Holley Gerth

Embrace Who You Are, Become All You're Created to Be

A Fear-Fighting Prayer and Some Brain Science

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God Will Take Care of You

A Prayer for All of Us

God,
The world can be a scary place. You understand because You lived here. And you have compassion for our fear because You created our brains and bodies. You know what it means to be human, yet you also invite us to not let fear be the boss of us. You tell us…

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

These words tell us hard things will happen in our lives. They will affect us but they will not overcome us. We will pass through them but there is always another side. Nothing on the news is new to you.

Give us the wisdom to know when to listen and when to turn off the TV, when to keep learning and when to put down our phones, and, no matter what we hear or see, to be led not by fear but by You.

Show us how to be practical and wise as we take care of ourselves and others. Show us how to be strong and courageous too. We choose to keep moving forward together one step, one moment, one breath at a time with You. That is enough.

You took care of us yesterday, You’re taking care of us now, You’ll take care of us tomorrow–no matter what.

Amen.

Holley

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A Quick Life Coaching Video

I did a Facebook live to talk about what happens in our brains when we’re afraid, the three stress responses, and how to choose the one that’s most helpful. Watch the free video now.


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One Last Thing

After a lot of thought and prayer (and worries that people will misunderstand or question my motives), I’ve decided to reopen my writing course at a reduced rate. Why now?

Because…
People need our words of hope and encouragement more than ever before.
Even if we can’t change all the world’s problems, we can change one life at a time.
When we can’t go to the places we want to, we can still go to the places we’re called to.
Fear is not the boss of us and each word we write is a tiny but mighty act of defiance.
Let’s keep the faith, take care of each other, and get to work. Who’s with me?

Get Started Now: Be a Kick-Butt Writer by Friday

Your Imperfect and Messy Story Is Beautiful

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Instead of comparison, let's choose compassion.

I’m in the library this morning. The quiet spreads out like white frosting interrupted only by a few giggles scattered like confetti-colored sprinkles from the children’s section. Behind me are seemingly endless shelves of books. Love and war, mysteries and memoirs, one about a girl dragonfly with wings of flame. At this very moment, I could stand up, take a few steps, and choose any of them.

Life can feel this way as well. It seems there are thousands of stories we could be living. And in this world of option and opportunity we believe we could somehow pick any or all of them. We call this freedom, yet in so many ways it can become a trap.

Because instead of living fully in the reality I’ve been given, I’m often somewhere else, lost on the pages of “what might have been” or “what could be.” I want someone else’s story—a book with a more enticing spine. But so often when we look at each other’s lives it’s like seeing only the cover of a book or maybe the little blurb of highlights on the back.

We don’t know in chapter seven the tornado ripped through the roof and she’s still wandering around on the lawn collecting splinters of picture frames. We don’t understand in chapter three she was the kid with rubber-banded braces on her teeth, volcanoes of pimples on her face, and more pounds than she wanted around her middle. And that’s who she still sees every time she looks in the mirror. We don’t grasp that there is no Wizard of Oz, and behind the curtain she’s just as scared and small as the rest of us.

I am at a place in my life when I want to stop constantly scanning the shelves for something on-the-surface better. Something thrilling and adventurous. Something a little more wise or funny. Something shinier than what I’ve been given. Instead, I want to realize that while the details are different, in so many ways our stories are the same. They are all full of anger and fear, struggle and loss, hope and longing.

And I want to be a little more open about my story, which is why I wrote Fiercehearted. Because maybe someone is looking at me the way I’ve looked at folks whose stories seem better than mine. Maybe someone sees you that way, too.

I hope we can find the courage to stand beside each other, point to the pages, and say, “This is the paragraph I wish I could mark out with a wide, red pen. This is the ugly, unwelcome sentence. This is the black-as-night period I was so hoping would only be a tiny, gray comma. This is the part about the hurt and the doubt following me like a stray dog. Here’s where the cherry pie got thrown against the wall and, yes, the stain is still there. And, my goodness, there’s also this joy-soaked scene I never saw coming.”

Because it’s in the telling, in the opening, that we begin to see our stories for what they are—glory-filled and flawed works of art. We start giving (and, yes, getting) what all our tattered-cover lives really need.

Not comparison… A little more compassion.

XOXO
Holley

MORE:

This post is an excerpt from Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely (currently 40% off!).

Is there a space in your life that felt unsafe but has become a brave place? Today on More than Small Talk, Christy Rodriguez joined us to talk about overcoming fear and daring to step into all God has for us. Listen to the episode free here.

My new online course, Be a Kick-Butt Writer by Friday, is full! Missed it? Get on the waiting list.

If the Holidays Let You Down, God Wants to Hold You Up.

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If the holidays let you down, God wants to hold you up.

You are the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3

Maybe the holidays are happy for you this year. Maybe they’re hard. Most likely they’re a mix of many different kinds of moments. Here’s a little reminder that in all of them, you’re never alone…

She stands at the edge of the room and stares at the floor. All around her conversations flow and laughter pours out. In a different moment she might have had the strength to reach out. She might have been able to overcome her insecurity. She might have made the best of this situation. But not today.

Then a voice calls her name. At first she doesn’t even respond. But soon she feels a gentle hand on her chin, tilting her face toward the sound of words being spoken to her. She does what she hasn’t all day: she looks up.

And standing right before her is Someone who loves her. Someone who sought her out. Someone who wants to hear about her hard day and her heart. And suddenly she feels a bit different.

Sometimes our hearts are downcast. We don’t even have the energy to try anymore. We feel alone. And then Jesus does something that’s beyond our comprehension. He comes to us in infinite love and tenderness. He lifts our heads.

When we look down, it’s usually because we’re feeling shame, sadness, or insecurity. Jesus wants to change all of that by reaching out to touch our lives and hearts. When someone lifts up your head, it’s an invitation for eye contact. It’s a way of clearly showing, “I see you. I’m here with you. I want to connect with you.”

Jesus is looking at you and loving you. He’s reaching out His hand to cup your chin and lift your face so you can look into His eyes.

And what else happens when we lift our heads? Our perspective changes.

Right in front of you is a Savior who wants to lift your head and heal your heart. Can you feel His touch and hear His voice? Both are full of love for you. Wherever you are today, He’s with you.

XOXO,
Holley Gerth

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours! We’re grateful for you.

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For more encouragement, join me for a FREE Online Bible Study! It kicks off in January 2020. Learn more and sign up here!

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days - Holley Gerth

This post is an excerpt from my devotional, What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days: 52 Encouraging Truths to Hold On To. Each of the 52 devotions based on the Psalms will help weary women remember that God is faithful, we’re all in this together and there’s a good plan for our lives.

It’s Time to Fight Back. You Are an Overcomer.

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The accusations toward our souls aren't proof of our inadequacy; they're proof that we have an adversary.

I settle into a comfy chair in a counselor’s office and begin to share the lies that sometimes swirl around in my mind. Like a tornado they threaten to destroy everything in their path. My peace. My joy. My belief that I’m loved.

I say to the counselor, “I know these words aren’t true. But in the hard moments, they feel true. And that’s where I’m stuck.” Can you relate? If you’ve ever felt that way, I want you to know you’re not the only one. I also want to reassure you it’s possible to beat those lies. Yes, it’s not only possible but also your right as a daughter of the King.

For years, when I heard lies my default response was “try harder.” But after months of counseling, conversations with friends, and time with Jesus, I’ve learned a new way. These days my response is no longer “try harder” but rather “fight back.”

The accusations toward our souls aren’t proof of our inadequacy; they’re proof that we have an adversary.

And the enemy is not ourselves. There’s a reason we use the phrase “beating ourselves up.” When we think the problem is us, we become harsh toward our own hearts. But our primary battle isn’t against any person — including ourselves. And the lies we hear have the same source as the first lie spoken to Eve in the Garden. If you are a woman in this world, you are at war. It is not optional. And while you may not go roaring into battle, at the very least you need to know basic spiritual self-defense.

That’s what I lacked. Even after writing books, even after encouraging thousands of women, I didn’t know how to defend my own heart. My husband and I recently watched a TV show in which the hero faces a powerful opponent. At one point the hero becomes weary and takes punch after punch. With tears in my eyes, I said over and over, “Fight back. Please fight back.”

It’s the same feeling I get when I look at my sisters in Christ. It’s the same one I get when I think about how I let my own soul be treated. And it makes me want to shout: ENOUGH. It’s time to fight back. It’s time to guard our hearts. It’s time to protect our minds. It’s time to stop taking the punches and instead take the victory in Jesus’s name.

Here’s the truth about us no matter what we may hear: We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We are stronger than we know, braver than we feel, and loved more than we can even imagine.

Strong, Brave, Loved by Holley GerthThis post is the Day Three devotion from Strong, Brave, Loved: Empowering Reminders of Who You Really Are. My new devotional released earlier this month, and I’d love for you to join me as we walk through it each day — together. Information on the Online Bible Study is available here, and I hope you’ll sign up!

In this week’s episode of More than Small Talk, we’re giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at counseling, talking through myths about it and sharing why some of us would rather go to a session than a spa. Listen to Episode 45: The Truth about Counseling here.

We Are Stronger and Braver Together

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We are stronger and braver together.

Yesterday morning I sat across from a friend in a coffee shop. She ordered a cinnamon roll the size of my face and let me have part of it. Because this is what true friends do.

We’d both just come through weeks of turmoil and a few tears. We felt battle worn and a bit weary. But we also felt victorious. “Years ago we would have backed down,” we said to each other, “We would have let fear win.” But not now. Not anymore.

A few minutes ago I talked with another friend who is still right in the middle of the surge. She’s afraid and wants to quit but keeps saying, “I have to see this through because it’s about more than just me.” I know she will.

When I think of all three of our situations, and so many more I see in my real life and online, I realize we are a generation of warriors. We may not ever be recognized as such. Because we fight not with anger but with grace. We defend not with force but with kindness. And we know this secret—that God Himself is love and nothing is impossible with Him.

This doesn’t mean we need to have it all together. It doesn’t require a spotless life. We’re not supposed to have all the answers. I think it simply means that we speak the truth of our stories, the truth of the God we love, where we are right now and as best as we know how.

If we were face-to-face now I’d turn to you and say, “We’re here for such a time as this.” We’re in nurseries and board rooms. Homes and high rises. Schools and senior retirement centers. We’re a fiercehearted force to be reckoned with. We are strong, brave and loved.

Strong, Brave, Loved by Holley GerthThis post is an excerpt from my new devotional Strong, Brave, Loved: Empowering Reminders of Who You Really Are. It released two days ago, and I’m so thankful for the ways you have cheered this message on. Thank you! If you preordered a copy, or choose to order a copy now that it’s available everywhere books are sold, please hang onto your email receipt. It will give you access to an Online Bible Study. Learn more about the Study here!

Don’t miss this important conversation. In Episode 43 of More than Small Talk, we’re talking about mental health and the church. Click here to listen in.

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