A Question to Consider

Okay, think about this question for a second—“Do you trust in prayer or in God?”

Now, your first instincts might be to ask, “But aren’t they basically the same thing? We pray BECAUSE we believe in God?” In theory, yes… but oftentimes reality looks a little different.

Praying “Right”

To clarify what I mean, I used to think of prayer as saying the magic words, like if I ask enough times, with the right words, in the right timing then maybe I’ll get what I wish.

I was putting more weight on the words I was saying or how I was saying it than the actual trust in the One I was speaking them to.

Flip the Script

Instead, God has taught me to flip how I see prayer. To look to God, remind myself of His great & endless, infinite power, plus His grace & love & patience & gentleness—to consider WHO God really is & THEN just simply TALK to Him.

Saying, “God, You are infinite & so much greater than I can even wrap my head around. I don’t even DESERVE a moment of Your time, & yet You open Your throne room to me & my petitions with eager willingness to hear my call. You are so loving & kind & patient. Help me remember that & know that more. I need You way more than I realize. Forgive me for how self-capable I believe myself to be so often & help me to trust You more. Please help me with _________. I am struggling & I know this is a small matter to You no matter how major & impossible it seems to me, so help me to lean into You instead of myself & help me know what to do. Thank You so much for Your great love for me & the world in whole. I love You. AMEN!”

Do You trust in Prayer or in God?

Instead of putting my faith in my words, frequency, urgency, or any other HOW that I pray, the power comes in HIM, not in HOW we pray.

So, do you put your faith more in your prayers (or try to put your faith in them), or are you learning to place your faith in the Who you are asking in your prayers?

One of the most important takeaways from this is that when God answers differently than our prayers wished for, it is not because we didn’t pray hard enough or pray correctly. It is because we hope & trust in a God Who knows MUCH better than we do & we can always fall back into His arms, knowing the “No” we received was given from 100% PERFECT wisdom, understanding, knowledge, & most importantly endless LOVE for us.

He Is Always Near

He is just a thought away, never far, always close. Reach out your heart to Him & ask Him to hear your call. His love for you can never be fully understood, for it goes much deeper than we can possibly comprehend. Give Him a chance to show that great love to your heart. He loves you.

Shine Hope by trusting HIM more than HOW you ask/talk to Him. <3

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Northern Lights Studs

These studs hold labradorite stone, displaying multiple captivating colors that vary in different exposures to light, just like the Northern Lights themselves.

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!

How You Can Help:

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

My Regular Prayer

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

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

Not Self-Effort, But God-Surrender

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

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

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

Put God on Center Stage

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

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

Faith, Love, & GOD-Trust

We trust in Him.

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

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

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

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

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

Feeling Capable, But Letting God Lead Instead!

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

Be willing to let God change your mind.

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

So, let God change your mind.

Proven True, Every Time

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

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

How to Know & Love God More

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

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

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

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

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

Shine HOPE!

Coming Next Week

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

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

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

A Note from Michelle:

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

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

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

Fashion as a Force for GOOD:

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

Lotus Earrings

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

Artisan Information:

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

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

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!

We Need to Talk…

Can we talk about health & body image for a second today?

If you know me, you know I am overweight…. But my weight doesn’t define me.

A Little Pudge… Words Matter

You see, little me had a little pudge—I wasn’t fat, but I wasn’t skinny. In hindsight, I looked like a normal little kid—but I felt UGLY.

I was always told by others that I would be liked more if I lost weight… that boys would like me better & that I would make more friends.

I know now that those words were meant to encourage me to be healthy & that a healthy person usually is just more confident, stronger, & more energetic, which usually attracts people. CONFIDENCE attracts people.

But I took it a different way then. I took it to mean that I wasn’t worth too much without a smaller number on the scale… without a smaller clothing size.

I Used to Pray to be Skinny

I am still wading through & dividing the line between well-meaning persuasion of others & the insecurities that I am just not enough.

I used to pray SO MUCH that God would just make me skinny. I used to pray that I could lose all desire for food & maybe that He would make it all taste gross to me.

(I am so glad He DIDN’T answer okay to making food taste bad! Thank You, GOD!)

My Weight Shame

I used to cry a lot, feeling like such a loser, someone who deserved to be picked on & verbally bullied at school. I DESERVED it because I wasn’t skinny, so I therefore wasn’t pretty enough to be treated well anyway. (My perception then.)

I used to avoid looking in the mirror EVER & used to pray that God would help me not HATE the way I look when I see myself in a mirror anymore.

I used to wear t-shirts when I showered because I was too ashamed to see how “gross” I looked. I was a pre-teen then.

One failure seemed to unravel any progress or good habits I had formed because if I failed it once, I “would probably never succeed anyway.”

I had a LOT of lies tear me up over the years.

Maybe if I Flirt?

I even let boys, friends even, assault me because I thought maybe it was a good sign that they wanted me at all “in my condition of fatness”. And I felt proud of it, until I felt like garbage afterwards, like a used up & worthless rag, to be used & tossed away.

I flirted & dressed inappropriately thinking that if I was too fat to be liked or wanted, I would flirt my way into their hearts. Sex appeal.

But that left me dead inside, like the “ME” hidden behind all those charades was just stuffed away, unimportant, & forgotten. Like I didn’t really matter anyway.

It’s been a long, tough road & one that God has grown me through in MANY ways. (See my Pivotal Post to see what happened with my harmful flirting-for-attention mindset.)

Changing the Script

I thought finding a guy who loves me & then marrying him would solve all of my problems, but I have been married 8 years to a man who dotes on me & gushes over my “gorgeousness” & I STILL struggle believing that he means it sometimes.

Because I am overweight.

I’m not skinny.

I always thought that Healthy => Skinny => Beautiful => Valuable/Lovable.

But that script needs to end.

I Know I’m Not Alone

I know I am not the only one who has had a similar view of themselves.

I see the shameless flirting, crying out to be wanted, needed, & loved.

I see the tugging of the shirts to cover the rolls & never being without a cardigan or hoodie to hide them.

I see the “Sorry for no makeup today” posts, as if they aren’t GORGEOUS JUST THE WAY GOD MADE THEM.

I see the diet posts.

I see the desperation to fit in & look good.

And that motivation needs to stop. (I am speaking to myself here, too.)

Fat Tissue Is Just Fat Tissue

We need to learn to love ourselves. Not in a vain: “Aren’t I the most amazing person in the world? Well, you’re dumb if you disagree!”

No, but we need to realize that our VALUE in NOT wrapped up in how many POUNDS of fat tissue we have on our bodies!!

Fat is JUST FAT.

Watch Out for the Pendulum Swing!

Now, let’s not allow that pendulum swing go the opposite way of saying, “Who cares if I am unhealthy because I am valuable as is!”

We should strive to be good stewards of the bodies God has gifted us with. We need to care about our HEALTH.

But we need to care about our HEALTH & NOT our FAT/LOOKS.

We need to learn to see Healthy = Energy, strength, alertness, less sluggishness, & more adventure!

Your BODY Loves HEALTHY

Being healthy does NOT make you more or less VALUABLE. It just makes you HEALTHY.

Your body will LOVE your efforts to eat clean, eat healthy portions, avoid junk food, get sunshine, MOVE, etc. Your body will appreciate those efforts & will thank you for it!

But EVEN IF you never get healthy, YOU ARE STILL GORGEOUS & LOVABLE & VALUABLE.

God Sees YOU First… Not the Number on Your Scale

God doesn’t see you as “less than” if you can’t lose the weight & anyone who doesn’t want to be friends with you just because you have a problem maintaining your health really is not worth pursuing friendship with.

So, hear me on this… LOVE you. Realize GOD LOVES YOU.

You are lovable. You are YOU no matter how many pounds weigh on you.

Be healthy to be healthy & ONLY for that reason. Take care of the body God has given you so that you can get more out of life with energy & strength. Take care of it to keep your body healthy from preventable health risks.

But, give yourself a hug & learn to look at yourself in the mirror every day & say, “GIRL, you’re gorgeous!” And ask God for help if you struggle with that, because He CERTAINLY helped me.

I Am BEAUTIFUL… And So Are YOU

I can now appreciate my smile & my blue eyes & just appreciate God’s design of my face & body in general.

I like my calves & I think my feet are cute. And, as my husband tells me, I like my body proportions that God has given me that will widen or narrow depending on my weight, but are still beautiful regardless of where the number on the scale leans.

I am BEAUTIFUL.

Am I healthy? –Not nearly as I should be, but I am a BEAUTIFUL Work-in-Progress.

A Toast to Loving Your Body As Is AND Striving for Good Health

So, here’s to new ways of thinking about our bodies. Here is to appreciating the features God created. Here is to learning that Healthy does NOT equal Beauty/Worth… Healthy = Energetic, Strong, Alert, HEALTHY.

Shine HOPE by praising God’s design of YOU & others, WHILE working to make your body happy by treating it well.

Not Just a Lean/Strong Body, But a Healed Heart

You see, if the struggle with your body image is not simply a concern for your HEALTH, but rather how WORTHY or valuable you feel… Health is not your only battle… your heart needs healing, too.

If you’re not seeking God’s help healing those inner wounds of the heart, it won’t matter if you lose every ounce of extra body fat. Maintaining your weight will become its own prison for you… It will create NEW problems for you: “What happens if I can’t keep it off? Do people only accept me because of my new body weight? Do they care about ME or my looks???”

Don’t let your motivations to get fit, lose weight, eat healthy… be to feel Pretty, Lovable, Desirable, Valuable…. Do it to make your body Strong, Energized, Alert, & less susceptible to be at risk for health problems later on or even now.

And ALWAYS ask God for help healing your heart & helping you to love yourself NOW & to help guide you to take better care of the body He has gifted you with.

Because YOU’RE WORTH IT… JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, Beautiful!

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!!

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 & grow up with limited opportunities. However, every purchase of this product empowers women to provide for their children & send them to school! You have the opportunity to end poverty & create an impact for generations to come!

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!

I NEED to Remember This!

Today is going to be a short post, but something I feel is SO important for us (including me) to remember.

I like solving problems—whether that be organizing solutions that make our home (& cleaning) run more smoothly, or whether it be sorting through trials/stress in life. I like to be a problem-solver.

But I have found that this is just my way to feel in control of a tough situation (& life in general).

I have also learned that I tend to pray AFTER I have come up with the solution I think will help the most or will fix my struggle in the best way.

Do you do that, too? Or is it just me?

Lifelong Habits of Mine That Need to GO

I am having to rewire some lifelong habits of mine to help me be more aware of when I am following this pattern (mostly by asking God to help me be aware of it), so that I can INSTEAD stop & ask GOD for help through it even before I think I have it figured out.

I want to encourage us today to stop trying to be the master of solutions, whether you feel you’re good at it or whether you’re drowning in attempts at it, & instead, stop & ask God for help FIRST.

What Should I Ask Him?

Ask Him to show you what He determines is the solution & the best course of action.

Ask Him to help you sort through the chaos & to calm your heart & mind.

Ask Him to help you trust Him IN the storm, versus trusting in the end of the storm as your hope.

Ask Him to use the struggle to help you understand His love for you more clearly.

Where’s the Escape Hatch??!

I know our favorite (& the easiest) hope is that which erases all struggle. And when God grants us this request, we no doubt feel freed & joyous.

But sometimes God doesn’t calm the storm & when He doesn’t, it can make us feel forgotten & bitter & at least sad.

He knows that what we ultimately need is not ease & comfort, but a fuller & more stable trust in HIM—Because when that sort of confidence grows to maturity in our hearts, struggles just don’t seem as tumultuous or scary or stressful.

If all He gave us was a calmed storm, we would always fear the possibility of the next storm, & our hope would remain in the ideal of never facing any storms.

A Sin-Torn World… BUT, GOD

But we live in a broken world, broken by sin, & troubles & storms do exist.

He knows that storms will come & instead of just whooshing them away, He instead helps us to grow our trust in HIM. We can be confident knowing that no matter what may come, He is still in control & He’s got it.

But it doesn’t come by just wishing. It comes through talking with Him through it (AKA prayer) & leaning into Him & asking Him for His wisdom & His direction & His plan & His strength & His peace, etc.

Two-Fold Encouragement

So, today’s encouragement is two-fold.

One—trust Him enough to ask for His help FIRST, before you try to sort it out yourself. He has infinite knowledge, infinite wisdom & plenty of extra years (also infinite) of experience than you do. So, ask Him FIRST.

Two—don’t put so much hope in reaching the end of the struggle, but use it as an opportunity to grasp hold of Him & grow your confidence in HIM over ANY struggle.

Talk to Him

Ask for wisdom. Ask for a solution. Ask for guidance. Ask how to get through it. Ask for strength. Ask for a grown trust in Him. Ask for HELP trusting Him. Ask for what to do IN the struggle. Ask for comfort & peace. Ask to be reminded of His care & love for you. ASK HIM whatever is on your heart & mind.

He is listening. AND He cares greatly for you. So, ASK.

A Prayer for Help

“God, … We don’t always understand why we can’t fix something or make it better. Sometimes we feel helpless & hopeless & flailing about. And it’s so easy to sit & mull over it & try to rack our brains for any solution to ease our troubles & THEN ask for Your help with it. But God, You are GOD, ALMIGHTY GOD. The ONE TRUE GOD. You created us & knit us together in our mother’s wombs. You created life & this world & everything in it. You don’t need our help. You are so vast & so ALL-knowing & WISE. You are so strong & POWERFUL. And yet, YOU LOVE US without condition. Please help us to be aware of when we are trying to self-solve, self-soothe, & self-shield, so we can instead lean into the much more powerful & wise YOU. Help us to trust YOU more than we trust the end of our struggles. It is SO EASY to long & yearn after ease & comfort, especially when our struggles seem to scream constantly at us, but You are BIGGER still! Help us to learn how to trust You better. Help us to lean into Your care & to discover more of Your love through each struggle. You are God. You know best. AND You care so incredibly deeply for each & every one of us. Help us to see that better. Help us to see You better. We love You. AMEN.

Shine Hope, not by being a problem solver, but by pointing to & turning to the ultimate Problem Solver, God.

He loves you SO VERY MUCH! <3

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. I am not perfect, nor ever will be, but I know the One who is & I want you to know Him, too!

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!!

Lotus Earrings

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

Artisan Information:

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

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!

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

An Aching Heart

Have you ever felt stuck in a hurt? Drowning, aching, numb, overwhelmed, or defeated?

Maybe it’s a harsh word from someone you love (or many).

Maybe it’s the raw ache of loneliness, like you have to face the world alone.

Maybe you lost someone who meant the world to you.

Maybe you feel unlovable & that your loneliness means you’re not enough.

Maybe you or someone you love is faced with a (potentially even) deadly disease or injury.

Maybe depression is making you feel like the world would be better off without you.

Maybe you have been abused or hurt deeply by someone you trusted.

Maybe you are drowning in a debt that haunts your ever step & only seems to get worse as time goes on.

Maybe shame & guilt haunts you & makes you feel like you’re not worth anyone’s grace or forgiveness.

Maybe you blame yourself for the heartache in your life. Maybe you blame the world. Maybe you blame God.

It is no surprise to me if you have any of those wars raging in your heart right now because I have personally struggled through each one at different times in my life & probably so many more.

The Hurts We All Face

I know that if you are a living, breathing human being, you have felt hurts & heartaches & pains, even if you try to deny them & shove them deep down inside your heart.

I wish that I could take them all away & set you free from them, but I know I don’t have such power or wisdom.

But I can pray with you. I can lift up your hurts with you to the One who CAN do something about them.

And I can encourage you to lean into Him every step of the way—Allow yourself to come to the end of you & to reach out to HIM in your times of greatest weakness & hurt. He is the true answer of HOPE in the worst of our circumstances.

The Doubts That Surface

In the midst of those greatest hurts & longings, we can have some painful doubts pop up about God & today I want to share the doubts I experienced through those hurts & the HOPE that brought me through them… the REAL hope… Not just a hoped-FOR hope, but a steady, sure, secure, lasting, reliable HOPE.

As always, my ultimate goal in writing this is to encourage you to reach out to HIM. I am limited & my answers only scratch the surface of who God is, what He is capable of, & how much He loves you, so turn to Him in every step & every tear. <3

“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod & Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness & mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.” (Psalm 23, emphasis mine)

“God, where are You when I’m hurting?”

Have you ever felt like God is just ignoring you or maybe doesn’t even notice you at all in your pain? It’s an easy doubt to feel, especially when you know (or want to know) God to be kind & good… the hurts don’t jive with those ideas of God.

But, we need to remember something very important here:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, emphasis mine)

He Is with Us in the Hurts

God doesn’t promise that we will live a struggle-free life. In fact, He tells us just the opposite. We live in a sin-torn world & until heaven, we WILL struggle.

BUT, God does promise to be our ENOUGH in the struggle.

So, cry out to Him, slump into Him, & pour out your heart to Him (even if all you can manage is a slew of mumbled sobs directed toward God with an ache so you deep you don’t know how to verbalize it—He knows & He hears & He understands), asking for Him to be your strength & comfort & love & courage & HOPE when you feel you have none left to spare.

Where is He? He is right there with you in it & through it, so call out to Him & lean your full weight into Him through every ache & tear.

“God, if You ARE Good & All-Powerful, how could you let this happen to me?”

This one is a more fleshed-out form of the last doubt we just covered, getting to the heart of why that doubt hurts us so much. It really reveals our uncertainty of whether we feel we can trust God’s power or goodness or both when our world feels so incredibly consumed by hurts.

But, as I mentioned above, God doesn’t promise a lack of struggle—but He sees you & He loves you & He does promise to be our enough as we walk through the hurts, so lean into Him!

We also have an eternal HOPE to look forward to if we have put our trusting Hope in Jesus Christ to pay the price for our wrongs.

We may face trials “of many kinds” here on earth, but Heaven is a sure hope we can close our eyes, take a deep breath, exhale, & feel the comfort of knowing that this is just our temporary home & the trials aren’t for forever. But, in the now, God promises to be our help when we need Him.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers & sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, emphasis mine)

“God, are You punishing me?”

Oh, dear one, how I have felt this one.

Most of us are not ignorant of our own mistakes, past or present. Deep down, we know we don’t deserve God’s grace… & sometimes we don’t cry out to God for help simply because we don’t feel we deserve it.

But while God does allow struggles to shape us & strengthen us, as we are told in 1 Peter 5:10, God does not seek to hold us in a place of shame because He offers us ready forgiveness with His FREE gift of grace through Jesus Christ.

”But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, & settle you. To Him be the glory & the dominion forever & ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10-11)

So, when you feel that shame keeping you stuck in the muck of your sorrows, don’t let Satan keep whispering those chains of lies to your heart. Call out to God for forgiveness if there IS something you know you have done, & receive the forgiveness & grace that God is always so quick to give.

Read Luke 15:11-32 if you don’t believe me. <3 (Hint: God represents the father, & getting the inheritance NOW is us wanting to live OUR way NOW.)

“God, am I just not good enough? Do I deserve this?”

Sometimes we wonder why we feel so unloved when treading through the darkest times in our life, but rest assured that God does not make mistakes & that He makes EVERY person with a God-designed purpose AND HE loves every one of us more than we can ever comprehend.

Don’t let Satan blast you with everything you feel you are missing or lacking or losing, but instead, ask God to show you how He made you& to help you see both God’s design for your life AND how much you truly are LOVED by Him.

He is always willing to show us His care for us that somehow ends up seeming (& being!) so much richer than any of the ways we were seeking & missing it here on earth. He is the best expression of LOVE, true love, that you will ever experience if you learn to rest that fear in His loving arms & ask for His help.

The Key Element

I know there are probably many more doubts that can pop up in times of distress & aches of the heart, but the key element in all of these doubts is to TURN to HIM in them all. He can help you much better than I ever can.

So, let my experiences act merely as an encouragement that God really CAN help you, even when you see no possible way. And lean into Him every step.

Don’t let Satan paralyze you in these hurts & questions. Turn to God & seek TRUTH & find His hope to carry you through each moment. God, through Jesus Christ, is where our true hope comes from—so shine hope by shining His love & grace to a hurting world. He’s got you, babe.

Even in your darkest moments, God has you & loves you & will show you just how much when you take those fears & hurts to Him & lean your full weight of pain into Him for your true source of HELP.

He is where our help comes from. Not in us fixing it, but in us leaning into HIM.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven & earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2, emphasis mine)

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!!

Nairobi Necklace

Small hammered ovals & ethically sourced bone shapes adorn this golden necklace that shimmers in the light. Crafted in Kenya.

Artisan Information:

In Kenya, where many people struggle with starvation & poverty, the women we partner with are defying the odds! Your purchase empowers these women to earn an income, overcome physical disabilities, & become important parts of their communities!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Kenya!

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!

Fear Pendulum Recap

We talked about fear on here recently, with how it often incites a fight or flight response, & in the case of this recent pandemic, is usually expressed with either buying copious amounts of toilet paper or sharing specific memes that express a complete disregard &/or carelessness for anything virus-related. (See that post, here.)

We also talked about how neither of those options work.

Of those responses to fear, it either leaves us crippled & crushed under an unsurmountable mountain of anxiety or the other response leaves us being disrespectful to those in harm’s way.

But the third option is putting our full trust in God. Letting Him quiet our hearts, by leaning into Him… While also respecting the fear of others & seeking to protect them from potential harm by seeking our confidence in Him over ourselves & our “wisdom.”

Another Type of Fear-Reverence, Respect, & Awe

But there is another type of fear I want to talk about today: Fear of God.

Some of you, in going through this pandemic, have been faced with this fear a little more directly than you may have admitted to yourself in the past.

It is something we should all possess, but not necessarily in the way you might understand it.

Perfectly Just & Perfectly Merciful

You see, God is both our perfect, unprejudiced Judge & our merciful, loving Redeemer.

As the perfect Judge, He has to maintain His law.

His law says that the punishment of sin (or rejecting His way & rebelling against His way) is death. This death leads to eternal separation from His love & every good thing, leaving us with only pain unimaginable & unyielding.

But, He is also our perfect, merciful Redeemer.

In this, knowing we could never perfectly uphold His law without fault, God sent His very Son, Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf, taking our sentencing upon Himself & rising again, victorious over both sin AND death, that anyone who turns from their way to put their hope & trust in Jesus instead of themselves, will be met with REDEMPTION to an eternity with NO pain or hurt or tears or sorrow, but only joy & goodness & love.

But, Fear GOD

So, in the Bible, we are told roughly 500 times (according to a quick Google search) to “FEAR GOD.”

One being, in Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul & body in hell.” (Also in Luke 12:4-7.)

This could also be stated as, “And do not fear [this pandemic, which kills] the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (edit mine)

Now, this is not a fire & brimstone message, so don’t worry… stick with me for the Good News….

Fear, Reverence, Awe

So, keeping in mind that God is both our Perfect Judge & Perfectly Merciful, what exactly does it mean to “fear God’?

Think of it in the terms offered by the original Greek “phobeisthe”: to fear, to be alarmed by, to revere, or to be in awe of.

God loves you so infinitely & perfectly & unconditionally that NO MATTER your past or present, HE PAID IN FULL your debt to Him, through Jesus taking your sentence by dying for you if you but put your faith in HIM. That is LOVE.

BUT, He also deserves our undying respect & honor & reverence & awe as our Almighty God… Our KING… Our Creator.

A Joy Eternal

In this time of uncertainty, fear, inconvenience, discomfort, worry, sickness, & death, let us remember that while it is true that this pandemic is wreaking havoc, it cannot have our souls.

We can rest in God’s ALMIGHTYness. We can rest in knowing that He has a plan for GOOD to come from this. And for those who have said “YES” to Him in accepting His FREE GIFT of redemption, we can rest in knowing that whether we lose to this virus or not, our eternal home is one of no tears, no pain, no suffering, no hurts, & no sorrow.

There is hope.

HOPE

(Emphasis in all verses in this post are mine.)

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure….” (Hebrews 6:19)

“Guide me in Your truth & teach me, for You are God my Savior, & my hope is in You all day long.” (Psalm 25:5)

“… put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love & with Him is full redemption.” (Psalm 130:7)

Fearing the LORD Is:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, & knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” (Proverbs 19:23)

Sometimes, when God displays His great power, we are tempted to hide & run, knowing we are unworthy. But, when God displays His power, it is to remind us that He has everything covered. He is the GREAT I AM. He is Creator, KING of kings, Lord of lords, Almighty God!

He deserves our respect & our trusting obedience. And while it is easy to self-protect, self-soothe, or self-solve, we CAN TRUST HIM with our burdens, fears, worries, etc.

Crave the Display of His Power, For in It Lies Our Confidence

I don’t know about you, but having that perspective makes me crave the display of God’s great power rather than avoiding or fearing it. It is a reminder that He is SO MUCH BIGGER than me!

And so, in this terrifying & uncertain time that we live in, look to Him. Fear HIM—revere Him, respect Him, honor Him, be in awe of Him… rather than cowering or running away from Him.

Exodus 20:18-21

Choosing a Response

Will you “remain at a distance” as the Israelites responded?

Or will you approach where God is & trust Him over all else?

Don’t run from His power, but crave it & submit trustingly to it.

God is still God. He is greater than this pandemic. His plan spans eternity. He loves us infinitely & unconditionally. He is Almighty God.

Even if it has to start with an uncertain whisper of the heart (where I began & where this man in the Bible began): “Immediately the father of the child cried out [to Jesus] & said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Shine Hope. Fear God, not the virus.

How will you respond?

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!!

Manilla Bay Earrings

Local capiz shell is dyed a light blue/green hue and hand cut into half moon shapes accented with silver toned metal.

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! 

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!

Crushed Confidence

Have you ever done your best to live for God & then just had your confidence crushed because someone doesn’t like you?

I like to be liked. Who doesn’t. But sometimes, that can become an idol in my life that I desire to put above God.

We have to be careful with this sort of crushed confidence because it can come from people we respect as well, people who mean well, & even our leaders or mentors.

It hurts when it happens. We feel misunderstood.

We Don’t Always Get It Right–Failing Forward

I, through many mistakes & failures, have been seeking to follow God most of my life (with definite detours where I thought I knew better—spoiler alert: I didn’t actually know better than God, ever).

This doesn’t mean I always get it right or that I am always good or focused at it.

BUT, it is something I have failed forward in seeking to let God change me from the inside out so I can better live for Him.

And still, this being a core desire of mine—to live for God—I have been met with others who seemed to just not like me (even Christians) or those who seemed unable to avoid pointing out the many ways I was lacking… the many ways I was human.

God Is Patient, God Is Kind–The Perfect Teacher

I have heard the phrase used, “Do not expect someone to grow overnight in an area that took you years to learn.”

The gist behind that phrase is that while all of us who have surrendered to Christ as their Savior for their wrongs, to make them right before God through Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, WANT to live for Him, we are all learning different things at different times.

God is a patient Teacher. He guides us so gently. He is so wise & kind.

God knows EVERY area where we lack or have a hang up. He sees it all, even the inner battles against temptations to sin & rebel that we either successfully or unsuccessfully resist (success comes in leaning full weight into Him for help until the temptation stops).

And even though He knows all of this more specifically than even we ourselves, He is still patient & loving & gentle as He guides us & when we fail Him.

Graciously Patient & Praying Together for Each Other & Ourselves

But we are not always so patient, especially when it grates our nerves to see a specific lacking in someone else.

We can easily step into the role never intended for us to hold—being the other person’s judge & jury.

And while we are called to help bring attention to each other’s sin to pray over it & help them to weed it out & overcome it by seeking God’s help together… we are NOT called to be hurtful or mocking of them in their failings.

Is It a Sin or Non-Sin Issue We Are Pointing Out?

We are also not called to nitpick people in areas that are not sin-related. That is between them & God.

And even if you have a personal weakness or trouble in that area, it does not mean that they do. We need to trust non-sin issues to God & follow His guidance personally, without inflicting those personal boundaries on others.

We are not their Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit can handle Himself just fine.

Just Not Their Cup of Tea–And That’s Okay

But sometimes, we can follow God with the best intentions, doing our best to love others & confident in how He created us & living out what He has called us to, & we can STILL rub people the wrong way.

Sometimes it’s jealousy & sometimes it’s insecurity. Sometimes it’s sin. Sometimes you made a mistake (you are human, after all). Sometimes conviction is at work in their heart. Sometimes personalities clash.

We are still called to love them.

Comparison Can be the Thief of Joy… Differences Strengthen Us

When someone else is confident & receiving praise, while we are struggling in that area, it can make us feel inadequate or it can make us feel small.

We need to learn to admire someone’s strengths, while not holding the strengths against that person just because their strengths are our weaknesses.

In fact, it is FANTASTIC that we all hold different strengths because together we can lift each other up & we become even stronger together.

Seek to Live for Him… Not for Praise

I get easily hurt when someone doesn’t like me. I don’t always get to find out WHY they don’t like me either.

But God has taught me that it is okay if I am not “everyone’s cup of tea,” as the saying goes.

If I am not living a sinful/rebellious-to-God lifestyle & if I am seeking to LIVE for Him, but someone doesn’t like it… that is okay.

So Many Maybes & That’s Okay

Maybe they have a sin in that area that they are struggling with & are feeling convicted by you.

Maybe they have a blind spot in that area that is being brought to light & it makes them uncomfortable. (That has happened to me!)

Maybe your confidence makes their lack of it even more obvious to them.

Maybe they’re used to having the spotlight & feel threatened by your confidence.

Maybe they’re just having a bad day & it will pass.

Whatever the reason, if you are a human being, you are bound to meet someone who doesn’t find that you’re their “cup of tea” & that, my friend, is okay.

Not a People Please, But a God Pleaser

You are not called or created to please every person on this planet & that is a very good thing because we are oftentimes polar opposites.

We are simply called to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Ask God who HE MADE YOU to be.

Ask God how HE WANTS you to live & follow the Bible’s Truth in trusting obedience, seeking Him for clarification.

Ask God when & to whom you should speak up in truth & love.

Ask God for the right words.

Ask God for courage & confidence, with an undercurrent of humility in understanding that your ability & wisdom is God-made.

Ask God to help your focus stay on pleasing Him with your life—not everyone else.

Talk to Him.

My Prayer in My Hurt

My prayer from last year during a struggle of feeling hurt by this:

“God, please help me. Lately I feel attacked from every angle & it’s distracting & maddening & it hurts. God, help center my mind on You & what You want me to see or do, not on everyone else’s differing opinions about who I should be or how I should act or what I should be doing. Only You. Clear the rest out so I can clearly see only You. Your will. Your patience. Your perspective. Your majesty. Your vastness. Your power. Your love. Your design. Your plan. Your will. Let the flaming arrow attacks swish right by me, while I keep walking Your will & way. Lift the burden of trying to be perfect in everyone’s eyes. Help me be gracious to others who are hard on me & express their will on me. Help me to love them in Your power. Help me to see & trust Your direction. Only You. Wash the rest away. Amen.”

Ask Him, Trust Him, Love Others, & Leave the Rest Up to Him

Live for Him & love others regardless of how they feel about you.

Graciousness is hard, especially when you don’t understand why others may not like you, but God loves you despite your flaws… so be willing to love others, too.

Shine Hope by keeping your eyes fixed on Him as your guide & as the One you live to please with your life.

Leave the rest up to 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!!

Chelsie Necklace

This curved bar necklace features gold & rose gold tones. Hanging from a gold colored chain.

This piece was named after one of our co-founders because of her golden & modern style, along with her passion for using sustainable business to end poverty.

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!

Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve

It’s interesting running a blog, you know. It’s like opening up my personal journal for all to judge or be encouraged or whatever they decide to do with it.

Sometimes it’s draining to wear my heart on my sleeve, but if I am completely honest with you, I find it to be a great honor to share with you.

I get asked by some women why I would want to share my struggles with others. They ask if it’s embarrassing.

I will say that I used to care a lot more about what others think of me & that while I do still struggle through the battle from time to time, I have actually grown more confident in sharing.

Every Mistake Displays His Grace

I think the biggest reason why it encourages me more than embarrasses me is the fact that while I do make mistakes & mess up & get it wrong, leading to blog posts about how God walked me through it… I have learned that each screw up on my part is an opportunity to share God’s patience, love, & grace.

Sure, I messed up in those situations. Sure, I like people to think I have it all together far more than I do sometimes.

But when it all boils down to it, I realize that my “shame” can either be left as my shame or it can turn into an opportunity to point others to our great, loving, forgiving, powerful, awesome God.

Not Immune to Mistakes

I used to try to save face a lot more often than I do now, but I am human, just like everyone else. I make mistakes just like everyone else. I act in my own self interest at times, just like everyone else. I give up. I quit too soon. I lose hope. I whine. I complain. I fail. I try my own way AGAIN & fail AGAIN. I am stubborn & lazy & can be prone to hard-heartedness.

I have to pray my way through a LOT because, if left up to me, I wouldn’t accomplish much at all of any real worth.

Quite Often I Can’t, But He Still CAN

But through my vast array of examples of my weaknesses, failures, insecurities, lack of faith, etc…. Each one is an opportunity to show you that while I quite often CAN’T… He CAN.

I am not the all-knowing, all-wise guru who is going to help positive-think your way into a better life.

I am a broken, stubborn, prone-to-fail HUMAN who strives to use my own weaknesses as a canvas of His grace painted across my life.

His CAN in light of my many CAN’Ts.

Can You Relate?

I don’t know if you can relate to any of this… or maybe you feel you have your life together far better than I do.

But whatever the case, don’t let Satan beat you into the ground for being what you are—human.

Instead, turn it around & say, “You’re right, Satan, I did fail. But God never does & that’s exactly why I need to remember that I need Him.”

And shine your light of HOPE in Christ by admitting your weaknesses & displaying His overpouring generous grace.

Always. 100%.

In light of our CAN’Ts, He CAN. Always. 100%.

So, I hope you find encouragement in the many failures & weaknesses & insecurities I am sure to face on this blog journey together with you.

And realize that just like you, I need Him, too. And He is always enough. Amen & Amen.

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!!

Sea Glass Necklace

After cleaning up the beaches of broken glass, the artisans now recreate the look & feel of sea glass by upcycling glass bottles from local hotels & restaurants that would otherwise be discarded, & tumble it with water & sand from the Red Sea until it is smooth & resembles the beautiful pieces found in nature. Sizes & colors may vary.

Artisan Information:

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

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in Jordan!

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!