For the Women of Encouraging Her Resilience & Becoming Her
By Dashonia Marie
Scripture Focus — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Beautiful Woman of God,
Today is Thanksgiving — a day set aside not simply for food, family, laughter, or tradition… but for spiritual reflection, heart-posture, and God-centered gratitude.
Before you pick up a fork, before the conversations begin, before the noise of the day surrounds you —
I want you to pause… breathe… and let this truth settle deep into your spirit:
I want you to pause… breathe… and let this truth settle deep into your spirit:
✨ God has been good to you.
✨ God has carried you.
✨ God has kept you.
✨ God has covered you.
✨ God has carried you.
✨ God has kept you.
✨ God has covered you.
Not because life was easy.
Not because the year was gentle.
Not because everything made sense.
But because He is faithful, and His love never fails.
Not because the year was gentle.
Not because everything made sense.
But because He is faithful, and His love never fails.
Sit With the Goodness of God Today
I want you to take a moment — right where you are — and really sit with the goodness of God.
Think about January…
Think about the moments where you didn’t know how you were going to make it.
Think about the days you cried silently.
Think about the nights you went to bed heavy and woke up determined.
Think about the battles you fought in your mind that no one else knew.
Think about the storms that should have drowned you…
and the grief that should have broken you…
Think about the moments where you didn’t know how you were going to make it.
Think about the days you cried silently.
Think about the nights you went to bed heavy and woke up determined.
Think about the battles you fought in your mind that no one else knew.
Think about the storms that should have drowned you…
and the grief that should have broken you…
But look at you —
still standing, still breathing, still becoming, still growing, still rising.
still standing, still breathing, still becoming, still growing, still rising.
That is not luck.
That is not coincidence.
That is not your own strength.
That is not coincidence.
That is not your own strength.
That is God.
He carried you through things your mouth never spoke out loud.
He protected you from things your eyes never saw coming.
He healed pieces of you you didn’t know were wounded.
He answered prayers you forgot you prayed.
He protected you from things your eyes never saw coming.
He healed pieces of you you didn’t know were wounded.
He answered prayers you forgot you prayed.
God has been better to you than you have been to yourself.
The True Meaning of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is not about the table —
it is about the heart.
it is about the heart.
It is not about the feast —
it is about the Father.
it is about the Father.
It is not about what we receive —
it is about what we remember.
it is about what we remember.
The true meaning of Thanksgiving is recognizing that
every breath, every blessing, every breakthrough, every battle won
is because of God’s unshakable love.
every breath, every blessing, every breakthrough, every battle won
is because of God’s unshakable love.
Thanksgiving is not a holiday —
it is a holy posture.
A posture that says:
it is a holy posture.
A posture that says:
“God, I may not have everything I want,
but I thank You for everything I need.”
“God, I may have walked through pain,
but I thank You for the strength to endure.”
“God, I may have cried this year,
but I thank You because You collected every tear.”
“God, I may not understand everything,
but I thank You because You remained God through it all.”
but I thank You for everything I need.”
“God, I may have walked through pain,
but I thank You for the strength to endure.”
“God, I may have cried this year,
but I thank You because You collected every tear.”
“God, I may not understand everything,
but I thank You because You remained God through it all.”
Thanksgiving is the choice to honor Him,
even in the places that hurt.
Thanksgiving is the decision to trust Him,
even in the places that feel uncertain.
Thanksgiving is the discipline of remembering
just how good He has been —
even when life wasn’t.
even in the places that hurt.
Thanksgiving is the decision to trust Him,
even in the places that feel uncertain.
Thanksgiving is the discipline of remembering
just how good He has been —
even when life wasn’t.
How to Posture Your Heart in True Thanksgiving
A thankful heart is not loud…
It is not forced…
It is not performance…
It is not forced…
It is not performance…
A thankful heart is surrendered.
Here is how you posture your heart today:
1. Slow Down and Reflect
Quiet your mind.
Ask yourself:
“Where do I see the fingerprints of God in my life this year?”
You will find them everywhere.
Ask yourself:
“Where do I see the fingerprints of God in my life this year?”
You will find them everywhere.
2. Remember What God Brought You Through
Write it down.
Name it.
Acknowledge it.
Let your spirit testify.
Name it.
Acknowledge it.
Let your spirit testify.
3. Release What You Cannot Control
Thankfulness grows in the soil of surrender.
Let go — and let God prove Himself again.
Let go — and let God prove Himself again.
4. Praise Him With Intention
Don’t wait for a feeling.
Praise is a weapon.
Use it today.
Praise is a weapon.
Use it today.
5. Give God the Glory
Every win.
Every healing.
Every breakthrough.
Every breath.
Every healing.
Every breakthrough.
Every breath.
He did it — and He deserves the thanks.
A Thanksgiving Blessing Over You
Beautiful woman,
As you move through this Thanksgiving Day, I pray that:
As you move through this Thanksgiving Day, I pray that:
✨ Gratitude wraps around your heart.
✨ Peace settles over your home.
✨ Joy rises in you like strength.
✨ God’s presence fills every moment.
✨ Peace settles over your home.
✨ Joy rises in you like strength.
✨ God’s presence fills every moment.
May you walk today — and every day —
as a woman covered, kept, and carried by God.
as a woman covered, kept, and carried by God.
Your thankfulness is your power.
Use it boldly.
Use it intentionally.
Use it as worship unto God.
Use it boldly.
Use it intentionally.
Use it as worship unto God.
Happy Thanksgiving, Beautiful Sister.
May your heart overflow with gratitude,
and may God continue to reveal His goodness in ways that take your breath away.
and may God continue to reveal His goodness in ways that take your breath away.
With love,
Dashonia Marie
Dashonia Marie
Scripture Focus — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Beautiful, Resilient Woman of God,
As we gather in this sacred season of Thanksgiving, I feel a deep stirring in my spirit — a holy weight of gratitude, reverence, and awe for what God has done in your life this year. This devotional is not just another message… it is a spiritual pouring, a heartfelt offering, and a prophetic declaration of thanks from my heart to yours.
From January until this November, God has carried us through valleys we didn’t think we would survive, storms we didn’t believe we would outlive, and battles we didn’t feel strong enough to face. Yet here we are — standing, breathing, worshiping, healing, and rising — not because of our strength, but because of the supernatural hand of God.
THE TRUE MEANING OF THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is more than a meal…
More than family gathering around a table…
More than tradition…
More than family gathering around a table…
More than tradition…
Thanksgiving is a spiritual posture.
A divine reminder.
A holy acknowledgment that everything we have — and everything we survived — is because of God’s unfailing love.
A divine reminder.
A holy acknowledgment that everything we have — and everything we survived — is because of God’s unfailing love.
Thanksgiving is the moment your soul pauses and says:
“God, You kept me when I couldn’t keep myself. You carried me when life was too heavy. You protected me when danger was near. You rescued me when the enemy tried to write my ending.”
“God, You kept me when I couldn’t keep myself. You carried me when life was too heavy. You protected me when danger was near. You rescued me when the enemy tried to write my ending.”
The true meaning of Thanksgiving is returning the glory back to God.
It is remembering that:
- His mercy withheld what could have destroyed us.
- His grace gave what we didn’t deserve.
- His power covered dangers we never saw coming.
- His love overturned plots the enemy set against us.
- His hand held us when grief tried to break us.
- His presence became our sanity when life shook us to the core.
Thanksgiving is the spiritual act of saying,
“Lord, I recognize that without You… I would not be here.”
“Lord, I recognize that without You… I would not be here.”
REFLECTION OF GOD’S GOODNESS THIS YEAR
This year, some of us walked through grief so deep we wondered if we would ever breathe again.
Some fought silent battles in the mind that no one else knew about.
Some carried responsibilities that felt too heavy for one heart.
Some experienced betrayals, losses, breakdowns, and spiritual warfare that tried to swallow us whole.
Some fought silent battles in the mind that no one else knew about.
Some carried responsibilities that felt too heavy for one heart.
Some experienced betrayals, losses, breakdowns, and spiritual warfare that tried to swallow us whole.
But the faithfulness of God carried you.
His strength sustained you.
His peace stabilized you.
His protection surrounded you.
His love refused to let you go.
His strength sustained you.
His peace stabilized you.
His protection surrounded you.
His love refused to let you go.
You are not standing here by accident —
You are standing because God has been good.
You are standing because God has been good.
And as you sit at the table this Thanksgiving — or even if your heart is still healing, even if the chair of a loved one feels painfully empty — I pray you will feel the warmth of God wrapping around you.
Pause.
Breathe.
Reflect.
Worship.
Let your spirit whisper,
“God… You have been faithful.”
Breathe.
Reflect.
Worship.
Let your spirit whisper,
“God… You have been faithful.”
A MESSAGE FROM MY HEART TO YOURS
To every woman connected to Encouraging Her Resilience and Becoming Her…
I want to look you in your spiritual eyes and tell you this with authority, with sincerity, and with the fullness of my heart:
I am thankful for you.
Your faithfulness to this journey…
Your willingness to grow…
Your courage to show up when life was heavy…
Your strength to keep pushing when quitting would have been easier…
Your heart to learn, to heal, to elevate…
Your willingness to grow…
Your courage to show up when life was heavy…
Your strength to keep pushing when quitting would have been easier…
Your heart to learn, to heal, to elevate…
It humbles me. It blesses me. It inspires me.
I am honored — deeply honored — that God chose me to be a part of your life.
To teach you, to encourage you, to pray for you, to walk with you, and to witness what God is doing inside you.
To teach you, to encourage you, to pray for you, to walk with you, and to witness what God is doing inside you.
If no one in this world has told you they are thankful for you, hear me clearly:
I, Dashonia Marie, am thankful for you.
Thankful for your presence.
Thankful for your trust.
Thankful for your growth.
Thankful that God aligned our paths.
Thankful that we are sisters in Christ.
Thankful for your presence.
Thankful for your trust.
Thankful for your growth.
Thankful that God aligned our paths.
Thankful that we are sisters in Christ.
Remain in God — abide in Him — cling to Him…
And He will remain in you, strengthen you, and elevate you.
And He will remain in you, strengthen you, and elevate you.
Happy Thanksgiving, Beautiful Woman of God.
May this season fill you with peace, gratitude, reflection, and the undeniable presence of the Holy Spirit.
You are loved. You are covered. You are chosen. You are kept.
And you are deeply appreciated.
May this season fill you with peace, gratitude, reflection, and the undeniable presence of the Holy Spirit.
You are loved. You are covered. You are chosen. You are kept.
And you are deeply appreciated.
Beautiful Woman of Becoming Her,
Welcome to a journey I believe will transform your mind, speak to your spirit, and meet you in the places you’ve never told anyone you struggle with.
This is not just another devotional.
This is not surface-level encouragement.
This is not a temporary emotional lift.
This is not surface-level encouragement.
This is not a temporary emotional lift.
This is a raw, honest, deeply spiritual, trauma-informed, mental-health-centered study designed specifically for women whose minds never stop moving… never stop worrying… never stop battling.
If you fight through:
- depression that drains your motivation
- anxiety that tightens your chest
- bipolar highs and lows that leave you exhausted
- PTSD triggers that hijack your peace
- schizophrenia’s fear and distortion
- suicidal thoughts that show up uninvited
- racing thoughts that don’t let you breathe
- trauma memories that interrupt your day
- emotional wounds that still feel open
—then you are in the right place.
This study was written for you.
WHY WE’RE HERE — AND WHY WE’RE STARTING WITH JOHN 14:27
Our entire 5-day study is anchored in one scripture — a scripture Jesus spoke intentionally, strategically, and prophetically:
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
— John 14:27 (NLT)
So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
— John 14:27 (NLT)
This is not a poetic statement.
This is not a “feel better soon” verse.
This is not soft, churchy comfort.
This is not a “feel better soon” verse.
This is not soft, churchy comfort.
This is Jesus speaking into a room full of people who were about to experience:
- fear,
- confusion,
- emotional collapse,
- trauma,
- loss,
- and mental instability.
He was speaking to people whose minds were in danger of falling apart.
Which means He is speaking directly to the Becoming Her woman —
the woman who battles emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and privately.
the woman who battles emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and privately.
If you’ve ever felt like your mind is “too much,”
like your emotions are “too unstable,”
like your thoughts are “too heavy,”
like your struggles are “too complex”…
like your emotions are “too unstable,”
like your thoughts are “too heavy,”
like your struggles are “too complex”…
Hear this:
Jesus saw you coming.
And He left a peace specifically for you.
Jesus saw you coming.
And He left a peace specifically for you.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THESE NEXT 5 DAYS
Over the next five days, we are not just studying peace.
We’re rediscovering peace.
We’re rediscovering peace.
We’re peeling back layers of trauma, survival mode, and mental exhaustion
to understand the peace Jesus talked about —
not the peace the world taught us to settle for.
to understand the peace Jesus talked about —
not the peace the world taught us to settle for.
Here’s what you can expect:
DAY 1 — Rediscover the True Meaning of Christ’s Peace
You will understand what “peace of mind and heart” actually means,
why Jesus said it when He did,
and why this verse speaks directly to women with mental health battles.
why Jesus said it when He did,
and why this verse speaks directly to women with mental health battles.
DAY 2 — When Your Mind Is Loud but Heaven Speaks Louder
You will learn how Christ’s peace interacts with intrusive thoughts,
anxious spirals, and emotional overwhelm.
anxious spirals, and emotional overwhelm.
DAY 3 — Peace in the Middle of Trauma Triggers
You will discover how His peace steadies the nervous system
when trauma tries to take over.
when trauma tries to take over.
DAY 4 — Stabilizing Peace for Unstable Seasons
You will learn how Christ’s peace anchors the woman living with depression,
bipolar shifts, or moments where she doesn’t feel in control of herself.
bipolar shifts, or moments where she doesn’t feel in control of herself.
DAY 5 — Living in the Peace You’ve Been Running From
You will learn how to walk in peace daily,
even when symptoms, stress, and life show up again.
even when symptoms, stress, and life show up again.
HOW WE WILL APPLY JOHN 14:27 FOR THESE 5 DAYS
This study is not about memorizing a verse.
It’s about experiencing it.
It’s about experiencing it.
Each day, we will apply John 14:27 by:
Understanding the Biblical truth behind the scripture
No fluff — you will learn why Jesus said it,
who He said it to,
and how it applies to the Becoming Her woman.
who He said it to,
and how it applies to the Becoming Her woman.
Connecting it to your mental health
You will learn how Christ’s peace interacts with:
- anxiety
- depression
- bipolar
- schizophrenia
- PTSD
- trauma responses
- suicidal thoughts
- intrusive thinking
- emotional dysregulation
Learning spiritual strategies you can actually use
Not clichés. Not churchy talk.
Real, practical, spiritual tools for women living real battles.
Real, practical, spiritual tools for women living real battles.
Creating space for healing
Every teaching will meet you where you are —
broken, overwhelmed, healing, rebuilding —
and speak to the exact place your mind is fighting.
broken, overwhelmed, healing, rebuilding —
and speak to the exact place your mind is fighting.
Guiding you into supernatural peace
Not the peace you have to work for.
Not the peace you have to “feel.”
But the peace Jesus gave you —
peace that stabilizes, anchors, and restores.
Not the peace you have to “feel.”
But the peace Jesus gave you —
peace that stabilizes, anchors, and restores.
THIS IS YOUR MOMENT OF PEACE
These 5 days are personal.
These 5 days are intentional.
These 5 days are sacred.
These 5 days are intentional.
These 5 days are sacred.
If you’re reading this, it’s not by accident.
You didn’t stumble here.
God led you here.
You didn’t stumble here.
God led you here.
He brought you to a study designed for women like you —
women whose minds run fast, whose hearts run deep,
and whose battles are often silent but heavy.
women whose minds run fast, whose hearts run deep,
and whose battles are often silent but heavy.
For the next 5 days, I want you to:
- show up honest
- show up vulnerable
- show up willing to receive
- show up believing God’s peace is for you
- show up knowing you deserve healing
Because the truth is…
Your mind has carried enough.
It’s time for peace to carry you.
It’s time for peace to carry you.
Welcome to Peace for the Anxious Woman.
Your journey begins now.
Your journey begins now.
Day 2: The Outcast at the Well — Sitting in the Heat of Her Shame
Monday, November 3, 2025
Picture it, Sis—
The sun is blazing overhead. The air is heavy. The ground cracks beneath her feet.
The sun is blazing overhead. The air is heavy. The ground cracks beneath her feet.
It’s noon, the hottest hour of the day — the hour when no one goes to the well.
But there she is.
A woman, weary and alone, clutching her water jar and carrying the invisible weight of her past.
But there she is.
A woman, weary and alone, clutching her water jar and carrying the invisible weight of her past.
John 4:6 tells us that she came to Jacob’s well at noontime.
That detail isn’t random — it’s revelation.
Because women didn’t draw water in the heat of the day.
They came early in the morning, together, while the air was cool and the company was kind.
That detail isn’t random — it’s revelation.
Because women didn’t draw water in the heat of the day.
They came early in the morning, together, while the air was cool and the company was kind.
But this woman?
She came when no one else would be there.
Because being alone was safer than being reminded that she wasn’t accepted.
She came when no one else would be there.
Because being alone was safer than being reminded that she wasn’t accepted.
She had learned to live in isolation.
Not because she didn’t need people — but because people had made her feel like she wasn’t worth being around.
Not because she didn’t need people — but because people had made her feel like she wasn’t worth being around.
The Pain of Being the Outcast
This woman wasn’t just a stranger — she was a Samaritan.
Her people were despised by the Jews, seen as half-breeds, spiritually unclean, and unworthy of worship.
Add to that her gender, and her reputation — and she became the lowest of the low.
Her people were despised by the Jews, seen as half-breeds, spiritually unclean, and unworthy of worship.
Add to that her gender, and her reputation — and she became the lowest of the low.
She was the woman everyone talked about, but no one talked to.
She was the woman whispered about in the marketplace.
The woman who heard laughter as she walked away.
The woman who no longer tried to explain herself — because her truth didn’t matter to those who’d already decided who she was.
She was the woman whispered about in the marketplace.
The woman who heard laughter as she walked away.
The woman who no longer tried to explain herself — because her truth didn’t matter to those who’d already decided who she was.
She wasn’t just carrying a jar of water — she was carrying a lifetime of rejection.
Can you feel that, Sis?
Have you ever been her?
Have you ever been the woman who walks into a room and feels eyes following you?
The woman who’s been labeled by her past, defined by her worst choices, and treated like her future doesn’t exist?
Have you ever been her?
Have you ever been the woman who walks into a room and feels eyes following you?
The woman who’s been labeled by her past, defined by her worst choices, and treated like her future doesn’t exist?
What Could Make Her an Outcast
Scripture tells us she had five husbands and was now living with a man who wasn’t her husband (John 4:18).
Maybe she had been abandoned. Maybe she was desperate. Maybe she was broken from years of trying to belong.
But whatever the reason — society decided she wasn’t worth grace.
Maybe she had been abandoned. Maybe she was desperate. Maybe she was broken from years of trying to belong.
But whatever the reason — society decided she wasn’t worth grace.
Her story had made her untouchable.
Her reputation made her unredeemable.
And the silence of others made her unseen.
Her reputation made her unredeemable.
And the silence of others made her unseen.
She lived on the margins — between cultures, between communities, between hope and heartbreak.
And yet, even in her shame, she still came to the well.
Because somewhere inside of her, there was still a flicker of wanting more.
Somewhere deep down, she still believed there had to be more to life than survival.
Because somewhere inside of her, there was still a flicker of wanting more.
Somewhere deep down, she still believed there had to be more to life than survival.
What It Feels Like to Be an Outcast
Being an outcast isn’t just about being left out — it’s about being looked down on.
It’s when people speak your name with pity or disgust.
It’s when you feel like no matter what you do, you’ll never be enough.
It’s the ache of being surrounded by people but still feeling unseen.
It’s sitting at your own version of the well — the place where you go to escape the world but can’t escape your own thoughts.
It’s when people speak your name with pity or disgust.
It’s when you feel like no matter what you do, you’ll never be enough.
It’s the ache of being surrounded by people but still feeling unseen.
It’s sitting at your own version of the well — the place where you go to escape the world but can’t escape your own thoughts.
That was her truth.
That was her noon hour.
That was her pain.
That was her noon hour.
That was her pain.
And Sis, we’ve all had our noon-hour moments.
Moments where we’ve hidden behind our strength so no one sees our sorrow.
Moments where we’ve chosen isolation over intimacy because rejection hurts too much.
Moments where we’ve sat in the heat of our shame, convincing ourselves that maybe we deserve this loneliness.
Moments where we’ve hidden behind our strength so no one sees our sorrow.
Moments where we’ve chosen isolation over intimacy because rejection hurts too much.
Moments where we’ve sat in the heat of our shame, convincing ourselves that maybe we deserve this loneliness.
But you don’t. You never did.
Neither did she.
Neither did she.
The Outcast in All of Us
Every woman in Encouraging Her Resilience has been the woman at the well.
We’ve been the ones society overlooked.
We’ve been the ones judged by what we came out of instead of what we’re becoming.
We’ve been the ones who were called “too broken,” “too emotional,” or “too far gone.”
We’ve been the ones society overlooked.
We’ve been the ones judged by what we came out of instead of what we’re becoming.
We’ve been the ones who were called “too broken,” “too emotional,” or “too far gone.”
We’ve been misunderstood, mislabeled, and misrepresented — yet somehow, by the grace of God, we’ve kept walking.
We’ve kept showing up to our own wells, still trying to draw strength from an empty place.
We’ve kept showing up to our own wells, still trying to draw strength from an empty place.
But even in her brokenness, the woman at the well showed up.
Even as an outcast, she didn’t stop living.
Even when she had every reason to hide, she still faced the heat — because deep down, she still had faith that maybe one day, her story would change.
Even as an outcast, she didn’t stop living.
Even when she had every reason to hide, she still faced the heat — because deep down, she still had faith that maybe one day, her story would change.
Reflection
- Have you ever gone through a “noon-hour season,” where you hid from others because of your past or your pain?
- How have people’s opinions shaped how you see yourself?
- What would it look like to believe that even as an outcast, you are still seen, still loved, and still chosen?
Affirmation
I may have been an outcast, but I am not forgotten.
I may have been rejected, but I am not unworthy.
I may have been alone, but I am still seen.
My story does not end at the well.
I may have been rejected, but I am not unworthy.
I may have been alone, but I am still seen.
My story does not end at the well.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You know the pain of rejection. You know what it means to be misunderstood and unwanted.
Today, I lift up every woman sitting at her own well at noon — tired, isolated, and longing to be seen.
Wrap Your love around her heart.
Remind her that she’s not defined by her reputation, her past, or her pain.
Give her courage to keep showing up, even when it hurts.
Let her know that even in her outcast moments, she is never truly alone.
Today, I lift up every woman sitting at her own well at noon — tired, isolated, and longing to be seen.
Wrap Your love around her heart.
Remind her that she’s not defined by her reputation, her past, or her pain.
Give her courage to keep showing up, even when it hurts.
Let her know that even in her outcast moments, she is never truly alone.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Resilient Reminder
The woman at the well sat alone under the weight of her shame — but even in her isolation, she was on Heaven’s radar.
She may have been an outcast to people, but she was never forgotten by God.
She may have been an outcast to people, but she was never forgotten by God.
Day 1: The Woman with a Past — The Weight of Her Reality
Sunday, November 2, 2025
Before her story became one of redemption, it was a story of rejection.
Before she was known for her encounter with Jesus, she was known for her mistakes.
Her name was never mentioned in Scripture — not because it didn’t matter, but because her pain had become her name.
Before she was known for her encounter with Jesus, she was known for her mistakes.
Her name was never mentioned in Scripture — not because it didn’t matter, but because her pain had become her name.
She was “that woman.”
The one people whispered about behind closed doors.
The one whose name came up only when someone else’s name needed to be dragged down.
The one whose reputation entered a room before she did.
The one people whispered about behind closed doors.
The one whose name came up only when someone else’s name needed to be dragged down.
The one whose reputation entered a room before she did.
She was the woman at the well, not because she loved the water — but because she was tired of the world.
She went at noon, in the heat of the day, when the air was heavy and the sun was unforgiving — because the gossip was worse in the morning.
She had learned how to live around her shame.
She had learned how to smile through judgment, how to survive in silence, how to exist unseen.
She had learned how to live around her shame.
She had learned how to smile through judgment, how to survive in silence, how to exist unseen.
She Was a Woman Haunted by Her Past
Five husbands.
Five broken promises.
Five attempts at love that ended in loss, abandonment, or betrayal.
Five broken promises.
Five attempts at love that ended in loss, abandonment, or betrayal.
And now, she was living with a man who wasn’t her husband — not because she didn’t value herself, but because the world had already told her she wasn’t worth anything more.
She had learned to settle for the kind of love that hurt, because she no longer believed she deserved the kind that healed.
She had learned to settle for the kind of love that hurt, because she no longer believed she deserved the kind that healed.
Every failure left another scar.
Every disappointment added another layer of shame.
And with each passing day, she stopped believing there could be anything more for her.
Every disappointment added another layer of shame.
And with each passing day, she stopped believing there could be anything more for her.
She carried that pain like a jar on her shoulder — heavy, invisible, and filled with regret.
Her heart was dehydrated from years of rejection.
Her soul was parched from the thirst of trying to be enough.
Her heart was dehydrated from years of rejection.
Her soul was parched from the thirst of trying to be enough.
She Was the Woman They Labeled
She wasn’t invited to the morning well.
She wasn’t welcome in the conversations of “good women.”
She had been labeled everything except worthy.
She wasn’t welcome in the conversations of “good women.”
She had been labeled everything except worthy.
They called her sinful.
They called her broken.
They called her unfit.
And over time, she started to believe it.
They called her broken.
They called her unfit.
And over time, she started to believe it.
Can you imagine that kind of loneliness, Sis?
To walk through life feeling like a mistake in human form?
To wake up knowing that no matter what you do, someone will always see the worst in you?
That’s the kind of exhaustion that doesn’t just drain your body — it drains your soul.
To walk through life feeling like a mistake in human form?
To wake up knowing that no matter what you do, someone will always see the worst in you?
That’s the kind of exhaustion that doesn’t just drain your body — it drains your soul.
And yet, she kept going.
Every day, she picked up her jar and walked back to that same well — the same place of pain, the same reminder of lack — because even though she was empty, she still had to function.
Every day, she picked up her jar and walked back to that same well — the same place of pain, the same reminder of lack — because even though she was empty, she still had to function.
How many of us have done the same?
How many times have we kept showing up — to work, to church, to life — pretending to be okay while quietly drowning in shame?
How many times have we smiled through our own scars just to prove we’re still standing?
How many times have we kept showing up — to work, to church, to life — pretending to be okay while quietly drowning in shame?
How many times have we smiled through our own scars just to prove we’re still standing?
This Is the Woman We’ve All Been
Every woman in Encouraging Her Resilience has been her.
We’ve all worn invisible labels that the world has placed on us: “too broken,” “too much,” “not enough.”
We’ve all walked through seasons where isolation felt safer than connection — because at least alone, no one could judge us.
We’ve all carried silent stories that no one saw — heartbreaks, betrayals, bad choices, lost identities, the ache of wanting to be seen and known.
We’ve all worn invisible labels that the world has placed on us: “too broken,” “too much,” “not enough.”
We’ve all walked through seasons where isolation felt safer than connection — because at least alone, no one could judge us.
We’ve all carried silent stories that no one saw — heartbreaks, betrayals, bad choices, lost identities, the ache of wanting to be seen and known.
We’ve all been to the well —
That place where we keep returning, trying to fill the emptiness inside with something that will never satisfy.
The well of perfectionism.
The well of toxic love.
The well of addiction.
The well of approval.
The well of trying to prove that we are enough.
That place where we keep returning, trying to fill the emptiness inside with something that will never satisfy.
The well of perfectionism.
The well of toxic love.
The well of addiction.
The well of approval.
The well of trying to prove that we are enough.
And yet, no matter how many times we come, it always runs dry.
She Was Weary, But Still Standing
What’s powerful about this woman isn’t just her pain — it’s her perseverance.
Even in her brokenness, she kept going to the well.
Even in her shame, she showed up.
Even when life had labeled her, she refused to disappear completely.
Even in her brokenness, she kept going to the well.
Even in her shame, she showed up.
Even when life had labeled her, she refused to disappear completely.
And Sis, that’s what makes her story ours.
Because despite what life has taken from us, despite what people have said, despite how deep the hurt runs — we’re still here.
Because despite what life has taken from us, despite what people have said, despite how deep the hurt runs — we’re still here.
We are the women who have cried ourselves to sleep and woke up with purpose anyway.
We are the women who have been overlooked but still show up with resilience in our bones.
We are the women who have been through hell and still walk like heaven has our back.
We are the women who have been overlooked but still show up with resilience in our bones.
We are the women who have been through hell and still walk like heaven has our back.
We are that woman at the well — tired, but still showing up.
Ashamed, but still reaching for something more.
Broken, but still breathing.
Ashamed, but still reaching for something more.
Broken, but still breathing.
Reflection
- What “well” do you keep going back to, hoping it will heal what’s still broken inside?
- How have the labels others placed on you shaped how you see yourself today?
- What burdens are you silently carrying that no one knows about — yet?
Affirmation
I am not what they said I was.
I am not what I’ve been through.
I am not the woman I used to be.
I am a woman who is still standing — even when the world tried to break me.
I am not what I’ve been through.
I am not the woman I used to be.
I am a woman who is still standing — even when the world tried to break me.
Prayer
Father,
Tonight I bring You the version of me that hides behind strength.
The woman who’s tired of pretending she’s fine.
The one who’s still haunted by her mistakes, her heartbreak, her shame.
I bring You the tears I’ve never told anyone about — the weight I’ve learned to carry in silence.
And I ask You to see me, even here, before the healing, before the fixing, before the redemption.
Meet me in my truth, Lord.
See me in my brokenness.
Hold me in my loneliness.
And remind me that even in my lowest moment, I am still loved.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Tonight I bring You the version of me that hides behind strength.
The woman who’s tired of pretending she’s fine.
The one who’s still haunted by her mistakes, her heartbreak, her shame.
I bring You the tears I’ve never told anyone about — the weight I’ve learned to carry in silence.
And I ask You to see me, even here, before the healing, before the fixing, before the redemption.
Meet me in my truth, Lord.
See me in my brokenness.
Hold me in my loneliness.
And remind me that even in my lowest moment, I am still loved.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Resilient Reminder
Before her story became one of redemption, it was one of survival.
And survival is still sacred.
If you’re still walking, still breathing, still fighting —
you are already proof of resilience. 💧
And survival is still sacred.
If you’re still walking, still breathing, still fighting —
you are already proof of resilience. 💧
