“Lord, increase my faith…”

Not just when everything is going well, but especially when I don’t understand what You are doing.

When answers feel delayed.
When doors seem closed.
When waiting feels heavy.

Strengthen my trust in You.

Help me believe even when I cannot see.
Help me obey even when I don’t fully understand.
Help me rest even when my heart feels restless.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” - Hebrews 11:1

PRAYER:

Lord, grow my faith beyond what is comfortable. Teach me to depend on You fully, not on what I can control. Let my faith remain steady in every season. Amen. 🏻

🏻

𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲

One of the quietest yet most beautiful love stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph and Mary.

Before Jesus was born, Mary carried a child that Joseph knew was not biologically his. Imagine the confusion, the possible judgment from people, the questions, the rumors, and how difficult it must have been to explain something others would never easily understand.

𝐘𝐞𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲.

He did not define Mary by how things looked on the outside. He did not let shame, public opinion, or fear stop him from accepting her with grace and obedience to God.

And honestly, I think that story still speaks deeply today.

We live in a world where people are quickly judged by their past, mistakes, failed relationships, wounds, family background, or things they went through.

Some people are treated as “less worthy” because they are single parents, came from broken situations, made mistakes before, or carry stories people do not fully understand.

But Joseph’s love is a reminder that, “𝐀 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.”

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞.

And this applies to both men and women.
Men carry painful pasts too.
Women carry scars they did not deserve.
And some people are simply trying to heal, grow, and begin again.

And maybe love becomes more beautiful when people stop asking, “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭?” and start asking, “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰?”

Because grace changes people.
Healing changes people.
God changes people.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐨.