Who ever heard of sassy faith?! Yet, talking with Michelle Medlock Adams sure put some sassy faith spring in my step. Sign me up for more of this sassy faith Michelle talks about!
With joyful energy, Michelle offers insight for how to be victorious, even on days when we all feel like a hot mess. An award-winning journalist and best-selling author, she joined me recently to talk about putting the sassy in our faith as we pursue Platinum Faith. If you’re a mommy or grandmom, you’ll especially love what she said about spending time with youngsters!
#1 Start Your Day with the One who Loves You
First thing in the morning, she recommends a simple act of faith.
“I don’t mean you have to go in your prayer closet. Although, you probably will want to hide in your closet sometimes just to get some privacy! I don’t think I went to the bathroom by myself for like ten years,” laughs Michelle.
When your feet hit the floor, begin your morning with a prayerful thank you to God, according to Michelle. By committing our day to God first, we invite him to line up our steps according to his plan for our day. (Personally, I think this approach helps me be a little more chill when unexpected stuff happens, as it frequently does at my house!)
“It seems like when you acknowledge the Holy Spirit—acknowledge the Lord—first thing in the morning as a mom, the whole day goes smoother,” Michelle says.
#2 Enjoy the Little Moments
Even as a proponent of sassy faith, she still understands the pressure modern moms face. Laughing, she shares about a recent lunch with her own grown daughter. (With over 90 books, to find more from Michelle, click here.)
“I forgot my phone and you’d have thought I forgot my arm!” recalls Michelle, who recommends turning off phones—no matter the age of your children!
Then, she offered a tender incentive especially for young mommies. “When you’re with your children, be present,” she says. “When they’re little they say the cutest things. So, don’t miss those days.”
# 3 Speak God’s Word Over Them
Weaving in promises memorized from the Scriptures as we talked together, Michelle epitomizes the sassy faith she espouses. Boldly proclaim God’s word over every aspect of her family and life, she says. Michelle emphasizes the importance of encouraging our children and grandchildren in the Lord every single day.
“Things are not always butterflies and sunshine and bluebirds on your shoulder. We all have those days,” says Michelle. She has favorite prayers she’s drawn from Scripture. “I begin to say those promises that are all of ours.” (Michele shared so much more than I could include here. Find our fun interviews by clicking here.)
Sassy Faith
“No one likes to wait. But, there’s no such thing as drive-through faith. I’ve found out over the years his timing is rarely my timing. There’s always a waiting time,” says Michelle.
“That’s when you have to put on those sassy faith britches and just stand and know God is working,” she says, quoting Ephesians 6:13. “I’m telling you, that’s the only kind of faith to have!”
“My SUV must be the most sanctified SUV in Indiana! People think I’m talking on my phone, but I’m talking to God,” laughs Michelle. “When I finish one of those sessions and get out of my SUV, I tell you I’m a different person!”
Platinum Faith
Taking their cue from the qualities of platinum, she and co-author Bethany Jett just released Platinum Faith: Live Brilliant, Be Resilient, & Know Your Worth.
“In this book specifically we shared stories we didn’t share in any other books. You have to have courage to put it all out there,” explains Michelle about why they decided to be so vulnerable in this particular book. “The people I often relate to are the ones who share the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Still, Michelle and Bethany know it’s easy for all women to feel the pull of perfectionism.
“Nobody had perfect faith but Jesus. We’re all works in progress,” Michelle says. “We didn’t want anybody to think that Platinum Faith meant you had perfect faith. The goal is to draw closer and walk braver in the Lord.”
Prayers Answered; Prayers Needed
No stranger to trusting God and waiting, Michelle’s family is trusting God in a special way with their grandson, Bear.
“He was taken to the doctors because they thought he had an ear infection. He had—I still cannot believe it—they found a tumor on his brain stem and it was inoperable. Okay, that’s terrible. Who wants that kind of call when you’re a Gigi, right?”
Tenderly, Michelle shared some of the story in the opening chapters of Platinum Faith. So, when we talked, I asked her for an update.
“In a long story short, they told us it was inoperable,” shares Michelle, naming other potential complications, including balance issues, vertigo, hearing loss, “Just lots of stuff to pray about.”
Doctors and tests confirmed Bear had only thirty percent hearing in his right ear. Especially since he just over a year old, there were concerns about his speech development and ability to walk and run correctly. A beloved family member ordered “Prayers for Bear” bracelets. Friends stepped up to join in prayer.
“We didn’t even know if it was cancerous because they couldn’t do a biopsy,” explains Michelle. “So, we’re just standing in faith and believing God that he’s our little miracle man. That song, Raise a Hallelujah, has been our theme song.” In September, to the amazement of his doctors, Bear’s hearing test came back reporting his hearing was perfect!
Miracle in Motion
“He’s just talking up a storm,” reports his grandmother. They recently took a trip together and Michelle adds, “Even I lose my balance in the sand. Bear didn’t! He’s such a miracle in motion!”
Happily, the support from praying friends encouraged the family. They are grateful for all the many emails and messages checking on their little miracle in motion.
“In my heart of heart, I really believe God is just going to obliterate (the tumor) because we know God still heals,” says Michelle, “We know God doesn’t always do things instantaneously. We think this may be one of those miracles we get to report on and give updates!”
Precious Platinum Faith in Motion
“God is our friend,” says Michelle, casually summing up one of faith’s most important aspects. “I didn’t grow up knowing how much God loves me. Once I figured out that, it changed everything in my life.”
“If you know God views you as precious,” she adds, “that you’re the apple of his eye, that he adores you. It (the Bible) says that nothing can separate you from his love. Once you realize that you can trust him, your faith walk is easier because you can trust the one leading.”
My personal thanks to Michelle for the interview. She truly blessed me with her timely words on faith, words I personally need to hear. I hope you will listen in, too, dear friend.
In the midst of busy holiday preparations, may God bless you with quiet moment with HIM, the only Holy One!
May we pray together?
Dear Father in heaven, Oh how we love you! You are the one who draws us to sit and be still in your presence. Our hearts seek you. Often we find you in a thousand small daily unfolding miracles, if only we just pay attention to you! Have mercy on us and teach us to look to you. Help us trust you with a faith that sparkles and withstands pressure. Give us resolve to stand against our enemy, the deceiver. Teach us to love truth and speak it over all those we love in our families and communities. As families come together over the holidays, give us your grace and joy. Fill us to overflowing with your Spirit. Teach us to love. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
For Christmas Giving: Books! Yay!!
I promised to share my favorite books for Christmas giving this month along the way. So, here’s a few favorites to make your shopping easier! (Nobody pays me for recommendations, these are just some of the ones under my tree this year.)
For Kids:
Dinosaur Devotions made it into my grandkiddos’ stockings. Filled with dinosaur facts and fun pictures, older kids will love it for independent study. It’s also a perfect way to share the marvel of God’s creation with toddlers. Written with her dinosaur-loving daughter in mind, Michelle calls this book “a project of the heart.” Pet lovers might also enjoy The Little Angel gets a Big Job, with proceeds benefiting the White River Humane Society in Lawrence County, Indiana. In a wonderful application of art and community, there’s I Love You the Mostest, proceeds benefiting Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency Type2 (RTD).
For History Lovers and Men Who Love Battle Stories:
Don’t miss Danny Sessums’s new 2-volume set of fabulous first-source A Force to Be Reckoned With. With a few clicks you can download Danny’s own personal stories and wisdom on Fireside Talk Radio to include in your gift to a history-loving friend!
For Gals:
For an inspiring devotion, Michelle and Bethany’s book, Platinum Faith: Live Brilliant, Be Resilient, & Know Your Worth. I connected with Michelle through our mutual friends at Elk Lake Publishing. (For more positive insight from other Elk Lake authors, click here.)
Don’t forget to look for historic novels from Sandra Melville Hart. For more, click here to find the interview we did together or her mom’s pumpkin pie recipe. You can download our interview and include it as a personal touch to your gift of any of her entertaining historical fiction.
Next up, I’m highlighting some dear author friends who write historical fiction and hallmark-friendly romance novels. Over the holidays, my Christmas gift to myself is to snuggle in with hot chocolate and a just-for-fun book. Stay tuned for some of my top picks in the coming weeks. (For more fiction and nonfiction from our friends at CrossRiver Media, click here.)
We LOVE to hear from YOU!
What prayers are you praying over your children and grandchildren? When you draw near to the Lord, how does that look? What best communicates God’s love to you today?
Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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