Staying on Your Toes: Trusting God Through Life's Changing Seasons

Staying on Your Toes: Trusting God Through Life's Changing Seasons

Personal Reflections

You have to laugh at the month of March, otherwise you would cry!

In Kentucky, we had 78 degrees one day. 78! The next day I believe it was around 43. One day it was 88 degree and then it was a high of 53. Multiple times throughout the month, I turned on my heat, then turned everything off, then turned on my air conditioning, then back to heat. Craziness! It sure has kept me on my toes. And it reminded me what it means to trust God through life’s changing seasons. Not just in the big decisions, but in our daily choices — like returning to Daily Bible study habits and staying rooted in God’s Word, even when life feels crazy. This is where "faith over feelings" becomes more than a phrase… it becomes a way of living.

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." –Matthew 26:41

Our world is a topsy-turvy place. It is filled with changes, some good, some not so good. We make plans and they go haywire. We rush to appointments, we run from here to there, we are constantly moving, shifting, changing. And somewhere in this craziness, I realized my daily bible study had changed, and not for the good! I was still spending time with God in prayer, but I wasn't opening my bible. I was talking to Him throughout the day, but I wasn't digging into the Word to see what truths I could glean.

It is so hard to create a habit that sticks, at least for me it is. I can be in daily bible study for a year, and yet, before I know it, it's become a distant memory. It isn't intentional, yet it happens. Life gets busy, things get in the way, and I enter into temptation, the temptation of (subconsciously) saying, "I pray throughout the day. I'm with Him throughout the weeks. I am in the process of becoming more like Him." And that's enough. But let's be real about this, can I truly become more like Him if I'm not leaning into His word and learning more about Him through the Truth, through His Word?

How can we become more like Him if we aren't continually studying who He is, leaning into His character, or learning how to navigate situations?

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it— they will be blessed in what they do." –James 1:22-25

That last verse tells us exactly what to do and how to do it in order to have freedom in this world. And if we personalize it, it hits home! "But when Vickie studies the bible, and continues her studying, and doesn't forget what it says, and puts it into her daily life, Vickie will be blessed in how she lives." WOW! Can it get any plainer than that?

That's what I want in my life. I want to be free, I want to be blessed, and I want to show God in every aspect of my life. And I can only do that through daily, continuous study of His word. That's my commitment for March!

What daily bible study habits have you found to work in your life? I'd love to hear!

Business Reflections

March has been a month of slowing down, in the way I conduct myself personally, but also in my business ministry. I have to say that second part took me by surprise!

As you all know, God brought this new business to me in January 2025, which was to support Christian writers in getting their words out into the world. That evolved over 2025 and into 2026 it was still being made clearer and clearer. So as March came in, and business got slower, I began to wonder what was happening. I still don't have all the answers to this, but I can tell you what became clear.

I suddenly seemed to have more focus.

• I focused on my Facebook group and found I needed a new name and look to truly reflect where God had led me. I had the time to do that. I found that the name first given didn't encompass everyone that God wanted in that group. Now it does.

• I focused on my blog. I knew from day 1 of January 2026 that I needed to get back to blogging. March allowed me to bring this back to the forefront of my ministry.

• I'm clarifying this year by narrowing down my focus. This is still a work in progress. I know I will continue supporting Christian writers in getting their books, devotionals and blogs out. God is clarifying my membership writer's group, The Writer's Refining Collective. This is where the "writing" truly begins. This is where community and encouragement are so needed. And this is where I will focus.
  

When this "slowing down" began, I started questioning myself. "God, did I hear you wrong last year? Lord, what is this all about?" I see now that just because a season changes, just because He begins to clarify things, that does not mean that He has changed His mind or that you heard Him wrong. When we lean into this Truth, we can navigate these seasons better. So, as I said at the beginning, "stay on your toes." Let's always be in a listening mode over a talking mode. Let's conduct our lives in a way that allows us the flexibility to shift and move. Let's never grow weary and give up on our calling.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” –Galatians 6:9

As this is the season I'm in right now, my April Midweek Manna discussions will center on this theme - "When God Slows, Clarifies, and Strengthens." These Midweek Manna conversations are held in my Christian Creatives Facebook group on Wednesdays at 10:00am Central. If you aren't yet a part of that group, reply to this email or send me a DM and I can give you the details!

Life Reflections

I also want to be of service to you, so I thought I'd start adding some things in my monthly newsletter to encourage and uplift you in your daily journeys.

Things I'm reading right now:

"From the Hart: Two Decades of Columns, Kindness, and Kitchen-Table Wisdom." This is from a beautiful friend I had the privilege of meeting last year. She is a multi-published author, she writes a column for her local newspaper, and she is a Spirit-led woman of God. Her writing reminds me of meeting with a good friend, having a cup of coffee, and talking about what's going on with you. I highly encourage you to grab this book and partake of her wisdom. You can find it here on Amazon.

"How to Love Your Morning." This book (and there's also a bible study) is from Jennifer Dukes Lee, another multi-published author. I was able to hear her speak last year and found her to be truly authentic in what she says and how she conveys her love of the Lord. So I jumped at the chance of being on her Launch Team for this newest book, which will be available April 7. Jennifer uses biblical wisdom to show us we are all morning people! This has been such an amazing transformation for me and the way I view my mornings. If you think you're not a "morning person," or if you feel you "fail" your mornings, you will want to grab this amazing book here on Amazon.

I am participating in a women's bible study at my church right now. It is called "The Way of Wisdom," and is written by Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson, and Courtney Doctor. These ladies have put together a study on Proverbs. If you want to increase your understanding of the Word, and how it applies to our everyday lives, this study is for you. Looking at Proverbs as principles to the way I live my life has already been transformative, and we are only in Week 3. This study will show you the difference between knowledge and wisdom, and how we can always be applying its principles to ourselves and growing in Christ. Check it out here at Lifeway.

Prayer Requests:

I would love your prayers for the following:

• I'm planning to begin a bible study with some of the young girls who were recently in my home for a DNow weekend. If you don't know about DNow, you can find more information here. Our church participated in "Exchange." Our girls were so excited about this weekend, they didn't want it to end. After talking with them, we've decided to continue meeting together and doing a bible study. God led me to choose "How to Love Your Morning," by Jennifer Dukes Lee. Yes, the very same study I mentioned above! As teenagers, going through this season of life, they are bombarded with world and jobs and boys and driving and school and... I truly feel that if they can learn to love their mornings, it will be a driving force in how they view their days as a whole. Please pray that the right girls are invited to this study and that God opens their eyes to a whole new view of each and every day.

• Please join me in praying for my clarified business for this year. Pray that ladies who are meant to write this year will be open to God's urging to be supported through The Writer's Refining Collective. Pray that I will be open and receptive to everything God shows me through this and that I can truly be a servant to those who are in my sphere of influence.

• Pray for the wars in the Middle East and for our men and women who are over there right now. Pray that in all things, we show the love of Jesus. Pray that we, as a church, can come together and show unity instead of division.

My prayer for this newsletter is to always provide Christian encouragement for women. So let me hear from you. What are you reading? Do you have a favorite podcast? How can I pray for you?

Until next month,

Vickie