Many of us have been taught to pray with faith, but not always with intimacy. We pray carefully. Respectfully. Sometimes even cautiously. And while reverence is holy, restraint born from disappointment can quietly rob us of boldness. We stop asking God to draw near, not because we don’t want Him, but because we don’t want to be let down again.

Confession seems like a scary word to us. Maybe we’ve watched too many crime dramas where confession leads to conviction, which means a lack of freedom.

Somewhere along the way, we complicated what God always intended to be simple. Prayer wasn’t designed to impress heaven—it was designed to connect hearts.

I’ve carried a soft place in my heart for girls who live in that tension. Maybe it’s because I’ve been there—the small-town whispers, the sharp edges of words meant to sting, the ache of feeling just outside of belonging. I once thought that moving, studying, changing everything around me would dissolve it.

By Peggy Easterling I remember one time I truly believed I heard the voice of God. Not in an “audible-from-the-sky” kind of way, but in that deep inner knowing that feels holy and clear. I felt prompted to offer an opportunity to someone, and I obeyed with confidence. And I got rejected. Not gently. Not subtly. I mean, rejected in a way that made me replay the entire conversation afterward and question everything. I walked away thinking, “ Did I miss God? Did I make that up?

When shame tightly clings, prayer can become the very instrument needed to loosen its grip by reawakening truth, re-centering our identity in Christ, and opening a channel through which healing flows. “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced.” (Isaiah 54:4) This promise allows you to show up proudly in this world with a Kingdom daughter posture and purpose. 

It’s a revelation Christians have missed for centuries. Whether it was forgotten, softened, or simply assumed away, it is one we need right now. In a world growing ever darker, praying for God’s miraculous daily provision goes far beyond asking just for what you need in the moment.

If you’re in a season of loss right now: whether in business, relationships, or any area where you thought you knew the path forward; I want you to know something: God is not finished with you yet. That painful lesson might be preparing you for the very calling He’s had planned (for you) all along. That loss might be stripping away everything built on your own understanding, so He can rebuild (you and your path) on the foundation of His wisdom.

Stress doesn’t just live in our minds—it settles into our bodies. Tight shoulders. Restless sleep. A mind that’s always racing and can’t seem to turn off. Exhaustion that lingers. We often live with these things for so long that we start to accept them as normal.  So what actually happens in our bodies when we experience stress?

At the hospital, I heard the diagnosis for the first time: Bell’s Palsy—a condition that causes temporary paralysis on one side of the face. The entire left side of my face was completely still—my eyebrow, cheek, and lips refused to move. For a moment, I felt defeated. Why now? Why me? Yet even in that moment, God’s Word rose in my spirit.

Putting God in the CEO seat transforms the way we approach our daily lives, our families, and even our businesses. Every decision, from how we structure our day to how we interact with clients or co-workers, is guided by a higher purpose. For me, that meant rethinking what success looked like. Instead of chasing numbers, titles, or worldly validation, I focused on aligning my business with my calling: to equip and empower women to live fully in God’s plan

Waiting. It’s not a word we love. We want movement, momentum, miracles—and we want them now. But what if the waiting season isn’t punishment... what if it’s preparation?

When I stopped chasing “perfect” holidays and leaned into the relentless love of Jesus, everything shifted. I realized I didn’t need to manufacture magical moments—I simply needed to abide in the One who is the source of joy and peace.

There are moments in life when love feels distant—when you’ve lost your footing, your strength, or your sense of who you are. Yet it’s in those moments that the relentless love of Jesus shows up most clearly. His love doesn’t wait for us to have it all together; it meets us right in the middle of the mess, the diagnosis, the heartbreak, and the questions. I know that love intimately. It has been my constant companion, my teacher, and my lifeline. In March of 2023, I received

So many tears. I never knew a person could cry as long or as often as I did in those first weeks after discovering my husband’s secret struggle with porn. The tears showed up without warning—in the shower, in the car, in the dark hours of the night when sleep wouldn’t come. I was sure the pain would stop once he fixed himself. After all, it was his fault we were in this mess. I told myself my healing would come when he finally got his act together.

I never imagined this path would lead me to selling my art. I never imagined strangers would want to hang my work in their homes. Today, I create one-of-a-kind pieces, each infused with emotion, faith, and inspiration from the natural world. Every painting tells a story. No two are the same, because every piece is a reflection of a moment — just like that quiet morning under the bay leaf tree.

You’re working. You’re obedient. You’ve said yes to the call of God on your life. You’ve launched the thing. You’ve poured out your heart. You’ve stewarded what He gave you with excellence… and yet? The invitations aren’t coming. The stages aren’t opening. It feels like everyone else is being noticed—but not you. I know that season. I lived that season.

The practice of abiding may take time, but it is so worth it! It can transform your life.  Are you ready to accept the invitation?

As we approach the second half of the year, let us reflect on Ephesians 3:14-20. I pray we remain rooted in love—for ourselves and for others—standing firm in faith, led by God’s Spirit, and energized by His power as we bring Him glory through our words and actions. No matter the challenge, crisis, or storm, each day—as Christ followers—in every human interaction, we have the opportunity to be a light in the darkness.

Maybe you can relate to the following true stories that illustrate the wrestling that often happens when women “walk out” the Kingdom Work that God puts in front of them. (Kingdom Work being the actions that we take in response to our deep desires to fulfill a calling.)