Getting It Mixed Up

This post is meant for Christians addressing sin in other Christians.

In our quest to honor God with our lives we can easily mix up 2 important things:  We either tend to take on God’s roles by trying to be His gatekeepers as His judges & rule-givers, OR, we just want to stay out of one another’s business completely.

Sometimes, we view “living for God” as us being responsible for determining who is “sincere enough” or “changed enough” to qualify as a true Christian.

Is that our job? Nope.

But we are also dropping the ball if we do nothing at all.

Finding the Balance

So where’s the balance? Short answer: Pray about it & ask for God’s guidance, wisdom, & discernment to help you make the right choices with the right words at the right time (or even to help you check your facts, in case you have misunderstood the situation–humility is KEY).

We are called to love one another & serve one another with humility & kindness, pointing others to hope in Christ Jesus alone.

But, as humanity tends to do, we like to let the pendulum swing from one direction to another—when one way isn’t working, we tend to do the exact opposite instead of realizing what we really need is a healthy balance of BOTH (just not to the extremes that we were using with just one or the other).

We Need to Speak Up… In LOVE

So, when we realize that we are not meant to be the gatekeepers or judges for God, it can be easy to do quite the opposite & just keep our mouths shut about God altogether & let others live however they want.

This is where I think the verse, “Speak the truth, in LOVE” calls us to do BOTH.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:14-15) (Emphasis mine)

Let Iron Sharpen Iron

It is for our benefit to let “iron sharpen iron” & we deny that benefit to those we love when we keep things to ourselves.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) (Emphasis mine)

What to Avoid

We are NOT called to nag them & keep coming at them. Pray, speak to them in humility & love, step back & pray some more.

We are NOT called to shame or embarrass them. Come with humility, recognizing that you are just as prone to sin, with your own personal shortcomings. You are not any better than them, even if you don’t struggle in the same way that they do.

We are NOT called to talk about their sin to others, thus slandering them. While a sin problem is a real problem, it is NOT a justification for spreading their struggles with others. Talk to them & God & that’s IT. (*If you need help: Speak to someone known for discretion who can give you godly counsel, like a pastor or another ministry leader at your church.*)

We are NOT called to be their Holy Spirit to tell them how to change. You can share personal testimony of how God has helped you overcome, but ultimately, God is intimate & deals with us on a personal basis. (*Advise them to follow up your conversation with prayer, rather than trying to push that they change your way.)

Keep in Mind…

Keep in mind that being called out on our own mistakes, struggles, & sin can hurt. We feel raw & vulnerable. It’s embarrassing… & we can easily want to cover it for no one to see ever again…. Be patient, kind, gentle, understanding, & loving when confronting another Christian about their sin.

We are all in need of grace. None of us are any better than anybody else because we each have our own weaknesses. Talk to them with the same humility with which you would hope someone would come to you about your own struggles, mistakes, & sin.

Standing Up for Truth… In LOVE

We ARE called to pray first & then talk to them, but only if your heart is truly in the right place (not trying to one-up them or call them out as a power trip, but with humility & grace).

We ARE called to share the gospel, aka our need for a Savior because of our sin AND Jesus’ fulfillment of that need. Don’t be shy about sharing where our hope comes from.

We ARE called to be patient, kind, gentle, loving, understanding, & PRAYERFUL.

We’re All a Work in Progress

Have you ever met a “baby” Christian who still had some bad habits? Like maybe they still had some curse words in their vocabulary? That doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t saved—but may just be a sanctification issue, aka they’re a work in progress just like us.

But we ALSO shouldn’t approve of mistakes either, as if the action is totally fine. There’s a HUGE difference between excusing sin as okay & being gracious to the person through the process.

“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” (Proverbs 27:6)

Don’t Get It Twisted!

I know some of you aren’t going to like this next statement, but the popular t-shirt & home décor quote of: “I’m a Christian, but I cuss a little,” seems to be a spit in God’s face, because while everyone is still growing & being made more in the likeness of Jesus Christ (or should be aiming for that direction), we shouldn’t put our approval on that which hasn’t been cleaned up yet.

Embrace the person in their growth, but don’t embrace their mistakes along the way.

A better phrasing would be, “I’m a Christian who does cuss a little, but God is still working on me,” or something that shows grace in the progress, but also a desire FOR progress.

A Hard Balance That Requires MUCH Prayer

This is for sure a hard balance to walk in life.

We don’t want the Gospel taken lightly or misrepresented, but we also don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

Because of that, Satan can tend to tempt us into choosing one OR the other of, “Well, I need to make sure they are actually saved & get it right, so let me try to control the situation,” OR, “It’s not my business & I don’t want to hurt feelings, so I’ll just stay out of it completely.”

Instead, it needs to be approached with humility, grace, & love toward the other person… & saturated with MUCH prayer for God’s help & direction.

Embrace the Sinner, Not the Sin

Embrace the sinner, not the sin. LOVE the sinner, not the sin.

My friend & I like to jokingly call ourselves trash. We don’t call each other that, but ourselves, as a recognition that WE ALL NEED JESUS.

None of us is without room to grow in living a life that honors God & gives Him glory. We are ALL in need of further sanctification (aka being cleaned from the inside out to be more like Jesus Christ).

Understanding this allows us to approach the sin of others with graciousness, humility, & patience, knowing we are literally no better than they in God’s eyes, nor are they any less than us in God’s eyes.

But Knowing This…

But knowing this also spurns us, out of love & understanding, to want better for them… to see where they are missing out on God’s healing, strength, power, freedom, care, & love, & to do everything we can, in love, to help break them out of those chains to realize the MORE they can have in giving that over to God Almighty!

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:41-42) (Emphasis mine)

That set of verses is NOT saying “Don’t speak up, because you have your OWN issues to deal with & theirs is not your business,” But rather, “Realize you are not better than them. Come with humility & graciousness & love, admitting to your own flaws & shortcomings.”

Step off from your soap box & join everyone else in admitting to your own flaws & mistakes. We may be trash, but we are incredibly loved by our great God JUST AS WE ARE. Jesus died for our trash BEFORE we got cleaned up. HE cleans us up!

What a gracious God we love to serve.

Speak Truth, In Love

So, stop the pendulum swing somewhere in the middle. Embrace the person, but confront the sin issue. If you do one without the other, you are not truly loving that person.

Truth without love is harshness & can push others away from the very Truth they need.

Love without truth is not really love at all, but a LIE.

What Is Love?

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy & can fathom all mysteries & all knowledge, & if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor & give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7) (Emphasis mine)

This Is Important

Tell the truth, in love, & then turn the rest over to God. You are called to speak it, but not to force it.

If you tell & they don’t listen, that’s on them.

If you don’t tell, then you join their blame.

“When I [God] say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ & you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, & I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person & they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.” (Ezekial 3:18-19)

Embrace the Sinner… Confront the Sin, IN LOVE

Embrace the sinner, not their sin. They are loved by God endlessly, dearly, & without condition… their SIN is their tormentor, liar, captor, punisher, & hollow enemy….

Embracing their sin is no love at all, for it keeps them bound & suffering.

Embrace THE PERSON & fight off their chains with prayers for God’s words, wisdom, courage, strength, & timing… & with Loving Truth.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Shine HOPE by sharing TRUTH in LOVE.

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:

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!!

Stargazer Set

This stunning necklace features a golden hammered half moon pendant with nine blue-grey tassels AND a matching bracelet.

Artisan Information:

In India, poverty is rampant & fair working conditions are hard to find. But with every purchase, women are receiving an income, access to healthcare, adult literacy programs, & self-help groups! Not only does this change their lives, but they are also pouring back into their communities & helping others! You have the opportunity to empower thousands of women in India!

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!

A Framework to Live By

Today, I want to talk about a framework of a life lived for Him, given in Matthew 5:1-12, otherwise known as the “Sermon on the Mount” or the “Beatitudes.”

We will only get through the first three this week, so make sure to check back next week for more! Let’s start by reading that passage.

Matthew 5:1-12:

(Emphasis & Brackets mine)

¹¹ Blessed are you when they revile & persecute you, & say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice & be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Clearing Up Some Personal Misconceptions

I always misunderstood this passage in two distinct ways:

1. I thought they were just a set of random sayings, in no particular order.
2. I thought they were meant as if, “It’s good if you… because….” Versus “When you…, you’re blessed because….”

But, in a recent study, I learned a helpful way to look at this passage. When looking at a Matthew 5 commentary on enduringword.com, I learned to see this passage as a ladder versus a random set of quotes. (See that commentary, here.)

So, let’s walk through this ladder idea together, to see what it looks like to surrender your life to Him, live your life for Him, & hope in Him for your eternity.

“Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit”

Being poor in spirit means to recognize that you sin & that you can’t save yourself… that no amount of goodness can out-good the bad. It is a recognition that you need Someone else to save you (AKA Jesus Christ). (See my personal story about finding hope, here.)

It’s easy to go through life, trying to convince yourself that you’re a “pretty good person” but if you were to lay down that charade to realize that God knows every stray or lingering thought as well as sees every action of yours public or private, how long can you maintain that you are a “pretty good person”?

Let’s face it. You need Someone to save you. I need Someone to save me. We ALL need Someone to save us.

And that Someone is & can only be Jesus Christ.

Being “poor in spirit” recognizes that you have sin in your life. And it recognizes your need for a Savior.

THAT, is the first rung of the ladder… the first step in submitting to God… realizing your need for Him.

And the benefit of coming to that realization & turning to Jesus Christ instead, is that you join the “kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed Are Those Who Mourn”

I always read this through the lens of, “It’s good that you mourn, because you will be comforted,” & I always thought that was a silly thing to say because I would rather just NOT mourn!

But, consider it like this, “When you mourn, you are blessed, because you will be comforted.” Sounds much more appealing now!

So, why mourn?

Well, stepping up on the next rung of the ladder in a life submitted to living for Jesus Christ, once we recognize our sin’s existence & our need for a Savior to rescue & redeem us, we naturally mourn.

It sucks to recognize how awful & sin-stained we really are.

We like to see ourselves as pretty good people & we feel reassured in that bubble, but once it’s popped, we are left feeling raw & vulnerable & pretty darn crappy, am I right?

And so, we mourn our wretched state.

But in that admitting of our wretchedness, we are blessed because God promises that we will be comforted. He doesn’t leave us feeling sorry for ourselves because He has rescued us from our sin!

“Blessed Are the Meek”

And this will be where we leave off this week, to pick it up again next week for the rest of the ladder… but for now, let’s check this one out.

I always viewed meek as synonymous with timid or pushover. I was wrong about that, too.

Meekness is more indicative of POWER or STRENGTH, but under control.

In other words, maybe you CAN handle something your way & your timing, but you instead choose to hand the reins over to God, in His way & His timing.

It is a form of humility, taking your strengths, desires, plans, will, way, etc. & submitting it to God, asking for God to be the Author & Guide of your life.

This is hard & our human nature screams to retake control, but it takes time & a lot of trying & failing & a lot of asking for God’s help.

Re-Learning a New Normal in Meekness

Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re fighting God for control because we have grown up doing it a certain way without a second thought.

The place to start with having a meek heart is to ask God for help over & over again.

My Ever-Repeated Prayers–Asking for God’s Help in Giving the Reins of My Life to Him

“God, here I am again. I feel so strongly that I want everything my way, even though my way never quite works out the way it does in my head. I always second guess You, even though I know that You know EVERYTHING & are supremely wise. How am I so dense that I keep having this power struggle with You after so many lessons learned? Will I ever learn? Or is this a conversation I am going to need to have with You for the rest of my life? *sigh* …

… I need You, God. I need You in even just helping me have awareness … so when I try to grab the reins again, You gently let me know. Help me see when I do it. Help me to learn how to trust You more & more. I know You have proven Yourself more times than I can ever remember, but God, I am so stubborn! Help me grow & learn….

… Thank You for Your patience & kindness & gentleness. Thank You that You understand me & keep working with me, never giving up, even though I earned Your abandonment many times over. You still stay by my side & never give up. Thank You! Thank You that You are all-wise, all-knowing, & all-powerful & that I can count on You in everything always. Help me remember that when I fight You. Help me see Your goodness again & again. AMEN.”

Those prayers aren’t literally repeated-I don’t have them written down for me to re-pray them. There is no power in what words I use. The power rests in Who I am talking to-GOD.

So, just speak your heart to Him. Be honest. Be vulnerable. Ask for His help. He is listening.

Self-Reflection

Take some time to see if you have gone up these 3 ladder rungs yourself.

Even if you slip from time to time, just keep moving in the right direction, not letting Satan lie to you saying imperfect progress isn’t worth it, because it always is, every time.

Keep trying toward a life lived for God, God’s way. And keep asking for His help as you do it… because it’s hard fighting our temporal humanness for God’s eternal blessings, but His blessings are always far more worth it than temporary gains of us winning the power struggle against Him.

So, don’t just struggle… ask for God’s help every step of the way… & every ladder rung taken. He’s got you, girl. He’s got you, always.

Shine Hope by asking for God’s help to live for God, God’s way. He’s always worth it & always able.

Coming Next Week

Next week we continue working up the Beatitudes ladder, found in Matthew 5, so make sure to join me then!

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:

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!!

Mirage Earrings

With just a touch of glimmer these earrings are fun and easy to wear.

Artisan Information:

In Asia, poverty leads many women to being sexually exploited in brothels. These women want to provide for their families but have so few options. 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 artisans & their children. You can help these women experience restoration for their future!

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!

Have You Ever…?

Have you ever felt like no one cares about you?

Have you ever complained that no one ever offers you help?

Have you ever turned away a helping hand?

Picture Perfect Perception

In this life, in this social media-saturated world, it’s so easy to present our best selves, while omitting our weaknesses.

It’s not to be proud or arrogant or fake. It’s to keep up with the world that seems so much more capable than we feel we are.

I know I struggle showing others where I lack. I know I struggle to show fear or weakness or insufficiency.

I want to seem like I can handle anything, because can’t everyone else take care of their own just fine?

A Lie We Tell Ourselves

It’s an insecurity maintaining a perception of perfection, I know. And yet knowing that does not make it much easier to show it as such.

I want the world to see me as doing just fine, not needing anything outside of me.

But the closer I come to Jesus, the more I realize the truth that none of us, not one of us is without flaws, faults, & failures.

We are human, every one of us, & that comes naturally with weakness, despite our ongoing efforts to hide it.

The Beauty of Seeing Imperfection

But there’s a beauty in seeing that the world’s just as broken as you feel… And that we all could use a helping hand.

It makes such a difference to offer a smile of encouragement. To offer a helping hand in someone’s time of need.

But it starts with us, a change in us, a willingness to show our vulnerability… to let the world see just how in need we are.

Let Our Needs Show, Ask for & Allow Help

It starts with not only offering to help others, but in allowing others to help US.

It’s easy to judge others who don’t seem to want to help. It’s easy to hold a grudge for the care not offered us.

But are we willing to lay our hearts on the line & not only offer that help to others, but accept it ourselves?

Accepting help allows others to see where we lack. It’s vulnerable & uncomfortable & it’s sometimes easier to just shrug them away & deny their help.

We’re All in This Together!

We must realize that we could all use the help.

We must realize that no one else is perfect either.

We must be willing to not shrug help away & allow them in when they offer a hand.

And we must bow our hearts to help others in need, as well.

Can I Help You? “Yes & Thank You”

I find myself so easily saying, “No, I’m fine. I’ve got this.” And rarely do I say the words, “Yes & thank you.”

I think it’s become so easy to claim we’ve got it all together, thinking of vulnerability as a thing to avoid & because of that, it’s easy to feel like offering help to others can be seen as an insult or offense of their inability to do it themselves.

But offer anyway! And if offered, accept with gratitude & humility!

Better Together

Let us all accept that we have frailties & limitations & that every one of us could use a helping hand.

Let us be free to encourage & offer up support. Let us be honest with ourselves & the world.

We need each other.

God’s Reminders & Wisdom

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) (emphasis mine)

“Therefore encourage one another & build each other up….” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) (emphasis mine)

“”Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10) (emphasis mine)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other & pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful & effective.” (James 5:16) (emphasis mine)

Ask God for Help Being Vulnerable & Serving

Take a moment to ask God to help you to be willing to show you need help. Ask Him for courage to share your needs & awareness & willingness to help others. Ask Him for help with humility-a willingness to show your insufficiencies.

And be the “hands & feet” of Jesus as you seek to live a life of love for others & ultimately for Almighty God, through the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Shine Hope by offering AND accepting help.

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:

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!!

Northern Lights Studs

These studs hold labradorite stones, displaying multiple captivating colors that vary in different exposures to light, just like the Northern Lights themselves. Flash-plated posts.

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 & 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!

Only What I Want to Hear

How often do we pray, only listening for the answer we want to hear?

I have found that sometimes in my prayers, I feel as if God is not hearing or answering me because it is not the way I want Him to answer me.

For example, when I was so lonely & I was struggling so much in Hokkaido, Japan, my prayers basically revolved around my idea of making the struggle end.

When my struggling did not end, a root of bitterness started taking root against God.

Not to Make Everything Easy, But to Be Enough in the Hard

But, God does not promise that we will never have struggles or hardships.

He DOES, however, promise to be our “ENOUGH” in the midst of those struggles & hardships.

For Our Good

On top of that, those struggles & hardships are actually meant for our good, believe it or not. Sort of like when Joseph went through all of his trials (& there was a lifetime of them!), his response to his cruel & jealous brothers was, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many peopleshould be kept alive, as they are today.”

God uses the HARD times in our life to bring about GOOD purposes.

Front Row Seats

For one, hardships strengthen us & teach us confident perseverance.

They also strengthen our faith, because when we are weakened & thus clinging to God more fiercely, we are given wonderful opportunities to see Him work wonders that we were not able to accomplish on our own. It puts Him on center stage & oftentimes gives us front row seats to watch Him work!

He doesn’t hurt you, but He uses the hurt caused by sin & a broken world (broken because of the sin), to strengthen you in so many ways!

Lean into Him

So, when I am faced with those hardships, instead of looking for my hope in the ABSENCE of those hardships & praying as such, I (we) SHOULD learn to pray for God’s help in the midst of those storms.

We can pray for His wisdom, strength, peace, hope, comfort, guidance, etc.!

*Plugging Ears*

BUT sometimes we don’t want to even hear the answer He gives, when we do choose to seek His wisdom & guidance, in which stems another stunt to answered prayers.

A Bible example of this sort of harmful mindset is found in Zechariah 7, where the people inquired of God, & when His response came, with:

“Administer true justice; show mercy & compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other….”

The people “… refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs & covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint & would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets.”

In other words, they only wanted an answer if it made them look or feel good.

Looking Good & Feeling Good About Ourselves Versus Bringing God Glory

Before this situation took place, they were asking God if they should continue fasting at particular times as they had been told to do & as they had been doing for many years & God called them out on it, telling them they had turned those things into prideful acts, versus acts of humble surrender. They did it to look & feel good, not to honor God.

Are our prayers centered around making us look good &/or feel good about ourselves?

Or are they centered on laying down our way for His, through the strength & peace He provides? Are they centered on giving God center stage in our life?

What’s Our Focus?

We need to be mindful of how we pray.

Pray first to draw your strength, wisdom, guidance, peace, joy, hope, etc. from Him in times of struggle, & also for it to bring Him glory & draw you & others closer to Him in the process.

And also, pray willing to trustingly obey the answer He gives. Trust Him enough to know that He means it for your good & lean into Him through prayer & acting on His words to you.

You can even ask for His help in doing what you know He is calling you to do.

Trust & Obey

Whether it be bringing a meal to a family, supporting an orphan or widow, or doing anything out of your comfort zone, ask God for help as you obey.

Ask Him for courage. Ask Him for peace. Ask Him for strength. Ask Him for a willing heart. Ask Him to help you trust Him.

Because when we ask for His help, we should understand that if ANYONE knows the best way to handle a struggle or situation, it is Him… so trust Him enough to listen & follow through with HIS answer, over looking only for your way.

Shine HOPE by trusting God enough to listen & to follow His way, in your prayers.

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:

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!!

Onyx Necklace

Modern hammered brass necklace features 3 genuine onyx drops.

Artisan Information:

The poverty cycle in India continues primarily because of the lack of education. Most schools are not free or affordable. Therefore, many children never learn to read or write and grow up with limited opportunities. However, every purchase of this product empowers women to provide for their children and send them to school! You have the opportunity to end poverty and create an impact for generations to come!

Purchase this piece and 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!

Being Gracious When They Ask

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to explain yourselves countless times & just got tired of doing so?

Now, I understand the value of being gracious to others, knowing that when they ask questions, it is not necessarily to mock or judge me, but rather because they lack understanding & want to better understand the situation. And, to better understand, they must ask someone who knows more than they do.

But Sometimes I Just Don’t Feel Up to It…

But, sometimes, as the explainer, I just don’t always feel up to the task.

Sometimes it’s hard to rehash something you’d rather forget was so different & in need of explaining.

Other times, you are struggling to make sense of it yourself.

I understand the value of patience & understanding, offering grace to those who may not know about my situation, but sometimes it’s hard to see past my own struggle.

Such is the case with my situation.

Sometimes I perk up at the opportunity to bless someone with a new & fresh perspective, & other times I just want to slowly, quietly back away & hope that they forgot I was even talking to them.

Our Planning Can Sometimes Make Us Expect Our Way Versus God’s Way

I think it is common to take for granted the “plan” for life that society has so ingrained in us. Grow up… Get married… Have babies… Become grandparents… etc.

Not to say there is anything wrong with that plan, except for the fact that we are determining what God’s plan should be for us & the fact that it seems to uproot us when we realize our plan might not actually be GOD’S plan for our lives.

I am currently thinking of the verses in James 4:13-15, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such & such a city, spend a year there, buy & sell, & make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time & then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live & do this or that.”

It’s Not Wrong to Make Plans, But Bow Them to God’s Will

It’s not wrong to set goals & plans, but we need to be willing to trust that whatever God’s plan is, is much better than ours & I think a lot of life’s disappointments stem from coming up with a way of life that seems right to us, only to find out God has other plans for our life purpose.

BUT, that’s not to say His plan will be easy to accept or easier than our plan… just BETTER.

Here Stems My Struggle

BUT, the catch to that, is we will miss out on so much of the blessing God intends in His BETTER by focusing on how much it doesn’t match the plan we have meticulously mapped out for ourselves—which can lead to much bitterness (trust me, I know from experience. I’m not always good at relinquishing my ideals for His perfect will.)

I’m good at (bad at?) thinking I know better. *sigh* I am a work in progress.

It Gets Personal

My husband & I always assumed we would have kids one day. Sure, I was terrified at first, & then he was when he felt the fuller weight of responsibility, but eventually we turned those fears to God’s care & welcomed God to bring a child into our lives with ready anticipation & excitement… for the next 6.5 years now.

Even after both of us being checked by the doctors & being told we were both in prime baby-making condition… Still, no baby.

Even after we prayed for many years… Still, no baby.

(Let me clarify that babies still sort of terrify me & I am not one to coo & jump at the opportunity to hold a baby, (sorry, mamas!) but I want a larger family… memories of family game nights & cooking together & caring for them & guiding my children to be lights in the world for HOPE in Jesus.)

BUT, it seems to be this is not God’s will for us now, if ever... & that was a hard reality to swallow.

Reasoning the Pain Away, Versus Leaning into God for Comfort & Wisdom

As I had mentioned in a previous blog post (here), although it was easy to convince myself why it’s so hard to be a parent & that I am blessed to be able to travel more readily, I learned that it was my way of trusting my reasoning more than leaning in to trust God with it.

And when I strip those reasonings away, I am left with seeing other families make those memories that I don’t get to make & feeling the threat of tears burning in the corners of my eyes. Because trusting in my own reasoning doesn’t actually help me erase the emotions behind the longing.

And sometimes, yes, I get tired explaining the complexity of it all & I just don’t want to explain my heart & my thoughts & everything in between.

I am just human. I don’t have all the answers to the ‘why’s’.

I am also not 100% faithful in trusting God’s plan.

Sometimes I want my plan instead.

The Joy

But I know that joy comes only when I am willing to understand that God is all-knowing & I am not. He knows me far better than I do myself because He created me. He KNOWS me. Joy comes in knowing that He wants good for me, & not harm. Joy comes in trusting Him more than I do myself.

But it took me a long time to get to that place with this subject (& I still struggle sometimes).

My Dreams

I mentioned before that ever since I read Authentic Beauty, by Leslie Ludy, back in 2006 or so, that I dreamed of reaching out to women with HOPE–Middle School girls, High School girls, College ladies, Moms, & women in general. (I even dreamed of, but never saw possible, the idea of running my own website where women could seek hope without judgment—my how God has answered THAT!!)

Well, taking that fact of having a passion to encourage & lead women with hope as the prequal, now enter my bitterness that I harbored for many years over a lack of a baby.

How do those two things work together? The dream… & the bitterness of no children?

Spiritual Fruitfulness

Last year, a Bible Study group I attended worked through a Beth Moore study called Breaking Free. One of the chapters was on “being fruitful.”

You can probably feel me tensing up then, after reading that day’s topic.

But to my surprise, it was not a chapter on the joys of motherhood & why every woman should want to have children because they are blessings from God.

This chapter was on spiritual fruitfulness & talked about the importance of replicating the hope & joy we have in Jesus around the world & to those around us.

God Fitting the Pieces Together Perfectly

Wow. Was that a humility check for me, because Beth Moore mentioned the little verse in Isaiah 54:1 that I had passed by so easily many times before, “Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.”

And the same lines are repeated in Galatians 4:27.

With all of the many verses about the joys of parenthood & that children are God’s blessings to us, He does not neglect the longing, sad hearts of those like me, who can’t seem to have children.

He makes a point to tell us to “burst into song” & to “shout for joy” & to show us that He has not forgotten nor forsaken us in His “No.”

Mothers Pour Mostly into THEIR Children, But Barren Women Can Pour into the Lives of MANY MORE

Beth Moore’s point, in that chapter, was that women who are mothers have the responsibility to pour into their children, care for them, discipline them, & guide them in how to seek & follow after Jesus Christ.

But, women who are barren (or, childless, in my case), have the opportunity to “be fruitful in their faith” on a MUCH larger scale by either pouring into the lives of all children they are blessed to interact with, or by pouring into mothers so that those mothers are encouraged & edified to then pour into THEIR children.

Always Look to God’s Plan & Ask Him for It!

You see, when I keep my eyes on GOD’S PLAN over my own, I am opened up to see the bigger picture. I am opened up to the FACT that God has not forgotten me & that He has a greater plan for me than I have for myself. I am opened up to release my bitterness & embrace JOY.

Is it possible that He will still choose to give me children in some way? Yes.

Do I still look at the back of board game boxes & feel a tinge of sadness at the smiling faces of that laughing family depicted there? Yes.

But does God comfort & strengthen & re-focus me as I lean into Him in it? Most definitely YES.

God Knows You & God Knows Best… Always

But, in the meantime (& if that time never comes), I should strive to see God’s whole picture… That yes, I may never be blessed with children of my own, but I can use that childless time to pour into the hearts of other women so that they, in turn, can pour into the lives of their children.

God has not deprived me of my dream to be fruitful. He has opened the door for me to see my dream realized on a larger scale.

Taking me from 2006 in wanting to be an intentional light in the world & to pour into the lives of other females, to now, in learning of that unique opportunity I have been given in not being blessed with children of my own.

Taking me from my 2006 dream of running a website, where ladies could come & seek answers about hope in Christ anonymously & without judgment of peers or parents, to running my own website & blog & Facebook community, starting in 2018. Wow!

Show Grace… Even to Yourself…

I feel blessed. I feel sad sometimes. And it’s okay to have both. God is capable of filling in my gaps.

Show grace to others who may not understand your situation. Take time to educate them so they may be more sensitive to others who do not share their circumstances.

Show grace to others who DON’T WANT (or feel too exhausted or overwhelmed) to share their own situation which is different than yours. Sometimes it’s hard to explain & other times it is just plain hard. Give grace.

And show grace to yourself. You’re not meant to understand it all, but God does, so lean into Him. And when you’re just too tired to explain yourself for the hundredth time, don’t take it out on the hundredth person to ask. Take a deep breath & be polite & patient & be praying… either say, “can we talk about this another time?” or “I understand that you want to understand this, but I am not up to explaining it right now, please excuse me.” Or, ask God for the patience & calm to sit down with them & talk them through it & answer their questions.

God’s got you, so let Him shine hope through you. He never fails. Lean into Him & above all, trust Him more than you do yourself. It’s worth it one hundred percent of the time, always.

Coming Next Week

*Check back THIS Thursday for October’s SPECIAL FEATURE post!*

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:

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!!

Turning Leaf Set

This silver finish hammered metal necklace with matching earrings was inspired by the beautiful shapes of leaves (& look like dragonfly wings). *Matching Earrings not pictured, but included in set.*

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 & 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!

Closing a Series, But God Is Always At Work

Well, this is it, the final week of our Pivot moments for this series.

I am sure God will continue to flip my world upside down to exchange the lies I have come to believe for His truth, but for the sake of this series of pivotal moments, this is the last… for now.

God Is Working a Masterpiece

Today, it will get dark again, before the light shines through the clouds, revealing a marvelous plan that God had all along, but that I just then began to realize was there.

That’s how it always works with God.

We tend to fret & stress & worry & fear, as if God doesn’t already have a plan to fit all of the pieces together, making a breath-taking masterpiece out of the messy “colors” we saw as chaos.

AND, He doesn’t leave it at that… He offers us comfort & peace & strength to endure the hardships that lead up to that marvelous reveal, as we lean into Him for it.

And that is how He worked as He led me through my struggles in both Guam AND Hokkaido.

God Was Working a Plan I Didn’t See

God was working a plan to show Himself to me in a way that I needed to see.

He needed me to learn that my gifting was simply His way of working through my life & had little to do with how much I may or may not have deserved it.

The Ugly Pride

First, I feel it important to let you in on the fact that I struggled (& still do struggle) with pride because of my gifting from God.

Because certain things oftentimes seem so obvious & easy to me, to see deeper insight into a situation to know God’s truth & how it needs to be applied or how someone is avoiding God’s truth in a certain area… I began to believe that it must be that I care more about God & truth than others.

I know, I know… it sounds arrogant just reading that.

But although I didn’t think of it as pride, but more that I felt alone in wanting to serve the truth, it just wasn’t true that my gifting was equal to my personal deserving of it.

An Undeserved Gift

My gifting was simply what it sounds like… a gift… from God. Did it make me more perceptive than some others? Perhaps. But I still had weaknesses where others had great strengths.

This particular area just happened to be MY strength, leaving me to need help from others with DIFFERENT strengths… the whole “body of Christ”/”body of the Church” idea. All of our strengths (“giftings”) WORK TOGETHER & are GIFTS from God—not earned or deserved.

Obviously, the more obedient & trusting we are to God, the more He will choose to work in & through our gifting, but the gifting itself is… just a GIFT.

All that to say, I obviously needed both a lesson in humility & a lesson in it being from HIM & not me.

Walking through the Valley

And to accomplish this pivot in my life, God chose to allow me to walk through hardship… namely, loneliness in Guam & a life of strain, where I had very little control, living in Japan, in an area with VERY LITTLE English.

Living in those two places brought me to a place of feeling like very little that I accomplished had anything to do with what I had earned or deserved.

I was mainly just trying to get through to the next day, only sometimes remembering to pray for the strength & peace & wisdom & guidance to navigate each day & instead, relying on television show marathons & food to get me through it.

And it got worse.

Starting to Have “The Talk”-About Depression & Potential Cries for Help

Near the end of those six years, I had to start having a lot of conversations with Jamie about my history with depression & that if it got bad enough, slipping by unnoticed until it consumed me, & if I admitted that to him & asked for help, that he needed to get me emergency help.

Luckily, it never reached emergency status, but I guess in a way it did.

Over time, in Hokkaido, the mental strain & stress of never understanding (pretty much anything) of the world around me began to take a serious toll on my mind.

I began having emotional breakdowns over the smallest things.

I felt BROKEN, like a person who couldn’t function like a normal human being.

Paper-Thin Patience

To better express the strain… if I dropped an item once, even a small, slip-through-my-fingers drop… it required a deep breath of resolve to just pick it back up…. But a second drop? The item would get picked up with lightning speed & chucked at the nearest wall.

Patience was worn thin every moment. I had zero patience.

I crumbled at the slightest aggravation or inconvenience.

I cried or screamed or cursed so loud that I didn’t care if the whole world heard.

And I felt broken.

Broken

I understood this wasn’t normal. I understood that the average human being can manage to pick something up that had dropped just twice without feeling hatred explode out of her.

But I couldn’t stop it. I felt like something in me had short-circuited & I could no longer filter frustrations through logic & calm reserve to try again.

I just immediately would snap, without even considering it first or thinking it through.

It scared me how little control I had over my own brain & how it reacted to even minor difficulties.

And yet, through all of that, I felt God’s hand on me… as if He was reassuring me that He wouldn’t let go… that He had me still.

God Wasn’t Answering MY Way, So I Felt Forgotten

But I eventually stopped praying.

I felt deserted by God because the pain only got worse & the control over my own emotions melted slowly away.

I was trapped in a mental typhoon that swirled everything together & knocked all sense out of my life.

I was exhausted & frustrated. I felt broken & no longer whole or “normal” & I saw ZERO way to repair or fix it.

Every attempt seemed to laugh at me.

My prayers went “unanswered.”

Bitterness grew into an angry, snarling, jaded voice that screamed for relief at every corner.

Streaming Curse Words

I saw God walking beside me, in a sense, feeling Him there… but He wasn’t making all the pain stop. He wasn’t repairing my mind. He wasn’t calming the storm raging inside me.

So, I cried. A LOT.

My second (inner) language became strung-together curse words, screamed inside my mind.

I couldn’t turn off the rage that was starting to consume me, like a rage monster tearing away at me from the inside, bellowing its fierceness from within me.

Professional Help, Please!

As I finally confessed this inner battle to Jamie, upon our decision-making to stay in Hokkaido or move on, I told him the truth, “Jamie, I am really struggling. Either I need a professional counselor, or we need to leave to go somewhere less stressful on my brain. I need help.”

So, we moved to Misawa, Japan, near an American military base & the stress began to recede.

Even With My NOTHING

God showed me that even WHILE I was feeling broken & unfixable, bitter instead of trusting, & barely surviving through my mental typhoon each day, that He STILL chose to work through my life to bless others through my gifting.

In other words, EVEN WHEN I did NOTHING to earn or deserve anything, He still allowed me to be a blessing to others through HIS gifting.

Ex Nihilo

I used to think that it was up to us to bring the best of what we have & to be the best at everything ALL THE TIME & be everyone’s EVERYTHING, & ONLY THEN can God do miraculous, wonderful things in & through our lives.

BUT… in my failing… in my brokenness… in my falling apart… when I felt I had nothing to offer Him… HE STILL DID Mighty things, through ME!!

Like He showed us through Creation… God can do AMAZING things EX NIHILO (“From Nothing”).

Not Us, But HIM, THROUGH US

My gifting & my ability to bless others how He chooses to work through me, is not because I have proven any better than other people… but because He is a Mighty & Awesome & LOVING God who does great things despite my unworthiness, because He loves us so incredibly much.

He can take our NOTHING & make it a MASTERPIECE.

His Grace IS Sufficient

Even if our “leaning into Him” is as a paralytic who cannot even hold themselves up, HE HOLDS US UP in His strength, His mercy, His love, His power, His goodness, His forgiveness, His saving, HIS GRACE.

If you recognize a gifting God has given you when you chose to put your faith in Jesus as the Master & Redeemer of your life, learn from my mistakes… bow them at His feet & thank Him for blessing you with a way to bless others, through HIS GIFTING.

And then lean into Him to best use that gift to honor Him & to bring Him glory, by making Him famous wherever you go, loving others to Jesus, through truth & faith in Him. He will help you as you lean into Him.

Shine HOPE, by giving Him the little you have & letting Him multiply it, even if it feels as if you have little to nothing to offer Him… by LEANING INTO HIM.

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:

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!!

Iris Earrings

Iridescent pink crystal beads sway on these golden teardrop hoops.

Artisan Information:

In Peru, rural citizens have been affected by extreme poverty & guerrilla warfare. Women are affected the worst as their husbands generally leave them in search of work. Many are unable to get the basic needs of food, shelter, & clothing. But with every purchase of this product, women are finding hope & an income by hand-making this beautiful product. Because of you, these family businesses are now empowering the next generation!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Peru!

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!

We Interrupt This Program to Bring You…

Okay, so this isn’t normally how I run my blog, but I feel like it needs to be said now, today.

Today, we deviate from the pivots (those will probably resume next week).

Today, we let God take over for a message that I need reminding of every single day (added during editing… you’ll see why that’s important later).

God’s plans aren’t our plans.

Just Everyday Life

When the Bible says repeatedly, “And the people did what was right in their own eyes,” we often & easily think of it as revelry & outright sin.

But hold up, when you actually look up those references, where that phrase is written (go ahead & do a search online), sometimes it literally means just that, “the people did what was right in their own eyes,” when referring to just everyday life… No outright sin involved.

Even Well-Intentioned Christians… Like Me

So, do we do that, too? Do we live according to “what seems right in our own eyes”?

I would say a GIANT “yes” to that question.

EVEN, (now hear me on this), EVEN well-intentioned CHRISTIANS.

Gasp.

Even… ME (yes, I admit it).

Gasp.

Even… PASTORS.

*Faint*

Now, before you go thinking, “now wait just a cotton picking minute!” (where did that phrase even come from? haha)… but before you write me off, stick with me a minute & you’ll see what I mean.

But Wait! I Think I Know This One!

We, as humans, tend to take what we know & run with it, substituting a relationship with God, through the Holy Spirit, with our OWN knowledge of Scripture.

Now, don’t get me wrong, we need to study up on the Word of God, aka the BIBLE, because it is God’s Word to us. It is how He shows us who He is… His character, His will, His love, His GRACE.

BUT, we cannot study up & neglect a daily relationship with God, through prayer. Mostly because we will NEVER know it all. We are NOT God.

Satan Tries to Trick by Twisting Truth

Do you remember when, in Matthew 4 (I had to look up the reference) Satan tried to use Scripture to tempt Jesus, but because Jesus was God & also had a relationship with God the Father, He knew better & saw right through Satan’s manipulation & distortion of Truth?

Would you recognize it as a trick as easily as Jesus did?

We often think we do/will.

That Pesky Little “Lean Not on Your Own Understanding”

We tend to learn a whole lot & then proceed to lean on our OWN understanding (the exact OPPOSITE of what God tells us to do, in Proverbs 3 (again, Google is my friend).

Or, we tend to think KNOWING the Scripture (Bible) is the SAME as knowing how God wants to APPLY it at any given moment.

ESPECIALLY if one specific way worked for someone else, in accordance with God’s will… like, “oh okay, well we have THAT one figured out. No need to ask for God’s guidance & will for this situation because we already know!”

Some Things Are Solid

Now, yes, if it is “thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:13) or some other direct command, we don’t have to question God’s Word… but if it’s in applying a passage to our lives, God is a living, breathing God who is infinitely creative… In other words, it might be best to always be leaning into Him for His direction with HIS Word.

Abide in HIM

The vine & branches parable in the Bible (John 15) has been taking on fresh meaning to me lately as I realize just how EASY it is to rely on “doing what seems right in my own eyes.”

Unless we are ABIDING in Christ (there are about 30 references to that, in the Bible, according to my search), we are attempting to be a branch that is disconnected from the Vine (God), who just happens to be a branch that knows a whole lot ABOUT the Vine.

Fighting Back from What Seems Natural for the MORE That God Offers

I get it, we will never get it right 100% of the time, because acting based on what we think we see right in front of us seems SO EASY & SO NATURAL.

But God didn’t send us His Word so that we could read it & then go rogue.

God wants a relationship.

He wants to interact, guide, comfort, teach, grow, heal, & love us through this life.

He wants to do the heavy lifting while we dedicate our entire being to trusting our entire being to Him, His lead, His will, & His Vine-ness.

I Think I’m Okay, Though…

So, if you’re sitting there thinking, “I try very hard to please God & do good for Him, so I don’t think this message applies to me…” STOP.

Pray.

Ask God to reveal to you the areas where you ARE clinging to control (or “what seems right in your own eyes”), where you are relying on your “wisdom” instead of His… your perspective, instead of His… your way, instead of HIS.

Because I guarantee you this, there is AT LEAST one part where you have been fooled into thinking, “because I know this much, I am capable of doing this one on my own.”

Don’t let Satan keep you on the hamster wheel of false belief… false trust.

Run into Jesus’ welcoming, loving, COMPLETELY capable arms.

And STRIVE to live according to what IS right, in HIS eyes, through letting HIM take the lead of your life… through growing your relationship with Him, versus merely growing your knowledge base.

God Had Other Plans… & I Had No Idea

Today, this wasn’t my planned topic. I already wrote today’s blog (about “doing everything as if unto the Lord”), but I guess that topic will have to wait for next week.

At the beginning of this post, I said, “Okay, so this isn’t normally how I run my blog, but I feel like it needs to be said now, today.”

Honesty moment? I didn’t even know what “needed to be said” until the words fell out on the screen as I typed.

Scrap It & Walk Blind?

I felt a nudge, a wall, a hesitancy to continue my path, so I stopped & asked God why, so to speak.

And all I felt was that I should scrap that whole direction for today… all of the work I had already done… & just let Him talk. So, I erased my post & just starting typing what popped in my head, not knowing where it was headed.

Sometimes you have to let God interrupt your “regularly scheduled program” to let Him do what He wants instead.

In fact, every day of life should be about us stepping aside to let Him work His will through us… & we won’t know how to recognize the difference unless we stop to ask Him.

So ask Him.

Ask Him HOW

And if you have ZERO clue how to have that relationship with Him that I mentioned, start there. Ask Him to show you how to do it.

He is capable.

No one… I repeat… NO ONE is perfect at this… but “God gives grace to the humble” (written MANY times in the Bible!) & He “is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3).

So, ask Him.

Doing Pretty Good? Ask Him Anyway.

And if you think your relationship with Him is already pretty good… remember that EVERYONE is imperfect… EVERYONE has space to grow… EVERYONE relies on themselves at least sometimes.

So, ask Him.

Shine Hope by growing a living relationship with a living God & letting Him be the boss, always.

Coming Next Week

This week, on Thursday, is our monthly Special Feature Post, so stay tuned!

Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement, & to follow along on my journey through the major pivotal moments that helped shape my faith & helped me trust God more & more.

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

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!!

Iris Earrings

Iridescent pink crystal beads sway on these golden teardrop hoops.

Artisan Information:

In Peru, rural citizens have been affected by extreme poverty & guerrilla warfare. Women are affected the worst as their husbands generally leave them in search of work. Many are unable to get the basic needs of food, shelter, & clothing. But with every purchase of this product, women are finding hope & an income by hand making this beautiful product. Because of you, these family businesses are now empowering the next generation!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Peru!

(*Also Pictured: Worthy Necklace from 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!

The Accusations Are True… But Wait

This post may ruffle some feathers, but this topic needs to be addressed. We need to change. We need to run back to God & let Him lead!

Hypocrisy & the Church seem to be synonymous these days & it breaks my heart & the hearts of so many others, because we see that God is our one true hope, but yet we can’t seem to distinguish ourselves from this painful reality of prevalent hypocrisy.

So why is that? Why are we known as hypocrites? How did this become such a huge distraction from the truth that has set us free—the grace of Christ?

Trusting in Ourselves… Instead of God

The most glaringly obvious answer to this question stems from the source of the hypocrisy itself—trusting in ourselves more than we trust in God.

We may believe God’s Word is true (or, for most of us, we live like it is “mostly” true, even though it is COMPLETELY true—it is NOT just God’s “opinions” of truth), & yet we don’t live those truths.

Why?

Because we like to talk about them & point them out to others. We like to judge others on their actions & ourselves on our intentions. We like to say we believe it without putting it to the test.

Being a Christian Isn’t the Same As Actively, Daily Trusting in God

Basically? We like to trust ourselves first & God second.

The results? Looking so “GOOD” on the outside, but living just like everyone else in reality. And when pressures arise, what’s on the inside shines brighter than what we try to project on the outside.

In other words, we are just human, just like everyone else… And we can’t rise above our human nature without first surrendering that human nature to the will, wisdom, power, & guidance of the Holy Spirit leading us each step along the way.

Looking the Part Without Acting the Part

 And if we don’t surrender our human nature to the will & wisdom of God, we can say all of the TRUTH that we want, & try to act as GOOD as we can, but we will be just as messed up & lost as anyone else on the inside—creating that dreaded reality of hypocrisy.

It’s not even that we intend to be hypocrites. In fact, I can remember getting really offended at that accusation because I was trying SO HARD to be SO GOOD on the outside & to TALK the TALK, without really WALKING the WALK by putting my trust in God over myself.

Doing Good Things in Vain

Even for those who become activists for great causes, take a stand for the hurting or overlooked, volunteer for service projects galore, & work in many ministries within the church… without leaning our will & our way & our wisdom & our passion to the will & wisdom & direction of the Lord… Well, if you read my post from a couple weeks ago, you know that we are “building” in vain.

Human Nature Trumps Doing God’s Will When We’re Not Actively Putting Our Trust in God

Because WE ARE JUST HUMAN on our own!

We are just as vulnerable to HUMAN NATURE.

We have just as many TEMPTATIONS.

We have just as many FAULTS & INSECURITIES & FALSE PERCEPTIONS.

Without leaning into God as our source of all wisdom, direction, & power, we are quite simply just building our life, our ministry, or our causes in vain.

We are trying to ACT godly, without letting GOD make us like Himself through HIS strength, wisdom, direction, & power.

How Do We Make It Stop?

So, how do we stop this plague of hypocrisy that seems to have infected the Church?

We lean into God daily. We ask Him to shape us & grow us. We ask Him to remove false perceptions we’ve come to rely on. We ask Him to help us overcome. We ask Him to strengthen us. We ask HIM to change us from the INSIDE OUT.

And when we learn lessons from God, we CONTINUE to bow our understanding to His leading & wisdom for each new situation!

Saying All the Right Things, But Falling So Short

Because without getting Him involved in the details, we are whitewashed tombs that look & sound godly, while grossly misrepresenting God & getting in the way of His glory… Depriving Him the opportunity to shine through us to the hurting world we wish so desperately to encourage toward lasting, secure HOPE through Christ.

We may think we have it figured out—especially if we have already learned a lesson in a certain area… because we tend to cut & paste & re-use each lesson we learn from God for every similar future situation versus continuing to bow our understanding to God’s wisdom—but no matter what we THINK we know… HE will always know more & He will ALWAYS know better. So, ask Him.

Always Ask Him

Always ask Him.

If you have already learned a lesson… Ask Him to continue teaching you.

If you already think you understand something… Ask Him to weed out the falsities.

Always, ALWAYS refer to His Word & rely on His guidance through prayer.

Knowledge may be power, but it is also dangerous… Because the more we know, the more we THINK we understand.

Always ask God.

He Will Direct Your Steps As You Lean into Him for Guidance

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    & lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to Him,
    & He will make your paths straight.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6) (Emphasis mine)

Always shine HOPE… by asking God for the BEST way to give Him the glory in all that you do.

Coming Next Week

Make sure to join me every Monday morning EST for more weekly encouragement!

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!!

Stargazer Set

This stunning necklace features a golden hammered half moon pendant with nine blue-grey tassels & a matching bracelet.

Artisan Information:

In India, poverty is rampant & fair working conditions are hard to find. But with every purchase, women are receiving an income, access to healthcare, adult literacy programs, & self-help groups! Not only does this change their lives, but they are also pouring back into their communities & helping others! You have the opportunity to empower thousands of women in India!

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!

A Quick Glance Back

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, then why can it be so uncomfortable?

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

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

Bringing Back Perspective

But let me bring everything back into perspective…

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

BUT…

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

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

HE IS ENOUGH.

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

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

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

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

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

So, ask!

Loving Through Trauma & Pain

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

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

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

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

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

It’s Hard to See Them Hurt

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

Pray with them & love them as they are.

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

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

God is Able!

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

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

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

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

Loving Others When You Don’t Feel Like It

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

Loving Through the Storms

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

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

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

But it sucks.

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

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

But God is enough.

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

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

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

Loving Through Anger & Strife

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

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

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

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

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

But, GOD IS BIGGER.

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

He is big enough!

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

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

A Call to Love

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

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

Because GOD. IS. ENOUGH.

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

Coming Next Week

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Empress Necklace

Representing Women Artisans in India & Thailand!

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

Artisan Information:

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

Purchase this piece and empower a woman in India!

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

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

Sometimes It’s Hard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Loving an Enemy—God’s Perspective

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

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

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

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

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

He paid it all & forgives freely.

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

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

Loving an Enemy—in Practice

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

How do we love the unlovable?

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

Not natural at all!

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

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

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

Pray for that person.

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

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

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

Pray that God teach you to be gracious.

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

But PRAY.

God Can Do All Things

Do you know of Paul, in the Bible?

Well, Saul became Paul.

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

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

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

Loving the Difficult

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

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

I definitely understand that!

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

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

Cue the loud, long *SIGH*.

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

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

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

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

And be kind. Always be kind. And pray.

Loving Differences

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

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

And it is awful!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Japan—Perspective

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

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

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

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

… to be continued.

Shine Hope, Lovely!

Coming Next Week

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

If you want to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” & “Hope is Found” pages, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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

Weekly Special Spotlight:

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

Joy Ring

Supporting Women in Nepal with my Joy Ring!

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

Artisan Information:

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

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Nepal

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