What is your favorite season? For me, it is spring and Summer, but for many, it is fall. Don’t get me wrong; I love the beautiful colors of the leaves that the cooling weather brings and, of course, everything pumpkin. But you can keep the cold weather.

Throughout our lives, we have different seasons. Some are good, and some we may care to forget. Each season of life has a purpose if we use it to bring God glory.

For many years of my life, I have been hurt by others. The pain I endured through their words and actions shaped me into a shy, insecure woman. That was a hard season, but I surrendered my weakness to the Lord. It wasn’t easy. But it was entirely worth it. As I allowed God to help me forgive those who harmed me, He began to heal me. Then I began to take captive the lies I believed and instead believed what God says about me in His Word. Step by step, I surrendered each struggle to Him so that God would receive glory through my life. As I walked in obedience and helped others who also struggle with their past, He was and is glorified.

Each of our scars, visible and invisible, tells a story and can bring glory to God if we let it. (An excerpt from Broken But Not Discarded). Will you? Are you willing to say, “Here I am Lord; use me.”

Maybe the season you have been in, or are in now, is asking you to do something difficult. We find a woman in the Bible who was placed in a situation she did not ask for and for a task she did not volunteer for. This woman is Esther. King Nebuchadnezzar needed a new queen. He sent out a command and edict that all the beautiful young virgins were to be brought into the harem under the custody of Hegai, the King’s eunuch. Esther is one of these women. She had no choice; she was forced to leave behind all she knew for life in the King’s harem, with no idea if she would actually become queen or just be forgotten among the concubines waiting for the King’s visit.

Esther finds favor with the king and becomes his queen. She kept one important detail from the king, in obedience to her Uncle Mordecai: Esther was a Jew. In King Nebuchadnezzar’s court was an official, Haman. He hates Mordecai because he won’t bow down and show him the respect he believes he deserves. As revenge, he has the King sign an order to eliminate all the Jews.

Mordecai sends a message to Esther that she needs to plead with the King on behalf of her people. She was terrified. No one could enter inside the inner court without being summoned by the king, or they could be put to death. Mordecai encourages her,

“Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13b-14

This is Esther’s time. This is why God’s plan required her to be queen. She was put in a position to plead for her people’s lives. She asks Mordecai to have all the Jews hold a fast on her behalf for three days, and that she and her young women would do the same. She then bravely approaches the King and, after inviting him and Haman to a feast, tells him of Haman’s plot. Her people are saved. This is an amazing story, and I highly suggest you read the book of Esther for all the juicy details.

“God has placed you in this season, at this time, with these circumstances and these people, for a reason. He has a plan, and He wants to use you.” – Broken But Not Discarded

Whatever is going on in your life, “God has placed you in this season, at this time, with these circumstances and these people for a reason. He has a plan, and He wants to use you”. (Broken But Not Discarded.) It may not be easy, but like Esther, if you turn to God and pray for strength and wisdom, He will answer and help you.

Whatever season you are in, are you willing to use it to glorify God for such a time as this?

Are you willing to be brave and do what is needed in obedience? It may not be easy, but you are never alone. God will be with you each step of the way.

Don’t you wish there was a restart button? You know, like the one the office supply commercial has that would make things easier?

You oversleep. Then the kids are not listening when they should be getting ready for school and you blow up and yell at them.

You make a mistake at work and have to face the consequences.

Your friend stabs you in the back.

I can go on and on. That restart button sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

Well, God has provided that for us. In Lamentations 3:23-23 we see that His mercies are new every morning. No matter what you have done, you can turn to Him and ask for forgiveness and start again. Whatever your circumstances you can turn to Him each morning for strength, provision, and direction.

Why does God do this when we mess up or are clearly not trusting Him completely? The beginning of the verse revealsthe answer. His steadfast love never ceases. The Bible hub defines “steadfast” as this, ” The term “steadfast” refers to being firm, unwavering, and resolute in purpose, loyalty, or faith.” God’s love is firm, unwavering, loyal, and resolute with purpose. His love doesn’t falter because we mess up or struggle with our love for Him. Let that sink in. Romans 8:38-39, tells us NOTHING can separate us from the love of God. NOTHING! His love for us is that pure and resolute.

Lamentations also continues and says God’s mercies never come to an end. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says that mercy is defined as this; “compassion, leniency, or restraint (as in imposing punishment) shown especially to an offender or to one subject to the power of another.” God shows us compassion when we sin. Instead of imposing the punishment we deserve, He shows leniency or restraint. Aren’t you glad? This news should cause us to pause and let out a sigh of relief.

And last but certainly not least, the verse ends with saying, “great is your faithfulness.” God is faithful, even when we are not. God’s faithfulness is not conditional on our conduct. Praise God! I know I would definitely be in trouble.

Our God is full of love, mercy, and faithfulness towards us. And thankfully none of it is dependent upon us. He gives us second, third, and infinity chances… All we need to do is turn to Him and ask.

If you are having a bad day or year; stop and turn to Him now. If it is because of your sin, ask for forgiveness and ask God to help you to turn from that sin. If it is due to circumstances you cannot control; stop and surrender control to Him and ask for help. Friend, God is faithful and His mercies are new each morning.

Share a time God has been faithful in your life.

School is in full swing for some of us, and so is the chaos!

Our schedules are jam-packed with chauffeuring our little blessings to all their after-school activities, and somehow, in the middle of it all, we still need to figure out when to feed them.

Some of us are trying to balance homeschooling with all the other demands of life. We’re teaching, cooking, cleaning, working, managing schedules, and trying to keep our sanity—all while wondering if everyone will actually make it through the day.

For others, we are trying to figure out what this new season of life looks like. Maybe our youngest just moved off to college, and we’re trying to navigate what this new relationship looks like. We’re trying to balance how often we call and text so we don’t seem like helicopter moms, while still making sure our child is thriving—and, you know, alive!

Then there are those of us who are navigating babysitting grandchildren while also having one last child at home and preparing them to leave the nest.

Or maybe the house is empty, and we’re trying to figure out what to do with all this extra time.

Whatever season of life you find yourself in, it can be easy to get caught up in the busyness and forget this important command from Scripture:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”
—Psalm 46:10

Notice that it says be still.

The Hebrew word translated as “still” in Psalm 46:10 is raphah (raw-faw), and it means to let go or to cease striving. That adds another beautiful layer to what it means to be still.

We need to stop trying to do everything on our own.

God invites us to surrender our struggles to Him. He is in control, and we need to rest in that truth. When we truly believe that God is in control, it becomes easier to trust Him with whatever we are facing—even when we don’t understand what He is doing.

We must remember that none of this is outside God’s control.

Whatever we are dealing with, God is with us. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing catches Him off guard. And when we surrender our circumstances to Him, He can use even the things Satan intends for harm for His glory.

Francesca Battistelli has a song called “Defender,” and I love its message. It reminds me of the truth that God is already making a way for us before we even realize we need help. His way is better than our way. He knows what we need before we even know to ask.

We simply need to do our best to trust Him, praise Him, and remember that God is in control.

Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

When nothing makes sense and everything seems to be falling apart, we can still trust God.

He is in control.

If we take the time to look back over our lives, we can see His faithfulness. He has proven Himself over and over again. He has carried us through things we weren’t sure we would survive. He has made a way when we couldn’t see one.

Those who know me know that these verses have been my life verse for quite some time. So much of my life has not made sense, but God has been faithful through every season. And I know He is faithful in your life as well.

So, as the chaos ensues, be intentional about spending time with God. Of course, spend time in His Word. Pray. Worship. But also be intentional about simply being still with Him.

Sometimes we need to stop doing and simply sit in His presence.

Put down the phone. Step away from the never-ending to-do list. Take a deep breath. Quiet your heart. Give Him the things you’ve been carrying and remind yourself that you were never meant to carry them alone.

I love taking time to sit alone on my deck or patio with God in the quiet. I try to arrange this at least once a week. I honestly can’t say it always happens, but when it does, I am filled with God’s peace. Where do you feel His peace the most? If you have to plan it out, then schedule it. You may need to get creative or ask someone to watch your kids for 30 minutes a week so you have this time. Try to prioritize it. You will not regret this time with the Lord.

Your sanity will also thank you.

When everything around you feels out of control, remember that God is still in control.

I can’t promise you will never experience anxiety or that life will suddenly become easy. But I can tell you that there is peace to be found when we stop striving, surrender our circumstances to God, and choose to trust Him.

Take a Moment to Reflect

What can you change this week so you can intentionally plan time to be still with God?

How could making time to be still benefit you in this season of life?

And if you are already prioritizing time to be still, what does that look like in your daily life? Share to encourage others.

In the middle of the chaos, stop striving. Be still. Trust God. He is in control.

Recently I have been looking around my home and have felt overwhelmed with all the stuff that has cluttered it over the years. What once seemed like such a need, now feels like a burden weighing me down and causing undue stress. As I loaded my car and dropped all the bags and boxes full of some of those items off at the consignment store, do you know what I felt? Relief. Some of the burden was relieved and the stress of all the extra clutter melted away.

We tend to carry other kinds of burdens as well. That person we hurt that we should apologize to. That grudge we can’t let go of. That person we have not forgiven. Maybe past sin haunts us, never allowing us to forget what we have done. Or we are suffocating because of anxiety. Sadly, I am too familiar with each of these at different seasons of my life.

We were not created to carry such burdens. Jesus reminds us of this.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus knew His audience. Many of them were farmers or were familiar with farming. Today, many of us do not understand some of Jesus’ examples because we do not farm or have a modern context of farming. We understand that a tractor pulls a plow to till the fields, but that may be the extent of our knowledge. In Jesus’ time, they used two oxen and attached a yoke that was a wooden curved crossbar placed over their necks and that would lock them together. This was done so that they could share the weight of the heavy task of plowing a field or pulling a wagon.

Jesus invites us to come to Him when we are weary and burdened, and what is the result? Rest. When our soul is overwhelmed and worn down, we can turn to Jesus for rest. We can exchange our heavy burdens for His, which are light. As we turn to Jesus, we will learn about God the Father as His truth and nature are revealed to us. Through reading the Bible and spending time with Him in prayer, we see that our God is a compassionate God who loves us and cares about every detail of our lives. He wants us to bring our burdens to Him. God wants to help us. He does not want us to carry loads that He can bear for us. Why is it so difficult for us to surrender them to Him?

We turn to our friends and vent. We go to social media and vent. We text Dr. Google for advice. We turn to everything and everyone but the One who can truly give us the peace and rest our souls crave and desperately need. Why? Do we doubt He can help? Do we think it is not important enough to take to Him? Do we not want to bother Him? Does our pride get in the way? He wants us to take all our concerns to Him. All!

1 Peter 5:7 tells us, “Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for us.” God doesn’t say some. He doesn’t say when you feel like it or when it’s convenient. He wants us to cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us.

What would your daily life look like when this is lived out? When I surrender all of my burdens to God, I am full of a peace that surpasses all understanding that then overflows onto all those in my life. Now, this may look like me going to Him every hour or every five minutes on a bad day. In contrast, when I don’t, I am full of anxiety and come off as a crazy woman. I am short on patience and snap at everyone. My loved ones walk on eggshells around me and don’t understand what is wrong with me. This is not the me I want to be. I want to be the woman full of the Holy Spirit because she has surrendered her burdens to Jesus and as a result, points others to Christ with my words and actions.

Can you relate to either of these women? If you are more like my crazy version, what changes do you need to make today? What burden are you carrying that you need to surrender to Jesus? You don’t have to do it alone; He is with you every step of the way. Rest for your weary soul is just a prayer away.

A few years ago, we helped our son move into his first apartment. We drove the eleven hours to Louisville, Kentucky, arriving after dark. After pulling into the large apartment parking lot, I stepped out of the vehicle while my son rode with my husband to help him find a parking space.

As I stood on the grass with my son’s fiancée, we noticed a car with heavily tinted windows slow down as it approached us. I silently prayed they would keep driving.

Instead, they stopped and rolled down the window.

“Do you need some money?” one of the men asked.

“No, we’re good,” I replied.

“Would you like to make some?” he responded.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I was horrified. My mind immediately raced. What kind of place was my son moving into? My future daughter-in-law and I were just propositioned. I whispered another prayer, asking God to protect them. In that moment, I was reminded once again of the depth of sin in our broken world.

As you turn on the TV or scroll through your phone, do you ever feel overwhelmed or anxious by the evil you see around you? Sometimes it seems as though darkness is everywhere. Yet the battle isn’t only “out there.” Satan also propositions us in our own homes and hearts, continually enticing us to believe lies and give in to sin.

Genesis 3 records the moment sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From that point forward, all creation was affected by the curse of sin.

Yet God never intended for His children to live in fear. Throughout Scripture, He repeatedly tells us not to fear because He knows our tendency toward anxiety and worry.

Even in the midst of a fallen world, we have an unshakable hope: Jesus has already defeated Satan.

That promise first appears in Genesis 3:15 when God declares to the serpent:

“I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

This verse points forward to Jesus Christ. On the cross, as recorded in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19, Jesus willingly gave His life for our sins. Because He is fully God and fully man, He alone could accomplish what no one else could. He lived a perfect, sinless life, bore the punishment we deserved, and through His death broke the power of Satan.

But the story didn’t end at the cross.

Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave, defeating sin and death forever. He ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, reigning in victory.

Hebrews 2:14–15 (CSB) explains it this way:

“Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.”

We are the children this passage speaks of. Because of Christ, we no longer have to live in fear of Satan. His defeat has already been secured.

The next time the headlines, social media, or circumstances in your own life begin to overwhelm you, pause and thank God that Jesus has overcome the enemy. This broken world is temporary, but Christ’s victory is eternal.

If anxious thoughts continue to linger, try writing down everything that is weighing on your heart. Then open God’s Word and find verses that speak truth to each fear. Anxiety often grows from believing lies, but Scripture calls us to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

God’s truth is always stronger than Satan’s lies.

Reflection Questions

• What is causing you to feel anxious or overwhelmed today?
• What truth from God’s Word can you hold onto the next time those anxious thoughts arise?
• How can you intentionally remind yourself of Christ’s victory this week?

“After months of planning I am finally at my favorite place,” I thought.

“I feel my stress disappearing and my muscles relaxing with each breath of salty air and crashing wave.”

“I can finally relax.”

Then it happened. The intruder. It invaded my mind. It stole my peace. What or who was this intrusive aggressor that hijacked my long anticipated retreat? My own thoughts. Yes, you read that correctly. As I laid in the sand and basked in the sun and desperately tried to relax my thoughts betrayed me.

“Did you respond to that email? What was that sound? Was it a text? Is the dog really okay? Am I being a good mom? I feel I am failing my kids. I am a terrible wife. When was the last time I called my mom?” On and on my thoughts betrayed my respite. The rest I desperately needed was disrupted.

Have you ever tried to sit in the quiet and relax? This is one of my favorite activities at the beach. Laying in the warm sun, smelling the salty air, and listening to the crashing waves always brings me peace. The ocean points me to my Creator as I glance upon it’s greatness. Yet as much as I want to sit still my thoughts don’t allow me. Does this sound familiar to you? Or maybe it’s all the distractions of the world. We carry in our hand a device that can help us be more efficient in so many ways, but can also be the very thing that steals our peace. It is constantly begging for our attention with it’s little noisy reminders. Then there are all the people in our lives trying to make their voice heard. The noise drowns out the silence, whether it is internal or external.

With all of these distractions how will we ever hear what God has to say to us?

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a.

God has the answer. We are to be still.

In 1 Kings 19:9-18, Elijah waited to hear from the Lord as he stood out on the mount. God wasn’t in the strong wind that tore down the mountain. He wasn’t in the earthquake. He was not in the fire. No, God was in none of these, but He was in the sound of a low whisper. In the whisper the Lord spoke to Elijah and instructed him on his next steps.

It is clear we need to be still, but if you are like me, the question you are asking yourself is, “How can we be still?” With God’s help we can. Our hurried culture has us trained that we cannot sit in the silence. Instead not only must we multi-task, but we must fill the silence with music, podcasts, or the television in the background. Yet being still is not impossible when we humble ourselves and ask God to help us. We can be trained in this discipline just as any athlete disciplines themselves for their sport. When we do we can overcome the obstacles the enemy strategically places in our daily routines, so that we can be still with the One who is the joy and peace giver.

Just like an athlete, this probably won’t happen over night. It takes intentionality each day as we re-surrender the noise to God to be extinguished. There may be set backs, but each day God gives us new mercies and we can begin again. Today, change one thing. Turn off your music, podcast, or television and in the quiet be still. Start small and then increase your time. Begin with five minutes, then 10, and so on. Listen for what God wants to tell you. It may not be an audible voice, but through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of each Christian, He does communicate with us. He is speaking. Are you listening?

Share what your biggest obstacle is in being still. If you have overcome your obstacle, share how you did so that you can help others.

It sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Driving down the road. When you are shopping. On vacation. Visiting family and friends. There is no warning. What is it? Grief.

Recently, our family was on a much-needed vacation after a crazy year. My mother-in-law had died a little over a month before leaving. While on vacation, it seemed that there was a reminder of the great loss we felt at every turn. From Bigfoot and Gnome merchandise everywhere to Triceratops stuffed animals that roared like Godzilla. The above photo was a yearly thing our children did with Bigfoot to send to their grandmother. Yet this year when we saw the statue in the store, it was just another reminder. This great weight of grief seemed to crush us and erase any peace or joy.

That is when you have to evaluate where your joy and hope come from. Does it come from relationships and things that are temporal, or from something that is eternal and cannot fade away? I have hope that I will see my mother-in-law again because she believed in and trusted in Jesus as her Savior. We have a promise from God that if we also believe and trust in Jesus as our Savior, we will see our loved ones again who are Christians. The difficulty is that they have left us behind. They went without us.

We see in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (ESV.)

The message version says, “That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.”

We need to remember that this world is not our home. We are exiles of heaven. This verse says that when we leave our bodies, we will be at home with the Lord. What a glorious homecoming that will be. We were created to glorify God and live out the purpose for which we were created while we are here on earth, until He brings us home. We will then be reunited with our loved ones. This is where my hope and joy come from, knowing I will see my Savior face to face one day and be reunited with my loved ones.

Sadly, the harsh reality is that not everyone will be there. God sends an invitation to each of us, but we have to choose to accept it and respond. “For God so loved the world, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV.) We have each been invited, but we must accept and believe what Jesus did for us and respond by following what He told us to do. The Bible is our instruction manual. It holds the Words of the One who gives us joy, peace, and hope we each desperately need.

Jesus understood our grief. We find in John 11 that Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had died. When Jesus saw how distraught Lazarus’ sisters and friends were, “He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.” In John 11:35, we see Jesus respond to these emotions in the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” Jesus understands our grief and can comfort us as we turn to Him.

David went through years of difficulties and loss. During the dedication of the temple he sang, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” David had times of mourning, yet with time as He turned to the Lord it was replaced with dancing. When someone mourned, they would wear a sackcloth as a physical sign of their internal grief. David says that it was replaced with gladness. He could not be silent, he had to praise and thank the Lord. We too, can dance again and be filled with gladness as we turn to the Lord for comfort.

I know the waves of grief will continue to come for many years. With time, they will become more and more distant. When they sneak up on me like a stalker, I will hold tightly to the hope and promise that this is not the end, it is not a forever goodbye. It is a temporary parting until I am home and reunited forever with my loved ones who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus.

What brings you comfort during your grief? How do you cope?

After years of disobedience, I finally began typing. I took classes, did the research, and followed in obedience. By surrendering all my hurt and past sin to God, I have shared what He has taught me so that other women can experience transformational healing.

What is God asking you to do? Are you giving Him 100 reasons why you can’t? I did too. I also regret taking so long to submit to God’s will. That is not something that you want to experience, believe me. God will equip you to do whatever He asks you to do. “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. Whatever God wants you to do, He will equip you.

Is your past holding you back? Insecurity? Fear? Whatever it is, surrender it to God and ask Him to help you.

In Broken But Not Discarded, I share how God equipped me and helped me heal and move past my excuses as I surrendered them to Him. God can help you too.

If you would like to purchase the book or Bible Study you can find the links below. Your past doesn’t define you —Jesus does. He can use it all for His glory as you surrender it to Him.

Do you feel haunted by your past?
Whether from your own mistakes or wounds caused by others, your past can feel like a prison—keeping you stuck in shame, regret, and pain. Over time, those feelings can begin to shape your identity, whispering lies that you’re too broken to be healed or used by God.
But those lies are not the truth.
In Broken, But Not Discarded, you’ll discover that no part of your story is wasted when placed in God’s hands. Through biblical truth, honest reflection, and practical steps, this book gently guides you out of bondage and into the freedom found in Christ.
Inside, you will learn how to:

• Let go of shame, guilt, and regret
• Surrender your past to God—even the parts you’ve kept hidden
• Recognize and replace the lies that have shaped your identity
• Embrace healing, restoration, and renewed purpose
• Walk forward in freedom and confidence in Christ

This journey isn’t easy—but you are not alone. God meets you in your brokenness and begins to restore what once felt beyond repair.
If you’re ready to stop letting your past define you and start living in the truth of who God says you are, this book will help you take that next step.
Your past is not the end of your story.
In Christ, healing is possible—and your life still has purpose.

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