Let Him Do the Work

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Psalm 51:10 — Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Weekends in our house are usually reserved for three things: resting, catching up with friends, and cleaning. I’ll be honest—cleaning isn’t my favorite part. But there’s nothing better than that feeling when the house smells fresh and everything’s in its place.

My stepdaughter actually loves to clean. Her favorite thing is mopping. She’ll boil water, pick out the best-smelling detergent she can find, and go to town on those floors. Sometimes I’ll walk in and the whole house smells amazing—like lemons and lavender had a baby. But when I ask her if she swept first, she’ll grin and say, “Oh… I forgot. I just wanted it to smell good.”

And I get that. I love a good-smelling house too. But if you don’t sweep first, all you’re really doing is spreading that nice smell over a layer of dirt.

The more I thought about it, the more it hit me—that’s how a lot of us live our lives. We want to jump straight to the part that looks and smells good. We want people to see our “fresh” side, the part that feels put together. But underneath it all, there might still be dust and crumbs we’ve ignored.

It’s not the fun part, but the real work—the sweeping, the scrubbing, the part no one sees—has to happen first. That’s the part Jesus helps with.

That’s why I love the prayer found in the book of Psalm that says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

We can bring our mess to God. He’s patient with us, right there in the middle of it. He knows about the disappointment that sticks, the guilt that clings, the places we keep trying to cover up.

And here’s the best part: He doesn’t mind rolling up His sleeves. He meets us in it. He helps clean out what we didn’t even know was there.

So this weekend, while we’re boiling water and mopping floors, maybe let Him in to do the same in your heart. Once He does that foundational work, everything else changes. You start to shine—not because you’re pretending to be perfect, but because He’s been there, cleaning you from the inside out.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What “surface-level” habits or attitudes might you be using to cover up something God wants to clean deeper in your heart?
  • Why is it sometimes easier to “smell good” spiritually than to let God sweep away the mess underneath?
  • How does it make you feel to know that God meets you in the mess rather than waiting for you to fix it first?
  • What would it look like this week to invite God to “renew a right spirit” in you — in your home, work, or relationships?
  • Who might need encouragement today to know that God is patient in their process of being renewed?
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Hold on a Little Longer

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1 Peter 5:10 — And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Growth can be uncomfortable. I am learning this from my eight-month-old son, Lennox. His teeth are popping up seemingly out of nowhere. He is usually a happy baby, but lately, I have noticed him needing more comfort than usual.

He gnaws on his toy, fusses against my shoulder, and cries though nothing seems to help. Watching him struggle is so hard, and as a mom, I wish I could take the pain away.

Deep down, I know that this discomfort is actually good for him in the long term. It means something new is coming. Teeth! And as I look at him, I see myself.

Because sometimes faith can feel just like this.

You pray for change, and it comes, but not the way you expect. It comes through stretching, through waiting, and through unexpected pain.

In those moments, I think of what 1 Peter 5:10 promises: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

I pick Lennox up, rock him gently, and hold him close. His small body is tense, but gradually he begins to relax. Watching him finally fall asleep, I think about how growth is not always easy, but the struggle is part of the process.

So, let this be your reminder that the discomfort you feel might actually be a sign that you are about to breakthrough. Something is pressing and happening, slowly but surely, just beneath the surface of the struggle.

If you are in that place now, tired from all the stretching and aching, hold on a little longer. Sometimes discomfort really means “you’re almost there.”

Growth hurts but it matters. And your breakthrough is right around the corner.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What kind of “growing pains” are you walking through right now—spiritual, emotional, or relational?
  • How does 1 Peter 5:10 encourage you to see your current struggle as part of a greater story of restoration and strength?
  • When have you experienced God “holding” you through a painful season, much like Bri held her son?
  • What might “trusting the process” look like for you this week, even if you can’t yet see the purpose behind the discomfort?
  • Can you think of a time when what once hurt deeply later became a place of strength or testimony?
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One Thought at a Time

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2 Corinthians 10:5 — We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

The baby was asleep on my chest, his little fingers curled around my shirt. The kind of grip that makes you not want to move, even if your arm goes numb. Sunlight slipped through the curtains and stretched across the floor.

The house was quiet for once. There was no monitor beeping, no laundry cycling. It was just the slow, steady rhythm of breathing between the two of us.

You’d think that kind of peace would settle a person’s mind. But mine didn’t seem to get the memo.

I was in postpartum, and even in the calm, there was noise. Not the kind you can shush with a lullaby—just thoughts that crept in uninvited. Some were small, like wondering if I’d fed him long enough. Others were heavier, the kind that made me question if I was cut out for this at all.

One afternoon, I sat cross-legged on the living room floor surrounded by burp cloths and bottles and baby socks that never seemed to match. I remember feeling like I was drowning in my own head. Then, almost out of nowhere, I remembered something my pastor once said:

“You don’t have to believe every thought that passes through your mind.”

It sounded too simple to help, but it did. I closed my eyes right there, took a deep breath, and whispered a quiet thank-you to God. The longer I sat with that truth, the lighter it felt.

I realized I’d been treating every anxious thought like it was the voice of reason. But not everything I think deserves to be treated like the truth.

So I decided to start paying attention. When a thought came that sounded harsh or afraid, I held it up to what I knew about God and His Word. If it didn’t sound like Him—if it didn’t carry peace or mercy—I’d let it go. If it did, I’d hold onto it. That was my new rule.

That’s when 2 Corinthians 10:5 came to mind — “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

So I decided to start paying attention. When a thought came that sounded harsh or afraid, I held it up to what I knew about God and His Word. If it didn’t sound like Him—if it didn’t carry peace or mercy—I’d let it go. If it did, I’d hold onto it. That was my new rule.

It wasn’t perfect. No, some days I forgot. Some days I didn’t have the strength to test a single thought. But little by little, the noise started to fade.

Now, the house is far from quiet. There are still toys everywhere, cries from the monitor, and always some responsibility to handle. But my mind? It feels steady again. Not because the thoughts stopped coming, but because I finally learned which ones to believe.

And maybe that’s something you need too. Maybe your mind has been chaotic lately, and you don’t know what to do. If so, start small. Trade one anxious word for one good one.

And do it again tomorrow. Because God’s words have a way of clearing the clutter. They always do.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What kind of thoughts tend to take up the most space in your mind during stressful seasons?
  • How does 2 Corinthians 10:5 challenge the way you think about your inner thought life?
  • When you feel anxious or unworthy, what truth from God’s Word can you use to “take that thought captive”?
  • Can you remember a time when replacing a fearful thought with God’s truth brought peace to your heart?
  • What’s one small step you can take today to filter your thoughts through faith instead of fear?
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Choosing To Keep Moving

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Galatians 6:9 – And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

The whole thing started with a pair of leggings that let me down.

I stood in front of the mirror tugging, pulling, sighing, until I finally gave up. Nothing fit. Nothing felt right. I wanted to slam the drawer shut and crawl back under the covers.

My body was different now. Having a baby will do that. And while I knew it in my head, facing it in the mirror was something else entirely.

I’m heavier than I was before, and that truth stung more than I wanted to admit. Especially for somebody like me. I’m a coach and fitness instructor. I’ve always taught other people how to keep going. But here I was, feeling defeated by a pile of clothes that didn’t fit.

I was supposed to be getting ready to go to the gym. The plan was to move, sweat, and work on my health, but I got so frustrated that I decided not to go.

Don’t you know, that’s exactly how the enemy works. He will really try to discourage you when you are just trying to do the right thing. The devil would love to see us stay stuck.

But later on, after the sting wore off, I thought to myself, “What do you mean? I should have went to the gym. I will never let myself get discouraged like that again.”

So I made a promise to myself that day. “Next time I’m going. I will wear my husband’s clothes to the gym if I have to. I don’t care.”

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about how I look. God has called me to stand up against disappointment and defeat, so I’m going to show up anyway.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

And maybe that’s where you are, too. Maybe it feels like life is stacking up all the little reasons not to keep going. But let me tell you—God’s victories don’t wait for perfect circumstances.

They wait for us to show up.

So show up. Even if it’s messy. Even if the leggings don’t fit.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What “small discouragements” are tempting you to give up right now? How might God be inviting you to keep showing up despite them?
  • Galatians 6:9 reminds us that perseverance leads to a harvest. What harvest are you praying for in your life?
  • How could shifting your focus from “perfection” to simply showing up change the way you approach your daily challenges?
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Stop Waiting To Be Wanted

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Romans 15:7 — Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

There are moments in life that feel a lot like middle school all over again.

I remember it was my first week at a new job at a team building celebration, and the boss cheerfully announced, “Find a group of four people!”

Oh no.

I was the new girl, and the room was already buzzing as coworkers formed their groups.

My heart sank in that way it used to on the elementary school playground, watching captains pick teams for kickball. I felt again like the pre-teen wanting to sit at the cool table or like high-school Bri just hoping someone might nominate me for homecoming court.

It’s strange how those old feelings follow you into adulthood, and because I was a grown woman, I did what grown women sometimes do. I sat out.

I called it “observing,” but the simple truth was that I was afraid of feeling overlooked and rejected.

But then, someone came looking for me. With a warm smile she said, “Come be on our team.” And suddenly the story I was telling myself unraveled. I was not invisible. No, I was wanted.

Before, I had been so convinced that I would be “last picked” that I almost missed connecting with my new coworkers and making fun memories.

Friend, if you remember anything today, remember this. Insecurity is a thief, and the enemy wants to use it to play tricks on you. I think as adults we want to feel wanted just as much as we always did. We want the to be wanted and not just tolerated.

But here is the truth. Not only does God want you, He actually made you for connection. “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” — Romans 15:7

And friend, there are people who truly want you around. And even more, you can be one of those people for somebody else. After all, life is meant to be a team building celebration.

Don’t just wait to be invited—cross the room, offer the smile, and be the one who saves a seat for someone else.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you felt “on the outside,” and how did God remind you that you are seen and wanted?
  • Who might need you to cross the room today — to smile, include, or invite them in?
  • How does remembering the way Christ welcomed you change the way you welcome others?
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When You Feel Alone

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Matthew 28:20 – Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

I moved to Monroe for college in 2007 and didn’t know a single person. Not a soul.

The first few days were full of polite smiles from strangers I would never see again, and a lot of pretending I knew where I was going. So, when I heard about a worship night at ULM, I figured maybe this was my chance to meet people and begin to feel like I belonged.

When I got there, the place smelled of Johnny’s Pizza, Coke and Brookshires bakery cookies. I slid into a seat closer to the front ready for worship.

As excited as I was to worship, I was a little discouraged because, even here, no one really spoke to me. It seemed like everyone already had friends. On top of that, during worship, people were just sitting down, looking around, and unengaged. That is not what I am used to.

I thought to myself. “What planet am I on? Where am I?”

But then the band shifted into Kari Jobe’s “Revelation Song.” If you know it, you know how good it is.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Holy, holy is He. Sing a new song to Him who sits on Heaven’s mercy seat”

The melody seemed to wrap around the room and fill the cracks where my loneliness had crept in. For those few moments, I wasn’t the new kid or the outsider. Even if nobody else noticed me, I knew the Lord did.

When the song ended, I stayed in my seat for a moment, letting it sink in. Then I walked back across campus. I still didn’t know anyone’s name and nobody knew mine, but I had that experience that would lift me up as I found my place in a new place.

And just like I felt that night, I hope today you’ll remember that even when you’re standing in a room full of strangers, you’re never really alone.

 

Lyrics

Verse:
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain
Holy holy is He
Sing a new song to Him Who sits on
Heaven’s mercy seat

Chorus:
Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings
You are my everything and I will adore You

Verse:
Clothed in rainbows of living color
Flashes of lightning rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor strength and glory and power be
To You the only wise King

Verse:
Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your name
Jesus Your name is power, breath and living water
Such a marvelous mystery

© 2004 Gateway Create Publishing/Integrity’s Praise! Music
CCLI: 4447960

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Healing Hidden in Hardship

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Romans 8:28 — And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

November 2023 began like any other month—until one phone call changed everything.

When I answered, I found out that my husband, Chris, had been in a head-on collision. Both of his feet were broken. In an instant, life got hard. Really hard.

It was hard because you hate to see someone you love struggle. Chris is at his best when he’s serving others, and now he was the one needing help.

But he handled it with more grace than I think I would have. But even for a man of deep faith, I knew there were days when he sat in the quiet, wondering what God was doing behind the scenes.

I prayed constantly—not just for healing, but that God would use this season for something greater.

Now, two years later, praise God, Chris can walk again and is thriving.

But just a few months ago, as I was dropping off our son at daycare, I noticed his teacher, Ms. Linda, with her arm in a cast. She’s the kind of woman whose joy usually transforms a room, but that morning her face told another story.

She couldn’t pick up the babies, change them, or do any of the things that normally make her feel alive.

I knew Chris would be stopping by during his lunch break, so I prayed that God would give him the right words to encourage her.

When he called me later, I could tell the conversation had gone well. He said he shared a few doctor recommendations, but more importantly, he got to tell her he understood what it feels like to feel purposeless and to be unable to do the things you once took for granted. And he got to encourage her with the word of God.

What an answer to prayer.

And maybe that’s the thing. What if brokenness is really a bridge to healing? Did God break Chris’s feet? No. But He didn’t waste what he went through either.

Maybe the lessons God is teaching you in your darkest seasons are really meant to help light the way for others in theirs?

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Finding Family in Faith

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Psalms 68:5-6a — “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; He sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.”

I was anxious, yet so ready for this day to come. It was a day I had dreamt of for many years but unsure if I would ever see it.

Our son, Lennox was being dedicated to the Lord. Our church does it special for each baby. They have stood in the gap for us and prayed for this child long before he was born, so when we stepped onto that stage, it felt like a win for everyone.

My pastor spoke blessings over him, even sharing what his name meant. It was the kind of moment you wish you could hold on to and save for later. I couldn’t help but look around and glance at all the faces in the crowd of people who showed up for us.

Although many were there, I felt a pit in my stomach for who wasn’t. My family. None of them. They live hours away, and our lives aren’t as intertwined as they once were.

The hardest part was knowing my mom would have been there, cheering the loudest, if she could. But she is already in Heaven.

I almost found myself drifting to a place of despair, but in that moment the pastor called family and close friends up. That was the moment I remembered I was surrounded by love.

No, my loved ones could not be replaced, but I was amazed at how God had multiplied my community shoulder to shoulder with us. Praying.

As I looked to my right and left, I saw and felt the strength of those friends who had become family who I know will help us raise him in love.

And I’m sitting with this truth today. Yes, there will be tough moments in life where those you love cannot be there for you, but Jesus already knows and has already gone before you. He is preparing community for you through the Body of Christ.

You do not have to walk this alone or figure it out by yourself. He sends the right people before you even realize you need them. So, look around. Who is already standing beside you today?

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Letting Go To Let Life Grow

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Psalms 90:12 — “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

Sometimes, when the house is quiet and Lennox is napping, I find myself scrolling through my phone. My feed is full of “mom content”—sweet little videos of babies laughing or taking their first steps, with soft music and captions playing in the background.

At first, it feels comforting—a brief escape from responsibilities. But then the captions hit: “They’ll never be this little again.” “You only get eighteen summers.” “You’re going to miss this.”

And there it is—that sinking, anxious feeling in my stomach. I came here to relax, but instead I’m face to face with the truth that time is slipping through my fingers.

Then all the questions start: Am I doing enough? Am I making the most of these moments I will never get back?

It sounds so dramatic, but it honestly makes me sad.

The joy I feel playing with Lennox slowly shifts into a panic. Things will never be the same. But in one of those moments, God spoke to my heart.

“He’s supposed to grow. He’s supposed to change.”

I sat with that truth. Lennox growing and changing is proof that he is alive. Thinking about how the good times don’t last always ever steals the beauty of the “right now.”

I want to encourage you with the same thing too. Change is scary, but I believe the best thing we can do is surrender all the good things back to Jesus.

So, I’m practicing open hands.

I take in the sweetness, I thank God for it, and then I release it back to Him. I choose to love Lennox today, and to trust God with His tomorrow.

And maybe years from now, when he is taller than me, I’ll understand this better. The best way to keep a moment is to fully live it.

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Speak Up But Speak Life

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Proverbs 18:21 — “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

If you have lived through a Louisiana summer, then you know—August is brutal.

And people are not shy about letting you know it. You hear it everywhere: “ Whew I am hot.” “It is miserable outside.” “I cannot take this.”

It is like the official small talk of summer.

Honestly, I have been guilty of it too. You do not even realize how often you say it until the words start to echo.

But a few days ago, it hit me: talking about how hot it is does not change the temperature. It does not make the sun go away. Complaining about a season does not make it pass.

That made me wonder, “What if our words are part of the problem?”

What if, instead of feeding frustration, we practiced shifting our focus? Maybe it is hot—but maybe that means your day just became slower. Maybe it is hot—but maybe you remember your vacation isn’t far away. Maybe it is hot—but that local snowball stand is open and has your favorite summertime flavors ready for you.

There will always be something to complain about. There will always be something we wish we could change. But the truth is, the more we talk about what is wrong, the more it takes root. And I am learning—if I want to feel lighter, I have to speak that way.

So, the next time you catch yourself getting ready to complain, pause for a second. You do not have to fake it. Just find the good. Find the beauty. Let your words lift you up, not drag you down.

Speak life. Even when it is hot.

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