Listen to this instead

That’s exactly what scripture has been doing in me. Pulling me in, giving me purpose, and bringing conviction at the same time. I’ve found myself overwhelmed by the goodness of God, how He can convict and comfort all at once. Even His correction feels like love to my thirsty soul, and I’m so grateful for those holy moments.

But it’s also been pressing a question on my heart. Why don’t I live like this every day? Why don’t we live with the same awareness we carry on Resurrection Sunday?

Why don’t we live in that tension of truth, wonder, heartache, gratitude, and being completely undone by it all?

Because the truth is, all of those emotions are anchored in who He is and what He has already done for each and every one of us. And if we actually lived from that place, not just visiting it once a year but carrying it into our everyday lives, everything would change. Our lives would be transformed, and the people around us would be impacted too. Even the lies they believe would start to lose their grip.

“Go and tell” wouldn’t feel intimidating. It would feel necessary.

Friend, if you don’t spend daily time in your Bible, I urge you to. The truth, the love, the care, the comfort, the correction, the revelation, and the relationship you will gain are beyond imaginable.

Here’s the scripture I want to share with you today:

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.’” Matthew 28:10

Whether you’re a new believer or a lifelong believer, this command is for all of us: Go and tell.

Our purpose is to love God and love others. How do we do that? We go and tell others about the God we love. That’s it.

It might feel easier said than done, but this verse starts with, “Do not be afraid.” So if fear is holding you back, release it. If you’re worried about who to tell or what to say, release that too.

Today, believe that Jesus is with you, and the Holy Spirit inside of you will give you the words and the people. You just have to listen.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Keep it simple.

First, know the Good News of the Gospel. Jesus came to take our place. He died for our sins on the cross and rose again in three days, conquering death and the grave. Now we are free, saved by grace, and invited into a personal relationship with God, with the Holy Spirit living in us (sealed inside us!)

And if you don’t feel like you fully know it yet, start with what you do know. Tell others what God has done in your life. Share your testimony. Share the evidence of who He has been to you.

Next, tell your friends, your family, your kids! Talk about God naturally. You don’t have to sit anyone down (unless God is leading you to). Just bring Him into conversation. Share what He is currently doing in your life. Invite someone to church. Or listen first, really listen, and then respond with love, with Jesus’ love.

“Go and tell” doesn’t have to be complicated. Jesus simply said, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” There was an action and a direction. He didn’t explain every detail. He just said go, and trust that you will see Him.

So that’s what I’m doing here today. I don’t know why, when, or exactly how, but I do know this: I encourage you to pause long enough today, or this week, and tell someone the Good News.

Tell them they are loved. Tell them God is real. Tell them you have story upon story of His goodness, and they could experience it for themselves. Invite someone to a Bible study. Start a devotional with a friend or your kids. Reach out to someone in need, and go.

Go and tell.

I promise you will bless someone through your obedience and love, and you will be blessed by it too.

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A day marked not by action, but by stillness. A sabbath day where work wasn’t an option of escape. A day when distraction wasn’t an option, and all that remained was to sit in the heaviness of grief and uncertainty.

Saturday held questions:

What now?

Was this really the plan?

Did we misunderstand?

The Savior had been buried. Hope seemed lost. And even if His words lingered in memory, the sorrow seemed louder.

And here’s the part we often forget: they didn’t know Sunday was coming.

We read the story knowing the ending, but they lived it in real time, surrounded by silence and unanswered questions. To them, Saturday may have felt final.

And yet… Sunday was coming.

But today, on this quiet, uncomfortable Saturday, there is space to reflect. Space to remember what Friday meant. Space to consider what Sunday will mean.

Let the stillness of Saturday speak. Let it remind us of His unwavering love, His unmatched power, and His unending grace. Even in the silence, He is present. And even in the waiting, He is working.

Because resurrection is coming. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.

I recently taught a message called Holy Moments, and I wanted to send it to you because I believe this is something we all need—not just on Sundays, but in the middle of our real, everyday lives.

If you’d rather listen or watch, I’ve linked the full sermon below. But first, I want to give you something to hold onto as you step into your week.

Every moment is a table.
And something is always trying to sit down.

The question is: what are you allowing to take a seat?

Because if we’re honest, we don’t always invite Jesus in first.
Sometimes it’s anxiety.
Sometimes it’s control.
Sometimes it’s fear.

And before we realize it, those things are leading the conversation.

As I shared in this message, our help doesn’t come from our ability to manage everything.
Our help comes from the Lord—the Maker of heaven and earth.

Holy moments don’t just happen in church, but anytime, anywhere.

Here are the 4 A’s I shared:

1. Awareness
   Pay attention to what’s happening internally. What’s filling your thoughts? What’s sitting at your table? You can’t change what you’re not aware of.

2. Acknowledge
   Name what isn’t from God. Fear, anxiety, lies—those things don’t just “happen,” they try to take up space. And you can’t fight what you won’t name.

3. Align
   Surrender control. Letting go of the need to fix everything yourself and choosing to trust that God is actually in control. Not your fear. Not your circumstances. Not your timeline. Him.

4. Action
   Pray. And keep praying. Not once. Not just when it’s convenient. But continuously. Because prayer isn’t a one-time action—it’s a relationship. When anxiety comes back, pray again. When fear creeps in, pray again. Then choose truth over the lies trying to sit at your table.

Here’s the truth I want you to walk away with:

The chaos might still be there. But the authority shifts.

You don’t have to let everything have a seat at your table.

You can look at anxiety, fear, or doubt and say:
“That seat is already taken.”

Because Jesus is there. And when He’s at the table, everything changes.

I’m praying this over you today: that you would recognize what’s trying to take up space in your life, that you would invite God in first, and that you would begin to experience holy moments in the middle of your ordinary days.

You’re not alone in this. And you don’t have to carry it all.

Xoxo, Steph

Your “I need holy moments too” friend

If you want to hear the full message and go deeper, you can watch it here:

Listen to this post instead

Of course they are beautiful, but that’s just their obvious outward appearance. Their colors and their shapes are what peek our interest, but there’s much more to them.

They have texture, a delicacy, they are food, they are medicine, some are even poisonous, and of course they each have their own scent. They all give out their own uniqueness and vibrancy without ever knowing it.

They are (like we all are) God’s creation. A creation I am so grateful for. One with layers upon layers that we don’t consider when they are just on display on our counters.

If you were to ask me if I would rather have a flower garden or a vegetable garden, I bet you’d be surprised by my answer.

I am a foodie and have been known to out eat grown men. But if the ultimatum was given to me, I’d choose a flower garden over and over again. Maybe it’s the fantasy of laying in a meadow with vibrate flowers all around. Maybe it’s the relaxation they bring. Or maybe it’s deeper than that. I’m not entirely sure yet. But flowers call my name.

Maybe it’s because flowers aren’t worried about the sun or tomorrow. They don’t worry if they’ll get food, light, or water. God’s provides that for them. They don’t need to control their destiny or strive to be another flower. They just live content in where God planted them. And if they are cut to be on display, they flourish in a vase too. They don’t count down or hurry or wait. They simply, just are. They live out their God given plans with ease and purpose.

Flowers don’t know if they’re poisonous or if they’re food for a hummingbird. They just grow, bloom, and flourish. Never knowing what they look like, because there’s no mirrors in a flower’s life.

That’s the attraction I have to them. Flowers simply bloom no matter where they are. In a field, on the side of the road, or in a vase. They are beautiful, simple, but carry so much depth all in one. They are satisfied where God has placed them because they don’t know any other way but His. And if you truly sit still long enough to marvel in that, there’s a a true wonder and beauty in their being. They bloom and flourish for as long as God has granted them time.

Shouldn’t we all do that?

Bloom and flourish where God has planted us. Thrive in the time He so graciously has given. Be content in that, friend. Be joyful in the simple, in His presence, in His grace over your life. Be vibrate like the masterpiece you are, God wouldn’t want it any other way.

In this episode, I reflect on what flowers can teach us about faith. They don’t worry about tomorrow or try to control where they grow. They simply bloom where they are planted.

What if we lived the same way?

This episode is a reminder to trust God’s placement in your life, find joy in the season you’re in, and bloom right where He has planted you

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Life is busy. People are driving, folding laundry, walking the dog, or heading to work. Giving them the option to listen makes it easier for them to stay connected to what you’re sharing.

That’s exactly why I’m starting to record audio versions of my newsletters—so you can listen wherever you are. My prayer is that these words encourage you, strengthen your faith, and remind you of God’s truth in the middle of your everyday moments. Whether you’re in the car, on a walk, or just needing a quick dose of encouragement, I hope this meets you right where you are.

2 Corinthians 12:9

So in that case, this is a boasting post. Boasting in my weaknesses as a mother and rejoicing in the fact that because of Christ I am made strong in my weaknesses.

Let’s get it straight—I am not a horrible mama bear. The bear part just comes out too much sometimes, and it’s directed (frustratingly) at my kids. I know our kids shouldn’t have the power to push our buttons or dictate our moods, but like I said… it’s one of my weaknesses.

And last week, that weakness showed through big time. I punished out of anger, I yelled, and I threw my own tantrum while daughter threw hers. But I’m the adult and the example, and I wasn’t being either one with my actions. (No matter how sassy she was.)

Grace.

I apologized to her for my actions, and it became a huge teaching moment for both of us. I told her I should not have done that and that I was sorry for my actions. I told her that I need Jesus to help me just as much as I tell her to pray for help and guidance.

I told her (and she definitely heard my loud voice while I did it) that I had to retreat to pray, and that’s how I was able to come out more calmly to talk to her. I also explained that I’ll never be perfect, but I will do better at being an example for her—to be more like Jesus.

This whole episode reminded me of a story from 10 years ago.

We had lost everything in a fire and were living in a trailer on my husband’s aunt’s front yard. My daughter, at 3 years old, was trying to get her sheets made and wrinkle-free on her bed. The bed that was now an old futon, in a used trailer, in the busy, trafficked living room.

I explained to her that there was no such thing as a perfectly wrinkle-free sheet and that she needed to let that notion go. This frustrated her and she exploded… and then I exploded. It wasn’t a pretty scene.

Venting to my mother-in-law later that day brought revelation to the whole moment. She paused after my story and said,

“As an adult you are having a hard time processing and navigating what just happened, and so is she.”

And that has stayed with me ever since. Although it’s something God reminded me of recently, I will never forget that moment.

There I was trying to tell my 3-year-old to “let it go,” when she was just trying to navigate the trauma she had gone through as well. Her controlling the sheets was her way of creating normalcy. Her way of holding onto something physical when everything around her had slipped away and was chaotic.

She was organizing what she could, even though it wasn’t working.

(Isn’t that a life lesson for us all?)

I blew up on her when instead I should have shown her grace. I should have put my feelings aside, grabbed her, held her, told her she was seen and heard, and that everything was going to be okay. I should have told her I understood, but that wasn’t the way we express ourselves.

Fast forward to present time.

I am now raising a beautiful and strong-willed 13-year-old who needs just as much—if not more—grace than when she was 3 with her sheets.

Not only am I learning how to “train her up,” but she’s learning how to be a teen and navigate her own feelings and experiences. Shocker to her—mom doesn’t have all the answers, and we’re both in this together.

But just as I was her example at 3, she’s looking to me even more now at 13, and it’s my responsibility to shine Christ.

Ten years of learning grace and humility, and yet we still have meltdowns every now and then. (Because we’re human.) But we’re both still learning grace for one another.

One amazing thing about my daughter is how great she is at apologizing—a habit and posture that was learned. Honestly, she’s better at it than me.

Grace.

And as a parent of a teenager and a 5-year-old now, I have to pause and reflect more when things are happening. When they talk back, slam doors, cry out… why are they acting this way?

Too much time inside? Not enough connection with family or friends? A tough time with school?

It’s up to us to recognize the signs when they need grace, and also recognize when they’re simply pushing our buttons—because yes, that happens too. But I’m talking about those moments when conviction sets in and you know your child needs grace.

Recently my daughter said, “Mom, I just need a hug.”

That’s her way of saying, “I don’t know what’s happening, but I just need you.”

Grace is meant for you too, friend.

None of us know how to do this motherhood thing perfectly, and we aren’t meant to. We are meant to do our best with what we have.

Give yourself permission to feel, to ponder and reflect, to pray, to let go, and to free yourself from guilt and shame as a mother.

You, my friend, are the perfect parent for your child. Because God doesn’t make mistakes. And God is with you in every step and with every decision.

That pause time is meant for us to go to Him with our weaknesses so He can give us the strength we need to carry on.

Take a deep breath next time. See what’s happening in front of you. Retreat to pray. Then come back with the lens of grace on.

This practice will take practice. I know it’s still hard for me even after all these years. But once that grace is given—to your kids and to yourself—the whole atmosphere in your home changes.

Those grace lenses work.

And they are oh so worth it.

xoxo,

Steph

Your “grace needing and filled” friend

My writers heart explodes when God talks about writing on tablets, writing in scrolls, writing His words down to remember, to tell, and to show future generations.

I just revel in those verses and moments documented in Scripture.

As a writer, I know my God given gift is to share His word and His stories. I know how much passing down the stories of His goodness, His justice, His mercy and grace is important to Him.

I don’t take that lightly. I have written the books He has placed on my heart and I do my best to continue to write everyday. Whether it’s through a social media post, a sermon, a blog, or whatever He is stirring in me…I speak of Him to those who will listen and read.

We often see our gifts as small or one sided, and we don’t give God enough credit for how He’s using them. But when we step back and look at the bigger picture, we can see His grace woven through the little things we do. That realization should build our confidence, not in ourselves, but in Him, and in what He has already placed in our hands to give away.

I share because I feel inclined to.

I share my daily revelations of God to others because I have this urgency to.

It’s not for me, but for Him.

Being part of a Bible study group online or reading a blog isn’t “life changing” but it’s those little stones, the tiny seeds, the words written down to read that make a bigger impact more than we could ever think or imagine.

I have no idea who reads my writings.

I have no idea how it impacts them or what “God nuggets” they take away.

I was just told by God to write and share, so I do.

Here I am, writing on my scroll with ink. Or typing with my thumb on my iPhone. The dictations God gives me, in hopes that His words penetrate your heart and give you the encouragement, the courage, and the inspiration you may need. That these words point to Him and no one else.

Scrolls, ink, words aren’t much alone.

But put together, they are powerful.

Imagine what YOU could do if you picked up the pen God is handing you? Whether it’s truly a pen, or a ministry, a new business plan, a new position at work, or fill in the blank. He is handing you something, and it’s worth sharing the gift with those around you.

Correction: He already HAS handed you something. You must find out what that gift is and run with it.

You may never know the impact your gift has, but that’s not the point of the gift.

The gift is just that, to give it away, and God will do the rest.

God gave us the ultimate gift, and we are called to follow His example by giving ours away too. The very gift He placed in you is exactly what someone else needs!

Who do you think you are starting that business?

Who do you think you are writing a blog or a book?

Who do you think you are talking about faith?

Who do you think you are fostering and then adopting?

Who do you think you are homeschooling?

Who do you think you are going back to work?

And more recently, who do you think you are preaching on a Sunday?

Have you been there, friend? In the vicious cycle of lies and bravery, of action then halting, of forward progress then being stuck? If you’re nodding yes, please know that I’m with you.

Lies and negative thinking have had me in circles, chasing my tail, and leading to frustration and discouragement. And just when I get my brave bone working, time passes and courage slips and the lies begin cycling again.

Who do you think you are?

Currently, to break the cycle, I vow to stay steady with sharing the struggle and sharing more of God’s truth to combat those horrendous lies. So today, I’m sharing Chapter 6 of my Brave(r) You devotional below.

I pray it takes the “Who do you think you are?” question and replaces it with “I am a child of God” because that truth uproots every negative thought or cycle.

Brave(r) You: Chapter 6

Squashing the lies of unworthiness and replacing them with God’s truth so you can courageously step forward in this season.

Have you ever not pursued what was in front of you because you deemed yourself unworthy? Or unqualified for the task ahead? Have you ever heard God in one way or another, and laughed at the thought of what He was calling you to?

“I could never move away? I couldn’t make new friends.”

“I could never ask for a promotion, I’m lucky I have the position I have.”

“I could never be a leader at church, God can’t use me because of my past.”

“I could never share my faith because I am not anointed like her.”

“I could never x,y,z because I have no idea where to start.”

Those are all lies, friend. Lies that keep us stuck, frustrated, and believing that we don’t have what it takes. But the God that made us in His image, the God that is always with us and sealed inside us, the God that calls us His masterpiece- He says we are equipped because He does the equipping AND the calling.

Lie: I’m not qualified or equipped

Truth: God equips those He calls + He is our Guide and Helper

I’ve procrastinated on this week’s writing. Not because I wanted to, but because the lie of being unqualified gripped me. The lie kept me from my keyboard and I was not in the space to write, let alone talk about being qualified.

Who am I to think that I can write about God’s truths?

Who am I to think I can lead people to God’s promises?

Who am I to think that I can help people be more brave in their season?

Who am I to believe that God can use me in this capacity?

Who am I?

And as tears well up as I type this out, I have to repeat over and over Who I belong to and what He says about me.

I am a masterpiece.

God can and will use me.

God’s opinion is the only one that matters.

God is with me.

Remember these truths? The truths from the previous chapters. If I needed the reminder, I’m sure you did too, friend. That’s the beauty of God’s word, it’s always there for us to pick up and soak in. And our opinions of ourselves are wrong because God would never tell us the things we say to ourselves. We wouldn’t even repeat the horrid things we think about ourselves to a friend.

You see, no one is immune to the lies. Even as I write this devotional on squashing lies from the enemy, I am gripped by them the same. We have completed 5 chapters of replacing lies with truth, and here I am consumed by this one.

Maybe you’re with me. Maybe some lies are planted deeper than others. Maybe some need more time to uproot. And I’m here to tell you: that’s ok.

God is the Creator of time and He knows (and I know) that a week isn’t enough time to squash, uproot, and eliminate these lies forever. That some (by God’s hand and grace) CAN be erased instantly and some He wants us to work through longer. That is why He tells us to go to Him daily for new mercies.

Who I am to think? I’m God’s to think and be and do.

Who do I believe? Not myself! I believe in God above the thoughts I have about myself.

You see, God created you with a purpose and on purpose. He’s already equipped you. He qualified you the moment He formed you. You, yes you, already have what it takes to step into what He’s calling you to.

It’s you who needs to believe it.

And the only way you (and I) will ever believe this truth is by soaking in His word. Is by learning about Him, to in turn see Him in ourselves. HE is the one doing, HE is the one with the strength, HE is the equipper, and HE is the one behind the scenes…you just need to believe, trust, and live it out on our end.

Who do you think you are? Well, friend, you’re a child of the Most High God and the heir to His throne. You are a masterpiece, you are royalty, you are precious, you are all these things and MORE because of your Heavenly Father. Because He says you are. Not because I typed it, but because He says it in His living word.

In the book “You are Free” by Rebekah Lyons she brings up the story of Jeremiah when it comes to going after your calling. I found it so fitting for this week’s topic that I dog-eared it and knew I had to add it here.

The Call of Jeremiah

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 1:4-8

How appropriate that I read these verses this very week! Jeremiah is telling God he is too young and not equipped to speak as a prophet and God is reassuring him that He created him for this very job. God tells him to “not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.”

God is telling you the same, friend. Don’t be afraid, He is with you, fighting with and for you, and guiding your very words and actions along the way.

With God on your side, how can you not move forward?!

As I was writing this out and meditating on how stuck I felt in the lie, I visualized us, people, myself, you…in chains. But not chains of not knowing God, or not believing in Him, but of someone standing chained in beliefs that what God says is not for them but only for others.

We can say the right things, do the right things, believe God, and love Him, but we can still be shackled into thinking that we aren’t ready, qualified, or equipped with what we need to be courageous and bold.

But God tells us that He will teach and instruct us.

Not only did He create you equipped for what He wants for you, but He says in His word that He will instruct you along the way!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8

God is telling you here that He will instruct you, that He will teach you, that He will counsel you, that He will keep His eye on you. What is there to fear when you know this? How can you stay shackled and chained in one place with this knowledge?

Your only “job” then is to stay close to Him, seek His guidance, hear His voice, and follow. Your role in this is to simply allow the chains to fall and leave them behind as you walk forward towards what God is laying out before you.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

He is lighting your path, walk in the light.

Action: Ask God to direct you, ask Him for what you need. Open the lines of communication. Get real, raw, and honest. He’s there and He wants to hear from you. So ask.

I pray that this inside look to my Brave(r) You devotional gave you hope, courage, and truth to replace the lies of unworthiness in your mind and heart. I pray you know that you are a child of God.

Who do you think you are?

You are God’s and He says you are qualified, equipped, and worthy.

Leave a comment below and tell me what you think of this snippet!

Want more? Grab yourself a copy of Brave(r) You on Amazon today!

Xoxo,

Stephanie

Your “I’m with you” friend

Photo proof of God equipping me to do something I could never do on my own- preach and teach at our wonderful church.

Writing my chapter in Rising Above was something I was truly excited about and honored to do. Sharing our testimony is a gift, and I couldn’t wait to put our foster care to adoption journey into words. As I wrote, it took me back to that season..the waiting, the uncertainty, and the deep trust in the Lord it required. But more than anything, I’m grateful to have it written down, not just to encourage others (my ultimate prayer for my writings) but also to share with my kids, especially our son, one day.

From the very beginning, my hope for this chapter was to showcase God’s goodness and faithfulness, even in the hardest season of our lives. Looking back gave me the chance to relive how God was working through every single step. He never left us, and He was always leading us to something greater than we could have imagined.

I’ll be honest, I was hesitant to work with another publisher after a previous bad experience. My first book’s publishing journey didn’t end well, and I was nervous about stepping into this process again. But Hope*Books Publishing was absolutely amazing. They were so supportive, encouraging, and genuinely passionate about the stories being told in Rising Above. I am so grateful to be part of this collaboration with other incredible authors who have also walked through difficult seasons and come out on the other side stronger in their faith.

If you’re curious about the book, you can find it on Amazon- Rising Above: Stories of Overcoming. I can’t wait for others to read not only my story, but also the other nine powerful testimonies of overcoming.

Thank you for your continued support of this book and my entire author journey! 

Xoxo, 

Stephanie

Your “Rising Above” Friend