“When the answers come softly- and the reminders hit hard.”

Hello Lovies,

It’s only Tuesday, and already this week has come in swinging—with a cast iron skillet straight to the soul.

You know the kind of week I’m talking about—the one where the days blur, your chest feels tight, and that Sunday morning peace starts to feel like a distant memory.

This week has stirred up a weird little cocktail of emotions: faith, frustration, gratitude, tension… and a good bit of doubt too. So I’m writing this today in case you’ve been feeling it too.

Let’s start here:
One of the hardest parts of my faith walk—maybe just being human, honestly—is remembering that prayer isn’t a wish list. God is not Amazon Prime. And yet, I still catch myself expecting results to show up fast, neatly packaged, and in the exact form I asked for.

And when they don’t?
I spiral. I plan. I start doubting. I whisper prayers into the void and hope something sticks.

This month has been tight financially as we prepare for our big move and focus on paying down debt. I sat the other day in that anxious fog asking, How are we going to make it through the next few weeks? How is this all going to fall into place?

I wanted control. I wanted answers.
And instead—like He always does—God showed up quietly.

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t how I pictured it. But it was enough. It was provision.

And even after all the times He’s done that before, I still sat there stunned. Like I’d forgotten He always provides.

And that’s the thing.
Faith isn’t about certainty—it’s about remembering.
And I forget a lot.

Here’s something I’ve had to come to terms with over the years:
I’m not your typical “Bible thumper.” I don’t have verses for every season memorized. I don’t always start my day in scripture or end it with a devotional.

My faith doesn’t look “textbook.”

But it’s real.
It’s deeply spiritual. It’s rooted in the heart of Jesus. In the way He loved, taught, forgave, and met people in their mess.
I may not read scripture daily, but I try to live it. I try to apply the grace, patience, and radical love He showed in how I parent, how I speak to others, how I navigate conflict and healing and exhaustion.

Does that make me less Christian than someone who’s got color-coded tabs in their Bible and a bookshelf of Beth Moore studies?
I don’t think so.

I think it makes me human.
And I think God sees that. Honors that.

Later that same day, my husband and I were talking—about life, finances, all of it.
We’ve been a little off lately, if I’m being honest. The stress of moving, parenting, change—it’s made us tired. Less patient. Less kind. We don’t always bring our best to each other.

But somewhere in the middle of that conversation, we both softened. We talked about prayer. About how we’ve each been leaning on God in our own ways. And then, out of nowhere, we both admitted something:

We had prayed for each other.
Even before we knew who we were praying for.
We were strangers once—but not to God.
He brought us together on woven prayers.

That moment broke me wide open.

Because sometimes, those very things we once prayed for in someone else—those strong qualities, those leadership traits, that fire, that protectiveness—get tested in marriage. They get misunderstood or dulled by stress and survival. They get… tangled.

But that doesn’t mean they’re gone.
It just means we have to remember.
We have to keep choosing.
Keep trusting.
Keep believing that He’s still at work—especially when it feels like we’re falling apart.

All my love,

-J

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Journal Prompt:
Where have you seen God show up in a way you didn’t expect?
And what are you trying to carry alone that He’s already making a way through?

Reflection:
Who or what might you be the answer to—a prayer someone once whispered, not even knowing your name?

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PS:
If your faith doesn’t look perfect, if your relationship feels stretched, if your prayers feel mumbled and confused—you’re not broken. You’re in process. And even here? You are seen. You are held. You are not alone.

#SteeleWaters #WovenPrayers #FaithInTheMess #ProvisionInThePause #TuesdayTruth #MarriageMoments #RealFaith #SpiritualNotPerfect #GraceCarriedMeHere #BeStill #SecondAct