those children, life is a little crazy (in a good way, even if sometimes so difficult), & most of a mom’s time & energy is spent pouring into those little children to raise them to be Christ followers.

But those of us who have no children have a beautiful opportunity.

You see, we can have more “children” than a married woman because while they are raising theirs, we can pour into those women who in turn pour into their own children!

And we can pour into other barren women who in turn can pour into the lives of others!

How great of an opportunity we have to pour hope into all surrounding women & children!

Talk about fruitful!!!

God Forgives! God Never Forsakes Us! God is Good! God is LOVE!

You see, God forgave me for my past when I repented & turned to Him. He forgave me IN FULL. He is not punishing me!

God does not forsake us… He has not forgotten me!

God is GOOD. He knows my heart to raise a child to honor & glorify Him long after I am gone & He is giving me opportunity to do that in an even greater way!

God is LOVE. He knows my heart cry & my longing… & He is giving me a way!!

Lovely, consider these things with me. How wonderful & loving & Good our God is!

He Loves You

He loves you.

He loves YOU.

He. Loves. You.

HE LOVES YOU!!!

Let that sink in for a moment. Read those last few lines again.

Close your eyes with me for a moment. Take a deep breath in… & then out. And let that Truth sink into the crevices of your pained heart.

Let His love wash over you & pour into those deep crevices of pain.

Let His goodness & mercy shine into the dark corners of your heart.

He’s Got a Plan… And It’s a GOOD One!

TRUST God.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

We may not know His timing. We may not see the fruit. But we can trust that He has a good plan with a good outcome. We can trust His love & we can trust His grace & goodness.

For His Love Endures Forever. Amen.

In whatever place you find yourself right now, Lovely, shine Hope. Always shine hope.

Grace & peace be to you from Christ Jesus, our LORD.

Amen.

Coming Next Week

Two blog posts are coming next week!

Monday will be our next regularly scheduled post of encouragement for your week & Thursday will be our Special Feature for this month!

Make sure to check back with me & hopefully I can pour some encouragement into your beautiful self.

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

Avalon Earrings

Made with brass & then silver-plated, these statement earrings are a nod to our Indian artisans’ culture.

Artisan Information:

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

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in India!

(*Other accessories are from previous catalogs & are no longer available)

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