Resistance
This week, the Lord woke me up around 3:00 a.m.
At first, I wasn’t sure why. The house was quiet, the world was still, and instead of trying to go back to sleep, I felt a gentle nudge to simply worship Him. So I sat in His presence, thanked Him for His goodness, and let my heart become still before Him.
After a while, I began praying about some personal things that had been weighing heavily on my heart. As I poured everything out to the Lord, one word kept coming to me over and over again.
Resistance.
To someone else, that word might not mean much. But in that moment, the Holy Spirit knew exactly what I needed to hear. Sometimes the greatest battles we face aren’t around us—they’re within us.
We resist forgiving.
We resist trusting.
We resist letting go of control.
We resist believing God when our feelings tell us something different. We even resist the very work God is trying to do in our hearts because change can feel uncomfortable.
The Lord wasn’t condemning me. He was lovingly revealing something that was standing between my heart and His peace.
The beautiful thing about spending time in His presence is that He doesn’t just expose what needs attention—He heals it. As I surrendered that area of resistance to Him, the burden I had been carrying began to lift. Nothing around me had changed yet, but something inside me had.
Isn’t that just like Jesus? He meets us right where we are, speaks exactly what we need, and reminds us that we never have to carry our burdens alone.
The Bible tells us:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1
I have found that to be true time and time again. He is not a distant God waiting for us to figure everything out.
He is present.
He is near.
He listens.
He comforts.
He gently leads us back to Himself.
Maybe today your word isn’t resistance. Maybe it’s fear. Worry. Pride. Bitterness. Doubt. Whatever it is, don’t run from Him—run to Him.
His presence has a way of accomplishing what our own striving never can. Sometimes all He asks is that we stop resisting and simply surrender.
As homesteaders, we understand that growth often begins beneath the surface where no one else can see it. A seed must surrender to the soil before it can ever bear fruit. Maybe that’s what the Lord was reminding me that morning. The areas where we resist Him are often the very places where He wants to bring the greatest growth. If we’ll trust Him enough to surrender, He’ll do what only He can do.
Maybe tonight you’ll wake up in the quiet hours like I did. If you do, don’t be too quick to see it as an interruption. It just might be an invitation.
An invitation to worship.
An invitation to listen.
An invitation to lay down the burdens you’ve been carrying.
You may not hear the same word I did, but if you’ll spend time in His presence, I believe the Lord will faithfully speak to your heart in the way only He can.
He’s still our refuge. He’s still our strength. And He’s still a very present help in trouble.
I’m so thankful He met me at 3 a.m.
“Be still, and know that I am God…” — Psalm 46:10
Prayer
Father, thank you for loving us enough to speak to our hearts, even in the quiet hours of the night. Show us any area where we are resisting what you want to do in our lives. Give us hearts that are willing to trust you completely. Thank you for being our refuge, our strength, and our very present help in every season. Help us to rest in your presence and find the peace that only you can give. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord Bless You, Michelle
Letting Go of People Pleasing, Trusting God
Sometimes when we don’t really know our purpose, we start settling. We settle for doing what looks right…
what sounds right…what keeps everybody else comfortable.
We try to follow all the “rules”—be appropriate, be perfect, make people proud. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be appreciated or encouraged. That’s just human. But it can slowly turn into something else. Before long, we’re not listening for God’s voice like we should…
we’re listening to everybody else.
What they think.
What they expect.
What they’ll say if we step out.
The truth is, if you’re waiting on people to approve of you, you might be waiting a long time. And even if they do, it won’t ever feel like enough. God never asked you to live that way.
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
—Galatians 1:10
That hits pretty plain. If we’re living for people, we’re not really walking in what God has called us to do. You don’t need someone else to give you permission
to grow…to step out…to become who God already created you to be.
You were made in His image.
“So God created man in his own image…”
—Genesis 1:27
That means your value was settled a long time ago.
You don’t have to chase approval.
You don’t have to prove yourself.
And you don’t have to water down who you are to fit into somebody else’s expectations.
Even Jesus didn’t do that. There were places He walked away from when people didn’t believe. He didn’t stay and try to convince everybody. He didn’t change who He was to make people comfortable.
“And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
—Matthew 13:58
He kept going where He was received…and where God sent Him. That’s a good reminder for us.
When we start worrying about what everybody else thinks, we step out of faith and into fear. And people’s opinions? They change all the time. You can’t build your life on something that unsteady. God didn’t call you to be everything for everyone. He called you to be faithful to Him.
So instead of trying to please people, just walk in what God gave you. Your calling might not look like anyone else’s—and that’s the point.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…”
—Ephesians 2:10
You don’t need permission. You just need to be willing to follow Him.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
Thank you for creating me with purpose and intention.
Help me to stop looking to others for approval and start listening more closely for your voice. When I feel the pull to please people, remind me who I belong to.
Give me the courage to walk in what You’ve called me to do, even when it’s uncomfortable or misunderstood. Quiet the noise around me so I can hear you clearly.
Strengthen my faith so I won’t be moved by opinions that change, but rooted in your truth that never does. Teach me to be content in who you made me to be,
and bold enough to live it out.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Lord Bless You, Michelle
Faithfulness That Never Fails
Faithfulness is a quiet, steady strength. It’s that consistent, reliable character that reflects who God is—His unwavering commitment to every promise He has ever made.
It shows up in the everyday moments… in our devotion to Him and in the way we serve others with a willing and dependable heart.
Scripture reminds us in Lamentations that His mercies are new every morning—His faithfulness is not occasional, it’s constant. It doesn’t waver. It doesn’t run out. It meets us fresh each and every day.
“Great is thy faithfulness.”
And the beautiful thing is, our ability to be faithful doesn’t come from striving harder—it flows from experiencing His faithfulness first. The more we see how steady He is, the more our hearts learn to rest in that and reflect it.
Because God’s commitment to us is unshakeable.
“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”
—2 Timothy 2:13
It isn’t based on our performance or how perfectly we walk things out. It’s rooted in who He is—unchanging, constant, and always faithful.
And that kind of faithfulness… it changes us.
Closing Thought
So today, if you’re feeling weary or unsure, don’t focus on trying to be more faithful—focus on Him.
Remember who He is.
Remember how He has carried you.
Remember that His faithfulness has never failed you… not once.
Let your heart rest there.
And from that place of rest, faithfulness will begin to grow—quietly, steadily, and beautifully—just like His.
A Gentle Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for Your faithfulness that never changes and never fails. Even when I fall short, You remain steady and true. Help me to rest in who You are instead of striving in my own strength. Teach me to reflect Your faithfulness in my daily life—in my thoughts, my actions, and the way I love others. Let my heart be anchored in Your truth and shaped by Your constant presence.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If I Could Hear “Mom” One More Time
Mother’s Day has come and gone, but my heart has still been sitting there for a while. I’ve found myself slowing down and thinking back… all the way from when Jayd was just a baby, through the busy growing-up years, and into the young man he became. And oh, the memories. The sweet ones, the fun ones, the chaotic and exhausting ones, too. Motherhood carries all of it—every emotion wrapped together in one beautiful, stretching, refining gift.
Being a mom means loving deeply, nurturing intentionally, teaching constantly… and somehow trying to be fun and creative in the middle of it all. It’s building a relationship that’s rooted in trust, filled with peace, open and honest, and covered in unconditional love. There’s really nothing else like it! I just want to say to every mom reading this—you are doing something that matters more than you probably realize.
Give it your ALL!! Pour into your children. Love them well. Stay present even on the hard days. Because I can tell you from my own life… you will never regret the investment you make in your children.
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
—Galatians 6:9
I’m 59 now, and our son Jayd went home to be with the Lord at 26. He was our only child. And while I carry so many beautiful memories, I also carry a deep ache that never really leaves. I don’t hear his voice anymore. I don’t hear him call out “Mom” the way he used to—usually with a little extra volume and a whole lot of personality. That was just him. Full of life, full of joy, always pulling me into something new or some adventure. And what I wouldn’t give to hear that again!
So when I tell you to keep going—even when you’re tired, even when you feel like you don’t have anything left—I mean it with everything in me. I remember those days of thinking, “I don’t know if I can do one more thing.” And yet somehow, the Lord gives you the strength, and you do.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
—Philippians 4:13
Keep going! Because those moments you’re living right now… one day, they’ll be the ones you hold onto. And more than anything else, I want to gently encourage you in this:
Bring your children up in the Lord.
There is no greater gift you can give them.
Let them see your relationship with Jesus—not just hear about it. Let them watch you open your Bible. Let them see you pray. Let them hear you worship. Invite them into those moments. Show them that Jesus isn’t just someone we talk about on Sundays, but someone we walk with every single day.
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…”
—Deuteronomy 6:6–7
Teach them His love.
Show them His faithfulness.
Let them experience His peace, His strength, His comfort.
Because when they truly know Him—when they have their own relationship with Him—you don’t have to carry the weight of their whole life on your shoulders. God will lead them. And even if they wander for a season, that foundation is there. His Word is planted deep in their hearts. And He is faithful to draw them back.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
—Proverbs 22:6
This season for me is bittersweet. My mom has been gone for almost four years now, and my son is with the Lord. So days like Mother’s Day carry both gratitude and grief. I’m thankful for the memories… but there’s also a deep longing that words can’t quite touch. A mother’s love doesn’t go away. And neither does the ache when someone you love so deeply is no longer here. But even in that, God is still near. He holds every memory, every tear, every piece of our heart.
“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
—Psalm 34:18
So today, I just want to leave you with this:
Love your babies well.
Spend time with your mom if you still have her.
And in the middle of your everyday life—let your children see Jesus in you.
In your words.
In your actions.
In your quiet moments and your busy ones.
Because those things… they matter more than we can fully understand.
A Quiet Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for the gift of motherhood—the joy, the stretching, and even the hard moments. Strengthen every momma who feels tired today. Remind her that what she is doing matters. Help us to raise our children in You, to show them Your love in the way we live each day. And for those of us carrying grief, draw us close and comfort our hearts like only You can.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord bless you, Michelle
The Power We Have in Jesus | Faith on the Homestead (Semi Homesteaders)
There’s a kind of strength that doesn’t come from us—and that’s what we’re talking about today. In this devotion, we’re sharing about the true power we have through Jesus and how it shows up in everyday life, even in the simple, ordinary moments.
As we walk this journey toward a more intentional, homestead-style life, we’re learning that real strength isn’t found in doing more, but in trusting Him more. Whether you’re in a busy season or a quiet one, our prayer is that this encourages your heart and reminds you where your strength comes from. Thanks for being here with us at Semi Homesteaders—where we’re building a life of faith, simplicity, and purpose.
He Knows My Name
There is something deeply comforting about knowing that the Lord knows us personally. Not just as part of a crowd, not just as one of many—but individually. He knows our hearts, our struggles, our thoughts, and even the quiet prayers we haven’t spoken out loud.
He knows our name.
When the Holy Spirit leads us, He does so in a way that is both persistent and deeply personal. His guidance isn’t generic or one-size-fits-all. Instead, He speaks to each of us in ways that reach our own hearts and our own circumstances.
This does two very important things for us.
First, it reminds us that God knows us well enough to speak in a way that we can understand. He knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. That kind of care builds confidence in our relationship with Him.
Second, it reminds us to be careful not to place our personal direction from God onto someone else’s life.
It can be easy to do without even realizing it. When the Lord leads us in a certain way, we sometimes assume He must be leading everyone else the same way too. But that isn’t always how God works. The Holy Spirit draws individual maps for each of us to follow.
God has always intended our relationship with Him to be personal.
Just as a loving father speaks to each of his children according to their needs, the Lord guides each of us according to the work He is doing in our lives. The plans He has for you may not look exactly like the plans He has for someone else.
And that’s okay.
In fact, that’s part of the beauty of His design.
Comparison, however, has a way of stealing that peace. When we begin measuring our lives against someone else’s path, it often leads to feelings of condemnation, discouragement, or hopelessness. And in today’s world, especially with social media, that temptation is everywhere. We can easily get caught up watching other people’s lives and forget that what we’re seeing is often only a small and carefully chosen piece of the picture.
Before long, we can find ourselves drifting in directions God never intended for us.
But the truth is, God calls each of His children by name.
Jesus said in John 10:3
“…and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”
He knows exactly where He is leading you.
Because of that, we must also resist the urge to step into the role of the Holy Spirit in someone else’s life. Sometimes we do this without meaning to, offering direction or expectations that God may not have given them. But the same God who leads us is fully capable of leading them as well.
Our role is not to control someone else’s journey, but to faithfully walk our own.
Now, that doesn’t mean anything goes. God’s guidance will always align with His Word. Scripture is the foundation that keeps all of us walking in truth. But within those boundaries, the Lord may guide each of His children in unique ways as He accomplishes His purposes in their lives.
Different paths.
Different callings.
One faithful God.
And when we follow Him in obedience—whatever that looks like for our personal journey—our lives can bring glory to Him.
So today, take comfort in this simple but powerful truth:
The Lord knows you.
He sees you.
And He calls you by name.
Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for knowing me personally and loving me so deeply. Help me to listen closely for Your voice and trust the path You are leading me on. Guard my heart from comparison and teach me to walk faithfully in the plans You have prepared for my life. Give me wisdom to encourage others without trying to direct their steps, trusting that You are guiding them just as faithfully.
Amen.
Lord Bless You, Michelle