spiritual growth for women

Small Steps, Big Faith

We often think of calling as this big, dramatic, spotlight moment.
A lightning bolt from heaven.
A stage. A mission. A moment of total clarity.

But more often?
It starts with something small.

One faithful yes.
One hard conversation.
One decision to show up when no one’s watching.

“Faithfulness in the small things trains us to recognize God’s voice in the big things.”
A Pace of Grace, Chapter 5

Sometimes we miss God’s invitation because we’re waiting for it to feel bigger.
But obedience isn’t measured by how flashy it looks.
It’s measured by faith.

I think about Nehemiah.
He didn’t start by building a wall.
He started by weeping for his people and asking the king for permission to help.
Before he ever held a tool, he held a burden—and obeyed one step at a time.

God isn’t just calling us to “do big things.”
He’s calling us to be faithful in the little things—
because that’s how He builds something lasting.

“Sometimes God’s plan doesn’t feel significant until you look back and see the pattern of small yeses stacked like stones of faith.”

When you feel overlooked, underestimated, or like what you’re doing isn’t enough—
Remember: small obedience still matters.
God sees it.
He blesses it.
And He builds something holy through it.

Reflect + Respond:

  • What small step is God asking you to take this week?

  • Are you overlooking something small because it doesn’t feel “important enough”?

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what faithfulness looks like today. Then, trust Him with tomorrow.

Scripture for the Week:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…”
—Luke 16:10 (NIV)

💛 From the Pages of A Pace of Grace

This week’s post is shaped by Chapter 5 of my upcoming book, A Pace of Grace.
Because faithfulness isn’t always about what we do—it’s about who we’re becoming in the process.
Coming February 2026 from Leafwood Publishers.

The Joy Hidden in Saying Yes

There’s a surprising joy that lives on the other side of obedience. Not the kind that’s loud or flashy—but the kind that feels like peace in your bones. Like knowing you’re right where you’re supposed to be.

But here’s the thing: joy doesn’t always show up before the step. Sometimes, joy is the fruit that grows after obedience has taken root.

“I used to think obedience was about giving something up. But I’ve learned that it’s actually about gaining something better. Joy follows obedience like sunrise after night.”
A Pace of Grace, Chapter 5

We often picture obedience as a sacrifice. And yes—sometimes it is.
It might mean surrendering comfort, control, or clarity.
It might mean showing up when you’re tired, or saying yes when you’d rather hide.
But it’s in those very places that God begins to reveal the joy He’s been preparing all along.

I’ve said yes to things that felt bigger than me.
And I’ve said yes to things that felt too small to matter.
But again and again, I’ve discovered that when I follow the whisper of God’s voice,
He meets me with peace.
He multiplies the fruit.
He brings the kind of joy I could never create on my own.

“Obedience is not a life of deprivation. It’s an invitation to live fully aligned with the God who knows how to care for your soul.”

So if God is nudging you toward something today—big or small—don’t wait for the feeling to follow.
Take the step.
The joy may not come first, but it will come.

Reflect + Respond:

  • Is there a step of obedience you’ve been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable or uncertain?

  • What joy might be waiting on the other side of your yes?

Ask God to meet you there. He’s already ahead of you in the outcome.

Scripture for the Week:

“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”
—Psalm 126:5 (NIV)

💛 From the Pages of A Pace of Grace

This post is inspired by Chapter 5 of my upcoming book, A Pace of Grace: Steady Your Spirit When Life Gets Messy—coming February 2026 from Leafwood Publishers.
Because the joy of obedience isn’t a feeling.
It’s the quiet confidence that you’re walking with God—even when the path is unknown.

Tenacious Grace: When Obedience Feels Costly

There’s a kind of obedience that feels light and joy-filled—like a deep breath of peace. But then there’s the other kind. The kind that stretches you. Costs you. Presses against your comfort zone and makes you wonder if you really heard God right.

That’s what I call Tenacious Grace—the grace that helps you keep saying yes when your yes feels risky or unclear.

“Obedience isn’t about having it all together. It’s about saying yes even when it’s hard. Even when it costs us something. Tenacious grace is the grace that helps you keep showing up, keep believing, and keep saying yes.”
A Pace of Grace, Chapter 5

Over the years, I’ve learned something about this kind of obedience: it rarely comes with a roadmap. It usually comes with a whisper.

And that whisper? It’s quiet, but steady. Persistent. It nudges you when you’d rather stay still. It draws you toward people, places, or decisions that feel just a little too big for your current strength. It’s the kind of invitation that almost always feels inconvenient—but undeniably holy.

I’ve walked into assignments that made zero sense on paper, but were confirmed by God again and again through His Word, His Spirit, and the fruit that followed. And while there have been tears, nerves, and moments where I felt unqualified, there’s also been deep joy—the kind that can only be found when you’re exactly where He wants you.

“God isn’t testing your strength. He’s training your trust.”

Tenacious grace is what holds you steady when you say yes and everything gets harder before it gets better. It’s the reminder that God didn’t ask for perfection—He asked for surrender. And even the smallest act of obedience can turn into a move of God you never saw coming.

If God’s asking you to do something that feels bigger than you, I want to remind you of this: obedience isn’t always convenient, but it is always worth it.

And when it feels costly? That’s often a sign that it’s building something eternal.

Reflect + Respond:

  • Where is God asking you to take a brave step of obedience right now?

  • What’s holding you back?

  • What would it look like to trust Him more than your comfort?

Take a moment to journal or pray over those questions—and then, say yes.

Scripture for the Week:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
—Romans 8:28 (NIV)

💛 From the Pages of A Pace of Grace

This post was inspired by Chapter 5 of my upcoming book, A Pace of Grace: Steady Your Spirit When Life Gets Messy.
If you’ve ever wondered how to stay grounded, trust God’s leading, and find joy in obedience—this book was written for you.

Coming February 2026 from Leafwood Publishers.
Stay tuned for more sneak peeks this fall!

Discerning God’s Call in Real Life

There’s this old quote from F.B. Meyer that says,

“God’s impressions within and His Word without are always corroborated by His providence around, and we should quietly wait until these three focus into one point… You will become so sure that you are right, when God’s three witnesses concur, that you could not be surer though an angel beckoned you.”

I’ve got to be honest—I’m not sure I’ve ever seen glowworms light my path (like Meyer suggests), but I have seen God's confirmation show up in the most surprising and sacred ways.

Through my time in ministry, I’ve never been more confident in recognizing the voice and movement of God. That’s not to say I never question or wrestle with uncertainty—because I do. There are still days when the next step feels foggy. But when I know… I know. And it’s unmistakable.

I’ve been blessed with a team who sees the fruit when I take the steps God puts on my heart. I’ve had people encourage me even when it doesn’t make sense in the moment—only to watch it all come together in ways we never could’ve orchestrated ourselves.

It’s those moments that leave me in awe all over again.

Isn’t it amazing how, when we take a step of obedience—trusting that it was God who nudged us—we start seeing that same message in Scripture, hearing it in conversation, getting asked the very questions we’ve been praying about? And then, as if out of nowhere, God moves powerfully, gently confirming, “Yes, this was Me.”

That’s what F.B. Meyer was getting at. God speaks through His Word, through His Spirit within us, and through the circumstances around us. When all three line up, it’s like a divine spotlight on the path ahead.

God’s impressions within and His Word without are always corroborated by His providence around, and we should quietly wait until these three focus into one point… You will become so sure that you are right, when God’s three witnesses concur, that you could not be surer though an angel beckoned you.
— F.B. Meyer

But here’s the challenge:
We won’t always be able to explain it.
It won’t always make sense at first.
It might even look a little “weird” to others.

That doesn’t mean we’re wrong.
It just means we’re walking by faith.

So let’s not be so focused on figuring out how the story ends that we miss the step-by-step beauty of what God is doing. Let’s not cling so tightly to our own plans that we overlook His unfolding one. Because He isn’t just working through the outcome—He’s forming us through the process.

God is raising up people—women like you and me—with a call that may look different than expected, but is deeply rooted in His heart and His Word. We don’t need to have all the answers. We need only to surrender, listen, and obey. The same God who calls will carry it to completion.

So if you’re in a place of wondering whether you heard Him right—pause. Pray. Get in the Word. Seek wise counsel. Watch what God does. His fingerprints are often all over the thing we weren’t even sure about.

And when those three witnesses—His voice within, His Word without, and His providence around—start to align… move forward in faith.

You may not see glowworms lighting the way,
but you will see His glory.

This post kicks off our August blog series: "Called."
Whether you're just beginning to wonder what your calling is, in the thick of obeying a word that doesn’t make sense yet, or waiting for confirmation—it’s for you.

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