I still vividly recall the point in time when God first called me to begin writing devotionals. I aimed to offer hope and encouragement to women feeling weary in their faith. It was a divine invitation to partner with Jesus to influence women on social media, a venue often shrouded in darkness and steeped with moral confusion. It all started while working as a cashier at a grocery store. I was sitting in my car one day on my lunch break after a night of hearing how the women in my Bible study struggled with comparison, causing them to feel emotionally broken.

Maintaining a strong commitment to our Christian faith can be extremely challenging in a world where trends come and go as swiftly as the wind changes direction. We are bombarded daily with shifting cultural norms and constant pressure to conform to the latest fads. C’mon, sister, we’ve all watched the latest viral video and tried that new hairstyle, outfit, or even that diet! How do we remain rooted in our beliefs and unwavering in our faith in an ever-changing world?

Every day distractions tend to rule our priority list but… Where does God fit into your life + where does He rank on that list? Does God bring you joy? Have you taken time to declutter your everyday life so that you can truly make room for Him?

Scripture is very clear on the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 sums it up pretty well when it says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Our words truly hold weight, particularly when it comes to our relationships. How often do you speak to your husband? I assume the answer for most is a lot! Whether in person, on the phone, or texting, most couples are connecting through words quite a bit. That communication is part of what builds the foundations and structures of your relationship. Now, ask yourself the question: how do I speak to my husband?

I didn’t grow up in a family where intentional prayers for one another were a regular practice. Praying was considered deeply personal rather than public. While both personal and public forms of prayer hold value, the art of praying for others remained an uncharted territory for me. The fear of judgment and the pressure of saying the "right" words in an encouraging manner kept me from praying out loud in front of others. However, as I grew more spiritually mature in my relationship with Jesus, he taught me that powerful prayers stem from the heart, not using eloquent lofty words but with sincerity and filled with scripture! When I got engaged to my now husband, I wanted to take praying for him seriously.

Just kidding! Relationships and marriage are complicated… I prayed for a man that would be my prince charming…yes I am in love with the idea of a knight in shining armor who would ride in on his white horse and rescue me. Stop laughing…we’ve all been there, and ya know what?! That’s totally OK! Years ago, I was in a terrible, I mean an awful relationship with someone where I experienced a constant temptation to do what was unpleasing in the Lord’s eyes. I absolutely knew I was not living a godly lifestyle, but I was scared to break off the relationship for fear of being alone.

Writing on a blog topic that resonates so deeply in one’s heart can feel somewhat reflective. Still, I can also see how this topic is not incredibly unique to my personal experience but a common occurrence among many. To be lonely may not be an admittance one would be so openly willing to share with others, whether out of fear of not wanting to be judged or out of pride of not liking to be exposed or pitied. However, the reality is that loneliness is a worldwide phenomenon

I think I can confidently say that most of us have known the deep, heart-wrenching feeling of loneliness. Personally, I’ve always been someone who was comfortable with being alone. As a big introvert, I valued my alone time to recharge, and even as a child, I had no problems playing alone or entertaining myself. But there is a significant difference between wanting to be alone and feeling like you have no one to turn to in your time of need.

As I scrolled through social media, my heart instantly dropped to the floor as I saw another girl living out the same prayer I was desperately offering to the Lord, yet my prayer remained unanswered. At that moment, my thoughts veered toward the extreme as paralyzing doubts raged inside me, wondering if God had even heard my cries. If He has noticed, why does this season's loneliness and the ache in my heart hurt so bad?

With over 8 billion people in this world how is it even possible to feel alone?  More than just feeling alone, it's about the sadness and despair we feel when we feel that no one is for us or cares about us.  Loneliness when we are surrounded by others is a very real phenomenon and I’m not here to tell you it gets easier with time or that you shouldn't worry because it’ll be alright.  I’m here to tell you that it's normal and to give you a few ways that have worked for me over the last 20 years to hopefully minimize the pain you may feel.

Have you ever struggled with trust? I know I have. It’s so easy to lose our trust in others while also breaking someone else’s trust in us. We are all quite capable of failing each other, and often, we fail each other daily, just not always in trust-shattering ways. Simply put, the word “trust” means to rely upon the integrity, strength, ability, and surety of a person or thing…no pressure. For this reason, I’m incredibly grateful we serve such a trustworthy God! He has never and will never break our trust. He is completely reliable!

Sister, you may have come to this post with a heavy heart, and a burden of worry on your shoulders. Your soul may feel weary right now, and the future foggy. Amidst your troubles you know what the Bible and fellow Christians say to do… Trust God. However, that may not be so easy for you right now. When you see other Christians seemingly overflowing with faith and hope for tomorrow, you are struggling to understand and accept your current circumstance and perhaps even wondering where God is during this time. Why has He not come through for you? Or how could He possibly even fix the mess piling up around you? Trust does not come so easily at the moment for you

How much time have you spent fretting about what will happen next? Maybe you’ve wondered how your current situation will play out exactly. Or how you'll overcome the anxiety and fear of a particular challenge you're facing. Sis, let me remind you of this one simple yet crucial truth… when we allow fear and anxiety to reign unchecked in our lives, we give the devil a foothold and enable him to rob us of our joy and weaken our faith.

I had been waiting my whole life for this one moment. I had dreamed about what it would be like since I was a little girl. There he was, on one knee, with my family and friends surrounding us. We were celebrating my 30th birthday, and now my engagement! I said yes! It was such an exciting time. Fast forward 353 days, two months and two days before the wedding. It was the night before my bridal shower. We ended things and I was crushed. I can’t say I didn’t see it coming, but I actively fought against it throughout our entire relationship. I thought, “Relationships are tough. Love is a choice. I don’t give up on the people that I love. It’ll get better.”

As we discuss the topic of healing this month on the Worthy of Grace Ministries blog, the first thing that can come to our minds is physical healing. In the Gospel narratives, we read many great stories of Jesus healing ailments of all types. The stories of the blind seeing for the first time, the infirm finally walking after a lifetime of immobility, and many more miraculous accounts touch our hearts as Christians today. The truth is that the Lord continues to perform physical healing in our day.

When the pain of your hurting heart becomes overwhelming, and the light at the end of the tunnel seems impossible to see, it's natural to become overwhelmed and question where to begin your healing journey. I've been there too. I’ve questioned my faith in God's comfort when the pain clouded my mind from thinking clearly, making it hard to see any good. Maybe you've felt this way too. Have you ever wondered and said things to yourself like, “Will I hurt like this forever?

Not in a million years did the thought of anxiety and depression ever cross my mind as something I’d have to live with. Never did I entertain the thoughts of despair and excruciating, debilitating pain mentally. But here I am, almost four years after being diagnosed with postpartum anxiety and depression, battling some of the same issues.

Are you currently in a season of doubt? I think every Christian has gone through a time when they doubted God. The battle between spirit and flesh is constant, and, at times, the challenge to continue believing in things not yet seen can get the best of us. Whatever you are doubting in your Christian walk right now, you are not alone. Here are two encouraging reminders to help you overcome your season of doubt!

In the Bible, we often encounter remarkable heroes of faith, individuals who gazed upon seemingly insurmountable odds and yet, with unwavering trust, believed in God's capacity to perform the extraordinary. Their triumphs continue to serve as a wellspring of inspiration for us all. However, there are moments when the tides of doubt swell and engulf us. It's natural to think, "Well, that's great for them, but my mind doesn't function that way. I desperately need God to hear, respond, and provide answers for me—right now." I've experienced those moments myself. The challenge lies in that, even in ministry, we grapple with our frail human nature. We are sinners, susceptible to wandering and wrongdoing, just like anyone else. 

Doubt seems to take down the best of us. When we find ourselves struggling in our Christian walk, our faith usually takes the first hit. You may be doubling down in your prayer time, reading more in your Bible, blasting those Christian songs day and night, yet amid all your effort to stay encouraged, you still feel the ache and debilitating effects of doubt. You wonder if your current situation will ever turn around, if you can overcome your obstacle, or if there is a light at the end of the tunnel.